Background: Inhalant abuse is common among children and adolescents worldwide, and chronic abuse can cause neurological manifestations, withdrawal symptoms, and antisocial behaviors. Sudan has a high prevalence of glue-sniffing among street children, but little is known about the neuropsychiatric in Sudan. So this study aims to investigate the different neuropsychiatric manifestations, withdrawal symptoms, and antisocial behaviors among homeless abusers in Sudan.

a community based cross-sectional study at Khartoum, Sudan. the study examined the neuropsychiatric manifestations of inhalant glue abuse in 122 homeless participants in Khartoum, Sudan, using interviews, psychiatric assessments, and Likert scale questions.

The most common neurological symptoms reported were limb weakness (54%), lack of energy (53.3%), and memory problems (50.8%). More than half of the participants exhibited high suicide risk (58%), and over one-third had depression (38.3%). The majority were dependent on inhalants, and over half had a high likelihood of post-traumatic stress disorder (63.3%). While taking tramadol was identified as wrong behavior by most participants, over a third considered it acceptable (41.67%). Depressed participants had a higher neurology score (Mdn = 42, n = 34) than not depressed (Mdn = 27.5, n = 22), U = 581, z = 3.477, p < 0.001. Withdrawal symptoms were a significant predictor of the neurology score (β = 1.69, p = 0.004).

Overall, this study emphasizes the need for policies and strategies to address the health and social consequences of inhalant abuse among homeless populations in Sudan. Specifically, intervention and prevention programs should address neuropsychiatric manifestations, suicide risk, and the risk of addiction and withdrawal symptoms among homeless inhalant abusers in Sudan.