Introduction: Although it is discouraged, community pharmacy customers can obtain oral corticosteroids (OCSs) without prescriptions from some community pharmacies in Iraq. Medication abuse is defined as the use of medication for non-medical reasons. Objectives: The study aimed to determine demographics, beliefs, and perceptions associated with the abuse of oral corticosteroids for non-illness reasons among community pharmacy customers. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in fall 2018 in four provinces in Iraq. Customers of 19 community pharmacies asking for OCSs for themselves without a prescription were administered a paper survey. This study used the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) to measure the relationship between the motivational factors and the abuse of OCSs. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to evaluate the relationships between the use of OCSs for non-illness and six TRA factors: Normative belief, behavioral belief, evaluation of the behavior, motivation to comply, subjective norms and attitude toward behavior. Results: The study enrolled 141 participants (98 women and 43 men) taking asking for OCSs without prescription. Dexamethasone was the most commonly used OCSs (59.6%). Friends were the primary recommenders for corticosteroids abuse (28.4%). The main reasons for using OCSs were to increase appetite and gain weight (53.9 %). Approximately one-third (36.2 %) of the participants gained weight after using OCSs. The regression analysis of the TRA variables showed two factors were significantly related to the abuse of OCSs. Age had a significant inverse relationship with the abuse of OCSs and the "good appearance" belief had a significant positive association with OCS abuse. Conclusion: Some Iraqi community pharmacy customers use non-prescribed oral corticosteroids to increase appetite and gain weight. Improve body appearance represents the dominant incentive that urges people to use OCSs without prescription. Health officials and healthcare practitioners need to promote people's awareness about the risks of misusing OCSs through education programs and advertisements in public health settings, media, and social media. Article Type: Original Research
The two most popular models inwell-known count regression models are Poisson and negative binomial regression models. Poisson regression is a generalized linear model form of regression analysis used to model count data and contingency tables. Poisson regression assumes the response variable Y has a Poisson distribution, and assumes the logarithm of its expected value can be modeled by a linear combination of unknown parameters. Negative binomial regression is similar to regular multiple regression except that the dependent (Y) variables an observed count that follows the negative binomial distribution. This research studies some factors affecting divorce using Poisson and negative binomial regression models. The factors are unemplo
... Show MoreSalinity of soil or irrigation water is one of the most important obstacle towards crop production and productivity, especially with the increasing scarcity of fresh water in Iraq and the Arab countries. The impact of salinity will be alleviated with the increasing temperature due to global warming. The objectives of this article was to shed some light on traits more related to salinity stress tolerance in oats, and to identify genetic variation of these traits. A split-plot arrangement experiment with RCBD was applied through 2011-2013 on the farm of Dept. of Field Crops/Coll. of Agric./Univ. of Baghdad. The oats cultivars; Hamel, Pimula and Genzania were set in sub-plots, whereas water quality was set in main-plots. Water quality had two
... Show MoreDensity Functional Theory at the generalized-gradient approximation level coupled with large unit cell method is used to simulate the electronic structure of (II-VI) zinc-blende cadmium sulfide nanocrystals that have dimensions 2-2.5 nm. The calculated properties include lattice constant, conduction and valence bands width, energy of the highest occupied orbital, energy of the lowest unoccupied orbital, energy gap, density of states etc. Results show that lattice constant and energy gap converge to definite values. However, highest occupied orbital, lowest unoccupied orbital fluctuates indefinitely depending on the shape of the nanocrystal.
Objectives: The current study aims at identifying the level of perceived stress among nursing college students and determining the factors associated with stress they have. Methodology: A cross-sectional descriptive study initiated for the period on November 1st, 2014 to May 1st, 2015. The study has been conducted on the undergraduate nursing college students / University of Baghdad. The sample of the study was consisted of (128) students who were selected purposively. The questionnaire of the study was adopted and modified for the present study which consisted of socio-demographic data and the scale of
The current research aims to find out (the effectiveness of teaching TRIZ theory in the expressive performance and the development of creative thinking among preparatory school students)
To achieve this, the researcher adopted on an experimental design is located in women with partial seizure experimental designs field in order to achieve the goals of the research, has sample consisted of two divisions seminars Mentzmtin in junior high school Diyala for Boys, and divided the sample of (60) called on the two groups, the first pilot of ( 30) student, and the other officer and number (30), student, and studied researchers experimental group theory TRIZ, while he studied the officer in the traditional manner, the researcher conducted a pa
Background: Breast cancer is the commonest type of malignancy worldwide and in Iraq. It is a serious disease that affects the general health and cause systemic changes that affect the physical and chemical properties of saliva leading to adverse effects on oral health. This study was conducted toassess the tumor marker CA15-3 and selected elements in saliva and their relation to oral health status among breast cancer patients compared to control group. Materials and Methods: The total sample consisted of 60 women aged 35-45 years. 30 women were newly diagnosed with breast cancer before taking any treatment and surgery (study group) and 30 women without clinical signs and symptoms of breast cancer as a control group. Dental caries was record
... Show MoreThe phenomenon of delayed marriage triggered the intention of most researchers and specialists to reveal the social factors associated with the spread of this phenomenon in order to identify the characteristics of that phenomenon and the social factors resulting from it. Thus, the current research aims to identify the social factors most related to the delay in marriage age among working-women at the University of Baghdad, represented by family factors, economic factors-professional, psychological factors – subjective, and environmental factors. The researcher also aims to identify the differences in social factors associated with late marriage age for working women at the University of Baghdad in terms of the type of profession (teach
... Show MoreAction films employ many artistic and literary elements that contribute greatly to building the general meaning of the film and push the wheel of the film forward. The element of mystery and suspense is used as two basic elements in action films. The cinematic language in action films depends on global coding, which is not models as it might be. It is based on logic, rather as units that aspire to morphology and not their homogeneity as the physical sense, but as the logical harmony of interpretive authority and enlightenment and in action films as a field of communication and a field in its origin in which the signifier contrasts with the perceptions of the meaning and in it takes a certain number of units preventing each other and thro
... Show MoreBackground: Halitosis represents a common dental condition, although sufferers are often not conscious of it. It is common among humans around the world and is usually caused by an accumulation of bacteria in the mouth as a result of gum disease, food, or plaque. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of oral hygiene practices, smoking habits and halitosis among undergraduate dental students and correlate the oral hygiene practices, oral health conditions to the prevalence of self perceived oral malodor. Materials and Methods: Clinical examination of 250 dental students and a self-administered questionnaire were included in this study. A questionnaire was developed to assess the self-reported perception of oral breath, awareness of b
... Show MoreBack ground: Dental caries and periodontal disease followed by enamel defect were the most common and widely spread diseases affecting children. Aim of this study is the assessment of the occurrence and severity of dental caries, dental plaque, gingivitis and enamel anomalies among 4-5 years old children in Karbala city-Iraq. Materials and methods: A sample of 658 children (350 males, 308 females) aged four and five years old was selected randomly from the fourteenth kindergartens in Karbala city. Diagnosis and recording of dental caries and enamel anomalies were followed the criteria of WHO 1987, WHO1997 respectively. Dental plaque was assessed using plaque index of Silness and Loe,1964. Gingival health condition was assessed using gingiv
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