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
Background Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing global health concern, with inappropriate antibiotic use in dentistry significantly contributing to this problem. While regional studies have examined dental students' antibiotic-related knowledge and practices, comprehensive evidence from Iraq remains limited. Objective The objective of this study is to evaluate the level of knowledge and awareness of antimicrobial stewardship principles and prescribing practices among Iraqi dental students and interns. Methods A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted among dental students in the clinical phase of education (fourth and fifth years) and dental interns from multiple Iraqi universities. The survey was distributed fr
... Show MoreThe investment portfolio of financial instruments & banking relatively new in the banking sector & the world of investment &capital markets in spite of its importance & its advantages in terms of the nature of the diversity of investment instruments as well as reduce the risk of investment & its contribution to the revitalization of the banks & the financial market , economic, &characterized by developments accelerated under information & communications technology , as is the portfolio tool vehicle of investment tools that provide for people who want to invest & they can not manag
... Show MoreThis study was conducted during the spring season of 2023-2024 and the fall season of 2024-2025 at the fields of the College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, University of Baghdad, to investigate effects of irrigation intervals I1 ,I2 (3 and 6 days) , soil amendment with zeolite at three concentrations Z0 ,Z1,Z2 (0, 4, and 8 g. kg soil⁻¹), and foliar spraying with kaolin for three concentrations C0,C1,C2 (0, 0.5, and 1 g .L⁻¹). The results revealed that the treatment I1Z2C2 significantly excelled in leaf area, chlorophyll concentrations, and yield for both seasons, achieving 31.0 dm², 21.5 mg per 100 g fresh weight, and 1984.7 g in the first season, and 34.08 dm², 23.6 mg per 100 g fresh weight, and 2526.3 g in the
... Show MoreThe Fylex extract exert a high inhibition effect against A . flavus growth on PDA medium, as the fungus growth was completely inhibited by 100% at a concentration of 0.2 and 0.3% of studied extract, while the lowest inhibition percentage (71%) was found at a concentration of 0.1%. Whereas magnesium oxide nanoparticles showed the highest inhibition ratio of A. flavus (100%) was detected at 0.2% and the lowest inhibition ratio (81.66%) was at concentration 0.5%. Moreover, the addition of G. lucidum powder to PDA medium with a concentration of 2.5 mg increased the inhibition rate of A. flavus growth which was 54.4%, while the lowest inhibition ration (18.22%) was found at a concentration of 1000 mg. The milky liquid (brocade milk) of Calotropi
... Show MoreThis Research aim to identify the factors affecting the strategic implementation of sewage projects and to seek to activate the real follow-up of projects to identify the factors that accompany their implementation, The study included a sample of the projects of the investment plan implemented for the Directorate General of sewage in the governorates of Iraq, which was completed during the six years period (2010-2016). The sample of the research was four projects: The project of implementation and processing of the treatment plant and the lifting station and the conveyor line for the project of IMARA/The third stage/Al-Sanaf marshland , The project of the processing and implementation of the treatment plant with the
... Show MoreBackground: Saliva is one of the most important etiological host factors in relation to dental caries. It affects the carious process by its organic and inorganic constituents; in addition to its physiological functions as (flow rate, pH and buffer capacity). The aims of this study were to determine the concentrations of major elements (calcium and phosphorus) and trace elements (ferrous iron, nickel, chromium and aluminum) in saliva among a group of adolescent girls, and to explore the relation of these elements, flow rate and pH with dental caries. Material & Methods: The study group consisted of 25 girls with an age of 13-15 years old. Dental caries was diagnosed by both clinical and radiographical examinations following the criteria of
... Show MoreLaboratory model tests were performed to investigate the behavior of shallow and inclined skirted foundations placed on sandy soil with R.D%=30 and the extent of the impact of the positive and negative eccentric-inclined loading effect on them. To achieve the experimental tests, it was used a box of (600×600) mm cross-sectional and 600mm in height and a square footing of (50*50) mm and 10 mm in thickness attached to the skirt with Ds=0.5B and various an angle of (10°, 20°, 30°). The results showed that using skirts leads to a significant improvement in load-carrying capacity and decreased settlement. In addition, when the skirt angle increased, the ultimate load improved. Load-carrying capacity decreased with increasing eccentri
... Show MoreAn experimental work has been done to study the major factors that affect the axial dispersion of some hydrocarbons during liquid-liquid miscible displacement. Kerosene and gas oil are used as displacing phase while seven liquid hydrocarbons of high purity represent the displaced phase, three of the liquids are aromatics and the rest are of paraffinic base. In conducting the experiments, two packed beds of different porosity and permeability are used as porous media.
The results showed that the displacement process is not a piston flow, breakthrough of displacing fluids are shown before one pore volume has been injected. The processes are stable with no evidence of viscous fingering.
Dispersion model as a
... Show MoreKE Sharquie, AA Noaimi, BO Saleh, ZN Anbar…, Saudi Med J, 2009 - Cited by 13