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 aim of the research is to find out the effect of the SPAWN strategy on the life skills of second-intermediate-grade students. This study stage represented the research community within the intermediate and secondary governmental daytime schools affiliated with the Directorate of Education of Diwaniyah. The experiment was applied in Al-Razai Intermediate School on a sample of second-grade intermediate students, including 66 students distributed into two groups: (32) students within the experimental group and (34) students within the control group. The two groups were equivalent with a number of variables (chronological age, intelligence test, previous information test, life skills scale). The results indicated that the two groups were
... Show MoreThe research has been based on two main variables (information and communication technology) and the quality of blended education (physical and electronic), aiming to reveal the relationship between four dimensions (physical devices, software, databases, communication networks) and the elements of education represented by (the teacher, the student, the teaching process, curriculum). The methodology and post-analysis-based research were conducted at the Technical College of Management / Baghdad through polling the opinions of a random sample that included (80) teachers out of (86) and the number of students (276) representing a random sample from all departments of the college (for the morning study) out of (3500) stud
... Show MoreThe present study aimed to use the magnetic field and nanotechnology in the field of water purification, which slots offering high efficiency to the possibility of removing biological contaminants such as viruses and bacteria rather than the use of chemical and physical transactions such as chlorine and bromine, and ultraviolet light and boiling and sedimentation and distillation, ozone and others that have a direct negative impact on human safety and the environment. Where they were investigating the presence in water samples under study Coli phages using Single agar layer method and then treated samples positive for phages to three types of magnetic field fixed as follows (North Pole - South Pole - Bipolar) and compare the re
... Show MoreHeat transfer around a flat plate fin integrated with piezoelectric actuator used as oscillated fin in laminar flow has been studied experimentally utilizing thermal image camera. This study is performed
for fixed and oscillated single and triple fins. Different substrate-fin models have been tested, using fins of (35mm and 50mm) height, two sets of triple fins of (3mm and 6mm) spacing and three frequencies
applied to piezoelectric actuator (5, 30 and 50HZ). All tests are carried out for (0.5 m/s and 3m/s) in subsonic open type wind tunnel to evaluate temperature distribution, local and average Nusselt number (Nu) along the fin. It is observed, that the heat transfer enhancement with oscillation is significant compared to without o
Lead remediation was achieved using simple cost, effective and eco-friendly way from industrial wastewater. Phragmitesaustralis (P.a) (Iraqi plant), was used as anovel biomaterial to remove lead ions from synthesized waste water. Different parameters which affected on adsorption processes were investigated like adsorbent dose, pH, contact time, and adsorbent particle size, to reach the optimized conditions (maximum adsorption). The adsorption of Pb (?) on (P.a) involved fast and slow process as a mechanism steps according to obey two theoretical adsorption isotherms; Langmuir and Freundlich. The thermos dynamic adsorption parameters were evaluated also. The (?H) obtained positive value that meanes adsorption of lead ions was an endothermic
... Show MoreLead remediation was achieved using simple cost, effective and eco-friendly way from industrial wastewater. Phragmitesaustralis (P.a) (Iraqi plant), was used as anovel biomaterial to remove lead ions from synthesized waste water. Different parameters which affected on adsorption processes were investigated like adsorbent dose, pH, contact time, and adsorbent particle size, to reach the optimized conditions (maximum adsorption). The adsorption of Pb (?) on (P.a) involved fast and slow process as a mechanism steps according to obey two theoretical adsorption isotherms; Langmuir and Freundlich. The thermos dynamic adsorption parameters were evaluated also. The (?H) obtained positive value that meanes adsorption of lead ions was an endothermic
... Show MoreRegression analysis models are adopted by using SPSS program to predict the 28-day compressive strength as dependent variable and the accelerated compressive strength as independent variable. Three accelerated curing method was adopted, warm water (35ºC) and autogenous according to ASTM C C684-99 and the British method (55ºC) according to BS1881: Part 112:1983. The experimental concrete mix design was according to ACI 211.1. Twenty eight concrete mixes with slump rang (25-50) mm and (75-100)mm for rounded and crushed coarse aggregate with cement content (585, 512, 455, 410, 372 and 341)Kg/m3.
The experimental results showed that the acc
... Show MoreMany managers in geometrical and technical organizations prefer to deal with quantitative values to choose between the available options and choose the best alternative to avoid randomization and bias in decision making. One of them Baghdad Water Department, which seeks to develop the quality of its product (drinking water) and achieve its objectives under increasing growing population and the demand for water, Some of TQM tools, especially the statistical, have this ability because there is chance to use historical data and experiment of employees in Application . Two statistical tools were applied: the nominal group technique, matrix data analysis technique as well as the brainstorming tool to search for the best o
... Show MoreWe found that 4,5- diphenyl- 3(2- propynyl) thio- 1??-triazole [1? forms a complex with Pd (11) ion of ratio 1:1 which absorbs light in CH2CI2 at 400 nm, and 4,5- diphenyl- 3(2- propenyl) thio- 1,2,4- triazole [II] forms complexes with Pd (II) ion of ratio 1:1 which absorbs light at 390 nm, and of ratio 2:1 which absorbs light at 435 nm. On the other hand, we found that the new derivative 4- phenyl- 5( p- amino phenyl) -3- mercapto- 1,2,4- triazole ?111? forms complexes with Cu (II) ion of the ratio 1:1 which absorbs light at 380 nm, with Ni (II) ion of the ratio 3:1 which absorbs light at 358 nm; and with Co (11) ion of the ratio 3.2:1 which absorbs light at 588 nm. The ratio of the complexes were determined by measuring the electronic spe
... Show MoreBackground: Asthma is a pulmonary disorder characterized by reversible stenosis of the peripheral bronchi. This disease could affect the oral health; as a result asthmatic patients may have a higher risk of developing dental diseases. This study was conducted to evaluate the caries experience and salivary elements among asthmatic patients using Ventoline inhaler. Materials and methods: The study group consisted of 30 male asthmatic patients with an age range 20-24years (under Ventoline inhaler). The control group includes 30 subjects matching with study group in age and gender. Plaque and DMFS index were used for recording caries experience. Stimulated salivary samples were collected and then salivary flow rate, S-IgA and salivary elements
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