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
Archives of Razi Institute (ARI)
Background: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remains a lethal and deforming disease, with a significant mortality and a rising incidence in younger and female patients. It is thus imperative to identify potential risk factors for OSCC and oral PMDs and to design an accurate data collection tool to try to identify patients at high risk of OSCC development. 14 factors consistently found to be associated with the pathogenesis of OSCC and oral PMDs. Eight of themwere identified as high risk (including tobacco, alcohol, betel quid, marijuana, genetic factors, age, diet and immunodeficiency) and 6 low risk (such as oral health, socioeconomic status, HPV, candida infection, alcoholic mouth wash and diabetes) were stratified according to severit
... Show MoreFinancial compensation contracts related to Hajj
A field experiment was conducted through 2010-2011 in the experimental field return to AlKut forest project near the Tigris river\ General Directorate of Horticultural and Forestry at Wasit governorate. The purpose of this research is to know the response of four cultivars of Sesame to Foliar nutrition with Boron. R.C.B.P. were used with split plot in four Replications including main plot cultivars, Ishtar, Babel, Al-Rafidain, local. While sub-plot included four concentrations of boron (0,50,100, 150) mgb/L-1. The result showed that Al-Rafidain was superior in the average of plant height and % of oil over all cultivars, while the local cultivars gave higher average of number of branches for plant and the highest first
... Show MoreBackground: Oral health represents an important base for human well-being; the heath of the body begins from oral cavity. Great deal has been applied to increase knowledge in the field of oral health in order to develop appropriate preventive program. This study was conducted in order to estimate the percentage and severity of dental caries and gingivitis among children attending Preventive Department in Collage of Dentistry, University of Baghdad and to determine dental treatment need for those patients, further more to study the relation of these variables with dental knowledge. Materials and Methods: The study group consists of 163 children with an age ranged from 6 to 14 years, who attended the preventive clinic for the first time to be
... Show MoreOf non-Muslim minorities In the Muslim community
In this study, the concentrations of uranium for four species of plants; Spinacia, Brassica Oleracea, BEASSICA Oleracea Var Capitata and Beta Vulgaris were measured in addition to the measurement of uranium concentrations in the selected soil by calculating the number of significant traces of alpha in CR-39. The 2.455 Bq/kg in Spinacia plant were the highest concentration while the lowest concentration of uranium were 1.91 Bq/kg in BEASSICA Oleracea Var Capitata plant. As for the transfer factor, the highest value 0.416 were found in Spinacia plant and the lowest value 0.323 were found in BEASSICA Oleracea Var Capitata plant. The uranium in the models studied in it did not exceed the international limit, according to the International Atomi
... Show MoreThe theater has live foundations that interact with all symbols and signs. It has never been far from these innovations and developments in the manner of dealing with those symbols and how and the extent of their effects on society through the world of technology because the theatrical performance contributes to its structure, a technique that is employed by designers in various technologies such as ( Music, lighting and sound effects engineer, as well as fashion designer, architecture, and modeling designer). The theater today also relied on various interactive techniques represented in the use of body language and a sign in order to communicate the meaning by forming movements, singing and dancing in order for the recipient to interact
... Show MoreObjectives: the aim of the study to assess the most common risk factors of pneumonia at adult and find the
socio-demographic characteristics of sample.
Methodology: the study performed at Ibn-Sina teaching hospital (intensive care unit) and out patient in the same
hospital period of (15 ) November (2006) till (1ا٤) February (2007).The sample of the study includes (65)
patients with pneumonia for different underlying causes who were attending Ibn-Sina teaching hospital age
range (59-68) years is the highest level and is the most common risk factor for pneumonia.
Results: the results of the study most patients' hospital acquired-pneumonia from contamination during
administration to hospital but community acquired-pne