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: Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play a significant role in the activation of adaptive immunity and may have an essential role in the development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Objectives: To assess the gene expression of TLR4 in individuals with RA compared to healthy individuals. Methods: From July to December 2022. A total of 100 individuals were encompassed in the study, consisting of 50 individuals diagnosed with RA, of whom 42 were females and 8 were males, with an average age of 45.22 years. Additionally, there were 50 healthy control participants, 40 of whom were females and 10 were males, with an average age of 45.64 years. To assess the TLR4 transcript levels, blood samples were collected from each participant, and RN
... Show MoreThe research aimed at identifying the level of Acute stress disorder and orientation towards supplication among the wives of the martyrs and knowledge of the two levels according to the age groups, academic achievement and profession. Sample of (72) wife of a martyr, and the results of the research indicated that the wives of the martyrs have symptoms of distress disorder and have adherence to the supplication to alleviate that disorder, as well as the results indicated that there are statistical differences in distress disturbance according to the variable of age groups, the profession variable and the variable of enrollment The academic year. As for the measure of the trend towards supplication, there are no statistical dif
... Show MoreThe best means and ways to develop an athlete's physical and skill capabilities, and among these means is the use of training aids that help develop some bio-kinetic abilities, and prepared exercises have had an important role in improving athletic performance in badminton, where the player must possess physical fitness, explosive power, and strength. Characterized by speed as well as accuracy, awareness, and focus while playing on the court, the badminton player must be physically fit through a continuous movement of small and large muscles to achieve good performance, which requires special physical abilities and skills, and the most important of these bio-kinetic abilities are agility, coordination, and measuring the coordination
... Show MoreThe relationships between the related parties constitute a normal feature of trading and business processes. Entities may perform parts of their activities through subsidiary entities, joint ventures and associate entities. In these cases, the entity has the ability to influence the financial and operating policies of the investee through control, joint control or significant influence, So could affect established knowledge of transactions and balances outstanding, including commitments, and relationships with related to the evaluation of its operations by users of financial statements, including the risks and opportunities facing the entity assess the parties. So research has gained importance of the importance of the availability
... Show MoreThis research Sheds highlights the procedural protections that must be enjoyed by the consumer in the face of the product, which is the protection of no less dangerous than the substantive protection of our obligations and duties delivered by the legislature upon the product of consumer interest, what is the benefit of the right if the access road to him complicated, so know The consumer has a right to the face of the product, but leaves the claim, either to ignorance For access to this right either to the difficulty of connecting to him.
That this research modest attempt we tried through which to focus on the way to the consumer behavior of arrived right, as we tried to highlight the weaknesses and the complexity of the procedure to
Objective: The study aim to evaluate secondary schools students' exposure to risk factors in Al-Najaf City. Methodology: Descriptive study conducted in Al- Najaf City/Iraq on students at secondary schools, those aged (12-24) years old, for the period from the 13ed of November 2015 and up to 4ed of August 2015. The sample included secondary school from those schools . Data is collected through a constructed questionnaire, reliability and students (intermediate and secondary) (540) student; (270) male and (270) females who are selected randomly content validity process has been determined for the instrument. Dat
Background: Restoration of the gingival margin of Class II cavities with composite resin continues to be problematic, especially where no enamel exists for bonding to the gingival margin. The aim of study is to evaluate the marginal leakage at enamel and cementum margin of class II MOD cavities using amalgam restoration and modern composite restorations Filtek™ P90, Filtek™ Z250 XT (Nano Hybrid Universal Restorative) and SDR bulk fill with different restoratives techniques. Materials and method: Eighty sound maxillary first premolar teeth were collected and divided into two main groups, enamel group and cementum group (40 teeth) for each group. The enamel group was prepared with standardized Class II MOD cavity with gingival margin (1 m
... Show MoreThe study aimed to measure the phsycological tolerance and self-efficacy among the students of Baghdad university and knon the significant differences in psychological tolerance and self-efficacy according to the variables (Gender-Specialization)and the interaction between themas well as the study aimed to identify the strength and direction of the relationship between psychological tolerance and self-efficacy of the study sampleincluded asample of the current study(370) students from grades four ,the researcher used the measure of psychological tolerance and self-efficacy prepared by the researcher ,and the results showed that college students Generally have adegree of psychological tolerance and that there are statistically sig
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