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 experiment was conducted at the Faculty of Agriculture University of Ain Shams-Egypt, from January to March 2008, to study the effect of different levels of chromium yeast (Cr-yeast) on broiler chickens performance, carcass quality and enzyme activity through 35 days of experimental periods. A total of 450 one-day old unsexed chickens (Cobb) strain were used. The birds were randomly allocated to five treatments with 3 replicates each. The treatments were control (T1) without supplementation and T2, T3, T4 and T5 which were supplemented with 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2 mg Cr-yeast /kg diet, respectively. Live body weight and weight gain were significantly (p<0.05) higher when Cr-yeast were supplemented at 1 (T3), 1.5 (T4) and 2 (T5) mg/kg diet. Fe
... Show MoreThis investigation showed (31) species belonging to (15) genera under (five) families and two orders. The leafminers Dipter families (Agromozidae, Anthomyiidae, Drosophilidae), Agromyzid flies is the highest level of investigated many host plants, but other families have lowest host plants. The synonyms of species were provided from GBIF scarlet's. The date and localities of sampling collection were recorded.
The technology of reducing dimensions and choosing variables are very important topics in statistical analysis to multivariate. When two or more of the predictor variables are linked in the complete or incomplete regression relationships, a problem of multicollinearity are occurred which consist of the breach of one basic assumptions of the ordinary least squares method with incorrect estimates results.
There are several methods proposed to address this problem, including the partial least squares (PLS), used to reduce dimensional regression analysis. By using linear transformations that convert a set of variables associated with a high link to a set of new independent variables and unr
... Show MoreBackground: Crown preparation of vital teeth involve the removal of a sound tooth structure, and when enamel removed this lead to exposed dentin with an increase in the number of open dentinal tubules also the diameter of dentinal tubules will increase, furthermore lead to increase movement of fluids inside the tubules all that causes post preparation sensitivity. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of desensitizing by Er:Cr:YSGG laser on shear bond strength of prepared tooth and resin cement. Materials and methods: Thirty sound maxillary premolars, grouped into three groups(n=10). Group A is the control group, group B irradiated by Er:Cr:YSGG laser with (0.25 W, 20 Hz, 1
... Show MoreThis research paper tries to show the significance of the narrative structure in the television advertisement and its connotations. The researchers chose the annual advertisement of Zain Mobile Telecommunication Company for the year 2020, which shed light on the global Corona pandemic crisis. The idea of the advertisement won wide approval as it focused on the suffering that everyone is witnessing like medical and security personnel in particular, and family relationships consequences.
In addition to the positive global interaction with the message presented by the Company in these exceptional circumstances. The advertisement, which lasted for 2.35 minutes, exceeded 13 million views in a short period of time. This prompted us to choos
The present study was investigated the activity of aqueous extract from Cinnamomum cassia bark on the blood glucose levels in healthy and diabetic rats induced by Streptozotcin (STZ). In healthy rats the blood glucose levels were slightly decreased after six hoursof single oral administration with dose (25 mg/kg) of body wight, as well as four weeks after twice daily repeated oral administration of aqueous extract of Cinnamomum cassia bark. In streptozotocin induced diabetic rats we absorved high significant decreased (p<0.05) in blood glucose levels, after four weeks of oral administration of aqueous extract (25 mg /kg ).And blood glucose levels seems to be normal after the period of treatment .Glibenclamide used as standard drug to com
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