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 present study aims to investigate the seroprevalence rate of Toxoplasma gondii infection and its relation to some demographic factors among males in Duhok province/Iraq. A total of 424 random blood samples were collected from the male population of different ages (18-60) years and different social-economic classes. Out of 424 samples examined, 108 (25.47%) were seropositive to the anti- T. gondii antibodies; 88 (20.75%) were found seropositive for IgG, while 20 (4.72%) samples were seropositive for IgM. Regarding occupation, the highest percentage for chronic toxoplasmosis was reported in workers followed by policemen and pensioners at rates of 23.96%, 23.6%, and 23.07%, respectively. The age group 18-30 y
... Show MoreThere are obstacles to high levels of hypertension awareness that are embedded in gender, income and lifestyle habits which need to be addressed leading to high levels of undiagnosed and uncontrolled hypertension. This study aimed to explore the various factors which affect hypertension awareness among a hypertensive population in a tertiary care hospital.
A quantitative study was conducted among hypertensive patients at a tertiary care hospital in Selangor, Malaysia. A validated and translated questionnaire was utilised as a data collection tool. Descriptive and inferential statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 25.
A thousand participants (female n=621, male n= 379) were recruited, and their
... Show MoreThe current research aims to identify pictorial coding and its relationship to the aesthetic taste of art education students. The research community consisted of (10) plastic artworks, and (3) artworks were selected as a sample for analysis and decoding. With the aim of the research, the research tool was prepared as it consisted of an analysis form, and the researcher used statistical methods: Equation (Cooper) to find the percentage of agreement between the arbitrators and the equation (Scott) to calculate the validity of the tool, and the correlation coefficient (Pearson) to extract stability in the method of segmentation half. Shape formations and achieve encryption of the plastic image through decoding symbols, meanings, and the sig
... Show MoreThis study was concerned with using ozone gas in drinking water treatment plant at Ibn-Sina Company. The main purpose of this research is to find the best contactor for ozone unit proposed. An investigation was conducted to study the absorption of ozone by water in two type of absorber. The effects of the process variables (such as height of water column, contact time, and pH) on the amount of ozone absorbed were investigated. Box-Wilson central composite rotatable design is used to design the experimental work for the mentioned variables. It was found that the optimum value of the variables studied was:
i) Height of water column (90 cm)
ii) Contact time (17-18 min)
iii) PH (7 - 7.5)
An experiment was carried out in the vegetables field of Horticulture Department / College of Agriculture / Baghdad University , for the three seasons : spring and Autumn of 2005 , and spring of 2007 , to study the type of gene action in some traits of yield and its components in summer squash crosses (4 x 3 = cross 1 , 3 x 7 = cross 2 , 3 x 4 = cross 3 , 3 x 5 = cross 4 , 5 x 1 = cross 5 , 5 x 2 = cross 6). The study followed generation mean analysis method which included to each cross (P1 , P2 , F1 , F2 , Bc1P1 , Bc1P2) , and those populations obtained by hybridization during the first and second seasons. Experimental comparison was performed in the second (Two crosses only) and third seasons , (four crosses) by using RCBD with three repl
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In this paper, the using of Non-Homogenous Poisson Processes, with one of the scientific and practical means in the Operations Research had been carried out, which is the Queuing Theory, as those operations are affected by time in their conduct by one function which has a cyclic behavior, called the (Sinusoidal Function). (Mt / M / S) The model was chosen, and it is Single Queue Length with multiple service Channels, and using the estimating scales (QLs, HOL, HOLr) was carried out in considering the delay occurring to the customer before his entrance to the service, with the comparison of the best of them in the cases of the overload.
Through the experiments
... Show MoreThe present study aimed at identifying the level of psychological alienation and motivation of achievement among the incoming teachers in the schools of Dhofar Governorate in the Sultanate of Oman a well as to explore the correlation relationship between psychological alienation and motivation of achievement. The sample of the study consisted of (238) expatriated teachers from Al- Dhofar Governorate in Oman who were selected randomly. The psychological alienation scale and the motivation of achievement scale for teachers were used by researchers and were conducted electronically by google forms. The data were processed statistically using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The results showed that the level of psy
... Show MoreThe bound radial wave functions of Cosh potential which are the solutions to the radial part of Schrodinger equation are solved numerically and used to compute the size radii; i.e., the root-mean square proton, neutron, charge and matter radii, ground density distributions and elastic electron scattering charge form factors for nitrogen isotopes 14,16,18,20,22N. The parameters of such potential for the isotopes under study have been opted so as to regenerate the experimental last single nucleon binding energies on Fermi's level and available experimental size radii as well.
Background: Squamous cell carcinoma is a disease of elderly peopleand it is uncommon in people with less than 40 years old; however many literatures revealed that tumor developing in patients younger than forty years appears more aggressive at the time of diagnosis. The purpose of the present study was to focus on the clincopathological features of the oral SCC in different age groups. Material and methods: In this study thirty five cases of paraffin embedded tissue blocks of oral squamous cell carcinoma were studied. The age range was from 16 to 80 years. The clinicopathological data were recorded for evaluating the tumor characters according to age of patients. Results : The age was not significantly correlated to the clinicopathological
... Show MoreIncorporating modern technology into education is becoming imperative. Numerous pharmacy institutions are incorporating virtual reality (VR) technology training into their curricula to enhance educational experience. This review examines the current state, historical evolution, and application of VR programs in pharmacy education and training. The review also provides details about the main challenges and limitations associated with the use of this technology. The VR technology, including virtual laboratories and simulations, significantly improves clinical training and educational outcomes. The utilization of VR in clinical teaching encounters numerous barriers, including ethical concerns and technological constraints, as well as other res
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