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
Objective: to assess the risk factors of coronary artery disease patients.
Methodology: A non-probability (purposive) sample of (100) patients. The study population consisted of
a sample of adults from both genders whose ages were 30 years and more, and was newly diagnosed as
having CAD by coronary angiography in the cardiac catheterization unit of An Nasiriyah heart center.
Results: The result of the study showed that the most common modifiable risk factors were low HDL-C
levels (58%), smoking (53%), hypertension (46%), diabetes mellitus (34%), obesity (30%), high
triglycerides (19%), hypercholesterolemia (17%), and high LDLC (14%). All these factors were positively
and significantly associated with the development
The effect of short range correlations on the inelastic longitudinal
Coulomb form factors for different states of J 4 , T 1with
excitation energies 3.553,7.114, 8.960 and 10.310 MeV in 18O is
analyzed. This effect (which depends on the correlation parameter )
is inserted into the ground state charge density distribution through
the Jastrow type correlation function. The single particle harmonic
oscillator wave function is used with an oscillator size parameter b.
The parameters and b are considered as free parameters, adjusted
for each excited state separately so as to reproduce the experimental
root mean square charge radius of 18O. The model space of 18O does
not contribute to the tra
The research was performed in order to investigate the prevalence of Eimeria spp in buffalo. Coccidiosis, is a common livestock disease include water buffaloes and nothing is known about the most pathogenic species of Eimeria. Since the highest prevalence of oocyst shedding and incidence of disease occurs in buffalo calves less than one year of age. The omnipresent occurrence and negative effects of the infection on health and buffalo growth output are taken into account. Therefore, both farmers and veterinarians should pay greater attention to infections with Eimeria spp. And there is little analysis of data reported in Iraq and the world regarding Eimeria infection in river buffalo spp.
This study concluded detection of Toxoplasma gondii in milk, immunologically by using Elisa and nested PCR)nPCR (based on B1 gene, also to investigate the effect of toxoplasmosis, parity, breed and flock on some milk composition in the Iraqi local and Shami goats in the middle of Iraq. A total of 80 milk samples of the lactating goats were collected. Results of this study showed the prevalence of Toxoplasmosis was 21.25% and 28.75% by Elisa and nPCR respectively without significant differences. The sensitivity of Elisa was a low (30.43%) whereas the specificity was a high (82.45%). The degree of agreement estimated by Kappa coefficient revealed a slight agreement (0.14) between two methods. The results indicated that goats infected
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Reinforced concrete slabs are one of the most important and complicated elements of a building. For supported edges slabs, if the ratio of long span to short span is equal or less than two then the slab is considered as two-way slab otherwise is consider as one-way slab. Two-way reinforced concrete slabs are common in use in reinforced concrete buildings due to geometrically arrangement of columns suggested by architects who prefer a symmetric distribution of columns in their plans. Elastic theory is usually used for analysis of concrete slabs. However, for several reasons design methods based on elastic principles are limited in their function. Correspondingly, limit state analysis o
The effect of metal nanoparticles on the anaerobic digestion of sludge and the sludge bacterial community are still not well-understood, and both improvements and inhibitions have been reported. This study investigated the impact of 2, 10, and 30 mg/g TS silver and copper oxide nanoparticles (AgNPs and CuONPs) on the mesophilic anaerobic digestion of sludge and the bacterial community structure. The reactors were monitored for changes in tCOD, sCOD, TS, VS, biogas generation, and cell viability. Also, the relative abundance and taxonomic distribution of the bacterial communities were analyzed at the phylum and genus levels, including the genera involved in anaerobic digestion. Both AgNPs and CuONPs exhibited some inhibition on anaer
... Show MoreThis research aims to identify the factors effecting the investigation of insurance fraud from the perspective of the National Insurance Company employees, by analyzing the study variables and make recommendations on how to enhance the company and employees performance, and to achieve the objectives of the study and test hypotheses a questionnaire was designed after referring to the international standards and the 1969 Iraqi punishment law, and it was answered by 20 employees that were approved for the purposes of this research and analysis.
The study found that lack of employee training was a strong factor, while the supervisory staff and operational procedures was a weak one.
G
... Show MoreThis study aimed to analyze functional thinking style and its contribution to learn the accuracy of block and smash serve in volleyball among university students. The sample was composed of 120 students of the College of Physical Education and Sports Sciences of the University of Baghdad (academic year 2021/2022). The statistical analyses were carried out with the statistical software SPSS and correlation analyses were conducted. It was found that functional thinking style significantly contributed to learn the accuracy of block and smash serve in volleyball among university students. Therefore, it is necessary to intensify efforts to increase the level of functional thinking among university students, by adopting acad
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