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
Abstract
Asthma is a complex disease defined by chronic airway inflammation and airflow limitation causing variable respiratory symptoms which include shortness of breath (SOB), wheezing, chest tightness and cough. Asthma guidelines advocate adding a second long acting bronchodilator to medium doses of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) rather using high doses of ICS alone to control moderate to severe persistent asthma. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcomes of three medication regimens indicated for Iraqi patients suffering from persistent asthma.
This study was interventional randomized clinical study conducted on a sample of adult Iraqi asthm
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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 internal observing system is considered a cornerstone for the high management in all the systems. It aims at defending the things for waste and increasing efficient and application the rules and regulations and constrictions. To easier for the high management activity in the internal observing system which in presented and practiced and to what extent can depend on it. Thus it goes to evaluate the internal observing system periodically to check the weak points in that system so as the find out the mistake, in the construction of the system or mistake, by indication of the workers. The importance of this study is represented in the need of increasing the coactivity in the internal observing system so as to be in touch with the new tre
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Mindfulness is considered a process to draw an image of the active event and to creat new social varieties which leaves the individuals open to modernity and to be sensitive towards the context. in contrast, when individuals act with less attention, they need to be more determined concerning the varieties and events of the past . and as a result , they become unaware of the characteristics that creat the individual condition .The problem of the current study is represented in asking about the nature of the possible relationship between mindfulness and self-regulated learning within specific demographic frame of an importantsocial category represented in university students where no previous researches nor theories have agreed on the natu
... Show MoreResearch summary: The current research aims to identify:
1-Mental wandering among university students 2- Attentioncontrol among universitey students. 3- The relationship between mental wandering and attention control among university students. 4- The difference in the relationship among university students: accoerding to a- the gender variable (males - females) b- according to the specialization variable) Scientific-human), and the results of the current research reached the following: 1- University students have mental wandering associated with the task, and mental wandering that is not related to the task. 2- University students have attentive control 3- There is no relationship between mental wandering associated with task and
... Show MoreThis study aimed to explore the relationship between cyberbullying and levels of pessimism and optimism among female university students, emphasizing the significance of these variables in students' psychological well-being. The research problem was identified in the increasing rates of cyberbullying among female students and its negative impact on optimism and pessimism, alongside the lack of effective counseling programs addressing this issue. The study sample consisted of 30 third-year students from the College of Physical Education and Sports Sciences for Women during the academic year 2023--2024. The participants were deliberately selected through a lottery method. The researchers employed the descriptive survey method as it suited the
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