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
Residential complexes have witnessed a great demand in most countries worldwide, as they are one of the main infrastructure elements, in addition to achieving a developed urban landscape. However, complex residential projects in developing countries face various factors that could be improved in their implementation, especially in Iraq. Sixty-two experts in residential complex projects were interviewed and surveyed to verify these projects' failure factors,. Fifty-one factors were the main failure factors, divided into four main components (leadership, management system, external forces, and project resources). The Relatively Important Index (RII) is used to determine the relative importance factors and obtain the top tw
... Show MoreWater supply projects (WSP) requires high plan information, specialized capabilities, capable human resources, and high administrative capacity. However, in the developing countries, particularly in Iraq, these projects experience a lack of a large number of these necessities, which shows the need to identify the critical success factors (CSFs). Accordingly, the objectives of this research are to investigate the CSFs for WSP and their significance among the construction (public and private) and education sectors. To achieve this, first we have carried out a comprehensive literature review of the CSFs for WSP. Second, we administrated a questionnaire survey to 260 construction experts
Researchers have shown considerable interest in the idea of organizational climate because of its crucial role in school administration and all school operations. Hence, enhancing it is regarded as a primary duty of school principals, as they bear direct accountability for overseeing the school and its entire operations. Total quality management is a primary method that allows the school administrator to effectively handle administrative tasks with the goal of meeting the needs of instructors, students, staff members, and the community. The significance of the research rests in its attempt to shed light on the value of both organizational climate and total quality management among high school principals. The research seeks to determine the
... Show MoreThe aim of the current research is to reveal the effect of using brain-based learning theory strategies on the achievement of Art Education students in the subject of Teaching Methods. The experimental design with two equal experimental and control groups was used. The experimental design with two independent and equal groups was used, and the total of the research sample was (60) male and female students, (30) male and female students represented the experimental group, and (30) male and female students represented the control group. The researcher prepared the research tool represented by the cognitive achievement test consisting of (20) questions, and it was characterized by honesty and reliability, and the experiment lasted (6) weeks
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Psoriasis is a chronic, inflammatory condition that primarily affects the skin, hair, and joints and is associated with significant humanistic and economic consequences. Psoriasis was induced in mice in this work using an imiquimod 5% cream, an immune response modifier that can cause psoriasis-like skin inflammation when given orally. Paquinimod is prepared as a suspension and has been orally given to mice before imiquimod application. The current study found that paquinimod suspension reduced psoriasis area and severity index, spleen index, skin thickness ,TNF-α,IL-23,IL17 level and gene expression of TN
... Show MoreThis study aims to investigate the degree of practicing the motivated classroom evaluation environment for learning and its relationship to different feedback patterns. To achieve the objectives of the study, the correlational descriptive research design was employed. A questionnaire was constructed consisting of two parts: the classroom evaluation environment (13) items, and feedback patterns (24) items on a five-point scale. The psychometric properties of the questionnaire were verified in terms of validity and reliability. The questionnaire was applied to a sample of (265) male and female teachers who work in the second cycle schools for grades (5-10) of basic education in all academic majors in the Governorate of Muscat in the Sultan
... Show MoreThis research aims to study the relationship between sports anxiety and accuracy of aiming when jumping high in handball, considering that anxiety is one of the most important psychological factors affecting the skill performance of athletes, especially in precise and complex tasks. The study relied on the descriptive associative approach, where data were collected from a sample of fourth-stage students at the Faculty of physical education and sports sciences at the University of Baghdad for the academic year (2024-2025), numbering (16) students, and anxiety levels were measured using standardized scales, in addition to evaluating the accuracy of aiming when jumping high according to specific technical standards. The results showed that the
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In this research we been estimated the survival function for data suffer from the disturbances and confusion of Iraq Household Socio-Economic Survey: IHSES II 2012 , to data from a five-year age groups follow the distribution of the Generalized Gamma: GG. It had been used two methods for the purposes of estimating and fitting which is the way the Principle of Maximizing Entropy: POME, and method of booting to nonparametric smoothing function for Kernel, to overcome the mathematical problems plaguing integrals contained in this distribution in particular of the integration of the incomplete gamma function, along with the use of traditional way in which is the Maximum Likelihood: ML. Where the comparison on t
... Show MoreFreedom of opinion is one of the freedoms that constitutions and laws have guaranteed to protect and is exercised through the media. However, this freedom must be exercised within certain limits, which include respecting a person’s right to preserve his privacy, image and reputation. Just as the media has the freedom to exercise its right to publish and express its opinion with complete frankness, it is in return obligated to respect the rights of others and avoid defaming them and violating their privacy. If the media does this, the injured party has the right to demand compensation for the damage he has suffered as a result.
The current study aims to identify soil pollutants from heavy metals The study utilized 40 topsoil (5 cm) samples, which adapted and divided into seven regions lies in Baghdad governorate, included (Al-Husainya,(Hs) Al-Doura (Do), Sharie Al-Matar (SM), Al-Waziria (Wz), Nharawan (Nh), Abu Ghraib (Abu) and Al-Mahmoodyia (Mh)). Spatial distribution maps of Nickel (Ni), Manganese (Mn), Lead (Pb) and Zinc (Zn) were created for Baghdad city using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The concentrations of four heavy metals in the soil of different area of Baghdad were measured and observed using XRF instrument. The result found highest values of Pb and Zn at the middle of the Baghdad in (Wz