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
Most of the mosques in the Islamic world fall under specific and known forms and patterns to a large extent, and such patterns have grown and evolved from the few basic and uniform models, but they changed slowly due to the impact with a mixture of changing functional requirements and cultural landscapes because of the variables of time and place to form patterns known and famous in this day across parts of the Islamic world and its borders. There was no exception to these patterns, but small numbers of mosques that were probably the result of personal experiences or improvisational resolutions, or in response to specific or temporary stimuli. However, the emergence of a specific pattern which does not belong to any of these patt
... Show MoreThis study aims to show, the strength of steel beam-concrete slab system without using shear connectors (known as a non-composite action), where the effect of the friction force between the concrete slab and the steel beam has been investigated, by using finite element simulation.
The proposed finite element model has been verified based on comparison with an experimental work. Then, the model was adopted to study the system strength with a different steel beam and concrete slab profile. ABAQUS has been adopted in the preparation of all numerical models for this study.
After validation of the numerical models, a parametric study was conducted, with linear and non-linear Regression analysis. An equation re
... Show MoreSince the invention of the automobile, no aspect of American life, including crime and its control, has remained untouched by this far-reaching innovation in transportation. Vehicular "hot pursuit"-when suspects in motor vehicles use excessive speed in attempting to elude the police. Unfortunately, accounts of wild chases across crowded inner city streets, through tree-lined suburban boulevards, and over remote country roads are very real and not merely fictional material created for entertaining television and motion picture audiences. The specter of "hot pursuit," complete with screaming sirens and red or blue flashing lights, has become a recurring fact of modem life.1 So, too, are the mishaps involving police vehicles or the vehicles pu
... Show MoreThis paper presents the results of experimental investigations to predict the bearing capacity of square footing on geogrid-reinforced loose sand by performing model tests. The effects of several parameters were studied in order to study the general behavior of improving the soil by using the geogrid. These parameters include the eccentricity value, depth of first layer of reinforcement, and vertical spacing of reinforcement layers. The results of the experimental work indicated that there was an optimum reinforcement embedment depth at which the bearing capacity was the highest when single-layer reinforcement was used. The increase of (z/B) (vertical spacing of reinforcement layer/width of footing) above 1.5 has no effect on the re
... Show MoreSome Factors determining the virulence of Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) isolates were studied ,of 25 isolates , 17(group A) uropathogenic E. coli ,6 (group B) infected gastrointestinal tract , 2 (group C) infected wound , beside these group we use the standard strain E. coli HB101 as control group. The twenty five isolates were tested for adherence capability to human buccal cavity epithelial cells by in vitro experiment . The results showed that all isolates have different adhesion capability with mean ranging from (14.35±11.39) to (33.80 ± 22.68) bacteria / epithelial cell It was noticed that isolates EU9, ES6, EW17 displayed high adhesive capability with mean value (33.80 ± 22.68), (32.60 ± 21.19), (29.90±22.50) bacteria /epithelial
... Show MoreThis study represents an attempt to develop a model that demonstrates the relationship between HRM Practices, Governmental Support and Organizational performance of small businesses. Furthermore, this study assay to unfold the socalled “Black Box” to clarify the ambiguous relationship between HRM practices and organizational performance by considering the pathway of logical sequence influence. The model of this study consists two parts, the first part devoted to examining the causal relationships among HRM practices, employees’ outcomes, and organizational performance. The second part assesses the direct relationship between the governmental support and organizational performance. It is hypothesized that HRM practices positively influ
... Show MoreThe predisposing factors and their effect on the increasing of vulvovaginal Candidiasis have been studied in this research. The result indicated that the highest of infection with vaginal Candidias was in the age of women with age of (21-30years) with vaginal itching and discharge, also the results revealed that the pregnancy was the main predisposing factor. The percentage of the infected pregnant Ladies was 33.7% followed by the women who used the IUCD and OCP 22.1%, those who used steroids 5.2% comparing with control women (without predisposing factors).The results also indicated that the most cases of infection were during the third trimester of pregnancy (where the rate of infedion) was 53.9%.-OCP- Oral Contraceptive Pills-IUCD- Intrr
... Show MoreElectronic Alattarh been studied long flexible factors forming the nucleus of boron in the shell model framework multipolar been identified factors was introduced into the effects of polarization heart in the first place accounts
The occurrences of invasive candidiasis has increased over the previous few decades. Although Candida albicans considers as one of the most common species of organisms, that cause acquired fungal infections. Candida albicans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen and inherent in as a lifelong, the yeast is present in healthy individuals as a commensal, and can reside harmlessly in human body. However, in immuno-compromised individuals, the fungus can invade tissues, producing superficial infections and, in severe cases, life-threatening systemic infections. This review wills emphasis on virulence factor of C. albicans including (adhesion, invasion, candida proteinase, and phenotypic switching and biofilm formation. I
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