Background: Despite the importance of vaccines in preventing COVID-19, the willingness to receive COVID-19 vaccines is lower among RA patients than in the general population. Objective: To determine the extent of COVID-19 knowledge among RA patients and their attitudes and perceptions of COVID-19 vaccines. Methods: A qualitative study with a phenomenology approach was performed through face-to-face, individual-based, semi-structured interviews in the Baghdad Teaching Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq, rheumatology unit. A convenient sample of RA patients using disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs was included until the point of saturation. A thematic content analysis approach was used to analyze the obtained data. Results: Twenty-five RA patients participated in this study. Regarding knowledge about COVID-19, most participants were able to define COVID-19, realize its contagious nature, and see the need for masks to get protection from this infection, while only a minority knew COVID-19 symptoms. Most participants obtained information about COVID-19 from TV programs and the public. Regarding COVID-19 vaccines, about 1/4 of the participants knew vaccine side effects, and only 12% of them had positive attitudes toward the vaccine. Additionally, 19 participants were unwilling to take the vaccine. The most common reasons behind this reluctance to take the vaccine include fear of the vaccine's short- and long-term side effects and the worsening of RA. Conclusion: RA patients' knowledge about COVID-19 and its vaccines was poor, and their attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccines were negative.
Background: Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play a significant role in the activation of adaptive immunity and may have an essential role in the development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Objectives: To assess the gene expression of TLR4 in individuals with RA compared to healthy individuals. Methods: From July to December 2022. A total of 100 individuals were encompassed in the study, consisting of 50 individuals diagnosed with RA, of whom 42 were females and 8 were males, with an average age of 45.22 years. Additionally, there were 50 healthy control participants, 40 of whom were females and 10 were males, with an average age of 45.64 years. To assess the TLR4 transcript levels, blood samples were collected from each participant, and RN
... Show MoreThis paper aims to identify the contents of the advertisements of the (Take the Vaccine .. to Protect Yourself) campaign that was carried out by the Iraqi Ministry of Health for the period from (11/19/2020) to (4/1/2022), to raise awareness of the anti-Covid 19 virus vaccines, which it published on its official page on Facebook. The researcher used a comprehensive inventory method for the research community, and used the content analysis tool.
... Show MoreBackground: The strategy for eliminating measles from Iraq includes conducting mass immunization campaign against measles, within the framework of the national strategic plan for the elimination of this disease. Awareness about this campaign is fundamental for their success.Objective: The study aims at finding out the knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding vaccination against measles among two groups of students in two different colleges ( medical and engineering) .To report uptake of Measles vaccine and reasons for declining the vaccine among medical and non-medical students in the campaignMethod: Across sectional study has been conducted at Al-Kindy College of Medicine/ Baghdad University and University of Technology for the peri
... Show MoreObjective: To assess role of obesity in Covid-19 patients on antibodies production, diabetes development, and treatment of this disease. Methodology: This observational study included 200 Covid-19 patients in privet centers from January 1, 2021 to January 1, 2022. All patients had fasting blood sugars and anti-Covid-19 antibodies. Anthropometric parameters were measured in all participants. Results: The patients were divided into two groups according to body weight; normal body weight (50) and excess body weight (150). There was a significant difference between them regarding age. Diabetes mellitus developed in 20% of normal weight patients while 80% of excess weight patients had diabetes (p=0.0001). Antibodies production (IgM and
... Show MoreObjective: To assess role of obesity in Covid-19 patients on antibodies production, diabetes development, and treatment of this disease. Methodology: This observational study included 200 Covid-19 patients in privet centers from January 1, 2021 to January 1, 2022. All patients had fasting blood sugars and anti-Covid-19 antibodies. Anthropometric parameters were measured in all participants. Results: The patients were divided into two groups according to body weight; normal body weight (50) and excess body weight (150). There was a significant difference between them regarding age. Diabetes mellitus developed in 20% of normal weight patients while 80% of excess weight patients had diabetes (p=0.0001). Antibodies production (IgM and
... Show MoreSince its discovery in December 2019, corona virus was outbreak worldwide with very rapid rate, so it described by WHO as pandemic. It associated with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome, and can enter to cells through Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE 2) receptor which play an important role as regulator for blood pressure. Hypertension is a potential risk factor for sever acute respiratory syndrome COVID-19, and associated with high mortality rate as shown in many epidemiological studies. Moreover, specific antihypertensive medications that infected patients were receiving are not known; only data about renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) are available.
Anemia of chronic disease (ACD) and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) are the two most important types of anemia in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Functional iron deficiency in ACD can be attributed to overexpression of the main iron regulatory hormone hepcidin leading to diversion of iron from the circulation into storage sites resulting in iron-restricted erythropoiesis. The aim is to investigate the role of circulating hepcidin and to uncover the frequency of IDA in RA. The study included 51 patients with RA. Complete blood counts, serum iron, total iron binding capacity, ferritin, and hepcidin- 25 were assessed. ACD was found in 37.3% of patients, IDA in 11.8%, and combined (ACD/IDA) in 17.6%. Serum hepcidin was higher in ACD than in con
... Show MoreMany studies dealt with the consequences of SARS CoV-2 (which cause COVID-19 infection) on the nervous system especially sensory nerves where the virus causes loss of taste and smell as it’s known, and may affect auditory nerves and be the expected cause of some hearing problems. A case-control analytic study was performed on a connivance sample of society of university students from a medical faculty. Each participant filled out a questionnaire contains demographic data and general, auditory and respiratory health condition, in addition to vaccination status. In the other side, the audio- examinations were performed on the study sample including Pure Tone Audiometry (PTA) and tympanometry. Two statistical methods; chi-square and t
... Show MoreBackground: The beliefs of pharmacy students in their curriculum may be critical to the success of medical education and the development of global health competences. Objective: To assess the beliefs, attitudes, and obstacles of PharmD students at the College of Pharmacy, University of Baghdad, during their first year in the newly adopted PharmD program. Method: In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted using flexible probing approaches. A sample of fourth-year PharmD students from the University of Baghdad's College of Pharmacy was selected using a purposive sampling method. The gathered data was analyzed using a thematic content analysis approach. Results: 40% of participants applied for the program because they believed it w
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