Diabetes mellitus is a common health problem worldwide counting about 1.2 million cases in Iraq in 2015. Taking in account of the patient’s beliefs about the prescribed medication had been reported to be one of the most important factors that affects adherence where holding positive beliefs about medications is a prerequisite for intentional adherence. The aim of the current study was to investigate and assess beliefs about medicines among type 2 diabetic patients and to determine possible association between this belief and glycemic control as well as some patient-specific factors. This study is a cross-sectional study carried out on 380 (mean age 56.58± 10.06 years) already diagnosed T2DM patients who attended the National Diabetes Center, Al-Mustansiriya University – Baghdad/ Iraq during December-2016 to March-2017. Belief about medicine was assessed by using an arabic version of the questionnaire. The patients had a stronger agreement with the mean necessity scale (19.29) than the mean concern scale (14.27). The majority of the patients (76.3%) had strong beliefs in the necessity of anti-diabetic treatment for maintaining good control of diabetes (scores of specific-necessity was greater than score of specific-concern). However, (18.4%) of the patients reported strong concerns about the anti-diabetic treatment (scores of specific-concern greater than score of specific-necessity). The small number of the patients (5.3%), have equal scores for specific-necessity and specific-concern scores. The patient's belief about medicine was found to be poor predictor of good glycemic control.
Background: The appointment system is a common practice in primary health care clinics in developed countries. The patients and health care providers in the primary health care setting perceived the appointment system as an indicator of good quality service.
Objective: The aim of this study was to survey patients’ and health care providers’ attitudes towards the introduction of an appointment system and their satisfaction with the existing ‘walk-in’ system in the primary health care setting.
Subjects and Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted included a convenient sample of 234 patients as well as 76 health care providers from two primary health care center
... Show MoreThe study aimed to evaluate the benefits of transferrin saturation percentage (TSAT) and serum ferritin in assessing body iron status, which can influence erythropoietin treatment in patients with ESRD. Forty end-stage renal disease patients on regular hemodialysis participated in this study. Clinical data were obtained. Serum iron, total iron binding capacity, transferrin saturation, ferritin, albumin, creatinine, and C-reactive protein were investigated. Thirty healthy people were enrolled as a control group. ESRD patients had a mean age of 45.1±13.9 years, with 60% being males. They exhibited significantly lower hematocrit (25.3±6.5%), and higher platelet (285.7±148.1x10^9/L) and WBC (9.4±3.1x10^9/L) counts compared to healthy contro
... Show MoreBackground: Ulcerative colitis disease is a chronic inflammatory condition that affects the gastrointestinal tract. In regulation of this inflammatory process, Interleukin-6, C-reactive proteins and albumin have a major role. Overproduction of IL-6 by immunocompetent cells contributes to activate the liver to produce CRP, transudation of plasma albumin and development of the inflammatory condition. Elevated levels of IL-6 in saliva could be expected, because the saliva-producing cells are part of the digestive system. The purpose of this study was to assess salivary IL-6, CRP and albumin in ulcerative colitis patients in relation to oral findings. Materials and methods: Forty eight saliva specimens collected from three groups of subjects (s
... Show MoreBackground. Gene polymorphisms affect etanercept’s pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and side effects. This effect is evidenced by the extensive genetic variation in the drug’s targets. Objectives. This study aims to find the association between different genotypes of the promoter region of the TNF-α gene at -308G/A(rs1800629), -857C/T(rs1799724), -863 C/A(rs1800630), -1031 T/C (rs1799964), -806 C/T (rs4248158) and -376 G/A (rs1800750) and the side effects of ETN that occurred to Iraqi RA patients. Method. The trial included patients with rheumatoid arthritis who had been using ETN for at least six months. The participants were from the Baghdad Teaching Hospital Rheumatology Unit. The PCR was sequenced to determine the polymo
... Show MoreBackground: Refractory/relapsed acute leukemia has always been a challenging problem for hematologist. Over the past decade emphasis has been made in the development of regimens containing fludarabine, combined with cytosine arabinoside for the treatment of refractory/relapsed acute leukemias. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of the combination of fludarabine, high dose cytarabine, and granulocyte colony stimulating factor in refractory relapsed cases of acute leukaemia,
Methods: a prospective study is being conducted at the national center of hematology and hematology unit /Baghdad teaching hospital from July 2008 to July 2010.Twenty Patients with refractory/relapsed acute leukemia were treated with flud
Background: Central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) is an idiopathic condition aggravated by exogenous or endogenous glucocorticoids. Vascular deregulation in the choroid is a new hypothesis regarding central serous chorioretinopathy occurrence. The inhibition of choroidal mineralocorticoid receptors has a great role in shortening the duration of CSCR by inhibiting choroidal vasodilatation and leak.
Objective: To assess the effect of oral spironolactone on subretinal fluid, central macular thickness and visual acuity in patients with acute CSCR compared to observation.
Subjects and Methods: a hospital based, randomized clinical trial carried out at outpatient clinic in Ibn-Alhaitham Teaching E
... Show MoreIn this paper, the species of the genus of Chlaenius Bonelli, 1810 (Coleoptera, Carabidae) were reviewed, and it was revealed that there are 21 confirmed species in Iraq; among them, the species of Chlaenius hamifer Chaudoir, 1856 was recorded for the first time in Iraq.
Diagnostic characters, a redescription of some of the morphological features, photographs and illustrations are provided for the new record species in this investigation.
The study aimed to identify the level of health awareness and health education among mothers zones, urban and rural areas as well as to identify the differences between them and to achieve this study was conducted on a sample of (121) or been Akhittarhn randomly, aged (20 - 43 years) and applied them to a questionnaire to measure the health awareness, which formed from a group of paragraphs, and after the collection of data was treated using the statistical software (SAS), where research showed many of the results are:
1/ Reached the age group ranging between (20-30 years), the highest rate for the present, where was (40.51%), while in the countryside matched by age group (31-40 years old) in terms of (54.76%)./ It turns out that the
Background: Saliva is one of the most important etiological host factors in relation to dental caries. It affects the carious process by its organic and inorganic constituents; in addition to its physiological functions as (flow rate, pH and buffer capacity). The aims of this study were to determine the concentrations of major elements (calcium and phosphorus) and trace elements (ferrous iron, nickel, chromium and aluminum) in saliva among a group of adolescent girls, and to explore the relation of these elements, flow rate and pH with dental caries. Material & Methods: The study group consisted of 25 girls with an age of 13-15 years old. Dental caries was diagnosed by both clinical and radiographical examinations following the criteria of
... Show MoreBackground: Any child with Down's syndrome does not develop in the same manner as normal child. Therefore, the child should not be viewed as being like everyone else. Developmental enamel defects in primary teeth have been found at least twice as frequently in disabled children as in control children. Down's syndrome consumed protein more than the recommended daily allowance compared to other disabled groups. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate developmental defects of enamel and their relations to nutrient intake among Down's syndrome children in comparison to normal children. Materials and Methods: A sample consisted of fifty institutionalized Down's syndrome children (study group) and 50 normal children (control group)
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