scholarly journals Prevalence, patterns and predictors of self-medication with anti-malarial drugs among Cameroonian mothers during a recent illness episode

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-39
Author(s):  
L. P. F. Kojom ◽  
A. A. Ntoumba ◽  
H. Nyabeyeu Nyabeyeu ◽  
G. Bunda Wepnje ◽  
C. Tonga ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Combination Therapies ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Biomedical Sciences ◽  
Self Medication ◽  
Illness Episode ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
African Populations ◽  
The Town ◽  
Recent Illness

Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) are recommended as treatment of choice for malaria. Although the resistance to artemisinin and its derivatives has not yet been officially reported in Africa, there is growing concern that it may reach the continent. Self-medication is common among African populations and may explained drug resistance. Unfortunately, a few studies have addressed this issue in Cameroon. This study seeks to appraise the prevalence, patterns and predictors of antimalarial self-medication. A household-based cross-sectional study was conducted in 2016 in the town of Douala. Interviews and pretested semi-structured questionnaires were administered for collecting information from 213 mothers of under-fives. The prevalence of self-medication was 49.30%. The main reasons were “habit” (38.75%), “Lack of money” (22.48%) and “Lightness of symptoms” (13.18 %). Pharmacy (47.80%) and street medicine stores (30.19%) were the commonest drug providers. Nearly 20% of women had not respected posology although treatment was right and taken promptly. Age, level of education and curiosity on treatment were risk factors of self-medication. Our study confirms that malaria self-medication is common among women and the influence of some factors. Hence, strategies for information, education and communication should be scaled up to efficiently address self-medication in the area.Journal of Medical and Biomedical Sciences (2018) 7(1), 29 - 39

scholarly journals SAT0330 NEW IMMUNOMODULATORY COMBINATION THERAPIES IN PATIENTS WITH SYSTEMIC SCLEROSIS: A RETROSPECTIVE CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 1110.1-1111
Author(s):  
J. Qiao ◽  
S. X. Zhang ◽  
T. T. Zhang ◽  
J. Zhang ◽  
M. T. Qiu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systemic Sclerosis ◽  
Side Effects ◽  
Lymphocyte Subsets ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Peripheral Lymphocyte ◽  
High Morbidity ◽  
Combination Therapies ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Long Term Treatment

Background:Systemic sclerosis (scleroderma, SSc) is a rare complex connective tissue disease associated with high mortality and high morbidity1. Active SSc are typically treated with immunosuppressants, which may create a variety of severe side-effects, especially for long-term treatment2. As the pathogenesis of SSc is still a matter of debate, growing evidences have focused on the immune disorders3. However, the quantitative status of lymphocyte subsets in SSc patients are unclear and effects of immunomodulatory combination therapies (avoiding side-effects of conventional therapy) on the lymphocyte subsets are unknown.Objectives:To investigate the quantitative status of peripheral lymphocyte subpopulations and CD4+T subsets in SSc patients for the exploration of SSc pathogenesis and evaluate the effects of new immunomodulatory combination therapies on those cells.Methods:From July 2014 to December 2019, total 166 patients with SSc and 206 healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled in this study, in which, 79 follow-up patients received immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs) such as low-dose interleukin-2, rapamycin, metformin, retinoic acid and coenzyme Q10. The absolute numbers of T, B, NK, CD4+T, CD8+T, Th1, Th2, Th17 and Tregs in peripheral blood of these subjects were detected by flow cytometry combined with standard absolute counting beads.Results:Patients with SSc had lower absolute counts of total T, NK, Th2, Th17 and Tregs as compared with those of HCs (P<0.05) (Figure 1). After immunomodulatory combination treatments, there were increases in a various of peripheral lymphocyte subsets such as T, B and CD8+T (P< 0.05). Moreover, the increased level of Tregs was much more dramatical than those of other lymphocyte subsets, resulting in the decrease ratios of Teffs/Tregs such as Th1/Tregs and Th2/Tregs and rebuilding immunologic equilibrium (Figure 2).Conclusion:This cross-sectional study clarified the abnormal status of lymphocyte subsets in SSc patients, suggesting lymphocyte subsets, especially Tregs, might be relevant and play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of SSc, thus providing a potential therapeutic target for SSc patients. Immunomodulatory combination therapies effectively increase the level of Tregs as well as other lymphocytes to some degree and maintain the immunologic equilibrium, which may help for SSc patients’ symptom remission.References:[1]Denton CP, Khanna D. Systemic sclerosis. Lancet 2017;390(10103):1685-99. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(17)30933-9 [published Online First: 2017/04/18][2]Winthrop KL, Weinblatt ME, Bathon J, et al. Unmet need in rheumatology: reports from the Targeted Therapies meeting 2019. Ann Rheum Dis 2020;79(1):88-93. doi: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2019-216151 [published Online First: 2019/10/31][3]Skaug B, Khanna D, Swindell WR, et al. Global skin gene expression analysis of early diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis shows a prominent innate and adaptive inflammatory profile. Ann Rheum Dis 2019 doi: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2019-215894 [published Online First: 2019/11/27]Acknowledgments :None.Disclosure of Interests:None declared

Women’s attitude toward gynecological pain in fertile age: Results from a cross-sectional study among Italian community pharmacies

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 88-94
Author(s):  
Corrado Giua Marassi ◽  
Assunta Pistone ◽  
Fabio Parazzini ◽  
Silvia Vannuccini ◽  
Felice Petraglia
Keyword(s):  
Medical Treatment ◽  
Pelvic Pain ◽  
Epidemiological Data ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Community Pharmacies ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Self Medication ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Mean Delay ◽  
Italian Community

Introduction: Several epidemiological data on women afferent to clinics for medical treatment of pelvic pain are available, while few studies explored the general population. Thus, this study aimed to investigate women presenting with gynecological pain at the community pharmacy and to evaluate the relevance of pharmacist advice regarding medical treatment. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a sample of 10 Italian community pharmacies, by administering a structured questionnaire to fertile age women reporting pelvic pain during the last 3 months. Questions were concerning demographic information, pain characteristics, women’s behavior toward gynecological pain, and diagnosis possibly received from a physician. Results: A group of 290 women were interviewed. Severe pain was reported in 58.3%, with a mean ± SD of 4.4 ± 6.8 days of suffering, causing absenteeism from work in 45.3% of cases. Almost half of women reported that the onset of gynecological pain was before 15 years and 72.2% had consulted a physician in the past, with a mean delay of 2.5 ± 4.3 years between the onset of pain and medical consultation. However, only 28% of the overall population received a diagnosis. 51.0% received one treatment, while 39% received two or more. The first therapy was prescribed in 40.2% cases by the physician, while in the remaining it was recommended either by the pharmacist or it was a self-medication. Conclusion: Gynecological pelvic pain is a disabling problem, regardless of the underlying cause, with significant impact on social and working life and requiring a better medical management.

scholarly journals Self-Medication amongst the university students of Multan, Pakistan- A questionnaire based survey

2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samman Chughtai
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Response Rate ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Pharmacy Students ◽  
Common Condition ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Self Medication ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
The World ◽  
The University

Self-medication is a common incidence in the world today. This study aims to evaluate self-medication among university students of Multan, Pakistan. This randomized cross sectional study was carried out in Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan during December 2015- January 216. A sample size of 200 students was randomly selected. Response rate was 90% (n=182).The prevalence of self-medication among the students was determined to be 83%. There was difference in perception of pharmacy students and students of other professions. Most common condition in which students did self-medication was headache (49.66%; n=75). Students also showed tendency of self-medication in case of herbal and essential oil products (46.35%). Awareness concerning insecurity and benefits of self-medication must be spread among students to avoid the complications of self-medication. 

Self-Medication Practices with Antibiotics and Antimalarials Among Sudanese Undergraduate University Students

2007 ◽  
Vol 41 (7-8) ◽  
pp. 1249-1255 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdelmoneim I Awad ◽  
Idris B Eltayeb
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Private University ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Community Pharmacies ◽  
Age Group ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Self Medication ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Undergraduate University Students ◽  
Study Population

Background: In many developing countries, up to 60–80% of health problems are self-medicated. Objective: To estimate the prevalence of self-medication with antibiotics and/or antimalarials and identify factors promoting such use among university students in Sudan. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was performed, using a pretested questionnaire on a sample of 1300 students selected from 5 universities in Khartoum State, Sudan. Results: Eight hundred ninety-one (79.5%; 95% CI 77.0 to 81.8) students from the study population had used antibiotics or antimalarials without a prescription within 1–2 months prior to the study. Four hundred ninety (55%; 95% CI 51.7 to 58.3) of the respondents stated that they had used antibiotics, 39 (4.4%; 95% CI 3.2 to 6.0) had used antimalarials, and 362 (40.6%; 95% CI 37.4 to 43.9) had used both. Overall, self-medication with antibiotics or antimalarials was significantly more common among students 21 years of age or older compared with those 20 years of age or younger (OR 1.55; 95% CI 1.15 to 2.09; p = 0.004) and among students attending private universities compared with those attending public universities (OR 1.42; 95% CI 1.04 to 1.95; p = 0.028). Self-medication with antibiotics followed a simitar pattern, which was significantly more common among students 21 years of age or older (OR 1.36; 95% CI 1.03 to 1.81; p = 0.03) and private university respondents (OR 1.52; 95% CI 1.15 to 2.02; p = 0.003). Self-medication with antimalarials was found to be significantly less common among females (OR 0.76; 95% CI 0.59 to 0.97; p = 0.028) and higher among the 21 years or older age group (OR 1.84; 95% CI 1.42 to 2.40; p < 0.001), The most common reason indicated for self-medication was the respondents’ previous experiences with similar ailments. The main source of drugs was community pharmacies. Conclusions: The prevalence of self-medication with antibiotics/antimalarials among undergraduate university students in Khartoum State is high. Our findings highlight the need for planning interventions to promote the judicious use of antibiotics/antimicrobials.

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