Most women experience some premenstrual symptoms regularly. Because of this, PMS/ PMDD has emerged as a 20th century phenomenon, mostly since women now have better control over reproduction. The symptoms associated with these conditions may be minimal, moderate, or severe depending on the ratings of the symptoms recorded daily. Women also continue to report lower levels of productivity in the 5 to 10 days after the start of menses. As part of exploring these conditions, the study sought to examine the screening of premenstrual symptoms and self-medication acts among women in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The findings were as follows. There were 56 participants in the study, with their ages ranging between 18 and 54. Most of the participants were also either working or students. Regarding diagnosis, nearly half of the sample (n=27, 48.2 %) were diagnosed as normal, while 4 out of 10 study participants (n=23, 41.1 %) had PMS. Additionally, 10.7 % were diagnosed as having both PMDD and PMS. On self-medication, the findings revealed that 1 out of every 2 study participants (n=28, 50 %) self-medicated to ease PMS/PMDD. Among the 28 persons, only 17 (60.17 %) had PMS/PMDD. These findings suggest that nearly half of persons who did not have PMS/PMDD self-medicated themselves thinking that they had PMS/PMDD. The findings of this study provide government and other policymakers with the data required to inform debate and to increase access to public health. Having established a sensible belief that PMS may substantially affect women in Saudi Arabia, further studies might estimate the magnitude of the problem.
- MeSH
- afektivní symptomy MeSH
- dospělí MeSH
- epidemiologické faktory MeSH
- lidé středního věku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mladiství MeSH
- osobní újma zaviněná nemocí MeSH
- premenstruační dysforická porucha diagnóza epidemiologie farmakoterapie MeSH
- premenstruační syndrom * diagnóza epidemiologie farmakoterapie MeSH
- průzkumy a dotazníky MeSH
- samoléčba * metody statistika a číselné údaje MeSH
- screeningové diagnostické programy MeSH
- Check Tag
- dospělí MeSH
- lidé středního věku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mladiství MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Saudská Arábie MeSH
Background: Timely information about trends in psychoactive substance use could yield tailored interventions and reduce potential harms. However, conventional epidemiological tools might have limited capacity to detect trends emerging on a local level. Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore best practice in the identification of new drug trends at the local level. Methods: A total of 33 key informants from seven European municipalities/regions were interviewed to describe trends in substance use in their locality and to provide expert insights on how these were identified. Semi-structured interviews were analyzed with open coding method. Results: Four case studies that described local trends and responses were compiled: onset of problematic GHB use in the Dutch municipality of Breda (1); emerging retail shops selling new psychoactive substances (NPS) across the regions of Czech Republic (2) and in the Portuguese Agueda and Coimbra (3); and use of drugs with unknown content in the Italian region of Emilia Romagna, and its city Bologna (4). "Early identifiers" in the four case studies were organizations that work directly with people who use drugs (PWUD), emergency departments, and local police. Efficient methods of horizontal and vertical information sharing, sometimes facilitated by communication platforms, were in place, such that included early warning systems on local, national, and supra-local level. Local-level identification systems appeared as best suited to provide locally relevant information. Conclusions: Best practice in identifying emerging trends should involve all relevant "early identifiers", should consist of supra-local exchange platforms, integrate the qualities of local-level identification, and be facilitated by local-level coordinators.
- MeSH
- hodnocení rizik metody trendy MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- policie MeSH
- poruchy spojené s užíváním psychoaktivních látek epidemiologie MeSH
- psychotropní léky aplikace a dávkování MeSH
- samoléčba statistika a číselné údaje MeSH
- šíření informací MeSH
- urgentní služby nemocnice MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Evropa MeSH
- MeSH
- erektilní dysfunkce * farmakoterapie MeSH
- léky bez předpisu * MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- průzkumy a dotazníky MeSH
- samoléčba * statistika a číselné údaje MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- Publikační typ
- novinové články MeSH
The aim of the study was to examine the prevalence and type of medicines used by high school students in the Czech Republic and to analyze association between use of medicines during last 6 months and self medication with different socio-demographic and lifestyle aspects. A cross-sectional study was conducted in high schools from two regions and three towns in the Czech Republic. The study sample was a student population of nine selected high schools. The study was approved by the local Ethics Committees and school board and was conducted in compliance with the ethical principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Questionnaires respecting anonymity were distributed to the students during the regular class period. Students answered closed and open questions divided into six sections focussing on their experience with chronic and irregular use of medicines, medicines use during last six months, conditions treated, type and source of used medicines. A modified log-linear Poisson regression model with a robust variance estimator (sandwich) was used for statistical analysis. In total, 979 students, aged 14-21 years (mean age 17 years) participated in the study: 32% were male and 68% female; 19% of students reported regular use of medicines for chronic disease. The use of medicines during the last 6 months was reported by 83% of students; 42% of them reported the use of both prescription and over the counter (OTC) medicines; 22% the use only of OTC, and 31% only prescription medicines. Allergy, asthma, disorders of the thyroid gland, atopic dermatitis, and hypertensive diseases were among the most frequent long-term diseases. The most frequent groups of medicines used for the treatment of long-term diseases were systemic antihistamines, thyroid preparations, and respiratory drugs. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines, ibuprofen and paracetamol were the most frequently used medicines during last six months. The study results showed quite extensive use of both prescription and OTC medicines in students of high schools between 14-21 years of age in the Czech Republic. Statistically significant associations were found between use of medicines during last 6 months and type of school, sex and chronic diseases, and between self-medication and sex.
- MeSH
- dospělí MeSH
- farmakoterapie * MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mladiství MeSH
- mladý dospělý MeSH
- Poissonovo rozdělení MeSH
- průřezové studie MeSH
- samoléčba statistika a číselné údaje MeSH
- studenti MeSH
- Check Tag
- dospělí MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mladiství MeSH
- mladý dospělý MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Česká republika MeSH
Geriatric pharmacotherapy represents one of the biggest achievements of modern medical interventions. However, geriatric pharmacotherapy is a complex process that encompasses not only drug prescribing but also age-appropriate drug development and manufacturing, appropriate drug testing in clinical trials, rational and safe prescribing, reliable administration and assessment of drug effects, including adherence measurement and age-appropriate outcomes monitoring. During this complex process, errors can occur at any stage, and intervention strategies to improve geriatric pharmacotherapy are targeted at improving the regulatory processes of drug testing, reducing inappropriate prescribing, preventing beneficial drug underuse and use of potentially harmful drugs, and preventing adverse drug interactions. The aim of this review is to provide an update on selected recent developments in geriatric pharmacotherapy, including age discrimination in drug trials, a new healthcare professional qualification and shared competence in geriatric drug therapy, the usefulness of information and communication technologies, and pharmacogenetics. We also review optimizing strategies aimed at medication adherence focusing on complex elderly patients. Among the current information technologies, there is sufficient evidence that computerized decision-making support systems are modestly but significantly effective in reducing inappropriate prescribing and adverse drug events across healthcare settings. The majority of interventions target physicians, for whom the scientific concept of appropriate prescribing and the acceptability of the alert system used play crucial roles in the intervention's success. For prescribing optimization, results of educational intervention strategies were inconsistent. The more promising strategies involved pharmacists or multidisciplinary teams including geriatric medicine services. However, methodological weaknesses including population and intervention heterogeneity do not allow for comprehensive meta-analyses to determine the clinical value of individual approaches. In relation to drug adherence, a recent meta-analysis of 33 randomized clinical trials in older patients found behavioural interventions had significant effects, and these interventions were more effective than educational interventions. For patients with multiple conditions and polypharmacy, successful interventions included structured medication review, medication regimen simplification, administration aids and medication reminders, but no firm conclusion in favour of any particular intervention could be made. Interventions to optimize geriatric pharmacotherapy focused most commonly on pharmacological outcomes (drug appropriateness, adverse drug events, adherence), providing only limited information about clinical outcomes in terms of health status, morbidity, functionality and overall healthcare costs. Little attention was given to psychosocial and behavioural aspects of pharmacotherapy. There is sufficient potential for improvements in geriatric pharmacotherapy in terms of drug safety and effectiveness. However, just as we require evidence-based, age-specific, pharmacological information for efficient clinical decision making, we need solid evidence for strategies that consistently improve the quality of pharmacological treatments at the health system level to shape 'age-attuned' health and drug policy.
- MeSH
- adherence k farmakoterapii statistika a číselné údaje MeSH
- farmakoterapie metody normy statistika a číselné údaje MeSH
- geriatrie metody normy statistika a číselné údaje MeSH
- lékové předpisy statistika a číselné údaje MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- medicína založená na důkazech metody normy MeSH
- nežádoucí účinky léčiv MeSH
- samoléčba statistika a číselné údaje MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- přehledy MeSH
BACKGROUND: Self-medication with antibiotics may increase the risk of inappropriate use and the selection of resistant bacteria. The objective of the study was to estimate the prevalence of self-medication with antibiotics in Abu Dhabi. METHODOLOGY: A validated, self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, and the chi-square test when applicable. One thousand subjects were invited to participate in the study. RESULTS: Eight hundred sixty questionnaires were completed, with a respondent rate of 86%, consisting of 66% males and 34% females. Among the 860 participants, 485 (56%) reported the use of antibiotics within the last year. Amoxicillin was the antibiotic most commonly used (46.3%). The survey showed a significant association between antibiotics used and age group (p < 0.001). Of the participants surveyed, 393 (46%) stated that they intentionally use antibiotics as self-medication without a medical consultation, a behavior that is significantly affected by educational levels (p<0.001). Two hundred forty-five (28%) participants stored antibiotics at home. These antibiotics were mostly acquired from community pharmacies without prescriptions (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study confirm that antibiotic self-medication is a relatively frequent problem in Abu Dhabi. Interventions are required in order to reduce the frequency of antibiotic misuse.
- MeSH
- antibakteriální látky terapeutické užití MeSH
- dítě MeSH
- dospělí MeSH
- infekční nemoci farmakoterapie MeSH
- léky bez předpisu terapeutické užití MeSH
- léky na předpis terapeutické užití MeSH
- lidé středního věku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- předškolní dítě MeSH
- průřezové studie MeSH
- průzkumy a dotazníky MeSH
- rozdělení chí kvadrát MeSH
- samoléčba statistika a číselné údaje MeSH
- věkové faktory MeSH
- výchova a vzdělávání MeSH
- Check Tag
- dítě MeSH
- dospělí MeSH
- lidé středního věku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- předškolní dítě MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Spojené arabské emiráty MeSH
- MeSH
- průzkumy a dotazníky využití MeSH
- rodinní lékaři MeSH
- samoléčba psychologie statistika a číselné údaje využití MeSH
- Publikační typ
- přehledy MeSH
Znalost pacientů o perorálních monokomponentních OTC přípravcích s obsahem ibuprofenu, kterési kupují pro sebe, byla hodnocena ve vztahu k tomu, jakým způsobem probíhala komunikacefarmaceut (farm. laborant) – pacient při výdeji v lékárně. Odpovědi respondentů byly zpracoványzvlášť pro skupinu těch, kteří si kupují přípravek poprvé, a těch, kteří ho již dříve pro samoléčenípoužívali. Znalost kontraindikací a nežádoucích účinků (posuzováno odděleně) byla zjištěna v obouskupinách respondentů vyšší než 50 %. Pacienti, kteří užívají přípravek opakovaně, však udávajísoučasnou neznalost nežádoucích účinků a kontraindikací jen 32,2 %, oproti novým uživatelům(60,0 %). Pacienti, kteří neznají ani kontraindikace ani nežádoucí účinky kupovaného přípravku, sipřesto myslí, že mají dostatek informací k tomu, aby jejich samoléčení bylo bezpečné (88,9 %opakovaných a 80,0 % nových uživatelů). Přibližně čtvrtina respondentů v obou hodnocených skupináchuvádí, že při výdeji nedostali v lékárně žádnou informaci. Pacienti přistupují k nákupu OTCpřípravku pasivně a téměř ve 40 % nevyužívají možnosti sami se na potřebné informace zeptat.Informace získané v lékárně považuje téměř 85 % respondentů z obou skupin za dostatečné. Farmaceuti(farm. laboranti) při výdeji OTC přípravku ve 45 % případů nezjišťují, zda pacient jižpřípravek užíval a zda o něm má nějaké znalosti. Úroveň poradenství při samoléčení by se v ČRměla zefektivnit.
Knowledge of patients about oral single-component OTC preparations containing ibuprofen, boughtfor their own use,was evaluated in relation to the manner of the process of communication betweenthe pharmacist (laboratory assistant) – patient during the supply at the pharmacy. The answers ofrespondents were processed separately for the group of those who bought the preparation for thefirst time and those who had already used it for self-medication. The knowledge of contraindicationsand undesirable effects (judged separately) was found to be higher than 50 % in both groups ofrespondents. Nevertheless, the patients who use the preparation repeatedly state simultaneousignorance of undesirable effects and contraindications only in 32.2 %, in contrast to the new users(60.0 %). The patients who know neither contraindications nor undesirable effects of the preparationwhich they buy nevertheless think that they have enough information so that their self-medicationcan be safe (88.9 % of patients using the preparation repeatedly and 80.0 % of new users).Approximately a quarter of respondents in both groups under evaluation state that during thesupply in the pharmacy they were not given any piece of information. Patients are passive whenbuying an OTC preparation and nearly 40 % of them do not use the opportunity to ask for pertinentinformation themselves. Nearly 85 % of respondents from both groups consider information gainedfrom the pharmacy to be sufficient. When supplying an OTC preparation, in 45 % of casespharmacists (laboratory assistants) do not inquire whether the patient have already used thepreparation, or whether he or she knows anything about it. The standard of counselling onself-medication in the Czech Republic should thus become more effective.
- Klíčová slova
- APO-IBUPROFEN, BRUFEN, NUROFEN,
- MeSH
- ibuprofen terapeutické užití MeSH
- informační služby o lécích statistika a číselné údaje trendy MeSH
- léčivé přípravky normy MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- nežádoucí účinky léčiv MeSH
- poradenství statistika a číselné údaje trendy MeSH
- samoléčba škodlivé účinky statistika a číselné údaje MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- srovnávací studie MeSH
- MeSH
- farmaceuti MeSH
- konzultanti MeSH
- průzkumy a dotazníky MeSH
- role MeSH
- samoléčba statistika a číselné údaje trendy MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Česká republika MeSH
