Basima Almomani

What the newspapers say about medication adherence: a content analysis

BackgroundThis study investigates the coverage of adherence to medicine by the UK and US newsprint media. Adherence to medicine is recognised as an important issue facing healthcare professionals and the newsprint media is a key source of health information, however, little is known about newspaper coverage of medication adherence.MethodsA search of the newspaper database Nexis®UK from 2004–2011 was performed. Content analysis of newspaper articles which referenced medication adherence from the twelve highest circulating UK and US daily newspapers and their Sunday equivalents was carried out. A second researcher coded a 15% sample of newspaper articles to establish the inter-rater reliability of coding.ResultsSearches of newspaper coverage of medication adherence in the UK and US yielded 181 relevant articles for each country. There was a large increase in the number of scientific articles on medication adherence in PubMed® over the study period, however, this was not reflected in the frequency of newspaper articles published on medication adherence. UK newspaper articles were significantly more likely to report the benefits of adherence (p = 0.005), whereas US newspaper articles were significantly more likely to report adherence issues in the elderly population (p = 0.004) and adherence associated with diseases of the central nervous system (p = 0.046). The most commonly reported barriers to adherence were patient factors e.g. poor memory, beliefs and age, whereas, the most commonly reported facilitators to adherence were medication factors including simplified regimens, shorter treatment duration and combination tablets. HIV/AIDS was the single most frequently cited disease (reported in 20% of newspaper articles). Poor quality reporting of medication adherence was identified in 62% of newspaper articles.ConclusionAdherence is not well covered in the newspaper media despite a significant presence in the medical literature. The mass media have the potential to help educate and shape the public’s knowledge regarding the importance of medication adherence; this potential is not being realised at present.

Incidence and predictors of 14-day mortality in multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in ventilator-associated pneumonia

INTRODUCTION Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) caused by multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (MDR-AB) is common in hospitals and impacts patient survival. We determined the incidence of MDR-AB VAP in critical care units and examined the predictors of 14-day mortality in these patients. METHODOLOGY A retrospective case series study was conducted at a tertiary referral teaching hospital in north Jordan. A list of patients with a positive culture of A. baumannii between January 2007 and June 2013 was retrieved using computerized hospital databases. Medical records of all these patients were reviewed, and cases of VAP infected with MDR-AB were identified. Predictors of 14-day mortality were determined using multivariable logistic regression adjusted for possible confounders. RESULTS Out of 121 A. baumannii-VAP cases, 119 (98.3%) were caused by MDR-AB. The incidence rate of MDR-AB VAP was 1.59 cases per 100 critical care unit admissions. The mortality of A. baumannii-VAP cases in critical care units was 42% (50/119). Being prescribed two or more definitive antibiotics (prescribed based on susceptibility data) (OR = 0.075, 95% CI = 0.017-0.340, p = 0.001) and ipratropium/salbutamol during mechanical ventilation (OR = 0.140, 95% CI = 0.028-0.705, p = 0.017) were independently associated with lower hospital mortality. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest incidence of MDR-AB VAP in critical care units is high and that prescription of antibiotics based on antibiotic susceptibility and use of bronchodilators is associated with lower mortality in this population. Larger prospective studies are needed to explore whether these findings can be replicated in different clinical settings.

Can Certain Genotypes Predispose to Poor Asthma Control in Children? A Pharmacogenetic Study of 9 Candidate Genes in Children with Difficult Asthma

Objective We tested the hypothesis that patients with difficult asthma have an increased frequency of certain genotypes that predispose them to asthma exacerbations and poor asthma control. Methods A total of 180 Caucasian children with confirmed asthma diagnosis were selected from two phenotypic groups; difficult (n = 112) versus mild/moderate asthma (n = 68) groups. All patients were screened for 19 polymorphisms in 9 candidate genes to evaluate their association with difficult asthma. Key Results The results indicated that LTA4H A-9188>G, TNFα G-308>A and IL-4Rα A1727>G polymorphisms were significantly associated with the development of difficult asthma in paediatric patients (p<0.001, p = 0.019 and p = 0.037, respectively). Haplotype analysis also revealed two haplotypes (ATA haplotype of IL-4Rα A1199>C, IL-4Rα T1570>C and IL-4Rα A1727>G and CA haplotype of TNFα C-863>A and TNFα G-308>A polymorphisms) which were significantly associated with difficult asthma in children (p = 0.04 and p = 0.018, respectively). Conclusions and Clinical Relevance The study revealed multiple SNPs and haplotypes in LTA4H, TNFα and IL4-Rα genes which constitute risk factors for the development of difficult asthma in children. Of particular interest is the LTA4H A-9188>G polymorphism which has been reported, for the first time, to have strong association with severe asthma in children. Our results suggest that screening for patients with this genetic marker could help characterise the heterogeneity of responses to leukotriene-modifying medications and, hence, facilitate targeting these therapies to the subset of patients who are most likely to gain benefit.

Impact of colistin-initiation delay on mortality of ventilator-associated pneumonia caused by A. baumannii

INTRODUCTION There has been increased incidence and high mortality in cases with ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) caused by colistin-only-susceptible Acinetobacter baumannii (COS-AB). Colistin has emerged as a therapeutic option for VAP caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative organisms including COS-AB. A retrospective study was conducted to examine the impact of early versus late initiation of colistin on 30-day mortality of critically ill patients with VAP caused by COS-AB. METHODOLOGY Critically ill patients with VAP caused by COS-AB who received colistin were enrolled. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to identify the temporal breakpoint that maximized the difference in 30-day mortality. RESULTS A total of 56 patients (34 men and 22 women) were included in the study. About 86% of all cases were late-onset VAP. The 30-day mortality was 46.4%. The rate was higher among patients with admission Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score > 18 and patients with a delay of more than four days in initiating colistin treatment. The mortality rate was 26.9% among patients with treatment delay of four or fewer days and 63.3% for patients with a treatment delay of more than four days. CONCLUSIONS A delay of four days or more in initiating colistin in patients with VAP caused by COS-AB significantly increases mortality. Colistin should be considered in the empirical protocols in late-onset VAP cases when COS-AB is highly suspected.

Pharmacogenetics and the print media: what is the public told?

BackgroundPharmacogenetics is a rapidly growing field that aims to identify the genes that influence drug response. This science can be used as a powerful tool to tailor drug treatment to the genetic makeup of individuals. The present study explores the coverage of the topic of pharmacogenetics and its potential benefit in personalised medicine by the UK newsprint media.MethodsThe LexisNexis database was used to identify and retrieve full text articles from the 10 highest circulation national daily newspapers and their Sunday equivalents in the UK. Content analysis of newspaper articles which referenced pharmacogenetic testing was carried out. A second researcher coded a random sample (21%) of newspaper articles to establish the inter-rater reliability of coding.ResultsOf the 256 articles captured by the search terms, 96 articles (with pharmacogenetics as a major component) met the study inclusion criteria. The majority of articles over-stated the benefits of pharmacogenetic testing while paying less attention to the associated risks. Overall beneficial effects were mentioned 5.3 times more frequently than risks (p < 0.001). The most common illnesses for which pharmacogenetically based personalised medicine was discussed were cancer, cardiovascular disease and CNS diseases. Only 13% of newspaper articles that cited a specific scientific study mentioned this link in the article. There was a positive correlation between the size of the article and both the number of benefits and risks stated (P < 0.01).ConclusionMore comprehensive coverage of the area of personalised medicine within the print media is needed to inform public debate on the inclusion of pharmacogentic testing in routine practice.

The effectiveness of clinical pharmacist's intervention in improving asthma care in children and adolescents: Randomized controlled study in Jordan.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effectiveness of clinical pharmacists intervention on achieving better asthma control, quality of life and other clinical parameters. METHODS A prospective randomized controlled study in north Jordan was conducted. Pediatric patients with asthma (aged 7-18 years old) were included and randomly allocated into two groups, intervention and control. Both groups were interviewed at the first visit and followed up twice by phone (at 3 and 6 months). Education was provided to patients and their caregivers in the intervention group only. RESULTS Of 206 eligible patients recruited and randomized to our study, 178 patients completed the study (48.3% intervention versus 51.7% control). There were no significant differences in all baseline data between both groups. We identified significant differences in the improvement of asthma control (p<0.001) and consequently pediatric and caregiver quality of life (p<0.001) between both groups at the end of study. Significant differences were also detected in other clinical parameters (p<0.05). CONCLUSION Implementation of clinical pharmacy service can positively influence asthma control, pediatric and caregivers quality of life, and other clinical parameters. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS To maintain a good asthma status, education of pediatric patients and their caregivers should be part of routine assessment during clinic visit.

Healthcare Providers’ Knowledge and Current Practice of Pain Assessment and Management: How Much Progress Have We Made?

Context. Despite improvement in pain management and availability of clinical treatment guidelines, patients in Jordan are still suffering from pain. Negative consequences of undertreated pain are being recognized as a reason for further illnesses and poor quality of life. Healthcare providers (HCPs) are responsible for relieving pain of their patients. Objective. To evaluate the knowledge and attitudes of HCPs toward pain management in Jordan. Methods. A 16-item questionnaire with agree or disagree options was given to 662 HCPs in seven hospitals in Jordan who volunteered to participate in the study. Following data collection, the responses were coded and entered into SPSS. Results. There was a statistically significant difference (p < 0.004) in percentage scores between physicians (36%) and pharmacists (36%) versus nurses (24%). The level of knowledge was the best among physicians, followed by pharmacists specifically in the area of cancer pain management. Nurses scored the lowest for knowledge of pain assessment and management among HCPs. However, HCPs overall scores indicated insufficient knowledge specifically in relation to pain assessment and management among children.

A novel approach of using educational pharmaceutical pictogram for improving inhaler techniques in patients with asthma

BACKGROUND Proper inhaler technique is essential to maximize the benefit of medications and improve asthma outcomes. OBJECTIVE To evaluate newly developed pictogram-incorporated medals and their utility on improving the inhaler techniques in asthmatic patients. METHODS A prospective, an open label, randomized controlled clinical study was conducted in Jordan from November 2016 to November 2017. The recruited patients were randomly allocated into two groups; control and intervention. Both groups were verbally counselled about proper use of their inhaler devices, however, pictogram medals were attached to the inhalers of patients in the intervention group only. Both groups were met at baseline and followed-up after 3 months to evaluate their inhaler techniques using standard checklists. RESULTS Of the 219 patients that were recruited and randomized in our study, 49.8% (n = 109) were allocated in the intervention group and 50.2% (n = 110) were in the control group. Both groups had comparable baseline demographics and clinical data (P > 0.05). Significant differences in the improvement of metered dose inhaler (MDI; p < 0.001) and Turbohaler (p = 0.005) techniques were observed between the two groups at the end of study. Patients who used MDI (OR = 7.06, 95% CI = 3.21-15.56, p < 0.001) and Turbohaler (OR = 5.08, 95% CI = 1.57-16.43, p = 0.007) in the intervention group were 7 and 5 times more likely to have improved inhaler techniques as compared to those in the control group respectively. CONCLUSIONS Educational pharmaceutical pictograms represent an inexpensive and feasible intervention that can positively affect the proper use of inhalers in asthmatic patients.

Healthcare providers’ attitude and knowledge regarding medication use in breastfeeding women: a Jordanian national questionnaire study

Abstract Medication use among women who have recently given birth is unavoidable in some situations. The aim of this study was to assess the attitude and knowledge of healthcare providers (HCPs) in Jordan about the safe use of medications during breastfeeding. The data were collected from HCPs in maternal and children care centres and hospitals from April 2015 to January 2016, using a self-administered questionnaire. A total of 904 HCPs (79.3%) were enrolled in the study. Half of the participants followed the World Health Organisation’s and American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommendations. The awareness of HCPs regarding these recommendations was lower among nurses (OR 0.212, 95%CI 0.132–0.338, p < .001) and pharmacists (OR 0.476, 95%CI 0.297–0.763, p = .002) than physicians. The majority of participants (80%) had low level of knowledge and nurses were more likely to have low knowledge than physicians (OR 0.099, 95%CI 0.050–0.197, p < .001). Professional continuous education programmes were highly encouraged. Impact statement What is already known on this subject: Use of medications among women who have recently given birth is unavoidable in some situations and most of them are safe to be given during breastfeeding. What the results of this study add: Healthcare providers in Jordan have variable attitudes regarding the safety of medication use during breastfeeding. The majority of healthcare providers have a low level of knowledge regarding the safe use of medication during breastfeeding. Nurses are more likely to have low knowledge as compared to physicians. Implications for clinical practice: Healthcare providers should be encouraged to seek information regarding compatibility of medication use during breastfeeding from reliable sources. Professional continuing education programmes concerning the safety of medication use during breastfeeding period are needed to target all involved HCPs. More attention should be directed toward medical schools’ curricula to widen the knowledge of medication use and focus on practice-based clinical experience.

Diabetes mellitus in two genetically distinct populations in Jordan. A Comparison between Arabs and Circassians/Chechens Living with Diabetes

Objectives: To compare clinical, anthropometric, and laboratory characteristics in diabetes type 2 patients of 2 genetically-distinct ethnicities living in Jordan, Arabs and Circassians/Chechens. Methods: This cross sectional ethnic comparison study was conducted in King Abdullah University Hospital, Irbid and The National Center for Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Genetics, Amman, Jordan between June 2013 and February 2014. A sample of 347 (237 Arab and 110 Circassian/Chechen) people living with diabetes were included in the study. Data were collected through direct interviews with the participants. Clinical data were collected using a questionnaire and anthropometric measurements. Laboratory data were extracted from the patients’ medical records. Results: More Arabs with diabetes had hypertension as a comorbidity than Circassians/Chechens with diabetes. Arabs living with diabetes were generally more obese, whereas Circassians/Chechens living with diabetes had worse lipid control. Arabs with diabetes had higher means of glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and fasting blood sugar, and more Arabs with diabetes had unsatisfactory glycemic control (60.6%) than Circassians/Chechens with diabetes (38.2%) (HbA1c ≥7.0%). Most participants (88.8%) had at least one lipid abnormality (dyslipidemia). Conclusion: Multiple discrepancies among the 2 ethnic diabetic populations were found. New diabetes management recommendations and policies should be used when treating people living with diabetes of those ethnicities, particularly in areas of glycemic control, lipid control, and obesity.