Maryam Farooqui

A cross sectional assessment of knowledge, attitude and practice towards Hepatitis B among healthy population of Quetta, Pakistan

BackgroundHepatitis B (HB) is a serious global public health problem. This study aims to evaluate Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) towards Hepatitis B (HB) among healthy population of Quetta city, Pakistan.MethodsA cross sectional, descriptive study was undertaken. One thousand healthy individuals (aged 18 years and above) were approached for the study. KAP towards HB was assessed by using a pre validated questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used for elaborating patients’ demographic characteristics. Inferential statistics (Mann–Whitney U test and Kruskal Wallis test) were used for comparison while Spearman’s rho correlation was used to identify association between the study variables. All analyses were performed using SPSS 16.0.ResultsOut of 1000 distributed questionnaires, 780 were returned with a response rate of 78.0%. Four hundred and twenty (53.8%) respondents were male with mean age of 32.76 ± 9.40 year. Two hundred and eight (26.7%) had intermediate level of education and 354 (45.4%) were unemployed. Mean scores for knowledge, attitude and practice were 8.74 ± 2.7, 3.72 ± 1.2 and 2.76 ± 1.1 respectively. Significant and positive linear correlations between knowledge-attitude (r = 0.296, p < 0.01) knowledge-practice (r = 0.324, p < 0.01) and attitude-practice (r = 0.331, p < 0.01) were observed. Area of residence (locality) was the only variables significantly associated with mean KAP of the study respondents.ConclusionResults from the current study heighted poor KAP of healthy population towards HB. The positive linear correlations reaffirms that better knowledge can lead to positive attitude and subsequently in good practices. This will further help in prevention and management of HB. Therefore, extensive health educational campaign should be provided to general population and especially to the residents of rural areas.

Does treatment adherence correlates with health related quality of life? findings from a cross sectional study

BackgroundAlthough medication adherence and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) are two different outcome measures, it is believed that adherence to medication leads to an improvement in overall HRQoL. The study aimed to evaluate the association between medication adherence and HRQoL.MethodsA questionnaire-based cross-sectional study design was undertaken with hypertension patients attending public hospitals in Quetta city, Pakistan. HRQoL was measured by Euroqol EQ-5D. Medication adherence was assessed by the Drug Attitude Inventory. Descriptive statistics was used to tabulate demographic and disease-related information. Spearmans correlation was used to assess the association between the study variables. All analysis was performed using SPSS 17.0.ResultsAmong 385 study patients, the mean age (SD) was 39.02 (6.59), with 68.8% of males dominating the entire cohort. The mean (SD) duration of hypertension was 3.010.939years. Forty percent (n=154) had a bachelors degree level of education with 34.8% (n=134) working in the private sector. A negative and weak correlation (0.77) between medication adherence and EQ-5D was reported. In addition, a negative weak correlation (0.120) was observed among medication adherence and EQ-VAS.ConclusionsCorrelations among the study variables were negligible and negative. Hence, there is no apparent relationship between the variables.

A qualitative exploration of Malaysian cancer patients' perceptions of cancer screening

BackgroundDespite the existence of different screening methods, the response to cancer screening is poor among Malaysians. The current study aims to examine cancer patients’ perceptions of cancer screening and early diagnosis.MethodsA qualitative methodology was used to collect in-depth information from cancer patients. After obtaining institutional ethical approval, patients with different types and stages of cancer from the three major ethnic groups (Malay, Chinese and Indian) were approached. Twenty semi-structured interviews were conducted. All interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, and translated into English for thematic content analysis.ResultsThematic content analysis yielded four major themes: awareness of cancer screening, perceived benefits of cancer screening, perceived barriers to cancer screening, and cues to action. The majority of respondents had never heard of cancer screening before their diagnosis. Some participants reported hearing about mammogram and Pap smear tests but did not undergo screening due to a lack of belief in personal susceptibility. Those who had negative results from screening prior to diagnosis perceived such tests as untrustworthy. Lack of knowledge and financial constraints were reported as barriers to cancer screening. Finally, numerous suggestions were given to improve screening behaviour among healthy individuals, including the role of mass media in disseminating the message ‘prevention is better than cure’.ConclusionsPatients’ narratives revealed some significant issues that were in line with the Health Belief Model which could explain negative health behaviour. The description of the personal experiences of people with cancer could provide many cues to action for those who have never encountered this potentially deadly disease, if incorporated into health promotion activities.

Pharmacist intervention in improving hypertension‐related knowledge, treatment medication adherence and health‐related quality of life: a non‐clinical randomized controlled trial

The study evaluated whether a pharmaceutical care intervention can result in better understanding about hypertension, increase medication adherence to antihypertensive therapy and improve overall health‐related quality of life.

A cross-sectional assessment of knowledge, attitude and practice among Hepatitis-B patients in Quetta, Pakistan.

BackgroundHepatitis-B is a life threatening infection resulting in 0.6 million deaths annually. The prevalence of Hepatitis-B is rising in Pakistan and furthermore, there is paucity of information about Knowledge, Attitude and Practice among Hepatitis-B patients. Better disease related knowledge is important to have positive attitude and that will bring the good practices which will prevent the further spread of infection. This study aimed to evaluate knowledge, attitude and practice of Hepatitis-B Patients in Quetta city, Pakistan.MethodsA cross-sectional, descriptive study was undertaken with 390 Hepatitis-B patients attending two public hospitals in Quetta city, Pakistan. Knowledge, attitude and practice regarding Hepatitis-B were assessed using a pre-validated questionnaire containing 20, 7 and 8 questions for knowledge, attitude and practice, respectively. Descriptive statistics were used for elaborating patients’ demographic characteristics and mean scores for knowledge, attitude and practice of Hepatitis-B patients. Inferential statistics (Mann–Whitney U test and Kruskal Wallis tests, p < 0.05) were used to establish association between study variables. Spearman’s rho correlation was used to identify the association between the knowledge, attitude and practice scores.ResultsOut of 390 patients, 223 (57.2%) were males, with the majority (136, 34.9%) in the age group of 38–47 years. Mean age of the study cohort was 32.6 ± 9.5 years. One hundred and four (26.7%) had primary level education, with 110 (28.2%) working in the private sector. The mean scores for knowledge, attitude and practice were 8.48 ± 2.7, 3.87 ± 1.2 and 2.37 ± 1.0, respectively. Education, locality and occupation were significantly associated with knowledge, attitude and practice scores. Significant positive linear correlations between knowledge-attitude (r = 0.466, p < 0.01) knowledge-practice (r = 0.221, p < 0.01) and attitude-practice (r = 0.224, p < 0.01) were also observed from the study results.ConclusionThe findings of this study indicate that Hepatitis-B patients lack a basic understanding of infection control and management. This can result in the further spread of Hepatitis-B infection. Extensive health education campaigns should be provided to the patients in the hospital as well as in community settings for rational control and management of the disease.

Assessment of general public perceptions toward traditional medicines used for aphrodisiac purpose in state of Penang, Malaysia.

The study aims to evaluate general public perceptions regarding the use of Traditional and Complementary Medicines (TCM) for aphrodisiac purposes. A questionnaire based, cross-sectional study was undertaken. Respondents were selected in the state of Penang, Malaysia. A total of 392 respondents were included in the study. Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis. Chi Square/Fischer Exact tests were used where appropriate. Out of 392 respondents, 150 (38.26%) reported using specific Traditional medicines for aphrodisiac purposes. Most respondents (46.94%) agreed that aphrodisiac medicines were easily available t. Moreover, 40.31% of the respondents reported that traditional aphrodisiac medicines were cheaper than modern (prescription) medicines. This study highlights limited public knowledge regarding the use of traditional aphrodisiac medicine. Healthcare professionals should be aware of informal TCM usage when prescribing allopathic medicines.

Rights and Responsibilities of Tuberculosis Patients, and the Global Fund: A Qualitative Study

Background Implementation of the Charter to protect patients’ rights is an important criterion to achieve patient-centered approach and receive financial support from the Global Fund. Our study aims to explore the knowledge of tuberculosis (TB) patients about their rights and responsibilities at the Chest Disease Unit of the Bahawal Victoria Hospital, Bahawalpur, Pakistan. Methods This was a qualitative study. The data from purposefully selected TB patients was collected by in-depth interviews. Eligibility criteria included confirmed diagnosis of TB and enrollment in the TB program. A pilot tested interview protocol was based upon the objectives of the study, and was used uniformly in each interview to maintain the consistency. The sample size was limited by applying the saturation criteria. All interviews were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. Inductive thematic content analysis was applied to analyze the data and draw conclusions. Results Out of the total 16 patients, four were female, and seven were illiterate. Eight patients were known cases of multi-drug resistant TB. Analysis of the data yielded seven themes; tuberculosis care services, moral support and stigmatization, dignity and privacy, complaints, fear of losing job, information sharing and compliance to the treatment plan, and contribution to eradicate TB. First five represented the rights section while latter two were related to the responsibilities section of the Charter. Conclusion Discriminatory access to TB care services and the right to privacy were two major concerns identified in this study. However, the respondents recognized their responsibilities as a TB patient. To ensure uninterrupted investment from the Global Fund, there is a need to implement fair TB care policies which support human rights-based approach.

Strengthening Pharmacy Practice Research: The Need for Combining bothQualitative and Quantitative Methodology

Conducting pharmacy practice research is particularly challenging owing to the varied approaches and methods available. While quantitative methodology has been traditionally endorsed as the more scientific method of research, there is a growing recognition for qualitative inquiry in the field of pharmacy practice research in the past few decades. Combining both qualitative and quantitative methodologies can provide a more complete analysis when exploring complex research questions related to pharmacy practice. Hence, the scope of this paper is to provide an overview of quantitative, qualitative and the combination of both methodologies when applied to pharmacy practice research.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) in Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD): More Evidence Needed

Shamsuddin N1*, Gnanasan S2, Karuppanan M2 and Farooqui M3 1Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 2Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Puncak Alam Campus, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia 3Department of Pharmacy Practice, Unaizah College of Pharmacy, Qassim University, Unaizah, Qassim, Saudi Arabia *Corresponding author: Noorasyikin Shamsuddin, Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Lembah Pantai, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Tel: 6037967751; Fax: 603-79674964; E-mail: noorasyikin@um.edu.my

The Use of Energy Medicines (EM), Manipulative Body Based Therapies (MBBT), Therapies from Whole Medical Systems (WMS) and Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) of Cancer Patients

Objectives: Although Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) use is common among healthy individuals and patients with chronic diseases, there is paucity in data regarding the use of Energy Medicines (EM), Manipulative Body Based Therapies (MBBT) and therapies from Whole Medical Systems (WMS) among Malaysian oncology patients. The study aimed to examine the use of EM, MBBT therapies from WMS and the Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) in a group of Malaysian cancer patients. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 393 cancer patients at the oncology clinic of Penang General Hospital, Malaysia, using a self- administered questionnaire while the HRQoL of the participants was assessed by using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQC30). Results: Out of 393 respondents, 46.8% (n=184) had used CAM for their condition. A total of 73 (39.6%) reported to use different types of EM, MBBT and therapies from WMS. The majority of the EM, MBBT, WMS users were female 52 (71.2%), aged between 48 and 67 years 42 (57.5%), and were Buddhist 35 (49.3%, p=0.007) from Chinese ethnicity 37 (52%, p-0.011). Therapies from WMS such as traditional Chinese medicines 39 (53.4%), traditional Malay medicines 16 (21.9%), Homeopathy 7 (9.5%), Ayurveda 6 (8.2%) were most commonly used by the participants. Only 18 (24.6%) reported to spend between 101-500 Ringgit Malaysia (MYR). Friend and family members 58 (76.7%) were the most important source of information. No significant difference was found in Global health status/quality of life scores between EM, MBBT, WMS users and non users (p=0.763). Conclusion: Therapies from WMS is somewhat common among M