The human papillomavirus (HPV) is a leading cause of infectious cancers, leading to a growing global interest on the profiling of HPV-related cancers. Therefore, the aim of the study was to determine the retrospective...The human papillomavirus (HPV) is a leading cause of infectious cancers, leading to a growing global interest on the profiling of HPV-related cancers. Therefore, the aim of the study was to determine the retrospective epidemiological profile of HPV-related cancer in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The incidence profiling of HPV-related cancers in males and females of UAE of all ages ranged from a minimum of 0.6% to a maximum of 4.5% for testes cancer and colon cancer respectively in males;whilst in females it ranged from a minimum of 1.0% and a maximum of 34% for Hodgkin lymphoma, kidney, bladder, liver and pancreas cancer and breast cancer, respectively. The incidence profiling of HPV-related cancers in males and females of ages 15 - 44 years old ranged from a minimum of 0.1% to a maximum of 11.2% for pancreas cancer, and colon and rectum cancer respectively in males, whilst in females it ranged from a minimum of 0.1% and a maximum of 18% for pancreas and breast cancer, respectively. The mortality profiling of HPV-related cancers in males and females of all ages in the UAE ranged from a minimum of 0.1% for Hodgkin lymphoma and testicular cancer to a maximum of 4.5% for colon and rectum cancer respectively in males, whilst in females it ranged from a minimum of 0.2% and a maximum of 4.5% for pancreas and breast cancer, respectively. The mortality profiling of HPV-related cancers mortality in males and females of ages 15 - 44 years old in the UAE ranged from a minimum of 0.2% to a maximum of 4.3% for testicular cancer and colon cancer respectively in males, whilst in females it ranged from a minimum of 0.2% and a maximum of 7.2% for bladder and breast cancer respectively. In conclusion, the profiling of HPV-related cancers in UAE for both males and females of all ages is similar to that reported for other parts of the world.展开更多
Driven by the political upheavals in the Arab world, media in Egypt and in the United Arab Emirates （UAE） is on its way to find new ways about how to deal with their audiences. Initial signs suggest that Emirati as ...Driven by the political upheavals in the Arab world, media in Egypt and in the United Arab Emirates （UAE） is on its way to find new ways about how to deal with their audiences. Initial signs suggest that Emirati as well as Egyptian media have drawn some first findings from the upheavals of the ＂Arab Spring＂, so that the first flimsy form of media accountability and a new openness is to be found in the media orient. Moreover, this study tries to draw some parallels between the ＂old＂ Arab sphere （Egypt） and the ＂new＂ Arab world （UAE） in order to generate new knowledge exploratively. Twelve journalists and media professionals from both countries have been qualitatively interviewed between November 2011 and May 2012 in this regard at spot and via phone or skype. This study distinguishes between two different media systems within the Arab sphere. International comparative studies on the media systems within the heterogeneous world of Arabia are considered as a desideratum in the field of journalistic research.展开更多
The northern section of the UAE is bordered by the Gulf of Oman’s northern extension (East Coast) and Arabian Gulf’s Eastern extension (northern West Coast). Unlike the rest, the coastline of this section is more or...The northern section of the UAE is bordered by the Gulf of Oman’s northern extension (East Coast) and Arabian Gulf’s Eastern extension (northern West Coast). Unlike the rest, the coastline of this section is more or less faced by mountainous areas of various rock types. The beach sands a long this coastline at both sides (East and northern-West) signify some heavy minerals concentration of an important consideration.展开更多
This study investigates the seismic design factors for three reinforced concrete （RC） framed buildings with 4, 16 and 32-stories in Dubai, UAE utilizing nonlinear analysis. The buildings are designed according to th...This study investigates the seismic design factors for three reinforced concrete （RC） framed buildings with 4, 16 and 32-stories in Dubai, UAE utilizing nonlinear analysis. The buildings are designed according to the response spectrum procedure defined in the 2009 International Building Code （IBC＇09）. Two ensembles of ground motion records with 10% and 2% probability of exceedance in 50 years （10/50 and 2/50, respectively） are used. The nonlinear dynamic resPonses to the earthquake records are computed using IDARC-2D. Key seismic design parameters are evaluated; namely, response modification factor （R）, deflection amplification factor （Cd）, system overstrength factor （Ωo）, and response modification factor for ductility （Rd） in addition to inelastic interstory drift. The evaluated seismic design factors are found to significantly depend on the considered ground motion （10/50 versus 2/50）. Consequently, resolution to the controversy of Dubai seismicity is urged. The seismic design factors for the 2/50 records show an increase over their counterparts for the 10/50 records in the range of 200%-400%, except for the D~ factor, which shows a mere 30% increase. Based on the observed trends, perioddependent R and Cd factors are recommended if consistent collapse probability （or collapse prevention performance） in moment frames with varying heights is to be expected.展开更多
The local design and construction practices in the United Arab Emirates （UAE）, together with Dubai＇s unique rate of development, warrant special attention to the selection of Lateral Force-Resisting Systems （LFRS...The local design and construction practices in the United Arab Emirates （UAE）, together with Dubai＇s unique rate of development, warrant special attention to the selection of Lateral Force-Resisting Systems （LFRS）. This research proposes four different feasible solutions for the selection of the LFRS for tall buildings and quantifies the impact of these selections on seismic performance and cost. The systems considered are： Steel Special Moment-Resisting Frame （SMRF）, Concrete SMRF, Steel Dual System （SMRF with Special Steel Plates Shear Wall, SPSW）, and Concrete Dual System （SMRF with Special Concrete Shear Wall, SCSW）. The LFRS selection is driven by seismic setup as well as the adopted design and construction practices in Dubai. It is found that the concrete design alternatives are consistently less expensive than their steel counterparts. The steel dual system is expected to have the least damage based on its relatively lesser interstory drifts. However, this preferred performance comes at a higher initial construction cost. Conversely, the steel SMRF system is expected to have the most damage and associated repair cost due to its excessive flexibility. The two concrete alternatives are expected to have relatively moderate damage and repair costs in addition to their lesser initial construction cost.展开更多
The study was accomplished to identify the characteristics of village chickens’ (VCs) genetic resources in the Abu-Dhabi Emirate of United Arab Emirate (UAE) and to study factors affecting these characteristics. Each...The study was accomplished to identify the characteristics of village chickens’ (VCs) genetic resources in the Abu-Dhabi Emirate of United Arab Emirate (UAE) and to study factors affecting these characteristics. Each bird was individually observed, identified, measured and characterized of thirteen VCs pure breeds and crossbreds. The overall VCs had normal feather morphology (95.1%) and distribution (77%). Except for Fayomi chickens which were 100% mottled, no specific plumage pattern was found. Almost 52% of the VCs had white skins. Six different colors were reported for the shanks and maximized for white shanks (34.3%). Large breasts (46%) were more available. The predominant plumage color was mixed colors (37.5%). Face size tended to be small (42.8%) to medium (40.4%). More brown (48.9%) then orange (27.3%) eyes were found. Dark (49.7%) beaks were more available than white (28.6%) or yellow (21.7%) beaks. The distribution of wattle colors was similar to that of ear-lob colors with some variation. Small wattles (41.9%) were most available. Single comb (82.4%) is the most available;11 other types and one with no comb were represented with low frequencies. In the whole sample, red and white combs (56.7%) were the most available;however, plain red (23.8%) and red and black (15.5%) were represented. Results of factors influence showed that body weight was high significantly (P < 0.01) influenced by the interaction between both breed and region and breed and sex. Significant (P < 0.01) influence of interaction was observed between breed and location on body length, wing span and shank length. The interaction between breed and sex only significantly (P < 0.01) influenced shank length. Though, all main effects of breed, sex and region significantly (P < 0.01) influenced continuous measures. Most morphological characteristics were significantly (P < 0.01) different among breeds. This study reported the morphological characteristics of the different VCs breeds kept in Abu-Dhabi Emirate, which considered the scientific base for future implementing of conservation and/or genetic improvement programs.展开更多
The quality of healthcare services is becoming a major concern in all countries, through improving performance to maximize the population health, effectively and efficiently, by doing the right thing, at the right tim...The quality of healthcare services is becoming a major concern in all countries, through improving performance to maximize the population health, effectively and efficiently, by doing the right thing, at the right time, in the right way, for the right person and having the best possible results, through well-managed hospitals and clinics. The purpose of this paper is to identify and measure Ajman residents’ satisfaction on healthcare service, using data of a sample of 1035 households, randomly selected from a total of 95,531 households, who were permanently residing in the Emirate of Ajman and having prior experience in availing any healthcare service. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22 and AMOS version 22. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analysis showed an acceptable model fit used to measure residents’ satisfaction. Findings showed that in the government sector only reliability and empathy correlated positively with healthcare service quality, which also had a strong, positive correlation with residents’ satisfaction, while tangible, assurance and responsiveness were not sufficiently correlated to healthcare service quality. On the other hand, for private sector, except for responsiveness and tangible dimensions, reliability, assurance, and empathy correlated positively with healthcare service quality, which also had a strong, positive correlation with residents’ satisfaction. This study used healthcare service quality dimensions, namely, tangible, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy, to determine the residents’ satisfaction within the public hospitals and to provide an empirical contribution to understanding the factors associated with public satisfaction and healthcare systems. According to the survey results, Ajman residents were satisfied 82% on Quality Dimension, 77% on Empathy Dimension, 80% on both Assurance and responsiveness Dimensions, 89% on Reliability Dimension and 88% on Tangible Dimension. Moreover, Statistical analysis revealed that, each of Tangible Dimension, Healthcare Service Quality Dimension and Empathy Dimension, is positively correlated with Healthcare Service Quality. Likewise, Healthcare Service Quality, is also positively correlated with residents’ satisfaction. But Reliability, Responsiveness, and Assurance Dimensions, are not positively correlated with Healthcare Service Quality.展开更多
Objective: The objectives of this study were to assess the knowledge of breast cancer among female students at the College of Pharmacy at the University of Sharjah, UAE, and to evaluate the impact of the intervention ...Objective: The objectives of this study were to assess the knowledge of breast cancer among female students at the College of Pharmacy at the University of Sharjah, UAE, and to evaluate the impact of the intervention program designed by the researchers on the student’s knowledge on the disease risk factors, screening methods, and their perception towards its treatment outcomes. Method: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey of a convenience sample of 166 pharmacy students ((n = 110;the 4th year) and (n = 56;the 5th year)) in the University of Sharjah, Sharjah, UAE. The 26-item questionnaire covered the personal information and socio-demographic characteristics, breast cancer general knowledge, knowledge of breast cancer risk factors, knowledge of breast cancer symptoms and screening tests, and perception of management and outcomes of breast cancer. Key Findings: A total of 120 pharmacy students from the 4th year (n = 70) and the 5th year (n = 50) had completed the survey for the pre-intervention phase of the study. For the post intervention phase of the study, only 63 students from the 4th year and 48 students from the 5th year returned their completed questionnaire, giving a response rate of 90% and 96% respectively. Almost one quarter (59 (25.5)) of the students included in the study reported that they have had a history of breast cancer in their family respectively. A high proportion (206 (89.2%)) of the students from both levels showed their interest in participating in activities to promote breast awareness, despite the fact that almost three quarters (161 (70%)) of the students reported that they have never been participated in any previous breast awareness programs. The awareness of students under investigation about self-examination was clearly improved at the end of the study period. Eighty (66.7%) of the students from both levels reported that the breast self-examination is recommended for female “once a month”. This figure was increased to 103 (92.8%) post the intervention sessions (P value χ2 < 0.001). Conclusion: The high incidence of breast cancer in the UAE may be attributed to the low level of awareness of the disease among females. Our findings can be used to promote discussion in the profession and with stakeholders about the future role of pharmacists in breast cancer care.展开更多
Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine if package inserts (PIs) supplied with prescribed medications in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi contain all relevant information to the safe and appropriate use of these medicat...Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine if package inserts (PIs) supplied with prescribed medications in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi contain all relevant information to the safe and appropriate use of these medications. Methods: Sixty seven PIs for prescription—only medications were evaluated against a set of safety criteria published from the Ministry of Health. Results: Analyzed PIs showed many deficiencies with regard to the Ministry of Health (MOH) Investigation New Drug Application (INDA) requirements. Particularly of concern were side effects, warnings, use in pregnancy, lactation, and the storage conditions for the product. Conclusions: This study indicated that information relevant to the safe and appropriate use of medications was not uniformly mentioned in the PIs analyzed. To avoid medication errors due to deficits in the current PIs, we recommend regulatory oversight and regulator audits from pharmaceutical company, followed by enhancement of regulations requiring companies to also create patient information leaflets.展开更多
Background: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are drugs that reduce the production of acid in the stomach. Recently, the use of PPI has been increasing among communities, whether with or without prescription. As a part of...Background: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are drugs that reduce the production of acid in the stomach. Recently, the use of PPI has been increasing among communities, whether with or without prescription. As a part of the healthcare team, the pharmacist should not only dispense medications but also ensure the appropriate use of these medications. Studies conducted within 16 countries showed substantial variation in the appropriateness of the use of PPI drugs. Aim: To evaluate the appropriateness of PPIs use in Sharjah, UAE based on surveys answered by pharmacists, physicians, and patients. Methods: A cross-sectional survey study was conducted on December 2017 at Sharjah, UAE as an example of information obtained from the Middle East. Two different surveys were conducted on physicians and pharmacists. Both Physicians and Pharmacists were chosen randomly from Yellow Pages. The results obtained from both studies were used to develop a patient’s survey, which was distributed among University of Sharjah students, their families and random people at Shopping Malls and Clinics. Results: The results obtained from the patients’ survey showed that ~39% of PPI users from the region of Sharjah are 25 - 44 years old. Approximately 79% are using PPI according to physicians’ prescriptions. Prescriptions’ duration is varied between 1 month (39%) and 6 months (22%), where 52% of PPI users ask their physicians to prescribe PPIs when needed. Suggested reasons for the use of PPI included inappropriate food habits (52%), use of other medications (16%) or bacterial infection (13%). Around 52% of the patients did not receive any recommendations regarding the deprescribing of PPIs. According to the pharmacists’ surveys, an average sale of 5 - 10 PPI packages is reported per day, and around 50% are sold without a prescription. Most pharmacists were not fully aware of the health conditions and side effects of PPI drugs. On the other hand, physicians’ surveys showed that PPIs were mainly prescribed in the case of GERD and ulcer and for a maximum of 2 - 4 weeks. Approximately 75% of physicians recommend changing regimen by reducing the dose and stopping in case of chronic use of PPIs. Conclusion: The results from this survey study indicated that even though most PPI consumers at Sharjah, UAE are well aware of the use of PPI drugs and they follow the instructions given by the Physicians’, there is some discrepancy in the information obtained by the physicians, pharmacists, and patients. The reason for this discrepancy may be attributed to the missing role of the pharmacists which is currently just dispensing the medications without appropriate counseling. Thus the appropriate role of the pharmacists should be implemented according to the known international guidelines.展开更多
文摘The human papillomavirus (HPV) is a leading cause of infectious cancers, leading to a growing global interest on the profiling of HPV-related cancers. Therefore, the aim of the study was to determine the retrospective epidemiological profile of HPV-related cancer in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The incidence profiling of HPV-related cancers in males and females of UAE of all ages ranged from a minimum of 0.6% to a maximum of 4.5% for testes cancer and colon cancer respectively in males;whilst in females it ranged from a minimum of 1.0% and a maximum of 34% for Hodgkin lymphoma, kidney, bladder, liver and pancreas cancer and breast cancer, respectively. The incidence profiling of HPV-related cancers in males and females of ages 15 - 44 years old ranged from a minimum of 0.1% to a maximum of 11.2% for pancreas cancer, and colon and rectum cancer respectively in males, whilst in females it ranged from a minimum of 0.1% and a maximum of 18% for pancreas and breast cancer, respectively. The mortality profiling of HPV-related cancers in males and females of all ages in the UAE ranged from a minimum of 0.1% for Hodgkin lymphoma and testicular cancer to a maximum of 4.5% for colon and rectum cancer respectively in males, whilst in females it ranged from a minimum of 0.2% and a maximum of 4.5% for pancreas and breast cancer, respectively. The mortality profiling of HPV-related cancers mortality in males and females of ages 15 - 44 years old in the UAE ranged from a minimum of 0.2% to a maximum of 4.3% for testicular cancer and colon cancer respectively in males, whilst in females it ranged from a minimum of 0.2% and a maximum of 7.2% for bladder and breast cancer respectively. In conclusion, the profiling of HPV-related cancers in UAE for both males and females of all ages is similar to that reported for other parts of the world.
文摘Driven by the political upheavals in the Arab world, media in Egypt and in the United Arab Emirates （UAE） is on its way to find new ways about how to deal with their audiences. Initial signs suggest that Emirati as well as Egyptian media have drawn some first findings from the upheavals of the ＂Arab Spring＂, so that the first flimsy form of media accountability and a new openness is to be found in the media orient. Moreover, this study tries to draw some parallels between the ＂old＂ Arab sphere （Egypt） and the ＂new＂ Arab world （UAE） in order to generate new knowledge exploratively. Twelve journalists and media professionals from both countries have been qualitatively interviewed between November 2011 and May 2012 in this regard at spot and via phone or skype. This study distinguishes between two different media systems within the Arab sphere. International comparative studies on the media systems within the heterogeneous world of Arabia are considered as a desideratum in the field of journalistic research.
文摘The northern section of the UAE is bordered by the Gulf of Oman’s northern extension (East Coast) and Arabian Gulf’s Eastern extension (northern West Coast). Unlike the rest, the coastline of this section is more or less faced by mountainous areas of various rock types. The beach sands a long this coastline at both sides (East and northern-West) signify some heavy minerals concentration of an important consideration.
文摘This study investigates the seismic design factors for three reinforced concrete （RC） framed buildings with 4, 16 and 32-stories in Dubai, UAE utilizing nonlinear analysis. The buildings are designed according to the response spectrum procedure defined in the 2009 International Building Code （IBC＇09）. Two ensembles of ground motion records with 10% and 2% probability of exceedance in 50 years （10/50 and 2/50, respectively） are used. The nonlinear dynamic resPonses to the earthquake records are computed using IDARC-2D. Key seismic design parameters are evaluated; namely, response modification factor （R）, deflection amplification factor （Cd）, system overstrength factor （Ωo）, and response modification factor for ductility （Rd） in addition to inelastic interstory drift. The evaluated seismic design factors are found to significantly depend on the considered ground motion （10/50 versus 2/50）. Consequently, resolution to the controversy of Dubai seismicity is urged. The seismic design factors for the 2/50 records show an increase over their counterparts for the 10/50 records in the range of 200%-400%, except for the D~ factor, which shows a mere 30% increase. Based on the observed trends, perioddependent R and Cd factors are recommended if consistent collapse probability （or collapse prevention performance） in moment frames with varying heights is to be expected.
文摘The local design and construction practices in the United Arab Emirates （UAE）, together with Dubai＇s unique rate of development, warrant special attention to the selection of Lateral Force-Resisting Systems （LFRS）. This research proposes four different feasible solutions for the selection of the LFRS for tall buildings and quantifies the impact of these selections on seismic performance and cost. The systems considered are： Steel Special Moment-Resisting Frame （SMRF）, Concrete SMRF, Steel Dual System （SMRF with Special Steel Plates Shear Wall, SPSW）, and Concrete Dual System （SMRF with Special Concrete Shear Wall, SCSW）. The LFRS selection is driven by seismic setup as well as the adopted design and construction practices in Dubai. It is found that the concrete design alternatives are consistently less expensive than their steel counterparts. The steel dual system is expected to have the least damage based on its relatively lesser interstory drifts. However, this preferred performance comes at a higher initial construction cost. Conversely, the steel SMRF system is expected to have the most damage and associated repair cost due to its excessive flexibility. The two concrete alternatives are expected to have relatively moderate damage and repair costs in addition to their lesser initial construction cost.
文摘The study was accomplished to identify the characteristics of village chickens’ (VCs) genetic resources in the Abu-Dhabi Emirate of United Arab Emirate (UAE) and to study factors affecting these characteristics. Each bird was individually observed, identified, measured and characterized of thirteen VCs pure breeds and crossbreds. The overall VCs had normal feather morphology (95.1%) and distribution (77%). Except for Fayomi chickens which were 100% mottled, no specific plumage pattern was found. Almost 52% of the VCs had white skins. Six different colors were reported for the shanks and maximized for white shanks (34.3%). Large breasts (46%) were more available. The predominant plumage color was mixed colors (37.5%). Face size tended to be small (42.8%) to medium (40.4%). More brown (48.9%) then orange (27.3%) eyes were found. Dark (49.7%) beaks were more available than white (28.6%) or yellow (21.7%) beaks. The distribution of wattle colors was similar to that of ear-lob colors with some variation. Small wattles (41.9%) were most available. Single comb (82.4%) is the most available;11 other types and one with no comb were represented with low frequencies. In the whole sample, red and white combs (56.7%) were the most available;however, plain red (23.8%) and red and black (15.5%) were represented. Results of factors influence showed that body weight was high significantly (P < 0.01) influenced by the interaction between both breed and region and breed and sex. Significant (P < 0.01) influence of interaction was observed between breed and location on body length, wing span and shank length. The interaction between breed and sex only significantly (P < 0.01) influenced shank length. Though, all main effects of breed, sex and region significantly (P < 0.01) influenced continuous measures. Most morphological characteristics were significantly (P < 0.01) different among breeds. This study reported the morphological characteristics of the different VCs breeds kept in Abu-Dhabi Emirate, which considered the scientific base for future implementing of conservation and/or genetic improvement programs.
文摘The quality of healthcare services is becoming a major concern in all countries, through improving performance to maximize the population health, effectively and efficiently, by doing the right thing, at the right time, in the right way, for the right person and having the best possible results, through well-managed hospitals and clinics. The purpose of this paper is to identify and measure Ajman residents’ satisfaction on healthcare service, using data of a sample of 1035 households, randomly selected from a total of 95,531 households, who were permanently residing in the Emirate of Ajman and having prior experience in availing any healthcare service. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22 and AMOS version 22. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analysis showed an acceptable model fit used to measure residents’ satisfaction. Findings showed that in the government sector only reliability and empathy correlated positively with healthcare service quality, which also had a strong, positive correlation with residents’ satisfaction, while tangible, assurance and responsiveness were not sufficiently correlated to healthcare service quality. On the other hand, for private sector, except for responsiveness and tangible dimensions, reliability, assurance, and empathy correlated positively with healthcare service quality, which also had a strong, positive correlation with residents’ satisfaction. This study used healthcare service quality dimensions, namely, tangible, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy, to determine the residents’ satisfaction within the public hospitals and to provide an empirical contribution to understanding the factors associated with public satisfaction and healthcare systems. According to the survey results, Ajman residents were satisfied 82% on Quality Dimension, 77% on Empathy Dimension, 80% on both Assurance and responsiveness Dimensions, 89% on Reliability Dimension and 88% on Tangible Dimension. Moreover, Statistical analysis revealed that, each of Tangible Dimension, Healthcare Service Quality Dimension and Empathy Dimension, is positively correlated with Healthcare Service Quality. Likewise, Healthcare Service Quality, is also positively correlated with residents’ satisfaction. But Reliability, Responsiveness, and Assurance Dimensions, are not positively correlated with Healthcare Service Quality.
文摘Objective: The objectives of this study were to assess the knowledge of breast cancer among female students at the College of Pharmacy at the University of Sharjah, UAE, and to evaluate the impact of the intervention program designed by the researchers on the student’s knowledge on the disease risk factors, screening methods, and their perception towards its treatment outcomes. Method: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey of a convenience sample of 166 pharmacy students ((n = 110;the 4th year) and (n = 56;the 5th year)) in the University of Sharjah, Sharjah, UAE. The 26-item questionnaire covered the personal information and socio-demographic characteristics, breast cancer general knowledge, knowledge of breast cancer risk factors, knowledge of breast cancer symptoms and screening tests, and perception of management and outcomes of breast cancer. Key Findings: A total of 120 pharmacy students from the 4th year (n = 70) and the 5th year (n = 50) had completed the survey for the pre-intervention phase of the study. For the post intervention phase of the study, only 63 students from the 4th year and 48 students from the 5th year returned their completed questionnaire, giving a response rate of 90% and 96% respectively. Almost one quarter (59 (25.5)) of the students included in the study reported that they have had a history of breast cancer in their family respectively. A high proportion (206 (89.2%)) of the students from both levels showed their interest in participating in activities to promote breast awareness, despite the fact that almost three quarters (161 (70%)) of the students reported that they have never been participated in any previous breast awareness programs. The awareness of students under investigation about self-examination was clearly improved at the end of the study period. Eighty (66.7%) of the students from both levels reported that the breast self-examination is recommended for female “once a month”. This figure was increased to 103 (92.8%) post the intervention sessions (P value χ2 < 0.001). Conclusion: The high incidence of breast cancer in the UAE may be attributed to the low level of awareness of the disease among females. Our findings can be used to promote discussion in the profession and with stakeholders about the future role of pharmacists in breast cancer care.
文摘Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine if package inserts (PIs) supplied with prescribed medications in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi contain all relevant information to the safe and appropriate use of these medications. Methods: Sixty seven PIs for prescription—only medications were evaluated against a set of safety criteria published from the Ministry of Health. Results: Analyzed PIs showed many deficiencies with regard to the Ministry of Health (MOH) Investigation New Drug Application (INDA) requirements. Particularly of concern were side effects, warnings, use in pregnancy, lactation, and the storage conditions for the product. Conclusions: This study indicated that information relevant to the safe and appropriate use of medications was not uniformly mentioned in the PIs analyzed. To avoid medication errors due to deficits in the current PIs, we recommend regulatory oversight and regulator audits from pharmaceutical company, followed by enhancement of regulations requiring companies to also create patient information leaflets.
文摘Background: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are drugs that reduce the production of acid in the stomach. Recently, the use of PPI has been increasing among communities, whether with or without prescription. As a part of the healthcare team, the pharmacist should not only dispense medications but also ensure the appropriate use of these medications. Studies conducted within 16 countries showed substantial variation in the appropriateness of the use of PPI drugs. Aim: To evaluate the appropriateness of PPIs use in Sharjah, UAE based on surveys answered by pharmacists, physicians, and patients. Methods: A cross-sectional survey study was conducted on December 2017 at Sharjah, UAE as an example of information obtained from the Middle East. Two different surveys were conducted on physicians and pharmacists. Both Physicians and Pharmacists were chosen randomly from Yellow Pages. The results obtained from both studies were used to develop a patient’s survey, which was distributed among University of Sharjah students, their families and random people at Shopping Malls and Clinics. Results: The results obtained from the patients’ survey showed that ~39% of PPI users from the region of Sharjah are 25 - 44 years old. Approximately 79% are using PPI according to physicians’ prescriptions. Prescriptions’ duration is varied between 1 month (39%) and 6 months (22%), where 52% of PPI users ask their physicians to prescribe PPIs when needed. Suggested reasons for the use of PPI included inappropriate food habits (52%), use of other medications (16%) or bacterial infection (13%). Around 52% of the patients did not receive any recommendations regarding the deprescribing of PPIs. According to the pharmacists’ surveys, an average sale of 5 - 10 PPI packages is reported per day, and around 50% are sold without a prescription. Most pharmacists were not fully aware of the health conditions and side effects of PPI drugs. On the other hand, physicians’ surveys showed that PPIs were mainly prescribed in the case of GERD and ulcer and for a maximum of 2 - 4 weeks. Approximately 75% of physicians recommend changing regimen by reducing the dose and stopping in case of chronic use of PPIs. Conclusion: The results from this survey study indicated that even though most PPI consumers at Sharjah, UAE are well aware of the use of PPI drugs and they follow the instructions given by the Physicians’, there is some discrepancy in the information obtained by the physicians, pharmacists, and patients. The reason for this discrepancy may be attributed to the missing role of the pharmacists which is currently just dispensing the medications without appropriate counseling. Thus the appropriate role of the pharmacists should be implemented according to the known international guidelines.
