Pregnant women risk perception of medications and natural products use during pregnancy in Alahsa, Saudi Arabia

Introduction: The use of medications during pregnancy has increased in the recent years. Some congenital anomalies, birth defects, and miscarriages have been found to be preceded by some medications use during pregnancy. The use of herbal medicines is not yet proved to be safe during pregnancy, since some herbs showed increased risk of certain congenital malformations

Aim: This study assesses the pregnant women perception, beliefs, and attitude toward medication and natural products use and their influencers during pregnancy

Methodology: This is a cross-sectional study targeting women in Alahsa, Saudi Arabia. More than 300 women have responded to a pretested questionnaire collecting their sociodemographic, perception and attitude toward medication and natural product. The data were analyzed using SPSS Statistics under the supervision of a statistician

Results: This study involved 184 participants, 29.2% of pregnant women avoided using prescribed medications, 40.7% non-prescribed, and 33.3% natural products during pregnancy. Paracetamol was on the top of the avoided medications, and herbals were on the top of the avoided natural products. The most common reason for avoidance was fearing of its effect on fetus. More than half of the participants always looked for the product safeness. Pain killers, antibiotics, cinnamon, and pineapple are the most commonly believed products to be harmful during pregnancy. 1st trimester is believed to be the critical period in which medications and herbals should be avoided

Conclusion: Pregnant women should be educated more about unsafe products during pregnancy. Women's beliefs about natural products need further exploration because of lack of evidence

Comparison of active and conservative management of post-term pregnancy: a quasi- experimental study

Objective: To compare the maternal and perinatal outcomes of prolonged pregnancy between active and conservative group

Study Design: Quasi experimental study

Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the Department of Obstetrics / Gynaecology Unit-1, Mother and Child Health Centre, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad from March 2003 to Feb. 2004

Materials and Methods: There were one hundred cases, fifty in each group with a technique of convenient sampling. Women with uncomplicated pregnancies at >/=41 weeks and

Results: Comparison of both groups management showed that mean duration of labour in active group was prolonged than that of conservative group [p =0.001]. Interventional deliveries rate was high in active group than conservative group with p value significant statistically. Comparison of intra-partum fetal distress, neonatal morbidity including 1 minute, 5 minute Apgar score and admissions to NICU in both groups was not statistically significant. There was no perinatal mortality in both groups

Conclusion: Active management of prolonged pregnancy increases the maternal morbidity without improving perinatal outcome

Perception of leadership among health managers working in tertiary level hospitals

Rapid growth of medical knowledge has created major changes in technology which in turn has created greater demand of the client for better health services, and health sector is constantly under pressure of great internal and external demands. Quality of services, largely depend on to what extent managers are well versed with the concept of evidence based management, team and group approach in achieving organizational objectives. Making an effective health system, addressing the double burden of diseases coupled with resource crunch in developing countries is a big challenge for policy makers and health managers. Comprehensive concepts and application knowledge of leadership is very important for health managers in the present day in order to get best output that satisfies all the stake holders. Present anthropological study was done to assess the perception and knowledge of leadership among the health managers working in tertiary level hospitals. This qualitative study was conducted in two public sector tertiary level hospitals of Lahore chosen randomly out of a total of seven such hospitals in the same city. Convenient sampling technique was used. Observation and in- depth interviews were conducted for data collection. Open ended questionnaire on the lines of MLQ was used. One main domain of leadership was developed and categorisation of the themes was done in the two evolved categories of transformational and transactional leadership. In the domain of leadership 10 of the health managers showed positive themes for transactional leadership, 6 showed positive themes for transformational leadership, and still 1 health manager showed overall negative response for the concept of leadership; he was totally in favour of dictatorship. Health managers with degrees in management/administration had better concept about the key idea of leadership and its variables. Female health managers were more inclined towards transformational leadership behaviour.

Perception of intellectual stimulation, creativity and innovation among health managers working in tertiary level hospitals

Background: Management in health sector is becoming focus of attention world over being an important subject due to resource crunch particularly in developing countries. Beside sociodemographic factors, poor management in health sector is also an important factor responsible for poor health in developing countries. Moreover, there is gross lack of effective leadership in our national setup. It is necessary for health managers to be well versed with the knowledge about emerging theories, concepts and new philosophies of management/administration and leadership. This anthropological study was done to assess the perception and knowledge of Intellectual stimulation, creativity and innovation among the health managers working in the tertiary level hospitals of Lahore. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted in two public sector tertiary care hospitals of Lahore. Observation and in-depth interviews were conducted for data collection. Open ended questionnaire, developed on the lines of Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire was used. One main domain of Intellectual stimulation and its variables were developed and emergence of different themes was noted. Results: In the domain of Intellectual stimulation all the participants of the study showed positive themes for the variable of creativity. Seven of the health managers showed positive themes for the variable of innovation, where as three health managers showed negative responses. Conclusion: Health managers with management/administration qualification had better concept about the key ideas of Intellectual stimulation, creativity and innovation; as compared to those who were working at these managerial posts on the basis of their long term experience only. Female health managers were stronger in building their team members on a broader horizon as a wholesome personality and not just taking the daily routine work. Keywords: Intellectual stimulation, creativity, innovation, health managers

Problems faced by lady health workers [LHWs] in Punjab province

Objective: to assess the problems faced by Lady Health Workers in Punjab province

Material and Methods: this cross-sectional study was conducted in 9 union councils of Punjab province. All 111 Lady Health Workers working in these nine union councils were included in the study and were interviewed on a structured questionnaire

Results: ninety two percent of the LHWs faced problems while providing services. Ninety five percent had salary related problems, seventy four percent had problems with supplies, and thirty two percent faced problems in community services, 44.1 % had difficulties with health facility liaison, 56.7% faced problems due to workload, 44.1 % had problems in traveling, 8.8% in supervision, 20.6% in monitoring, 9.8% in reporting, 29.4% in feedback, 36.3% in security; 14.7% faced problems due to harassment, 18.6% due to training deficiency and 32.4 % faced other problems

Conclusion: efforts must be focused to strengthen the program and increase the LHWs capacity as efficient health care workers by involvement of LHWs' own views and addressing the problems faced by them