ABSTRACT
Objective@#There is a growing interest in the safe use of medications in pregnant and breastfeeding women. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to find ways to improve education about safe medication use by investigating the status of medication use of pregnant and breastfeeding women, and by evaluating their knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward safe medication use. @*Methods@#In this study, a self-report questionnaire was conducted on pregnant or breastfeeding women in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province. The questionnaire consisted of the following four sections; 1) sociodemographic characteristics of participants, 2) experience of medication use, 3) experience of being educated on safe medication use, and 4) knowledge, attitudes, and practices about medication use during pregnancy/breastfeeding. @*Results@#A total of 203 participants were included in the analysis. Of these, 38.4% reported to take prescription medications during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Regarding education on safe medication use, nearly 90% of the participants answered that they were not educated or were unsure whether they had it. In the knowledge-attitude-practice evaluation on safe medication use, the knowledge level was the highest (mean, 4.45), followed by the attitude level (mean, 3.58) and the practice level (mean, 3.33). The preferred education method of the participants was online education using a computer or mobile phone application, etc. @*Conclusions@#This study suggests that there is a need for systematic and effective education that can link knowledge of safe medication use with attitudes and practices in pregnant and breastfeeding women.
ABSTRACT
Background@#The safe use of medication in children is important, as it can have significant implications for their health and wellbeing. Parents or caregivers play a crucial role in the medication administration process. Therefore, this study would evaluate the needs and current status (knowledge, attitude, and practice) of caregivers for children on the safe use of medication. @*Methods@#We conducted questionnaires on 150 caregivers with children under nine years old and asked about their knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding the safe use of medication and their needs. Each question was conducted on a 5-point scale. @*Results@#Of the 150 respondents, 128 were women, 75 were in their 30s, and 63 were in their 40s. Among them, 29 parents answered that they had been educated about the safe use of medicines, and 26 (84%) were satisfied with the education. Knowledge, attitude, and practice assessments on drug safety use (mean±SD) were found to be 3.83±0.44, 3.67±0.38, and 3.53±0.45, respectively. There were significant differences between the educated group and the uneducated group in knowledge and practice, not attitude. @*Conclusion@#To provide appropriate education to caregivers of pediatric patients is necessary to ensure the safe and effective use of medication in children. Moreover, appropriate education can improve caregivers' understanding of medication use and lead to proper administration. Therefore, it is imperative to develop educational materials and strategies for medications that incorporate both specialized knowledge and practical applications for pediatric patients.
ABSTRACT
Background/Aims@#Previous studies have revealed that glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) and thiazolidinedione (TZD) can improve nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). However, comprehensive research comparing the effects of GLP-1RA and TZD is limited. Thus, this study aimed to compare the effects of GLP-1RA and TZD on NAFLD or NASH through a network meta-analysis. @*Methods@#The PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus databases were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that explored the efficacy of GLP-1RAs or TZDs in adult patients with NAFLD or NASH. The outcomes were liver biopsy-based (NAFLD activity score [NAS], fibrosis stage, and NASH resolution), noninvasive technique-based (liver fat content on proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy [1H-MRS] and controlled attenuation parameter [CAP]), biological, and anthropometric indicators. A random effects model was used to calculate the mean difference (MD) and relative risk with 95% confidence interval (CI). @*Results@#Twenty-five RCTs with 2,237 overweight or obese patients were included. GLP-1RA was significantly superior in reducing liver fat content evaluated using 1H-MRS (MD –2.42, 95% CI –3.84 to –1.00), body mass index (MD –1.60, 95% CI –2.41 to –0.80), and waist circumference (MD –4.89, 95% CI –8.17 to –1.61) than TZD. In liver biopsy-based evaluation and liver fat content assessment using CAP, GLP-1RA tended to surpass TZD, albeit not significantly. Sensitivity analysis showed consistent results with the main results. @*Conclusions@#Compared with TZD, GLP-1RA had better effects on liver fat content, body mass index, and waist circumference in overweight or obese patients with NAFLD or NASH.