RESUMEN
Background: Overuse of smart devices provides comfort and problems both physically and mentally. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of smart phone and mobile devices on human health and life.Methods: This descriptive type of cross sectional study was conducted for three months in Dhaka city among general population aged 18 to 70 years. Four hundred and forty respondents were selected by non-probability convenient sampling technique. Data were collected by face to face interview with a semi-structured pre-tested questionnaire.Results: Among 440 respondents majority (76.6%) were below 25 years where 72.0% were students. A large proportion (90.5%) used smart phones for communication, 53.4% used for less than 5 hours daily. Majority (65.7%) had other electronic devices, most common 197 (68.1%) were laptop users where 118 (40.8%) used for studying. More than half 322 (73.2%) used earphones, 91 (20.7%) had ear problems and 223 (50.7%) lacked concentration. Many 299 (68.0%) had good relationship with family members, 208 (47.3%) stated that increased use of mobile devices hampered family life, 88 (42.3%) thought it reduced quality family time. Majority users 253 (57.5%) experienced physical discomfort after prolonged use and 95 (37.7%) suffered from headache. Association between age of respondents and time spent on smart devices was statistically significant (p<0.05). There was significant (p<0.05) association between ear problem and ear phone usage.Conclusions: Excessive use of smart phones should be avoided and social awareness increased through health programmes. Potential risks of cell phones and smart devices can be avoided by limiting the use.
RESUMEN
Background: Medically inappropriate, ineffective and economically inefficient use of drugs is very common in our country. About 40% or more drugs expenditure may be wasted through irrational prescribing and dispensing. The need for promoting rational use of drugs is not only because of economic considerations; also it is an essential element for achieving quality of the health and medical care for patients and the community. For this purpose a cross sectional study was carried out among the individuals attending the outpatient departments (OPD) of Medicine, Surgery, Gynecology & Obstetrics, Pediatrics, Orthopedics, Dermatology & Venereology, Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology of two tertiary care teaching hospitals of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Objective: To observe the prescribing pattern in outpatient departments of two tertiary care teaching hospitals (Dhaka) by using World Health Organization (WHO) core prescribing indicators. Materials and Methods: Six hundred prescriptions of patients attending the OPD of Medicine, Surgery, Gynecology & Obstetrics, Pediatrics, Orthopedics, Dermatology & Venereology, Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology of Enam Medical College Hospital (private hospital) and Sir Salimullah Medical College Hospital (public hospital) were collected randomly on working days from April to September 2014. Then the prescriptions were analyzed by following the “Prescribing indicators form” as recommended by the International Organization of Rational Use of Drugs (INRUD)/WHO. Results: Average number of drugs per prescription was significantly high (3.07 in public hospital and 3.00 in private hospital). Generic prescribing was significantly lower in private hospital (4.00%) than that in public hospital (21.00%). Antibiotic prescription was higher in private hospital (42.35%). Injection prescribed in public hospital was 5.74% whereas 5.66% in private hospital. Drugs prescribed from Essential Drug List of Bangladesh were less in both the hospitals (42.85% in public hospital and 40.06% in private hospital). Conclusion: Average number of drugs per prescription was higher in both hospitals. Generic prescribing was lower in private hospital and prescribing from EDL was low in both hospitals.