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1.
BMJ Open Qual ; 13(2)2024 Apr 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38569666

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: There were three main objectives of the study: to determine the overall compliance of medication reconciliation over 4 years in a tertiary care hospital, to compare the medication reconciliation compliance between paper entry (initial assessment forms) and computerised physician order entry (CPOE), and to identify the discrepancies between the medication history taken by the physician at the time of admission and those collected by the pharmacist within 24 hours of admission. METHODS: This study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital in a lower middle-income country. Data were gathered from two different sources. The first source involved retrospective data obtained from the Quality and Patient Safety Department (QPSD) of the hospital, consisting of records from 8776 patients between 2018 and 2021. The second data source was also retrospective from a quality project initiated by pharmacists at the hospital. Pharmacists collected data from 1105 patients between 2020 and 2021, specifically focusing on medication history and identifying any discrepancies compared with the history documented by physicians. The collected data were then analysed using SPSS V.26. RESULTS: The QPSD noted an improvement in physician-led medication reconciliation, with a rise from 32.7% in 2018 to 69.4% in 2021 in CPOE. However, pharmacist-led medication reconciliation identified a 25.4% (n=281/1105) overall discrepancy in the medication history of patients admitted from 2020 to 2021, mainly due to incomplete medication records in the initial assessment forms and CPOE. Physicians missed critical drugs in 4.9% of records; pharmacists identified and updated them. CONCLUSION: In a lower middle-income nation where hiring pharmacists to conduct medication reconciliation would be an additional cost burden for hospitals, encouraging physicians to record medication history more precisely would be a more workable method. However, in situations where cost is not an issue, it is recommended to adopt evidence-based practices, such as integrating clinical pharmacists to lead medication reconciliation, which is the gold standard worldwide.


Subject(s)
Medication Reconciliation , Patient Admission , Humans , Retrospective Studies , Hospitalization , Patient Safety
2.
PLoS One ; 19(3): e0295050, 2024.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38452037

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Even though patients with sepsis and DIC have a higher mortality rate compared to those without DIC, screening for DIC is not currently part of sepsis management protocols. This may be due to a lack of literature on the frequency of DIC occurrence in sepsis patients, as well as the absence of evidence on the optimal DIC criteria to use for identifying DIC and predicting mortality among the five criteria available. To address this gap, this study investigates the predictive value of five different criteria for diagnosing DIC and its relationship to patient outcomes in our population of sepsis patients. METHODS: In the Medicine department of Aga Khan University Hospital, a retrospective observational study was conducted, enrolling all adult patients with International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) coding of sepsis and clinical suspicion of DIC between January 2018 and December 2020. To diagnose DIC, five different criteria were utilized, namely the International Society of Thrombosis and Hemostasis (ISTH), the Korean Society on Thrombosis and Hemostasis (KSTH), the Japanese Association for Acute Medicine (JAAM), the revised-JAAM (RJAAM), and the Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare (JMHW). The study analyzed the sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value, positive predictive value, and accuracy of these five criteria, as well as the overall prediction of mortality. RESULTS: Of 222 septic patients included in this study with clinical suspicion of DIC, 94.6% of patient had DIC according to KSTH criteria, followed by JAAM (69.4%), ISTH (64.0%), JMHW (53.2%) and lastly R-JAAM (48.6%). KSTH had sensitivity of 95.4% in diagnosing DIC and predicting mortality with a positive predictive value of 70% but specificity of 7.3% only. JAAM had sensitivity of 75.9%, positive predictive value of 75.9% with a specificity of 45.5%. ISTH had sensitivity of 69.4%, positive predictive value 75.3% and specificity of 48.5%. CONCLUSION: DIC can impose a significant burden on septic patients and its presence can lead to higher mortality rates. Early detection through screening for DIC in septic patients can potentially reduce mortality. However, it is necessary to identify the most appropriate diagnostic criteria for each population, as various criteria have demonstrated different performance in different populations. Establishing a gold standard for each population can aid in accurate diagnosis of DIC.


Subject(s)
Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation , Sepsis , Thrombosis , Adult , Humans , Hemostasis , Predictive Value of Tests
3.
J Ayub Med Coll Abbottabad ; 34(3): 468-473, 2022.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36377158

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Clinical trials are conducted to evaluate interventions (drugs, medical devices, surgical methods and radiation treatment) for treating diseases or conditions. They may also be done to prevent the development or prevent recurrence or determining risk factors. We wanted to review the current status of clinical trials in Pakistan. METHODS: On searching ClinicalTrials.gov, registered clinical trials conducted in Pakistan from September 1992 to February 2019 were reviewed. The analysis evaluated the characteristics of the clinical studies including the type of intervention, geographic distribution of studies, anticipated enrolment and number of participants, blinding, allocation status, lead sponsors, age group, study type, recruitment status, gender, study results, study phase, primary purpose and subject distribution. The results were tabulated with frequencies and percentages provided by category. RESULTS: There were 508 registered clinical trials conducted in Pakistan from September 1992 to February 2019. Interventional clinical trials were conducted more often than observational trials (77.2% and 22.8% respectively), with drugs (41.4%) as the most common intervention. The majority of registered trials had participants ranging between 101-1000 (47.2%) with most having no blinding in their methodology (34.1%). Most of the trials conducted were randomized (66.5%) while few (5.3%) were non-randomized. Among the sponsor categories, 66.5% of the trials belong to the 'Other' (non-governmental, non-industry) category. Although 59.6% of the registered trials have been completed, most of them (91.3%) did not report their results. Treatment intervention trials in Internal Medicine were the most common primary purpose. An increasing trend in the frequency of clinical trials was also evident. CONCLUSIONS: The number of clinical trials in Pakistan showed an increasing trend over the time period studied, which may reflect on the general outlook of clinical research in the country. Most clinical trials were sponsored by universities, hospitals and non-profit organizations but less than 10% of studies reported results.


Subject(s)
Clinical Trials as Topic , Humans , Pakistan
5.
PLoS One ; 17(7): e0270485, 2022.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35839210

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: There is a probability that vaccination may lead to reduction in the severity and complications associated with COVID-19 infection among hospitalized patients. This study aimed to determine the characteristics, clinical profiles, and outcomes of COVID-19 infection in vaccinated and non-vaccinated patients. DESIGN AND DATA SOURCES: This prospective observational cohort study was conducted at the Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) and recruited COVID-19 patients admitted between June 1st and September 30th, 2021. Patients' demographics, date of admission and discharge, comorbid conditions, immunization status for COVID-19 infection, presenting complaints, lab workup and computed tomography (CT) scan findings were obtained from the medical records. The primary outcome of the study was patients' condition at discharge and the secondary outcomes included level of care, length of stay (LOS), requirement of non-invasive ventilation (NIV) and inotropic support. RESULTS: Among a cohort of 434 patients, 37.7% (n = 164), 6.6% (n = 29) and 55.5% (n = 241) were fully vaccinated, partially vaccinated, and unvaccinated, respectively. Around 3% and 42.9% of the patient required inotropic and NIV support respectively; however, there was no discernible difference between them in terms of vaccination status. In case of unvaccinated patients there were significantly increased number of critical care admissions (p-value 0.043). Unvaccinated patients had significantly higher median serum procalcitonin, ferritin, LDH and D-dimer levels. Around 5.3% (n = 23) of the patient required invasive ventilation and it was more common in unvaccinated patients (p-value 0.04). Overall, mortality rate was 12.2% (n = 53) and this was higher (16.2%, n = 39) in unvaccinated patients as compared to fully vaccinated patients (6.1%, n = 10, p-value 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: Through this preliminary data, we can conclude that patient can develop severe and critical COVID-19 infection despite being vaccinated but this proportion is low as compared to unvaccinated population. So, uninterrupted endeavors need to be done to vaccinate as many individuals as possible. Furthermore, more effective vaccinations need to be developed to lessen the high death toll of COVID-19 infection.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , COVID-19/prevention & control , Critical Care , Hospitalization , Humans , Prospective Studies , Respiration, Artificial
6.
J Ayub Med Coll Abbottabad ; 34(1): 200-202, 2022.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35466654

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is an acquired prothrombic state with recurring thromboembolic and obstetric complications in the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies. Isolated skin manifestation especially symmetrical peripheral gangrene (SPG) in postpartum phase is reported rarely. To highlight this unusual presentation of APS with SPG we present a case of young female who developed SPG on her third postpartum day. Postpartum period runs a high risk of sepsis but development of such extensive and rapid ischemic changes in APS is seen uncommonly.


Subject(s)
Antiphospholipid Syndrome , Sepsis , Antiphospholipid Syndrome/complications , Antiphospholipid Syndrome/diagnosis , Female , Gangrene/complications , Humans , Postpartum Period , Pregnancy , Sepsis/complications
7.
Pak J Pharm Sci ; 35(6(Special)): 1761-1765, 2022 Nov.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36861240

ABSTRACT

To compare follicular sensitivity index (FSI) and Insulin Growth Factor (IGF) -1 for prediction of oocyte yield, embryo quality and the pregnancy consequence in infertile females booked for Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI). Study design was cross sectional where in 133 infertile females enrolled for ICSI were included. Antral follicle count (AFC), Pre-ovulatory follicle count (PFC), FSI, total dosages of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH); designed as pre-ovulatory follicle count × 100,000/ (antral follicle count × total administered stimulation doses) were estimated. IGF was measured by Enzyme Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay. Efficacious pregnancy conception after Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) was established by means of intrauterine gestational sac with cardiac activity after transfer of embryo. Odds ratio was determined for clinical pregnancy by means of FSI and IGF-I, p-values <0.05 were considered significant. FSI was found to be a stronger predictor of pregnancy than IGF-I. Both IGF-I and FSI contributed positive association with clinical pregnancy consequences but FSI was found to be a more reliable predictor of clinical pregnancy. The advantage of using FSI over IGF-I is that FSI is a noninvasive test while IGF-I needs blood sampling. We recommend calculation of FSI for prediction of pregnancy outcomes.


Subject(s)
Insulin , Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic , Male , Female , Pregnancy , Humans , Cross-Sectional Studies , Insulin-Like Growth Factor I , Semen , Fibrinogen
8.
J Pak Med Assoc ; 71(1(B)): 341-344, 2021 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35157676

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to determine the association of happiness with sociodemographic factors and personal habits among university students in Karachi, Pakistan. This cross-sectional study was conducted at Bahria University (BU), Karachi, from January 2012 till December 2013 on 813 students. There was a significant positive relationship between happiness and having a well-off family background (p value<0.001), having breakfast (p value=0.021), wearing a seat belt (p value=0.005) and getting regular dental check-ups (p value<0.001). We also found a significant negative association between happiness and the use of tobacco (p value=0.048), being on a weight loss diet (p value=0.048) and being married (p value=0.043). Hence, behaviours such as smoking and following unhealthy weight loss diets are proven to be associated negatively with a person's state of happiness and should be discouraged; while healthy behaviours such as having breakfast and getting dental check-ups should be encouraged.


Subject(s)
Happiness , Universities , Cross-Sectional Studies , Habits , Humans , Self Report , Sociodemographic Factors , Students , Surveys and Questionnaires
10.
Cureus ; 12(11): e11345, 2020 Nov 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33304680

ABSTRACT

Brucellosis is commonly transmitted by consumption of unpasteurized dairy products and most commonly presents as fever, arthralgia, fatigue, hepatosplenomegaly, and peripheral arthritis. Our patient presented with a history of three months of high-grade fever, undocumented significant weight loss, jaundice, and hepatosplenomegaly. On the seventh day of admission, he developed sudden onset of shortness of breath, and his jugular venous pressure was raised with fine crackles at the lung bases bilaterally and pedal edema up to the ankles bilaterally. Electrocardiography was done, which showed T wave inversions in 1 and augmented Vector Left (aVL). Troponin I was raised at that time, and echocardiography revealed an ejection fraction of 40%. A diagnosis of myocarditis secondary to brucellosis was made.

11.
PLoS One ; 15(10): e0239142, 2020.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33112855

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To relate serum and follicular fluid (FF) kisspeptin and estradiol levels in different stages of stimulation during Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) with oocyte maturity and endometrial thickness among unexplained infertile females. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was carried out at the Australian Concept Infertility Medical Centre from March 2017 till March 2018. Fifty unexplained infertile females, booked for ICSI, were included in the study. Serum kisspeptin and estradiol were estimated by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay in all four stages; 1: follicular stimulation, 2: ovulation induction, 3: oocyte pickup, and 4: embryo transfer. FF was aspirated during oocyte retrieval (stage 3) for the analysis of KP and estradiol. Pregnancy outcomes were categorized as non-pregnant, preclinical abortion, and clinical pregnancy. RESULTS: The age of the study subjects was 32.04 ± 2.29 (Mean±SD) years, with mean BMI of 28.51 ± 4.15 (Mean±SD) kg/m2. Mean serum kisspeptin and estradiol levels increased in all subjects as the stimulation proceeded stages 1-3; however, the mean dropped after retrieval of the oocytes (stage 4). Out of 27 female subjects who completed the cycle, 17 remained non-pregnant, 4 had preclinical abortion, and 6 acquired clinical pregnancy. The FF kisspeptin concentration was significantly higher than serum concentrations and positively correlated with serum and FF estradiol concentrations. FF-kisspeptin correlated with serum kisspeptin in Stage 3 (r = 0.930, p<0.001), maturity of oocyte (r = 0.511, p = 0.006) and endometrial thickness (r = 0.522, p = 0.005). Kisspeptin in stage 3 was also found to correlate with endometrial thickness (r = 0.527, p = 0.005) and with estradiol (r = 0.624, p = 0.001) independently. CONCLUSION: Increase in serum and FF-kisspeptin and estradiol levels from stages 1 to 3, resulted in an optimum endometrial thickness, probability of fertilization of oocytes and chances of clinical pregnancy in Assisted Reproductive Techniques /ICSI cycles of unexplained infertile females.


Subject(s)
Estradiol/blood , Estradiol/metabolism , Follicular Fluid/metabolism , Infertility, Female/blood , Infertility, Female/metabolism , Kisspeptins/blood , Kisspeptins/metabolism , Adult , Australia , Cross-Sectional Studies , Endometrium/pathology , Female , Humans , In Vitro Oocyte Maturation Techniques , Infertility, Female/pathology , Oocyte Retrieval , Oocytes/cytology , Oogenesis , Ovulation Induction , Pregnancy , Pregnancy Outcome , Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic
12.
J Coll Physicians Surg Pak ; 30(4): 443-445, 2020 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32513372

ABSTRACT

Follicular sensitivity index (FSI) is used for estimation of follicular responsiveness to controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) during intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). In a retrospective study, FSI of 1,385 females was calculated as [pre-ovulatory follicle count (PFC) × 100,000]/ [antral follicle count (AFC) × total received stimulation doses]. Females were then categorised into low, middle and high FSI groups according to FSI tertile values. FSI was 8.65 ±2.82 in non-pregnant as compared to 12.02 ±2.04 (p <0.01) in pregnant cohort. FSI turned out to be a strong predictor of successful conception on the receiver operating curve with cutoff value 10.36 at 76% specificity, sensitivity of 86% and area under the curve (AUC; 0.83). Calculation of FSI can thus predict the chances of successful conception in females with different causes of infertility. Key Words: Follicular sensitivity index, Infertility, Intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection, Ovarian response, Follicular output rate.


Subject(s)
Ovulation Induction , Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic , Female , Humans , Male , Ovarian Follicle , Pregnancy , Retrospective Studies , Spermatozoa
13.
Int J Clin Pract ; 74(9): e13555, 2020 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32453880

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to compare the thyroid hormone (TH) profile in male infertile subjects with normal and altered sperm parameters and assess its relationship with spermogram and reproductive hormones. DESIGN: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Karachi from August 2017 till September 2018 on 376 male subjects between 25 and 55 years of age. The reference values for the "Normal Sperm Parameters" group was; sperm count (TC) >39 million per ejaculate, total sperm motility (Progressive and Non-progressive) >40% and normal morphology of ≥4%. Male subjects, having any one of the sperm parameters below the reference values comprised the group of "Altered Sperm Parameters". The thyroid profile; Thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3), thyroid stimulating hormone, Thyroid Peroxidase antibodies (Anti-TPO) was estimated in addition to reproductive hormones Testosterone and Sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG). Independent sample T test and Analysis of Variance was applied for comparison of groups. Linear regression was performed and unadjusted and adjusted beta coefficient with 95% CI was reported. A P-value of <.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: Two hundred and sixteen subjects had normal, whereas 160 had "Abnormal Sperm Parameters." In "Normal Sperm Parameter" group; 206 (95.3%) were euthyroid while 10 (4.6%) were having subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH). Among the "Abnormal Sperm Parameters" group; eighty-seven (54%) subjects were euthyroid, sixty-two (38.75%) had SCH and eleven (6.8%) were having overt hypothyroidism. Testosterone and SHBG were significantly lower in "Altered Sperm Parameters" group as compared with "Normal Sperm Parameters" (P < .001 for both). CONCLUSION: A higher frequency of SCH, decreased levels of testosterone and SHBG was observed in the "Altered Sperm Parameters" group. The results establish relationship of disturbance in TH with alteration of sperm parameters and reproductive hormones thus contributing to male infertility.


Subject(s)
Hypothyroidism/metabolism , Infertility, Male/metabolism , Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin/metabolism , Sperm Motility , Adult , Case-Control Studies , Cross-Sectional Studies , Humans , Hypothyroidism/complications , Infertility, Male/etiology , Male , Middle Aged , Pakistan , Sperm Count , Spermatozoa/metabolism , Testosterone/metabolism , Thyrotropin/metabolism , Thyroxine/metabolism , Triiodothyronine/metabolism
14.
Blood Press Monit ; 25(1): 34-38, 2020 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31764009

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: For more than a century since its introduction, mercury sphygmomanometer (HgS) had been the mainstay for office measurement of blood pressure (BP). In light of the environmental and health hazards associated with mercury, there is a need to replace it with mercury-free alternatives all over the world. We aimed to validate the widely used aneroid sphygmomanometer (AnS) by comparing its BP readings against BP readings taken with an HgS. METHODS: We compared the BP readings using AnS vs. HgS on a sample of 300 patients of 18 years or older age admitted to a tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. RESULTS: The differences between mean HgS and AnS BP readings were found to be statistically significant (P-value <0.01). The mean systolic blood pressure (SBP) readings of the two devices were still significantly correlated (r = 0.989; P < 0.01). Similarly, the mean diastolic blood pressure (DBP) readings were also significantly correlated (r = 0.988; P < 0.01). The aneroid device identified a higher proportion of hypertensive participants compared to the mercury device. CONCLUSION: The difference in the two devices used was found to be significant; however, the readings were correlated with each other. The AnS significantly overestimated BP readings, thereby identifying a higher proportion of hypertensives as compared to the HgS. There is a considerable room for improvement in the accuracy of the AnS, only then an accurate and a well-calibrated AnS could provide an acceptable alternative to the use of the HgS.


Subject(s)
Blood Pressure Determination/instrumentation , Blood Pressure Determination/standards , Blood Pressure , Hypertension/diagnosis , Sphygmomanometers/standards , Adult , Calibration , Diastole , Female , Humans , Male , Mercury/toxicity , Middle Aged , Systole , Young Adult
15.
Cureus ; 11(7): e5225, 2019 Jul 24.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31565627

ABSTRACT

Neuromyelitis Optica (NMO), also known as Devic's disease, is a demyelinating disorder of the central nervous system (CNS) that majorly involves the optic nerves and the spinal cord. It is an idiopathic and an autoimmune disorder. The patient typically presents with symptoms pertaining to the eye or spinal cord, such as a decrease in visual acuity, visual field defects, pain in the eyes, loss of vision, numbness, and weakness of the limbs with or without bladder dysfunction. Vomiting, however, is an atypical presentation of this disorder. We report here a case of an 18-year-old female who presented to our tertiary care set-up with a one-month history of intractable non-bilious vomiting and dull epigastric pain. After going through several initial investigations and being discharged home, she returned after five days with complaints of intractable vomiting, double vision and inability to stand or walk. Later, the presence of anti-NMO antibodies led to the diagnosis of Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder (NMOSD). Through this case, we highlight the importance of considering NMO in a patient presenting with intractable vomiting to enable prompt diagnosis and treatment of the disease, thus preventing further disability.

16.
Cureus ; 11(7): e5096, 2019 Jul 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31523529

ABSTRACT

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multi-system autoimmune disorder with predilection towards young women. SLE is associated with increased risk of incidence of cardiac diseases which include atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease (CAD) that can present clinically as angina or myocardial infarction (MI) or be clinically silent in the initial stages. Furthermore, the use of corticosteroids for the treatment of SLE exacerbates the risk of thrombosis, possibly resulting in adverse cardiovascular events in such patients. Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is another autoimmune condition which can occur in the setting of SLE, also resulting in hypercoagulability and thrombosis. This goes on to show how important a role cardiologists play in anticipating and managing the cardiac manifestations of SLE, which can significantly reduce the morbidity and mortality of SLE patients. Here we present a case of a young woman with SLE having three-vessel disease, presenting in the cardiac emergency department of Civil Hospital, Karachi with typical chest pain. This case is the first of its kind to be reported in Pakistan, to the best of our knowledge.

17.
Cureus ; 10(6): e2784, 2018 Jun 11.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30112260

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To determine the knowledge and practices regarding Papanicolaou (Pap) smear test among female university students of Karachi. METHOD: This cross-sectional study was carried out among 491 female university students of Karachi. Participants were selected by random sampling between the ages of 18 to 30 years; from different universities namely Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS), Jinnah Sindh Medical University (JSMU), and Institute of Business administration (IBA). Pearson chi-square test and Mann-Whitney U tests were applied as the primary statistical methods. RESULTS: Out of 491 participants, three-quarters of the participants knew about the Pap smear test. However, only 1.6% had undergone the procedure. Age, socioeconomic status (SES), and medical background all had a significant relationship with the awareness of Pap smear test. One-third of the females in the study blamed lack of knowledge as the major reason for not getting a Pap smear while another third blamed the lack of recommendation by health care professionals. CONCLUSION:  According to our study, female undergraduate students of Karachi have insufficient knowledge and exposure to Pap smear, a screening test that could decrease the burden of cervical cancer among the female population of our country. Further research is required to assess the severity of the problem and consequently strategize to control it.

18.
Cureus ; 10(3): e2290, 2018 Mar 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29744256

ABSTRACT

Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the existence, knowledge, and the attitude of female students towards premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted in three universities in Karachi, Pakistan. A total of 448 female students participated in the study. The clinical criterion of American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) for PMS was used to assess the prevalence of PMS in the participants. The questionnaire was set in four parts, one each to assess the knowledge, the attitude, and practices regarding PMS and one to assess the gap between self-perceived PMS and actual PMS. Data were analyzed descriptively using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), version 20 (IBM SPSS Statistics, Armonk, NY). Results The majority (96.4%) of female students were aware of PMS, while only 19% females knew about premenstrual dysphoric disorder. The self-reported prevalence of PMS was 79.5% and the prevalence using the ACOG criteria was 23.9%. Common symptoms were irritability, angry outbursts, depression, breast tenderness, and gastrointestinal problems. More than half (60.4%) of the participants reported PMS disturbed their normal routine, while 81.5% reported stress exacerbated their symptoms. The majority (77.5%) of women believed PMS was a significant issue to be discussed but 49.4% did not take treatment for their PMS. Conclusion There is a significant impact of PMS in the lives of Pakistani women, and it is a common problem all over the globe. Despite the growing awareness, there remains a considerable deficiency of knowledge about the necessity to consult a doctor or seek treatment for their symptoms.

19.
Cureus ; 10(3): e2342, 2018 Mar 19.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29796354

ABSTRACT

Objective The presence of good healthy behaviors among university students is imperative for their future life. This study aimed to compare positive health behaviors and state of happiness between the two genders of Bahria University (BU), Karachi, Pakistan. Subjects and methods This cross-sectional study was conducted at BU, Karachi, Pakistan. A total 813 students participated in this study. The health questionnaire, adapted from Health and Behavior Survey and the Subjective Happiness Scale, was used to assess self-reported happiness. The data were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 22. Results Overall self-reported health behaviors were found to be more prevalent in females as compared to males, but males reported a better self-reported general health (p = 0.012). Testicular and breast self-examination was not common in both genders. Smoking was found to be more common in males (p < 0.01). Males exhibited habit of regular breakfast (p = 0.013) whereas females showed a tendency to avoid food rich in cholesterol and fat (p < 0.01) and the practice of consuming food rich in fiber was found to be more prevalent among females (p < 0.01) and they showed urge to lose weight (p < 0.01). Sleep disturbance was found in both genders, more so in females (p = 0.012). Consciousness about dental hygiene was common in females (p < 0.01). As compared to the females, more males strongly believe that they are very happy in life (p < 0.01), and they make the most out of everything in life (p < 0.01). Conclusion There was a diverse response to positive health behaviors and state of happiness in both genders.

20.
J Pak Med Assoc ; 68(2): 195-199, 2018 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29479092

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To find an association between self-reported academic performance with different socio-demographic factors, health behaviours and mental health amongst university students. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Bahria University, Karachi, from January 2012 to December 2013, and comprised university students of different disciplines. An anonymous, self-reported questionnaire was distributed among the subjects. Convenient sampling technique was used. Demographic information, including age, gender and field of study, were obtained. Depresion was evaluated via Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. SPSS 22 was used to analyse data. RESULTS: Of the 813 respondents, 334(41.1%) were males and 479(58.9%) females. The mean age was 19.9±1.8 years. Overall, 126(15.5%) subjects reported excellent, 242(29.8%) very good, 310(38.1%) good, 100(12.3%) satisfactory and 35(4.3%) not satisfactory academic performance. Residential status of students played a significant role on their academic performance (p=0.011). Breakfast eating behaviour depicted a significant association with the academic performance (p=0.04).The proportion of unsatisfactory academic performances among students having severe sleep disorder was the highest, followed by mild/moderate (p=0.01). The depression scale's item 'troubling in mind' was highly associated with academic performance (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: A constructive association existed among healthy behaviours and academic performance. .


Subject(s)
Academic Performance/statistics & numerical data , Feeding Behavior , Health Behavior , Residence Characteristics/statistics & numerical data , Students/statistics & numerical data , Adolescent , Breakfast , Cross-Sectional Studies , Depression/epidemiology , Depression/psychology , Female , Humans , Male , Mental Health , Pakistan/epidemiology , Self Report , Sleep Wake Disorders/epidemiology , Students/psychology , Surveys and Questionnaires , Universities , Young Adult
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