Using community website as an informal learning environment among Malaysian pharmacy students

Objective: This study was conducted to analyse students’ insight on informal learning by means of social networks and community websites. Methods: Survey forms were distributed to all 360 students of Kulliyyah of Pharmacy of IIUM. Data analysis has been done using IBM SPSS software 20, and descriptive statistics were used to study the demographic characteristics of the students in relation to their use of social networking sites (SNSs). Results: 240 students were answered. The results revealed that the highest rating with mean (SD) = 4.53 (0.63) were related to accessing course notes and other teaching materials. Most students agreed that SNSs were helpful to their courses, mean (SD) = 4.18 (0.73). Conclusion: The findings of the study indicate that pharmacy students at IIUM use SNSs and other community websites as tools for academic purposes

The use of psychotropic substances among students: The prevalence, factor association, and abuse

This detailed review analyzed the previously published studies related to the prevalence of psychotropic substances use, associated factors, and the misuse of the psychotropics among students. A comprehensive literature search covering six databases was performed. References from published articles and reports were extracted. This helped in identifying the available information on the use of psychotropic drugs. A total of 16 articles were included in this review. There is an upsurge of using psychotropics with the preceding years. More students are exposed to the risk of using psychotropic substances due to the multiple factors like stress, increased academic workload, etc. The misuse is found to be common with prescribed psychotropic substances. Students need to be aware of the bad outcomes of using psychotropic substances. Participation of every stakeholder to curb this menace needs to be emphasized. More extensive studies are required to know about the increasing prevalence, factors, and misuse of psychotropics

Cost-Effectiveness of the Interventions to Avoid Complications and Management in Diabetes Mellitus: A Narrative Review from South-East Asian Perspective

Background and Aims: Asians accounts 60% of the world’s diabetic population with a different burden on young and middle-aged. The objective is to critically evaluate the published literature relevant to cost-effectiveness analysis of interventions to avoid complications followed by the management of diabetes mellitus in South-east Asia. Methods: PubMed, ScienceDirect International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (IPA), Proquest and Google Scholar thoroughly searched within the period of November- December 2015. Only research and reviews published in the English language within the period of January 2000-November 2015 considered. The extracted details and particulars from the included studies account for interventions, outcomes, and modeling methods. Results: A total of seven studies from Japan, Singapore, Cambodia and two each from India and Thailand were included. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) per quality-adjusted-life-year (QALY) accounted as an outcome in more than half of the reviewed studies. Most of the economic evaluations of DM management and preventive interventions in each country focused on different interventions and alternatives for comparison. However, type 1 DM patients showed better outcome when using specific insulin regimens utilized in the southeastern Asian countries followed by the implementation of Thai DM-self management support program (DM-SMS) via healthcare professionals. Conclusion: Alternatives to pharmacologic approaches such as insulin regimen and oral anti-diabetic agents showed a significant differenc

Use of complementary and alternative medicine among osteoarthritic patients: a review

INTRODUCTION: One of the most important indications of complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) is in arthritis. The popularity of CAM in arthritis is consistently on the rise because of the potential side effects of the conventional therapy (Methotrexate) of arthritis. In view of this, it was important to summarize the information, for healthcare professionals and the patients, about the safety and effectiveness of various CAM use in arthritis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This comprehensive review is based on the content derived through a thorough literature search using 5 electronic databases such as Science direct, Springer link, PubMed, Jet P and Google scholar. Equivalent terms in thesauruses or Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) browsers were used whenever possible. We included all the articles those are used CAM medications for the treatment of arthritis around the globe and searched for the required articles published in English in peer reviewed journals from January 1999 to February 2014. Reports were then arranged and analysed on the basis of country specific studies. RESULTS: Initially, a total of 156 articles were retrieved, after further screening, 27 articles were selected according to meet objectives of the study and those articles which did not qualify, were excluded. Seventeen appropriate studies were finally included in the review. Indeed most of the studies that fulfilled the objective of this review were carried out in US (n=8, 47%), then in India (n=2, 11.76%), UK (n=1, 5.88%), Canada (n=1, 5.88%), Australia (n=1, 5.88%), Korea (n=1, 5.88%), Thailand (n=1, 5.88%), Turkey (n=1, 5.88%) and Malaysia (n=1, 5.88%). CONCLUSION: The review revealed that family, friend, past experiences and lack of effectiveness of conventional therapy are the major factors that influenced patients' decision of initiating and persisting with CAM therapy. The review highlighted the need to conduct future studies by using some more specific health related outcome measures

Adverse drug reactions reporting: knowledge and opinion of general public in Penang, Malaysia

Objective: The objective of this study was to explore the knowledge of the general population towards ADR and their reporting system. Methods: An anonymous, self-administered questionnaire (15 items) was designed. The questionnaire was subjected to face validity and content validity. The reliability coefficient was found to be 0.71. This study recruited proportionately large convenience sample of the general public in Penang. Interviews using a structured questionnaire were conducted over a week period in August 2009. The recommended sample size was calculated to be 368. Results: Three hundred thirty-four responses were received. Slightly more than half of the respondents were in the age group of 18-25 years (53.6%; n = 179). When asked about the sources of their medication majority of them reported medical doctor (85.6%), whereas small number (34.7%) reported community pharmacists as sources of medications. Three-quarter of the respondents (77.2%) get their information about the side-effects of drugs from physicians, followed by pharmacist (44.6%). More than half of the respondents (65.6%, n = 219) reported unawareness about the existence of ADR center set up by the Ministry of Health. Conclusion: Respondents reflected inadequate knowledge on ADR reporting. This needs to be corrected as the trend of future pharmacovigilance is toward the patient. Moreover, the new trend seems to be more appropriate as the patient is the group of the people who are directly affected from the ADR of a particular drug and not the health-care providers. Furthermore, the patient will be informed about the economic implications of not reporting ADR. It is recommended that government agencies, like MADRAC needs to find ways to increase patient- reported ADR cases. Keywords: Adverse drug reactions, general public, Malaysia, perceptio

General public knowledge and perception towards herbal beverages in Kuantan, Malaysia

Bachground Herbal beverages are already well-known to people nowadays. They can be considered as nutritional drinks with the addition of some herbs to the beverage. The current study is aimed to evaluate General Public Knowledge and Perception towards Herbal Beverages in Kuantan, Malaysia. Objectives: To explore the knowledge and perception towards use and safety of herbal beverages Kuantan general public. Methodology A cross-sectional study using a structured questionnaire was done. The questionnaire consisted of three parts: respondent socio-demographics, knowledge and perception towards the use and safety of consumption of herbal beverages were distributed to a random sample of Kuantan residents. This study was conducted during November to December 2012. Results Three hundred seventy nine respondents answered the questionnaire with a response rate >80%. Forty eight percent of them didn't know that the manufacturing of herbal beverages is without Ministry of Health (MOH) approval and 48.8% of them didn't know the side effects of taking herbal beverages for a prolonged time. However, 66% of the respondents showed that the herbal beverages are not safe and 61.7% on the knowledge that they are not a medicine. The result showed that 57.8% of the respondents have inadequate knowledge towards the use of herbal beverages. Forty three percent of the respondents perceived herbal beverages as beneficial. The main factors that drive the public to consume herbal beverages are advice from others, followed by advertisements and easily availability of the product. The majority of public in Kuantan has inadequate knowledge regarding herbal beverages and negative perception on safety and efficacy. The inadequate knowledge on the side effects of the herbal beverages might expose them to risk