Of Religion and Redemption: Evidence from Default on Islamic Loans (Replaces CentER DP 2010-136)

Abstract: We compare default rates on conventional and Islamic loans using a comprehensive monthly dataset from Pakistan that follows more than 150,000 loans over the period 2006:04 to 2008:12. We find robust evidence that the default rate on Islamic loans is less than half the default rate on conventional loans. Islamic loans are less likely to default during Ramadan and in big cities if the share of votes to religious-political parties increases, suggesting that religion – either through individual piousness or network effects – may play a role in determining loan default.Loan Default;Islamic Loans;Religion;Duration Analysis

Adherence to medication in the community: audit cycle of interventions to improve the assessment of adherence

Aims and method To investigate whether medication adherence is monitored during follow-up in out-patient reviews. A retrospective audit was carried out with a sample of 50 follow-up patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Following this, interventions were made prior to the re-audit (including text messaging clinicians and prompt sheets in the out-patient department to encourage adherence discussions). Results There was an improvement on all the standards set for this audit following the interventions. More doctors had discussed medication adherence (62% second cycle v. 50% first cycle) with their patient and there was increased discussion and documentation regarding medication side-effects (60% second cycle v. 30% first cycle). More clinicians discussed the response to medication (60% second cycle v. 46% first cycle). Clinical implications Treatment adherence is not regularly monitored or recorded in clinical notes in routine psychiatric out-patient appointments. This highlights the need for regular training to improve practice

Systematic review into factors associated with the recruitment crisis in psychiatry in the UK: students', trainees' and consultants' views.

Aims and method To review the literature to examine the factors that may be affecting recruitment into psychiatry in the UK. We systematically searched four databases to identify studies from 1974 to 2016 and identified 27 papers that met the specified inclusion criteria. Results Most papers (n = 24) were based on questionnaire surveys. The population in all studies comprised of 1879 psychiatrists, 6733 students and 220 746 trainees. About 4-7% of students opt for a career in psychiatry. Enrichment activities helped to attract students more towards psychiatry than just total time spent in the specialty. Job content in terms of the lack of scientific basis, poor prognosis and stigma towards psychiatry, work-related stress and problems with training jobs were common barriers highlighted among students and trainees, affecting recruitment. Job satisfaction and family-friendly status of psychiatry was rated highly by students, with lifestyle factors appearing to be important for trainees who tend to choose psychiatry. Clinical implications Negative attitudes and stigma towards psychiatry continue to persist. Teaching and training in psychiatry needs rethinking to improve student experience and recruitment into the specialty

Explanatory model of illness of the patients with schizophrenia and the role of educational intervention

This randomized controlled trial was conducted at Department of Psychiatry, Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar from February to August 2015 to explore beliefs and concepts of patients with schizophrenia about their illness and to find out the effectiveness of structured educational intervention in changing the explanatory models of illness of the patients and in their symptoms reduction. One hundred and three patients were recruited in the trial who were randomly assigned to two groups i.e., Experimental (n = 53) and Control i.e., Treatment As Usual, TAU (n = 50). Intervention was applied to experimental group only, once a month for three months. Short Explanatory Model Interview (SEMI), Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), Positive And Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) and Compliance Rating Scale were applied on all patients at baseline and at 3 months follow up. Scores on PANSS (Total), BPRS and GAF showed improvement in the experimental group as compared to TAU group, at follow up, with the p values of 0.000, 0.002 and 0.000, respectively. On follow up, 44 (95.6%) patients of experimental group achieved complete compliance as compared to 17 (47.2%) patients of TAU group [p = 0.000]. On baseline analysis of SEMI, in the experimental group, only 3.8% (n = 2) knew about name of the illness, which increased to 54.3% (n = 25) on follow up, while in TAU group it improved to 5.6% (n = 2) as compared to 0% at baseline (p = 0.000). The result suggest that Structured educational intervention can be effective in modifying the beliefs of the patients regarding their illness

Short communication: First report of cyclopoid copepods (Oithonidae) from north-eastern Arabian Sea, Karachi, Pakistan

Among marine communities, the importance of small species has been neglected and major attention has been paid to the larger representatives. Small copepods are now assigned as a significant component within marine food webs. Their ecological habitat comprises estuarine, pelagic and coastal environments. Oithona plays a vital role as a food source for other copepods, Chaetognaths, fish larvae and planktivorous fishes. ... Therefore, the present study was conducted to determine the species composition of the genus Oithona previously not known from the coastal waters of Pakistan