Plos One
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Self-medication with analgesics in dental pain management is a common practice as most of these medicines are available over-the-counter (OTC). The study aims to examine the relationship between beliefs about medicines and self-medication with analgesics in dental pain management in Malaysia. This cross-sectional study was conducted among conveniently sampled patients attending dental clinics, located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to assess association between self-medication with analgesics and patient's beliefs about medicines via Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire. ⋯ Participants beliefs in General-Harm (r = -0.243; p = 0.003) and General-Overuse (r = -0.203; p = 0.012) were negatively correlated with total QAQ point. The study found that individuals who practised self-medication had stronger beliefs about the benefits of medicines and weaker beliefs in viewing medicines as harmful and overused. Findings can guide public education to improve the safety aspects of self-medication with analgesics in dental practice.
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Despite having similar palliative needs to patients with lung cancer, advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients are less likely to receive palliative care. To evaluate the effect of introducing specialized palliative care with severe to very severe COPD patients, a randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted in Switzerland. ⋯ Our findings suggest that poor recollection and understanding of the palliative care intervention act as barriers to the conduct of clinical trials with severe and very severe COPD patients. Their cognitive difficulties, perception of COPD, functional limitations, overwhelming anxiety, focus on the present and perceived helplessness also seem to hinder the implementation of such care.
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Observational Study
Burnout among medical students during the first years of undergraduate school: Prevalence and associated factors.
To evaluate the prevalence and possible factors associated with the development of burnout among medical students in the first years of undergraduate school. ⋯ This study showed a high prevalence of burnout among medical students in a private school using active teaching methodologies. In the first years of graduation, students' personal attributes (optimism and self-perception of health) and school attributes (motivation and routine of the exhaustive study) were associated with higher levels of burnout. These findings reinforce the need to establish preventive measures focused on the personal attributes of first-year students, providing better performance, motivation, optimism, and empathy in the subsequent stages of the course.
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Whole-body hypothermia (WBH) is used to improve neurological outcomes in perinatal asphyxia. Recent studies suggested a beneficial effect of hypothermia for some types of acute respiratory failure. However, no data are available about the biophysical function of human surfactant during WBH. We investigated whether WBH improves surfactant biophysical properties in asphyxiated neonates with or without meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS). ⋯ Surfactant biophysical properties may improve after 48-72h of WBH in asphyxiated neonates and the improvement is maintained shortly after rewarming. Due to study limitations, further studies are warranted to better clarify the effects of hypothermia on surfactant activity.
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The objective of this study was to explore trajectories of lung function decline with age in the general population, and to study the effect of sociodemographic and life style related risk factors, in particular smoking and BMI. For this purpose, we used data from the Doetinchem Cohort Study (DCS) of men and women, selected randomly from the general population and aged 20-59 years at inclusion in 1987-1991, and followed until the present. Participants in the DCS are assessed every five years. ⋯ In conclusion, three typical trajectories of age-related FEV1 decline could be distinguished. Change in the lifestyle related risk factors, BMI and smoking, significantly impact aging-related decline of lung function. Identifying deviant trajectories may help in early recognition of those at risk of a diagnosis of lung disease later in life.