Implications of Social Networks on Medication Information- Seeking Among Middle Eastern International Students: An Exploratory Study (2024)

The Top 25 Middle Eastern Drugs and Comparable U.S. Products to Acquaint Middle Eastern Immigrants with U.S. Medicine

Within the years 2010-2013, the revolutionary movement, known as the ArabSprings has caused many Middle Easterners to immigrate to the U.S. Due to the increasein Middle Eastern immigrants within the U.S. this research project aims to find the top25 utilized Middle Eastern Drugs, and to find their comparable products within U.S. pharmacies. These 25 Middle Eastern medications were discovered using articles, Middle Eastern drug indices, and via interviews. The medications were compared to one another based on their basic mechanism of action. These findings indicated that more than 80% of the top 25 Middle Eastern drugs are comparable to the medications found in the U.S. As a result the project will aid incoming Middle Easterners who are in dire need of guidance for finding medications in the U.S, and also it will direct U.S. medical practitioners to the plight of Middle Eastern patients.

Rational Drug and Antibiotic Use Status, E-Health Literacy in Syrian Immigrants and Related Factors: A Cross-Sectional Study

Antibiotics, 2023

Rational drug use is a pivotal concept linked with morbidity and mortality. Immigration plays a significant role as a determinant affecting individuals’ health-related attitudes, behaviors, and the pursuit of health services. Within this context, the study was initiated to assess the factors influencing health literacy and rational drug use among Syrian immigrants in Istanbul. A cross-sectionalstudy was undertaken on 542 Syrian adults utilizing a three-part questionnaire encompassing sociodemographics, rational drug use, and the e-health literacy scale (eHEALS). With an average age of 39.19 ± 13.10 years, a majority of participants believed medications should solely be doctor-prescribed (97%) and opposed keeping antibiotics at home (93.7%). Yet, 62.5% thought excessive herbal medicine use was harmless. The mean eHEALS score stood at 20.57 ± 7.26, and factors like age, marital status, income, and duration of stay in Turkey influenced e-health literacy. Associations were seen between low e-health literacy and being female, being older, having a lower education level, and regular medication use. Syrian immigrants displayed proper knowledge concerning antibiotics yet exhibited gaps in their understanding of general drug usage, treatment adherence, and herbal medicines. Approximately 80.3% had limited health literacy, pointing to the need for targeted interventions for enhanced health and societal assimilation.

A report of Kabul internet users on self-medication with over-the-counter medicines

Scientific Reports

Self-medication (SM) with over-the-counter (OTC) medications is a prevalent issue in Afghanistan, largely due to poverty, illiteracy, and limited access to healthcare facilities. To better understand the problem, a cross-sectional online survey was conducted using a convenience sampling method based on the availability and accessibility of participants from various parts of the city. Descriptive analysis was used to determine frequency and percentage, and the chi-square test was used to identify any associations. The study found that of the 391 respondents, 75.2% were male, and 69.6% worked in non-health fields. Participants cited cost, convenience, and perceived effectiveness as the main reasons for choosing OTC medications. The study also found that 65.2% of participants had good knowledge of OTC medications, with 96.2% correctly recognizing that OTC medications require a prescription, and 93.6% understanding that long-term use of OTC drugs can have side effects. Educational level...

Pharmacy Students’ Informal Use of Facebook and its Perceived Role in Pharmacy Education in Jordan

INNOVATIONS in pharmacy

Objectives: The use of social media, including Facebook, as a tool for learning is becoming increasingly important in health professional education programs including pharmacy. This study aimed to evaluate undergraduate pharmacy students’ informal use and attitudes toward Facebook in professional pharmacy education in Jordan. Methods: This study was a cross-sectional web-based survey using a 38-item questionnaire that was developed through a multi-phase iterative process. The study targeted all professional year pharmacy students, both BSc and PharmD, at Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST). Results: Seven hundred twenty pharmacy students responded to the survey (response rate 31.3%). The majority of the students (98.8%) had personal accounts on Facebook. Of this, the majority (82.4%) reported that they unofficially used Facebook as a tool for studying or academic purposes beside other social purposes. Overall, the students demonstrated positive attitudes toward the us...

11. New forms of sociality on the Internet. Users, advocates, and opponents of self-medication

Emerging Socialities in 21st Century Health Care, 2017

Prevalence of self-medication among university students in Baghdad: a cross-sectional study from Iraq

Eastern Mediterranean health journal = La revue de sante de la Mediterranee orientale = al-Majallah al-sihhiyah li-sharq al-mutawassit, 2017

The objective of this study is to find out the prevalence and determinants of self-medication among college students in Baghdad, Iraq. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Al-Mustansiriyah and Al-Nahrain universities, Baghdad, from January to April 2015. A multistage random sampling technique was adopted to collect data from 1435 college students using a questionnaire form. The mean age of the joining students was 19.8 years. Females form 53% of the sample. Self-medications use was prevalent among 92.4% of students. Antipyretics and antibiotics were the most used medicines. Self-medication was higher among urban residents (OR= 7.99, P < 0.001). Students living with their families practiced self-medication more than others (OR= 2.501, P = 0.037). Students at health-related colleges showed greater resilience to self-medication (OR=0.455, P = 0.001). Despite free access to healthcare institutions, nine out of ten college students from Baghdad universities have practiced self-me...

Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices on Medication Use and Safety among Saudi People: a Public –based Versus an Internet –based Survey in Taif; Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Saudi Journal of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016

The Pattern of Medication Use amongst a Migrant Population Residing in Southern Iran: A Population-Based Study

Shiraz E-Medical Journal, 2020

Background: Iran has welcomed a large population of immigrants and refugees, which has led to new demands and priorities in many aspects of life, such as healthcare services. Objectives: For the first time in Southern Iran, in Shiraz City, population-based research was conducted on the patterns of medication use in native non-Iranian residents. Methods: The present cross-sectional study was conducted amongst Shiraz citizens from 2017 to 2018. The population consisted of 43 migrants. Data were collected using a multipart data form. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS. Results: A total of 43 Afghan migrants were included in the study. Most of them were female (72.1%), aged under 40 years (67.4%), and homemaker (62.8%) with an education level of non-completed high school diploma (97.7%). The majority of the subjects did not have insurance or family physician coverage (93%), and 85.7% got medications without prescription. The three most common medications used by the subj...

Sources of drug information for patients with chronic conditions in Alexandria, Egypt

Objectives This study sought to identify patients' perceived drug knowledge, need for more information and drug information sources, and how they varied by patient characteristics, particularly education level. Methods A convenience sample of 366 adult patients was interviewed when leaving 20 Egyptian pharmacies after collecting a dispensed prescription. Patients were asked about their (1) perceived knowledge of their drugs' purpose, (2) use of package inserts (PIs) to learn about side effects, contraindications and drug interactions, (3) perceived need to know more about their drugs and (4) general sources of drug information beyond healthcare providers. Key findings More than 30% of the patients reported that they did not know the purpose of at least one of their drugs and only read PIs selectively. Whereas 36% read about drug interactions, more reported reading about side effects (65%) and contraindications (60%) in PIs. Sixty-nine per cent of patients reported that they needed more information about their drugs. This was true for 86.8% of patients with limited education compared to 48.5% of university graduates. University graduates reported using PI topics, newspapers, internet, TV and family and friends as sources of drug information at significantly higher rates than did patients with lower levels of education. Conclusion There is a need for healthcare professionals to evaluate patient comprehension and needs for drug information, especially for patients with less schooling. Healthcare providers should also consider other information sources that a patient is using

Patient sources for drug information in Iran: A questionnaire-based survey

Pharmacy World & Science, 2008