MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty patients with one dry socket each, at University Dental Hospital Sharjah, were divided into three treatment groups based on their choice. In group I (n = 30), conventional treatment comprising of gentle socket curettage and saline irrigation was done. Group II (n = 15) dry sockets were treated with CGF and group III (n = 15) sockets were lased with LLLT. All dry socket patients were seen at day 0 for treatment and subsequently followed-up at 4, 7, 14, and 21 days. Pain score, perisocket inflammation, perisocket tenderness, and amount of granulation tissue formation were noted.
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Data were analyzed as mean values for each treatment group. Comparisons were made for statistical analysis within the group and among the three groups to rank the efficacy of treatment using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Statistically significant difference is kept at p < 0.05.
RESULTS: Conventional treatment group I took more than 7 days to match the healing phase of group II CGF treated socket and group III LLLT irradiated socket (p = 0.001). When healing rate between CGF and LLLT are compared, LLLT group III showed a delay of 4 days compared with CGF in granulation tissue formation and pain control.
CONCLUSION: CGF treated socket was superior to LLLT in its ability to generate 75% granulation tissue and eliminate pain symptom by day 7 (p = 0.001).
Objective: The current study aimed to assess the beliefs and implementations of community pharmacists in the UAE regarding evidence-based practice (EBP) and to explore the significant factors governing their EBP.
Setting: Community pharmacies in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, UAE.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted over six months between December 2017 and June 2018. Community pharmacists who had three months' professional experience or more and were registered with one of three regulatory bodies (Ministry of Health, Health Authority Abu Dhabi, or Dubai Health Authority) were interviewed by three trained final-year pharmacy students. Face-to-face interviews were then carried out and a structured questionnaire was used.
Metrics: The average beliefs score was 36% (95% CI: [34%, 39%]) compared to an implementation score of 35% (95% CI: [33%, 37%]).
Results: A total of 505 subjects participated in the study and completed the entire questionnaire. On average, participants scored higher in beliefs score than implementation score. The results of the statistical modelling showed that younger, female, higher-position pharmacists with more experience and with low percentages of full-time working, and graduates from international/regional universities were more likely to believe in and implement the concept of EBP.
Conclusion: A gap was identified between the beliefs and implementation of EBP. Developing educational EBP courses in undergraduate pharmacy curricula is of high importance, not only to increase knowledge levels but also to encourage commitment in those pharmacists to strive for professionalism and to support the provided patient care with evidence.
Methods: A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted among 482 medical, dental, and pharmacy students of 3rd- and 4th-year degree program of Asian Institute of Medicine, Science and Technology University to assess their KAP about HB infection using 34 prevalidated questions by convenient sampling method. A questionnaire was administered to the students, and their responses were measured at "yes" and "no" scale. Students' responses were entered in SPSS version 22, and quantitative analysis was performed using descriptive statistics and nonparametric tests at P < 0.05.
Findings: The medical, dental, and pharmacy students had good knowledge and practice with positive attitude about HB infection. Mann-Whitney U-test determined a significant difference in knowledge (P < 0.001) and practice (P < 0.001) scores between medical and pharmacy, attitude (P < 0.001) scores between medical and dental, and attitude (P < 0.001) and practice (P < 0.001) scores between pharmacy and dental students. Students' age was correlated with their attitude, practice, and KAP scores and family income with their knowledge, attitude, practice, and KAP scores.
Conclusion: Although students' knowledge and practice were good with positive attitude, all the students did not participate in health education program, screening, and vaccination of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection which makes them more vulnerable to occupational HBV infection. Hence, it is recommended to organize a regular health education program for the students on screening and vaccination against HBV to prevent its infection.
OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of carbon monoxide measurement feedback and the standard brief motivation adopted to encourage the smoker to quit.
METHODS: A single-blind, cluster randomised controlled trial was conducted at ten tertiary colleges in Selangor. The study recruited young adult smokers at the precontemplation and contemplation stages. The subjects in the control group received a standard brief motivational strategy. On the other hand, the intervention group received additional carbon monoxide measurement and a motivational feedback module. A follow up was conducted at the first, third and sixth month to measure changes in smoking cessation stage. Subsequently, the secondary outcomes of a mean number of cigarette consumption and quit smoking attempt were analysed. A total of 160 subjects were required to detect the expected difference of 17% in primary outcomes between the groups. This study utilised Generalised Estimating Equations (GEE) to handle the clustering effects.
CONCLUSION: Biomedical risk assessment feedback mechanism by using carbon monoxide is a promising aid to motivate the smoker to quit. This mechanism is a relatively easy, quick and non-invasive technique. Thus, it can be utilised as a reinforcement relating to the harmful effect of smoking. Besides, it can also increase the smokers' selfefficacy and decisional balance to adopt behavioural changes.
AIMS OF STUDY: This study aimed to assess university students' knowledge and beliefs about and their use of antibiotics.
METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 674 medical and non-medical students of the National Defence University of Malaysia, using universal and convenience sampling methods. The data was collected using a validated questionnaire and analyzed using IBM SPSS 24, and the MANOVA test and Logistic Regression were used to explore the associated factors.
RESULTS: More than half of the respondents' knowledge was low and their health beliefs outdated. Age, race and program were significantly associated with up-to-date knowledge and beliefs about antibiotic use, factors associated with finishing a course of antibiotics were studying medicine, personal health, and ethnicity. The significant factors associated with antibiotic self-prescribing were beliefs having been prescribed antibiotics during the last one year, and trusting the doctors who did not prescribe antibiotics.
CONCLUSION: This study has identified a concerning low knowledge about antibiotics amongst some Malaysian university students, reflected in use of un-prescribed antibiotics and a lack of adherence to treatment. There is a need for educational interventions for students regarding antibiotic usage and resistance issues.