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Knowledge and Adherence to Medications among Palestinian Geriatrics Living with Chronic Diseases in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

ABSTRACT: Adequate patient knowledge about medications is essential for appropriate drug taking behavior and patient adherence. This study aims to assess and quantify the level of knowledge and adherence to medications among Palestinian geriatrics living with chronic diseases and to investigate possible associated socio-demographic characteristics.We conducted a cross-sectional study during June 2013 and January 2014 among Palestinian geriatrics ≥ 60 years old living with chronic disease in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. A stratified random sample was selected and a questionnaire-assisted interview was applied for data collection. T-test was applied for bivariate analyzing and one-way ANOVA test was applied for multivariate analyses.A total of 1192 Palestinian geriatrics were studied. The average age was 70.3 (SD = 8.58) years and ranged from 60-110 years. The sample comprised 659 (55.3%) females and 533 (44.7%) males. The global knowledge and global adherence scores were (67.57%) and (89.29%), respectively. Adequate levels of knowledge were 71.4%, and of adherence 75%, which were recorded for 705 (59.1%) and 1088 (91.3%) participants, respectively. Significant higher levels of global knowledge and global adherence were recorded for males, and for participants who hold a Bachelor's degree, those who live on their own, and did physical activity for more than 40 hours/week (p-value < 0.05). Furthermore, workers, participants with a higher monthly income, and non-smokers have a higher knowledge level with (p-value < 0.05). We found positive correlation between participants' global adherence and global knowledge (r = 0.487 and p-value < 0.001). Negative correlation was found between participants' global knowledge and adherence with age (r = -0.236, p-value < 0.001 and r = -0.211 and p-value < 0.001, respectively. Negative correlation between global knowledge and the number of drugs taken (r = -0.130, p-value < 0.001) was predicted.We concluded that patients with a higher level of knowledge are more adherent to their medications and that better understanding of socio-demographic factors has a clear influence on the level of knowledge and adherence to medications and thus contributes to the development of guidelines for treatment and may consequently lead to favourable clinical outcomes and savings of health care costs.

SUBMITTER: Najjar A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4457851 | biostudies-other | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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Project description:Even during the conflict, agricultural extension by the Palestinian Authority has played an important role in agricultural development in the West Bank of the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT). The Ministry of Agriculture of the Palestinian Authority provided the necessary agricultural extension services for Palestinian farmers affected by the Israeli settlements and Segregation Wall. Despite such importance of agricultural extension, few quantitative studies have examined its effect on Palestinian farmers. Therefore, the objective of this study was to quantify the effect of agricultural extension on technology adoption by Palestinian farmers for appropriate evaluation of the agricultural policies by the Palestinian Authority. The microdata of 79,446 agricultural holdings from the Agricultural Census 2010, which was the only microdata officially published and available at the time of this study, was used. Then, the Propensity Score Matching (PSM) method was employed to mitigate the endogenous bias caused by self-selection by farmers in receiving the agricultural extension. The results showed that agricultural extension has positively and significantly affected the adoption of five technologies, namely improved crop varieties, chemical fertilizers, organic fertilizers, pesticides, and biological control. The estimated increase in the adoption rate of those technologies as the average treatment effects on the treated (ATT) by the nearest-neighbor matching method were by 7.1, 7.7, 5.4, 6.8, and 3.8 percentage points respectively. This study proved that agricultural extension promoted the adoption of those technologies even in the conflict. Therefore, agricultural extension by the Palestinian Authority plays an important role in farming by Palestinian farmers. In order to maintain and improve farmers' livelihoods sustainably, it is necessary to continue the agricultural extension by the Palestinian Authority in the future, considering the behavior of farmers.

Project description:ObjectiveWe investigated some aspects of menstrual health and hygiene among young female students at Birzeit University in the West Bank of the occupied Palestinian territory.DesignCross-sectional study in a large central university.ParticipantsOut of a total of 8473 eligible female students, a calculated sample size of 400 students aged between 16 and 27 years was obtained.SettingLarge central university, West Bank, occupied Palestinian territory (oPt).MeasuresAn anonymous structured international research instrument consisting of 39 questions based on the Menstrual Health Questionnaire, in addition to few questions relevant to the context, was administered.Results30.5% of participants were not informed about menstruation before menarche, and 65.3% reported that they were not ready when they got their first period. The highest reported source of information regarding menstruation was family (74.1%), followed by school (69.3%). About 66% of respondents reported that they need more information on various topics of menstruation. The most common type of menstrual hygiene products used were single-use pads (86%), followed by toilet paper (13%), nappies (10%) and reusable cloths (6%). Of the total 400 students, 14.5% reported that menstrual hygiene products are expensive, and 15.3% reported that they always/sometimes had to use menstrual products that they do not like because they are cheaper. Most (71.9%) of the respondents reported that they used menstrual products for longer time than recommended due to inadequate washing facilities at the university campus.ConclusionsThe findings provide useful evidence on the lack and the need for menstrual-related information for female university students, inadequate infrastructure to help them manage their menstruation with dignity and pointed to some menstrual poverty in accessing menstrual products. A national intervention programme is needed to increase awareness regarding menstrual health and hygiene among women in local communities and female teachers in schools and universities to enable them to disseminate information to and meet the practical needs of girls at home, at school and at the university.

Project description:BackgroundThe Covid-19 pandemic created major global health crises, with serious effects on all aspects of life. The pandemic reached the Israeli occupied West Bank of Palestine in early March 2020, and lockdown immediately ensued.ObjectivesTo assess the prevalence and predictors of distress and insecurity among Birzeit University's community during the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown.MethodsAn online survey completed in March-April 2020 using standardized and previously validated distress and insecurity scales. The survey was placed on the University portal accessed by students, faculty and employees, and was sent by email to faculty and employees. Data were weighted to reflect the University community's distribution.FindingsThere were 1,851 participants in the study: 84% were undergraduate students, 10% graduate students, and 6% faculty and employees. Sixty two percent were women. Ages ranged from 17 to 70 years (mean 24 ± 9.7). Prevalence of moderate/high distress and insecurity were 40% and 48% respectively. Multiple logistic regression revealed that women, those under 35 years old and those with worse reported income, had significantly higher odds of distress and insecurity compared to their counterparts. Undergraduate students or living with a person at home with high risk of illness with COVID-19 were associated with higher odds of distress compared to their counterparts (OR = 1.56, 95%CI[1.13-2.15]) and (OR = 1.34, 95%CI[1.11-1.62]) respectively. A COVID-19 worry score was significantly associated with higher odds of distress and insecurity (OR = 1.77, 95%CI[1.46-2.14]) and (OR = 4.3, 95%CI[3.53-5.23]) respectively.ConclusionThis study emphasizes the need to pay attention not only to physical health but also to mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially among young people, women, those with lower economic status, and those living with high risk persons during the pandemic. We hope that this study will inform the policies and interventions of the Palestinian Authority, local non-governmental organization, international groups working in the occupied Palestinian territory, and beyond.

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Knowledge and Adherence to Medications among Palestinian Geriatrics Living with Chronic Diseases in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

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