Journal Issue: Volume: 58 No. 222, February (2020)
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Volume
Number
Issue Date
2020
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
JNMA Print ISSN: 0028-2715; Online ISSN: 1815-672X
Journal Volume
Articles
Prevalence of Self-medication among MBBS students of a Medical College in Kathmandu
(Nepal Medical Association, 2020) Khadka, Anjan; Kafle, Kumud Kumar
Abstract
Introduction: Self-medication refers to self-prescription which includes diagnosing and treating one’s own illness and prescribing for one’s self. Though appropriate self-medication relieves acute symptoms, is time saving and economical, it should not be advocated because of more risks than benefits. Self-medication practices were found to vary in medical students of Nepal and India. This study was aimed to determine the prevalence of self-medication among medical students.
Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 76 MBBS students. The study involved the administration of the research questionnaire including demographic information, practice of self-medication, type of illness, factors influencing self-medication, commonly self- prescribed drugs, sources and strategies to reduce such practices. The data were analyzed using Graph pad prism version 6.
Results: The prevalence of self-medication was 58 (76.6%), more common among first year students. The common illness found was headache and common drug self-prescribed was analgesic-antipyretic. The most common source of obtaining medicines for all three year medical students was pharmacy. Students were also prescribing medicines to family members, friends and juniors. More than half of the students 52 (68.4%) reported that self-medication practices should be encouraged.
Conclusions: Self-medication had been widely practiced among medical students. Self-medication can relieve medical problems but also involve the risks of adverse drug reactions, resistance and masking of underlying diseases. Medical students should be given enough exposure for better understanding of rational prescribing to minimize self-medication. The further study on practice of self-medication is needed on various health professionals and even in general community.
Keywords: drugs; medical students; practice; prescription; self-medication.
Sleep Quality among Medical Students of a Tertiary Care Hospital: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study
(Nepal Medical Association, 2020) Sundas, Nabin; Ghimire, Saransh; Bhusal, Suzit; Pandey, Rakshya; Rana, Krishna; Dixit, Hemang
Abstract
Introduction: Medical students are under constant stress due to demanding academic load, fear
of exam failure and hectic schedules. These factors can lead to poor sleep quality among medical
students. Sleep quality of medical students not only determine their academic performance but is
also important in determining long term effect on cognitive, psychosocial, behavioural as well as
physical health of individuals. Although there are not enough recent studies to assess sleep quality
of students, it is necessary to evaluate the condition of sleep among students. This study aims to find
out the prevalence of poor sleep quality among medical students.
Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional was conducted among undergraduate medical students
of Kathmandu Medical College from October to November 2019 after taking ethical clearance from
Institutional Review Committee of a tertiary care hospital before collecting data from participants.
Subjects were recruited by simple random sampling from students of first, second, third and final
years and were asked to fill the self-reported questionnaires, using Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index.
Descriptive statistical analysis was done using Statistical Software for Social Sciences version 24.
Results: Out of 217 selected medical students, 96 (44.23%) of students have poor sleep quality with
prevalence among male and female students as 41 (39.8%) and 55 (48.2%) respectively. The mean
duration of sleep among students was 6.7±1.6 hours.
Conclusions: Significant numbers of medical students have poor sleep quality which may affect
their academic performance and may have long term impact on their health. Efforts must be directed
towards educating about the sleep hygiene as well as proper time management skills.
Keywords: medical students; Pittsburgh sleep quality index; sleep quality.
Prevalence of Atrial Fibrillation in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients in a Tertiary Care Center
(Nepal Medical Association, 2020) Dhakal, Subodh Sagar; Neupane, Asmita; Bhattarai, Mahesh; Karki, Dambar Bahadur
Abstract
Introduction: Atrial fibrillation is the most common sustained arrhythmias.Recently there has been evidence of higher prevalence of atrial fibrillation in obstructive sleep apnea patients compared to the general population. The aim of this study was to find the prevalence of atrial fibrillation in patients of obstructive sleep apnea in a tertiary care center.
Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was done in Om Hospital and Research Centre from January 2016 to 2018 March after ethical clearance. Convenience sampling was done. Data was collected and entry was done in microsoft excel, point estimate at 95% Confidence Interval was calculated along with frequency and proportion for binary data.
Results: The prevalence of atrial fibrillation in patients with obstructive sleep apnea is 7 (10.44%) at 95% Confidence Interval (6.70-14.17%). Apnoea–Hypopnoea Index of more than 30was present in 3 (42.8%) patients of atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation was seen highest, 3 (42.8%) in patients with BMI more than 30 and lowest, 1 (14.28%) patients with BMI less than 23.5. Prevalence of atrial fibrillation was seen 5 (71.4%) in male patients and 2 (28.57%) in female patients. Sixty seven (75.28%) patients had obstructive sleep apnea in which male patients was predominant 48 (71.64%).
Conclusions: Prevalence ofatrial fibrillation in patients of obstructive sleep apnea was found to higher than the similar studies done. It is important to obtain detail cardiac history in any patients with obstructive sleep apnea and look for arrhythmias speciallyatrial fibrillation.
Keywords: atrial fibrillation; obstructive sleep apnea; prevalence.
Emergency Stay Duration of Patients in Emergency Department of A Tertiary Care Hospital in Nepal: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study
(Nepal Medical Association, 2020) Simkhada, Prashant; Acharya, Shradha; Lama, Roshan; Dahal, Sujata; Lohola, Nita; Thapa, Ashish
Abstract
Introduction: Emergency department of a hospital is responsible for providing medical and surgical care to patients arriving at the hospital in need of immediate care. Emergency department is not staffed or equipped to provide prolonged care. Duration of stay in the Emergency department directly affects the quality of patient care. Longer length of stay is associated with Emergency department overcrowding, decline in patient care, increased mortality and decreased patients satisfaction. The main aim of this study is to find the mean stay duration of patients in the emergency department of a tertiary care hospital in Nepal.
Methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study which was conducted in a tertiary care teaching hospital from Jan 15,2019 to Jan 30, 2019. Ethical clearance was obtained from Kathmandu Medical College- Instutional Review Committee. The calculated sample size was 587. Consecutive sampling technique was used. The data thus obtained was entered in SPSS version 20 and necessary calculations were done.
Results: The mean emergency stay duration was obtained to be 3.18 hours at 95% confidence interval (C.I and standard deviation was 2.51 hours. Female had longer mean duration of stay (3.25 hours) compared to male (3.11 hours). The maximum length of stay was 15.3 hours. Most of the patients attending the emergency department were discharged right through the emergency department 398 ( 67.8%). Mean duration of stay was longest (5.06 hours) for the referral group.
Conclusions: The mean stay duration in Emergency Department of tertiary care hospital in Nepal is getting shorter compared to similar study done previously.
Keywords: emergency; length of stay; Nepal.