Differences in the Associations between Body Dissatisfaction and Eating Outcomes by Gender? A Lebanese Population Study

BACKGROUND

The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of the interaction between body dissatisfaction and gender on eating disorders (restrained eating, binge eating, orthorexia nervosa, and emotional eating) among a sample of Lebanese adults.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study, conducted between January and May 2018, enrolled 811 participants selected randomly from all Lebanese Mohafazat. The mean age of the participants was 27.6±11.8 years. The majority were females (66.5%), had a high level of education (73.2%), and low income (77.9%). This study used the following scales: body dissatisfaction subscale of the Eating Disorder Inventory-second version, binge eating scale, Dutch restrained eating scale, orthorexia nervosa scale (ORTHO-15 scale), emotional eating scale, perceived stress scale, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale.

RESULTS

Body dissatisfaction was positively correlated to restrained eating (r=0.293, P<0.001), emotional eating (r=0.073, P=0.042) and binge eating (r=0.250, P<0.001). The interaction between body dissatisfaction and gender was significantly associated with more restrained eating (Beta=0.01, P<0.001) and orthorexia nervosa (Beta=-0.09, P<0.001), but not with emotional (Beta=-0.43, P=0.103) and binge eating (Beta=-0.08, P=0.358). When stratifying the analysis by gender, the results revealed that higher body dissatisfaction was significantly associated with more restrained eating in both genders, but particularly among women. Body dissatisfaction was significantly associated with higher emotional eating in men only and with higher orthorexia nervosa tendencies and behaviors in females only.

CONCLUSION

The interaction between body dissatisfaction and gender was significantly associated with orthorexia nervosa and restrained eating but not with binge or emotional eating. Higher body dissatisfaction was significantly associated with higher restrained eating, more pronounced in women, while it was significantly associated with higher orthorexia tendencies (lower ORTO-15 scores) in women only. Body dissatisfaction was associated with emotional eating in men only.

Perception and intentions to quit among waterpipe smokers in Qatar: a cross-sectional survey

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the perceptions and attitudes of waterpipe (shisha) smokers in Qatar regarding the health risks associated with addiction and to determine their intentions to quit.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 181 self-reported waterpipe smokers. Participants were approached in public places as well as in shisha cafes in Qatar. The questionnaire included items related to perception, attitude and intention to quit. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were performed for data analyses, with P ≤ 0.05 considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

About 44% of the respondents believed that waterpipe smoking was safer than cigarette smoking, and more than 70% would not mind if their children became involved in waterpipe smoking. More than half of the current smokers wanted to quit smoking shisha at some point, and 17% identified health concerns as the main motivating factor for their intention to quit.

CONCLUSION

A large proportion of shisha smokers viewed shisha as a safer alternative to cigarettes, yet they admitted to intending to quit. These findings underscore the need to design educational interventions and awareness campaigns as well as impose stringent laws on waterpipe smoking in public places in Qatar.

An exploratory study on medications in Qatar homes

BACKGROUND

Drug therapy is the most often used intervention for treatment and prevention of disease. However, if used inappropriately, drugs can cause more harm than good. Improper drug storage and disposal can have a direct impact on public safety, the environment, and the health care services. The purpose of this study was to characterize medications stored in Qatar homes and to explore their methods of storage and disposal, and to identify the public's source of information related to medicines.

METHODS

For the purpose of this cross-sectional exploratory study, a list of telephone numbers was generated from Qatar's telephone directory using a systematic sampling method. Individuals consenting to participate were interviewed using a multipart pretested survey instrument.

RESULTS

Data were collected from a total of 49 homes. Most respondents did not have a designated compartment or box specifically for storing medications. The majority of drugs (48%) were kept in bedrooms and a number of respondents were keeping their drugs in the fridge and in the kitchen. The most often stored classes of medicines were analgesics, antihistamines, nutritional supplements, and medications used for the respiratory system. Most respondents disposed of unwanted medicines by throwing them in the trash. In about 15% of cases, the dosage of drug taken was different from the instructions on the label. Sharing of prescription medicines was not uncommon. The majority of respondents sought information related to drugs from doctors.

CONCLUSION

These findings raise concerns about how medications are stored and disposed of in the community. The fact that no household routinely returned unwanted medications to a pharmacy for proper disposal places the environment at risk. There is a need for more societal awareness about the safe handling and storage of drugs in the home, and about the professional role of the pharmacist.

Asthma management by New Zealand pharmacists: a pharmaceutical care demonstration project

BACKGROUND

Pharmaceutical care services became recognized in New Zealand in the mid-1990s, albeit with limited evidence of the acceptability and effectiveness of the model. An asthma-specific pharmaceutical care service was trialled in southern New Zealand, based on a 'problem-action-outcome' method, with pharmacists adopting a patient-centred, outcome-focused approach with multidisciplinary consultation.

OBJECTIVE

To report on the implementation and outcomes of a specialist asthma service offered by community pharmacists.

DESIGN

Pharmacists in five pharmacies, servicing predominantly rural, established clientele, received training in the asthma service and research documentation. Ten patients per pharmacy were recruited in each year (years 1 and 2) of the study. The patients were entered into the study in cohorts of five per pharmacy twice yearly, with year 2 mirroring year 1. The phase-in design minimized the impact on the pharmacists. The patients acted as their own controls. All patients received individualized care and had approximately monthly consultations with the pharmacist, with clinical and quality of life (QoL) monitoring.

RESULTS

A total of 100 patients were recruited. On average, 4.3 medication-related problems were identified per patient; two-thirds of them were compliance-related. The most common interventions were revision of patients' asthma action plans, referral and medication counselling. Clinical outcomes included reduced bronchodilator use and improved symptom control in around two-thirds of patients. Asthma-specific QoL changes were more positive and correlated well with clinical indicators.

CONCLUSION

Further research is warranted to integrate this service into daily practice. Clinical outcomes were generally positive and supported by QoL indicators. Characteristics of New Zealand practice and this sample of pharmacies may limit the generalizability of these findings.