Family Medicine Commons^™

Use Of Home Remedies Among Patients Presenting To Family Physicians, Waris Qidwai, Sr Alim, Rh Dhanani, S Jehangir, A Nasrullah, A Raza

Department of Family Medicine

No abstract provided.

Use Of Folk Remedies Among Patients In Karachi, Pakistan, Waris Qidwai, Sr Alim, Rh Dhanani, S Jehangir, A Nasrullah, A Raza

Department of Family Medicine

BACKGROUND: The concept that food is medicine is being practiced in certain parts of the world, with positive outcomes on health of the population. We have such practice in Pakistan but it needs to be brought in line with the available scientific evidence.
METHODS: The study was conducted on 270 patients, visiting the Family Practice Center, the Aga Khan University, Karachi. A questionnaire was used to collect information on the demographic profile, and the use of folk remedies for medicinal uses.
RESULTS: Substantial use of folk remedies for different medical conditions has been documented. The remedies included cinnamon, ginger, …

Accessibility And Effectiveness Of Healthcare Providers, Waris Qidwai

Department of Family Medicine

No abstract provided.

Are Our People Health Conscious? Results Of A Patients Survey In Karachi, Pakistan, Waris Qidwai, D Saleheen, S Saleem, M Andrades, Iqbal Azam

Department of Family Medicine

BACKGROUND: Life style is known to influence health and may be responsible for certain diseases. There is a need to document the life style on health among the Pakistani population.
METHODS: The study was conducted on patients visiting the Family Practice Center, the Aga Khan University, Karachi. A questionnaire was used to collect information on the demographic profile, and the life style on health. The ethical requirements for conducting the study were met.
RESULTS: 393 patients were surveyed. The majority were young married men, in either private or government service. Preference for consumption of fats/oils, sweets, spicy foods, …

Communication Skills Of Family Physicians In A Doctor-Patient Consultation, Waris Qidwai, Si Karim, Fm. Irfan

Department of Family Medicine

No abstract provided.

Physical Exercise As A Key Health Determinant Among Patients, Waris Qidwai, Danish Saleheen, Sadia Saleem, Marie Andrades, Iqbal Azam

Department of Family Medicine

No abstract provided.

Patient Complaints Among Emergency Room Patients At A Teaching Hospital In Karachi, Waris Qidwai, Muhammad Baqir, Syed Sohail Ali, Semi Ayub

Department of Family Medicine

OBJECTIVES: To study the chief presenting complaints among patients presenting to the Emergency Medical services.
SETTING: This study was conducted at the Emergency Room of Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi during March and April, 2003.
METHODS: A survey was carried out by the study investigators. This survey included patients who were not very sick and were selected at random. Demographic profiles of the respondents were noted. EPI-info and SPSS computer software programs were used for analysis of the results.
RESULTS: One hundred patients were surveyed. The majority was relatively young, married men and women, well educated and …

Perceptions On Bioethics Among Patients Presenting To Family Physicians At A Teaching Hospital In Karachi, Waris Qidwai, Hafeez Qureshi, Syed Sohail Ali, Mahboob Alam, Syed Lgbal Azam

Department of Family Medicine

Objective: To study the perceptions on bioethics among patients presenting to family physicians at a teaching hospital in Karachi, Pakistan Study design: Questionnaire based cross sectional survey
Settings: The study was carried out at the family practice center, the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi Main outcome measures: Perceptions on the broad principles of bioethics
Results: Majority of the respondents were young and well educated and better placed socioeconomically. Respondents reported the moral duties of a physician and their reaction in the event of the death of a close relative due to a doctor`s negligence. The majority agreed …

Paternalistic Model Of Medical Practice, Waris Qidwai

Department of Family Medicine

No abstract provided.

Use Of Services Of Spiritual Healers Among Patients Presenting To Family Physicians At A Teaching Hospital In Karachi, Pakistan, Waris Qidwai

Department of Family Medicine

Objective: To study the use of the services of spiritual healers, among patients visiting the family physicians, at a teaching hospital in, Karachi. Design: Cross-sectional survey
Place and Duration of Study: Family practice center, the Aga Khan University, Karachi, from February to June, 2001
Subjects and Methods: A total of 387 patients were surveyed. A questionnaire was developed and administered to collect information on the use of the services of spiritual healers among the respondents.
Results: Most of the respondents were young, well educated and better placed socio-economically. The use of the services of spiritual healers …

Implications For The Practice Of A Patient Expectation And Satisfaction Survey, At A Teaching Hospital In Karachi, Pakistan, Waris Qidwai, R. H. Dhanani, F. M. Khan

Department of Family Medicine

Objective: To study the expectations and satisfaction of patients visiting Family Practice Clinics, at the Aga Khan University Hospital, in Karachi, Pakistan. Methodology: A cross sectional survey of 316 patients was carried out. A questionnaire, based on the study objectives was developed and administered. The participating patient signed a consent form, after assurance of confidentiality was provided. Data on the demographic profile of the patients was collected.
Results: The mean age was 33.81 years, with 105 (33.2%) women, and 211 (66.8%) men. The majority were married, with education above intermediate level and were in private or government service or were …

Prevalence And Perceptions About Consanguineous Marriages Among Patients Presenting To Family Physicians, In 2001 At A Teaching Hospital In Karachi, Pakistan, Waris Qidwai, Iqbal Azam, Faisal M Khan

Department of Family Medicine

Aim: Consanguineous marriages are common in Pakistan despite their declining popularity in the developed world. In the present study, a questionnaire based survey was used to record the attitudes and perceptions of consanguineous marriages among the sample population.
Methods: A questionnaire was developed to collect information on the acceptability of, and perceptions about, consanguineous marriages among patients presenting to family physicians, at the Family Practice Center of the Aga Khan University Hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. Demographic data was collected as part of the questionnaire. Each participating patient signed a consent form after assurance of confidentiality was provided.
Results …

The Utilization Of Services Of Health Care Providers Among Patients Presenting To Family Physicians At A Teaching Hospital In Karachi, Pakistan, Waris Qidwai, Iqbal Azam, S. S. Ali, S. Ayub

Department of Family Medicine

Objective: To study the utilization of services of Health care providers among patients presenting to Family Physicians in a teaching hospital in Karachi.
Methodology: It was a cross sectional study. A questionnaire was developed to collect patient’s utilization of services of health care providers. The investigators administered the questionnaire to 387 patients, after purpose of the study was explained, written consent was taken and confidentiality was assured.
Results: The study population included more females than males, with average age of 32.6 years. The majority were married, well educated, in private and government service, were students or housewives. …

Myths Regarding Treatment Of Hepatitis: The Vicious Cycle Of Increasing Morbidity, Waris Qidwai, Naureen Alim, Iqbal Azam

Department of Family Medicine

Viral hepatitis has high prevalence rates in Pakistan. It is a potentially serious condition with associated high morbidity and mortality. Studies from neighboring regions document significant utilization of the services of faith healers for the treatment of patients with hepatitis. This article is a short communication

Psychiatric Morbidity And Perceptions On Psychiatric Illness Among Patients Presenting To Family Physicians, In April 2001 At A Teaching Hospital In Karachi, Pakistan, Waris Qidwai, Iqbal Azam

Department of Family Medicine

Objective: To assess psychiatric morbidity and the perceptions about psychiatric illness, among patients presenting to family physicians, at a teaching hospital in Karachi, Pakistan.
Methods: A questionnaire based survey was developed to collect demographic data, information on psychiatric morbidity and perceptions on psychiatric illness. It was administered to 400 patients, against a sample size of 347. The study objective was explained, written consent was taken and confidentiality was assured.
Results: There were more women then men in the study, with a mean age of 37 years. The majority was married, better educated and socioeconomically placed then the rest …

Perceptions On Bioethics Among General Practitioners In Karachi, Pakistan, Waris Qidwai, Hafeez Qureshi, Iqbal Azam, Syed Sohail Ali, Semi Ayub

Department of Family Medicine

Objective: To study the perceptions on bioethics among general practitioners in Karachi, Pakistan.
Design: A questionnaire based cross sectional survey. Settings: 85 general practitioners in Karachi were surveyed at their clinic premises. Main outcome measures: Perceptions on the broad principles of bioethics.
Results: The majority of general practitioners were males, with mean age of 36.3 years, had minimal postgraduate qualifications and continuing medical education. They reported the top five moral duties of a physician and their reaction in the event of the death of a close relative due to a doctor's negligence. A significant number of respondents agreed …

Patterns Of Use And Non-Use Of The Services Of Hakim Practitioners Among Patients In Karachi, Waris Qidwai

Department of Family Medicine

Objective: To study the pattern of use and non-use of the services of hakim practitioners, among patients visiting the Family Physicians, at a teaching hospital in Karachi.
Design: Cross-sectional survey
Place and Duration of Study: Family practice centre, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, from March to June, 2001.
Methods: A total of 387 patients were surveyed against an estimated sample size of 347. A questionnaire was developed and administered to collect information on the patterns of the use and non-use of the services of hakim practitioners among the respondents.
Results: The majority of the respondents were young, well-educated …

Knowledge About Sexually Transmitted Infections Among Young Pakistani Men, Waris Qidwai

Department of Family Medicine

Prevalence of Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV) infection is still believed to be low in Pakistan. However, because of its location in South Asia and the presence of high risk group for the disease, it is likely that Pakistan would experience diffusion of HIV1. We therefore decided to cany out this study to access the understanding of young Pakistani men about sexually transmitted infections (STI s).

An Analysis Of The Changing Forces Behind Health Insurance Coverage Of Homebirth, Christina Anne Gasbarro

Dissertations and Theses

The expansion of managed care, which is premised on containing costs while maintaining market share, represents a radical transformation of the U.S. health care system. A central question for medical sociologists is to determine how the changes brought by managed care influence health insurance and health care options. In evaluating the impacts of managed care, obstetrics is a particularly important site of study. Part of this agenda involves gathering baseline data on a specific transformation in obstetrics practice new to the managed care scene: the emergence of health insurance coverage for the option of home birth. The research project detailed …

Behind The Counter: Pharmacies And Dispensing Patterns Of Pharmacy Attendants In Karachi., Fauziah Rabbani, F. H. Cheema, N. Talati, S. Siddiqui, S. Syed, S. Bashir, L. Z. Zuberi, A. Shamim, Q. Mumtaz

Community Health Sciences

BACKGROUND:

There is little literature available on dispensing patterns and unsupervised sale of medicines from pharmacies in developing countries.

OBJECTIVE:

This study obtained background information on pharmacies assessed the level of training, knowledge and dispensing patterns of pharmacy attendants in Karachi.

METHODOLOGY:

This is a descriptive cross sectional study with convenient sampling. A structured questionnaire was used to interview pharmacy attendants.

RESULTS:

Of the 219 pharmacies surveyed, 62% reported more than 50 customers daily and 20% also sold items of general provision. Mean operating hours were 13. Only 24 (11%) had a visible license. On an average 3 attendants were …

Physician Assisted Suicide Perceptions Among Patients Presenting To Family Physicians At A Teaching Hospital In Karachi, Pakistan, Waris Qidwai, H. Qureshi, S. S. Ali, M. Alam, S. I. Azani

Department of Family Medicine

Objective: To study the perceptions on physician assisted suicide, among patients presenting to family physicians, at a teaching hospital in Karachi, Pakistan.
Method: The study was carried out at the Community Health Center of The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, between December 1999 and May 2000. The principal and co-investigators filled a pre-coded and pre­tested questionnaire consisting of important demographic characteristics and bio-medical ethics issues. A system of convenience sampling was used and a written consent was taken from respondents over the age of 16 years, who agreed to participate. The data were managed by using the Epi …

Cigarette Sources For Teens By Grade: Implications For Prevention And Intervention, Netra M. Thakur, Michael P. Rosenthal, Priscilla Latta, Jamie L. Robinson, James Diamond

Department of Family & Community Medicine Faculty Papers

Objective: To identify at-risk teen populations and their sources of cigarettes, in order to help target future efforts in prevention of teen smoking. Methods: Analysis of smoking behavior questions for students in grades 6, 7, 9 and 12 from the 1997 Pennsylvania Biennial Youth Risk Survey. Results: Current smoking prevalence was 20.9% overall. The number of ninth grade smokers was almost five times higher than the number of sixth grade smokers (30.6% vs. 6.6%). Seventy-three percent of the teens identified friends as a source of tobacco. Stores became the most common source for twelfth graders only. Conclusion: Teenage smoking remains …

Beyond Pain Management: A Primer For Providing Quality End-Of-Life Care, Linda P. Tomko, Terri L. Maxwell

Department of Family & Community Medicine Faculty Papers

Providing excellent care for a dying patient is something all patients deserve. Hospices and palliative care centers exist in many areas to aid primary care physicians and patients through this difficult time. It is important to remember that most patients want to prepare for death, if at all possible. Everyone does this in his or her own way, but oftentimes concern about pain and symptom management interfere with this very involved and valuable process. Being prepared to treat these symptoms as well as addressing your patient's emotional needs is imperative. Referral to a hospice, if possible, will only strengthen the …

Clinical Spectrum Of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus At The Aga Khan University Hospital., K. Sulaiman, N. Sohail, A. A. Sheikh, F. Raza, F. Shahzad, A. Siddique, T. Shakir, Fauziah Rabbani

Community Health Sciences

BACKGROUND:

Systemic lupus erythematosus is a disease of unknown etiology, which at onest may involve only one organ system or be multisystemic. The aim of our study is to determine the clinical presentation of SLE patients presenting to AKUH to establish whether guidelines laid down about this disease are in agreement with our experience.

METHODS:

A retrospective log review was carried out at AKUH, based on data obtained from 165 files of individuals admitted to the hospital over a period of 12 years with a confirmed diagnosis of SLE.

RESULTS:

From the sample size of 165, 143 (86.7%) were females …

The Minds Of Mothers: Maternal Mental Health In An Urban Squatter Settlement Of Karachi., Fauziah Rabbani, Furqan Farooq Raja

Community Health Sciences

BACKGROUND:

Community-based information on maternal mental health in developing countries is meager and nearly non-existent in Pakistan.

OBJECTIVE:

To determine the proportion of probable cases of women with mental disorders and examine the associated conditions and risk factors which contribute to maternal mental ill-health.

METHODS:

With convenient sampling 260 mothers in an urban squatter settlement of Karachi were interviewed. The tools consisted of a household questionnaire collecting information on basic demographic and other characteristics and the Aga Khan University Anxiety and Depression Scale (AKUADS), an instrument to assess psychiatric morbidity.

RESULTS:

The proportion of probable cases of mental disorder was …

Perceptions About Female Sexuality Among Young Pakistani Men Presenting To Family Physicians At A Teaching Hospital In Karachi, Waris Qidwai

Department of Family Medicine

Objective: To study the perceptions about female sexuality among young Pakistani men, presenting to family physicians at a teaching hospital in Karachi, Pakistan
Study Design: A questionnaire based prevalence study.
Setting: Questionnaire administered to 188 young Pakistani men, between the ages 18-30 veai-s, who presented to family physicians, at the outpatient department of the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan.
Main Outcome Measures: Perception among Pakistani young men about enjoyment of sexual experiences in women, whether women stop to enjoy sexual experiences during stress, menstruation, pregnancy and after menopause. Whether they are aware about “orgasm” in women and their belief …

Effect Of Dietary Garlic (Allium Sativum) On The Blood Pressure In Humans - A Pilot Study, Waris Qidwai, Riaz Qureshi, Iqba Azam, Syed Najmul Hasan

Department of Family Medicine

Objective: To find out whether individuals with blood pressures on the lower side consume more garlic in their diets. A pilot study to make grounds for more elaborate future trials.
Method: A questionnaire was developed in order to estimate the dietary intake of garlic per person per month and to record three blood pressure readings on each individual. It was administered to 101 adult subjects, presenting to the Family Practice Centre of a hospital in the city of Karachi, Pakistan. The various demographic parameters including age, sex, marital status and education were recorded. Those subjects found to be overweight, with …

Evaluation And Management Of Gout, N S. Ali

Department of Family Medicine

No abstract provided.

Views About Women's Mental Health: Study In A Squatter Settlement Of Karachi., Fauziah Rabbani

Community Health Sciences

OBJECTIVE:

Mental health of women is globally receiving particular attention. This study assessed community's view on certain aspects of women's mental health prior to introducing an intervention.

SETTING:

The study was conducted in an urban squatter settlement located in District West of Karachi in 1997 where the Aga Khan University has set up a Primary Health Care program in partnership with the communities.

METHODS:

Using convenient sampling, door to door household survey was conducted by medical students.

RESULTS:

Two hundred and eighty one residents were interviewed. Respondents were asked to list contributory factors which lead to mental distress in women. …

Economic Development And Health Status Among The Poor In Squatter Settlements Of Karachi., Fauziah Rabbani, Anwer T. Merchant

Community Health Sciences

OBJECTIVE:

Socioeconomic status is an important determinant of health outcome measures. This study examines and presents some of the important health outcomes amongst the higher and lower socioeconomic groups within the urban poor.

SETTING:

Data analysis is based on a Health and Demographic Survey conducted in urban squatter settlements of Karachi in 1996.

METHODS:

A structured questionnaire was administered to all households in the catchment area. The indicator used to assess economic status is ownership of assets.

RESULTS:

Comparison between the two economic levels shows that the lower socio-economic group was more likely to experience child mortality, (CI; 1.02-1.29, p …