Background: Use of drugs without prescription is a worldwide phenomenon especially among the general people in the developing countries. Alarmingly the use of medication without prescriptions among the young generations for longer duration is increasing day by day. The study was meant to evaluate the prevalence of non-prescribed medications among the young generations living in the capital of Bangladesh.Methods: It was a cross-sectional survey conducted in the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) from September-November, 2019. Data was collected from patients having self-administration of drugs with semi-structured questionnaire in English and analysed applying descriptive statistics.Results: The study revealed the occurrence of non-prescription medication use among 75% of the respondents (N=400). The participants were students (67%), service holder (19%) and housewife (9%). Male and female were 49% and 51%; aged between 15-35 years (average 25.8 years). Mostly used medication groups were NSAIDs (34%), antacids (24%) and antibiotics (17%). Duration was more than one year 206 (69%) and from six to twelve months 94 (31%). The compliance reported as better (62.33%) and extremely good (34.33%). The crucial diseases treated were fever (27.73%), gastric acidity (22.13%), headache and other pains (15.13%), dysentery and diarrhea (8.68%) and allergy (8.40%). Interestingly 42% participants suggested their medication to others.Conclusions: In the young generation occurrence of non-prescribed medication is highest amidst the students. The authority should assure rational use of medications. The DGDA may campaign against the haphazard use of medicines involving the young generations.

Background: Hypertension is a silent killer and an overwhelming global public health challenge. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and associated factors of hypertension among adults in Bangladesh. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study design was conducted among 400 adults who lived in Dhaka, Mymensing, Sylhet and Khulna District. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire that is adapted from the WHO Stepwise approach. Data was analyzed by SPSS version 25. Descriptive statistics and bivariate logistic regression analysis were conducted and statistical significance was declared at a p-value ≤0.05. Results: This study identified a high prevalence of hypertension in the study area and it was 39.75%. Among the male the prevalence was 23.5% and the prevalence was 16.5% among female. In this study hypertension was significantly associated with the age group 51-65 years (OR=1.02; CI 0.557-1.862) , ever smoking (OR= 2.59; CI 1.718-3.917) consume  less fruits (OR=3.125; CI 0.839-11.632) and vegetable (OR=2.25; CI 1.364-3.725), physically inactive (OR=1.48;CI 0.973-2.252) overweight (OR=7.98; CI 4.612-13.793) and had diabetes mellitus (0R=2.38; CI 1.213-4.659). Conclusion: The prevalence of hypertension was considerably higher in this study area. Hence, the health care system needs to establish strategies to improve the diagnostic and screening services. Community-level intervention and regular assessment, screening, and diagnosis of behavioral, socio-demographic, and physiological risk factors, screening, should be institutionalized to address the occult burden of hypertension.

Background: The present study has been carried out to find out the people’s perception about the COVID-19 pandemic and the effects of this pandemic on their daily lives. Methods: A Google form was used to create an online survey questionnaire distributed via personal relationships and social media. Data were collected using questionnaires consisting of socio-demographic status of participants, COVID-19 concepts and changes in the participants’ lifestyle. A total of 1088 respondents took part in the survey, and the results were evaluated using several statistical approaches. The results were presented in a variety of tables and graphs. Results: Males made up 53.3% of the participants, while females made up 46.7% who were from villages (29.87%), cities (53.77%), and semi-urban areas (16.36%). Most participants reported that they got information about the COVID-19 pandemic from social media, and they cited 'fever' as an indicator of the sickness. Although the amount of physical interactions with friends and family has not dropped much, working conditions and employment status have significantly altered. The majority of the participants claimed they have no concerns about the COVID-19. Conclusion: For up-to-date information regarding COVID-19, people in Bangladesh from all walks of life rely largely on social media. COVID-19 awareness isn't enough to inhibit the spreading of the virus from community to community. Employees' work schedules have also been drastically altered. To prevent transmission, we should all follow the safety rules strictly.               Peer Review History: Received: 4 November 2021; Revised: 17 December; Accepted: 28 December, Available online: 15 January 2022 Academic Editor: Dr. Muhammad Zahid Iqbal, AIMST University, Malaysia, drmmziqbal@gmail.com UJPR follows the most transparent and toughest ‘Advanced OPEN peer review’ system. The identity of the authors and, reviewers will be known to each other. This transparent process will help to eradicate any possible malicious/purposeful interference by any person (publishing staff, reviewer, editor, author, etc) during peer review. As a result of this unique system, all reviewers will get their due recognition and respect, once their names are published in the papers. We expect that, by publishing peer review reports with published papers, will be helpful to many authors for drafting their article according to the specifications. Auhors will remove any error of their article and they will improve their article(s) according to the previous reports displayed with published article(s). The main purpose of it is ‘to improve the quality of a candidate manuscript’. Our reviewers check the ‘strength and weakness of a manuscript honestly’. There will increase in the perfection, and transparency.  Received file:                Reviewer's Comments: Average Peer review marks at initial stage: 5.5/10 Average Peer review marks at publication stage: 7.0/10 Reviewers: Dr. Eyassu Mathewos, School of public health, college of health sciences and medicine, Wolaita Soddo university- P.O. Box 158, Wolaita Soddo, Ethiopia. Dr. Barkat Ali Khan, Kampala International University , Uganda, barki.gold@gmail.com Similar Articles:  COVID-19: PHARMACOLOGICAL AND THERAPEUTIC APPROACHES COVID-19 IN MEXICO: PREPARING FOR FUTURE PANDEMICS

Medication usage behavior of people is an important concern for health authorities worldwide. This study was aimed to find the prevalence of self-medication, perception about drug storage, dosage regimen, side effects and missing doses of prescribed medications among people of Bangladesh. The study also aimed at the different factors that regulate the above-mentioned behavior of people from different regions of the country. This cross-sectional study was performed using an online questionnaire form that was distributed randomly among the people. A total of 1028 respondents took part in the survey. Different statistical operations were done on the responses and the results were presented were using tables and graphs. Among the participants, 31.52% often practiced self-medication and 26.94% did it rarely. There was a significant correlation between self-medication and educational qualification (p=0.023) and residence (p<0.001) variables. The tendency to not completing the dosage regimen is high in villages (44%) than urban (35%) and semi-urban (38%) areas. The rate of not recovering the missing doses is higher (40%) among the people with a low level of education than the educated people (27%). This study showed a significant correlation among medicines usage behavior and educational qualification and residential area of the participants. The policymakers should take steps to increase awareness about the safe use of medicines among common people of rural area.