The loom industry is the traditional industry in Bangladesh. It is situated especially in rural areas. Many weavers are working in the handloom industry. The study aims to determine the prevalence rate of musculoskeletal pain and its associated factors. This study is a cross-sectional study, including openended and close-ended questionnaires. Two hundred fifty (250) handloom weavers have participated in this study. Frequency analysis and Chi-square test were done by R software. A total of 82.4% of weavers have musculoskeletal pain. Among them, 50% have lower back pain, 48.4% have shoulder pain, and 46.4% have knee pain. Some factors are associated with those pain. Age of respondents and number of working days are associated with lower back pain and shoulder pain. Only age is associated with thigh, ankle and elbow pain. Types of treatment that weavers have taken are associated with arm pain. The weavers with musculoskeletal pain are mostly illiterate and have not taken physical exercise. Notably, 67.2% of weavers have taken treatment, and 21.6% of the participants reported that they have improved upon the treatment. Among those who have taken treatment, only 21.6% of weavers have got improved. As the highest portion of weavers has musculoskeletal, proper knowledge should be implemented for them and need to improve their quality of life. Bangladesh government and any Non- Governmental Organizations (NGOs) or institutions should implement consciousness about musculoskeletal pain. Bangladesh Pharmaceutical Journal 25(2): 188-198, 2022 (July)

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The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of self-medication practice and associated risk factors among riverine-island’s people in Sirajganj, Bangladesh. This study was done by following cross-sectional method with close-ended questionnaire. Data were collected from a total of 459 respondents via face-to-face interview. Frequency analysis was done to identify the prevalence of selfmedication practice, and chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were conducted for identifying the associated factors with self-medication practice. Total 83% participants were self-medicated. Notably, 62% people were self-medicated with antibiotics. More than 30% people practiced with selfmedication due to high cost of doctor consultation. Age, gender, marital status, educational status, occupation, monthly family income, and suffering from illness were correlated with self-medication practice in chi-square (χ2) analysis. Gender (male vs. female, odds ratio [OR]: 0.49, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.25-0.95, p=0.031) and marital status (married vs. unmarried, OR: 0.43, 95% CI: 0.23- 0.83, p=0.011) were significantly associated with self-medication practice in logistic regression analysis. The rate at which persons living on riverine islands engage in self-medication is alarmingly high, and the consequence of this behavior is concerning. The inappropriate use of antibiotics is a source of concern. In order to reduce the practice of self-medication among people living on riverine islands in Sirajganj, Bangladesh, there is an immediate need to raise public awareness about the harmful effects of the practice as well as to implement appropriate legislation and activities. Bangladesh Pharmaceutical Journal 26(1): 79-88, 2023 (January)

Antibiotics, alternatively known as antibacterial drugs, prevent or reduce the development of germs. A decade has been added to the life expectancy of human beings since the discovery of antibiotics. Antibiotic overuse can result in resistance to a wide spectrum of diseases and bacteria. Antibiotic utility is being jeopardized by the rise of resistance. There aren't enough innovative agents to deal with the problem of resistant strains. The current study targeted to highlight the current status of antibiotic use.The study was designed as a prescription-based survey where the medicines in prescriptions were checked containing antibiotics, whether the drugs were prescribed rationally or not. The study was conducted from February to July 2018 at Khwaja Yunus Ali Medical College and Hospital, Bangladesh. Patient’s data were collected through review of patient medical records and prepared questionnaires. 100 people were interviewed, and their prescriptions were captured as photos and then checked for rationality.The antibiotics are prescribed in the group of 10 to 30 years, 31 to 50 years and more than 50 years of age.The survey demonstrated that 46% of patients know about antibiotics partially, about 74% of patients fulfill their entire course of medication and the rest of the patients stop taking medication after feeling better. Only 21% of patients knew about antibiotic resistance, whereas 37% of patients only heard about antibiotic resistance. According to the age group from low to high, 92.9%, 91.67%, 86.36% prescriptions were rational; 2.4%, 2.78%, 4.55% prescriptions were contraindicated and 4.7%, 5.56%, 9.1% prescriptions where medicines interacted with other non-antibiotic drugs, respectively. The overall rational prescription is 91%, whereas 3% of prescriptions are contraindicated and 6% of prescriptions showed interaction between antibiotics and other drugs (non-antibiotics).The study concluded that lack of knowledge and awareness of patients and inaccurate prescription data by physicians are two key factors that contribute to irrational antibiotic usage.