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Objectives To assess the level of perception and awareness of health science students towards using over-the-counter (OTC) medicines and reveal any malpractice. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional correlational study employing an internet-based self-administered questionnaire collected data from 342 participants. The study model comprised four compartments: introductory, socio-demographic, utilizing OTC medications, and estimating the perception level. Descriptive statistics were used to describe participants' demographics and main study variables. Non-parametric descriptive analysis and chi -squared tests were used to determine significance across the three medical schools. The response rate among students in their first academic year (33.9%) was the highest. Findings Most participants rely on OTC to treat minor conditions like pain and the common cold. Nutraceuticals have been used heavily. The participants showed a positive attitude towards self-treatment; the average perception score was 3.45 (SD = 0.60; 95%CI: 3.38–3.51). Besides, participants on regularly prescribed medications still determined the interaction between their treatments and non-prescribed medications. No significant association between attitude average score and participant age (r = −0.06; P =.273). Likewise, no differences were found in perceived attitude towards OTC based on gender (P =.41), academic level (P =.223), and college (P =.84). Conclusion This study provides an overview of the level of medical student's perception towards self-treatment; despite the promising levels of knowledge and perception, it is necessitated to introduce interprofessional medical education to get an integrated knowledge and qualified graduates to provide the best health services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To determine whether somatic or cognitive depressive symptoms affect hospitalization and death in patients with end‐stage renal disease. Design and Method: In an observational retrospective design, the patients (n = 190) completed the Beck Depression Inventory‐II at baseline and were followed for 5 years to collect data all‐cause mortality and hospitalization. Findings: High somatic (53.7%, n = 102) and cognitive (52.1%, n = 99) depressive symptoms scores significantly associated with mortality (38% vs. 19%; hazard ratio [HR] = 2; 95% CI, 1.1–3.7; p = 0.02) and hospitalization (62.5% vs. 49.4%; HR = 1.6; 95% CI, 1.0–2.6; p = 0.03), respectively. Practice Implications: In the context of diagnosing and intervening, awareness of depressive symptoms dimensionality is crucial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: Palliative care (PC) is integral to improving the quality of life and mitigating suffering for individuals with serious illnesses. This interdisciplinary-led study aims to comprehensively evaluate the prevalence of distressing problems and unmet needs among both cancer and non-cancer chronic disease patients and explore their need for PC., Methods: A cross-sectional, comparative, and multicenter design was conducted, involving 458 patients from eight hospitals, utilizing a self-reported Problems and Needs in Palliative Care-sv questionnaire., Results: The study included 276 (60.3%) patients with cancer and 182 (39.7%) with non-cancer chronic diseases. Most were 45-64 years old (n = 216, 47.2%). Patients with cancer reported a higher prevalence of physical symptoms, notably pain (n = 240, 87%) and anorexia (n = 192, 69.6%), while non-cancer patients faced more social challenges, including issues in companion relationships (n = 77, 42.3%) and discussing their disease with life companion (n = 78, 42.9%). Unmet needs were prevalent in both groups, with cancer patients having an average of 75.6% (n = 120) unmet needs, predominantly in the information (n = 145, 91.75%) and spiritual domains (n = 123, 77.8%). Non-cancer patients emphasized financial (n = 71, 66.6%) and autonomy (n = 59, 55.0%) problems. Moreover, patients in both groups with severe Charlson Comorbidity Index scores demonstrated significantly higher PC needs across all health domains., Conclusion: The study highlights the universal demand for comprehensive PC for patients with both cancer and non-cancer chronic diseases. The findings underscore the need for enhanced PC provision, especially for patients with multiple comorbidities. Further research is needed to comprehensively address psychological, social, and spiritual problems in both patient groups., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.