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Aims: This study aimed to explore and determine patients' knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions about the use of analgesics. Study Design: Cross-sectional study by using structured, researcher-assisted survey questionnaire with a representative sample of patients in Hospital Selama. Place and Duration of Study: Regardless of their clinical conditions, 272 patients who visited the outpatient pharmacy in Hospital, Selama, Perak Malaysia, and obtained NSAIDs were interviewed. The patients' knowledge, attitude, and perceptions of NSAID side effects were recorded. Methodology: To perform this study, structured self-administered questionnaires will be constructed after a comprehensive literature review. A panel of experts comprising of research academicians will discuss, review, and verify the content of the questionnaire, and it will be subjected to revision based on their recommendations. The questionnaire will be written in Malay and English and will be translated into both languages. Pilot research on 20 patients will be done prior to the study to assess the reliability of the validated questionnaire. The results of the pilot research will be used to make final adjustments. Cronbach's alpha test will be used to assess internal consistency, with alpha=0.40 established as the lowest acceptable value for validity. Results: There was no correlation between patient knowledge, attitudes, or perceptions about the use of analgesics. As a consequence, at Hospital Selama's outpatient pharmacy department, patients' knowledge, attitude, and perceptions about analgesic use were not substantially associated. A more in-depth investigation of the key reason why the majority of patients have commonly prescribed analgesics and often seek extra explanations despite being given adequate information is required.

Objectives Despite the availability of a wide selection of anti-diabetic treatments, many type 2 DM (T2DM) patients still do not have controlled glucose levels. In addition to pharmacological intervention, patients’ own implicit beliefs about their illness should be targeted for health intervention. Thus, we conducted a quantitative study to evaluate the associations between illness perception (IP) domains and metabolic control (HbA1c) of T2DM patients in Selama Hospital and to identify patients’ perceptions of the causal T2DM factors. Method A cross-sectional study was conducted in the outpatient department of Selama Hospital from October to December 2015. A total of 200 T2DM patients were recruited using systematic random sampling. A self-administered validated questionnaire consisting of three sections was used, and the data were analysed using SPSS version 18. The associations between eight IP domains and HbA1c were evaluated via multiple linear regression. P values Key findings The analysis included data from 200 respondents with a mean age of 57.7 years (SE = 9.8). The majority were women (64.5%) and Malays (86%) with a primary school education (43.5%) and a family history of diabetes (53.5%). The median duration of illness was 5 years (IQR = 7), and the median HbA1c level was 8.15% (IQR = 3.1). The mean score for the eight IP domains was 33.7 (SE = 8.43) out of a total score of 80. Using multiple linear regression, HbA1c was found to be significantly associated with IP domains of identity symptoms at 0.221 (95% CI 0.083–0.358). Moreover, 79.4% of patients ranked diet and eating behaviour as the main factor for T2DM. Conclusion The IP domain of identity symptoms was significantly correlated with T2DM metabolic control. By understanding patients’ IP, healthcare providers can focus on behavioural approaches to managing T2DM patients. Steps must be taken to educate patients about the importance of diet control in managing T2DM.

Objective: To establish immunomodulatory potential of aqueous extract of Polygonum minus (P. minus) leaves, the haematological effects and lysozyme activity of aqueous extract of P. minus leaf on Clarias gariepinus was studied. Methods: The fish were grouped and administered with the P. minus aqueous leaf extract intraperitoneally. Blood and serum samples were collected from each group and examined for various blood parameters. The turbidimetric assay for lysozyme activity using M. luteus and the survival rate of fish against A. hydrophila was carried out. Results: There was no significant impact (P>0.05) on white blood cell count, red blood cell count, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration and lysozyme activity was significantly (P