From Neglected to Public Health Burden: Factors Associated with Podoconiosis in Resource Limited Setting in Case of Southwest Ethiopia: A Community Based Cross Sectional Study.

Background: Even though podoconiosis can cause physical, financial, and social impairments, it is commonly overlooked by organizations, and one-fourth of the predicted worldwide burden will fall on Ethiopia. In spite of this, there are only a few attempts for prevention and control in certain areas in Ethiopia. Updated statistics on prevalence and contributing factors could make local efforts at prevention, control, and rehabilitation more effective. Thus, this study was aimed to assess the prevalence of podoconiosis and its associated factors among Ilu Aba Bor zone residents, South West Ethiopia. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 491 participants from March 25 to April 25, 2022. Data were entered into Epi-Data version 4.6.0, then exported to SPSS version 25 for final analysis. In the bi-variable regression, variables with P-values less than 0.25 were included in the multivariable model. Finally, multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with podoconiosis at a 5% level of significance. Results: In this study area, podoconiosis prevalence was found to be 5.7% [3.6-7.2]. In multivariable regression model, lower tertile wealth status [AOR=2.09; (95% CI (1.384, 5.343)], no formal education [AOR=2.23; (95% CI; 1.179-3.820)] and average distance to reach water source to home [AOR=2.061; (95% CI: 1.78-7.35)] were significantly associated podoconiosis. Conclusion and Recommendation: According to this study, one in every seventeen individuals had podoconiosis, which is a significant prevalence when compared to earlier studies. Podoconiosis was observed to be associated with factors like wealth status, educational attainment, and distance from water source. To address this public health issue, strong preventive and therapeutic treatments should be used.

Non-adherence to the World Health Organization's physical activity recommendations and associated factors among healthy adults in urban centers of Southwest Ethiopia.

Physical inactivity is a major risk-factor of non-communicable diseases. The World Health Organization has set physical activity recommendations for adults to reduce physical inactivity and its consequences. However, 1.4 billion adults are non-adherent to the recommendation worldwide. The prevalence of non-adherence to this recommendation and its predictors has not been assessed in urban Ethiopia. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of non-adherence to physical activity recommendations and identify its associated factors among healthy adults in urban centers of Southwest Ethiopia. A community-based cross-sectional study was employed from May to June 2021, involving 1191 adults in urban centers of Southwest Ethiopia. Data was collected using Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with non-adherence to physical activity recommendations using 95% confidence interval of adjusted odds ratio at P-value of < 0.05.Overall, 61.2% of participants were non-adherent to physical activity recommendations. Older age (AOR = 6.6; 95%CI (2.3-19)), female sex (AOR = 6.1; 95%CI (3.5-10.5)), lower educational status (AOR = 0.5; 95%CI (.28-0.93)), less community engagement (AOR = 2.7;95% CI (1.3-5.5)), lower level of happiness (AOR = 4.7; 95%CI (1.3-16.8)) and physical inactivity of family members (AOR = 2.5; 95%CI (1.4-4.3)) were associated with non-adherence. The prevalence of non-adherence to physical activity recommendations in the study area is high. Age, sex, educational status, community engagement, level of happiness and physical inactivity of family members were predictors of non-adherence to the recommendations. Interventions have to target females and older adults. Community participation and family based physical activity have to be advocated to avert the consequences of physical inactivity.

Prevalence of Tungiasis and its risk factors of among children of Mettu woreda, southwest Ethiopia, 2020.

Tungiasis is caused by the flea tunga penetrans and results in painful skin lesions, skin infections, and permanent disability. However, limited information is available that shows the magnitude of the problem and its risk factors that help for intervention in Ethiopia. The goal of this study was to determine the prevalence and risk factors of tungiasis in children aged 5 to 14 in Mettu woreda in 2020. A community based cross sectional study was conducted among randomly selected kebeles of Mettu woreda, in Southwest Ethiopia. To select study participants, multistage sampling was used. The data were collected through physical examination of the children, interview of parents/guardians of the children, and observation of the home environment using checklists and questionnaires. The descriptive analysis was done for socio-demographic characteristics, prevalence of tungiasis, and housing conditions. A logistic regression analysis was performed, and variables in multivariable regression reported odds ratios and their 95% confidence intervals once the variables were identified using a p-value of 0.05 as a risk factor of statistical significance. The prevalence of tungiasis among children 5-14 years of age in Mettu rural woreda was 52 percent (n = 821). As a risk factor, large family size (AOR: 2.9, 95% CI: 2.13, 4.40); school attendance (AOR: 1.5, 95% CI: 1.02, 2.18), floor inside the house (AOR: 3.8, 95% CI: 1.76, 8.43); having sleeping bed (AOR: 0.16, 95% CI: 0.03, 0.82); access to protected water sources (AOR: 0.24, 95% CI: 0.15, 0.39); access to improved toilet facilities(AOR: 0.63: 95% CI: 0.44, 0.89); access to electric services (AOR: 0.30, 95% CI: 0.15, 0.62); and lack of own farmland (AOR: 0.36, 95% CI: 0.26, 0.50) were found. Therefore, planning and implementation of interventions focus on those risk factors that are particularly important. Water, sanitation and hygiene interventions, and livelihood improvement interventions are required to solve the problem in the setting.

Co-occurrence of Behavioral Risk Factors of Non-communicable Diseases and Social Determinants among Adults in Urban Centers of Southwestern Ethiopia in 2020: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Non-communicable diseases are priority global health problems. Smoking, harmful alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, and an unhealthy diet are four behavioral risk factors of these diseases. Studies in Ethiopia have focused on establishing associations between these factors and incommunicable diseases. OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence, co-occurrence, and social determinants of behavioral risk factors of non-communicable diseases among adults in urban centers of southwestern Ethiopia. METHODS: This study employed a cross-sectional design. Multistage sampling and the Kish method were used. The WHO's STEPS instrument was used for data collection. Proportions and other descriptive measures are used to describe the data. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression was run to assess associations. Associations between dependent and independent variables were determined using AORs, 95% CIs, and significance level of P=0.05. RESULTS: A total of 1,191 adults participated in the study for a 93.3% response rate. In sum, 4.8% of participants were smokers and 15.6% indulge in harmful drinking. Prevalence of physical inactivity was 60.45%, and 94.8% consumed insufficient fruit and vegetables. Regarding co-occurrence of these factors, 65.5% of participants had two or more behavioral risk factors. Female sex (AOR 3.1, 95% CI 1.8-5.5), no formal employment (AOR 1.9, 95% CI 1.02-3.7), greater wealth (AOR 2.44, 95% CI 1.1-5.1), not having a friend who does physical exercise (AOR 2.7, 95% CI 1.5-4.7), having friends who do not drink (AOR 0.20, 95% CI 0.09-0.44), and participating in community activities (AOR 2.95, 95% CI 1.4-6.0) were associated with co-occurrence of behavioral risk factors of non-communicable diseases. CONCLUSION: The prevalence and co-occurrence of behavioral risk factors of non-communicable diseases in the study area are alarming. Several factors were associated with co-occurrence of these factors. Community-based interventions have to be implemented considering family settings. Special focus has to be given to physical inactivity and fruit and vegetable consumption.