ABSTRACT
Background: Gastrointestinal disease is a significant global health problem. Symptoms related to digestive system diseases negatively affect quality of life and impose a significant economic impact. Upper gastrointestinal symptoms are common in the Ethiopian population, and the associated pathologies are diverse. Real-time endoscopic visualization of the upper gastrointestinal tract is crucial for diagnosis. However, local data on the indications for endoscopic evaluation and the common underlying pathologies are limited. This study aimed to assess the common indications and upper gastrointestinal endoscopic findings of patients presenting to Saint Paul's Hospital Millennium Medical College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted by reviewing the complete records of patients who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopic evaluation between January 2012 and December 2019. A structured checklist was used to screen records for completeness. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software version 25. Chi-square test was used to compare variables, with statistical significance set at P < 0.05. Results: A total of 5753 patients underwent complete upper gastrointestinal tract endoscopic evaluation during the study period. The median age of the patients was 37 years. Males accounted for 63.4% of the patients. Dyspepsia (27.8%) was the most common indication for upper gastrointestinal endoscopic evaluation, followed by upper gastrointestinal bleeding (17.1%), and screening for varices (16.8%). Esophageal varices (35.8%), gastritis (18.1%), and duodenal ulcers (10.6%) were the most common pathologies found on esophagus, stomach, and duodenum, respectively. Common upper gastrointestinal pathologies are predominant among males and patients in their third decade of life. Conclusion: Dyspepsia was the most common indication for endoscopic evaluation of the upper gastrointestinal tract. Esophageal varices were the most common pathological finding, followed by gastroesophageal reflux disease, gastritis, portal hypertensive gastropathy, duodenal ulcer, and hiatal hernia. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy remains a vital tool for the diagnosis of pathologies of the upper gastrointestinal tract.
ABSTRACT
Purpose: The absence of high-quality and timely informed consent creates a barrier between the health-care provider and the patient that reinforces a negative view of the healthcare system, deters utilization of health-care services and increases malpractice lawsuits. This research aimed to assess the quality of informed consent in cesarean section (CS) at a large tertiary care center in Ethiopia. Patients and Methods: An institutional cross-sectional study was conducted on 288 women who underwent planned or emergency CS. A structured questionnaire for respondents with standard indicators was developed as per the recommendations of the Royal College of Surgeons for the evaluation of the completeness of the informed consent document on the medical records. Results: The median (IQR) age of the participants was 28 (25.0-32.0) years and 203 (70.5%) has undergone emergency CS. More than half of the respondents 172 (59.7%) were unaware of who would perform the surgery and only 50 (17.4%) of respondents stated they were informed of complications of the CS. A total of 157 (56.3%) of responses fulfilled the criteria for adequate subjective informed consent with an affirmative response while only 109 (37.9%) of responses fulfilled the criteria for adequate objective informed consent. Only educational status of the patient was associated with subjective adequacy of informed consent with those who have some formal education having 2.05 times odds of having adequate subjective consent as compared to those with no formal education. Conclusion: In this study, we have found that women undergoing CS receive inadequate informed consent. This inadequate informed consent occurs across planned and emergency CS. The results highlight the need for better consent process to increase patient awareness and promote patient-centered-care.
ABSTRACT
Background: Obesity is an emerging public health problem in developing countries. There is limited study conducted in Ethiopia to determine the prevalence of obesity and its associated factors among adult population. Therefore, this study aimed at determining the prevalence of overweight/obesity and the associated factors among adults aged 25-64 years in Addis Ababa city community residents, Ethiopia. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from April 10, 2017, to May 20, 2017, in Addis Ababa. A total of 512 adults were recruited. A two-stage cluster followed by a systematic random sampling technique was used for sample selection. Data were collected using questionnaires and anthropometric measurements. The adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with a 95% CI was reported to show the strength of association. A P value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 484 adults participated in the study with a response rate of 94.5%. The prevalence of overweight and obesity among study participants was found to be 99 (21.5%) and 14 (2.9%), respectively. Males were 90% less likely to be obese when compared to females (AOR = 0.10 (95% CI: 0.01-0.84)). Illiterate people were 94% less likely to be obese compared to those who were literate people (AOR = 0.06 (95% CI: 0.01-0.44)). Nonhypertensive individuals were 86% less likely to be obese when compared to hypertensive (AOR = 0.14 (95% CI: 0.03-0.69)). Conclusion: The combined prevalence of overweight and obesity was found to be considerably high in Addis Ababa city residents compared to the national figure. Being female, literate, and presence of hypertension are independent predictors of overweight/obesity in the study population. Thus, the concerned bodies should initiate efforts to tackle the newly emerging public health problem of the country and promote healthy lifestyle behaviors in the inhabitants of city settings.
