Five-Year Trend Analysis of Malaria Prevalence in Dembecha Health Center, West Gojjam Zone, Northwest Ethiopia: A Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease known to cause significant numbers of morbidities and mortalities across the globe. In Ethiopia, its transmission is generally seasonal and highly unstable due to variations in topography and rainfall patterns. Studying the trends in malaria in different setups is crucial for area-specific evidence-based interventions, informed decisions, and to track the effectiveness of malaria control programs. The trend in malaria infections in the area has not been documented. Hence, this study aimed to assess the five-year trend in microscopically confirmed malaria cases in Dembecha Health Center, West Gojjam Zone, Amhara national regional state, Ethiopia. METHODS: A health facility-based retrospective study was conducted in Dembecha Health Center from February to April 2018. All microscopically confirmed malaria cases registered between 2011/12 and 2015/16 were carefully reviewed from laboratory record books and analyzed accordingly. RESULTS: A total of 12,766 blood films were requested over the last five years at Dembecha Health Center. The number of microscopically confirmed malaria cases was 2086 (16.34%). The result showed a fluctuating yet declining trend in malaria infections. The highest number of cases was registered in 2012/13, while the lowest was in 2015/16. Males and age groups >20 constituted 58.9% and 44.2% of the patients, respectively, being the hardest hit by malaria in the area. Malaria existed in almost every month and seasons. Plasmodium falciparum was the predominant species. The highest peak of malaria infections was observed in the late transition (October-December) 799 (38.3%) and early transition (May-June) 589 (28.2%) seasons. CONCLUSION: Although the results indicate a fluctuating yet declining trend, the prevalence of confirmed malaria cases in the area remains alarming and indicates a major public health burden. Therefore, close monitoring and intervention measures to control malaria infections in the area and also to tackle the dominant species, Plasmodium falciparum, are necessitated accordingly.

Incidence and predictors of surgical site infection following cesarean section in North-west Ethiopia: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Following delivery by caesarean section, surgical site infection is the most common infectious complication. Despite a large number of caesarean sections performed at Debre Markos Referral Hospital, there was no study documenting the incidence of surgical site infection after caesarean section. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate the incidence of surgical site infection following caesarean section at Debre-Markos Referral Hospital in Amhara region, North-west Ethiopia. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted among 520 pregnant women who had a caesarean section between March 28, 2019 and August 31, 2019. Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative data were collected using a standardized questionnaire. Data was entered using EpiData™ Entry Version 4.1 software and analyzed using R Version 3.6.1 software. A descriptive analysis was conducted using tables, interquartile ranges and median. The time to development of surgical site infection was estimated using Kaplan-Meier method. The Cox regression model for bivariable and multivariable analyses was done. Adjusted Hazard Ratio (AHR) with 95% Confidence Interval (CI) was reported to show the strength of association. RESULT: The mean age of the study cohort was 27.4 ± 4.8 years. The overall cumulative incidence of surgical site infection was 25.4% with an incidence of 11.7 (95% CI:9.8,13.9) per 1000 person/days. Not able to read and write (AHR = 1.30,95% CI:1.19,2.11), no antenatal care (AHR = 2.16, 95%CI:1.05,4.53), previous history of CS (AHR = 1.21, 95% CI:1.11,2.31), HIV positive (AHR = 1.39, 95% CI:1.21,2.57), emergency procedure (AHR = 1.13, 95% CI:1.11,2.43), vertical type of incision (AHR = 2.60, 95% CI:1.05,6.44), rupture of membrane (AHR = 1.50, 95% CI:1.31,1.64), multiple vaginal examination (AHR = 1.88, 95% CI: 1.71, 3.20) were significant predictors of surgical site infection in this study. CONCLUSION: This study concluded that the incidence of surgical site infection following caesarean section was relatively high compared to previous studies. Not able to read and write, have no ante natal care, previous history of caesarean section, HIV, emergency surgery, vertical type of incision, rupture of membranes before caesarean section, and multiple vaginal examinations were significant predictors of surgical site infection in this study. Therefore, intervention programs should focus on and address the identified factors to minimize and prevent the infection rate after caesarean section.

Induced Second Trimester Abortion and Associated Factors at Debre Markos Referral Hospital: Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Although most induced abortions in Ethiopia are performed in the first trimester, many women will still require second trimester abortions. While access to abortion in Ethiopia is limited, few data are being available concerning the demand for and associated outcomes of second trimester abortions. This knowledge is important for planning the health service response to abortion. OBJECTIVE: The main objective of this study was to determine the proportion and associated factors of second trimester abortion among women presenting for abortion care services at Debre Markos Referral Hospital, Debre Markos, Northwest Ethiopia. METHODS: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted at Debre Markos Referral Hospital on a sample of 262 calculated using the single population proportion formula. Women who sought abortion services were interviewed consecutively from 12 February 2017 to 14 March 2017. Data were collected in a face-to-face exit interview and document review and analyzed using SPSS version 24.0 software. Bivariate and multivariable analyses were undertaken to identify factors. RESULT: Of the women who presented for abortion care services in Debre Markos Referral Hospital, 73 (29.6%) had induced second trimester abortion. Unmarried women (adjusted odds ratio = 4.93, 95% confidence interval = 1.41-17.16) and women employed at private business (adjusted odds ratio = 6.17, 95% confidence interval = 1.16-32.76) were associated with induced second trimester abortion. CONCLUSION: This study revealed that almost one-third of women who presented for abortion care services at Debre Markos Referral Hospital had induced second trimester abortions. Raising awareness of the health consequence of second trimester abortion at community levels and counseling to avoid further occurrences are helpful to minimize the problem. Furthermore, early management of induced second trimester abortion is very crucial to prevent further complications.

Trends and spatial distributions of HIV prevalence in Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Globally, by the end of 2018, 37.9 million people were living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Sub-Saharan Africa carries the highest burden with an estimated 71% of the global total. In Ethiopia, an estimated 715 404 people were living with HIV in 2015 and this increased to 722 248 in 2017. This study was to explore the trends and spatial distributions of HIV cases in Ethiopia. METHODS: In this study, we explored the spatial and temporal distribution of persons living with HIV in Ethiopia using data from 2005, 2011, and 2016 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Surveys (EDHS). Geographic information system (Getis-Ord Gi* statistics) and spatial scan statistics (SaTScan) were used for exploratory and confirmatory spatial analyses respectively. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of HIV in Ethiopia unveiled inconsistent trends, with the majority of areas showing decreasing trends. Hot spot clusters exhibited in all the three surveys, which include areas where Amhara, Afar and Tigray regions share neighbourhoods. In 2005 regionally, Gambella, Addis Ababa, and Harari had the highest prevalence at 6.0, 4.7 and 3.5%, respectively. While in the 2016 survey the highest prevalence (4.8%) was observed in Gambella regional state followed by Addis Ababa (3.4%). CONCLUSIONS: The distribution of HIV infection in Ethiopia is not random in all the three EDHS surveys. High clusters of HIV cases were consistently observed in Addis Ababa and neighbouring areas of the Afar Tigray and Amhara regional states and central Oromia. This analysis revealed that there are still areas which need studying with respect to the epidemic of HIV. In this regard Addis Ababa, certain areas of Amhara regional state, large areas of Afar region and central Oromia require special attention.

Hepatitis B And Hepatitis C Viral Infections And Associated Factors Among Patients With Diabetes Visiting Gondar Referral Teaching Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia: A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: The liver is the major site of Hepatitis B virus and Hepatitis C virus replications. Patients with diabetes tend to be at an increased risk for developing various forms of liver diseases. The infection of the liver can cause or exacerbate diabetes. On the other hand, diabetes can cause or intensify the severity of liver infection. This comparative cross-sectional study was conducted with the aim to determine the prevalence of Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C virus infections and associated factors among patients with diabetes visiting the University of Gondar referral teaching hospital, northwest Ethiopia. RESULTS: Out of the 610 participants (305 patients with diabetes, 305 people with no diabetes) of the study, 65 (10.7%) were positive for Hepatitis infections, of whom 44 (14.4%) and 21 (6.9%) were positive for at least one of the viruses in patients with diabetes and people with no diabetes, respectively. Out of the diabetic and non-diabetic groups of the study, 26 (8.5%) and 14 (4.6%) (95% CI, 0.96-4.02) were positive for Hepatitis B virus, respectively, while 23 (7.5%) and 7 (2.3%) (95% CI, 1.46-8.68) of the diabetes and non-diabetic groups were positive for Hepatitis C virus, respectively. History of blood transfusion (95% CI, 1.36-12.71) and unprotected sex (95% CI, 1.25-10.15) were significantly associated with Hepatitis B virus infection, while the type of diabetes (95% CI, 1.25-10.89) was associated with anti-Hepatitis C virus positivity. CONCLUSION: Positivity for Hepatitis C virus was significantly associated with Type II diabetes. Blood transfusion and unprotected sex were risk factors for Hepatitis B virus infections. Further studies that elaborate temporal associations and find out explanations for the relationship between diabetes and Hepatitis C viral infections are of paramount importance.

Diabetes Mellitus and Its Association with Hypertension in Ethiopia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a growing public health concern globally, including Ethiopia. Although numerous studies have been published from different parts of Ethiopia, no attempt is made so far to estimate the burden of DM at the national level. This study aims to estimate the pooled prevalence of DM and its association with hypertension in Ethiopia. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted in major databases. Two authors extracted the necessary data and analysis was conducted using STATA version 14. Heterogeneity across the studies was evaluated by Cochran's Q test and I2 statistics. RESULTS: Eighteen studies with a total of 45,284 participants were included in this review. The pooled prevalence of DM was 4.99% (95% CI: 3.86%, 6.11%). Hypertension was significantly associated with DM (OR: 8.32; 95% CI: 3.05, 22.71). CONCLUSION: The burden of DM in Ethiopia is considerable, and the association between diabetes and hypertension is significant. Based on the evidence, this review recommends establishing the coordinated national programs that counteract the increasing burden of DM in the country is very essential. In addition, Early hypertension screening should be done in diabetic patients to control co-morbidity and further complications.

Determinants of adherence to anti-hypertensive medications among adult hypertensive patients on follow-up in Hawassa Referral Hospital: A case-control study.

INTRODUCTION: Hypertension is a global challenge which accounts for high morbidity and mortality rates in the world. The availability of effective anti-hypertensive medications does not result in a good outcome in controlling blood pressure which points towards poor adherence. Thus, this study was conducted to assess the determinants of adherence to anti-hypertensive medication among hypertensive patients on follow-up in Hawassa Referral Hospital. METHODS: Institution-based case-control study was conducted on a sample of 289 clients from February to May 2018. Census was conducted on 1600 clients to select cases and controls. Then, systematic random sampling was used to select study subjects, and adherence was measured by Morisky medication adherence scale. The associations of variables were analyzed using bivariable followed by multivariable logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: The respondent's adherence to medication was found to be 67% as measured by Morisky medication adherence scale. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that medication adherence was found to be better in younger age (<45) (AOR = 3.8), clients living in urban areas (AOR = 6.84), those clients who had good knowledge (AOR = 3.13), those with no co-morbidities (AOR = 3.14) and patients who controlled their blood pressure (<140/90) (AOR = 2.35). CONCLUSIONS: The rate of medication adherence was found to be low, and hence educational interventions focusing on factors promoting adherence and patients' health support should be implemented.

Intimate partner violence and associated factors among pregnant women in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) during pregnancy is a serious public health concern globally. Within Sub-Saharan Africa nearly 40% of women reported abuse by their intimate partners. In Ethiopia, study findings regarding prevalence and associated factors of IPV among pregnant women have been inconsistently reported and highly variable. Thus, this systematic review and meta-analysis estimates the pooled prevalence of IPV and associated factors among pregnant women in Ethiopia. METHODS: International databases (i.e., PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Google Scholar, Science Direct, and the Cochrane Library) were systematically searched during the period of January 1 to February 13, 2018. All identified observational studies reporting the prevalence of IPV and associated factors among pregnant women in Ethiopia were considered. Two authors (AA and CT) independently extracted all necessary data using a standardized data extraction format. Extracted quantitative data were analyzed using STATA Version 13. Heterogeneity among the included studies was assessed through the Cochrane Q test statistics and I2 test. Finally, a random effects meta-analysis model was computed to estimate the pooled prevalence of IPV. Associations between factors and IPV were also examined using a random effects model. RESULTS: After reviewing 605 studies, eight studies involving 2691 pregnant women fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included in this meta-analysis. The findings of these eight studies revealed that a 26.1% (95% CI: 20, 32.3) overall prevalence of IPV among pregnant women in Ethiopia. The subgroup analysis of this study further revealed the highest observed prevalence was in Oromia region (35%), followed by Amhara region (29%). Mothers'educational status (OR: 2.1, 95% CI: 1.1, 3.7), intimate partners' educational status (OR: 3.5, 95%CI: 1.4, 8.5), and intimate partners' alcohol use (OR: 11.4, 95%CI: 2.3, 56.6) were significantly associated with IPV among pregnant women. CONCLUSION: This study found that the prevalence of IPV among pregnant women in Ethiopia was quite common; with slightly more than 1 in 4, pregnant women experienced IPV during pregnancy. Mothers' educational status, intimate partners' educational status, and intimate partners' alcohol use were factors significantly associated with IPV among pregnant women.

Exclusive breastfeeding practice in Ethiopia and its association with antenatal care and institutional delivery: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Despite the World Health Organization recommendation of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) for the first six months of life, the rate remains low both in developed and developing countries. In Ethiopia, findings regarding the prevalence of EBF have been highly variable. Antenatal care and institutional delivery are the most important factors contributing to the practice of EBF however; their effect has not been investigated in Ethiopia. METHODS: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, international databases were systematically searched. All observational studies reporting the prevalence of EBF and its association with antenatal care and institutional delivery in Ethiopia were considered. Two authors independently extracted all necessary data using a standardized data extraction format. A random effects meta-analysis model was computed to estimate the pooled prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding. Moreover, the association of antenatal care and institutional delivery with EBF was determined. RESULTS: After reviewing 619 studies, 32 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of EBF in Ethiopia was 59.3% (95% Confidence Interval [CI] 53.8, 64.8). The subgroup analysis indicated that the highest prevalence was observed in Afar region (65.6%), followed by SNNP (63.8%), and then by Oromia (61.8%). Additionally, mothers who attended antenatal visits were 2.1 times more likely to practice EBF compared to their counterparts (Odds Ratio [OR] 2.1; 95% CI 1.5, 2.8). Moreover, mothers who gave birth at a health institution were 2.2 times more likely to practice EBF compared to mothers who gave birth at home (OR 2.2; 95% CI 1.3, 3.5). CONCLUSIONS: Exclusive breastfeeding in Ethiopia was significantly lower than the global recommendations. There was evidence that mothers who attended antenatal visits and who gave birth at health institutions had better EBF practices. Based on our findings, we strongly recommended that the utilization of antenatal care and institutional delivery should be improved through health extension workers.

Household latrine utilization and its association with educational status of household heads in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Ethiopia has been experiencing a high prevalence of communicable diseases, which resulted in high morbidity, mortality, and hospital admission rates. One of the highest contributing factors for this is lower level of latrine utilization. There had been significantly varying finding reports with regard to the level of latrine utilization and its association with education level from different pocket studies in the country. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis was aimed to estimate the pooled prevalence of household latrine utilization and its association with education status of household heads, in Ethiopia using available studies. METHODS: This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted using available data from the international databases, including PubMed, Google Scholar, Science direct, Cochrane library and unpublished reports. All observational studies reporting the prevalence of latrine utilization in Ethiopia were included. Four authors independently extracted all necessary data using a standardized data extraction format. STATA 13 statistical software was used to analyze the data. The Cochrane Q test statistics and I2 test were used to assess the heterogeneity between the studies. A random effect model was computed to estimate the pooled level of latrine utilization in Ethiopia. In addition, the association between latrine utilization and the educational level of the users was analyzed. RESULTS: After reviewing of 1608 studies, 17 studies were finally included in our meta-analysis. The result of 16 studies revealed that the pooled prevalence of latrine utilization level in Ethiopia was 50.02% (95%CI: 40.23, 59.81%). The highest level (67.4%) of latrine utilization was reported from Southern Nations Nationality and People regional state, followed by Amhara regional state (50.1%). Participants who completed their high school and above education were more likely (OR: 1.79, 95%CI: 1.05, 3.05) to utilize latrine compared to those who did not attend formal education. CONCLUSION: In Ethiopia, only half of the households utilize latrine and the level of utilization has significant association with educational status.

Prevalence and associated factors of overweight/ obesity among children and adolescents in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Overweight and obesity can be defined as excessive and abnormal fat depositions in our body. They have become one of the emerging and serious public health concerns of the twenty-first century in low income countries like Ethiopia. Hence, the aim of this study was to determine the pooled prevalence and review associated risk factors of overweight/obesity among children and adolescents in Ethiopia. METHOD: The articles were identified through explicit and reproducible electronic search of reputable databases (PubMed, Google scholar, Science Direct, EMBASE, Cochrane library), and the hand search of reference lists of previous prevalence studies to retrieve more related articles. The 18 studies were selected based on a comprehensive list of inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data were extracted using a standardized and pre-tested data extraction checklist, and the analysis was done using STATA 14 statistical software. To assess heterogeneity, the Cochrane Q test statistic and I2 tests were used. Since the included studies exhibited considerable heterogeneity, a random effect model was used to estimate the pooled prevalence of overweight/obesity. Moreover, the risk factors of overweight/obesity were reviewed. RESULTS: The combined pooled prevalence of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents in Ethiopia was 11.30% (95% CI: 8.71, 13.88%). Also, the separate pooled prevalence of overweight and obesity were 8.92 and 2.39%, respectively. Subgroup analysis revealed that the highest overweight/obesity prevalence among children and adolescents was observed in Addis Ababa, 11.94 (95% CI: 9.39, 14.50). Female gender of the children: 3.23 (95% CI 2.03,5.13), high family socioeconomic status: 3.16 (95% CI 1.87,5.34), learning in private school: 3.22 (95% CI 2.36,4.40), physical inactivity: 3.36 (95% CI 1.68,6.72), sweet nutriments preference: 2.78 (95% CI 1.97,3.93) and less use of fruits/vegetables: 1.39 (95% CI 1.10,1.75) have shown a positive association with the development of overweight/obesity among children and adolescents. CONCLUSION: The pooled prevalence of overweight/obesity among children and adolescents in Ethiopia is substantially high, and has become an emerging nutrition linked problem. Female gender, high family socioeconomic status, learning in private school, physical inactivity, sweet nutriments preference and less use of fruits/vegetables were found to be significantly associated with overweight/obesity.

Magnitude of Turnover Intention and Associated Factors among Health Professionals Working in Public Health Institutions of North Shoa Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Health workers are one of the most important building blocks of the health system. High turnover rate contribute to the shortfalls and unbalanced distribution of health personnel in the health workforce. Turnover intention is the strongest predictor of actual turnover. OBJECTIVE: To assess the magnitude of turnover intention and associated factors among health professionals working in public health institutions of North Shoa Zone, Amhara region, Ethiopia. METHODS: A health facility based cross-sectional study was conducted from March to April 2016, on 612 health professionals working in public health institutions of North Shoa Zone, Amhara region, Ethiopia, using a multistage stratified sampling technique. Data were collected using a pretested self-administered structured questionnaire. The data were entered using Epidata version 3.1 and analyzed using SPSS version 22 software. Descriptive statistics were conducted to summarize the sample characteristics. Backward stepwise logistic regression model was fitted and AOR with 95% CI was calculated to identify the associated factors. P-value <0.05 was taken as a cut-off point for statistical significance. Ethical issues were addressed. RESULTS: Among the 568 health professionals who responded to the questionnaire, 348 (61.3%) of them reported to have the intention to leave their current workplaces. The results showed that being a male [AOR = 1.496 (95% CI: 1.016, 2.204)], medical doctor [AOR = 0.318 (95% CI: 0.122, 0.824)], unsatisfied with the work nature [AOR = 1.822 (95% CI: 1.206, 2.753)], unsatisfied with the incentives [AOR = 1.668 (95% CI: 1.105, 2.517)], and unsatisfied with the supervision [AOR = 1.916 (95% CI: 1.274, 2.881)] and having low normative commitment [AOR = 2.176 (95% CI: 1.482, 3.196)] were significantly associated with turnover intention of the health professionals. CONCLUSIONS: The magnitude of turnover intention was high among health professionals working in public health institutions of North Shoa Zone. Health service managers and policymakers should develop evidence based retention strategies considering the determinants of health professionals' intention to leave.