Prevalence and associated factors of active trachoma among children aged 1-9 years old in mass drug administration graduated and non-graduated districts in Northwest Amhara region, Ethiopia: A comparative cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Mass drug administration has implemented to reduce trachoma since 2001, however, trachoma is still the major public health problem in Amhara Region, Ethiopia. However, credible evidence on the prevalence of trachoma and its associated factors after the implementation of mass drug administration is limited. OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence and associated factors of active trachoma among children aged 1-9 years old in mass drug administration graduated and non-graduated districts in the Northwest Amhara Region. METHODS: A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted from October to November, 2019. A stratified multistage random sampling was used to select 690 households having children aged 1-9 years. Data were collected using a pretested structured questionnaire. Data were entered into Epi-data version 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 20.0 for analysis. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regressions were employed to identify factors associated with active trachoma. Crude and adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence interval were computed to assess the degree of association between the independent variables and active trachoma. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of active trachoma was 8.3% (95% CI: 6.2% -10.5%) and showed a significant variation between graduated [3.5% (95% CI: 1.8% -5.6%)] and non-graduated [13% (95% CI: 9.7%-16.8%)] districts. Living in graduated districts (AOR = 7.39, 95% CI: 3.19, 17.09), fly presence in the house (AOR = 3.14, 95% CI: 1.43, 6.89), presence of more than two children in the family (AOR = 3.78, 95%CI: 1.79, 7.98), did not wash face daily (AOR = 6.31, 95% CI: 1.81, 21.98), did not use soap during face washing (AOR = 3.34, 95% CI: 1.37, 8.15), presence of sleep in eyes (AOR = 3.16, 95% CI: 1.42, 7.02) and presence of dirt on child face (AOR = 2.44, 95% CI: 1.08, 5.50) increased the odds of having active trachoma. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of active trachoma was high in the study area and showed a significant variation between graduated and non-graduated districts with mass drug administration. Living in non-graduated districts, fly presence in the house, more than two children in a household, did not wash the face daily, did not use soap during face washing, presence of sleep in eyes, and dirt on the child's face were the significant predictors of active trachoma. Therefore, the identified modifiable factors are the area of intervention to reduce the burden of active trachoma.

Factors associated with low birthweight among newborns delivered at public health facilities of Nekemte town, West Ethiopia: a case control study.

BACKGROUND: Low birthweight (LBW) remains the most important risk factor which attributed to mortality of 15-20% of newborns across the globe. An infant with low birthweight is more likely to have stunting in childhood and develop markers of metabolic risk factors at his later age. Furthermore, LBW is a risk for inter-generational assaults of malnutrition as it is the risk for sub optimal growth until adulthood, affecting women's and male's reproductive capabilities. Thus, there is enough concern to study the determinants of LBW across different settings. Accordingly, this study was conducted to assess the determinants of low birthweight s in public health facilities of Nekemte town, West Ethiopia. METHODS: Facility based unmatched case control study was employed from February to April 2017. The data were collected using structured, pretested interviewer administered questionnaire in all public health facilities of Nekemte town. Consecutive live births of less than 2500 g in each of the hospitals and health centres were selected as cases and succeeding babies with weights of at least 2500 g as controls. Data were entered in to Epi-data software version 3.1 and exported to SPSS Version 21 and analyzed using frequency, cross-tabs and percentage. Factors with p-value < 0.25 in Bivariate analysis were entered in to multivariable logistic regression and statistical significance was considered at p-value < 0.05. RESULT: A total 279 (93 cases &186 controls) were included in the study with a mean birthweight of 2138.3 g ± SD 206.87 for cases and 3145.95 g ± SD 415.98 for controls. No iron-folate supplementation (AOR = 2.84, 95% CI, 1.15-7.03), no nutritional counselling (AOR = 4.05, 95%CI, 1.95-8.38), not taking snacks (AOR =3.25, 95%CI, 1.64-6.44), maternal under nutrition (AOR =5.62, 95%CI, 2.64-11.97), anemia (AOR = 3.54, 95%CI, 1.46-8.61) and inadequate minimum dietary diversity score of women MDDS-W (AOR = 6.65, 95%CI, 2.31-19.16) were factors associated with low birthweight . CONCLUSION: Lacking nutrition counselling during pregnancy, lacking iron/folic acid supplementation during pregnancy, not taking snacks during pregnancy, maternal under-nutrition, maternal anemia and inadequate minimum dietary diversity score of women (MDDS-W) were independently associated with LBW. Thus, public health intervention in the field of maternal and child health should address these determinants.

Perinatal Depression and Associated Factors among Mothers in Southern Ethiopia: Evidence from Arba Minch Zuria Health and Demographic Surveillance Site.

Background. Perinatal depression is a serious mental health problem that can negatively affect the lives of women and children. The adverse consequences of perinatal depression in high-income countries also occur in low-income countries. Objective. To assess the perinatal depression and associated factors among mothers in Southern Ethiopia. Methods. A community based cross-sectional study was conducted among selected 728 study participants in Arba Minch Zuria HDSS. A pretested questionnaire was used to collect the data. Data were analyzed using STATA version 12 software. Descriptive statistical methods were used to summarize the characteristics of the mothers. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression was used for analysis. Results. The prevalence of perinatal depression among the study period was 26.7%. In the final multivariable logistic regression, monthly income AOR (95% C.I): 4.2 (1.9, 9.3), parity [AOR (95% C.I): 0.14 (0.03, 0.65)], pregnancy complications AOR (95% C.I): 5 (2.5, 10.4), husband smoking status [AOR (95% C.I): 4.12 (1.6, 10.6)], history of previous depression AOR (95% C.I): 2.7 (1.54, 4.8), and family history of psychiatric disorders were the independent factors associated with perinatal depression. Conclusion. The study showed a high prevalence of perinatal depression among pregnant mothers and mothers who have less than a one-year-old child.

Water, sanitation and hygiene practice and associated factors among HIV infected people in Arba Minch town, Southern Ethiopia.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected people have substantially greater need for water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). Many opportunistic infections cause high morbidity and mortality in people living with HIV (PLHIV) than in immune competent populations. The objective of the study was to assess WASH practices and associated factors among PLHIV. A cross-sectional study design was conducted. Bivariate and multivariate logistic model was employed. According to this study, 97 (23.5%) of the households have unimproved water status, 221 (53.5%) of the households have unimproved sanitation status and 171 (41.4%) of the households have poor hygiene practice. Diarrhoea [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 16; 95% confidence interval (CI): (6, 44)] was associated with water status of the clients. Occupational status [AOR = 8.9; 95% CI: (2, 38)], wealth index [AOR = 0.23; 95% CI: (0.12, 0.4)], frequency of body washing [AOR = 0.23; 95% CI: (0.12, 0.4)] and hand washing device availability [AOR = 4.4; 95% CI: (2.5, 8)] were significantly associated with hygienic practice. It was concluded that the magnitude of the problem regarding WASH practices in HIV infected people in the study area was high. Health education and integrated additional support for the provision of WASH practices is needed.