Prevalence of dental caries and relation with nutritional status among school-age children in resource limited setting of southern Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Globally, dental caries appears a major public health problem and a widespread non -communicable disease. It is more prevalent among children school-age children (6-12 years), However, there are few studies that correlate dental caries with nutritional status. Thus, this study aims to determine the relation of dental caries with nutritional status among school-age children at resource limited setting of southern Ethiopia. METHODOLOGY: A community-based cross sectional study was employed on randomly selected 761 school-age children of Areka town. Data were collected by face-to-face interviewer-administered questionnaire and clinical assessment of dental caries. After that, the collected data were entered into Epi data 3.2.1 and exported to SPSS 20 for further analysis. On the other hand, bivariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were used to identify the association of dependent and independent variables. p Value < 0.05 was considered to declare a result as statistically significant. RESULTS: Prevalence of dental caries among school-age children was 15.6%  (95% CI 13.0-18.5). In technical senses, 4.3% (95% CI 2.9-5.8%) of children were underweight and 14.2% (95% CI 11.7-16.6%) were overweight. However, it has been unfolded that the relationship between dental caries and nutritional status was not statistically significant with a p value (p = 0.32). Factors associated with dental caries were educational status of a mother AOR 3.14, (95% CI 1.03-9.56), not cleaning teeth AOR 7.70, (95% CI 4.00-14.85), sugared coffee drinking AOR 3.22, (95% CI 1.68-6.18.0), sweet food consumption AOR 4.19, (95% CI 1.76-9.96) and non-consuming milk AOR 5.66 ( 95% CI 1.49-21.49). CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION: Dental caries at south Ethiopia were low compared to WHO's reports on oral health on school-age children. Tooth cleaning habit, parental education, sweet food consumption and milk consumption are associated factors. Therefore, behavioral intervention on dental hygiene and dietary practices are mandatory for school-age children.

Determinants of Pregnancy-Induced Hypertension among Mothers Attending Public Hospitals in Wolaita Zone, South Ethiopia: Findings from Unmatched Case-Control Study.

BACKGROUND: It has been estimated that approximately 14% of maternal death has resulted due to pregnancy-induced hypertension. Evidence also suggests that pregnancy-induced hypertension may result in adverse maternal and child outcomes. The aim of this study was to assess the determinants of pregnancy-induced hypertension among mothers attending antenatal and delivery services at public health hospitals in Wolaita zone, southern Ethiopia. METHODS: An institutionally based unmatched case-control study was conducted at three public hospitals. A total of 283 study participants were recruited for this study. Cases were selected consecutively as they were being diagnosed for pregnancy-induced hypertension, and two controls were selected for each case. Data were collected via the face-to-face interview technique using a pretested questionnaire. Unconditional logistic regression analysis was used to identify the independent predictor variables and produced odds ratio (OR) as a measure of association. RESULTS: The mean ± (SD) ages of cases and controls were 26.1 ± 5.4 and 26.1 ± 4.5 years, respectively. Being rural residents (AOR: 2.25, 95% CI: 1.09-4.65), illiterate (AOR: 3.12, 95% CI: 1.20-8.08), having the history of pregnancy-induced hypertension (AOR: 6.62, 95% CI: 2.48-17.71), history of kidney disease (AOR: 3.14, 95% CI: 1.05-9.38), and family history of hypertension (AOR: 5.59, 95% CI: 2.73-11.45) were determinants that increased the odds of suffering from hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. More importantly, eating vegetables and fruit reduces the odds of suffering from pregnancy-induced hypertension by 77% (AOR: 0.23, 95% CI: 0.06-0.79). CONCLUSION: Being rural residents, illiterate, having a history of pregnancy-induced hypertension, and history of kidney disease, as well as the family history of hypertension were identified determinates of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy in the study area. Furthermore, fruit and vegetable intakes were identified as protective factors for pregnancy-induced hypertension. Therefore, early diagnosis and intervention of this disorder are warranted to reduce adverse outcomes.

Tuberculosis and Public Health Care Workers: Infection Prevention and Control Practices and Associated Factors Among Governmental Health Centers and Hospitals in Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia.

PURPOSE: Institutional settings, including health care facilities, have been identified to be at high risk of tuberculosis (TB) transmissions. But no study has been conducted in hospitals and health centers concurrently in Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess tuberculosis infection prevention and control (TBIPC) practices and associated factors among public health care workers in Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A facility-based cross-sectional quantitative study supplemented with qualitative interview and observation was conducted in 16 sampled governmental health facilities in Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia, from 25 July 2020 to 25 August 2020. A multistage sampling technique was used to select 748 health care workers, while purposive sampling was used to identify participants for the qualitative study. RESULTS: The proportion of proper TBIPC practices was 44.78%. Years of service (AOR=4.182, 95% CI: 2.024-8.639), working in a TB clinic (AOR=4.009, 95% CI: 1.311-12.261), working in an anti-retroviral therapy clinic (AOR=2.796, 95% CI: 1.009-7.743), TB-related training (AOR=0.024, 95% CI: 11.483-34.92), availability of personal protective equipment (AOR=1.712, 95% CI: 1.057-2.776), good knowledge of TBIPC measures (AOR=2.66, 95% CI: 1.119-4.196), and positive attitude (AOR=2.011, 95% CI: 1.242-3.255) were significantly associated with proper TBIPC practices. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION: The proportion of proper TBIPC practices among public health care workers was low in the study area. For better intervention, further studies could focus on experimental research into possible factors that are responsible for TBIPC practices in health care facilities in the study area.

Substance use and associated factors among preparatory school students in Bale Zone, Oromia Regional State, Southeast Ethiopia.

INTRODUCTION: The use of cigarettes, alcohol, khat, and other substances is a worldwide threat which especially affects young people and which is also common among the youth of Ethiopia. However, its prevalence and associated factors have not been addressed well yet. Thus, this study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of substance use among preparatory school students in Bale Zone, Oromia Regional State, Southeast Ethiopia. METHODS: An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 603 randomly selected students from five of eight preparatory schools of Bale Zone, Oromia Regional State, Southeast Ethiopia, in March 2013. The sample size was calculated by a single population proportion formula and allocated proportionally for the schools based on the number of students. A pretested structured questionnaire was used to collect the data. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 16.0. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate logistic regressions were employed to identify the predictors of substance use. RESULT: The overall current prevalence of substance use among the respondents was 34.8% (210). Specifically, 23.6% (102) and 4.6% (28) of the respondents chewed khat and smoked cigarette, respectively. Sex, age, and substance use status of the respondents' father, mother, siblings, and best friend had an association with substance use. Male respondents were about ten times more at risk of practicing substance use compared to female respondents [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 11.37, 95% confidence interval (CI) 4.42-29.23]. Respondents whose sibling(s) smokes cigarette were four times more likely to use substance (AOR 4.44, 95% CI 1.11-17.79). Respondents whose best friend chews khat were 11 times more likely to use substance when compared with those whose best friend does not practice the given factor (AOR 11.15, 95% CI 4.43-28.07). CONCLUSION: Respondents whose family uses one or more substances were more likely use substance(s). Respondents whose best friend uses substance(s) were more prone to practice substance use. Fifteen years of age of the respondents was the critical age when they began to practice substance use. Sex and family of the respondents were the predicting factors for them to practice substance use or not. Hence, health extension workers and district health workers should tackle substance use of the respondents through focusing the identified factors.

Smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis and its risk factors among tuberculosis suspect in South East Ethiopia; a hospital based cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis remains a deadly infectious disease, affecting millions of people worldwide. Ethiopia ranks seventh among the twenty two high tuberculosis burden countries. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis and its associated risk factors in Goba and Robe hospitals of Bale zone. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on tuberculosis suspected patients from February-May 2012. Sputum samples were examined for acid fast bacilli using Ziehl-Neelsen staining and interview was conducted for each patient. Descriptive statistics, binary logistic and multivariable logistic regression analyses were employed to identify factors associated with pulmonary tuberculosis infection. RESULT: The prevalence of smear positive tuberculosis was 9.2%. Age >36 (AOR = 3.54, 95% CI = 1. 3-9.82), marital status (AOR = 8.40, 95% CI = 3.02-23.20), family size (AOR = 4. 10, 95% CI = 1.60-10.80), contact with active tuberculosis patient (AOR = 5. 90; 95% CI = 2. 30-15.30), smoking cigarette regularly (AOR = 3. 90; 95% CI = 1. 20-12.40), and human immunodeficiency virus sero-status (AOR = 11. 70; 95% CI = 4. 30-31.70) were significantly associated with smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis was high in the study area. Age, marital status, family size, history of contact with active tuberculosis patient, smoking cigarettes, and HIV sero-status were among the risk factors significantly associated with acquiring tuberculosis. Hence, strict pulmonary tuberculosis screening of HIV patients and intensification of health education to avoid risk factors identified are recommended.