Hotspot areas of risky sexual behaviour and associated factors in Ethiopia: Further spatial and mixed effect analysis of Ethiopian demographic health survey.

INTRODUCTION: Sexual behaviour needs to take a central position in the heart of public health policy makers and researchers. This is important in view of its association with Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), including HIV. Though the prevalence of HIV/AIDS is declining in Ethiopia, the country is still one of the hardest hit in the continent of Africa. Hence, this study was aimed at identifying hot spot areas and associated factors of risky sexual behavior (RSB). This would be vital for more targeted interventions which can produce a sexually healthy community in Ethiopia. METHODS: In this study, a cross-sectional survey study design was employed. A further analysis of the 2016 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey data was done on a total weighted sample of 10,518 women and men age 15-49 years. ArcGIS version 10.7 and Kuldorff's SaTScan version 9.6 software were used for spatial analysis. Global Moran's I statistic was employed to test the spatial autocorrelation, and Getis-Ord Gi* as well as Bernoulli-based purely spatial scan statistics were used to detect significant spatial clusters of RSB. Mixed effect multivariable logistic regression model was fitted to identify predictors and variables with a p-value ≤0.05 were considered as statistically significant. RESULT: The study subjects who had RSB were found to account about 10.2% (95% CI: 9.64%, 10.81%) of the population, and spatial clustering of RSB was observed (Moran's I = 0.82, p-value = 0.001). Significant hot spot areas of RSB were observed in Gambela, Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa. The primary and secondary SaTScan clusters were detected in Addis Ababa (RR = 3.26, LLR = 111.59, P<0.01), and almost the entire Gambela (RR = 2.95, LLR = 56.45, P<0.01) respectively. Age, literacy level, smoking status, ever heard of HIV/AIDS, residence and region were found to be significant predictors of RSB. CONCLUSION: In this study, spatial clustering of risky sexual behaviour was observed in Ethiopia, and hot spot clusters were detected in Addis Ababa, Dire Dawa and Gambela regions. Therefore, interventions which can mitigate RSB should be designed and implemented in the identified hot spot areas of Ethiopia. Interventions targeting the identified factors could be helpful in controlling the problem.

Knowledge, attitude, and practice of cervical cancer screening and its associated risk factors among family planning service users at Debre Tabor town health facilities, North Central Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study.

Background: The fourth most common cancer in women worldwide is cervical cancer. Over 87% of deaths from cervical cancer occur in developing nations. One of the risks of developing cervical cancer is the use of oral contraceptives. However, there is limited evidence on the knowledge, attitude, and practice of cervical cancer screening among family planning service users in Ethiopia. Objective: To assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice toward cervical cancer screening and its associated factors among family planning service users. Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted from January 1 to February 28, 2023. A total of 816 participants were selected using a systematic sampling technique. Data were collected using a pretested, structured, and interviewer-administered questionnaire. The collected data were entered into EPI Data 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 24 (IBM, Armonk, NY, USA) for analysis. Logistic regression was used to identify risk factors. An odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval and a p-value < 0.05 were used to declare statistical significance. Results: Overall, 42.5%, 36.6%, and 20.1% of the participants had good knowledge, a positive attitude, and practiced cervical cancer screening, respectively. Being single (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 3.39, 95% confidence intervals: 1.15-6.26), having college or university level of education (AOR = 8.03, 95% confidence intervals: 3.45-19.23), having a family history of cervical cancer (AOR = 3.14, 95% confidence intervals: 1.82-8.84), and having a source of information from the media (AOR = 1.74, 95% confidence intervals: 1.09-2.54) were significantly associated with good knowledge of cervical cancer screening. Women who were aged 15-23 years (AOR = 5.62, 95% confidence intervals: 2.76-14.56), had college- or university-level education (AOR = 3.69, 95% confidence intervals: 1.65-8.22), and had good knowledge of cervical cancer (AOR = 4.71, 95% confidence intervals: 3.08-7.55) were significantly associated with a positive attitude toward cervical cancer screening. An earlier age of first sexual intercourse (AOR = 5.0, 95% confidence intervals: 3.80-9.20) and good knowledge of cervical cancer (AOR = 1.52, 1.21-5.82) were positively associated with good practice of cervical cancer screening. Women who attended high school were negatively associated with good practice in cervical cancer screening (AOR = 0.46, 0.23-0.73). Conclusion: Knowledge, attitude, and practice toward cervical cancer screening were low. As a result, during patient visits for care delivery, healthcare providers should inform and educate patients about cervical cancer screening.

Evaluation of urine sample for diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis using rK-39 immunochromatographic test in Northwest Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Visceral leishmaniasis is the most severe form of leishmaniasis which ranks second in mortality and fourth in morbidity. Parasitological diagnostic techniques with splenic aspirate remain the gold standard. However, sample collection is risky, painful, and difficult. Alternatively, serological techniques provide good diagnostic accuracy using serum sample that is difficult for applying on small children and in the field. So, finding alternative non-invasive and self-collected samples like urine is very important. Thus, the study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of the rK-39 strip test using urine for diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis. METHODS: A multicenter institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2019 to March 2021 at Northwest Ethiopia. Sociodemographic information was collected using a structured questionnaire. Blood sample and midstream urine sample were collected for rK-39 test. Data were entered into Epi-data version 4.2 and analyzed using SPSS version 24.0. Diagnostic performance parameters of urine-based rK-39 rapid test, i.e. sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, positive and negative likelihood ratios (LR+/-), and diagnostic accuracy were determined on contingency table by using serum-based rK-39 test result as a reference. An agreement between urine and serum-based rK-39 test was statistically determined by kappa value. RESULT: In total, 300 subjects, age ranged between 7 and 60 years, were included in the study. The overall sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and diagnostic accuracy of urine-based rK-39 test were found to be 98.0% (95% CI: 93.0% - 99.8%), 95.5% (95% CI: 91.6% - 97.9%), 91.6% (95% CI: 85.2%- 95.4%), 98.9 (95% CI: 96.0%- 99.7%), and 96.33% (95% CI: 93.53-98.16%), respectively. Additionally, there was a strong agreement between the results obtained on rK-39 ICT using urine and serum samples (kappa = 0.92; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Urine-based rK-39 ICT had an excellent high sensitivity, specificity and strong agreement with serum-based rK-39 ICT results. This indicates that urine sample would be a promising noninvasive and easy to collect sample for diagnosis of VL in field and rural settings.

Community risk perception and barriers for the practice of COVID-19 prevention measures in Northwest Ethiopia: A qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: According to the World Health Organization, viral diseases continue to emerge and represent a serious issue for public health. The elderly and those with underlying chronic diseases are more likely to become severe cases. Our study sets out to present in-depth exploration and analyses of the community's risk perception and barriers to the practice of COVID-19 prevention measures in South Gondar Zone, Northwest Ethiopia. METHODS: A qualitative study was done in three districts of South Gondar Zone. Community key informants and health extension workers were selected purposely for in-depth interviews and focus group discussion. The interviews were conducted by maintaining WHO recommendations for social distancing and use of appropriate personal protective equipment. The sample size for the study depended on the theoretical saturation of the data at the time of data collection. The qualitative data generated from in-depth interviews and focus group discussions was transcribed verbatim and translated into English language and thematically analyzed using open code software version 4.02. RESULTS: Three main themes and five categories emerged from the narrations of the participants regarding the perceived barriers for the practice of COVID-19 prevention measures. A total of 9 community key informants (5 women development armies (HDA), 2 health extension workers (HEW), and 2 religious leaders participated in the in-depth interview, while two focus group discussions (7 participants in each round) were conducted among purposely selected community members. The age of the participants ranged from 24 to 70 years with the median age of 48 years. The major identified barriers for practicing COVID-19 prevention measures were the presence of strong cultural and religious practices, perceiving that the disease does not affect the young, misinformation about the disease, and lack of trust in the prevention measures. CONCLUSIONS: Socio-cultural, religious, and economic related barriers were identified from the participant's narratives for the practice of COVID-19 prevention measures in south Gondar Zone. Our findings suggest the need to strengthen community awareness and education programs about the prevention measures of COVID-19 and increase diagnostic facilities with strong community-based surveillance to control the transmission of the pandemic.

The Level of Unmet Need for Family Planning and Its Predictors among HIV-Positive Women in Ethiopia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Studies indicated that the need for family planning appears to be greater for human immuno-deficiency virus- (HIV-) positive women than the general population to reduce the risk of pediatrics HIV infection and related consequences of unintended pregnancy. We aimed to assess the level of unmet need for family planning and its predictors among HIV-positive women in Ethiopia. METHODS: Online databases such as PubMed, SCOPUS, EMBASE, HINARI, Google Scholar, and digital libraries of universities were used to search for studies to be included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. Quality assessment of included studies was conducted using the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale (NOS). Data were extracted using the format prepared on Excel workbook and analyzed by the Stata 11 software. Cochran (Q test) and I 2 test statistics were used to assess the heterogeneity of studies. Similarly, the funnel plot and Egger's regression asymmetry test were used to assess publication bias. RESULT: This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted using nine primary studies with a total of 6,154 participants. The pooled prevalence of unmet need for family planning among HIV-positive women was found to be 25.72% (95% CI: 21.63%, 29.81%). Participants age 15-24 years ((OR = 3.12; 95% CI: 1.59, 6.11) I 2 = 27.5%; p = 0.252), being illiterate ((OR = 2.69; 95% CI: 1.69, 4.26) I 2 = 0.0%; p = 0.899), failure to discuss FP with partner ((OR = 3.38; 95% CI: 2.20, 5.18) I 2 = 0.0%; p = 0.861), and no access to family planning information ((OR = 4.70; 95% CI: 2.83, 7.81) I 2 = 0.0%; p = 0.993) were found to be a significant predictors of unmet need for family planning among HIV-positive women. CONCLUSION: The level of unmet need for family planning among HIV-positive women was found to be high in Ethiopia. Being young age, illiteracy, failed to discuss family planning issues with a partner, and no access to family planning information were found to be the significant predictors of unmet need for family planning among HIV-positive women in Ethiopia. Improving information access and encouraging partners' involvement in family planning counseling and services could reduce the level of unmet need for family planning.

Knowledge and attitude of pregnant women towards preeclampsia and its associated factors in South Gondar Zone, Northwest Ethiopia: a multi-center facility-based cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Preeclampsia has the greatest impact on maternal mortality which complicates nearly a tenth of pregnancies worldwide. It is one of the top five maternal mortality causes and responsible for 16 % of direct maternal death in Ethiopia. Little is known about the level of knowledge and attitude towards preeclampsia in Ethiopia. This study was designed to assess the knowledge and attitude towards preeclampsia and its associated factors in South Gondar, Northwest Ethiopia. METHODS: A multicenter facility-based cross-sectional study was implemented in four selected hospitals of South Gondar Zone among 423 pregnant women. Multistage random sampling and systematic random sampling techniques were used to select the study sites and the study participants respectively. Data were entered in EpiData version 3.1 while cleaned and analyzed by Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed. Adjusted odds ratio with 95 % confidence interval were used to identify the significance of the association between the level of knowledge on preeclampsia and its predictors. RESULTS: In this study, 118 (28.8 %), 120 (29.3 %) of the study participants had good knowledge and a positive attitude towards preeclampsia respectively. The likelihood of having good knowledge on preeclampsia was found to be low among women with no education (AOR = 0.22, 95 % CI (0.06, 0.85)), one antenatal care visit (ANC) (AOR = 0.13, 95 % CI (0.03, 0.59)). Whereas, those who booked for ANC in the first trimester (AOR = 6.59, 95 % CI (1.43, 30.33)), gave the last birth at a health facility (AOR = 2.61, 955 CI (1.03, 6.61)), and experienced a complication during previous births (AOR = 3.67, 95 % CI (1.78, 7.57)) were more likely to be knowledgeable on preeclampsia. CONCLUSIONS: No formal education and not attending four ANC visits were associated with poor knowledge of preeclampsia. While participants who visited health facilities during the first trimester, who gave birth at health facilities, and those who experienced a complication in previous births were more likely to be knowledgeable on preeclampsia. Improving the numbers of ANC visits and encouraging facility delivery are important measures to improve women's knowledge on preeclampsia. Health education regarding preeclampsia risk factors, symptoms, and complications shall be emphasized.

Prevalence and Associated Factors of Clinical Vitamin A Deficiency Among Pre-School Children 1-5 Years of Age in Rural Kebeles in Farta District, South Gondar Zone, Ethiopia: A Mixed Methods Study.

BACKGROUND: Globally, pre-school children are the most at-risk population groups for vitamin A deficiency (VAD). The 2009 World Health Organization (WHO) report stated that one-third (190 million) of pre-school children worldwide are deficient in vitamin A. Both clinical and subclinical VAD have been a long-standing problem in developing countries. In Ethiopia, VAD was recognized as a public health problem 4-5 decades before. Since then, researches conducted in other parts of the country still showed varied and high prevalence, which is 2-8 times higher than WHO cut-off points. This community-based study was therefore conducted on pre-school children of rural kebeles in Farta district to determine the prevalence of clinical VAD (Bitot's spot and night blindness) and associated factors. METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional mixed quantitative and qualitative study was conducted. Randomly selected 588 pre-school children participated in the study. The clinical aspect of the study investigated the presence of Bitot's spots on the children's eye with the aid of a magnifying loop and torch. Data on the history of night blindness were obtained from mothers/caregivers by using WHO standard questions. The qualitative study data were obtained via a key informant interview with the mothers/caregivers whose child has clinical VAD. Quantitative data were entered using Epi Data statistical software and analysed by using SPSS version 20 statistical software package. A bivariable logistic regression was employed, and variables that showed significant association with clinical VAD (P < 0.2) were entered a multivariable logistic regression model to identify independent predictors of clinical VAD. RESULTS: The prevalence of Bitot's spot and night blindness was 0.8% and 1.2%, respectively. Pre-school children who were from highland (AOR: 3.71; 95% CI: 1.01-13.68), a mother having antenatal care (ANC) visit during pregnancy of a child (AOR: 8.63; 95% CI: 2.58-28.79), family monthly income (AOR: 8.63; 95% CI: 2.58-28.79) and handwashing frequency were found to be determinants of VAD (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Clinical vitamin A deficiency in the study area is of public health concern because the prevalence of Bitot's and night blindness was above the WHO threshold level. Accordingly, effective preventive measures should be designed to reduce VAD prevalence.

Parent-adolescent communication on sexual and reproductive health issues and its associated factors in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Every year, 1.3 million young people reported to die from preventable causes of death. Parent-adolescent communication on sexuality is critical in informing youth about risk and protective behaviors which in turn decrease the likelihood of involvement in risky sexual behaviors. This systematic review and meta-analysis was intended to assess the prevalence of parent-adolescent communication on sexual and reproductive health (SRH) issues and its associated factors in Ethiopia. METHODS: PubMed, EMBASE, HINARI, Google Scholar, and University repositories were used to search studies. Article search was conducted from May 20 to June 9, 2020. Critical appraisal of studies was conducted using Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale (NOS). Data analysis was conducted using Stata 11 software following the abstraction of data using a format prepared on Microsoft excel. The heterogeneity of studies was tested using Cochran (Q test) and I2 test statistics. Similarly, funnel plot and Egger's regression asymmetry were used to assess publication bias. Subgroup analysis was conducted based on study Regions and sample size. RESULT: Fourteen studies with sample of 8018 adolescents were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of parent-adolescent communication on SRH issues in Ethiopia was found to be 45.18% (95%, CI, 32.23, 58.13%). Adolescents' knowledge of reproductive health matters (OR = 2.91, 95% CI:1.21, 7.01), believe on importance of discussion on SRH issues (OR = 4.18, 95% CI: 2.63, 6.65), had history of sexual exposure (OR = 1.95, 95% CI: 1.53, 2.50), parents openness to discuss SRH issues (OR = 3.39, 95% CI: (2.48, 4.62), and being female (OR = 1.60, 95% CI:1.07, 2.38) were the positive predictors of parent-adolescent communications on SRH issues. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of parent-adolescent communication on SRH issues was found to be low. Knowledge of adolescents about reproductive health matters, believe on the importance of discussion on reproductive health issues, history of sexual exposure, parents' openness to discuss SRH issues, and being female were found to be the positive predictors of parent-adolescent communication on SRH issues in Ethiopia. The finding our study indicated that evidence based education about reproductive health matters could significant to improve adolescent parent communication on SRH issues.

Double Burden of Malnutrition among Female Adolescent Students in Bahir Dar City, Amhara, Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Globally, nearly a third of the population suffers from at least one form of malnutrition. Both over- and undernutrition are a growing concern in developing countries particularly among female adolescents. This study was aimed at assessing nutritional status and associated factors among female adolescents in secondary schools of Bahir Dar City, Amhara, Ethiopia, 2019. METHODS: A school-based cross-sectional study was conducted in secondary schools of Bahir Dar City among 682 female adolescent students in 2019. A simple random sampling technique with proportional allocation was used to select study participants. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Data were entered into Epi Info version 7.1 and analyzed by SPSS version 21. Underweight and overweight statuses of the participants were determined by using the WHO cutoff point. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regressions were used to identify the significance of association at a 95% confidence interval. P value < 0.05 was used to declare statistical significance. RESULTS: In this study, the prevalence of underweight, overweight, and obesity was 15%, 8.4%, and 4.7%, respectively. Female adolescents found between age groups of 14-16.5 years old (AOR: 1.7, 95% CI: 1.03-2.69), family size ≥ 4 (AOR: 2.8, 95% CI: 1.05-4.99), participants who did not eat meat once per week (AOR: 1.6, 95% CI: 1.90-2.82), and no onset of menarche (AOR: 4.4, 95% CI: 1.21-15.75) were found to be more likely underweight. In addition, adolescents with family monthly income above 6500 Ethiopian birr (AOR: 12.7, 95% CI: 2.47-65.62), who ate meat two times and more per week (AOR: 2.07, 95% CI: 1.47-9.14), and who ate fruit at least once a week (AOR: 0.20, 95% CI: 0.05-0.78) were more likely to be overweight compared with counterparts. Conclusion and Recommendation. The prevalence of underweight and overweight was found to be high. Design evidence-based adolescent nutritional intervention shall be emphasized by the government and other concerned bodies to avert the dual burden of malnutrition.

Male involvement in prevention of mother to child transmission of human immuno virus and associated factors among partners' of reproductive age women at Debre Tabor town, Northwest Ethiopia: a community based cross sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of male involvement in prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) of human immune virus (HIV) and associated factors among partners' of reproductive age women at Debre Tabor town, Northwest Ethiopia. A community based cross sectional study was employed among 561 study participants. Data was collected with pretested structured questionnaire. The data was entered by Epi-Info version 7 software and exported to SPSS version 23 for analysis. Statistical significance was declared at P value of < 0.05. RESULTS: In this study, only 119 (21.2%) of males (95% CI 17.8%, 24.8%) were involved in PMTCT of HIV. Being government employee (AOR = 3.73, 95%CI (2.169, 6.419)), had ever heard about PMTCT of HIV (AOR = 2.46, 95%CI (1.20, 5.02)), discussed with their partner (AOR = 3.11, 95%CI (1.43, 6.55)), partners' who were informed the need to go PMTCT of HIV clinic (AOR = 2.45, 95%CI (1.17, 5.14)), Health workers friendly approach (AOR = 2.36, 95%CI (1.34, 4.15)), and long waiting time (AOR = 0.36, 95%CI (0.216, 0.610)) were found to be significantly associated with male involvement in PMTCT of HIV. Improving service provision including respectful care and health education on PMTCT of HIV for males and their partners shall be emphasized by the government.

Parental communication on sexual and reproductive health issues and its associated factors among preparatory school students in Debre Tabor, Northcentral Ethiopia: institution based cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed to assess parental communication on sexual and reproductive health (SRH) issues and its associated factors among preparatory school students in Debre Tabor, Northcentral Ethiopia. Institution based cross sectional study was employed among 394 preparatory school students through self-administered questionnaire. RESULT: A total of 394 students were participated in the study with a response rate of 100%. The magnitude of parental communication on SRH issues was found to be 68.5%, (95% CI (63.7, 72.8)). Low grade (AOR = 0.31, 95% CI (0.17, 0.58)), feel embraced to discuss about SRH issues (AOR = 0.31, 95% CI (0.17, 0.56)), and living with mother/father (AOR = 0.15, 95% CI (0.06, 0.36)) were associated with reduced parental communication on SRH. While, family size < 5 (AOR = 2.46, 95% CI (1.25, 4.84)), and believe on the importance of discussion on SRH (AOR = 10.83, 95% CI (5.07, 23.17) were found to be associated with increased communication about SRH issues. Health education shall be given to preparatory school students on importance of discussion on SRH issues and related consequences of risky sexual behaviors.

Magnitude of low birth weight and maternal risk factors among women who delivered in Debre Tabor Hospital, Amhara Region, Ethiopia: a facility based cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Survival of newborns and long term complications are highly correlated with birth weight. The low birth weight rate is an indicator of a public health problem that includes long-term maternal malnutrition, ill health, and poor health care at population level during pregnancy. On an individual basis, low birth weight is an important predictor of newborn health and survival. We aimed to assess the magnitude of low birth weight and its associated factors among women who delivered in Debre Tabor Hospital (DTH), Amhara, Ethiopia. METHODS: Facility based cross sectional study was employed on 282 mothers who delivered in DTH from December 2018 to March 2019. Single population proportion formula was used to calculate sample size. Data entry was completed in a template prepared in EpiData version 3.1 and analyzed by Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. Descriptive statistics were performed to describe the characteristics of the study participants. Crude and adjusted odds ratio with 95% confidence interval were used to identify the significance of association. A p value of < 0.05 was used to decide the significance of the association. RESULT: Of a total 282 interviewed mothers who delivered in DTH 12.0% (95%, CI: (8.5, 15.2%)) delivered low birth weight baby. Place of residence (AOR = 0.32, 95%, CI: (0.12, 0.85)), gravidity (AOR = 0.17, 95%, CI: (0.03, 0.97)), status of pregnancy (AOR = 0.29, 95%, CI: (0.09, 0.92)), and hemoglobin levels (AOR = 9.82, 95%, CI: (1.83, 52.73)) were found to be the significant predictors of low birth weight in this study. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION: Place of residence, status of pregnancy, gravidity, and level of hemoglobin were found to be statistically significant with low birth weight. Women who lived in urban areas, who had planned pregnancy, and gravida of < 5 had lower risk of giving low birth weight baby. Whereas, women who had hemoglobin level of < 11 mg/dl were more likely to deliver low birth weight baby. Being a multi-factorial problem, integrated and holistic approach shall be followed to reduce the prevalence, morbidity and mortality related to low birth weight.

Effect of human pegivirus route of transmission on the genetic distribution of the virus: an institution based cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: Human pegivirus (HPgV), formally called GB virus C (GBV-C), is a member of the pegivirus genus in Flaviviridae family. High prevalence of HPgV infection is seen among sex workers, blood transfusion recipients and intravenous drug users (IDUs). So far, there are seven genotypes and many subtypes identified in different countries. The predominant genotype in Asia including China is genotype 3, although genotype 7 has been reported recently in China. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the transmission routes of HPgV infection on the genotype distribution of the virus, to determine the prevalence rate, and identify the dominant genotype among men who have sex with men (MSM) and IDUs co-infected with human immunodeficiency virus type one (HIV-1) in Guangzhou, China. METHODS: A total of 131 MSM and 70 IDUs co-infected with HIV-1 were randomly selected in Guangdong Dermatology Hospital. HPgV RNA was detected by nested reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using primers. The PCR products were sequenced and phylogenetically analyzed by using MEGA6.06 version software to determine the genotypes. Chi-square and Fisher exact test were implemented for comparing the proportion between different variables. RESULTS: The prevalence of HPgV infection was 32.9% among IDUs and 18.3% in MSM with a statistically significant difference between the two groups (p = 0.02). In IDU group, 82.6% infected with genotype 3 and the rest (17.4%) were categorized to genotype 7. Similarly, in MSM group, 83.3% belonged to genotype 3, and the remaining 16.7% were classified as sub-genotype 2a and 2b. CONCLUSION: In Guangzhou, China, the prevalence rate of HPgV infection in IDUs was higher than MSM. The dominant genotype in the two groups was genotype 3. Our results indicated that routes of transmission did not affect the genotype distribution but did affect the prevalence rate of HPgV infection.

Delivery place preference and its associated factors among women who deliver in the last 12 months in Simada district of Amhara Region, Northwest Ethiopia: a community based cross sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess delivery place preference and its determinant factors in Simada District of Amhara Region, Northwest Ethiopia. Data was collected among 346 women who delivered in the last 12 months. RESULT: Of the total 362 study participants, 346 were included in the analysis giving a response rate of 95.6%. More than half, 56.4% of the study participants reported home as their preferred delivery place. The odds of preferring home delivery was higher among women with low household income (AOR = 2.13, 95%, CI (1.06, 4.35)), and those who had < 4 antenatal care visits (AOR = 3.65, 95%, CI (1.58, 8.41)). Whereas, preference of home delivery was lower (AOR = 0.13, 95%, CI (0.05, 0.32)), (AOR = 0.40, 95%, CI (0.17, 0.98)), and (AOR = 0.31, 95%, CI (0.15, 0.67)) among women with facility delivery, within 5 km distance to health facility, and who had transport access respectively. Improving access of health facility to the nearest possible and improving transport access shall be emphasized to improve institutional delivery.