Balneotherapy for Musculoskeletal Pain Management of Hot Spring Water in Southern Ethiopia: Perceived Improvements.

Background: Balneotherapy and hydrotherapy offer interesting treatment alternatives and are commonly used as additional interventions in the management of musculoskeletal disorders and pain management. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the effect of balneotherapy on musculoskeletal disorder pain and its perceived improvement among users of hot spring water in Southern Ethiopia. Methods: A single-arm cohort study and convenient sampling method were used to select 1337 study participants from four hot springs in Southern Ethiopia. A structured questionnaire, a physical examination, and laboratory blood tests were used to collect data. Data were entered using Epi data and transferred to SPSS 25 for cleaning and analysis. Descriptive analysis was made. Results: A total of 1279 participants were included in the study, giving a response rate of 96%. The majority of these patients have multiple health problems. Of all, 1137 (88.9%) of the patients were visiting the hot springs for joint pain followed by muscle pain 669 (52.2). Out of all cases of joint pain, 132 (11.6%) were clinically diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, and 5.3% were confirmed as having the disease based on a laboratory test. Of the total number of study participants, 1064 (83.2%) reported complete relief from the complaints they had at the start of the bath. Conclusions: Hot spring baths for three and more days have significant therapeutic effects on patients with musculoskeletal disorders, including rheumatoid arthritis. Physicians who are currently working in the area of diagnosis and treatment of patients in government and public facilities of the southern region should consider hot spring bath treatment for those patients with complaints of musculoskeletal pain, nonspecific arthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis. A hot spring bath is beneficial for everyone because it is a natural treatment with few side effects and a low cost.

Effect of Balneotherapy on Chronic Low Back Pain at Hot Springs in Southern Ethiopia: Perceived Improvements from Pain.

BACKGROUND: Low back pain (LBP) is an important musculoskeletal condition results in clinical, social and public health problems globally. Hydrotherapy, using water and heat together can be utilized to treat conditions, relieve pain and increase muscular power and a range of joint movement in patients with chronic lower back pain. Most patients with acute LBP improve spontaneously within four weeks; however, chronic LBP is extremely common and usually mechanical in nature. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the current study was to assess effect of balneotherapy in decreasing the lower back pain and its improvements among adults using a spa in southern Ethiopia. METHODS: We employed a single arm cohort study and convenient sampling method to select 442 study participants from four hot springs located in Sidama Region and Gedeo Zone, Southern Ethiopia. Structured and pretested questionnaire was used and administered face-to-face by trained data collectors. Data were entered using EpiData and transferred to SPSS for cleaning and analysis. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were made. RESULTS: A total of 427 participants were included in the study giving response rate of 96.6%. The mean (standard deviation) age of respondents was 42.55 (±14.92) years. Perceived improvement from back pain was 332 (77.8%) with 95% confidence interval (CI) of 74-82%. Factors showing association with perceived improvement from back pain after spa therapy were, study site being near Hawassa (Burkitu) with crude odds ratio (COR) of 3.3 and 95%CI: 1.83-5.98 and p-value <0.001; and sex of respondents that the odds of perceived improvements among males were about twofold compared with females, (COR: 1.7, 95%CI: 1.07-2.74, p-value 0.025. CONCLUSION: Our study shows significant perceived improvement from back pain after utilization of spa water. This is associated with type of hot spring used, male sex, and having neurological symptoms. Therefore, hot spring spa water had better therapeutic effect for back pain and emphasis should be given to integrate it with modern medicine and further experimental study to be conducted to recommend it for medical purposes.

Determinants of alcohol use and khat chewing among Hawassa University students, Ethiopia: a cross sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Students' alcohol and khat use have been associated with various health related problems. However, its magnitude and associated factors among Ethiopian students are not yet well documented. OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to assess the prevalence of alcohol use, khat chewing and its associated factors among Hawassa University students. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted from June to July 2011. Multistage stratified sampling technique was employed to select 590 students. Self administered questionnaires were used to collect data. Data was entered and analysed by SPSS version 20.0. Logistic regression analyses were used to identify the association of different variables. RESULTS: The current prevalence of student's alcohol and khat use were 29.5% (95% CI: 25.8-33.3) and 16.3% (95% CI: 13.7-20.0) respectively. Being male (AOR 1.8; 95% CI 1.1-3.0) and living alone (AOR 20.1; 95% CI 2.5-166.7) had a higher odds of alcohol use. Similarly, family substance use history (AOR 4.8; 95% CI 2.5-9.3) and peer influence (AOR 4.6; 95% CI 2.3-9.0) had also higher odds of khat use. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION: The proportion of student's khat chewing and alcohol use was significant. Hence, higher education in collaboration with other stakeholders should work on convincing students about the ill effects of these substances.

Prevalence and factors determining psychoactive substance (PAS) use among Hawassa University (HU) undergraduate students, Hawassa Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Use of psychoactive substances (PAS) early in school age implies drug dependence in later life. Although no studies have been conducted on undergraduate students of Hawassa University, a few studies in Ethiopia have reported that alcohol, khat, and cigarette are the commonly abused PASs among young high school/undergraduate university students. Therefore, this study was designed to establish the prevalence of and predictors for PAS use among undergraduate HU Students. METHODS: An institution-based quantitative cross-sectional study using the self-administered WHO Model Core Questionnaire to collect information on use of various Psychoactive Substances (PASs) was conducted from June to July 2011. A multistage stratified sampling method was employed to select a total of 586 undergraduate HU students as study participants. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were done to determine factors affecting PAS use. RESULTS: Lifetime, past 12 months, and current prevalence rate for overall PAS were 53.6%, 45.7%, and 35.5% respectively. The study depicted that in the past 12 months of the study period 40.8% used alcohol, 20.3% chewed khat, 11.9% smoked cigarettes, and 0.9% used marijuana. The prevalence of other illicit PASs such as Ecstasy, lysergic diethylamide (LSD), cocaine, crack, heroin, solvents or inhalants and un-prescribed psycho active medications was found zero percent (0%). Having family members who used PAS, peer influence, being male, and living alone during school age were found to be positively associated with overall PAS use in the past 12 months. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of PAS use among undergraduate HU students is high. Designing effective strategies to reduce PAS use should be everyone's priority.