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Background: Tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus (TB/HIV) co-infection is an important global public health problem. The consequence of co-infection is multidirectional. The mortality rate of co-infected patients’ comes from many aspects or factors. Identification of these factors is important for planning and for the intervention of care and treatment.Objective: To assess tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus co-infected patients’ mortality rate and its predictors in Dire Dawa, Eastern Ethiopia. Method: Institution based retrospective cohort study was employed among 471 randomly selected TB/HIV co-infected patients enrolled from January, 2012 to December, 2016. Relevant variables of data were collected from patients ‘medical cards. The collected data were entered into Epi-data 4.2.0.0 and exported to SPSS version 24 for analysis. Univariate analyses were used to describe the baseline characteristics of the patients. Kaplan Meir curve were used for the comparison of time to recovery among the different groups of patients and Cox model was used to identify independent predictors. Result: A total of 79(16.8%) deaths occurred during the median follow-up period of 685 days. being infected with pulmonary tuberculosis(PTB) [AHR=1.99(95%CI:1.16-3.41)], WHO clinical stage III [AHR=2.88(95%CI:1.56-5.30)], IV[AHR=4.20(95%CI:2.21-8.01)], ambulatory functional status[AHR=4.15(95%CI:1.57-10.98)], bedridden functional status [AHR=6.34(95%CI:2.43-16.59)] and delayed Co-trimoxazole preventive therapy [AHR=2.45(95%CI:1.54-3.91)] were important predictors associated with high mortality rate of TB/HIV co-infected patients. Conclusion: About one to six TB/HIV co-infected persons died in their course of treatment follow-up. Important contributing factors were PTB infection, WHO clinical staging III and IV, ambulatory and bed ridden functional status and delayed Co-trimoxazole preventive therapy.Key words: Dire Dawa, Ethiopia, Retrospective cohort, mortality rate, TB/ HIV co-infection. Funding Statement: No financial support was gained to conduct the study. Declaration of Interests: The authors state that they have no competing interests. Ethics Approval Statement: This study has got ethical approval from Haramaya University College of Health and Medical Sciences, Institutional Health Research Ethical Review Committee (IHRERC). Permission for data collection was also secured from each hospitals and Health Centers.

Background: Millions of people all over the world are living with degenerative disc disease, some bed ridden, others with crippling pains, while some have intermittent pains that reduce their productivity. Appropriate treatment that will be preventive, curative, and cost-effective is still being sought for. Objective: To find out the treatment outcome of patients who were managed with sit up exercise for degenerative disc disease over a five year period. Methods: It was a prospective study of patients managed in our center for degenerative disc disease using sit up exercise from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2018. Patients were clerked and physically examined in the clinic noting the site(s) of pain and muscle weaknesses. Sit up exercise and passive muscle movement (for those with muscle weakness) were done. Paracetamol and Diclofenac were given for pains. Results: Thirty five patients qualified for the study. Males were twenty. The average age was 57·14 years. Sixteen patients had pain and muscle weaknesses. In 96·97% of patients with pain and 83·33% of patients with muscle weakness, the symptoms/signs resolved within six months. Age played significant role in region involved P = 0·01, duration of symptoms P =0·00, and time for pain to resolve P = 0·00. There was significant relationship between gender and symptoms P = 0·04, and time for pain to resolve P = 0·01 Conclusion: Thirty four patients recovered with sit up exercise, while the 35th patient is still improving. Age and gender played significant roles in the disease. Funding Statement: There was no sponsorship. Declaration of Interests: There was no conflict of interest. Ethics Approval Statement: The study was component of our prospective data bank that was approved by our hospital research and ethics committee.

Research characteristics of elderly home care volunteers in Western of Thailand have several objectives 1) to study the factors affecting the characteristics of elderly home care volunteers 2) to compare the differences in characteristics of elderly home care volunteers by personal factors and 3) to study the problems and obstacles while serve as an elderly home care volunteer. This research was mixed methods research. Key informants in the qualitative research were 20 elderly home care volunteers. Population in the quantitative research was elderly home care volunteers 17,760 people, area scope was province of Western Thailand which were Ratchaburi, Kanchanaburi, Tak, Prachuap Khiri Khan and Phetchaburi. The instrument used to collect data was semi-structured interview and questionnaire. Statistics used in data analysis were frequency, percentage, One -way MANOVA and Multiple Linear Regression Analysis. The results of this study revealed that most volunteers had a hard working and satisfied with their work. Elderly home care volunteers with different in gender, age, religion and occupation had the same characteristics, except the level of education, marital status and period of time work as the volunteers. All factors affecting the characteristics of elderly home care volunteers. Problems and obstacles that occurred when being an elderly home care volunteer was a multitude of bed ridden elder, participation with local government organizations is not high and there is a lack of participation from the elders.