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The paper addresses the question of whether parental death always has a strongly negative effect on children's outcomes using quantitative and qualitative data from Young Lives, a longitudinal study of childhood poverty in Ethiopia. It investigates the validity of potential mediating factors identified by other studies in Sub-Saharan Africa using data from the whole sample (n = 973) and explores these processes in-depth through the experiences of three orphans in one community in Addis Ababa. The paper concludes that the outcomes of orphans and non-orphans in poor communities are not significantly different, supporting the need to address vulnerability at a societal level. Nonetheless, specific groups, for example, older female children who have lost their mothers, may face particular risks that should be addressed with targeted interventions.

This paper explores children's understandings of poverty, ill-being and well-being in Ethiopia using data collected through group exercises with children aged 5-6 and 11-13 participating in Young Lives, an international study of childhood poverty. In some respects the characteristics of poverty reported by children resemble those reported by adults participating in similar exercises. However, the children's addition of appearance and clothing, and their explanations of the reasoning behind the importance of these indicators of well-being reflect growing inequalities in Ethiopia, where experiences of relative poverty and social exclusion are increasingly common. This evidence argues for broadening the focus of child poverty reduction to include the psychosocial costs of lacking the culturally specific resources required for full participation in society. The paper also illustrates ways in which poverty can be explored by asking about ill-being and that children as young as five years are able to address these themes through well-designed research methods.

The paper argues on the basis of data from "Young Lives", an international study of childhood poverty, and an extensive review of child-centered poverty studies that experiences of relative poverty and social exclusion are as common and corrosive in contemporary Ethiopia as North America and Europe. If taken seriously, this insight could broaden the focus of child poverty reduction from nutrition and education to include the psychosocial costs of lacking the culturally-specific resources required for full participation in society. The paper makes a number of methodological points of value to researchers undertaking similar studies: firstly, poverty can be explored by asking about illbeing; secondly, children's conceptions of poverty are profoundly social and context-specific; and thirdly, young children are just as able to address these themes as older ones.

"Wellbeing" is a key concept in the study of children's lives over time, given its potential to link the objective, subjective, and inter-subjective dimensions of their experiences in ways that are holistic, contextualized and longitudinal. For this reason wellbeing is one of the core concepts used by Young Lives, a 15-year project (2000-2015) that follows the lives of 12,000 children growing up in the context of poverty in Ethiopia, Peru, Vietnam and Andhra Pradesh (India) (see http://www.younglives.org.uk). This paper examines a selection of methods being used by Young Lives to capture aspects of child wellbeing in the context of a range of children's life experiences related to poverty, specific risks and protective processes. It draws on a review of the literature on child-focused methods and on recent experiences piloting three core qualitative methods in the four study countries. The paper reports the development of a methodology that is child-centred, but also acknowledges that every child is embedded within a network of social and economic relationships.

This article analyses the central themes running through the collection of papers in this special issue of Childhood, which were all given as papers at the XVI Durban World Congress of Sociology, 23-29 July 2006. These themes encompass the ways in which global processes of social change combining modernity with tradition have become important for both the perception of childhood and for children's real lives. They also include the ways in which those processes intertwined with social inequalities of gender, generation and socioeconomic status among children and between children and other age groups. The article goes on to provide an outline of the ways in which more general theoretical concerns in the sociology of childhood globally are related to local situations, to a variety of practical settings, to the conceptual concerns in different sociological fields and other social science disciplines in South Africa, Ethiopia, Taiwan, Germany, Sweden, and Italy.

This paper draws on data from Young Lives, a longitudinal study of childhood poverty, to explore how international development research might be strengthened by including qualitative longitudinal research (QLR). We review three problems in development studies: (a) the relatively low status of qualitative research within the hierarchy of development knowledge, (b) the predominance of cross-sectional research, and, (c) marginality of research with children and young people. We offer examples from Young Lives research on early marriage in Ethiopia, household poverty dynamics in India and Ethiopia, and aspirations and migration in Peru, to highlight the potential of QLR to address these drawbacks. We suggest that QLR illuminates the dynamic complexities of the processes and practices of everyday life, how they are experienced by children and young people, the responses they make, and the shifting trajectories of their lives.

The authors review the contribution of qualitative methods to exploring concepts and experiences of wellbeing among children and adults living in developing countries. They provide examples illustrating the potential of these methods for gaining a holistic and contextual understanding of people's perceptions and experiences. Some of these come from Young Lives, an innovative long-term international research project investigating the changing nature of child poverty in India, Ethiopia, Peru and Vietnam (http://www.younglives.org.uk), and others from the Wellbeing in Developing Countries ESRC research group (WeD), an international, inter-disciplinary project exploring the social and cultural construction of wellbeing in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Peru and Thailand (http://www.welldev.org.uk). The authors show how qualitative methods can be used both alongside and as part of the development of sensitive and relevant quantitative measures, and provide some practical and methodological recommendations. They propose that qualitative approaches are essential in understanding people's experiences of wellbeing, both now and in the future. However, the authors caution that while these offer many benefits, for example, a less structured and hierarchical engagement between researcher and participant; they require time, energy, and sensitivity. Qualitative methods also work best when used by trained and experienced researchers working in the local language/s in a community where some rapport has already been established. Finally, the paper recommends combining data from qualitative and quantitative approaches (e.g. psychological measures or household surveys) to enhance its explanatory power.

Background: Child marriage has powerful implications for a young woman's reproductive health, education, and personal development as well as the development of communities and nations. Child marriage frequently marks the beginning of a young woman's sexual activity and early childbearing. As a country where child marriage is common, Ethiopia has placed additional emphasis on addressing child marriage over the past years. Methods: Using data from Ethiopia Demographic and Health Surveys for 2005, 2011 and 2016, this paper explores trends in child marriage over the last decade in various locations and regions of Ethiopia. Results: Between 2005 and 2016, the percentage of young Ethiopian women married before age 18 declined from 49 to 40%, a reduction of 18% from 2005 levels. The percentage of women married before age 15 experienced even greater reductions, declining by 26% in the same period. The greatest reductions in child marriage took place in the Addis Ababa, Amhara, and Tigray regions. Over the period, estimates for Oromia and Somali suggest that child marriage has increased in these regions. Notwithstanding recent declines, Afar, Beneshangul-Gumuz, Somali, and Oromia are regions where nearly half or more of all girls are married before age 18. Conclusions: Nationally, Ethiopia has experienced impressive declines in child marriage over the last decade. However, progress has also been uneven. Trends in the last decade have resulted in a geographical shift in where child marriage is most prevalent. In particular, locations that are challenging in terms of access, including the most remote and hard to reach, pose persistent challenges to those attempting to eradicate the practice. Intensifying efforts in rural areas and underserved regions can facilitate further declines in child marriage in Ethiopia. Plain Language Summary: Child marriage has powerful implications for young women's reproductive health, education, and welfare. Using data from Ethiopia Demographic and Health Surveys for 2005, 2011, and 2016, this paper analyzes subnational trends in child marriage over the last decade. Between 2005 and 2016, the percentage of Ethiopian women married before age 18 declined from 49 to 40%, a reduction of 18%. The percentage of women married before age 15 experienced even greater reductions, declining by 26% in the same period. The greatest reductions in child marriage took place in Addis Ababa, Amhara, and Tigray regions. Over the same period, estimates for Oromia and Somali regions suggest that child marriage has increased in these regions. Afar, Beneshangul-Gumuz, Somali, and Oromia are regions where more than or nearly half of all girls are married before age 18. Nationally, Ethiopia has experienced impressive declines in child marriage over the last decade. However, progress has also been uneven, resulting in a geographical shift in where child marriage is most prevalent. Remote and hard-to-reach locations pose persistent challenges to eradicating child marriage. Intensifying efforts in rural areas and underserved regions can achieve the elimination of child marriage in Ethiopia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Stunting, which refers to low height-for-age, is one of the most important public health problems in Ethiopia, and it more accurately reflects nutritional deficiencies and illness that occur during the most critical periods for growth and development in early life. Given this, this paper aims at determining the magnitude and factors associated with stunting among 6–59 month old children in Ilubabor Zone, Southwest Ethiopia. Design/methodology/approach: This paper opted for a descriptive study using an interviewer-administered questionnaire and anthropometric measurements of 617 children aged 6–59 months. A systematic random sampling technique was used to select the study participants. Data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25 and World Health Organization (WHO) Anthro software. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent predictors of stunting. Findings: About 33.7% of children aged 6–59 months included in this study were stunted. The proportion of moderate and severe stunting among the stunted children was 26.4% and 7.3%, respectively. Large family size (AOR = 4.0; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.5, 6.4), low dietary diversity score (AOR = 7.8; 95% CI: 4.6, 13.0) and household food insecurity (AOR = 16.4; 95% CI: 10.0, 26.7) were independent predictors of stunting. Research limitations/implications: Reporting and recall bias related to food groups consumed over the past seven days and seasonal variation may affect the findings related to factors associated with stunting. Practical implications: Globally, it is estimated that nearly 165 million children under the age of five are stunted. Outcomes associated with stunting include increased risk of mortality, increased disease risk, developmental delays, diminished ability to learn and lower school achievement and reduced lifelong productivity. So, determining the level of stunting in a particular community is important to design strategies for curbing the contributing factors. Originality/value: This study's community-based design yields a representative sample of study subjects in the Hurumu district, which is valuable for intervention methods and actions. Standardized tools that are validated for use by the World Health Organization are used. Besides, anthropometric data were analyzed using the updated WHO Anthro software. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper from YOUR World Research highlights and explores the role of positive uncertainty in lives, strategies and transitions towards adulthood of marginalised children and youth in two urban locations in Ethiopia. Young men and women embraced notions of positive uncertainty, making journeys to street situations and internationally in search of more hopeful futures. While youth navigate uncertainty positively in the short term, the research suggests this is temporal and their agency relational and embedded. They seek support from peers but still want to belong and be accepted by their families and communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Undernutrition among children is a primary concern in sub-Saharan African countries such as Ethiopia. The objective of this paper is to measure the magnitude of undernutrition and associated factors among children under 2 years of age in the Jimma Zone of Southwest Ethiopia. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study with stratified multistage sampling was conducted. Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire and anthropometric measurements. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression models were fitted using SPSS 20.0 for Windows. Adjusted odds ratios (AOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to measure the strength of the association between dependent and associated variables at a p value <0.05. Results: Among the study participants, 142 (25.4%) were stunted, 73 (13.1%) were underweight, and 54 (9.7%) were wasted. Older child age [AOR = 1.1, 95% CI (1.1, 1.2)], male sex [AOR = 2.601, 95% CI (1.681, 4.025)], and residing in an urban area [AOR = 0.526, 95% CI (0.323, 0.857)] were significantly associated with stunting. Independent predictors of wasting were younger child age [AOR = 0.894, 95% CI (0.833, 0.96)], living in a lowland area [AOR = 3.3, 95% CI (1.4, 8.1)], and living a in poor household [AOR = 6.2, 95% CI (2.2, 17.7)]. Underweight was significantly associated with male sex [AOR = 2.09, 95% CI (1.179, 3.703)], delayed initiation of breastfeeding [AOR = 2.1, 95% CI (1.0, 4.2)], and living in a poor household [AOR = 2.2, 95% CI (1.0, 4.6)]. Conclusions: Child malnutrition was found to be a moderate public health problem in the study area. Urban dwellers had higher levels of undernutrition than rural dwellers. Children living in lowlands had higher undernutrition than those living in highland areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper explores the dynamics of child and household poverty in rural Ethiopia using three rounds of household survey and qualitative data collected by Young Lives, a longitudinal study of child poverty. It uses a mixed-method taxonomy of poverty to classify children and their households into four groups, analyse their movements in and out of poverty, and explore the underlying factors. The final section of the paper uses qualitative case studies to explore child welfare dynamics in more detail, looking at the interplay between the progress or decline of households and that of children within those households. It concludes that while the percentage of poor households within this sample reduced from 50 to 20 % between rounds 1 and 3 (2002-2009), these changes were not always beneficial to children and did not reach nearly 1 in 10 households classified as ultra-poor. A deepened understanding of those changes, employing both quantitative and qualitative methods, is deemed crucial in post-2015 millennium development goal discussions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The decrease in the magnitude of stunting over the past 20 years has been slow in Ethiopia. To date, in Ethiopia, the trends in and extent of inequality in stunting have not been investigated using methods suitably developed for disparity studies. This paper investigated both the extent and overtime dynamics of stunting inequality in Ethiopia over the last 17 years. Methods Using the World Health Organization's Health Equity Assessment Toolkit software, data from the Ethiopia Demographic and Health surveys (EDHS) were analyzed between 2000 and 2016. The inequality analysis consisted of disaggregated rates of stunting using five equity stratifiers (economic status, education, residence, region and sex) and four summary measures (Difference, Population Attributable risk, Ratio and Absolute Concentration Index). A 95% uncertainty interval was constructed around point estimates to measure statistical significance. Results The study showed that both absolute and relative inequalities in stunting exist in all the studied years in Ethiopia. The inequality disfavors children of mothers who are poor, uneducated and living in rural areas and specific regions such as Amhara. The pro-rich (R = 1.2; 1.1, 1.3 in 2000 to R = 1.7; 1.4, 2 in 2016) and pro-educated (R = 1.6; 95%UI = 1.3, 1.9 in 2000 and R = 2.3; 95%UI = 1.5, 3 in 2011) inequalities slightly increased with time. Male children bear a disproportionately higher burden of stunting, and the disparity increased between the first and the last time points (PAR = −1.5 95%UI = −2.5, −0.6 in 2000 and PAR = −2.9 95%UI = −3.9, −1.9) based on complex measures but remained constant with simple measures (R = 1; 95%UI = 0.9, 1.1 in 2000 and R = 1.1 95%UI = 1, 1.2 in 2016). Similarly, both the sub-national regional and residence-related stunting disparities generally widened over time according to some of the inequality measures. Conclusions Stunting appeared to be highly prevalent among certain sub-groups (i.e. poor, uneducated and living in rural regions). The subpopulations experiencing excessively high stunting prevalence should be the focus of policy makers' attention as they work to achieve the WHO 40% reduction in stunting target by 2025 and the UN Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development Goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although there are some examples of successful complementary feeding programmes to promote healthy growth and prevent stunting at the community level, to date there are few, if any, examples of successful programmes at scale. A lack of systematic process and impact evaluations on pilot projects to generate lessons learned has precluded scaling up of effective programmes. Programmes to effect positive change in nutrition rarely follow systematic planning, implementation, and evaluation (PIE) processes to enhance effectiveness over the long term. As a result a set of programme-oriented key principles to promote healthy growth remains elusive. The purpose of this paper is to fill this gap by proposing a set of principles to improve programmes and interventions to promote healthy growth and development. Identifying such principles for programme success has three requirements: rethinking traditional paradigms used to promote improved infant and young child feeding; ensuring better linkages to delivery platforms; and, improving programming. Following the PIE model for programmes and learning from experiences from four relatively large-scale programmes described in this paper, 10 key principles are identified in the areas of programme planning, programme implementation, programme evaluation, and dissemination, replication, and scaling up. Nonetheless, numerous operational research questions remain, some of which are highlighted in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the relationship between parental transfers and post-marital residence of children in rural Ethiopia. We investigate whether asset transfers to children are an avenue which parents use to secure old age. We model post-marital residence and transfers simultaneously in a two-stage probit least squares estimation framework. We find a positive relationship between transfers and post-marital residence, a proxy for old age support. Children who receive more assets are more likely to stay at birth place after marriage and vice versa. In conditions of scarce or lacking social security mechanisms, parents make strategic transfers to ensure better old age. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper examines the effects of maternal autonomy on child schooling outcomes in Ethiopia using a nationally representative Ethiopian Demographic and Health survey for 2011. The empirical strategy uses a Hurdle Negative Binomial Regression model to estimate years of schooling. An ordered probit model is also estimated to examine age grade distortion using a trichotomous dependent variable that captures three states of child schooling. The large sample size and the range of questions available in this dataset allow us to explore the influence of individual and household level social, economic and cultural factors on child schooling. The analysis finds statistically significant effects of maternal autonomy variables on child schooling in Ethiopia. The roles of maternal autonomy and other household-level factors on child schooling are important issues in Ethiopia, where health and education outcomes are poor for large segments of the population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A great deal of attention is now paid to the ethics of social research. Research governance has expanded, and a burgeoning literature describes the processes, practices and questions that arise in social research with children, families and communities. This paper outlines the approach taken to research ethics within Young Lives, a longitudinal study of childhood poverty in Ethiopia, Andhra Pradesh (India), Peru and Vietnam, co-ordinated by a research team based in the UK. Drawing on fieldwork reports, qualitative data and other material, I offer some 'real life' examples of ethics questions encountered in research, providing insights into the experiences of fieldworkers. The paper emphasises the importance of understanding local contexts in undertaking research with children and families in environments that change rapidly, economically, environmentally and politically. Overall, my aim is to contribute to current debates about research practices, the ethics of longitudinal research with children, and research with children and parents in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper argues on the basis of data from Young Lives, an international study of childhood poverty, and an extensive review of child-centered poverty studies that experiences of relative poverty and social exclusion are as common and corrosive in contemporary Ethiopia as North America and Europe. If taken seriously, this insight could broaden the focus of child poverty reduction from nutrition and education to include the psychosocial costs of lacking the culturally-specific resources required for full participation in society. The paper makes a number of methodological points of value to researchers undertaking similar studies: firstly, poverty can be explored by asking about illbeing; secondly, children’s conceptions of poverty are profoundly social and context-specific; and thirdly, young children are just as able to address these themes as older ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the conventional wisdom that poverty and associated income shocks are the fundamental causes of child labour, from a policy perspective, there is a perception that social safety net programmes can play a vital role in reducing child labour. While there is extensive evidence that shows the prevalence of child labour is low among beneficiaries of conditional cash transfer programmes, the impact of workfare programs on child labour has been rarely investigated in the economics literature. This paper addresses the issue by evaluating the impact of the public works component of the Productive Safety Net Programme implemented in Ethiopia in 2005. The programme aims to help poor households to build assets and develop resilience to shocks through employment in public projects. Results from child fixed effects estimations show that children in programme beneficiary households are significantly less likely than their counterparts in non‐beneficiary households to be involved in child labour. The findings suggest that, if well targeted, even safety net programmes that do not primarily target child outcomes can be useful in addressing child labour problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women empowerment is an underlying factor of child feeding and nutrition. However, the lack of standardized measurements has made it difficult to design interventions that embed women empowerment and measure their impacts. This study aimed to assess temporal trends in women empowerment in Ethiopia and evaluate their contribution towards improving dietary diversity in infants and young children. We used women and child data from the Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey 2005, 2011, and 2016, yielding a total sample of 6113 mother–child pairs. The survey‐based women's empowerment index (SWPER) developed and validated for use in Africa was used to assess three dimensions of women empowerment: (i) social autonomy, (ii) decision making; and (iii) attitude to violence. We used multiple‐linear and multivariable logistic regression to assess the associations between SWPER and the number of food groups consumed/and the minimum dietary diversity (MDD). To determine drivers of changes over time, a regression decomposition analysis was run. Women empowerment indices have improved over the 2005–2016 period, but a significant proportion of women had low standardized SWPER scores for autonomy/social independence (47%) and attitude to violence (49%) domains in 2016. SWPER autonomy and SWPER decision‐making scores were strongly associated with the odds of meeting MDD. Changes in women empowerment accounted for 17% of the improvements in MDD between 2005 and 2016. SWPER was a stronger predictor of the change in MDD, than known predictors like wealth, child age, and urban residence. As a critical underlying driver of child nutrition, women empowerment should be boldly addressed and integrated in nutrition interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The management of wasting in Ethiopia is heavily reliant on the Community‐based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) programme that has been implemented in more than 18,000 service delivery points scattered across the country. Despite the full‐scale implementation of the CMAM, the number of child death averted, and the cost per child death averted remains unknown. This study aimed to estimate the cost and the number of child death averted by the CMAM programme between 2008 and 2020. Using data from routine monitoring of the CMAM programme, we estimated the excess mortality averted by the programme and estimated the cost per averted child death based on supply and labour. Over the past 13 years between 2008 and 2020, 3.6 million children under 5 years were admitted to the Ethiopian CMAM programme. The yearly average admission of 317,228 was achieved since 2011. On average, ~34,000 child deaths were averted yearly. The CMAM programme was estimated to have saved 437,654 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 320,161; 469,932) child deaths between 2008 and 2020, approximately 12% of the admitted cases. The average cost of the programme per adverted death was estimated at US$762/child death averted (95% CI = 639; 1001). The CMAM programme in Ethiopia is cost‐effective and has continued to avert a significant number of child death. Given the high short‐ and long‐term economic and health consequences of child wasting, concerted multi‐sectoral efforts are needed to accelerate progress not only in its treatment but also in its prevention. Key messages: A total of 3.6 million children were admitted between 2008 and 2020, increasing annually from 92,000 in 2008 to 390,000 in 2020 due to improvement in case findings and referral.Death rate in Community‐based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) programmes has decreased by sixfold between 2008 and 2020 from 1.23% to 0.22%During 13 years of implementation, the Ethiopian CMAM programme averted the death of >400 thousand children under five. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The health system is the primary vehicle for the delivery of nutrition‐specific interventions that aim to reduce maternal and child malnutrition. The integration of nutrition interventions into existing health interventions is promising, but to ensure that no one is left behind requires that access to essential health services is equitably distributed. This study aims to assess trends and socioeconomic inequalities in coverage of reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health (RMNCH) and assess its association with child nutritional outcomes in Ethiopia. Using the Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey (2005, 2011, 2016, and 2019), we estimated the coverage of RMNCH interventions in Ethiopia using the co‐coverage index, which is a count of the number of interventions accessed. We assessed the trend and inequalities in co‐coverage and evaluated its association with child nutritional outcomes like stunting, wasting, and minimum dietary diversity (MDD). The national co‐coverage index has shown a significant increase over the 2005–2019 period. However, all of the RMNCH interventions constituting the co‐coverage index showed a pro‐rich and pro‐urban distribution (p < 0.05). The highest inequality, based on the slope index of inequality (SII), was observed for skilled assistance during delivery (SII: 80.4%), followed by access to an improved source of drinking water (SII: 62.6%), and antenatal care visits (SII: 55.5%). The low coverage in RMNCH and the observed inequality were associated with stunting, wasting, and MDD. Reducing socioeconomic inequality in RMNCH is key to achieve the health, nutrition and equity‐related goals of the Sustainable Development Goals. Key messages: Significant increases in the coverage of reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health (RMNCH) interventions were observed between 2005 and 2019.Inequalities in RMNCH interventions were stark and showed pro‐rich and pro‐urban distribution.Improved co‐coverage of RMNCH interventions is associated with reduced odds of stunting and wasting, and increases in dietary diversity among children 6–23 months of age.Analyses stratified by rural/urban residence and wealth quintile showed that the association between co‐coverage and dietary diversity was stronger for urban and the wealthiest quintile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quality of complementary feeding can have both short‐ and long‐term health impacts by delaying or promoting child growth and establishing taste preferences and feeding behaviours. We aimed to assess the healthy and unhealthy feeding practices of infants and young children in rural Ethiopia. We conducted two rounds of surveys in December 2017/18 in Habru district, North Wello, rural Ethiopia among caregivers of infants and young children (N = 574). We characterised the consumption of infants and young children using non‐quantitative 24 h recall and the World Health Organization infant and young child feeding indicators. Sociodemographic characteristics, anthropometry and haemoglobin concentrations were assessed. Breastfeeding was a norm as 82% and 67% were breastfed in the first and second rounds. Between the two rounds, dietary diversity increased from 5% to 17% (p < 0.05), but more pronounced increases were observed in the consumption of ultra‐processed food (UPFs). Up to one‐in‐five (22%) of the children consumed UFPs. With an average of only three food groups consumed, the consumption of nutrient‐dense foods like animal source foods, fruits and vegetables was very low particularly among younger children. UPFs are an additional risk factor that contributes to poor quality diets. Behavioural Change Communication interventions, including those in rural areas, should explicitly discourage the consumption of UPFs. Future studies should aim to quantify the amount of UPFs consumed and evaluate how this is associated with diet adequacy and nutritional outcomes. Key messages: Complementary diets in rural Ethiopia are extremely low in diversity.Consumption of unhealthy foods is more prevalent than the proportion that meets the minimum dietary diversity.Consumption of ultra‐processed foods was not associated with household wealth score.Indicators of unhealthy feeding practices should be integrated into nutrition programme monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ensuring diet quality in the first 2 years of life is critical to preventing malnutrition and instilling healthy food preferences. Children's diet quality has changed little over time and inequalities by socioeconomic status, rural–urban residence, but also by food group may exist. Using data from the 2011, 2016 and 2019 demographic and health surveys (DHS), we estimated the prevalence and inequalities in the minimum diet diversity (MDD), minimum meal frequency (MMF) and minimum acceptable diet (MAD). We further assessed food group‐level inequities. In 2019, only 13.5% of children 6–23 months of age met the MDD, 55% met the MMF and only 11% met the MAD indicator. Absolute and relative measures of inequality were calculated. Modest increases in MDD, MMF and MAD were observed over the past decade (2011–2019). These modest improvements were concentrated in limited geographical areas, among children in wealthier households, and urban residents. Unhealthy practices such as bottle‐feeding and zero fruit and vegetables have been increasing; whereas, inequities in the consumption of nutrient‐dense foods have widened. Nevertheless, children from the wealthiest quintile also failed to meet the MDD. Multisectoral efforts that span from diversifying the food supply, regulating the marketing of unhealthy foods, and promoting minimal processing of perishables (i.e., to extend shelf‐life) are needed. Context‐adapted behavioural change communication along with nutrition‐sensitive social protection schemes are also needed to equitably improve the diet quality of children in Ethiopia. Key messages: Improvements in child diet quality are concentrated in limited geographical areas, primarily among wealthier households, and urban residents.Unhealthy practices such as bottle‐feeding and zero fruit and vegetables have been increasing over the past decade.Inequalities in the consumption of nutrient‐dense foods have been widening in the last decade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethiopia faces a rising problem of overweight and obesity alongside a high prevalence of undernutrition; a double burden of malnutrition (DBM). This study aimed to quantify the magnitude and trends of household‐level DBM—defined as the coexistence of maternal overweight/obesity and child undernutrition (i.e., stunting or anaemia)—in Ethiopia between 2005, 2011 and 2016 and understand the potential drivers influencing DBM and the change in DBM over time. Data come from the Ethiopian Demographic and Health Surveys. National and regional prevalence estimates of the DBM were calculated (n = 13,107). Equiplots were produced to display inequalities in the distribution of DBM. Factors associated with DBM were explored using pooled multivariable logistic regression analyses for 2005, 2011 and 2016 (n = 9358). These were also included in a logistic regression decomposition analysis to understand their contribution to the change in DBM between 2005 and 2016 (n = 5285). The prevalence of household‐level DBM at the national level was low, with a modest increase from 2.4% in 2005% to 3.5% in 2016. This masks important within‐country variability, with substantially higher prevalence in Addis Ababa (22.8%). Factors positively associated with DBM were maternal age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.04 [1.02, 1.06]), urban residence (OR = 3.12 [2.24, 4.36]), wealth (OR = 1.14 [1.06, 1.24]) and the number of children <5 in the household (OR = 1.30 [1.12, 1.49]). Overall, 70.5% of the increase in DBM between 2005 and 2016 was attributed to increased wealth, urban residence and region. Double‐duty actions that address multiple forms of malnutrition are urgently needed in urban settings. Key messages: Despite a low national prevalence, household level DBM is significantly higher in urban areas, particularly in Addis Ababa where nearly a quarter of households are affected.Maternal age, urban residence, wealth and the number of children <5 in the household were positively associated with DBM.Increased wealth and urban residence were the main drivers associated with increases in DBM between 2005 and 2016.Double‐dutyactions addressing multiple forms of malnutrition are required in urban settings.Transforming food systems by regulating the promotion and distribution of unhealthy foods and promoting nutrient‐dense foods is critical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inadequate safe water supply and poor sanitation and hygiene continue to be important risk factors for diarrhoea and stunting globally. We used data from the four rounds of the Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey and applied the new World Health Organization (WHO)/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Program (JMP) service standards to assess progress in water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) coverage between 2000 and 2016. We also performed an age‐disaggregated pooled linear probability regression analysis followed by a decomposition analysis to determine whether changes in WASH practices have contributed to the changing prevalence of diarrhoea and stunting in children under 5 years of age. We observed a significant increase in the coverage of safe drinking water and adequate sanitation facilities over the period. At the national level, the use of a basic water source increased from 18% in 2000 to 50% in 2016. Open defecation declined from 82% to 32% over the same period. However, in 2016, only 6% of households had access to a basic sanitation facility, and 40% of households had no handwashing facilities. The reduction in surface water use between 2000 and 2016 explained 6% of the decline in diarrhoea observed among children aged 0–5 months. In children aged 6–59 months, between 7% and 9% of the reduction in stunting were attributable to the reduction in open defecation over this period. Despite progress, improvements are still needed to increase basic WASH coverage in Ethiopia. Our findings showed that improvements in water and sanitation only modestly explained reductions in diarrhoea and stunting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Child undernutrition disproportionally affects children in low‐ and middle‐income countries. In Ethiopia, both wasting and stunting are serious public health concerns, with high human and economic costs. Understanding the dynamics in ponderal and linear growth faltering is critical to inform the design of innovative interventions that can prevent both wasting and stunting in poor and complex settings. Using two longitudinal studies conducted in 2017 and 2019 in four highland regions of Ethiopia, we evaluated the dynamics and drivers of child growth faltering in children 6–23 months of age (N = 5003). Child wasting prevalence peaked during the first 6 months of life, whereas stunting increased significantly after 6 months of age. Male sex, child illnesses (i.e., diarrhoea or fever) and low consumption of fruits and vegetables were associated with higher odds of acute undernutrition (P < 0.05). The consumption of animal source foods (ASF) was associated with increases (β: 95% CI) in weight‐for‐length Z‐score (WLZ; 0.12: 0.0002; 0.242), whereas fruit or vegetables consumption was associated with increases in midupper arm circumference (MUAC; 0.11 cm: 0.003; 0.209). Only consumption of ASF was the statistically significant predictor of future linear growth (0.14: 0.029; 0.251). Distinct trends in WLZ and MUAC were observed by child sex and age. Improving diet quality through improved nutrition knowledge and increased access and affordability of ASFs, along with effective infection prevention/control measures could prevent both child wasting and stunting concurrently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute malnutrition affects not only the growth and development but also the body composition of children. However, its specific effects have not yet been characterized. This study aims to compare the body composition of 5–7‐year‐old children with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) to that of their well‐nourished (WN) peers and identify associated factors. A school‐based comparative cross‐sectional study was conducted from June to July 2022 in Jimma town, southwest Ethiopia. The study participants were selected from eight kindergartens and eight primary schools using a simple random sampling technique based on the proportional allocation of the sample to the size of the population in the respective school. Descriptive statistics and multivariable linear regression analyses were used to assess the mean differences and associations between variables and isolate independent predictors of body composition, respectively. The statistical significance was determined using ß‐coefficients with 95% confidence intervals and a p value of ≤ 0.05. Data were captured from 388 (194 MAM and 194 WN) children with a response rate of 97.9%. The mean fat‐free mass of WN children was significantly higher compared with those with MAM (p < 0.001). The mean (SD) of fat mass of MAM children was 4.23 ± 0.72 kg, 4.36 ± 0.88 kg and 4.08 ± 0.89 kg for 5, 6 and 7‐year‐olds, respectively. For WN children, the mean (SD) of fat mass was 4.92 ± 0.88 kg for 5 years old, 5.64 ± 1.01 kg for 6 years old and 5.75 ± 1.26 kg for 7 years old (p < 0.001). On the multivariable linear regression analysis after controlling for background variables, WN children exhibited 1.51 times higher fat‐free mass compared with MAM children (β = 1.51, p = 0.003). A unit increase in age of the study participants was associated with a 1.37 increment in fat‐free mass (β = 1.37, p < 0.001). WN children had 1.07 times higher fat mass compared with children with MAM (β = 1.07, p < 0.001). A unit increase in the age of the child resulted in 0.15 times increment in fat mass (β = 0.15, p = 0.020), and being female was associated with a 0.37 increase in fat mass (β = 0.37, p < 0.001). The results showed that the mean fat mass and fat‐free mass were significantly lower among moderately acute malnourished children than in WN children showing the loss of both body compartments due to malnutrition. The body mass index for age, age of the child and sex of the child were significantly linked to both fat‐free mass and fat mass. Key messages: This study demonstrated that children aged 5–7 years suffering from moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) have lower mean body fat mass (FM) and fat‐free mass (FFM) as compared with well‐nourished (WN) children.The substantial difference observed between MAM and WN children in body FM and FFM calls for the integration of MAM treatment into the routine health services to prevent their sliding down to SAM and associated mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Early health-seeking behavior (EHSB) is a sequence of helpful steps that caretakers undertake to amend perceived sickhealth. In a developing country, the health of children is determining by the caretaker's health seeking behavior. Children who have acute diarrhea and caretakers do not bring at early health actions increase the morbidity and mortalities and few studies in the area. The objective of the study was to assess the magnitude and associated factors of EHSB among caretakers of under-􀃶ve children who have acute diarrheal illness at Gondar town, health centers North West Ethiopia. Method: Cross-sectional study design by using interviewer data was conducted among 367 caretakers at Gondar town from eight governmental health centers in between March 25 to May 8, 2016. A systematic sampling technique was employed. Data were collected using a pretested semi-structured questionnaire with interviewer. Bi-variable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with EHSB. Variables had P-value≤0.2 in the bi-variate analysis were considered for multivariable analysis. A P-value of less than 0.05 was used to declare a statistically signi􀃶cant association. Odds Ratio (OR) with a 95% con􀃶dence interval (CI) was used to determine the strength and direction of the association. Results: A total of 367 (98.9%) caretakers participated, of whom only 4 (1.1%) failed to respond. The magnitude of EHSB was 22.6% with (95% CI: 18.5-27.3). EHSB was signi􀃶cantly associated with caretakers brought their ill child at severe condition/symptom (AOR=2.62; 95% CI: (1.02-6.70), previous health service waiting time less than one hour (AOR=2.15; 95% CI: (1.13-4.10), and good breast feeding (AOR=0.38; 95% CI: (0.19-0.78). Conclusions: The magnitude of EHSB of caretakers of under-5 children who have acute diarrheal illness in this study was low. EHSB was statistically associated with previous waiting time less than one hour, brought of the ill child at the mild condition, and giving breast milk/Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS). Therefore caretakers should build up constant behaves to bring their sick child early to the available health centers and promote the health services to reduce clients waiting time are proactive in the care of the child. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much of the existing literature on the economics of child labor assumes that child labor is synonymous with employment in income‐generating activities. However, children also perform domestic chores, and excessive involvement in chores may be detrimental to their wellbeing. This paper investigates the effect on child health and education outcomes of participation in domestic chores as well as participation in income‐generating activities. Our data come from the 2014 Young Lives survey of Ethiopia. We use the guidelines of the 18th International Conference of Labor Statisticians and the United Nations Children's Fund to make a distinction between light work and harmful work, and apply this distinction to both domestic chores and income‐generating work. Using an instrumental variables approach, we find that involvement in harmful domestic chores is strongly associated with poor health and education outcomes. Our findings suggest that excessive involvement in domestic chores constitutes a form of child labor. Ignoring domestic chores will lead to an underestimate of the prevalence of child labor, especially among girls, whose exposure to chores is much higher, on average, than that of boys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates child agency in Ethiopian and Colombian refugee families in New Zealand. Emerging scholarship has highlighted ways in which children's actions may influence family language policies. However, the existing descriptions are typically not embedded in a wider social theory, and have generally not included refugees. This study draws on 3 years of ethnographic observations, interviews with 29 mothers and 17 children and recordings of naturally occurring home interactions from three families. The families were part of a governmental programme for the resettlement of refugees. Data from both ethnic communities indicate that children influence their parents' socialisation practices through (1) metalinguistic comments, (2) medium requests, (3) language brokering, (4) sociocultural socialisation and (5) majority language teaching. As a theoretical contribution, I argue that child agency is most fruitfully interpreted theoretically within a Bourdieusian framework of structure and agency. At a more micro-level, the notion of 'cleft-habitus' supplies a useful tool to discuss the effects of the children's divergent cultural socialisation. From a practical perspective, targeting children along with parents may be beneficial for promoting language maintenance efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

School health and nutrition (SHN) programmes are recognized as a significant contributor to both health and education sector goals. The school system offers an ideal platform from which to deliver basic health interventions that target the most common health conditions affecting school-age children (SAC) in low-income countries, leading to improved participation and learning outcomes. However, governments require evidence to cost, design, and implement these programmes. In Ethiopia, prevalent health conditions affecting SAC's education participation and learning outcomes include infection with soil-transmitted helminths (STHs), hunger, and malnutrition. In recognition of the multiple issues affecting the health and education of SAC, the government has taken a proactive approach, coordinating an integrated SHN programme designed to be implemented in partnership and monitored and financed through a single, integrated mechanism. The programme, known as the Enhanced School Health Initiative (ESHI), integrates three complimentary health interventions: deworming; school feeding; and provision of a water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) package in schools, which in delivery aim to maximize the benefits of each of the individual components. Operational research surrounding the ESHI programme includes both qualitative and quantitative analyses. Here, we present an overview of the ESHI programme and its genesis. We also introduce three additional supporting papers that provide in-depth analyses of key findings, including the baseline situational analysis, the costs, and community perceptions of the programme. The findings from ESHI provide initial evidence to develop an understanding of the related costs and synergies of integrating multiple health interventions onto a single platform. The work has translated into strengthened institutional capacity and improved cross-sectoral coordination. The government is now committed to supporting 25 million school children in Ethiopia through SHN. The ESHI model serves as a reference point for other countries looking to scale up targeted SHN interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Combining qualitative and quantitative longitudinal data to study chronic poverty is now recognised to provide deep and reliable insights. This paper uses quantitative and qualitative data collected by Young Lives, a longitudinal study of childhood poverty, to identify factors that contribute to households becoming or remaining poor in rural Ethiopia and the effects of movements in and out of poverty on children within those households. Findings highlight the cumulative nature of shocks and their intersection with pre-existing vulnerabilities and suggest that improvements in household welfare may go at the expense of child well-being. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite antiretroviral treatment (ART), the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) continues to pose a considerable health burden in resource-poor countries. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the pooled incidence density of mortality and identify potential predictors among HIV-infected children receiving ART, from studies conducted in various parts of Ethiopia. Methods: A comprehensive database search was made in Excerpta Medica, PubMed, Web of Science, African Journals Online, Google Scholar, and Scopus. We reported results following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis 2020. Excel Spreadsheet and STATA Version 14 software were used for data abstraction and meta-analysis, respectively. Statistical heterogeneity among studies was assessed using I2 statistics. Meta-regression and subgroup analysis were performed to further explore the sources of statistical heterogeneity. Moreover, publication bias and a leave-out-one sensitivity analysis were performed. Results: Twenty-two articles involving 8,731 participants met inclusion criteria and were included. The pooled incidence density of mortality was 3.08 (95% confidence interval (CI), 2.52 to 3.64) per 100 child years. Predictors of mortality were living in rural areas (hazard ratio (HR), 2.18 [95% CI, 1.20 to 3.98]), poor adherence to ART (HR, 2.85 [ 95% CI, 1.39 to 5.88]), failure to initiate co-trimoxazole preventive therapy (HR, 2.16 [95% CI, 1.52 to 3.07]), anemia (HR, 2.28 [95% CI, 1.51 to 3.45]), opportunistic infections (HR, 1.52 [ 95% CI, 1.15 to 2.00]), underweight (HR, 1.74 [95% CI, 1.26 to 2.41]), wasting (HR, 2.54 [95% CI, 1.56 to 4.16]), stunting (HR, 2.02 [95% CI, 1.63 to 2.51]), World Health Organization classified HIV clinical stages III and IV (HR, 1.71 [95% CI, 1.42 to 2.05]), and Nevirapine-based regimens (HR, 3.91 [95% CI, 3.09 to 4.95]). Conclusions: This study found that the overall mortality rate among HIV-infected children after ART initiation was high. Therefore, high-level commitment and involvement of responsible caregivers, healthcare providers, social workers, and program managers are of paramount importance to identify these risk factors and thus enhance the survival of HIV-infected children receiving ART. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Baby-friendly workplace is an effective evidence based initiative developed by the World Health Organization to protect and support maternal knowledge, beliefs, and confidence in infant and young child feeding practices. However, studies that show the effect of the baby-friendly workplace initiative on the nutritional status of infant and young children are not available in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the nutritional status among baby friendly initiatives service utlizers and non utlizers children age 6–24 months in public health facilities of Southern Ethiopia. Methods: We conducted a comparative cross-sectional study from 1 to 30 June 2022 among 220 mothers with children aged 6–24 months. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. Data were entered into Epidata Software version 4.2 and then exported to IBM SPSS version 26 software for analysis. Chi-square and Fisher exact test were used to assess the differences between users and non-users of the baby friendly workplace initiative. Logistic regression model was used to determine the association between dependent and independent variables. Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with a 95% confidence interval was computed. P-values < 0.05 at a 95% confidence level were considered statistically significant. Result: The mean (SD) scores of weight for age (WAZ), height for age (HAZ), and weight for height (WHZ) were − 0.38 (1.34),-0.17(2.62) and-0.35 (1.84) respectively. After adjusting for covariates, children aged 6–24 months who did not use baby friendly workplace initiatives were 2.26 times more likely to have stunting compared to the users of baby friendly workplace initiative (AOR 2.26, 95% CI: 1.05, 4.88). However, both wasting (AOR: 0.42; 95% CI:0.13, 1.37) and underweight (AOR: 1.09; 95% CI: 0.45, 2.60) were not significantly associated with the use of baby friendly workplace initiatives. Conclusion: The use of baby friendly work place initiatives was successful in improving nutritional status, specifically chronic malnutrition in children. Strengthening and scaling up the baby friendly work place initiative program has the potential to reduce chronic malnutrition in Ethiopia and other similar settings with high burden of malnutrition areas, by implementing it in public facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite improvements in food access and nutrition security over the last few decades, malnutrition remains a major public health problem. One of the significant contributors to these problems is affordability of nutritious food. This study aimed to examine the association between perceived food affordability and pre-school children's diet diversity in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods: Cross-sectional data from 2017 to 18 were used for the analysis. A 24-hour dietary recall assessment was done to assess children's dietary diversity (DD). We used a modified operational definition of affordability indicator called perceived affordability of dietary diversity (afford-DD) to evaluate the impact of the food environment in terms of affordability at the household level. A sample (n 4,898) of children aged 6–59 months representative of households in Addis Ababa was randomly selected using a multistage sampling procedure including all districts in the city. Mixed-effects linear regression models were used to assess the association between children's DD and afford-DD. Results: The survey revealed that the mean (standard deviation [SD]) of children's DD was 3.9 [± 1.4] while the mean [SD] of afford-DD was 4.6 [± 2.1]. Overall, 59.8% of children met the minimum dietary diversity (≥ 4 food groups). White roots and tubers were the most commonly consumed food groups regardless of their affordability. Considerable variations were observed between households that reported the food item affordable and not affordable in consumption of Vitamin A rich vegetables and fruits, meat and fish, egg, and dairy. The children's DD was positively associated with afford-DD after adjusting for maternal education, household wealth status and other relevant confounding. Higher maternal education modified the association between affordability and children's diet diversity. Conclusions: This study suggests higher perceived food affordability was associated with better diet diversity in children. A higher level of maternal education had the potential to mitigate affordability challenges in meeting the children's dietary diversity needs. Our study emphasizes the need for inclusive food programs and nutrition interventions addressing social differences, intensifying efforts to make nutrient-rich diets affordable for the less privileged, and highlights the potential benefits of targeting maternal education in addressing child dietary diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper addresses the question of whether parental death always has a strongly negative effect on children's outcomes using quantitative and qualitative data from Young Lives, a longitudinal study of childhood poverty in Ethiopia. It investigates the validity of potential mediating factors identified by other studies in Sub-Saharan Africa using data from the whole sample ( n = 973) and explores these processes in-depth through the experiences of three orphans in one community in Addis Ababa. The paper concludes that the outcomes of orphans and non-orphans in poor communities are not significantly different, supporting the need to address vulnerability at a societal level. Nonetheless, specific groups, for example, older female children who have lost their mothers, may face particular risks that should be addressed with targeted interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the advantages and challenges of using qualitative methods to elicit poor children’s perspectives about threats and positive influences on their wellbeing. It draws on research carried out by the author on the subjective experiences of poor children in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia in terms of their understandings of wellbeing, threats to their wellbeing, coping strategies, and positive or resilient outcomes. After a brief introduction reviewing previous approaches to child poverty in general and research on Ethiopian children in particular, the second section describes the research setting and the ethical approach to the study, which influenced how consent was obtained and the data analysed. The paper then describes the use of qualitative methods such as semi-structured interviews, draw-and-tell, and diaries, the kinds of data they produced and the methodological and ethical dilemmas and tensions encountered in using them. It concludes that despite the challenges qualitative methods are invaluable in order to understand what poor children see as threats and positive influences on their wellbeing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing child undernutrition is a key social policy objective of the Ethiopian government. Despite substantial reduction over the last decade and a half, child undernutrition is still high; with 48 percent of children either stunted, underweight or wasted, undernutrition remains an important child health challenge. The existing literature highlights that targeting of efforts to reduce undernutrition in Ethiopia is inefficient, in part due to lack of data and updated information. This paper remedies some of this shortfall by estimating levels of stunting and underweight in each woreda for 2014. The estimates are small area estimations based on the 2014 Demographic and Health Survey and the latest population census. It is shown that small area estimations are powerful predictors of undernutrition, even compared to household characteristics, such as wealth and education, and hence a valuable targeting metric. The results show large variations in share of children undernourished within each region, more than between regions. The results also show that the locations with larger challenges depend on the chosen undernutrition statistic, as the share, number and concentration of undernourished children point to vastly different locations. There is also limited correlation between share of children underweight and stunted across woredas, indicating that different locations face different challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Anaemia continues to be a major public health challenge globally, including in Ethiopia. Previous studies have suggested that improved household environmental conditions may reduce anaemia prevalence; however, population-level evidence of this link is lacking in low-income countries. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the association between environmental factors and childhood anaemia in Ethiopia. Methods: In this study, we conducted an analysis of the data from the Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS), a nationally representative population-based survey conducted in Ethiopia between 2005 and 2016. The study included a total of 21,918 children aged 6–59 months. Children were considered anemic if their hemoglobin (Hb) concentration was less than 11.0 g/dl. To examine the association between environmental factors and anemia, we used multilevel mixed-effect models. These models allowed us to control for various confounding factors including: child, maternal, household and community-level variables. The study findings have been reported as adjusted odds ratios (AORs) along with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) at a significance level of p < 0.05. Results: The study found the overall prevalence of childhood anaemia to be 49.3% (95%CI: 48.7–49.9) between 2005 and 2016 in Ethiopia. The prevalence was 47.6% (95%CI: 46.1–49.1) in 2005, 42.8% (95%CI: 41.8–43.8) in 2011, and increased to 57.4% (95%CI: 56.3–58.4) in 2016. The pooled data showed that children from households practising open defecation were more likely to be anaemic (AOR: 1.19, 95% CI: 1.05–1.36). In our survey specify analysis, the odds of anaemia were higher among children from households practising open defecation (AOR: 1.33, 95% CI: 1.12–1.58) in the EDHS-2011 and EDHS-2016 (AOR: 1.49, 95% CI: 1.13–1.90). In contrast, neither household water sources nor the time to obtain water was associated with anaemia after controlling for potential confounders. The other variables significantly associated with childhood anaemia include: the child's age (6–35 months), not fully vaccinated (AOR: 1.14, 95%CI: 1.05–1.24), children not dewormed in the last 6 months (AOR: 1.11, 95%CI: 1.01–1.24), children born to mothers not working (AOR: 1.10, 95%CI: 1.02–1.19), children from poor households (AOR: 1.18: 95%CI: 1.06–1.31), and rural residence (AOR: 1.23, 95%CI: 1.06–1.42). Conclusion: In Ethiopia, about fifty percent of children suffer from childhood anemia, making it a serious public health issue. Open defecation is a major contributing factor to this scourge. To address this issue effectively, it is recommended to strengthen initiatives aimed at eliminating open defecation that involve various approaches, including sanitation infrastructure development, behavior change campaigns, and policy interventions. In addition, to reduce the burden of anemia in children, a multi-faceted approach is necessary, involving both prevention and treatment strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chronic hepatitis B affects close to 300 million people globally with 1.5 million new infections per year. It causes the highest numbers of cirrhosis and liver cancer diagnoses each year. In children, perinatal transmission and contact with infected blood or body fluids remain the main methods of transmission. There are increasing reports of breakthrough hepatitis B infections in fully vaccinated children born to hepatitis B-negative mothers, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Our study aimed to measure the adequacy of hepatitis B surface antibody levels among children and adolescents who received three rounds of hepatitis B vaccination during infancy and delivered to hepatitis B-negative mothers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Method: This was a retrospective cohort study analyzing results of paired serology tests for hepatitis B surface antibody and antigen tests performed for children aged 1–18 years from July 2022 to June 2023. All recorded data were transferred to SPSS version 29.0. The prevalence of adequate hepatitis B surface antibody levels was determined and sub-group analysis conducted using descriptive statistics, frequencies and tables. The magnitude of association between different variables and vaccine-induced hepatitis B immunity was assessed using logistic regression. Statistically significant differences were taken at p < 0.05. Results: A total of 256 children were included in the study (mean age: 7.53 years). Six children (2.3%) had breakthrough hepatitis B infections. Overall, 37 children (14.4%) were categorized as having optimal hepatitis B surface antibody levels (vaccine-induced antibody titers of >10 IU/mL), while 219 (85.6%) had low titers of <10 IU/mL. Nearly all (97.4%) of the sub-group aged 10 years and above had below-par antibody levels, with adolescents (11–18 years) being ten times more likely to have low seroprotection than those aged less than 5 years. Conclusions: Our study showed markedly low vaccine-induced hepatitis B surface antibody levels among the study population, especially adolescents. The presence of breakthrough infections may suggest a genuine lack of response and not just a mere drop in antibody titers and thus could highlight a significant public health problem in Ethiopia. Further immunologic studies and a thorough analysis of vaccine storage and administration should be conducted to inform prevention programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To conduct a systematic review of experimental or quasi-experimental studies that aimed to improve the nutritional status of children under 5 years of age in Ethiopia. Design: Embase, MEDLINE/PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PsychINFO, and Academic Search Database were used to locate peer-reviewed studies, and Google Scholar and Open Dissertation were used to locate grey literatures. All searches were conducted between 2000 and November 2022. Setting: Ethiopia. Participants: Pregnant women and mothers with children aged 0–59 months. Results: Ten cluster randomised controlled trials (RCT), six quasi-experimental studies and two individual RCT were included. Out of the identified eighteen studies, three studies targeted pregnant mothers. Our findings showed that almost two-thirds of published interventions had no impact on childhood stunting and wasting, and more than half had no impact on underweight. Some behaviour change communication (BCC) interventions, food vouchers, micronutrient supplementation and quality protein maize improved stunting. Similarly, BCC and fish oil supplementation showed promise in reducing wasting, while BCC and the provision of quality protein maize reduced underweight. Additionally, water, sanitation and hygiene (WaSH) interventions provided to pregnant mothers and children under 2 years of age were shown to significantly reduce childhood stunting. Conclusion: Future childhood nutritional interventions in Ethiopia should consider adopting an integrated approach that combines the positive effects of interdependent systems such as BCC, food supplemental programmes (e.g. boosting protein and micronutrients), health interventions (e.g. strengthening maternal and childcare), WaSH and financial initiatives (e.g. monetary support and income schemes). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Universal Health Coverage (UHC) forces governments to consider not only how services will be provided – but which services – and to whom, when, where, how and at what cost. This paper considers the implications for achieving UHC through the lens of abortion-related care for adolescents. Our comparative study design includes three countries purposively selected to represent varying levels of restriction on access to abortion: Ethiopia (abortion is legal and services implemented); Zambia (legal, complex services with numerous barriers to implementations and provision of information); Malawi (legally highly restricted). Our policy and legal analyses are supplemented by comparative vignettes based on interviews (n = 330) in 2018/2019 with adolescents aged 10–19 who have sought abortion-related care in each country. We focus on an under-considered but critical legal framing for adolescents – the age of consent. We compare legal and political commitments to advancing adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights, including abortion-related care. Ethiopia appears to approach UHC for safe abortion care, and the legal provision for under 18-year-olds appears to be critical. In Malawi, the most restrictive legal environment for abortion, little progress appears to have been made towards UHC for adolescents. In Zambia, despite longstanding legal provision for safe abortion on a wide range of grounds, the limited services combined with low levels of knowledge of the law mean that the combined rights and technical agendas of UHC have not yet been realised. Our comparative analyses showing how policies and laws are framed have critical implications for equity and justice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: About 8 to 44% of all child mortality in Africa is associated with undernutrition. To alleviate this problem, it is necessary to determine the magnitude and determinants of undernutrition during Covid 19 pandemic. However, there is scarce evidence in an urban setting like Ambo town. Therefore, this study assessed the magnitude and factors associated with undernutrition among under-five children in Ambo town, west Ethiopia. Methods and patients: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Ambo town from March 01–30, 2020. The child and mother/caregiver socio-demographic characteristics, child illness and health care utilization, and child feeding practice-related data were collected using the standardized tool adopted from similar studies conducted in Ethiopia. Anthropometric measurements of the child were made using a calibrated scale. A systematic sampling technique was employed to select 363 mothers/caregivers of the child as a source of data. Nutritional status indices were generated using ENASMART software. After testing for collinearity, variables with a p-value < 0.25 in binary logistic regression were interred to backward multiple logistic regressions at a level of significance of p < 0.05. Results: A total of 363 participants were included in this study providing a 100% response rate and providing the following result. The mean (+ SD) age of children was 28.85 (+ 14.17) months and that of mothers/caregivers was 28.12 + 48 years. This study found 16.00%, 25.30%, and 19.00% of the study participants were underweight, wasted, and stunted respectively. Decisions making on major food purchases, who usually care for the child, the age at which the child starts complimentary food, late introduction of complementary food were positively associated with wasting. Diarrhea, birth weight, child age, age at which the child starts complimentary food, consumption of milk and milk product, and who usually care for the child were significantly associated with being underweight. Consumption of milk and milk products, household food security level, and birth weight were independent determinants of stunting. Conclusion: This study identified a high prevalence of undernutrition, especially wasting. Childbirth weight, age, diarrhea, feeding practice, household (HH) food security, Decision making on major food purchases, late introduction of complementary food were found to be the potential determinants of undernutrition. Thus there should be an effort to improve the nutritional status of children in the study area by focusing on these factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was conducted to analyze the contribution of home garden vegetables in reducing stunting among 6‐ to 23‐month‐old children from South Tigray, Northern Ethiopia. The quasi‐experimental study design was used. Multistage sampling technique was used to select the districts and study communities. A total of 94 purposively selected vegetable producer (intervention) households and 260 randomly selected non‐producer (control) households were included in the study (1:3 ratio). The recumbent length of children was measured using horizontal wooden board to the nearest 0.1 cm. The length‐for‐age Z‐scores were computed using WHO‐Anthro 2006 software. Propensity score‐matching and difference‐in‐difference (DID) estimates were used to analyze data using STATA software version 12. Prevalence of child stunting was 19.8 (12.7–29.4) and 21.1 (16.4–26.7)% (baseline) and 43.5 (33.5–54.1) and 46.5 (45.7–47.2)% (end line) among intervention and control groups, respectively. Child stunting was higher for boys and older children from both intervention and control households. DID estimation revealed that there was no significant difference in child stunting between intervention and control households (DID = 1.7, p =.604). However, there was an intervention effect of −0.5, 2.5, and 1.7% in the prevalence of child stunting among females, males, and both sexes, respectively. Vegetable production as an intervention strategy reduced the prevalence of stunting in children aged 6–23 months. However, vegetable production needs to be well integrated with other nutrition‐sensitive interventions to realize the objective of reducing child stunting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children worldwide and disproportionally affect Sub-Saharan Africa. Despite the heaviest burden of LRIs in Ethiopia, to date, no published studies have reported a comprehensive viral etiology of LRTIs among children in Ethiopia. The objective of this study was to determine and estimate the etiological contribution of respiratory viruses to LRTIs in < 5 years children in Ethiopia. Methods: A prospective case–control study was conducted from September 2019 to May 2022 in two major governmental hospitals, St. Paul Hospital Millennium Medical College and ALERT Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Nasopharyngeal/oropharyngeal samples and socio-demographic and clinical information were collected from children under 5 years. A one-step Multiplex real-time PCR (Allplex™ Respiratory Panel Assays 1–3) was done to detect respiratory viruses. STATA software version 17 was used for the data analysis. We computed the odds ratio (OR), the attributable fraction among exposed (AFE) and the population attributable fraction (PAF) to measure the association of the detected viruses with LRTIs. Results: Overall, 210 LRTIs cases and 210 non-LRTI controls were included in the study. The likelihood of detecting one or more viruses from NP/OP was higher among cases than controls (83.8% vs. 50.3%, p = 0.004). The multivariate logistic regression showed a significantly higher detection rate for RSV A (OR: 14.6, 95% CI 4.1–52.3), RSV B (OR: 8.1, 95% CI 2.3–29.1), influenza A virus (OR: 5.8, 95% CI 1.5–22.9), and PIV 1 (OR: 4.3, 95% CI 1.1–16.4), among cases when compared with controls. The overall AFE and PAF for RSV A were (93.2% and 17.3%), RSV B (87.7% and 10.4%) and Influenza A virus (82.8% and 6.3%), respectively. The mean CT values were significantly lower for only RSV B detected in the case groups as compared with the mean CT values of RSV B detected in the control group (p = 0.01). Conclusions: RSV, Influenza A and PIV 1 viruses were significantly associated with LRTIs in < 5 years children in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Therefore, we underscore the importance of developing prevention strategies for these viruses in Ethiopia and support the importance of developing and introducing an effective vaccine against these viruses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A dental health survey was conducted in the Arussi province in Ethiopia. The survey comprised 1,700 persons between 6 and 54 years of age in five age groups from four regions of the province. Findings concerning periodontal disease and oral hygiene are reported in the present paper. The onset of periodontal disease was early, with 60 % of the children in the 6-7 year group having gingivitis. In general, periodontal disease was found in a majority of the surveyed population (83 %). Severe periodontal destruction was, however, unusual before the age of 30, but at the age of 45-54 years 52 % of the sample exhibited pocket formation. The level of periodontal disease in Ethiopia was judged as low to moderate. A close relationship was observed between oral cleanliness and periodontal condition. A possible favorable influence of the diet and traditional oral cleaning methods is conceivable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Delay in the diagnosis of childhood cancer is one of the major health problem that contribute to decreased survival rates of children particularly in developing nations. Despite advances in the field of pediatric oncology, cancer remains a leading cause of death in children. Diagnosis of childhood cancer as early as possible is crucial to reduce mortality. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess delay in diagnosis and associated factors among children with cancer admitted to pediatric oncology ward, University of Gondar comprehensive specialized hospital, Ethiopia 2022. Method: Institutional-based retrospective cross-sectional study design was conducted from January1, 2019 to December 31, 2021 at University of Gondar comprehensive specialized hospital. All 200 children were included in the study and Data were extracted through structured check-list. The data were entered using EPI DATA version 4.6 and exported to STATA version 14.0 for data analysis. Results: From the total of two hundred pediatric patients 44% had delayed diagnosis and the median delay diagnosis was 68 days. Rural residence (AOR = 1.96; 95%CI = 1.08–3.58), absence of health insurance (AOR = 2.21; 95%CI = 1.21–4.04), Hodgkin lymphoma (AOR = 9.36; 95%CI = 2.1-41.72), Retinoblastoma (AOR = 4.09; 95%CI = 1.29–13.02), no referral (AOR = 6.3; 95%CI = 2.15–18.55) and absence of comorbid disease (AOR = 2.14; 95%CI = 1.17–3.94) were significant factors associated with delay in diagnosis. Conclusion and recommendation: Delayed in diagnosis of childhood cancer was relatively lower than previous studies and most influenced by the child's residency, health insurance, type of cancer and comorbid disease. Thus; every effort should be made to promote public and parental understanding of childhood cancer, promote health insurance and referral. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Antiretroviral therapy (ART) provision was among the major challenge of treatments. Maintaining the optimal level of adherence among children living with HIV/AIDS is a pivotal step towards achieving treatment success. However, there are limited studies on child's ART adherence. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the level of adherence to antiretroviral therapy and associated factors among HIV-infected children in health institutions of Adwa, Axum, and Shire towns, Tigray, Northern Ethiopia. Methods: An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected children in between February and April, 2016. A total of 255 children who were taking antiretroviral therapy in the randomly selected three health facilities from Adwa, Axum and Shire towns were included. Data were collected using pretested and structured questionnaires using a face-to-face interview. The collected data were entered into Epi Info version 7 and then exported to SPSS version 21 for analysis. Bivariate and multivariate binary logistic regression models were used to determine the factors associated with adherence to antiretroviral therapy among HIV-infected children. Results: A total of the 255 study participants were included in the study. The level of ART adherence among HIV-positive children was 212 (84.8%). Knowledge of caregivers about ART treatment (AOR = 2.78, 95% CI: 1.18, 6.53), occupational status (AOR = 4.78, 95% CI: 1.26, 18.91), appointment to ART less than two months (AOR = 3.05, 95% CI: 1.21, 7.70) and use of memory aids (AOR = 4.58, 95% CI: 1.73, 12.13) were independently associated with adherence to ART. Conclusion: The level of adherence to antiretroviral therapy was low. Healthcare providers should reinforce adherence intervention and counseling sessions during follow-up and address the proper use of medication reminders to help children take their drugs appropriately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]