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Objectives: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to: i) determine the pooled prevalence of acute diarrhea; and ii) synthesize and summarize current evidence on factors of acute diarrheal illnesses among under-five children in Ethiopia. Methods: A comprehensive systematic search was conducted in PubMed, SCOPUS, HINARI, Science Direct, Google Scholar, Global Index Medicus, Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), and the Cochrane Library. This systematic review and meta-analysis followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline. The methodological quality of each included article was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) quality assessment tool for cross-sectional and case-control studies. A randomeffect meta-analysis model was used to estimate the pooled prevalence of diarrheal illnesses. Heterogeneity and publication bias were assessed using I2 test statistics and Egger's test, respectively. The statistical analysis was done using STATA™ software version 14. Results: Fifty-three studies covering over 27,458 under-five children who met the inclusion criteria were included. The pooled prevalence of diarrhea among under-five children in Ethiopia was found to be 20.8% (95% CI: 18.69-22.84, n = 44, I2 = 94.9%, p < 0.001). Our analysis revealed a higher prevalence of childhood diarrhea in age groups of 12-23 months 25.42% (95%CI: 21.50-29.35, I2 = 89.4%, p < 0.001). In general, the evidence suggests that diarrheal risk factors could include: i) child level determinants (child's age 0-23 months, not being vaccinated against rotavirus, lack of exclusive breastfeeding, and being an under-nourished child); ii) parental level determinants {mothers poor handwashing practices [pooled odds ratio (OR) = 3.05; 95% CI:2.08-4.54] and a history of maternal recent diarrhea (pooled OR = 3.19, 95%CI: 1.94-5.25)}; and iii) Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) determinants [lack of toilet facility (pooled OR = 1.56, 95%CI: 1.05-2.33)], lack handwashing facility (pooled OR = 4.16, 95%CI: 2.49-6.95) and not treating drinking water (pooled OR = 2.28, 95% CI: 1.50-3.46). Conclusion: In Ethiopia, the prevalence of diarrhea among children under the age of five remains high and is still a public health problem. The contributing factors to acute diarrheal illnesses were child, parental, and WASH factors. A continued focus on improving access to WASH facilities, along with enhancing maternal hygiene behavior will accelerate reductions in diarrheal disease burden in Ethiopia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Induction of labor is the initiation of uterine contractions by artificial methods once the fetus has reached viability and prior to spontaneous onset of labor with the aim of achieving vaginal delivery. Although induction of labor is a critical life-saving intervention that potentially reduces adverse pregnancy outcomes, sometimes it has undesirable consequences for the health of the mother and/or the fetus. Hence, this study aimed to evaluate the outcomes and associated factors of labor induction. Methods. An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from February 25 to May 25, 2020, among women undergoing induction at East Gojjam zone public hospitals in northwest Ethiopia. A structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from a sample of 411 mothers who were selected using a systematic random sampling technique. Stata/se™ Version 14 statistical software was used to analyze the data. Multivariable binary logistic regression was used to determine the potential factors affecting successful labor induction. Adjusted odds ratios with their 95% CI intervals were used to declare the strength of the association, and a variable with p value <0.05 was considered to have statistical significance. Results. The prevalence of successful induction of labor was 70.3% (65.6, 74.7). The favorable Bishop score ((CI 3.90, 1.63–9.29); p value = 0.002), the intermediate Bishop score ((CI 3.53, 2.15–5.82); p value = 0.001), labor induction using oxytocin with cervical ripening ((CI 2.60, 1.21–5.63); p value = 0.015), and urban residence ((CI 0.48, 0.30–0.78); p value = 0.003) were associated with successful induction of labor. Conclusion. These findings strongly suggest that cervical conditions are important determinants for the success of labor induction. Therefore, healthcare providers should confirm the favorability of the cervical status (using Bishop score) as a strict prerequisite before actual labor induction, and special consideration should be given to those pregnant women who reside in urban areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concurrent wasting and stunting (WaSt) is a condition where both wasting and stunting exist in a child at the same time. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of WaSt and to identify potential associated factors in Ethiopia. A total of 33,650 children aged between 0 and 59 months were included in the analysis from the four waves of the Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey. A mixed-effects logistic regression model was used to identify the determinants of WaSt. The prevalence of WaSt was found to be 4.7% (95% confidence interval [CI]: (4.5-4.9)), with respectively 2.5% (95% CI: 2.1-3.1) and 4.9% (95% CI: 4.7-5.2) among children in urban and rural settings. Children: (i) in the age group 12-23 months (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 4.16, 95% CI: (3.20-5.42)) and 24-59 months (AOR: 3.08, 95% CI: (2.28-4.17)); (ii) who were perceived by their mothers to be smaller than normal at birth (AOR: 1.98, 95% CI: (1.57-2.50)); (iii) had diarrhoea (AOR: 1.38, 95% CI: (1.11-1.71)); and (iv) fever in the past 2 weeks (AOR: 1.38, 95% CI: (1.10-1.71)) reported higher odds of WaSt. Being a female child (AOR: 0.57, 95% CI: (0.48-0.69)), having received measles vaccination (AOR: 0.71, 95% CI: (0.55-0.89)), having a mother with a normal body mass index (18.5-24.9 kg/m²) (AOR: 0.57, 95% CI: (0.48-0.68)), having a wealthier household (AOR: 0.67, 95% CI: (0.50-0.90)), and living in rural setting (AOR: 0.49, 95% CI: (0.32-0.74)) were associated with reduced odds of WaSt. The prevalence of WaSt was high, with approximately 1 in 20 Ethiopian children suffering from the condition and needing a prompt response to minimize the poor health and developmental outcomes. Children perceived by their mother to be smaller than normal at birth, older children, and babies with diarrhoea and fever had higher odds of WaSt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Body mass index (BMI) is a simple and cost-effective tool for monitoring the clinical responses of patients living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) after antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation, especially in resource-limited settings where access to laboratory tests are limited. Current evidence on the association between longitudinal BMI variation and clinical outcomes among adults living with HIV receiving ART is essential to inform clinical guidelines. Therefore, this study examines the association between BMI variation and premature mortality in adults living with HIV on ART. Methods: An institution-based retrospective cohort study was conducted among 834 adults living with HIV receiving ART from June 2014 to June 2020 at Debre Markos Comprehensive Specialized Hospital in Northwest Ethiopia. We first identified predictors of mortality and BMI variation using proportional hazards regression and linear mixed models, respectively. Then, the two models were combined to form an advanced joint model to examine the effect of longitudinal BMI variation on mortality. Results: Of the 834 participants, 49 (5.9%) died, with a mortality rate of 4.1 (95% CI 3.1, 5.4) per 100 person-years. A unit increase in BMI after ART initiation corresponded to an 18% reduction in mortality risk. Patients taking tuberculosis preventive therapy (TPT), mild clinical disease stage, and changing ART regimens were at lower risk of death. However, patients with ambulatory/bedridden functional status were at higher risk of death. Regarding BMI variation over time, patients presenting with opportunistic infections (OIs), underweight patients, patients who started a Dolutegravir (DGT)-based ART regimen, and those with severe immunodeficiency had a higher BMI increase over time. However, patients from rural areas and overweight/obese patients experienced a lower BMI increase over time. Conclusion: BMI improvement after ART initiation was strongly associated with a lower mortality risk, regardless of BMI category. This finding implies that BMI may be used as a better predictor tool for death risk in adults living with HIV in Ethiopia. Additionally, patients who took a DGT-based ART regimen had a higher BMI increase rate over time, which aligns with possible positive effects, such as weight gain, of the DGT-based ART regimen in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Ethiopia launched an Appointment Spacing Model in 2017, which involved a six-month clinical visit and medication refill cycle. This study aimed to assess the uptake of the Appointment Spacing Model of care and associated factors among stable adult HIV clients on ART in Ethiopia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from October 3 to November 30, 2020 among 415 stable adult ART clients. EpiData version 4.2 was used for data entry and SPSS version 25 was used for cleaning and analysis. A multivariable logistic regression model was fitted to identify associated factors, with CI at 95% with AOR being reported to show the strength of association. Results: The uptake of the appointment spacing model was 50.1%. Residence [AOR: 2.33 (95% CI: 1.27, 4.26)], monthly income [AOR: 2.65 (95% CI: 1.13, 6.24)], social support [AOR: 2.21 (95% CI: 1.03, 4.71)], duration on ART [AOR: 2.41 (95% CI: 1.48, 3.92)], baseline regimen change [AOR: 2.20 (95% CI: 1.02, 4.78)], viral load [AOR: 2.80 (95% CI: 1.06, 7.35)], and alcohol abstinence [AOR: 2.02 (95% CI: 1.21, 3.37)] were statistically significant. Conclusions: The uptake of the ASM was low. Behavioral change communication, engaging income-generating activities, and facility-level service providers' training may improve the uptake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to examine the effect of undernutrition on loss to follow-up (LTFU) in adults living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Ethiopia. We conducted an institution-based retrospective cohort study using medical records of 844 adults living with HIV receiving ART between June 2014 and June 2020 at Debre Markos Comprehensive Specialized Hospital (Northwest Ethiopia). The effect of undernutrition on LTFU was examined using a proportional hazards regression model after adjusting potential confounders. The significance level was set at p < 0.05. At the end of the study period, 109 (12.9%) participants were considered LTFU, with an overall LTFU incidence of 5.3 per 100 person-years (95% CI 4.4, 6.4). The incidence of LTFU was higher in undernourished participants (8.2 per 100 person-years) compared to well-nourished participants (4.3 per 100 person-years). After adjusting for potential confounders, the adjusted risk of LTFU among undernourished participants was two times higher than in their well-nourished counterparts (AHR [adjusted hazard ratio]: 2.1, 95% CI 1.4, 3.2). This study found that undernutrition significantly increased the risk of LTFU among adults living with HIV on ART. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethiopia is one of the countries in sub-Saharan Africa with the highest burden of childhood undernutrition. Despite the high burden of this scourge, little is known about the magnitude and contributing determinants to anthropometric failure among children aged 0–23 months, a period regarded as the best window of opportunity for interventions against undernutrition. This study examined factors associated with undernutrition (stunting, wasting, and underweight) among Ethiopian children aged 0–23 months. This study used a total weighted sample of 2146 children aged 0–23 months from the 2019 Ethiopian Mini Demographic and Health Survey. The data were cleaned and weighted using STATA version 14.0. Height-for-age (HFA), weight-for-height (WFH), and weight-for-age (WFA) z-scores < − 2 SD were calculated and classified as stunted, wasting, and underweight, respectively. Multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression models adjusted for cluster and survey weights were used. Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were estimated. Statistical significance was declared at p < 0.05. The overall weighted prevalence of stunting, wasting, and underweight respectively were 27.21% [95% CI (25.32–29.18)], 7.80% [95% CI (6.71–9.03)], and 16.44% [95% CI (14.90–18.09)] among children aged 0–23 months in Ethiopia. Female children were less likely to be associated with stunting [AOR: 0.68, 95% CI (0.54–0.86)], wasting [AOR: 0.70, 95% CI (0.51, 0.98)], and underweight [AOR: 0.64, 95% CI (0.49, 0.83)] than their male counterparts. Conversely, older children aged 12–17 months [AOR: 2.22, 95% CI (1.52, 3.23)] and 18–23 months [AOR: 4.16, 95% CI (2.75, 6.27)] were significantly at an increased odds of becoming stunted. Similarly, the likelihood of being underweight was higher in older age groups: 6–11 months [AOR: 1.74, 95% CI (1.15, 2.63)], 12–17 months [AOR: 2.13, 95% CI (1.40, 3.24)], and 18–23 months [AOR: 4.08, 95% CI (2.58, 6.44)] compared with the children younger than 6 months. Lower wealth quintile was one of the other significant determinants of stunting and underweight. The study's findings indicated that the most consistent significant risk factors for undernutrition among children aged 0–23 months are: male sex, older age groups and lower wealth quintile. These findings emphasize the importance of strengthening nutrition-specific and sensitive interventions that address the immediate and underlying drivers of childhood undernutrition in early life, as well as targeting low-income households with male children, in order for Ethiopia to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1,2 and 3 by 2030. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In Ethiopia, quality of maternal and newborn care is poor. This situation has persisted, despite the wide implementation of several capacity building-oriented interventions including clinical mentoring for skilled birth attendants that were anticipated to translate in to high–quality maternal and newborn care on each encounter. The effectiveness of mentoring programs is not yet well documented in the research literature. Therefore, we evaluated the effect of a catchment based clinical mentorship in improving the quality of maternal and newborn care in primary level facilities of Tigray, Northern Ethiopia. Methods: We conducted a controlled quasi-experimental pre-post study among 19 primary health care facilities, with 10 facilities assigned to the group where the catchment based clinical mentorship program was implemented (intervention group), and 9 facilities to the control group. We assigned the group based on administrative criteria, number of deliveries in each facility, accessibility, and ease of implementation of the intervention. A sample of 1320 women(662 at baseline; 658 at post intervention) and 233 skilled birth attendants(121 at baseline and 112 at end line) were included. We collected data from mothers, skilled birth attendants and facilities. The first round of data collection (baseline) took place two weeks prior the inauguration of the intervention, 05 October to 04 November 2019. The end line data collection occurred from 22 May to 03 July 2020. The primary Outcome was "receipt quality of maternal/newborn care". We analyzed the data using difference in differences (DiD) and logistic regression with Generalized Estimating Equation. The level of significance of predictors was declared at p-value less than 0.05in the multivariable analysis. Intervention: We deployed a team of local clinical mentors working at primary hospitals to provide clinical mentorship, and direct feedback in routine and emergency obstetrical and newborn care to the mentees (all skilled birth attendants performing maternal and newborn health services) functioning in their catchment rural health centers for duration of six months. While visiting a facility, mentors remain at the facility each lasting at least five to seven days per month, over the course of intervention period. Results: A significantly higher proportion of women at intervention facilities received quality of care services, compared with women at comparison facilities. (DiD = 18.4%, p<0.001). Moreover, following the implementation of the intervention we detected a difference in the occurrences of maternal complication outcome during delivery and immediately after birth. This was decreased by 4.5%, with significant differences between intervention and comparison sites (DiD = 4.5%, p = 0.013). We also found a favorable difference in occurrences of neonatal obstetric complications, with a decrease of 4.8% in the intervention site and almost no change in the comparison site (DiD = 4.8%, p = 0.002). Among the determinants of quality of care, we found that providers' job satisfaction (AoR = 2.95, 95%CI: 1.26 to 6.91), and making case presentation at regular basis(AoR = 1.89, 95%CI: 1.05 to 3.39) were significantly associated to improve the quality of care. However, delivery load(AoR = 0.95, 95%CI: 0.93 to 0.98) was negatively associated with quality of care. Conclusions: We conclude that the catchment based clinical mentorship intervention is effective to improve quality of care and reduce childbirth complications in northern Ethiopia. This finding further elaborated that incorporating maternal and newborn health catchment based clinical mentorship activities into the existing health system strengthening strategies can catalyze improvement processes to quality practice and health systems. This is seen as a necessary step to achieve the effective quality universal health care required to meet the health-related Sustainable Development Goals. Besides, more attention needs to be given to develop interventions and strategies that directly enhance providers' job satisfaction and reduce delivery work load. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Anemia is the reduction of red blood cells in size and numbers and an indicator of both poor nutrition and poor health. It is a major global public health problem. Anemia in adolescents and young adults can have negative effects on their cognitive performance and growth. In Ethiopia, previous studies yielded variable prevalence. This review aimed to determine the pooled prevalence of adolescent girls' anemia and associated factors in Ethiopia. Methods: We searched for studies reporting anemia and associated factors among adolescent girls as reported in peer reviews publications in Ethiopia from 1988 to 2021 from PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, Science Direct, Cochrane Library, and Worldwide Science database. The search strategy identified 309 cross-sectional studies. After screening for potentially eligible articles, we identified 37 publications for full text review, following which 10 publications were included in the final review. Using data from the review, we performed meta-analysis to produce pooled estimates and assess the prevalence of anemia and associated risk factors. Data were extracted using a standardized data extraction format prepared in Microsoft Excel™ and transferred to Stata ™ Version 14.0 for management and further analysis. To identify the source of heterogeneity, subgroup analysis using sample size and study setup was computed, and I2 test was used to declare the presence or absence of significant heterogeneity during subgroup analysis. A random-effect meta-analysis model was used to estimate the pooled prevalence of adolescent girls' anemia. Moreover associated factors for adolescent anemia were assessed too. Results: The overall pooled prevalence of anemia among adolescent girls' in Ethiopia was 23.02% (95% CI: 17.21to 28.84). In the subgroup analysis, studies that have a higher sample size than mean have a higher pooled prevalence (27.35%) (95% CI: 21.42 to 33.28) compared to their counterparts. Age being 15–19 (OR: 2.13; 95% CI: 1.52 to 2.96), living in rural areas (OR: 2.05; 95% CI: 1.66 to 2.54), and low dietary diversity (OR: 1.35; 95% CI: 1.00 to 2.34), were the identified factors associated with anemia among adolescent girls'. Conclusion: The pooled prevalence of anemia among adolescent girls in Ethiopia was moderately high. Being in 15–19 years, rural residence, and low dietary diversity score were found to be the significant factors of anemia among adolescent girls in Ethiopia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antiretroviral therapy lowers viral load only when people living with HIV maintain their treatment retention. Lost to follow-up is the persistent major challenge to the success of ART program in low-resource settings including Ethiopia. The purpose of this study is to estimate time to lost to follow-up and its predictors in antiretroviral therapies amongst adult patients. Among registered HIV patients, 542 samples were included. Data cleaning and analysis were done using Stata/SE version 14 software. In multivariable Cox regression, a p-value < 0.05 at 95% confidence interval with corresponding adjusted hazards ratio (AHR) were statistically significant predictors. In this study, the median time to lost to follow-up is 77 months. The incidence density of lost to follow-up was 13.45 (95% CI: 11.78, 15.34) per 100 person-years. Antiretroviral therapy drug adherence [AHR: 3.04 (95% CI: 2.18, 4.24)], last functional status [AHR: 2.74 (95% CI: 2.04, 3.67)], and INH prophylaxis [AHR: 1.65 (95% CI: 1.07, 2.56) were significant predictors for time to lost to follow-up. The median time to lost was 77 months and incidence of lost to follow-up was high. Health care providers should be focused on HIV counseling and proper case management focused on identified risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: One of the strategies to promote child health and reduce child mortality is growth monitoring and promotion services. But, there is limited information on determinants of Growth Monitoring and Promotion service utilization. Objective: To identify determinants of growth monitoring and promotion (GMP) service utilization among children 0–23 months of age in Legambo district, South Wollo zone, Northern Ethiopia, 2020. Methods: Community based un-matched case-control study was conducted on 363 (91 cases and 272 controls) study participants from March 15 to April 15, 2020. A multi-stage sampling technique was employed to select the study participants. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regressions were performed and an adjusted odds ratio with 95% confidence intervals was estimated to identify determinants of GMP service utilization. Results: A total of 358 mothers (89 cases and 269 controls) with 98.6% response rate were included in the study. The mean (±SD) age of child was 11.66(±6.29) months among controls and 15.02 (±6.06) months among cases. Good maternal knowledge (AOR) = 2.42; 95% CI: 1.23, 4.75), favorable attitude (AOR = 2.45; 95% CI; 1.20, 4.98), counseling on GMP (AOR = 2.34; 95% CI; 1.19, 4.56), attending ante natal care services (AOR = 2.46; 95% CI: 1.18, 5.16), index child age 12–17 months (AOR = 3.45; 95% CI: 1.26, 9.41) and 18–23 months (AOR = 4.38; 95% CI: 1.53, 12.49), and short distance to health facilities (AOR = 4.53; 95% CI; 1.99, 10.28) were determinants of GMP service utilization. Conclusion: Index child age, good knowledge, favorable attitude, attending antenatal care services, receiving nutritional counseling, and a short distance to health facility were determinants of GMP service utilization. Nutritional interventions should emphasize nutritional counseling and accessibility of growth monitoring and promotion services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A face mask is a vital component of personal protective equipment to prevent potentially contagious respiratory infections. There was a lack of evidence showing the proportion and determinants of face mask use in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to identify face mask utilization determinants to prevent spread of the Covid-19 pandemic among quarantined adults in Tigrai region, northern Ethiopia. A total of 331 participants selected using a systematic random sampling method were included in the study. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was employed. After describing the variables using frequencies, means, and standard deviations, multivariable logistic regression determined factors associated with face mask utilization to prevent COVID-19 spread. The study participants were primarily males (70%) and mean age was 30.5 (SD = 11) years. Nearly half of the participants reported they did not wear a face mask when leaving home. Face mask utilization was significantly associated with knowledge score, employment status, gender, age, and educational status of the study participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Intestinal parasitic infection are a major public health concern affecting both children and adolescents in Ethiopia. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine pooled prevalence and associated factors of intestinal parasitic infection in this target group. Method: We systematically retrieved available articles on the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection following database searches using PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and Science Direct between March 1 and May 27, 2020. Two authors independently extracted all relevant data using a standardized Microsoft Excel data extraction form. Heterogeneity among included studies was assessed with the Higgins I2 tests. The pooled estimates and associated factors were assessed with a random-effects model using Stata/se Version 14. Result: We retrieved 30 eligible articles with a pooled sample size of 14,445 primary school children with response rate of 97.8%. Entamoeba spp (16.11%), Ascaris lumbricoides (13.98%), hookworm (12.51%) and Giardia lamblia (9.98%) are the top causes of intestinal parasitic infection among primary school children in Ethiopia. The pooled prevalence for at least one intestinal parasitic infection was 46.09 (95% CI: 38.50, 53.68). Heterogeneity was assessed by doing subgroup analysis by study province/region. Thus, the highest prevalence of 66.6% (95% CI: 55.5, 77.7) occurred in Tigray region, which was followed by Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region at 50.8% (95% CI: 33.1, 68.5). No latrine availability (OR = 4.39: 2.50,7.73), no fingernail hygiene (OR = 2.37: 1.67, 3.35), open defecation (OR = 1.67:1.64,4.36), no formal maternal education (OR = 2.02: 1.18,3.47), rural residence (OR = 1.88: 1.46, 2.41), no habit of wearing shoes (OR = 2.66: 1.79, 3.96), non-pipe source of drinking water (OR = 1.99: 1.42,2.76), no regular hand washing practices (OR = 3.45:1.85,6.47), and no habit of washing fruits and vegetables (OR = 1.59:1.01,2.49) were associated with parasitic infection. Conclusions: The prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection was high (46%). Attention should be given to promoting personal hygiene, latrine utilization, wearing shoes, avoiding eating raw food, creating awareness for those mothers who lack formal education. Moreover, future research ideally will expand on the topic by conducting research in regions which have no prior research. Author summary: Intestinal parasitic infections are distributed virtually with high prevalence rates in many regions, especially in low and middle income countries which intimately linked to age group, poverty and inadequate access to water, sanitation and hygiene. It is now a day's one of the neglected tropical disease. We had searched different individual studies on intestinal parasitic infections to generate the pooled effect and recommend for the concerned body. We head included 30 different articles with a sample size of 14,445 and we have found a pooled prevalence of 46.09%. This finding indicates the prevalence of parasitic infection was almost near to half. Therefore every concerned body should give emphasize to prevent and control parasitic infection infestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Tropical diseases are public health problems affecting hundreds of millions of people globally. However, the development of adequate, affordable, and accessible treatments is mostly neglected, resulting in significant morbidity and mortality that could otherwise be averted. Leishmaniasis is one of the neglected tropical diseases caused by the obligate intracellular protozoan Leishmania parasite and transmitted by the bite of infected phlebotomine sandflies. No systematic review and meta-analysis has been done to identify the prevalence and risk factors of leishmaniasis to the authors' knowledge. Therefore, the objective was to determine the prevalence and risk factors of human leishmaniasis in Ethiopia. Methods: Eleven studies conducted in all regions of Ethiopia, which were fully accessible, written in any language, and original articles done on prevalence and risk factors of leishmaniasis, were included. STATA™ version 11.1 was used for statistical analysis. Chi-square, I2, and p values were assessed to check heterogeneity. A random effects model with heterogeneity taken from an inverse-variance model was employed to estimate the pooled effect. Subgroup meta-analysis was computed to reduce random variations among each article's point prevalence, and Egger and funnel plots were used to check for publication bias. Results: The highest proportion of human leishmaniasis was reported from a study done in Amhara region (39.1%), and the lowest was reported from a survey done in Tigray (2.3%). The overall pooled prevalence of leishmaniasis was 9.13% (95% CI 5–13.27). Subgroup analysis by region revealed moderate heterogeneity (I2 = 51.8%) in studies conducted in the Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples Region (SNNPR). The presence of hyraxes and being male were associated with an increased risk of human leishmaniasis. Conclusion: The prevalence of leishmaniasis in Ethiopia remains high (9.13%), with significant risk factors being male and the presence of hyraxes within a 300-m radius of the sleeping area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Globally, diabetes is a major public health burden that results in more than 3.2 million adult deaths per year. Currently, diabetes is increasingly becoming a major threat to global public health, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. Although previous studies emphasized knowledge and health beliefs about diabetes among patients living with diabetes, there is minimal evidence about knowledge and perception of risk for developing diabetes at the community level. Objective: This study aimed to assess the knowledge and perception of diabetes mellitus and its associated factors among people in Debre Berhan town, northeast Ethiopia. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 423 participants. The study was carried out from 25 February to 10 March 2019. Data were collected using a structured pretested questionnaire through face-to-face interviews. Data were entered into Epi data V 3.1 and exported to SPSS V 24 for analysis. A variable with p< 0.2 in bivariable analysis was entered into multivariable logistic regression. During multivariate analysis, variables with a p value of ≤ 0.05 were considered significantly associated. Result: A total of 237 (56.02%) participants had good general knowledge about diabetes mellitus. In the multivariable analysis, participants who were single (AOR = 9.08, CI: 1.72–48), had a family history of diabetes (AOR = 2.83; CI: 1.10–7.24), and had exposure to health education (AOR = 3.27; CI: 2.02–5.31) were associated with good knowledge. In this study, few respondents (20.1%) felt that they had a higher risk of developing diabetes. Two-thirds of respondents (62.4%) saw diabetes is a serious disease. On the other hand, approximately 67% agreed to the perceived benefits of screening. Conclusion: Almost half of the Debre Berhan community was found to have inadequate knowledge of diabetes mellitus. Married, higher educational status, exposure to health education, and family history of diabetes mellitus were significantly associated with good knowledge. The perceived risk of developing diabetes was low at the community level, although many respondents felt that behavior change is important in the prevention of diabetes. Therefore, policy makers, healthcare managers, and healthcare workers need to work cooperatively to foster community knowledge towards diabetes mellitus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With the onset of any novel condition, it is the "first" case identified that brings attention and sets into motion the machinery to respond – so it began with a first novel pneumonia case of unknown origin in Wuhan, China. Currently, the World Health Organization has declared SARS-CoV-2 (more commonly known as COVID-19) a public health emergency of international concern. It is projected that the path of COVID-19 could kill 50– 80 million people and impacts the world's economy in its devastating global sweep. The surge is increasing on global and national levels, causing rapid loss of life, joblessness, deterioration of the healthcare systems, and both national and global economies. In Ethiopia, the first COVID-19 case was reported in March. Since then, the government has been taking different measures to prevent its spread. Locking down all schools, declared social distancing and hand hygiene, and restricting large gatherings were some of the Ethiopian government's actions. Objective: To determine knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards COVID-19 pandemic among quarantined adults in Tigrai region, Ethiopia. Methods: A total of 331 participants selected using a systematic random sampling method were included in the study. We used an interviewer-administered questionnaire. After describing the variables using frequencies, means, and standard deviations, multivariable logistic regression determined factors associated with knowledge and chi-squared tests for attitudes and practices towards COVID-19. Results: The study participants were primarily males (70%) and mean age 30.5 (SD=11) years. The mean knowledge score was 8.73 (SD=2.64), with less than half 42.9% (95% CI: 37.5– 48%) of the study participants were knowledgeable. Regarding the attitude questions, three-fourths of the participants believed that Ethiopia will control and win the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly one-third of the participants replied that the Ethiopian government is handling this pandemic health crisis well. About half of the study participants reported that they had gone to crowded places in recent days, did not wear face mask when leaving home, and practiced preventive measures given by local health authorities. Knowledge score was statistically significantly associated with gender, age, and educational status of the study participants, whereas attitude and practices were significantly associated with educational status and knowledge of participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although respiratory distress is one of the major causes of neonatal morbidity and mortality throughout the globe, it is a particularly serious concern for nations like Ethiopia that have significant resource limitations. Additionally, few studies have looked at neonatal respiratory distress and its predictors in developing countries, and thus we sought to investigate this issue in neonates who were admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Black Lion Specialized Hospital, Ethiopia. Methods: An institution-based retrospective follow-up study was conducted with 571 neonates from January 2013 to March 2018. Data were collected by reviewing patients' charts using a systematic sampling technique with a pretested checklist. The data was then entered using Epi-data 4.2 and analyzed with STATA 14. Median time, Kaplan-Meier survival estimation curves, and log-rank tests were then computed. Bivariable and multivariable Gompertz parametric hazard models were fitted to detect the determinants of respiratory distress. The hazard ratio with a 95% confidence interval was subsequently calculated. Variables with reported p-values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: The proportion of neonates with respiratory distress among those admitted to the Black Lion Specialized Hospital neonatal intensive care unit was 42.9% (95%CI: 39.3–46.1%) The incidence rate was 8.1/100 (95%CI: 7.3, 8.9). Significant predictors of respiratory distress in neonates included being male [Adjusted hazard ratio (HR): 2.4 (95%CI: 1.1, 3.1)], born via caesarean section [AHR: 1.9 (95%CI: 1.6, 2.3)], home delivery [AHR: 2.9 (95%CI: 1.5, 5,2)], maternal diabetes mellitus (AHR: 2.3 (95%CI: 1.4, 3.6)), preterm birth [AHR: 2.9 (95%CI: 1.6, 5.1)], and having an Apgar score of less than 7 [AHR: 3.1 (95%CI: 1.8, 5.0)]. Conclusions: In this study, the proportion of respiratory distress (RD) was high. Preterm birth, delivery by caesarean section, Apgar score < 7, sepsis, maternal diabetes mellitus, and home delivery were all significant predictors of this condition. Based on our findings this would likely include encouraging more hospital births, better control of diabetes in pregnancy, improved neonatal resuscitation and addressing ways to decrease the need for frequent caesarean sections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Efforts to expand access to institutional delivery alone without quality of care do not guarantee better survival. However, little evidence documents the quality of childbirth care in Ethiopia, which limits our ability to improve quality. Therefore, this study assessed the quality of and barriers to routine childbirth care signal functions during intra-partum and immediate postpartum period. Methods: A sequential explanatory mixed method study was conducted among 225 skilled birth attendants who attended 876 recently delivered women in primary level facilities. A multi stage sampling procedure was used for the quantitative phase whilst purposive sampling was used for the qualitative phase. The quantitative survey recruitment occurred in July to August 2018 and in April 2019 for the qualitative key informant interview and Focus Group Discussions (FGD). A validated quantitative tool from a previous validated measurement study was used to collect quantitative data, whereas an interview guide, informed by the literature and quantitative findings, was used to collect the qualitative data. Principal component analysis and a series of univariate and multivariate linear regression analysis were used to analyze the quantitative data. For the qualitative data, verbatim review of the data was iteratively followed by content analysis and triangulation with the quantitative results. Results: This study showed that one out of five (20.7%, n = 181) mothers received high quality of care in primary level facilities. Primary hospitals (β = 1.27, 95% CI:0.80,1.84, p = 0.001), facilities which had staff rotation policies (β = 2.19, 95% CI:0.01,4.31, p = 0.019), maternal involvement in care decisions (β = 0.92, 95% CI:0.38,1.47, p = 0.001), facilities with maternal and newborn health quality improvement initiatives (β = 1.58, 95% CI:0.26, 3.43, p = 0.001), compassionate respectful maternity care training (β = 0.08, 95% CI: 0.07,0.88, p = 0.021), client flow for delivery (β = 0.19, 95% CI:-0.34, -0.04, p = 0.012), mentorship (β = 0.02, 95% CI:0.01, 0.78, p = 0.049), and providers' satisfaction (β = 0.16, 95% CI:0.03, 0.29, p = 0.013) were predictors of quality of care. This is complemented by qualitative research findings that poor quality of care during delivery and immediate postpartum related to: work related burnout, gap between providers' skill and knowledge, lack of enabling working environment, poor motivation scheme and issues related to retention, poor providers caring behavior, unable translate training into practice, mismatch between number of provider and facility client flow for delivery, and in availability of essential medicine and supplies. Conclusions: There is poor quality of childbirth care in primary level facilities of Tigray. Primary hospitals, facilities with staff rotation, maternal and newborn health quality improvement initiatives, maternal involvement in care decisions, training on compassionate respectful maternity care, mentorship, and high provider satisfaction were found to have significantly increased quality of care. However, client flow for delivery service is negatively associated with quality of care. Efforts must be made to improve the quality of care through catchment-based mentorship to increase providers' level of adherence to good practices and standards. More attention and thoughtful strategies are required to minimize providers' work-related burnout. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite being a preventable complication of surgical procedures, surgical site infections (SSIs) continue to threaten public health with significant impacts on the patients and the health-care human and financial resources. With millions affected globally, there is significant variation in the primary studies on the prevalence of SSIs in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate the pooled prevalence of SSI and its associated factors among postoperative patients in Ethiopia.Methods: PubMed, Scopus, Psyinfo, African Journals Online, and Google Scholar were searched for studies that looked at SSI in postoperative patients. A funnel plot and Egger's regression test were used to determine publication bias. The I2 statistic was used to check heterogeneity between the studies. DerSimonian and Laird random-effects model was applied to estimate the pooled effect size, odds ratios (ORs), and 95% confidence interval (CIs) across studies. The subgroup analysis was conducted by region, sample size, and year of publication. Sensitivity analysis was deployed to determine the effect of a single study on the overall estimation. Analysis was done using STATA™ Version 14 software.Result: A total of 24 studies with 13,136 study participants were included in this study. The estimated pooled prevalence of SSI in Ethiopia was 12.3% (95% CI: 10.19, 14.42). Duration of surgery > 1 h (AOR = 1.78; 95% CI: 1.08-2.94), diabetes mellitus (AOR = 3.25; 95% CI: 1.51-6.99), American Society of Anaesthesiologists score > 1 (AOR = 2.51; 95% CI: 1.07-5.91), previous surgery (AOR = 2.5; 95% CI: 1.77-3.53), clean-contaminated wound (AOR = 2.15; 95% CI: 1.52-3.04), and preoperative hospital stay > 7 day (AOR = 5.76; 95% CI: 1.15-28.86), were significantly associated with SSI.Conclusion: The prevalence of SSI among postoperative patients in Ethiopia remains high with a pooled prevalence of 12.3% in 24 extracted studies. Therefore, situation based interventions and region context-specific preventive strategies should be developed to reduce the prevalence of SSI among postoperative patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Neonatal sepsis is a systemic infection occurring in infants during the first 4 weeks of life and is a major cause of mortality and morbidities of newborns due to their age-related weak and immature immune systems. In Ethiopia, despite many studies being conducted on neonatal sepsis, the reported findings are inconsistent. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of neonatal sepsis to enhance the utility and interpretation of the evidence. Methods. An extensive systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to extract studies on the prevalence of neonatal sepsis in Ethiopia. The PubMed, Cochrane Library, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were systematically searched. Two independent authors selected and extracted the data from each included article. The heterogeneity of included studies was assessed using the Higgins I 2 test, and a random-effects model was performed in Stata/se Version 14. Results. Eighteen studies with a sample size of 10,495 study subjects were included with a reported range of neonatal sepsis from 17% to 78%. The pooled prevalence of neonatal sepsis was 45% (95% CI: 35, 55; I 2 = 99.3 % , p < 0.01). Early onset neonatal sepsis was found to have a prevalence of 75.4% (95% CI: 68.3, 82.6). Subgroup analysis in the study area (i.e., by region) was calculated revealing the highest neonatal sepsis in Amhara region at 64.4% (95% CI: 44.9, 84.0) and the lowest in Southern Nations, Nationality, and People at 28% (95% CI: 16, 40). Conclusion. In this review, the prevalence of neonatal sepsis in Ethiopia was found to be high, especially in terms of early onset neonatal sepsis. As a result of the findings, it is important to consider the early and optimal points for interventions to better manage the prevalence and outcomes of neonatal sepsis. Further research is needed to investigate the neonatal sepsis status at different regions and associated factors for neonatal sepsis not yet studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Opportunistic infections (OIs) are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality among children living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). For better treatments and interventions, current and up-to-date information concerning occurrence of opportunistic infections in HIV-infected children is crucial. However, studies regarding the incidence of common opportunistic infections in HIV-infected children in Ethiopia are very limited. Hence, this study aimed to determine the incidence of opportunistic infections among HIV-infected children on antiretroviral therapy (ART) at Debre Markos Referral Hospital.Methods: A facility-based retrospective cohort study was undertaken at Debre Markos Referral Hospital for the period of January 1, 2005 to March 31, 2019. A total of 408 HIV-infected children receiving ART were included. Data from HIV-infected children charts were extracted using a data extraction form adapted from ART entry and follow-up forms. Data were entered using Epi-data™ Version 3.1 and analyzed using Stata™ Version 14. The Kaplan Meier survival curve was used to estimate the opportunistic infections free survival time. Both bi-variable and multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were fitted to identify the predictors of opportunistic infections.Results: This study included the records of 408 HIV-infected children-initiated ART between the periods of January 1, 2005 to March 31, 2019. The overall incidence rate of opportunistic infections during the follow-up time was 9.7 (95% CI: 8.13, 11.48) per 100 child-years of observation. Tuberculosis at 29.8% was the most commonly encountered OI at follow-up. Children presenting with advanced disease stage (III and IV) (AHR: 1.8, 95% CI: 1.2, 2.7), having "fair" or "poor" ART adherence (AHR: 2.6, 95% CI: 1.8, 3.8), not taking OI prophylaxis (AHR:1.6, 95% CI: 1.1, 2.4), and CD4 count or % below the threshold (AHR:1.7, 95% CI: 1.1, 2.6) were at a higher risk of developing opportunistic infections.Conclusions: In this study, the incidence rate of opportunistic infections among HIV-infected children remained high. Concerning predictors, such as advanced disease stage (III and IV), CD4 count or % below the threshold, "fair" or "poor" ART adherence, and not taking past OI prophylaxis were found to be significantly associated with OIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cigarettes and their by-products (i.e., smoke; ash) are a complex, dynamic, and reactive mixture of around 5,000 chemicals. Cigarette smoking potentially harms nearly every organ of the human body, causes innumerable diseases, and impacts the health of smokers and those interacting with the smokers. Smoking brings greater health problems in the long-term like increased risk of stroke and brain damage. For students, peer pressure is one of the key factors contributing to cigarette smoking. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis assessed the impact of peer pressure on cigarette smoking among high school and university students in Ethiopia. An extensive search of key databases including Cochrane Library, PubMed, Google Scholar, Hinari, Embase and Science Direct was conducted to identify and access articles published on the prevalence of cigarette smoking by high school and university students in Ethiopia. The search period for articles was conducted from 21st September, 2018 to 25th December 25, 2018. All necessary data were extracted using a standardized data extraction checklist. Quality and risk of bias of studies were assessed using standardized tools. Heterogeneity between the included studies was assessed using Cochrane Q-test statistic and I2 test. To estimate the pooled prevalence of cigarette smoking, a random effects model was fitted. The impact of peer pressure on cigarette smoking was determined and was reported in Odds Ratio (OR) with 95% Confidence Interval (CI). Meta-analysis was conducted using Stata software. From 175 searched articles, 19 studies fulfilled the eligibility criteria and were included in this study. The pooled prevalence of cigarette smoking among Ethiopian high school and university students was 15.9% (95% CI: 12.21, 19.63). Slightly higher prevalence of cigarette smoking was noted among university students [17.35% (95% CI: 13.21, 21.49)] as compared to high school students [12.77% (95% CI: 6.72%, 18.82%)]. The current aggregated meta-analysis revealed that peer pressure had a significant influence on cigarette smoking (OR: 2.68 (95% CI: 2.37, 3.03). More than one sixth of the high school and university students in Ethiopia smoke cigarette. Students who had peer pressure from their friends were more likely to smoke cigarette. Therefore, school-based intervention programs are needed to reduce the high prevalence of cigarette smoking among students in Ethiopia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Undernutrition is a significant public health challenge and one of the leading causes of child mortality in a wide range of developing countries, including Ethiopia. Poor access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities commonly contributes to child growth failure. There is a paucity of information on the interrelationship between WASH and child undernutrition (stunting and wasting). This study aimed to assess the association between WASH and undernutrition among under-five-year-old children in Ethiopia.Methods: A secondary data analysis was undertaken based on the Ethiopian Demographic and Health Surveys (EDHS) conducted from 2000 to 2016. A total of 33,763 recent live births extracted from the EDHS reports were included in the current analysis. Multilevel logistic regression models were used to investigate the association between WASH and child undernutrition. Relevant factors from EDHS data were identified after extensive literature review.Results: The overall prevalences of stunting and wasting were 47.29% [95% CI: (46.75, 47.82%)] and 10.98% [95% CI: (10.65, 11.32%)], respectively. Children from households having unimproved toilet facilities [AOR: 1.20, 95% CI: (1.05,1.39)], practicing open defecation [AOR: 1.29, 95% CI: (1.11,1.51)], and living in households with dirt floors [AOR: 1.32, 95% CI: (1.12,1.57)] were associated with higher odds of being stunted. Children from households having unimproved drinking water sources were significantly less likely to be wasted [AOR: 0.85, 95% CI: (0.76,0.95)] and stunted [AOR: 0.91, 95% CI: (0.83, 0.99)]. We found no statistical differences between improved sanitation, safe disposal of a child's stool, or improved household flooring and child wasting.Conclusion: The present study confirms that the quality of access to sanitation and housing conditions affects child linear growth indicators. Besides, household sources of drinking water did not predict the occurrence of either wasting or stunting. Further longitudinal and interventional studies are needed to determine whether individual and joint access to WASH facilities was strongly associated with child stunting and wasting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite remarkable progress in the reduction of under-five mortality, childhood diarrhea is still the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in this highly susceptible and vulnerable population. In Ethiopia, study findings regarding prevalence and determinants of diarrhea amongst under-five children have been inconsistent. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis estimates the pooled prevalence of diarrhea and its determinants among under-five children in Ethiopia. Methods: International databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, CINAHL, Google Scholar, Science Direct, and the Cochrane Library, were systematically searched. All identified observational studies reporting the prevalence and determinants of diarrhea among under-five children in Ethiopia were included. Two authors independently extracted all necessary data using a standardized data extraction format. STATA Version 13 statistical software was used. The Cochrane Q test statistics and I2 test were used to assess the heterogeneity of the studies. A random effects model was computed to estimate the pooled prevalence of diarrhea. Moreover, the associations between determinant factors and childhood diarrhea were examined using the random effect model. Results: After reviewing of 535 studies, 31studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. The findings from the 31 studies revealed that the pooled prevalence of diarrhea among under-five children in Ethiopia was 22% (95%CI: 19, 25%). Subgroup analysis of this study revealed that the highest prevalence was observed in Afar region (27%), followed by Somali and Dire Dawa regions (26%), then Addis Abeba (24%). Lack of maternal education (OR: 2.5, 95% CI: 1.3, 2.1), lack of availability of latrine (OR: 2.0, 95%CI: 1.3, 3.2), urban residence (OR: 1.9, 95%CI: 1.2, 3.0), and maternal hand washing (OR: 2.2, 95%CI: 2.0, 2.6) were significantly associated with childhood diarrhea. Conclusion: In this study, diarrhea among under-five children in Ethiopia was significantly high. Lack of maternal education, lack of availability of latrine, urban residence, and lack of maternal hand washing were significantly associated with childhood diarrhea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Following delivery by caesarean section, surgical site infection is the most common infectious complication. Despite a large number of caesarean sections performed at Debre Markos Referral Hospital, there was no study documenting the incidence of surgical site infection after caesarean section. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate the incidence of surgical site infection following caesarean section at Debre-Markos Referral Hospital in Amhara region, North-west Ethiopia.Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted among 520 pregnant women who had a caesarean section between March 28, 2019 and August 31, 2019. Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative data were collected using a standardized questionnaire. Data was entered using EpiData™ Entry Version 4.1 software and analyzed using R Version 3.6.1 software. A descriptive analysis was conducted using tables, interquartile ranges and median. The time to development of surgical site infection was estimated using Kaplan-Meier method. The Cox regression model for bivariable and multivariable analyses was done. Adjusted Hazard Ratio (AHR) with 95% Confidence Interval (CI) was reported to show the strength of association.Result: The mean age of the study cohort was 27.4 ± 4.8 years. The overall cumulative incidence of surgical site infection was 25.4% with an incidence of 11.7 (95% CI:9.8,13.9) per 1000 person/days. Not able to read and write (AHR = 1.30,95% CI:1.19,2.11), no antenatal care (AHR = 2.16, 95%CI:1.05,4.53), previous history of CS (AHR = 1.21, 95% CI:1.11,2.31), HIV positive (AHR = 1.39, 95% CI:1.21,2.57), emergency procedure (AHR = 1.13, 95% CI:1.11,2.43), vertical type of incision (AHR = 2.60, 95% CI:1.05,6.44), rupture of membrane (AHR = 1.50, 95% CI:1.31,1.64), multiple vaginal examination (AHR = 1.88, 95% CI: 1.71, 3.20) were significant predictors of surgical site infection in this study.Conclusion: This study concluded that the incidence of surgical site infection following caesarean section was relatively high compared to previous studies. Not able to read and write, have no ante natal care, previous history of caesarean section, HIV, emergency surgery, vertical type of incision, rupture of membranes before caesarean section, and multiple vaginal examinations were significant predictors of surgical site infection in this study. Therefore, intervention programs should focus on and address the identified factors to minimize and prevent the infection rate after caesarean section. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Undernutrition remains a major public health concern affecting both children and adolescents in Ethiopia. However, little attention has been given to the undernutrition of primary school-aged children, with their exclusion within national surveys. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to determine pooled estimate and determinant factors of undernutrition among primary school-aged children (6 to 15 years of age) in Ethiopia. Method: We systematically retrieved available articles on the prevalence of undernutrition in primary school-aged children in Ethiopia by using a number of computerized databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, and Science Direct between September 1 and November 25, 2019. Two authors independently extracted relevant data using a standardized data extraction form. Heterogeneity among included studies was assessed with the Cochrane Q test statistics and Higgins I2 tests. The pooled estimates and determinant factors of school-aged undernutrition were assessed with random-effects model using Stata/se Version 14. Result: We have retrieved 30 eligible articles with pooled sample size of 16,642 primary school- aged children to determine the prevalence of undernutrition in Ethiopia. Hence, the pooled prevalence of stunting, underweight, and wasting were found to be 21.3% (95% CI: 17.0, 25.5), 18.2% (95% CI: 14.4, 22.0) and 17.7% (95% CI, 13.5, 21.8) respectively. Heterogeneity was assessed by doing subgroup analysis for study province/region. Thus, the highest prevalence of stunting was 27.6% (95% CI, 20.7, 34.5) and underweight 22.7% (95% CI, 19.2, 26.3) in Amhara Region while, in the instance of wasting, it was 19.3%(95% CI: 5.1, 33.4) in Southern Nations, Nationalities and People's Region. Maternal educational status (OR = 1.91, 95% CI: 1.33, 2.73), age of school-aged child (OR = 0.56, 95% CI: 0.44, 0.72) and sex of school-aged child (OR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.62, 0.85) were found to be significantly associated with stunting. Maternal educational status (OR = 0.6, 95% CI: 0.36, 0.9) and age of school-aged child (OR = 2.74, 95% CI: 1.81, 4.14) were associated with thinness/wasting. Parasitic infection (OR = 2.02, 95% CI: 1.10, 3.73) were associated with underweight of school age children. Conclusion: The prevalence of stunting and underweight among primary school-aged children are moderately high while acute undernutrition (wasting) is more critical than under-five national average as reported in the 2016 Ethiopian Demography and Health Survey. Therefore, this finding warrants the need to design a school-aged children nutrition survey and expand school feeding programs to improve the nutritional status of primary school-aged children in the country. In addition, emphasis should be given to female school-aged children in the early school years, creating awareness for those mothers who lack formal education, and preventing and treating/deworming parasitic infection. Moreover, researchers must conduct research in province/regions which have not yet studied school aged children's nutritional status to date. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Though highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has been available for more than a decade in Ethiopia, information regarding mortality rates of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive children after antiretroviral therapy antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation is very scarce. Thus, this study intends to determine the predictors of mortality among HIV-positive children receiving ART in Amhara Region.Methods: A multicenter facility-based historical cohort study was conducted in 538 HIV-positive children on ART from January 2012 to February 2017. We employed a standardized data extraction tool, adapted from ART entry and follow-up forms. Descriptive analyses were summarized using the Kaplan-Meier survival curve and log rank test. Then, the Cox-proportional hazard regression model was employed to estimate the hazard of death up to five-years after ART initiation. Variables with p-values ≤0.25 in bivariable analysis were candidates to the multivariable analysis. Finally, variables with p-values < 0.05 were considered as significant variables.Results: The cohort contributed a total follow-up time of 14,600 child-months, with an overall mortality rate of 3.2 (95% CI: 2.3, 4.3) per 100 child-years. This study also indicated that HIV-infected children presenting with opportunistic infections (OIs) (AHR: 2.5, 95% CI: 1.04, 5.9), anemia (AHR: 3.1, 95% CI: 1.4, 6.7), severe immunodeficiency (AHR: 4.4, 95% CI: 1.7, 11.7), severe stunting (AHR: 3.3, 95% CI: 1.4, 8.0), severe wasting (AHR: 3.1, 95% CI: 1.3, 7.3), and advanced disease staging (III and IV) (AHR: 3.0, 95% CI: 1.2, 7.1) were at higher risk of mortality.Conclusion: A higher rate of mortality was observed in our study as compared to previous Ethiopian studies. HIV-positive children presenting with anemia, OIs, severe immunodeficiency, advanced disease staging (III and IV), severe stunting, and severe wasting were at higher risk of mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) during pregnancy is a serious public health concern globally. Within Sub-Saharan Africa nearly 40% of women reported abuse by their intimate partners. In Ethiopia, study findings regarding prevalence and associated factors of IPV among pregnant women have been inconsistently reported and highly variable. Thus, this systematic review and meta-analysis estimates the pooled prevalence of IPV and associated factors among pregnant women in Ethiopia. Methods: International databases (i.e., PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Google Scholar, Science Direct, and the Cochrane Library) were systematically searched during the period of January 1 to February 13, 2018. All identified observational studies reporting the prevalence of IPV and associated factors among pregnant women in Ethiopia were considered. Two authors (AA and CT) independently extracted all necessary data using a standardized data extraction format. Extracted quantitative data were analyzed using STATA Version 13. Heterogeneity among the included studies was assessed through the Cochrane Q test statistics and I2 test. Finally, a random effects meta-analysis model was computed to estimate the pooled prevalence of IPV. Associations between factors and IPV were also examined using a random effects model. Results: After reviewing 605 studies, eight studies involving 2691 pregnant women fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included in this meta-analysis. The findings of these eight studies revealed that a 26.1% (95% CI: 20, 32.3) overall prevalence of IPV among pregnant women in Ethiopia. The subgroup analysis of this study further revealed the highest observed prevalence was in Oromia region (35%), followed by Amhara region (29%). Mothers'educational status (OR: 2.1, 95% CI: 1.1, 3.7), intimate partners' educational status (OR: 3.5, 95%CI: 1.4, 8.5), and intimate partners' alcohol use (OR: 11.4, 95%CI: 2.3, 56.6) were significantly associated with IPV among pregnant women. Conclusion: This study found that the prevalence of IPV among pregnant women in Ethiopia was quite common; with slightly more than 1 in 4, pregnant women experienced IPV during pregnancy. Mothers' educational status, intimate partners' educational status, and intimate partners' alcohol use were factors significantly associated with IPV among pregnant women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The relationship between undernutrition and HIV is bidirectional, ultimately contributing to quality of life and survival of affected individuals. Ethiopia is a sub-Saharan nation influenced by both undernutrition and HIV. In Ethiopia, although individuals are often dually impacted, the effect of undernutrition on the survival of HIV positive children on anti-retroviral therapy (ART) has not been well investigated. Therefore, this study assessed the effect of undernutrition on survival rates of HIV positive children on ART in Amhara Regional State of Ethiopia. Methods: An institution-based retrospective cohort study was conducted among 390 HIV positive children on ART from the 1st of January, 2012 to the 28th of February, 2017 in Amhara Regional State Referral Hospitals. A simple random sampling technique was used to select the study participants. Data were extracted by reviewing patients’ ART intake and follow-up forms. Data were entered into Epi-Data Version 3.1, and analysis was done using STATA Version 13. The Kaplan-Meier survival curve was used to estimate the cumulative survival time of the sample. Log rank tests were employed to compare the survival time between different categories of explanatory variables. Bivariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were fitted to identify predictors of mortality. Results: Among the 390 records included in the final analysis, 9.7% of the individuals died within the follow-up period. In this study, the overall mortality rate was found to be 4.4 per 100 child-years (95% CI: 3.2, 6.0) while undernourished children had a lower survival time than well-nourished children. Low hemoglobin level (AHR: 3.2, 95% CI: 1.4, 7.4), CD4 cell count or percent below the threshold (AHR: 5.2, 95% CI: 1.9, 14.1), severe stunting (AHR: 3.9, 95% CI: 1.7, 9.4), severe wasting (AHR: 3.0, 95% CI: 1.3, 6.9) and advanced disease stage (III and IV) (AHR: 2.6, 95% CI: 1.1, 6.6) were found to be predictors of mortality. Conclusion: There was a high rate of mortality. A significant difference was observed in the survival rate of undernourished and well-nourished children. Low hemoglobin level, CD4 count or percent below the threshold, severe wasting, severe stunting, and advanced disease stage were found to be predictors of mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Loss to follow-up (LTFU) is a major public health problem to antiretroviral therapy (ART) programs in sub-Saharan Africa. Failure to account for patients' LTFU outcomes (self-transfers and restarts) can result in inaccurate reporting of retention in care. In Ethiopia, specifically in the Benishangule Gumuz region, high LTFU reported patients, who were not assessed for their outcomes, are identified as a gap. Therefore, our objective was to determine the outcomes (alive or dead) of patients lost to follow-up (LTFU) from ART and identify factors associated with successful tracing and mortality of these patients. Results: The proportion of successful tracing was 75.5% (249 of 330). Among the traced patients (n = 249), 22.9% were deceased, 47.8% were on ART, and 29.3% had discontinued treatment. However, the remaining untraceable patients were not locatable due to wrong addresses (53.1%), change of residence (29.6%), and/or lack of functional phone contact (17.3%). Some (32.9%) of the patients discontinued because of negative test results, others (21.9%) for spiritual reasons or side effects (28.8%), and the remaining (16.4%) for other reasons. Tracing using phone numbers (AOR = 2.97, 95% CI 1.57–5.59) and existing long-term follow-up period for ART (AOR = 2.13, 95% CI 1.17–3.88) were strong predictors of successful tracing while not receiving cotrimoxazole preventive therapy (CPT) (AOR = 2.59, 95% CI 1.22–5.39) is a predictor for mortality of patients post-LTFU. Conclusion: ART programs need to retain current contact information of patients or guardians/friends for tracing. Having phone contact numbers and prolonged lengths of compliance with ART are predictors of successful tracing, while lack of cotrimoxazole preventive therapy is a predictor of mortality. Early tracing of beginners (newly admitted recipients) and updating their detailed information at each follow-up visit is essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Poor sanitation and/or open defecation are a significant public health problem in Ethiopia, where access to improved sanitation facilities is still limited. There is a growing body of literature about the effect of open defecation on children's linear growth failure. However, very few studies about the effects of open defecation on child anemia exist. In this study, we examine whether childhood undernutrition (i.e. stunting, wasting, and underweight) mediates the relationship between open defecation and childhood anemia in children aged 6-59 months in Ethiopia., Methods: We used pooled Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey data (2005-2016) comprising 21,918 (weighted data) children aged 6-59 months. Anemia was defined as an altitude-adjusted hemoglobin (Hb) level of less than 11 g/deciliter (g/dl) for children under 5 years. Childhood undernutrition was assessed using height-for-age Z-scores (HAZ), weight-for-age Z-scores (WAZ), and weight-for-height Z-scores (WHZ) for stunting, wasting, and underweight respectively. Mediation effects were calculated using the bootstrap and the indirect effect was considered significant when the 95% bootstrap confidence intervals (95% CI) did not contain zero. Moreover, separate multilevel regression analyses were used to explore the statistical association between open defecation and child anemia, after adjusting for potential confounders., Results: Our analysis revealed that nearly half (49.6%) of children aged 6 to 59 months were anemic, 46.8% were stunted, 9.9% were wasted, and 29.5% were underweight. Additionally, 45.1% of children belonged to households that practiced open defecation (OD). Open defecation was associated with anemia (AOR: 1.28; 95% CI: 1.18-1.39) and it positively predicted anemia with direct effect of β = 0.233, p < 0.001. Childhood undernutrition showed a partial mediating role in the relationship between OD and anemia. Analyzing the indirect effects, results revealed that child undernutrition significantly mediated the relationship between open defecation and anemia (stunting (βindirect = 0.014, p < 0.001), wasting (βindirect = 0.009, p = 0.002), and underweight (βindirect = 0.012, p < 0.001)). When the mediating role of child undernutrition was accounted for, open defecation had a positive impact on anemia with a total effect of βtotal = 0.285, p < 0.001., Conclusion: Open defecation showed a significant direct effect on anemia. Child undernutrition remarkably mediated the relationship between OD and anemia that further magnified the effect. This finding has an important programmatic implication calling for strengthened, accelerated and large-scale implementation of strategies to end open defecation and achieve universal access to sanitation in Ethiopia., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Introduction: Stunting and anaemia, two severe public health problems, affect a significant number of children under the age of five. To date, the burden of and predictive factors for coexisting forms of stunting and anaemia in childhood have not been well documented in Ethiopia, where both the conditions are endemic. The primary aims of the present study were to: (i) determine the prevalence of co-morbid anaemia and stunting (CAS); (ii) and identify factors associated with these co-morbid conditions among children aged 6-59 months in Ethiopia., Methods: The study was based on data from the Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS 2005-2016). The EDHS was a cross-sectional study that used a two-stage stratified cluster sampling technique to select households. A total weighted sample of 21,172 children aged 6-59 months was included in the current study (EDHS-2005 (n = 3898), EDHS-2011 (n = 8943), and EDHS-2016 (n = 8332)). Children with height-for-age z-scores (HAZ) less than -2 SD were classified as stunted. Anaemia status was measured by haemoglobin level with readings below 11.0 g/deciliter (g/dL) categorized as anaemic. A multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression model was used to identify the factors associated with CAS. The findings from the models were reported as adjusted odds ratios (AOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs)., Results: Almost half of the children were males (51.1%) and the majority were from rural areas (89.2%). The prevalence of CAS was 24.4% [95% CI: (23.8-24.9)]. Multivariate analyses revealed that children aged 12-23 months, 24-35 months, and 36-59 months, and children perceived by their mothers to be smaller than normal at birth had higher odds of CAS. The odds of CAS were significantly higher among children born to anaemic mothers [AOR: 1.25, 95% CI: (1.11-1.41)], mothers with very short stature [AOR: 2.04, 95% CI: (1.44-2.91)], children from households which practiced open defecation [AOR: 1.57, 95% CI: (1.27-1.92)], children born to mothers without education [AOR: 3.66, 95% CI: (1.85-7.22)], and those who reside in rural areas [AOR: 1.41, 95% CI: (1.10, 1.82)]. Male children had 19% lower odds of having CAS compared to female children [AOR: 0.81, 95% CI: (0.73-0.91)]. Children born to mothers who had normal body mass index (BMI) [AOR: 0.82, 95%CI: (0.73-0.92)] reported lower odds of CAS., Conclusions: One in four preschool-age children in Ethiopia had co-morbid anaemia and stunting, which is a significant public health problem. Future interventions to reduce CAS in Ethiopia should target those children perceived to be small at birth, anaemic mothers, and mothers with short stature.

Objective: Insufficient levels of physical activity are a well-known modifiable risk factor for a number of chronic conditions including obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and certain malignancies. Little is known about the status of physical activity and its associated factors among adults in low-income countries, including Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the level of physical activity and its associated factors among adults in southeast Ethiopia., Design: Analytical cross-sectional study., Setting: Community setting in southeast Ethiopia., Participants: 641 adults aged 18-64 years., Primary Outcome: Level of physical activity assessed via the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ)., Results: The overall prevalence of insufficient physical activity in this study was 29.48% (95% CI: 25.78 to 33.18). Women were more likely to report insufficient physical activity compared with men (39.0% for women and 12.3% for men, p<0.001). Being: a women (adjusted OR (AOR)=3.99, 95% CI: 2.15 to 7.40)), overweight/obese (AOR=1.95, 95% CI: 1.23 to 3.09), ever-married (AOR=2.13, 95% CI: 1.01 to 4.47), a person with no formal education (AOR=1.94, 95% CI: 1.05 to 3.56), a housewife (AOR=3.04, 95% CI: 1.75 to 5.29) and unemployed (AOR=3.30, 95% CI: 1.55 to 7.02) were significantly associated with insufficient physical activity., Conclusion: The study revealed that three in 10 adults did not achieve the recommended level of physical activity. For chronic disease prevention in Ethiopia, the Ethiopian Ministry of Health and other stakeholders should pay special attention to strategies to improve the population's physical activity especially among women, housewives, people with no formal education, and married, unemployed and overweight/obese adults., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: Opportunistic infections (OIs) are the leading causes of hospitalization, morbidity, and mortality (accounting for 94.1% of all deaths) in people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIV). Despite evidence suggested that undernutrition significantly increases the risk of OIs in PLHIV, to our knowledge, no study has examined the actual effects of undernutrition on OIs in this population, particularly in low-income countries. Thus, this study examined the effects of undernutrition on OIs in adults living with HIV receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART)., Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study among 841adults living with HIV receiving ART between June 2014 and June 2020 at Debre Markos Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia. Study participants were selected using a simple random sampling technique. Data from participants' medical records were extracted using a project-specific data extraction checklist. The Kaplan Meier survival curve estimated the OIs free survival time. The effects of undernutrition on time to develop OIs was estimated using inverse-probability weighting. Finally, regression coefficients with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were reported, with a statistical significance of p < 0.05., Results: Of 841 study participants, 262 (31.2%) developed OIs, and the overall incidence rate was 16.7 (95% CI: 14.8, 18.8) per 100 person-years. The incWidence of OIs in undernourished participants (21/100 person-years, 95% CI: 17.8, 27.4) was higher than well-nourished participants (15.0/100 person-years, 95% CI: 12.9, 17.4). When everyone in the population of interest is well-nourished, average time to develop OIs is estimated as 26.5 (coefficient: 26.5, 95% CI: 20.6, 32.4, p < 0.001) months. When everyone in the population of interest is undernourished, average time to develop OIs is estimated as 17.7 (95% CI: 12.8, 22.6) months. However, when everyone is undernourished, average time to develop OIs decreases by 8.8 (coefficient: -8.8, 95% CI: -16.6, -1.0, p = 0.026) months. Lastly, exposure to undernourishment (intervention) (ratio of average treatment effects to well-nourished potential outcome means in this study was a 32.5% reduction in OIs among adults living with HIV on ART., Conclusion: We found that undernutrition significantly shortened time to develop OIs in adults living with HIV. This implies that the occurrence of OIs in this vulnerable population can be improved through different cost-effective nutritional interventions, such as routine nutritional assessments and education., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Objectives: The first objective was to explore weight change in the first 2 years after antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation in adults living with HIV. The second objective was to identify the predictors of weight change over time among adults living with HIV on ART., Design: An institution-based retrospective longitudinal study was conducted., Setting: The study was conducted at Debre Markos Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia., Participants: The study included 848 randomly selected medical charts of adults living with HIV receiving ART between June 2014 and June 2020., Primary and Secondary Outcomes: The primary outcome was weight change in the first 2 years after ART initiation. The secondary outcome was to identify predictors of weight change. Association between predictor variables and weight change was assessed using an LMM. Variables with p values <0.05 in the final model were considered as statistically significant predictors of weight change., Results: Of 844 study participants, more than half (n=499; 58.8%) were female. Participants' mean weight increased from 54.2 kg (SD ±9.6 kg) at baseline to 59.5 kg (SD ±10.7 kg) at the end of follow-up. Duration of time on ART, sex, WHO clinical disease staging, functional status, nutritional status and presence of opportunistic infections were significant predictors of weight change at ART initiation. Significant interaction effects were observed between time and sex, WHO clinical disease staging, functional status, isoniazid preventive therapy and nutritional status., Conclusion: We found a linear increment of weight over 24 months of follow-up. Rate of weight gain over time was lower in patients with advanced disease stage and working functional status, whereas weight gain rate was higher in male and underweight patients., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: The majority of patients with epilepsy in resource-poor countries never receive proper treatment, and those who are started on anti-seizure medications quickly discontinue them. Medication noncompliance is extremely common, with estimates ranging from 26 to 79 percent. Non-adherence to antiseizure medications is associated with poor seizure control, increased morbidity, increased hospitalization time, poor quality of life, increased health care costs, and increased mortality in adults., Methods: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2009 guideline was used for this systematic review and meta-analysis. The databases Pub Med, Cochrane Library, Scopus Online, and Google Scholar were all searched. STATA™ version 11 software was used for the meta-analysis. The I 2 test and Egger's tests were used to assess heterogeneity and publication bias. The random-effects method was used to estimate the pooled adherence level with a 95 percent confidence interval., Results: This meta-analysis included twelve Ethiopian studies involving a total of 3416 epileptic patients. The national pooled prevalence of antiseizure medication non-adherence was 41.96%. Patients who paid for their medications, took them for more than a year, had co-morbidity, and felt stigmatized were more likely to be non-adherent than their counterparts., Conclusion: According to this systematic review and meta-analysis, more than two out of every five epileptic patients did not take their antiseizure medications as prescribed. Clinicians must educate epileptic patients about the importance of medication adherence., Systematic Review Registration: The review has been registered on an International Prospective Register of Systematic Review with registration number CRD42019142905., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: In Ethiopia about 25% of rural women are chronically malnourished. Non-pregnant and non-lactating women present an opportunity to implement strategies to correct maternal and child health status and to potentiate improved pregnancy outcomes in developing countries like Ethiopia. The determinant factors of chronic energy deficiency vary across settings and contexts; hence, it is important to identify local determinant factors in order to implement effective and efficient intervention strategies., Objective: To assess the determinants of chronic energy deficiency of non-pregnant, non-lactating rural women within the reproductive age group (15-49 years), in rural kebeles of Dera district, North West Ethiopia, 2019., Methods: A community based unmatched case control study was conducted. A total of 552 participants were involved and a multi-stage sampling technique was used to select the samples. Data was collected from January 15 to February 30, 2019 using face-to-face interviews and anthropometric assessments. EPI-info version 7 and SPSS™ version 23 were used for data entry and analysis, respectively. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression models were used to analyze the association between dependent and independent variables. Association was considered statistically significant at 95% CI with p-value < 0.05 in multivariable logistic regression., Result: A total of 548 non-pregnant, non-lactating women with 137 cases and 411 controls were included in the study with a response rate of 99.3%. High family size (AOR = 1.88, 95% CI: 1.085, 3.275), low educational status (AOR = 3.389, 95% CI: 1.075, 10.683), inadequate meal frequency (AOR = 5.345, 95% CI: 2.266, 12.608), absence of home garden (AOR = 5.612, 95% CI: 3.177, 9.915) and absence of latrine facility (AOR = 6.365, 95% CI: 3.534, 11.462) were found positively associated with chronic energy deficiency., Conclusion and Recommendation: Inadequate meal frequency, absence of home gardening, absence of latrine facility, high family size and educational status of illiterate were the determinants of chronic energy deficiency, thus indicating the imperative for a multi-sectoral approach with health, agriculture and education entities developing and delivering interventions., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Background: Birth preparedness and complication readiness are broadly endorsed by governments and international agencies to reduce maternal and neonatal health threats in low income countries. Maternal education is broadly positioned to positively affect the mother's and her children's health and nutrition in low income countries. Thus, this systematic review and meta-analysis aims to estimate the effect of maternal education on birth preparedness and complication readiness., Methods: This review was reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis. We conducted an electronic based search using data bases of PubMed /MEDLINE, Science direct and google scholar. STATA™ Version 14.1 was used to analyze the data, and forest plots were used to present the findings. I 2 test statistics and Egger's test were used to assess heterogeneity and publication bias. Pooled prevalence and pooled odd ratios with 95% confidence intervals were computed. Finally, Duval and Tweedie's nonparametric trim and fill analysis using random-effects meta-analysis was conducted to account for publication bias., Results: In this meta-analysis, 20 studies involving 13,744 pregnant women meeting the inclusion criteria were included, of which 15 studies reported effects of maternal education on birth preparedness and complication readiness. Overall estimated level of birth preparedness and complication readiness was 25.2% (95% CI 20.0, 30.6%). This meta-analysis found that maternal education and level of birth preparedness and complication readiness were positively associated. Pregnant mothers whose level of education was primary and above were more likely to prepare for birth and obstetric emergencies (OR = 2.4, 95% CI: 1.9, 3.1) than non-educated mothers., Conclusion: In Ethiopia, the proportion of women prepared for birth and related complications remained low. Maternal education has a positive effect on the level of birth preparedness and complication readiness. Therefore, it is imperative to launch programs at national and regional levels to uplift women's educational status to enhance the likelihood of maternal health services utilization.

Background: Neonatal mortality remains a serious global public health problem, but Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), in particular, is largely affected. Current evidence on neonatal mortality is essential to inform programs and policies, yet there is a scarcity of information concerning neonatal mortality in our study area. Therefore, we conducted this prospective cohort study to determine the incidence and predictors of neonatal mortality at Debre Markos Referral Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia., Methods: This institutionally-based prospective cohort study was undertaken among 513 neonates admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of Debre Markos Referral Hospital between December 1st, 2017 and May 30th, 2018. All newborns consecutively admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit during the study period were included. An interviewer administered a questionnaire with the respective mothers. Data were entered using Epi-data™ Version 3.1 and analyzed using STATA™ Version 14. The neonatal survival time was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier survival curve, and the survival time between different categorical variables were compared using the log rank test. Both bi-variable and multivariable Cox-proportional hazard regression models were fitted to identify independent predictors of neonatal mortality., Results: Among a cohort of 513 neonates at Debre Markos Referral Hospital, 109 (21.3%) died during the follow-up time. The overall neonatal mortality rate was 25.8 deaths per 1, 000 neonate-days (95% CI: 21.4, 31.1). In this study, most (83.5%) of the neonatal deaths occurred in the early phase of neonatal period (< 7 days post-partum). Using the multivariable Cox-regression analysis, being unemployed (AHR: 1.6, 95% CI: 1.01, 2.6), not attending ANC (AHR: 1.9, 95% CI: 1.01, 3.5), not initiating exclusive breastfeeding (AHR: 1.7, 95% CI: 1.02, 2.7), neonatal admission due to respiratory distress syndrome (AHR: 2.0, 95% CI: 1.3, 3.1), and first minute Apgar score classification of severe (AHR: 2.1, 95% CI: 1.1, 3.9) significantly increased the risk of neonatal mortality., Conclusion: In this study, we found a high rate of early neonatal mortality. Factors significantly linked with increased risk of neonatal mortality included: unemployed mothers, not attending ANC, not initiating exclusive breastfeeding, neonates admitted due to respiratory distress syndrome, and first minute Apgar score classified as severe.

Background: Tuberculosis is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality among people living with human immunodeficiency virus. Almost one-third of deaths among people living with human immunodeficiency virus are attributed to tuberculosis. Despite this evidence, in Ethiopia, there is a scarcity of information regarding the incidence and predictors of tuberculosis among people living with HIV. Thus, this study assessed the incidence and predictors of tuberculosis among HIV-positive adults on antiretroviral therapy., Methods: This study was a retrospective record review including 544 HIV-positive adults on antiretroviral therapy at Debre Markos Referral Hospital between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2017. The study participants were selected using a simple random sampling technique. The data extraction format was adapted from antiretroviral intake and follow-up forms. Cox-proportional hazards regression model was fitted and Cox-Snell residual test was used to assess the goodness of fit. Tuberculosis free survival time was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier survival curve. Both the bi-variable and multivariable Cox-proportional hazard regression models were used to identify predictors of tuberculosis., Results: In the final analysis, a total of 492 HIV-positive adults were included, of whom, 83 (16.9%) developed tuberculosis at the time of follow-up. This study found that the incidence of tuberculosis was 6.5 (95% CI: 5.2, 8.0) per 100-person-years (PY) of observation. Advanced World Health Organization clinical disease stage (III and IV) (AHR: 2.1, 95% CI: 1.2, 3.2), being ambulatory and bedridden (AHR: 1.8, 95% CI: 1.1, 3.1), baseline opportunistic infections (AHR: 2.8, 95% CI: 1.7, 4.4), low hemoglobin level (AHR: 3.5, 95% CI: 2.1, 5.8), and not taking Isonized Preventive Therapy (AHR: 3.9, 95% CI: 1.9, 7.6) were found to be the predictors of tuberculosis., Conclusion: The study found that there was a high rate of tuberculosis occurrence as compared to previous studies. Baseline opportunistic infections, being ambulatory and bedridden, advanced disease stage, low hemoglobin level, and not taking Isonized Preventive Therapy were found to be the predictors of tuberculosis. Therefore, early detection and treatment of opportunistic infections like tuberculosis should get a special attention.

Background: Previous research has been highly suggestive that patients of African ancestry are less responsive to beta-blockers and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors. However, clinical practice within Ethiopia has continued to recommend all drugs for treatment of hypertension despite the lack of evidentiary support. Therefore this study aims to compare the effectiveness of the three major antihypertensive drugs currently prescribed in an Ethiopian health care setting to further the potential for evidence based prescribing practices., Methods: A prospective, randomized, open label comparative study was used to determine the mean reduction in blood pressure (primary outcome) and assess cardiovascular events (secondary outcomes) among patients receiving one or more of three common antihypertensive drugs (i.e., nifedipine, hydrochlorothiazide, and enalapril) in routine clinical practice between November 2016 and April 2017. Patients were followed for three months. Analysis was based on an intention-to-treat approach. One way analysis of covariance was used to compare the difference in therapeutic effectiveness in reducing blood pressure., Result: A total of 141 patients were randomized to one of three recipient groups-nifedipine (n = 47), enalapril (n = 47) or hydrochlorothiazide (n = 47). Three months after randomization, 44 patients in each group completed the follow-up. Patients randomized to nifedipine had significantly higher mean reduction in systolic blood pressure than those randomized to enalapril(p = 0.003) or hydrochlorothiazide(p = 0.036). The mean reduction in systolic blood pressure was -37.35(CI:-40, -34.2) in the nifedipine group; -30.3(CI: -33.5, -27.1) in patients receiving enalapril; and -32.1(CI:-35, -29.3) in patients assigned hydrochlorothiazide. However, nifedipine did not have a significance difference in reduction of mean diastolic blood pressure compared than those receiving enalapril (p = 0.57) or hydrochlorthiazide (p = 0.99)., Conclusion: This study revealed that amongst the three drugs nifedipine was found to be the most effective drug in reduction of systolic blood pressure. Hydrochlorothiazide and enalapril did not show a difference in reduction of mean blood pressure. Further, long term randomized trials are highly recommended to inform revision of Ethiopia-centric hypertension treatment guidelines., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.