Urban-rural disparity in stunting among Ethiopian children aged 6-59 months old: A multivariate decomposition analysis of 2019 Mini-EDHS.

BACKGROUND: Childhood stunting is still a global public health challenge, including in Ethiopia. Over the past decade, in developing countries, stunting has been characterized by large rural and urban disparities. To design an effective intervention, it is necessary to understand the urban and rural disparities in stunting. OBJECTIVE: To assess the urban-rural disparities in stunting among Ethiopian children aged 6-59 months. METHODS: This study was done based on the data obtained from the 2019 mini-Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey, conducted by the Central Statistical Agency of Ethiopia and ICF international. The result of descriptive statistics was reported using the mean with standard deviation, frequency, percentages, graphs, and tables. A multivariate decomposition analysis was used to decompose the urban-rural disparity in stunting into two components: one that is explained by residence differences in the level of the determinants (covariate effects), and the other component is explained by differences in the effect of the covariates on the outcome (coefficient effects). The results were robust to the different decomposition weighting schemes. RESULT: The prevalence of stunting among Ethiopian children aged 6-59 months was 37.8% (95% CI: 36.8%, 39.6%). The difference in stunting prevalence between urban and rural residences was high (rural prevalence was 41.5%, while in urban areas it was 25.5%). Endowment and coefficient factors explained the urban-rural disparity in stunting with magnitudes of 35.26% and 64.74%, respectively. Maternal educational status, sex, and age of children were the determinants of the urban-rural disparity in stunting. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION: There is a significant stunting disparity among urban and rural children in Ethiopia. A larger portion of the urban-rural stunting disparity was explained by coefficient effects (differences in behaviour). Maternal educational status, sex, and age of children were the determinants of the disparity. So, to narrow this disparity, emphasis should be given to both resource distribution and the appropriate utilization of available interventions, including improvement of maternal education and consideration of sex and age differences during child feeding practices.

Covid-19 Vaccine Side Effects and Its Associated Factors Among Healthcare Workers at Dessie Hospital, Ethiopia.

Background: Vaccines are a powerful choice to stop disease outbreaks, including covid-19. However, people are hesitant to take vaccinations due to uncertainty about side effects. So, this study aimed to assess covid-19 vaccine side-effect and its associated factors among healthcare workers in Dessie comprehensive specialized hospital, in Ethiopia. Methods: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted at Dessie Comprehensive and Specialized Hospital among 351 vaccinated healthcare workers from April 25 to May 25, 2021. Self-administrated questionnaires were used by consented health workers. Variance inflation factor (VIF) was used to assess the multicollinearity of independent variables. Bivariable and multivariable binary logistic regression were used to identify significant factors of vaccine side effects. The adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was reported as the effect size. Statistical significance was considered at p-value <0.05. Results: Overall, of vaccinated healthcare workers, 56.98% (95% CI, 50.86-61.26%) experienced at least one side effect. The majority of the side effects were fever (44.44%), headache (39.03%), fatigue (27.35%), injection site pain (25.93%), and nausea (24.22%). Healthcare workers with (≥10 years) of work experience (AOR: 3.74, 95% CI, 1.32-10.59), Hesitancy to take the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine (AOR: 3.01, 95% CI, 1.82-4.99), underlying chronic disease (AOR: 14.41, 95% CI, (5.07-40.92)), being on antihypertensive medication (AOR: 0.15; 95% CI (0.02-0.93)), and unsafe perception of vaccine safety (AOR:3.50; 95% CI, 1.43-8.57) were independent factors of Covax vaccine side effect development. Conclusion: Overall, common vaccine side effects were identified in healthcare workers who have taken the Covax vaccine. Healthcare workers with (≥10 years) of work experience, Hesitancy to take the first dose, unsafe perception of vaccine safety, and underlined chronic disease were predictors of vaccine side effect occurrence. So, providing vaccine-related information to the community to be vaccinated is mandatory to reduce hesitancy and flaws regarding vaccine safety.

Burden and Determinants of Anemia among Under-Five Children in Africa: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Introduction: Globally, anemia among under-five children is a serious public health problem. Even if there are pocket studies here and there, there is limited evidence on the pooled prevalence of anemia among under-five children in Africa. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the pooled prevalence and determinants of anemia. Methods and Analysis. This systematic review and meta-analysis was done following the PRISMA guidelines. A comprehensive search was made in PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, HINARI, and Ethiopian Journal of Health Development for studies published since 2009. It was supplemented with Google Scholar search. Study selection, data extraction, and quality of studies were assessed by eight reviewers. The Cochrane Q test and I 2 test statistic were used to test the heterogeneity of studies. A random-effects model of DerSimonian-Laird method was used. Result: A total of 37 articles were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of anemia among under-five children in Africa was 59% (95% CI: 55, 63). Being female (AOR = 0.71; 95% CI: 0.57, 0.87), maternal education (AOR = 1.47; 95% CI: 1.31, 1.66), residence (AOR = 0.80; 95% CI: 0.67, 0.95), and family size (AOR = 0.93; 95% CI: 0.89, 0.98) were the determinants of anemia among African under-five children. Conclusion and Recommendation. This pooled study revealed that anemia was a severe public health problem. Sex, maternal education, residence, and family size were the determinants of anemia. Therefore, anemia prevention strategy should include sex consideration, educating mothers through youth education, area specific intervention, and encouraging birth spacing.