Pattern and outcome of acute organophosphate poisoning at health facilities of Harari Region, Eastern Ethiopia.

Introduction: Pesticides are frequently used by plant cultivars to control pests that could affect yield. Although many local farmers in Eastern Ethiopia use organophosphate insecticides extensively for the production of khat, the pattern and treatment outcome of acute poisoning of these organophosphates has been poorly quantified and reported in this region. Materials and Method: A cross-sectional study design was employed at two public hospitals found in Harari region, Ethiopia. The data were collected through face-to-face interviews and card review, then analyzed with SPSS version 20. Pearson's Chi-square test was used to compare independent variables with the treatment outcome. Statistical significance is defined at 95% confidence interval of odds ratio not including 1 or p < 0.05. Results: A total of 135 cases of organophosphate were admitted in the emergency departments of the hospitals during the study period. 42.2% of participants were adolescents (age: 11-20 years) while the mean age of all participants was 18.8 ± 12.9 years with a range of 1-61 years. 73.7% of the study participants were rural residents. The result showed that 47.4% of the cases were exposed to the poison accidentally. Family disharmony was the common reason among cases poisoned intentionally. The mean time elapsed between poisoning and reaching the health facility was 3.1 h. Atropine was administered for 47% of the cases. About 11% of cases expired following the poison. The home remedy given, lag time, and residency were found to be factors significantly related to poor treatment outcomes. Conclusion: Easy availability, low cost, and excessive popularity of organophosphate use as pesticides in Eastern Ethiopia have increased the incidence of ingestion, resulting in increasing intentional and unintentional poisoning. In the present study, accidental exposure accounts for 47.4%.

Prevalence of common mental disorders and associated factors among adults living in Harari regional state, eastern Ethiopia: a community based cross-sectional study.

Background: Common mental disorders are highly prevalent in the population, affecting people across all regions of the world. In Ethiopia, mental disorders are the leading non-communicable disorders. World Health Organization (WHO) report shows that 4,480,113 (4.7%) and 3,139,003 (3.3%) people in Ethiopia are estimated to suffer from depression and anxiety, respectively. However, there are only limited studies conducted on common mental disorders in Africa including Ethiopia. Even if there was a previous study conducted among Harari regional state residents 7 years back, nowadays there are many possible factors that could increase the prevalence of common mental disorders in the community like the novel coronavirus pandemic, ethnic war, and current socio-economic crises in Ethiopia. Objective: To assess the prevalence of common mental disorders and associated factors among adult residents of Harari regional state, eastern Ethiopia. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from March 1 to March 30, 2022. A systematic random sampling technique was used to select 1,192 study participants. Data were collected by interviewer-administered structured and semi-structured questionnaires. A common mental disorder was assessed by the Self-Reporting Questionnaire of 20-Item (SRQ-20) questionnaire. Data were entered into Epi Data version 3.2 and exported to Stata Version 16 for analysis. The multivariable binary logistic regression analysis with a 95% confidence interval and p < 0.05 was used to identify factors associated with common mental disorders. Result: From a total of 1,192 eligible participants, 1,168 responded to this survey, giving a response rate of 97.98%. The prevalence of common mental disorders among adults in the Harari Region of this study was 21.31% (95% CI, 18.8-23.60). Being female with Adjusted Odds Ratios (AOR = 1.31, 95%CI, 1.09-2.09), single (AOR = 2.03, 95%CI, 1.37-3.01), divorced (AOR = 3.06, 95%CI, 1.97-4.76), widowed (AOR = 1.79, 95%CI, 1.23-3.26), unemployed (AOR = 1.97, 95%CI, 1.18-3.31), having family history of mental illness (AOR = 3.17, 95%CI, 1.54-6.96) and age greater or equal to 55 years (AOR = 105, 95%CI, 1.69-3.54) were statistically associated with common mental disorders. Conclusion: The prevalence of common mental disorder in the study area was sharply increased. Being female, single, divorced, widowed, family history of mental illness, being unemployed and age greater or equal to 55 years old were statistically positively associated with common mental disorder. Considering these determinants, screening, early identification, and providing appropriate intervention for common mental disorders in the community should be of great concern.

Prevalence of child marriage and associated factors among reproductive age women in Harari regional state, eastern Ethiopia, 2022: a community-based study.

INTRODUCTION: Child marriage is a union before the age of 18 and a violation of human right. Around 21% of young women in the world married before reaching the age of 18. Every year, 10 million girls under the age of 18 are married. Child marriage causes lifetime suffering, and its abolition was one component of the Sustainable Development Goal to achieve gender equality and empower women and girls. However; abolition of child marriage by 2030 will not happen because its prevalence in the community has remained stable. OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of child marriage and its associated factors among reproductive-age women from March 7 to April 5, 2022 in Harari Regional State, eastern Ethiopia. METHODS: Community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from March 7 to April 5, 2022 among the reproductive age group in the Harari Region state, Eastern Ethiopia. A systematic random sampling technique was used to find study participants. Data were obtained by face-to-face interview using a pre-tested structured questionnaire, input into EpiData version 3.1 and analyzed using Stata version 16. The proportion with 95% confidence interval (CI) and the summery measure were used to report the prevalence. A multivariable logistic regression analysis model was used to examine associated factors, and the results were provided as an adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with a 95% confidence interval. RESULT: In this study 986 were responded to the interview, making response rate of 99.6%. The median age of study participants was 22 years. The prevalence of child marriage was 33.7% [95% CI: 30.8-36.7] in this study. Being a Muslim (AOR = 2.30, 95% CI = 1.26, 4.19), diploma or higher level of education (AOR = 0.26, 95%CI = .10, 0.70), rural residence (AOR = 5.39, 95% CI = 3.71, 7.82), a marriage arranged by others (AOR = 2.68, 95% CI = 1.49, 4.82) and not knowing legal age of marriage (AOR = 4.49, 95% CI = 2.57, 7.85) were significantly associated with child marriage. CONCLUSION: According to this report, nearly one out of every three women engages in child marriage. The practice was more common among those with lower educational attainment, those who lived in rural areas, people who were unaware of the legal age of marriage, and those whose engagement was decided by others. Focusing on strategies that allow for intervention in these factors is beneficial in ending child marriage, which has a direct and indirect impact on women's health and educational achievement.

Cancellation of elective surgery and associated factors among patients scheduled for elective surgeries in public hospitals in Harari regional state, Eastern Ethiopia.

Background: Canceling elective surgeries is a significant problem in many hospitals leading to patient dissatisfaction, increased costs, and emotional trauma for patients and their families. Despite this, there is limited information about the cancellation of elective surgeries in Ethiopia, mainly in the study area. Objective: This study aimed to assess the magnitude of cancellation and associated factors among patients scheduled for elective surgeries in public hospitals in the Harari Regional State, Eastern Ethiopia, from 1 August to 30 August 2021. Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 378 patients scheduled for elective surgeries. Data were gathered using a non-random sequential sampling approach. In addition, a structured face-to-face interviewer-administered questionnaire was employed. The gathered information was input into Epidata version 3.1 and then exported to Statistical Package for Social Software version 26. To find the variables associated with the cancellation of elective surgeries, binary and multi-variable logistic regression analyses were conducted. In the binary analysis, all variables with a p-value of less than 0.25 were included in the multivariable analysis. Finally, a 0.05 p-value with a 95% confidence interval and an adjusted odds ratio was used to declare a significant association. Results: This study included 378 patients scheduled for elective surgeries. Among those, 35.2% of the surgeries were canceled (95% confidence interval: 29.4-39.6). Being female (adjusted odds ratio: 2.46; 95% confidence interval: 1.44-4.203), lack of formal education (adjusted odds ratio: 2.03; 95% confidence interval: 1.15-3.58), place of residence (adjusted odds ratio: 1.70; 95% confidence interval: 1.03-2.81), increase in blood pressure (adjusted odds ratio: 5.09; 95% confidence interval:1.90-13.59), and ophthalmologic surgery (adjusted odds ratio: 3.76; 95% confidence interval: 1.41-10.0) were factors associated with the cancellation of elective surgeries. Conclusion: In this study, nearly one third of scheduled elective surgery was canceled. The primary contributing variables to the surgery cancellations were being female, lack of formal education, place of residence, ophthalmologic surgery, and increased blood pressure. Therefore, timely evidence-based reporting through the supervision team was advised to decrease cancellations.

Current alcohol, tobacco, and khat use and associated factors among adults living in Harari regional state, eastern Ethiopia: A community-based cross-sectional study.

Background: Psychoactive substance use becomes a major public health and socioeconomic problem worldwide. Despite its burden and consequences, there is no community-based study conducted on psychoactive substance use and associated factors in eastern Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the magnitude and determinants of current alcohol, tobacco, and khat among adults living in Harari regional state, eastern Ethiopia. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 955 adults living in Harari regional state. Participants were randomly recruited using a simple random sampling technique. Data were collected by interviewer-administered structured and semi-structured questionnaires. Data were entered into Epi Data version 3.1 and exported to Stata version 14.0 for analysis. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the association between the outcome and independent variables, and the statistical significance was declared at a p < 0.5. Results: Of 955 eligible participants, 95.29% participated in the study. The overall prevalence of current alcohol use, tobacco use, and khat use in this study was 8.24, 14.5, and 63.30%, respectively. The availability of alcohol, being unemployed, and being a current khat user were significantly associated with current alcohol use. Being male, having a low level of education, having peer pressure, having a common mental disorder, being a current alcohol user, and being a khat user were identified as significant predictors for current tobacco use. The age between 31 and 40 years, being a Muslim religion follower, being a farmer, being a current tobacco user, and availability of khat were significantly associated with current khat use. Conclusion and recommendations: The prevalence of psychoactive substance use in the study area was relatively high compared with that of previous studies. By considering these determinants, screening, early identification, and developing appropriate intervention strategies to prevent and tackle current alcohol, tobacco, and khat use in the community should be of great concern.

Nurses' Knowledge and Practicing Level of Cognitive Behavioral Pain Relief Methods in Public Hospitals of Eastern Ethiopia.

Introduction: Despite the fact that cognitive behavioral therapy is regarded as a superior pain relief method and an alternative to drug therapy, little is known about its scope of application and determinant factors. As a result, the study sought to assess nurses' knowledge and practicing level of cognitive behavioral pain relief methods in public hospitals in eastern Ethiopia. Objective: To assess the knowledge and practicing level of cognitive behavioral pain relief among nurses working in public hospitals of eastern Ethiopia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among randomly selected 390 nurses. The data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. The data were entered into Epi-data 3.1 and exported to SPSS 22 for analysis. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with cognitive behavioral therapy. Result: In this study, more than half (54.1%) of the respondents had good cognitive behavioral methods practicing levels. Nearly two-thirds (58.8%) of the participants had adequate knowledge about pain relief methods. Having adequate knowledge (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 2.664; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.75, 4.7), having training (AOR 1.7; 95% CI: 1.03, 3.01), and positive attitude (AOR 4.02; 95% CI: 4.5, 12.4) were significantly associated with cognitive behavioral therapy. Conclusion: In this study, more than half of nurses had good cognitive behavioral methods practicing levels. Having a positive attitude, being knowledgeable, and having training were determinant factors in the practice of cognitive behavioral therapy. Continuing education and training should be considered for nurses to enhance their cognitive behavioral therapy practice.

Magnitude of episiotomy practice and associated factors among women who gave birth at Hiwot Fana Specialized University Hospital, Eastern Ethiopia.

Background: Episiotomy is an intentional surgical incision made on the perineum with the aim of enlarging the introits during the second stage of labor or just before delivery of the baby. It sometimes also interferes with the mother's comfort during the postpartum period and has associated complications especially when it is done without indication. However, there is limited information regarding episiotomy practice in the study area. Objective: This study aimed to determine the magnitude of episiotomy practice and associated factors among women who gave birth at the Hiwot Fana Specialized University Hospital, Eastern Ethiopia, 2021. Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 408 systematically selected mothers who gave birth at the Hiwot Fana Specialized University Hospital, from 1 January to 30 December 2021. Datas were collected from delivery medical records using a pretested checklist. The extracted data were checked, coded, and entered into the Epi-data version 3.1 and exported to the STATA version 16 software for analysis. Binary logistic regression was fitted to identify factors associated with episiotomy practice. P-values < 0.05 were considered to declare the presence of statistical significance. Results: The overall prevalence of episiotomy practice was found to be 43.4 % (95% CI: 38.7, 48.9), and mediolateral was the most commonly practiced episiotomy type (41.4%). Parity [AOR: 6.2; 95% CI (3.8-17.6)], 1st min Apgar score [AOR: 1.6; 95% CI (1.04-2.67)], presence of maternal medical disease [AOR: 3.3; 95% CI (1.09-6.9)], and induced labor [AOR: 1.6; 95%CI (1.12, 4.13)] were significantly associated with the episiotomy practice. Conclusion: The prevalence of episiotomy practice in the study area was high. Parity, presence of maternal medical disease, induction of labor, and 1st min APGAR score were significant factors associated with episiotomy practice. Considering the presence of appropriate indications or preventing unjustifiable indications, can help to reduce the current high practice rates.

Practice of Traditional Medicine and Associated Factors Among Residents in Eastern Ethiopia: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction: Although the Practice of traditional medicine is accorded great importance worldwide, it seems to face a notable challenge. A notable challenge is the lack of a reference standard for determining the appropriate utilization of traditional medicine for patients. There is little evidence about the usual utilized traditional medicine in the study area. Therefore, this study aimed to assess practice of traditional medicine and associated factors among residents in Eastern Ethiopia. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from January 20, 2022 to February 20, 2022. About 818 study participants were recruited using a systematic random sampling technique. Data were collected by face-to-face interviews. The collected data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22 computer software. The association between an outcome variable and independent variables was assessed using binary logistic regression and the strength of association was presented using Adjusted Odd Ratio (AOR) with its 95% confidence intervals (CI). Result: A total of 803 participants were included in the final analysis with a 98.2 % response rate. From the total study participants, 563 (70.1%) [95%CI: 66.8-73.3] had used traditional medicine in the past 6 months. Factors such as being farmer [AOR = 1.06; 95%CI: (1.03-3.7)], having a diploma degree or higher [AOR = 3.2, 95% CI (1.4-7.3)] and having no history of chronic disease [AOR = 0.21; 95% CI: (0.1-0.5)] were significantly associated traditional medicine practice. Conclusion: The proportion of traditional medicine practice was high. The most commonly utilized traditional medicines were Damakase, Tenadam, Zingibil and Erate. A national health policy should give a great emphasize on rational utilization of traditional medicine.

Level and predictors of nurse caring behaviors among nurses serving in inpatient departments in public hospitals in Harari region, eastern Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Nursing practice is centered on caring and nurses' behaviour has an impact on the quality of patient care and it is predictive of patient satisfaction,however, many nurses, in reality, do not exhibit caring behavior when providing nursing care to clients. This study was aimed to assess the level and predictors of nurse caring behaviors among nurses serving in inpatient departments in public hospitals in Harari Region of Ethiopia from March 10 to April 10, 2021. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 300 nurses providing inpatient service in public hospitals in the Harari region of eastern Ethiopia. All permanent nurses working in major inpatient services of two public hospitals, namely Jugal General Hospital (JGH) and Hiwot Fana Specialized University Hospital (HFSUH) were included. The English version of the CNPI-Nurse scale was used to determine the level of caring behavior. The association was reported using the crude and adjusted odds ratios along with the 95% confidence interval. The statistical significance of the association was declared at p-value < 0.05. RESULT: The caring behavior was classified as high and low based on the median score. According to this study only 51.67% (95% CI:45.97, 57.35%) of nurses had good caring behavior. The odds of having good caring behavior were 2.22 (AOR = 2.22, 95%CI: 1.20, 4.10) times higher among nurses working in good working environment compared to those who work in bad working environment. Nurses who were satisfied with their job had 2.79 (AOR: 2.79, 95%CI: 1.54, 5.08) times higher odds of good caring behavior than those who were not satisfied with their job. Similarly, nurses who had a lower workload had a 3.01 (AOR: 3.01, 95%CI: 1.70, 5.33) times higher probability of having good caring behavior from nurses compared to nurses who reported having a high workload. CONCLUSION: The level of nurses caring behavior is not satisfactory and it is influenced by working environment characteristics, job satisfaction and workload. Therefore it necessary to creat conducive working environment, provide adequate time and resources inorder to improve the level of nurses caring behaviour.

Postabortion Contraceptive Acceptance Rate and Its Determinants among Women Receiving Abortion Service before Discharge from the Health Facilities in Harar, Eastern Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Annually, around 121 million unintended pregnancies occur in the world and more than 73 million encountered abortion. Ethiopia is also losing 19.6% of mothers due to unsafe abortion. Despite that postabortion contraceptive service is a climactic entry point for the prevention of unwanted pregnancy and associated deaths, the service magnitude and determinants immediately before discharge are not characterized well in Ethiopia. Hence, this study aimed to assess the magnitude of postabortion contraceptive utilization and associated factors among women receiving abortion care service before being discharged from health facilities in Harar, Eastern Ethiopia. METHODS: A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 390 women receiving abortion care services. At discharge, data about contraceptive acceptance and related maternal characteristics were collected. A binary logistic regression model was used to assess the association between independent and dependent variables (postabortion contraceptive utilization). Analysis was done with SPSS 22. Statistical significance was considered at P < 0.05. RESULT: The overall prevalence of postabortion contraceptive utilization was 81.5% (95% CI: 77.9, 85.4). Being unmarried (AOR, 0.05; 95% CI (0.02, 0.16)), having no history of previous abortion (AOR, 0.11; 95% CI (0.04, 0.34)), being multigravida (AOR 8.1; 95% CI (2.20, 13.40), lacking desire to have an additional child (AOR, 6.3; 95% CI (2.65, 15.34), and history of family planning use (AOR, 17.20; 95% CI (6.5, 38.60)) were determinants of postabortion contraceptive utilization before being discharged from the health facilities. CONCLUSION: Postabortion contraceptive utilization in Harar health facilities still needs improvement as per the WHO and national recommendations. Therefore, the family planning provision strategies should be convincing and friendly, especially for unmarried mothers, and those who had no history of abortion should be counseled in friendly and systematically convincing schemes for enabling them to take the service before discharge from the health facility.

One in Five Street Traditional Coffee Vendors Suffered from Depression During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Harar Town, Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 crisis has already resulted in an economic and labor market shock and a rise of informal work sectors. Being an informal job, traditional coffee vending can predispose women to a myriad of mental disorders. Therefore, this study was aimed to assess depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic and associated factors among street traditional coffee vendors in Harar town, Eastern Ethiopia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was employed on 180 women engaged in street traditional coffee vending business in Harar town. Data were collected through a face-to-face interview using a Public Health Questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 20. Binary logistic regression was executed to identify factors associated with depression at a cut-off point of P < 0.05. RESULTS: The mean age of the study participants was 31.83 (±10) years. The majority of the participants were currently married (n = 77, 42.8%), attended primary education (n = 68, 37.8%), had a family member of four or more (n = 60, 33.3%), and had two years or less work experience (n = 123, 68.3%). Most of the study participants obtained COVID-19-related information from television (n = 125, 69.4%). The prevalence of depression was found to be 18.9%. Attending primary education (AOR: 0.34; 95% CI: 0.12, 0.98), attending secondary education or higher (AOR: 0.23; 95% CI: 0.07, 0.69), and having four or more family members (AOR: 2.81; 95% CI: 1.14, 6.92) were significantly associated with depression. CONCLUSION: One in five street traditional coffee vendors suffered from depression during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lower odds of being depressed were observed in those who attended a minimum of primary education. On the contrary, having a greater family size was associated with higher odds of being depressed. This finding will direct the government and other concerned bodies to be involved in the provision of psychological and material support for such informal workers during COVID-19.