Dental caries and mean values of DMFT among children with cerebral palsy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: One of the most prevalent causes of physical disability in children is cerebral palsy (CP), which is a series of complicated neurological disorders. Children with cerebral palsy suffer from multiple problems and potential disabilities, including dental caries. Hence, this study aimed to determine the pooled prevalence of dental caries and mean DMFT (Decayed, Missed, and Filled Permanent Teeth) among children with cerebral palsy in Africa and Asia. METHODS: A comprehensive search of the literature was made to locate relevant studies in PubMed/Medline, HINARI, Web of Science, Science Direct, the Cochrane Library, the Worldwide Science Database, and Google Scholar. The data were extracted in Microsoft Excel and transferred to Stata version 17 software for further analysis. A random-effect model was employed to estimate the pooled prevalence of dental caries and the pooled mean value of DMFT among children with cerebral palsy in Africa and Asia. Heterogeneity between studies was checked using the Cochrane Q test and I2 test statistics. Sub-group analysis by continent was done, and sensitivity analysis was checked. A small study effect was checked using Egger's statistical test at the 5% level of significance. RESULTS: In this study, 25 original studies conducted in 17 countries in Africa and Asia that fulfilled the eligibility criteria were included in the review. The overall pooled prevalence of dental caries in Africa and Asia among children with cerebral palsy was 55.6% (95% CI: 42.4, 68.8). The pooled prevalence of dental caries among children with cerebral palsy in Africa was 42.43% (95% CI: 30.39, 54.58), and it was slightly higher in Asia with 64% (95% CI: 48.32, 79.72). In the random effect model analysis, the pooled mean DMFT of dental caries in children with cerebral palsy was 2.25 (95% CI: 1.86, 2.64). The pooled mean DMFT in Africa was 1.47 (95% CI: 0.86, 2.09), and in Asia it was 3.01 (95% CI: 2.43, 3.60). CONCLUSION: In this study, we found that children with cerebral palsy experienced an alarming rate of dental caries. In these settings, dental caries affected roughly more than half of the children with cerebral palsy. Hence, oral health promotion initiatives should target children with CP, and this group of children must receive early preventive dental care.

Promoting a global culture of respectful maternity care.

Respectful maternity care (RMC) - a fundamental human right for all women - prioritizes autonomy and rights of pregnant and birthing women throughout the entire childbirth journey. Despite increasing acknowledgment of the importance of RMC for optimal maternal and new-born outcomes, women often experience disrespectful and abusive practices during pregnancy and childbirth. This Editorial points to the need for development of international guidelines for the implementation of RMC programs globally.

Macrosomia and its predictors in pregnant women with diabetes in Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: To estimate the prevalence of macrosomia and contributing factors among pregnant women with diabetes in Ethiopia. METHODS: The Cochrane, PubMed, Google Scholar, SCOPUS, Web of Science electronic databases and grey literature found in online university repositories were searched for primary studies reporting the prevalence of macrosomia (birth weight ≥4 kg, irrespective of gestational age) and/or at least one determinant factor using WHO diabetes diagnosis criteria were involved. Variations across the studies were checked using the I2  statistic; funnel plot and Egger's test were used to assess publication bias. A weighted inverse random effect model was used to estimate the overall prevalence of macrosomia. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of macrosomic newborns among pregnant women with diabetes [15.1% (95% CI: 9.0%, 21.2%)] was higher than the prevalence among non-diabetic mothers (3.9%). Maternal blood glucose level >100 mg/dl [AOR = 10.5: 95% CI: 5.9, 15.1] and >120 mg/dl [AOR = 8.8: 95% CI: 4.5, 13.0], lack of Antenatal Care (ANC) visit [AOR = 10.8: 95% CI: 6.0, 15.0], previous adverse birth outcomes and advanced maternal age [AOR = 3.5: 95% CI: 1.0, 5.9] were significantly associated with the prevalence of macrosomia at 95% CI. CONCLUSION: The pooled prevalence of macrosomia among pregnant women with diabetes was higher than the prevalence among non-diabetic pregnant women (3.9%). Advanced maternal age, previous adverse birth outcomes, lack of ANC and uncontrolled maternal plasma glucose level were independent predictors of macrosomia.

Magnitude and associated factors of substance use among pregnant women attending antenatal care in public hospitals of eastern Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Use of substances like alcohol, tobacco and khat during pregnancy can bring miscarriage, prematurity, neurodevelopmental problems, sudden infant death syndrome and others. There are limited studies on the magnitude and associated factors of substance use among pregnant women in Eastern Ethiopia. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the magnitude and associated factors of substance use among pregnant women attending antenatal care in public hospitals of Easttern Ethiopia, 2019. METHOD: Hospital based cross-sectional study was employed on 510 pregnant women attending ANC at public hospitals of Eastern Ethiopia (Jigjiga, Dire Dawa and Harar towns). Data were collected from the study participants that were selected using systematic sampling method from each public hospital. The data were collected through interviewer administered structured questionnaire. Binary logistic regressions with 95% confidence interval were used to determine the degree of association between covariates and outcome variable. Multicollinearity between independent variables by using the standard error was checked. The goodness of fit was tested by Hosmer-Lemeshow statistic and Omnibus tests. RESULTS: Out of 526 participants, a total of 510 study participants were involved in this study thereby making a response rate of 96.9%. In this study, the magnitude of substance use among pregnant women attending ANC was 26.5% (95% CI: 22.7, 30.6%). Among the overall pregnant mothers, 100 (19.6%) chewed khat, 48 (9.4%) drank alcohol, 12 (2.4%) used tobacco products and 28(20.7%) were dual substance users. Pre pregnancy substance use (AOR = 27.25, CI: 14.107-52.66), partner substance use (AOR = 3.704 CI: 1.839-7.464), family substance use (AOR = 3.447 CI: 1.69-7.031) and the amount of monthly household income (AOR = 3.397, 95% CI: 1.316-8.766) were found to be statistically significant and positively associated with substance use during pregnancy. CONCLUSION: The magnitude of antenatal substance use in the study area was 26.5%. Pre- pregnancy substance use, partner substance use, monthly house hold income and family substance use were found to be positively associated with substance use during pregnancy. Therefore, health education which is inclusive of child bearing age women with their partner and family may be helpful to decrease antenatal substance use during pregnancy.

Knowledge and attitude of pregnant women towards preeclampsia and its associated factors in South Gondar Zone, Northwest Ethiopia: a multi-center facility-based cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Preeclampsia has the greatest impact on maternal mortality which complicates nearly a tenth of pregnancies worldwide. It is one of the top five maternal mortality causes and responsible for 16 % of direct maternal death in Ethiopia. Little is known about the level of knowledge and attitude towards preeclampsia in Ethiopia. This study was designed to assess the knowledge and attitude towards preeclampsia and its associated factors in South Gondar, Northwest Ethiopia. METHODS: A multicenter facility-based cross-sectional study was implemented in four selected hospitals of South Gondar Zone among 423 pregnant women. Multistage random sampling and systematic random sampling techniques were used to select the study sites and the study participants respectively. Data were entered in EpiData version 3.1 while cleaned and analyzed by Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed. Adjusted odds ratio with 95 % confidence interval were used to identify the significance of the association between the level of knowledge on preeclampsia and its predictors. RESULTS: In this study, 118 (28.8 %), 120 (29.3 %) of the study participants had good knowledge and a positive attitude towards preeclampsia respectively. The likelihood of having good knowledge on preeclampsia was found to be low among women with no education (AOR = 0.22, 95 % CI (0.06, 0.85)), one antenatal care visit (ANC) (AOR = 0.13, 95 % CI (0.03, 0.59)). Whereas, those who booked for ANC in the first trimester (AOR = 6.59, 95 % CI (1.43, 30.33)), gave the last birth at a health facility (AOR = 2.61, 955 CI (1.03, 6.61)), and experienced a complication during previous births (AOR = 3.67, 95 % CI (1.78, 7.57)) were more likely to be knowledgeable on preeclampsia. CONCLUSIONS: No formal education and not attending four ANC visits were associated with poor knowledge of preeclampsia. While participants who visited health facilities during the first trimester, who gave birth at health facilities, and those who experienced a complication in previous births were more likely to be knowledgeable on preeclampsia. Improving the numbers of ANC visits and encouraging facility delivery are important measures to improve women's knowledge on preeclampsia. Health education regarding preeclampsia risk factors, symptoms, and complications shall be emphasized.

The shadow challenges to improve the state essential newborn care practices in healthcare providers: evidence from a multicentre cross-sectional study in Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Neonatal mortality can be reduced by providing essential newborn care. However, it is overlooked by most healthcare providers in Ethiopia. Hence, this study aims to examine immediate essential newborn care practices and associated factors among healthcare providers in Ethiopia. METHODS: Institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 214 healthcare providers from November 11 to December 19, 2020, at a selected South Gondar health facility. Data were entered into Epi-data 4.2 and then exported to STATA14.0 for analysis. Both bivariable and multivariable logistic regression with a 95% confidence interval were computed. The variable that had a p-value less than 0.25 in bivariable logistic regression was entered into the multivariable logistic regression. In multivariable logistic regression, variables having a p-value < 0.05 were considered a statistically significant association with the poor practice of essential newborn care practice. RESULTS: The overall essential newborn care practice among healthcare providers was found to be 74.8% (95% CI: 68.4, 80.2). Diploma educational status (AOR = 7.8, 95% CI:2.80-21.9), presence of workload (AOR = 9.7, 95% CI: 2.76-23.9), unavailability of drugs and vaccines (AOR = 9.8, 95% CI: 6.95-17.7), and having no training (AOR = 3.9, 95% CI: 1.73-8.92) were found to be predictors for poor essential newborn care practices. CONCLUSION: Essential newborn care practice among healthcare providers at South Gondar health institutions was found to be low. Being diploma educational status, presence of workload, unavailability of drugs and vaccines, and having no training were found to be independent predictors for poor practice of essential newborn care. Hence, periodic evaluation and strategies are needed for those predictor variables to address the gaps.

Time to detection of anemia and its predictors among children living with HIV at Debre Tabor and University of Gondar Compressive Specialized Hospitals, 2020: a multicentre retrospective follow-up study.

BACKGROUND: Even though antiretroviral therapy access for HIV infected children increased dramatically, anemia have been continued as a challenge regardless of a cluster of differentiation (CD4) count and viral load. Hence, this study aimed to assess the time to detection of anemia and its predictors among children living with HIV at Debre Tabor and university of Gondar compressive specialized hospital, 2020. METHODS: A retrospective follow-up study was conducted from January 2010 to December 2018. A total of 372 children under the age of 15 who had received ART were included in the study. Data were collected from children's medical charts and ART registration logbook using a standard checklist. Besides, the data were entered into Epi data 4.2.2 and then exported to Stata 14.0 for further analysis. The Cox regression model, the variables having P-value ≤.05 with 95% CIs in multivariable analysis were declared as statistically significant for anemia. RESULT: The mean (±SD) of follow-up periods were 56.6 ± 1.7 SD months. The overall median survival time free from anemia was 137 months, and the incidence rate of anemia was 6.9 per 100 PYO (95% CI: 5.3, 7.8). Moreover, WHO clinical staging of III/IV [AHR: 4.2, 95% CI: 1.80, 11.1], low CD4 count below threshold [AHR: 1.9, 95% CI: 1.09, 3.37], cotrimoxazole preventive therapy non-users, and poor level of adherence [(AHR: 2.4, 95% CI: 1.20, 4.85] were the main predictors of the time to detection of anemia. CONCLUSION: The incidence rate of anemia in our retrospective cohort was high. The risk of anemia is present in children living with HIV infection but the risk for anemia is increased based on (WHO clinical staging III and IV, CD4 count below the threshold level, CPT non-users, and poor level of adherence). Since many of these risk factors are present routinely, even within one single patient, our clinical monitoring for anemia quarterly was fully justified as was our routine switch from standard therapies such as AZT to another regimen upon lab confirmation of anemia. Additional methods to improve cotrimoxazole preventative therapy and level of adherence are also needed.

Determinants of maternal knowledge of neonatal danger signs among postnatal mothers visiting neonatal intensive care unit, north Central Ethiopia, 2019: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Sick neonates can be early readmitted if and only if their mothers have good knowledge of the key neonatal danger signs at first discharge. Thus, it was aimed to assess the level and determinants of maternal knowledge on these signs at first discharge from NICU. METHODS: A hospital based cross sectional study design was employed at Debre Tabor General Hospital, South Gondar Zone. A sample of 363 participants was included to the study from September 2018 to February 2019 through systematic selection of every other eligible mother baby pair. Data were collected through face to face interview at time of discharge from NICU. Knowledge score of neonatal danger signs was computed by adding the total number of correct spontaneous responses to 9 key danger signs with a minimum score of 0 and maximum of 9 [0 when a mother named none of the key danger signs and 9 when the mother named all the signs]. Mothers who scored ≥3 points were considered to have good knowledge whereas those scoring less than 3 points had poor knowledge. RESULTS: 224(61.70%) mothers had good knowledge of neonatal danger signs at discharge from NICU. Secondary and above level of education [AOR = 4.62], receiving danger sign information during stay at NICU [AOR = 3.64], four and above antenatal visits [AOR = 3.04], well preparedness of birth [AOR = 13.70], institutional delivery [AOR = 6.46] and good knowledge of essential newborn care [AOR = 4.41] were significant factors. CONCLUSIONS: At discharge time, maternal knowledge of neonatal danger signs wasn't comparable to their exposure of NICU environment. Therefore, danger sign education should be routinely given during maternal stay at NICU. Moreover, existing efforts should be enhanced to improve number of antenatal visits, institutional delivery rate and postnatal services along the continuum of maternal and child health care in South Gondar Zone.

Prevalence and associated factors of birth asphyxia among live births at Debre Tabor General Hospital, North Central Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: More than one third of the neonatal deaths at Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in Debre Tabor General Hospital (DTGH) are attributable to birth asphyxia. Most of these neonates are referred from the maternity ward in the hospital. Concerns have also been raised regarding delayed intrapartum decisions for emergency obstetrics action in the hospital. However, there has been no recent scientific evidence about the exact burden of birth asphyxia and its specific determinants among live births at maternity ward of DTGH. Moreover, the public health importance of delivery time and professional mix of labor attendants haven't been addressed in the prior studies. METHODS: Hospital based cross sectional study was conducted on a sample of 582 mother newborn dyads at maternity ward. Every other mother newborn dyad was included from December 2019 to March 2020. Pre-tested structured questionnaire and checklist were used for data collection. The collected data were processed and entered into Epidata version 4.2 and exported to Stata version 14. Binary logistic regressions were fitted and statistical significance was declared at p less than 0.05 with 95% CI. RESULTS: The prevalence of birth asphyxia was 28.35% [95% CI: 26.51, 35.24%]. From the final model, fetal mal-presentation (AOR = 6.96: 3.16, 15.30), premature rupture of fetal membranes (AOR = 6.30, 95% CI: 2.45, 16.22), meconium stained amniotic fluid (AOR = 7.15: 3.07, 16.66), vacuum delivery (AOR =6.21: 2.62, 14.73), night time delivery (AOR = 6.01: 2.82, 12.79) and labor attendance by medical interns alone (AOR = 3.32:1.13, 9.78) were positively associated with birth asphyxia at 95% CI. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of birth asphyxia has remained a problem of public health importance in the study setting. Therefore, the existing efforts of emergency obstetric and newborn care should be strengthened to prevent birth asphyxia from the complications of fetal mal-presentation, premature rupture of fetal membranes, meconium stained amniotic fluid and vacuum delivery. Moreover, night time deliveries and professional mixes of labor and/delivery care providers should be given more due emphasis.

Prevalence and associated factors of prelacteal feeding among neonates admitted to neonatal intensive care units, North central Ethiopia, 2019.

BACKGROUND: Prelacteal feeding compromises the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding, thereby increasing neonatal malnutrition, infection and mortality. About 26% of the Ethiopian neonates are given prelacteal feeds and nearly 48% of whom are attributed to Amhara region. Besides, prior Ethiopian studies have shown significance of the problem at different community settings in the country. However, the prevalence and associated factors of prelacteal feeding among neonatal admissions has been overlooked in the country in general and in the study area in particular. Therefore, this study was aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of prelacteal feeding among neonatal admissions in the study setting. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 321 mother-neonate pairs admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Debre Tabor General Hospital between September 2018 and February 2019. Every fourth mother neonate pair was included to the study. Multivariable logistic regressions were fitted to find out adjusted odds ratios (AORs) of factors associated with pre-lacteal feeding. RESULTS: The prevalence of prelacteal feeding was 20.2% [95% CI: 15.31-26.75%]. Plain water was the most common prelacteal food (32.3%). Factors associated with prelacteal feeding include rural residence (AOR = 4.07, 95% CI: 1.30, 12.81), primiparity (AOR = 4.50, 95% CI: 1.30-12.81), less than four ANC visits (AOR = 4.71, 95% CI: 1.23-17.84), spousal accompany to ANC (AOR = 0.20, 95% CI: 0.05-0.75), home delivery (AOR = 5.94, 95% CI: 1.80-19.67), having twin newborns (AOR = 6.69, 95% CI: 1.25, 35.91) and maternal belief on the purported advantages of prelacteal feeding (AOR = 2.74, 95% CI: 2.09-25.39). CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION: One out of five sick neonates was given prelacteal feeds. Twin neonates, home delivered neonates, rural neonates, neonates born to primiparous mothers, neonates delivered from mothers who had less than four ANC visits, neonates born to mothers who weren't accompanied by their spouse during ANC and those born to mothers who believe on the purported advantages of prelacteal feeding had higher odds of receiving prelacteal feeds. Therefore, mothers of these vulnerable neonates should be provided with more emphasis about counseling of infant and young child feeding practice during their stay at NICU.

Improving the quality of neonatal health care in Ethiopia: a systematic review.

Background: Ensuring high-quality healthcare for newborns is essential for improving their chances of survival within Ethiopia's healthcare system. Although various intervention approaches have been implemented, neonatal mortality rates remain stable. Therefore, the present review seeks to identify initiatives for enhancing healthcare quality, their effects on neonatal wellbeing, and the factors hindering or supporting these Quality Improvement (QI) efforts' success in Ethiopia. Methods: We searched for original research studies up to June 23, 2023, using PubMed/Medline, WHO-Global Health Library, Cochrane, Clinical Trials.gov, and Hinari. After selecting eligible studies, we assessed their quality using a mixed-method appraisal tool. Quality of care refers to how healthcare services effectively improve desired outcomes for individuals and patient populations. It encompasses vital principles such as safety, effectiveness, timeliness, efficiency, equity, and patient-centeredness. Results: We found 3,027 publication records and included 13 studies during our search. All these interventions primarily aimed to provide safe healthcare, with a strong focus on Domain One, which deals with the evidence-based routine upkeep and handling of complications, and Domain Seven, which revolves around ensuring staff competency, emerged as a frequent target for intervention. Many interventions aimed at improving quality also concentrate on essential quality measure elements such as processes, focusing on the activities that occur during care delivery, and quality planning, involving distributing resources, such as basic medicine and equipment, and improving infrastructure. Moreover, little about the facilitators and barriers to QI interventions is investigated. Conclusions: This review highlights the significance of introducing QI initiatives in Ethiopia, enhancing the healthcare system's capabilities, engaging the community, offering financial incentives, and leveraging mobile health technologies. Implementing QI interventions in Ethiopia poses difficulties due to resource constraints, insufficient infrastructure, and medical equipment and supplies shortages. It necessitates persistent endeavors to improve neonatal care quality, involving ongoing training, infrastructure enhancement, the establishment of standardized protocols, and continuous outcome monitoring. These efforts are crucial to achieving the optimal outcomes for newborns and their families.

Effects of undernutrition on mortality of HIV-infected children after initiation of antiretroviral therapy in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Undernutrition is the leading cause of mortality among children infected with HIV particularly in resource-deprived settings. Despite several studies were disclosed the effect of undernutrition on mortality of children living with HIV in Ethiopia, the findings were fragmented and inconclusive. Therefore, this review aimed to determine the pooled effects of undernutrition on mortality of children infected with HIV in Ethiopia. Methods: The search were performed using international online electronic data bases (MEDLINE/though PubMed, Google scholar, Hinari, Scopus and open Google). The review included only retrospective/prospective cohort studies reporting the effects of undernutrition on mortality of children infected with HIV. Heterogeneity between included studies was assessed using Cochrane Q-test and the I2 statistics. Sub-group analysis was done by study regions, sample size and publication year. Results: A total of 1345 articles were identified from databases. Among these, 14 studies met the inclusion criteria and included in the study. Meta-analysis of 4 studies revealed that stunting has a significant effect on mortality of children infected with HIV (AHR: 3.36; 95 % CI: 2.95-3.77). Of 14 included studies, 6 articles indicated that wasting has a significant effect on mortality in children infected with HIV (AHR: 3.93; 95 % CI: 2.56-5.30) as compared to their counterparts. Furthermore, the pooled effect of 8 studies showed that underweight has 3.4 times hazard of death among children who lived with HIV as compared to well-nourished children. Conclusion: This review revealed that undernutrition has deleterious effect on mortality of children infected with HIV/AIDS by disease progression and prone the children to serious opportunistic infections. From the study, the authors recommended that nutritional status of children on antiretroviral therapy need to be evaluated regularly.

Incidence and predictors of common opportunistic infections among children living with HIV at Bahir Dar City, Ethiopia.

Despite the dramatic decline in the incidence of common opportunistic infections (OIs) after antiretroviral therapy initiation, they remain a significant cause of morbidity and mortality among children with HIV. For better interventions, information regarding the incidence and predictors of common OIs is essential for Children living with HIV. Still, there is a lack of studies in low and middle-income countries, including Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aims to assess the incidence and predictors of common OIs among Children living with HIV on anti-retroviral therapy (ART) at public health institutions in Bahir Dar City, Northwest Ethiopia. The reasons for excluding children not on ART is we want to study the effectiveness of chronic HIV care service, ART drugs and OIs prophylaxis drugs for the prevention of common OIs because it is obvious that the occurrence of OIs in children not on ART and OIs prophylaxis drugs is high. A health institution-based retrospective cohort study was done among 403 Human Immunodeficiency Virus-infected children at public health institutions in Bahir Dar City from 2010 to 2020. Data was entered using Epi-data version 4.6 and analyzed using STATA 14.0. A bivariable Cox-proportional hazards regression model was employed to appreciate the relationship between each explanatory variable with the outcome variable. In the bivariable analysis, variables with a p-value of less than 0.25 were candidates for the multivariable proportional hazard model. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to determine predictors of common opportunistic infections at a 5% significance level. The overall incidence rate of common opportunistic infections was 7.06 with a 95% confidence interval ((CI) 5.78, 9.75) per 100 person-years of observation. Statically significant predictors were World Health Organization (WHO) clinical stage III and IV (adjusted hazard ratio (AHR) = 1.90; (95% CI 1.34, 2.75), having fair/poor adherence to anti-retroviral therapy (ART) (AHR) = 1.80; (95% CI 1.25, 2.94) and hemoglobin level < 10 g/dl (AHR) = 2.00; (95% CI 1.36, 2.89). The overall incidence rate of common OIs among children living with HIV on ART was high. Independent predictors of common OIs among children on ART were advanced-stage of HIV disease, poor ART adherence, and lower hemoglobin level. Therefore, we recommend strongly working on the prevention of advanced stages of HIV disease and improving poor ART adherence to prevent the incidence of OIs among children living with HIV on ART.

Hotspot areas of tetanus-unprotected births and its associated factors in Ethiopia: Spatial analysis of EDHS data.

Neonatal tetanus persists as a public health problem in many developing countries including Ethiopia. Maternal tetanus toxoid vaccination is a cornerstone to prevent neonatal tetanus. However, its prevalence is low in Ethiopia, and little has been devoted to its spatial epidemiology and associated factors. Hence, this study aimed to explore the spatial pattern and factors affecting tetanus-unprotected births in Ethiopia. A further analysis of the 2016 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey data was conducted, and a weighted sample of 7590 women was used for analysis. Spatial analysis was done using ArcGIS and SaTScan software. A binary logistic regression model was fitted to identify factors and variables with a p-value <.05 were considered as statistically significant. About 54.13% (95% CI: 53.01, 55.25) of births were not protected against neonatal tetanus, and spatial clustering of tetanus unprotected births was observed (Moran's I = 0.144, p-value = .028). The primary and secondary SaTScan clusters were detected in Northeastern Tigray, Eastern Amhara, and almost the entire Afar (RR = 1.34 & LLR = 66.5, p < .01), and in the Somali region, and the western border of Gambela (RR = 1.44 & LLR = 31.3, p < .01), respectively. Tetanus unprotected births were higher among women without formal education (AOR = 1.63; 95% CI: 1.29, 2.04), came from poor households (AOR = 1.27; 95% CI: 1.12, 1.45), who had no ANC contact (AOR = 6.97; 95% CI: 6.21, 7.88), and who were not exposed to the media (AOR = 1.26; 95% CI: 1.09, 1.47). Hence, tetanus-unprotected birth hotspots require priority interventions, and it is good if the targeted interventions consider the identified factors.

Mapping geographical inequalities of incomplete immunization in Ethiopia: a spatial with multilevel analysis.

Background: Immunization is one of the most cost-effective interventions, averting 3.5-5 million deaths every year worldwide. However, incomplete immunization remains a major public health concern, particularly in Ethiopia. The objective of this study is to investigate the geographical inequalities and determinants of incomplete immunization in Ethiopia. Methods: A secondary analysis of the mini-Ethiopian Demographic Health Survey (EDHS 2019) was performed, utilizing a weighted sample of 3,865 children aged 12-23 months. A spatial auto-correlation (Global Moran's I) statistic was computed using ArcGIS version 10.7.1 to assess the geographical distribution of incomplete immunization. Hot-spot (areas with a high proportion of incomplete immunization), and cold spot areas were identified through Getis-Ord Gi* hot spot analysis. Additionally, a Bernoulli probability-based spatial scan statistics was conducted in SaTScan version 9.6 software to determine purely statistically significant clusters of incomplete immunization. Finally, a multilevel fixed-effects logistic regression model was employed to identify factors determining the status of incomplete immunization. Results: Overall, in Ethiopia, more than half (54%, 95% CI: 48-58%) of children aged 12-23 months were not fully immunized. The spatial analysis revealed that the distribution of incomplete immunization was highly clustered in certain areas of Ethiopia (Z-score value = 8.379419, p-value < 0.001). Hotspot areas of incomplete immunization were observed in the Afar, Somali, and southwestern parts of Ethiopia. The SaTScan spatial analysis detected a total of 55 statistically significant clusters of incomplete immunization, with the primary SaTScan cluster found in the Afar region (zones 1, 3, and 4), and the most likely secondary clusters detected in Jarar, Doola, Korahe, Shabelle, Nogob, and Afdar administrative zones of the Somali region of Ethiopia. Indeed, in the multilevel mixed-effect logistic regression analysis, the respondent's age (AOR: 0.92; 95% CI: 0.86-0.98), residence (AOR: 3.11, 95% CI: 1.36-7.14), living in a pastoralist region (AOR: 3.41; 95% CI: 1.29-9.00), educational status (AOR: 0.26; 95% CI: 0.08-0.88), place of delivery (AOR: 2.44; 95% CI: 1.15-5.16), and having PNC utilization status (AOR: 2.70; 95% CI: 1.4-5.29) were identified as significant predictors of incomplete immunization. Conclusion and recommendation: In Ethiopia, incomplete immunization is not randomly distributed. Various factors at both individual and community levels significantly influence childhood immunization status in the country. It is crucial to reduce disparities in socio-demographic status through enhanced collaboration across multiple sectors and by bolstering the utilization of maternal health care services. This requires concerted efforts from stakeholders.

Hotspot areas of risky sexual behaviour and associated factors in Ethiopia: Further spatial and mixed effect analysis of Ethiopian demographic health survey.

INTRODUCTION: Sexual behaviour needs to take a central position in the heart of public health policy makers and researchers. This is important in view of its association with Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), including HIV. Though the prevalence of HIV/AIDS is declining in Ethiopia, the country is still one of the hardest hit in the continent of Africa. Hence, this study was aimed at identifying hot spot areas and associated factors of risky sexual behavior (RSB). This would be vital for more targeted interventions which can produce a sexually healthy community in Ethiopia. METHODS: In this study, a cross-sectional survey study design was employed. A further analysis of the 2016 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey data was done on a total weighted sample of 10,518 women and men age 15-49 years. ArcGIS version 10.7 and Kuldorff's SaTScan version 9.6 software were used for spatial analysis. Global Moran's I statistic was employed to test the spatial autocorrelation, and Getis-Ord Gi* as well as Bernoulli-based purely spatial scan statistics were used to detect significant spatial clusters of RSB. Mixed effect multivariable logistic regression model was fitted to identify predictors and variables with a p-value ≤0.05 were considered as statistically significant. RESULT: The study subjects who had RSB were found to account about 10.2% (95% CI: 9.64%, 10.81%) of the population, and spatial clustering of RSB was observed (Moran's I = 0.82, p-value = 0.001). Significant hot spot areas of RSB were observed in Gambela, Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa. The primary and secondary SaTScan clusters were detected in Addis Ababa (RR = 3.26, LLR = 111.59, P<0.01), and almost the entire Gambela (RR = 2.95, LLR = 56.45, P<0.01) respectively. Age, literacy level, smoking status, ever heard of HIV/AIDS, residence and region were found to be significant predictors of RSB. CONCLUSION: In this study, spatial clustering of risky sexual behaviour was observed in Ethiopia, and hot spot clusters were detected in Addis Ababa, Dire Dawa and Gambela regions. Therefore, interventions which can mitigate RSB should be designed and implemented in the identified hot spot areas of Ethiopia. Interventions targeting the identified factors could be helpful in controlling the problem.

Burden of early neonatal mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa. A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Globally, with a neonatal mortality rate of 27/1000 live births, Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest rate in the world and is responsible for 43% of all infant fatalities. In the first week of life, almost three-fourths of neonatal deaths occur and about one million babies died on their first day of life. Previous studies lack conclusive evidence regarding the overall estimate of early neonatal mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa. Therefore, this review aimed to pool findings reported in the literature on magnitude of early neonatal mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa. METHODS: This review's output is the aggregate of magnitude of early neonatal mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. Up until June 8, 2023, we performed a comprehensive search of the databases PubMed/Medline, PubMed Central, Hinary, Google, Cochrane Library, African Journals Online, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. The studies were evaluated using the JBI appraisal check list. STATA 17 was employed for the analysis. Measures of study heterogeneity and publication bias were conducted using the I2 test and the Eggers and Beggs tests, respectively. The Der Simonian and Laird random-effect model was used to calculate the combined magnitude of early neonatal mortality. Besides, subgroup analysis, sensitivity analysis, and meta regression were carried out to identify the source of heterogeneity. RESULTS: Fourteen studies were included from a total of 311 articles identified by the search with a total of 278,173 participants. The pooled magnitude of early neonatal mortality in sub-Saharan Africa was 80.3 (95% CI 66 to 94.6) per 1000 livebirths. Ethiopia had the highest pooled estimate of early neonatal mortality rate, at 20.1%, and Cameroon had the lowest rate, at 0.5%. Among the included studies, both the Cochrane Q test statistic (χ2 = 6432.46, P <0.001) and I2 test statistic (I2 = 99.80%, p <0.001) revealed statistically significant heterogeneity. Egger's weighted regression (p <0.001) and funnel plot show evidence of publication bias in this meta-analysis. CONCLUSION: This review demonstrated that the pooled magnitude of early neonatal mortality in sub-Saharan Africa is substantial. Therefore, governmental and nongovernmental agencies, international organizations, healthcare providers and institutions and academic and research institutions should give a due attention and design strategies to reduce early neonatal mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Trends of Body Mass Index changes among adults on antiretroviral therapy in Northwest Ethiopia: a longitudinal data analysis.

Nutritional status is considered a major diagnostic and prognostic indicator of HIV/AIDS in adults. In this aspect, current HIV-treatment guidelines, particularly in low-income countries, recommend the regular monitoring of body mass index (BMI) to determine patients' clinical response to antiretroviral therapy (ART). However, data regarding the change in BMI status of HIV-positive adults on ART following the implementation of the test and treat strategy were limited in Ethiopia. Hence, this study is aimed at investigating the trends of BMI change over time and its associated factors among HIV-positive adults in Northwest Ethiopia. A retrospective longitudinal study was conducted among 404 randomly selected HIV-positive adults receiving ART in Felegehiwot Comprehensive Specialized Hospital (FHCSH), Northern Ethiopia. Data were extracted from the medical record charts of study participants, entered into Epi-data 4.6 software, and exported to Stata 14.2 software for analysis. A generalized estimating equation (GEE) model was fitted to determine the change in BMI status over time and its predictors in HIV-positive adults. The level of significance was declared at a p-value of < 0.05. More than half (201, or 51.73%) of the total 404 participants were female. In the cohort, both the baseline and follow-up mean body mass index levels of the participants fell in the normal range and increased from 20.34 (standard deviation/SD ± 2.8) to 21.41 (SD ± 3.13). The individual profile plots of 50 participants indicated that there is considerable variability in weight change across individuals. Duration of ART follow-up (ß = 0.203, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.16 to 0.24), unemployment (ß = - 0.96, 95% CI 1.67 to - 0.25), WHO stage III/IV HIV disease (ß = - 0.92, 95% CI - 1.57 to - 0.35),and Tenofovir/Lamivudine/Dolutegravir (TDF/3TC/DTG)ART regimen (ß = 0.95, 95% CI 0.32 to 1.57) were identified as significant predictors of change in the BMI status of participants. Likewise, the interaction of TDF/3TC/DTG ART regimen * follow-up duration (ß = 2.16, 95% CI 1.84 to 2.84), WHO stage III/IV clinical disease * follow-up duration (ß = - 1.43, 95% CI - 1.71 to - 1.15) and TB/HIV co-infection * follow-up duration (ß = 1.89, 95% CI 1.57 to 2.87) significantly affects the trend in BMI change status of HIV-positive adults. In this study, the BMI status of HIV-positive adults receiving ART increased with a linear trend. Unemployment, stage III/IV HIV diseases, and Tenofovir/Lamivudine/Efavirenz (TDF/3TC/EFV) ART-drug regimen decreases the mean BMI status of HIV-positive adults. Special consideration and strict follow-up need to be given to those individuals with advanced HIV/AIDS diseases and other identified risk group.

Diagnostic performance of plasma D-dimer, fibrinogen, and D-dimer to fibrinogen ratio as potential biomarkers to predict hypertension-associated acute ischemic stroke.

Background: Ischemic stroke is a common type of stroke that leads to death and functional disability in hypertensive patients. However, there are no well-studied non-invasive and less expensive fluid biomarkers routinely used to detect ischemic stroke in hypertensive patients. Hence, this study aimed to tease out the performance of D-dimer, fibrinogen, and the D-dimer to fibrinogen ratio (DDFR) in predicting hypertension-associated acute ischemic stroke. Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was done from October 2022 to January 2022 at Yikatit 12 Hospital Medical College, Ethiopia. We recruited 55 hypertensive patients who had an ischemic stroke and 110 who did not. A ROC curve was used to calculate the areas under the curves (AUCs) and determine the diagnostic power of the D-dimer, fibrinogen, and DDFR. The Youden index was used to find the best cut-off points for biomarkers in detecting acute ischemic stroke. A De Long test was employed to show whether there was a significant difference between the AUCs of biomarkers in diagnosing ischemic stroke. Results: D-dimer yielded the highest diagnostic power (AUC = 0.776) in detecting acute ischemic stroke, followed by DDFR (AUC = 0.763) and fibrinogen (AUC = 0.694), but there was no significant difference between them. At 0.52 µg/ml cut-off point, D-dimer had 82.9% sensitivity, 66.7% specificity, 62.5% PPV, and 85.3% NPV to diagnose acute ischemic stroke. Fibrinogen could detect acute ischemic stroke at 405.85 mg/dl level, with 70.0% sensitivity, 57.1% specificity, 41.2% PPV and 81.6% NPV. At a 1.83 ratio, DDFR might also identify ischemic stroke with 80.0% sensitivity, 67.1% specificity, 51.1% PPV, and 88.7% NPV. Conclusion: We showed D-dimer, fibrinogen, and DDFR as promising, affordable, and non-invasive biomarkers for the detection of ischemic stroke among subjects with hypertension. This will help clinicians make an early diagnosis and better guide patient therapy.

Estimate the burden of malnutrition among children with cerebral palsy in Sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review with meta-analysis.

Malnutrition is more prevalent among children with cerebral palsy and a major factor for child morbidity and mortality in children with different co-morbidity, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa: The main aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to estimate the burden of malnutrition among children with cerebral palsy in Sub-Saharan Africa. We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Research Gate, and institutional repositories for papers that reported the proportion of malnutrition among children with cerebral palsy that were published between December 2010 and September 2023. Data were retrieved using the standardized JBI data extraction checklist through Microsoft Excel, and then exported to STATA 17 for further analysis. DerSimonian and Laird's estimator was used to calculate the pooled effect size in the random-effects model. Statistics such as the Cochran Q test and I2 test were employed to measure heterogeneity. Egger's test and the funnel plot were used to look for publication bias. This systematic review and meta-analysis used 16 studies from Sub-Saharan Africa to estimate the proportion of malnutrition among 2,120 children with cerebral palsy. The pooled proportion of malnutrition among children with cerebral palsy in Sub-Saharan Africa by using random-effects model analysis was found to be 59.7% (95% CI; 49.8-69.6). The proportion of malnutrition was also estimated by sample sizes categorized as ≤ 120 and > 120, and the proportion of malnutrition was found to be 54.0 (95% CI: 44.7-63.3) and 64.5 (95% CI: 50.5-78.5). Moreover, the proportion of malnutrition was estimated by accounting for the difference in the year of publication. In this regard, the study classified before ≤ 2017 and > 2017, and the proportion of malnutrition was found to be 53.7 (95% CI: 38.0-69.3) and 62.5 (95% CI: 49.7-75.3) in Sub-Saharan Africa respectively. Malnutrition among children with cerebral in Sub-Saharan Africa was found to be very high. Hence, enhancing and developing strategic guidelines for malnutrition screening, prevention, and nutritional support are crucial among children with cerebral palsy. Furthermore, systematic review, randomized control trials, and qualitative studies are recommended to understand the burden more among children with cerebral palsy in the continent.