Low back pain and its determinants among wait staff in Gondar town, North West Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study.

Background: Low back pain is a common public health issue in the working population and one of the leading causes of disability. It is the leading cause of work-related conditions and the most common reason for filing a workers' compensation claim in low- and middle-income countries. Ethiopia is a developing country; there is a shortage of working materials, skilled labor, and a lack of awareness of ergonomics posture, which lead to lifting heavy objects, long periods of standing, repetitive twisting, and same sustained posture for long periods of time without a shift. As a result, the purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence and associated factors of work-related low back pain among restaurant wait staff in Gondar, Ethiopia, in the year 2019. Methods: Institution-based cross-sectional study, including 420 restaurant wait personnel, was undertaken from 1 March to 30 April 2019. A simple random sampling procedure was used to choose the restaurants and wait staff. A standardized Nordic questionnaire was used to collect data. Data were entered into Epi Info 7 and analyzed in SPSS version 20. The univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were calculated. The significance of associations was reported by a P-value of < 0.05 and an adjusted odds ratio (AOR). The model fitness checked by the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness of fit test was used. Result: In this study, a total of 420 participants (99.53% response rate) ranging in age from 17 to 53 years old participated, with 184 (43.8%) participants reporting low back pain at some point in the past 12 months. Female participants had a higher prevalence of 130 (70.6%). Sex (AOR = 2.98; 95% CI: 1.07-8.30), frequent exercise (AOR 0.47; 95% CI: 0.24, 0.93), extended standing (AOR 8.82; 95% CI: 3.30, 20.32], and repetitive tasks (AOR 7.49; 95% CI: 4.29, 13.19) were all found to be significant predictors in low back pain. Conclusion: More than two-fifth of waitresses and waiters reported low back discomfort at some point in the past 12 months. Predisposing factors for low back discomfort among restaurant wait staff included being female, standing for long periods of time while serving, and performing repetitive tasks. Regular exercise was found to be a protective factor against low back pain in wait staff. Delivering ongoing safety training is among the most potent essential measures required in preventing low back pain.

Patient's satisfaction in physiotherapy outpatient departments of Amhara regional comprehensive specialized hospitals, Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Satisfaction is basically the state of being gratified and act of fulfilling one's need or desires. Nowadays, evidence-based practice concept is prevailing and there has been a growing interest in the measurement of patient satisfaction in healthcare research. Patient satisfaction surveys provide several benefits for healthcare professionals. Assessing patient's satisfaction with physiotherapy service could generate knowledge that can utilized for improving or maintaining quality service. Although a wide coverage and high emphasis givens to patient satisfaction studies in developed counties, there are few research's done in Africa. This study aimed to assess satisfaction in physiotherapy service and identify predictors that affect satisfaction among patient treated in physiotherapy outpatient department. OBJECTIVES: To assess satisfaction in physiotherapy service and identify associated factors among patients in physiotherapy outpatient department in Amhara regional state comprehensive specialized hospitals. METHOD: Institution based cross-sectional study was conducted among physiotherapy outpatients from April to June 2021, at three selected Comprehensive specialized hospitals. Data were collected by interviewing participants using semi-structured questionnaire. Patient satisfaction was determined by using Medrisk tool. Data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics and bivariate and multivariable logistic regression method were used to identify predictor factors. RESULT: A total of 409 participants with a response rate of 95% were included in this study. The overall satisfaction among physiotherapy outpatient attendee was 50.1% with 95% CI (46.2-55.7). Pain level (AOR = 5.59 95%CI (2.58-12.1), longitudinal continuity of care (AOR = 3.02 95%CI (1.46-6.62) and self-rated health improvement (AOR = 3.76, 95% CI (1.78-7.94) were significantly associated factors. CONCLUSION: The overall satisfaction in this study were found to be low in Amhara regional state comprehensive specialized hospitals. pain level, self-rated health improvement and longitudinal continuity of care were significantly associated factors.

Upper-Extremity Musculoskeletal Disorders and Their Associated Factors Among Diabetes Mellitus Patients Attending at Felege Hiwot Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Bahir Dar, Northwest Ethiopia: Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Globally, diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major public health, causing functional disability among those affected. Among the common diabetes mellitus-related complications, musculoskeletal disorders had a significant negative impact on the social health quality of life and productivity of individuals. Evidence in this regard, however, is scarce in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed at determining the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders and identifying factors associated in people with diabetes in Felege Hiwot Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, northwest Ethiopia. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was employed at Felege Hiwot Comprehensive Specialized Hospital from June 01 to August 30, 2020, among 413 participants. A systematic random sampling was employed to select the study participants. A structured, pretested questionnaire was used to collect data on socio-demographic, clinical, and lifestyle characteristics. Musculoskeletal disorders were assessed through clinical and physical examination. A logistic regression model was used to explore factors associated with musculoskeletal disorders. Result: The prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among diabetes mellitus patients was 24% (95% CI 20, 28.3). In logistic regression, factors such as being female, older age, occupation (farmer, merchant, and retired), and long duration of diabetes were significantly associated with musculoskeletal disorders. Conclusion: Nearly one quarter of the study participants had musculoskeletal disorders. Special attention should be given for those individuals living with diabetes mellitus, particularly for those who are female, are older, and had a prolonged history of diabetes mellitus.

Epidemiology and factors associated with peripheral neuropathy among HIV infected patients in Gondar, Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Antiretroviral therapy has surely increased the life expectancy of people living with HIV. However, long term complications like HIV associated sensory neuropathy has a negative impact on quality of life among people living with HIV (PLHIV). In Ethiopia, lack of data on magnitude of the burden and predictors of HIV associated sensory neuropathy in many resource limited setting has led to under diagnosis and eventually under management of HIV-SN. Hence, this study was set out to establish the burden of HIV-associated sensory neuropathy and, its association with demographic, health and clinical characteristics among people living with HIV in Ethiopia. METHODS: Cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the prevalence of HIV-associated sensory neuropathy and the associated factors among adult HIV patients at University of Gondar Teaching Hospital, Gondar, Ethiopia. Brief Peripheral Neuropathy Screening tool validated by AIDs Clinical trial group was used for screening HIV-associated sensory neuropathy. Data were analyzed descriptively and through uni- and multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: In total 359 adult PLHIV with a mean age of 36.5± 9.07 years participated, their median duration of HIV infection was 60 months (IQR 36-84) and their median CD4 count 143cells/µL (IQR 69.5-201.5). Age above 40 years, anti-tuberculosis regimen, tallness, and exposure to didanosine contained antiretroviral therapy were found to be associated with HIV-associated sensory neuropathy (AOR 1.82, 1.84, 1.98 and 4.33 respectively). CONCLUSIONS: More than half of the HIV patients who attended HIV care clinic at University of Gondar hospital during the study period were found to present with peripheral sensory neuropathy. Higher age, tallness, TB medication, and didanosine in ART were significantly associated with HIV-SN as screened by effective diagnostic (BPNS) tool.