Determinants of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice towards preventive measures of COVID-19 among adult residencies in Silte zone, Southern Ethiopia.

Introduction: coronavirus infectious disease-2019 (COVID-19) is currently a global health threat and an international public health emergency. There is a strong need to reinforce community knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) to control the spread of the virus. The study aimed to identify the determinants of KAP towards preventive measures of COVID-19 among adult residencies. Methods: a community-based cross-sectional study design was employed in the communities of Silte zone, Southern Ethiopia. A total of 853 participants were selected using multistage stratified sampling technique. We used structured interview administered questionnaire. The KAP level was presented in descriptive and the associated variables conducted in binary logistic regression model. Results: overall, 81.7% had good knowledge, 78.4% had a positive attitude, and 43.9% had good practices. Being a female (Adjusted Odd Ratio (AOR): 2.3; 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.6-3.3), age between "31-40" (AOR: 1.99; 95% CI: 1-3.8) and able to read and write (AOR: 2.6; 95% CI: 1.7-3.7) were significantly associated factors of good knowledge towards COVID-19. Being urban resident (AOR: 1.8; 95% CI: 1.2-2.6) was significantly associated variable with positive attitude towards COVID-19. Being a government employee (AOR: 1.7; 95% CI: 1.1-2.7), able to read and write (AOR: 4.5; 95% CI: 3-6.7) and having good knowledge regarding COVID-19 (AOR: 2.4; 95% CI: 1.6-3.7) were significantly associated factors with good preventive practice towards COVID-19. Conclusion: alarmingly low preventive practice towards COVID-19 pandemic was indicated. Therefore, health education and promotion programs aimed at mobilizing and improving COVID-19-related practice are urgently needed, especially for those who are illiterate, having rural residency, or generally among underprivileged populations.

Prevalence and Associated Factors of Common Mental Disorders Among Adult Residents in Silte Zone, Southern Ethiopia.

INTRODUCTION: Mental health problems appear to be increasing in importance in Africa. Mental and substance use disorders were the leading cause of yearly lived with disability in Sub-Saharan Africa. Evidence from previous studies shows considerable variation in the prevalence of these disorders. The most acceptable explanation for this wide variation is likely to be the fact that socio cultural factors are major determinants of mental disorders. Therefore a mental disorder has to be understood in a specific setting to develop effective and tailored interventions. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and associated factors of common mental disorders among adult residents in Silte Zone, southern Ethiopia. METHODS: Community based cross-sectional study was conducted in the study area. A total of 1178 adults were selected by using a three-stage systematic sampling technique. The Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20) was used to determine the prevalence of common mental disorders. Data were analyzed by using SPSS version 20. Both bivariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were employed to identify factors associated with common mental disorders. RESULTS: The prevalence of common mental disorders among adults found to be 39.7%. Increased age (OR = 1.114; 95% CI = 1.095, 1.134), being female (OR = 9.421; 95% CI = 5.947, 14.926), poor social support (OR = 1.987; 95% CI = 1.358, 2.907) and having life threatening experience (OR = 2.162; 95% CI = 1.825, 2.562) were significantly associated with common mental disorders. CONCLUSION: In the study, the magnitude of common mental disorders remains high in the study area. Increased age, being female, poor social support and having life-threatening experience were significantly associated with common mental disorders.

Assessment of knowledge, attitude and practice toward COVID-19 and associated factors among health care workers in Silte Zone, Southern Ethiopia.

INTRODUCTION: COVID-19 is a pandemic respiratory disease caused by the highly contagious novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV 2). The disease is now quickly spreading around the world, resulting in ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Healthcare workers are more susceptible to COVID-19 infection than the general population due to frequent contact with infected individuals. OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed to assess knowledge, attitude and practice towards COVID-19 and associated factors among health care workers. METHODS: Facility-based cross-sectional study design was conducted among health care workers in Silte Zone. A total of 379 health professionals were selected using multistage stratified sampling technique. Self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Binary logistic regression model was used to see association between outcome and independent variables. RESULTS: This study found 74.9%, 84.2% and 68.9% prevalence of adequate knowledge, positive attitude and good practice respectively. Working in comprehensive specialized hospital (AOR = 4.46, 95% CI = 1.46-13.62).having MSC degree (AOR = 10.26, 95% CI = 2.27-46.44), and training on COVID-19 (AOR = 6.59, 95% CI = 2.97-14.65) were strongly associated with knowledge of health care workers. On the other hand, older age (AOR = 3.35, 95% CI = 1.07-10.50), training on COVID-19 (AOR = 3.73, 95% CI = 1.82-7.63), Work experience (AOR = 3.78, 95% CI = 1.46-9.80) and Knowledge (AOR = 5.45, 95% CI = 2.60-11.43) were significantly associated with attitude, whereas source of information from friends or colleagues (AOR = 3.13, 95% CI = 1.28-7.66), working in primary hospital (AOR = 0.36, 95% CI = 0.21-0.620) and having good knowledge (AOR = 1.80, 95% CI = 1.03-3.14) were strongly associated with good practice of health care workers. CONCLUSION: This study found majority of health care workers had good level of knowledge and positive attitude toward COVID-19, but lower proportion of health care workers practices sufficiently in the study area. Type of health facilities, level of education, training on COVID-19, work experience, type of source of information were significantly associated with knowledge, attitude and practice of health care workers. Stakeholders need to focus on interventions that increase preventive practices of health care workers.

Availability of PPEs and training status of health professionals on COVID-19 in Silte Zone, Southern Ethiopia.

INTRODUCTION: recent infectious disease outbreaks like COVID-19 highlights the importance of personal protective equipments and competent professionals on public health preparedness and response in health care systems. Hence, understanding availability of personal protective equipments and training status of health professionals is very important to fill the gap of COVID-19 preparedness and response. Therefore, this study was conducted to assess availability and adequacy of personal protective equipments and health professional's training status on COVID-19 in Silte Zone, southern Ethiopia. METHODS: cross sectional study was conducted from August to October 2020 in Silte Zone. First four weredas from 13 were selected randomly. Systematic sampling technique was used to select 351 health professionals from 13 health facilities of selected weredas. RESULTS: overall, only 36.1% of the health professionals have received adequate training on COVID-19. About 30% of the health professionals had taken training on emergency plan of COVID-19, about 33% had been taught on COVID-19 treatment procedures. Majority 80.9% of the respondents indicated that personal protective equipments are inadequately available. Face masks, hand sanitizers and eye goggles were most scarce PPEs. CONCLUSION: health professionals have been at the frontlines in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, challenges remain, such as limited availability of personal protection equipments and inadequate training of healthcare professions was identified by this study. Strengthening of training on COVID-19 and making PPEs adequately available were recommended.

Service years of health professionals are associated with tuberculosis infection control practice in Ethiopian Teaching Hospital.

INTRODUCTION: proper tuberculosis (TB) infection control (TBIC) practice of health professionals is one of the effective TB prevention approaches. Despite this reality, the TBIC practice of health care workers was not been well studied. This study assessed the TBIC practice of health professionals and associated factors in Mizan Tepi University Teaching Hospital, southwest Ethiopia. METHODS: an institution based quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted from September 1 to 30, 2019, by including all health professionals in the hospital. Participants who answered at least 50% of TBIC practice questions correctly were categorized as having good TBIC practice. Binary logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with the practice of the participants. The odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval and p-value was used to measure the strength of association; the significant association was declared at a p-value less than 0.05. RESULTS: the study found that 64.1% (95% CI: 56.6%, 70.7%) of the participants had good TBIC practice. More than half, 102(51.5 %) of study participants have service years of greater than or equal to five years. Only the service year of health professionals was significantly associated [95%CI (AOR= 2.43; 95%CI: 1.28, 4.6)] with the respondents´ TBIC practice. CONCLUSION: only less than two-third of health professionals had good TBIC practice which is inadequate. And also experienced staff had significantly better TBIC practice. As a result, health professionals in MTUTH should be supported to practice TBIC as routine activity and opportunities should be made for senior staffs to share their TBIC experiences with others.

Prevalence and associated factors of undernutrition among pregnant women visiting ANC clinics in Silte zone, Southern Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Maternal undernutrition is highly prevalent in underdeveloped countries. Hence, this study was intended to determine the prevalence and associated factors of undernutrition among pregnant women visiting ANC clinics in Silte Zone. METHOD: Facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted from July to January 2019. Systematic random sampling technique was used to select 422 study participants from 11 randomly selected health facilities. Data was collected by using a structured-interviewer administered questionnaire. Mid upper arm circumference (MUAC) was measured by standard non stretchable MUAC tape. Data was entered into a computer using Epi data 3.1 and edited, cleaned, and analyzed using SPSS version 20. Both bivariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were employed to identify factors associated with maternal undernutrition. RESULT: In this study, the overall prevalence of undernutrition among study subjects was 21.8%. Age greater than 31 years of women (AOR = 0.15; 95% CI: 0.03, 0.93), Birth intervals > 2 years (AOR = 0.18; 95% CI: 0.04, 0.76), good nutritional knowledge (AOR = 0.34; 95% CI: 0.17, 0.67), and having no dietary change as a result of current pregnancy AOR = 6.02; 95% CI: 2.99, 12.14) were significantly associated with undernutrition. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of undernutrition among pregnant women was 21.8%. Current estimate is lower than previously reported in the study area but higher than reported in developed country. Age of women, Birth intervals, and Dietary change as a result of current pregnancy and Nutrition knowledge were important risk factors/ predictors of undernutrition (MUAC < 23 cm). Interventions targeting maternal nutrition education and child spacing with giving special emphasis to adolescent pregnant women are recommended.