HIV/AIDS prevention practices among military personnel in Northwest Ethiopia.

The spread of HIV/AIDS is a major public health problem in military personnel in Africa. However, the epidemiological evidence regarding HIV/AIDS prevention practices among military personnel in Ethiopia remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate HIV/AIDS prevention practices among military personnel in Northwest Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study among military personnel (n = 410) was conducted in Northwest Ethiopia in 2015. Data were collected using a pre-tested questionnaire. Multivariable logistic regression model was fitted to ascertain factors influencing participation in HIV/AIDS prevention programs. About one-fourth (24.6%) of the military personnel had multiple sexual partners, of whom 24.7% failed to use condoms regularly when having sex with non-regular sexual partners. Majority of the sample (n = 355, 86.6%) participated in HIV/AIDS prevention programs. Military personnel who had multiple sexual partners were 6.3 times more likely to report history of non-participation in HIV/AIDS prevention programs (AOR = 6.3, CI95 = 3.5-11.54). A considerable proportion of military personnel had multiple sexual partners with lower levels of condom utilization with non-regular sexual partners. The study further demonstrated misconceptions about HIV/AIDS in Ethiopian military personnel, which reduce their likelihood of participation in HIV/AIDS prevention programs. Health authorities need to strengthen and accelerate HIV/AIDS prevention programs focusing towards military personnel.

Determinants of early initiation of breastfeeding in Ethiopia: a population-based study using the 2016 demographic and health survey data.

BACKGROUND: Timely breastfeeding initiation is a simple but important measure that has protective effects on infants and mothers. This study aims to determine the predictors of early breastfeeding initiation among mothers residing in Ethiopia. METHODS: This study employed the 2016 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey data. A total of 5546 children born during the last 24 months at the time of survey were included for analysis from nine regional states and two city administration areas. Socio-demographic and socio-economic factors including individual, household and community-level factors were examined of their significance against the outcome variable of early initiation of breastfeeding using a mixed-effect logistic regression model. RESULTS: The proportion of infants who had timely initiation of breastfeeding was 74.3% (n = 3064). In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, mothers who delivered with assistance of one or more health professionals had 68% (AOR 1.68; 95% CI: 1.23, 2.29) higher odds of initiating timely breastfeeding. In addition, mothers delivering by a caesarean section had 86% reduced odds of early breastfeeding initiation (AOR 0.14; 95% CI: 0.09, 0.22) when compared to mothers who had vaginal delivery. In terms of socio-demographic factors, the odds of early breastfeeding initiation were more than two and half times higher particularly for mothers residing particularly in Oromiya (AOR 2.58; 95% CI: 1.84, 3.63) and Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples (SNNP) (AOR 2.75; 95% CI: 1.86, 4.05). In addition, timely breastfeeding initiation was also significantly associated with wealth index with wealthier mothers having 43% higher odds compared to mothers of poorest households (AOR 1.43; 95% CI: 1.07, 1.92). Other factors such as age, gender and birth order of the infant also had significant associations with early breastfeeding initiation. CONCLUSION: Early breastfeeding initiation in Ethiopia is inextricably associated with various socio-demographic, biomedical, and socio-economic factors. The study findings can potentially inform mothers and the wider community on the benefits of timely breastfeeding initiation and policymakers and community leaders to target health promotional interventions and resources where needed.

Road traffic injured patients with severe GCS and organ injury had a poor prognosis: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Ethiopia had an increasing trend of morbidity and mortality due to road traffic injury. Road traffic injured patient's recovery rate is affected by many different factors. Those factors might affect the duration of time to recovery. Therefore studying the median time to recovery and its predictors of road traffic injured patients will be needed to act upon the patient's hospital provided service. METHOD: A retrospective cohort study design was employed. The study population was all admitted road traffic injured patients in Ayder tertiary hospital. We have used the total of all three-year RTI patients' chart from 2015 to 2017 found in the hospital. After excluding incomplete charts for major variables the sample size was 322. Descriptive statistics, life table, Kaplan-Meier, log-rank test and assumptions of the Cox proportional hazard model was applied. Bi and multivariate Cox regression analysis, hazard ratios and associated 95% CI were estimated. RESULT: Male to female RTI patient ratio was 3:1. Of the total 258(80.1%) had been recovered and the median survival time to recovery was 15 days (interquartile range 7-29). From those recovered, 104(40.3%) had been referred from other health facilities. Availability of referral form linkage [adjusted hazard ratio = 1.5, CI (1.1-1.9)], mild and moderate glass coma scale [adjusted hazard ratio = 2.3, CI (1.3-3.9)], conservative management [adjusted hazard ratio = 1.6, CI (1.2-2.1)], and not having organ injury [adjusted hazard ratio = 1.6, CI (1.1-2.3)] were associated with time to recovery in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: Median time to recovery of road traffic injured patients was relatively good. Being referred from another health facility, mild and moderate glass coma scale, conservative management and without organ injury was positively associated with time to recovery of road traffic injured patients. We would like to recommend for future prospective studies to determine the time to return to work of road traffic injured patients and quality of life after the injury.

Satisfaction with emergency obstetric and new born care services among clients using public health facilities in Jimma Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia; a cross sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The 2005 report of United Nations Millennium Project of Transforming Health Systems for women and children concluded that universal access to Emergency Obstetric and New born Care could reduce maternal deaths by 74%. Even though some studies investigated quality of Emergency Obstetric and New born Care in different parts of the world, there is scarcity of data regarding this issue in Ethiopia, particularly in Jimma zone. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess satisfaction with Emergency Obstetric and new born Care services among clients using public health facilities in Jimma zone, Southwest Ethiopia. METHODS: A facility-based cross sectional study was conducted in Jimma Zone from April 01-30, 2014. The data were collected by interviewing 403 clients, who gave birth in the past 12 months prior to data collection in 34 randomly selected public health facilities. The collected data were entered by using Epi-info version 3.5.4 and analysed using SPSS version 20.0. Linear regression analysis was done to ascertain the association between covariates and the outcome variable, and finally the results were presented using frequency distribution tables, graphs and texts. RESULTS: The overall mean client satisfaction with Emergency Obstetric and New born Care services in this study was 79.4%; 95% CI (75%, 83%). The result of linear regression analysis revealed that a unit decrease in satisfaction to availability of drugs and equipment, decreased overall clients' satisfaction by 0.23 unit 95% CI (0.15, 0.31). CONCLUSIONS: The level of clients' satisfaction with Emergency Obstetric and New born Care services was low in the study area. Factors such as availability of essential equipment and drugs, health workers' communication, health care provided, and attitude of health workers had positive association with client satisfaction with Emergency Obstetric and New born Care services. This in turn could affect utilization of Emergency Obstetric and New born Care services and play a role in contribution to maternal and new born mortality. Therefore, the efforts of health facilities leaders and health care providers towards improvement of quality of care could contribute more for better maternal satisfaction.