ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The pandemic of coronavirus disease spreading is impacting mental health globally. Even though the pandemic is challenging for patients, the community, policymakers, as well as health organizations, and teams, the data on COVID-19 and its association with anxiety and coping mechanisms towards infection among community members are currently limited. Thus, the study is intended to assess COVID-19-related levels of anxiety and coping strategies among community members of Bale and East Bale Zones, Southeast Ethiopia. METHODS: A community-based survey was carried out among 634 study participants of Bale and East Bale Zones from June 1 to 20, 2020. The level of anxiety was determined by using the 5-item Coronavirus Scale and the coping strategies were determined by using the 15-item Coping and Adaptation Processing Scale. Interviewer-administered questionnaires were used to collect the data. Bi-variable analysis and multiple logistic regression analysis were used to estimate the relationship among the variables. RESULTS: COVID-19-related dysfunctional level of anxiety was found 95 (16.58%). About 290 (50.6%) respondents were copied from anxiety that occurred as a result of COVID-19. Factors significantly associated with the dysfunctional level of anxiety related to COVID-19 were being an urban resident (AOR = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.23, 0.86), those who had no information from TV/radio (AOR=1.76, 95% CI: 1.09, 2.84), and walking a long distance more than 1 hour from the health institution (AOR=0.58, 95% CI: 0.34, 0.97). CONCLUSION: COVID-19-related dysfunctional levels of anxiety were 16.58% in the study community. Half of the community was coped with COVID-19-related anxiety. Being an urban resident and walking along distances more than 1 hour from the health facility were the factors that decreased the odds of having a dysfunctional anxiety, whereas respondents who had no information from TV/radio increased the odds of having a dysfunctional anxiety. Accordingly, focusing on these identified factors could improve a dysfunctional level of anxiety in the study community.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Malnutrition continues to be a public health challenge in sub-Saharan African countries. In Ethiopia, there is a paucity of data regarding factors affecting treatment outcomes in children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM). METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted among children aged 6 to 59 months with SAM, receiving care at Jimma University Medical center, Ethiopia. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were computed to determine factors associated with treatment outcomes. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, life-table analysis, and Log rank test were used to determine death rates, estimate the proportion of surviving, and compare time to recovery (nutritional cure). RESULTS: A total of 133 children were included in this study and 79.7% had medical comorbidities. Overall, nutritional recovery, death, and default rates were 25.6%, 3.8%, and 7.6%, respectively. There was no significant difference in the nutritional recovery rate (26.1% versus 25.4%; p=0.4) and the median time to recovery between children who had diarrhea at admission (26 days; 95% CI: 24.0-28.7) and those who had not (26.0 days; 95% CI: 21.90-30.10). Likewise, the average daily weight gain was not significantly different between the two groups (6.34 g/kg/day versus 7.76g/kg/day, p=0.4). Having diagnosed with tuberculosis (Adjusted Hazard Ratio (AHR)=0.19, CI 0.06-0.62) and anemia (AHR =0.32, CI 0.14-0.74) and treatment failures (AHR=0.17, CI, 0.16-0.03) were predicting factors for time to recovery. CONCLUSION: The recovery rate and average daily weight gain were found to be sub-optimal in the study population. However, the median time to recovery was within the national recommendation. There was no significant difference in the recovery rate and time to recovery between the two groups. Treatment failures and the presence of tuberculosis and anemia were indicators for prolonged stabilization phase and time to achieve nutritional cure. Optimal average daily weight gain and clinical management of comorbidities may enhance early recovery in hospitalised children with SAM.