Evidence-based practice utilization and associated factors among nurses working in Amhara Region Referral Hospitals, Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Applying evidence-based practice during care provision is essential because it improves the quality of care, reduces health care costs, and increases patient and family satisfaction. However, information on evidence-based nursing practice and associated factors were not well studied and documented in the study area. Hence, this study aimed to assess utilization and associated factors of evidence-based practice among nurses working in Amhara Region Referral Hospitals, Ethiopia. METHODS: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from March 18 to April 16, 2019, in Amhara Region Referral Hospitals. A simple random sampling technique was used to select 684 respondents. Data were collected using a pretested and self-administered questionnaire. Data were entered into Epi Info version 7.1.2.0 and exported to SPSS version 22.0 for analysis. The bivariable analysis was used primarily and variables with p-value < 0.2 were further examined using a multivariable logistic regression model to control con-founders. Then, variables' p-value < 0.05 with 95% CI was used to determine associated factors. RESULTS: From 684 proposed nurses, 671 of them completed the questionnaire giving 98.1% response rate. Of these, 55% (95% CI: 51.2, 58.9) of them had good evidence-based practice utilization. Variables including single (AOR = 1.662: 95% CI: 1.089-2.536), fewer work experience (AOR = 1.849: 95% CI: 1.049-3.257), good knowledge (AOR = 2.044: 95% CI: 1.406-2.972), effective communication skill (AOR = 2.537: 95% CI: 1.744-3.689), EBP training (AOR = 3.224 95% CI: 1.957-5.311), internet access (AOR = 1.655: 95% CI: 1.119-2.448) and evidence-based guideline availability (AOR = 1.827: 95% CI: 1.249-2.673) were found to be predictors of evidence-based practice utilization. CONCLUSIONS: The study revealed that evidence-based practice utilization among nurses is low. Availing evidence-based guidelines in the work area, improving facilities' internet access, and building nurses' evidence-based practice competencies through either by giving separate training or incorporating as part of the curriculum would improve its utilization.

Recovery rate and determinants of severe acute malnutrition children treatment in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Severe acute malnutrition affects more than 20 million children. Africa is pointed out as a region where the problem is highly prevalent. There were individual studies on the recovery rate and its determinants among children with severe acute malnutrition in Ethiopia. But, there is no national pooled estimate. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to estimate the recovery rate and determinants among children with severe acute malnutrition admitted to the therapeutic feeding unit in Ethiopia. METHODS: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guideline was followed in this study. Studies were accessed through electronic web-based search from PubMed, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, and EMBASE. The statistical analysis was conducted using STATA version-11 software. The pooled prevalence was estimated with 95% confidence intervals using a random-effects model. RESULT: A total of 12 studies were included with 2658 participants in the analysis. The overall pooled estimated recovery rate among children with severe acute malnutrition admitted to the inpatient therapeutic feeding unit in Ethiopia was 72.02 % (CI, 64.83, 79.22%). In the subgroup analysis, the highest estimate (80.29%) was observed in studies conducted in Oromia regional state, while 68.63% was observed in studies Southern Nation Nationality of people region 68.63%. Children who had no congestive heart failure were 4.88 times (OR, 4.88; 95% CI, 2.246, 10.586) more likely to recover than their counterparts. CONCLUSION: The recovery rate among severe acute malnourished children on the therapeutic feeding unit in Ethiopia lied within the international minimum sphere. Hence, health care providers shall strengthen the management of severe acute malnutrition and management other co-morbidities like congestive heart failure. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42019119124.

Factors Associated with Depression among Heart Failure Patients at Cardiac Follow-Up Clinics in Northwest Ethiopia, 2017: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Depression is a comorbid disorder in patients with heart failure and it is a major public health problem worldwide. Little is known about the depression among heart failure patients in low-income countries, while, in Ethiopia, none was studied. OBJECTIVE: This study is to assess the prevalence of depression and associated factors among heart failure patients at cardiac follow-up clinics at Amhara Region Referral Hospitals, Northwest Ethiopia, 2017. METHODS: A hospital based cross-sectional study was conducted between March 30, 2017, and May 15, 2017, G.C., by using a systematic random sampling technique to select 422 of 1395 HF patients. Structured interviewer-administered questionnaires and patient card review with a checklist that incorporates the PHQ-9 tool for depression measurement were used. The collected data were checked, coded, and entered into Epi-info version 7 and exported to SPSS version 20. Bivariate logistic regression at p-value <0.2 was exported to multivariate logistic regressions and p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: A total of 403 were included with a response rate of 95.5%. Among the participants, 51.1% had depressive symptoms. Factors associated with depressive symptoms were poor self-care behavior 1.60 [AOR (95% CI=1.01, 2.55)], poor social support 1.90 [AOR (95% CI=1.16, 3.12)], being female 2.70 [AOR (95% CI=1.44, 5.07)], current smoking history 4.96 [AOR (95% CI=1.54, 15.98)], and duration of heart failure (>1 year) 1.64 [AOR (95% CI=1.04, 2.59)]. CONCLUSIONS: Around half of the patients were depressive. The patients who had poor self-care behavior, were females, had poor social support, had a current history of smoking, and had duration of chronic heart failure >1 year need special attention. Therefore, all referral hospitals need efforts to focus on those problems and target improvements of depressive symptoms.