Option B+ prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV/AIDS service intervention outcomes in selected health facilities, Adama town, Ethiopia.

Background: Vertical HIV transmission from mother-to-child accounts for more than 90% of pediatric HIV/AIDS infection. Virtual elimination of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV is possible by giving comprehensive prevention of HIV/AIDS mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) care. The objective of this study was to assess Option B+ (initiation of antiretroviral therapy for all pregnant mothers) PMTCT service intervention and outcomes in selected health facilities of Adama town, Ethiopia. Methods: A retrospective study was employed. A total of 248 medical records of mother-infant cohorts were included. Data wer collected from logbooks and/or records and individual medical records using a data abstraction tool. Results: Mean±SD age of mothers was 26.8±4.3 years. Half (50.8%) of the mothers were enrolled in PMTCT at 13-24 weeks of gestational age. The majority (79.6%) of mothers' CD4 counts were ≥351/mm3. Most of the mothers (71%) were on a tenofovir-lamivudine-evafrenz regimen. One-quarter of mothers were prescribed co-trimoxazole prophylactic therapy. Loss to follow-up from the Option B+ continuum was 10 (4.2%). Almost all (98.4%) of the infants were prescribed nevirapine prophylaxis. Nearly 90% (n=223) of the HIV-exposed infants were discharged as HIV negative. Conclusions: The Option B+ PMTCT service can minimize the chances of MTCT of HIV infection if used optimally. The magnitudes of loss to follow-up and death were lower than in comparable studies. Initiating all pregnant mothers on antiretroviral therapy irrespective of their clinical stage and CD4 count may have contributed to the optimal retention in care and near elimination of MTCT of HIV infection.

Unintended pregnancy and associated factors among pregnant women in Arsi Negele Woreda, West Arsi Zone, Ethiopia.

OBJECTIVE: The study was aimed at determining the prevalence of unintended pregnancy and associated factors in Arsi Negele Woreda from May 01, 2017 to July 30, 2017. RESULTS: Unintended pregnancy was found to be 41.5%. The multivariable logistic regression revealed that 35 and above age group (AOR; 2.343, 95% CI 1.374, 3.997), single marital status (AOR; 6.492, 95% CI 1.299, 32.455), parity of 2 (AOR; 53.419, 95% CI 21.453, 133.014), parity of 3 and above (AOR; 20.219, 95% CI 7.915, 51.655), having abortion history (AOR; 1.962, 95% CI 1.025, 3.755), having health professional visit (AOR; 2.004, 95% CI 1.218, 3.298) and having autonomy to use contraceptive method (AOR; 2.925, 95% CI 1.648, 5.190) were significantly associated with unintended pregnancy. Therefore, reproductive health advocacy, counseling and access of modern contraceptive methods are recommended.

Prevalence and factors associated with childhood visual impairment in Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Visual impairment is a significant loss of vision. It has an impact on the prosperity of different countries. It has been difficult to plan preventive measures against visual impairment due to the scarcity of data about the extent of the problem. OBJECTIVES: The study was aimed at assessing the prevalence and identifying factors associated with visual impairment among school-age children in Ethiopia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study design was used in four randomly selected schools found in Addis Ababa from May 15 to June 14, 2016. A total of 804 school-age students were selected using the simple random sampling method. Bivariable logistic regression and multivariable logistic regression were conducted. A p-value <0.05 was taken as a significant association. RESULTS: A total of 718 students participated in the study, obtaining a response rate of 89.3%. In all, 7.24% of school-age children were visually impaired, of whom 3.9% had low vision and 3.34% had severe visual impairment. Factors associated with visual impairment were being female (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 2.28; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06-3.50), being in the age group of 10-13 years (AOR, 2.94; 95% CI, 1.36-6.22), being in the age group of 14-18 years (AOR, 4.06; 95% CI, 2.17-11.95), being a private school student (AOR, 2.61; 95% CI, 1.81-4.41), watching television for 2-4 hours/day (AOR, 3.56; 95% CI, 1.37-7.34), watching television at <1 m (AOR, 7.65; 95% CI, 2.59-34.61), watching television at 1-2 m (AOR, 6.89; 95% CI, 1.74-25.27), mobile exposure for 2-4 hours/day (AOR, 2.61; 95% CI, 1.35-4.58), mobile exposure for >4 hours/day (AOR, 3.05; 95% CI, 1.41-9.18), medical visit while experiencing symptoms (AOR, 11.32; 95% CI, 1.80-82.25) and no medical visit experience (AOR, 3.84; 95% CI, 0.46-31.76). CONCLUSION: The majority of the visually impaired school-age children had low vision. Sex, age, school type, television exposure duration, the distance of television exposure, mobile exposure and medical visit were factors associated with visual impairment. Increasing community awareness about early detection of visual impairment and providing affordable eye health service may decrease the prevalence of visual impairment.

Risk factors for surgical site infections in obstetrics: a retrospective study in an Ethiopian referral hospital.

BACKGROUND: Pregnant women are at risk of infection during labor and delivery. Infection in obstetrics accounts for the second most common cause of maternal mortality next to post partum hemorrhage. Knowing the prevalence and associated risk factors would help to undertake optimal precautions and standard surgical techniques to reduce surgical site infection which poses increased hospital cost and total hospital stay of the patients. METHOD: Facility based retrospective observational study design was carried out purposively to assess the prevalence of surgical site infections and associated risk factors among mothers who had delivery related surgery at obstetric ward of Assela teaching referral hospital from April, 23, 2015 to September 5, 2015. A total of 384 women who had surgery for delivery were included in the study. The risk associated with SSIs was assessed by multivariate regression logistic analysis. RESULTS: The age of the women ranged from 17 to 40 years with the mean age of 26 (±5) years. The rate of surgical site infection was 9.4%(36/384). The risk factors for surgical site infection were age less than 19 (OR = 3.5, 95%CI 1.17-10.01), preterm gestation age (OR = 4.225 95%CI 1.254-14.238), duration of labor ≥24 h (OR = 2.219 95%CI1.054-4.670), duration of rupture of membrane ≥12 h (OR = 5.99, 95% CI2.75-13.02),chorioamnionitis (OR = 9.743, 95%CI 3.077-30.848), vertical skin incision(OR = 4,95%CI 1.709-13.322), pre operation Hematocrit (OR = 6.4,95%CI1.021-40.137),perioperative blood transfusion(OR = 6.75,95%CI 2.47,18.49), abdominal hysterectomy(OR = 7.9,95%CI1.698-36.960), and diabetic mellitus (OR = 3.7,95%CI 1.112-12.519). CONCLUSIONS: Obstetric ward of Assela teaching referral hospital are encouraged to use properly WHO surgical safety checklist and examine how to sensibly integrate these essential safety steps into their normal operative workflow. Prophylactic antibiotic administration should be provided within one hour before the surgical incision or within two hours if the patient is receiving vancomycin or floroquinolones.