Anticipated stigma and associated factors among chronic illness patients in Amhara Region Referral Hospitals, Ethiopia: A multicenter cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Anticipated stigma related to chronic illness patients undermines diagnosis, treatment, and successful health outcomes. The study aimed to assess the magnitude and factors associated with anticipated stigma among patients with chronic illness attending follow-up clinics in Amhara Region Referral Hospitals, Ethiopia. METHODS: A cross-sectional institution-based study was conducted in Amhara Region Referral Hospitals from 01 March to 15 April 2021. A simple random sampling technique was used to select the three Referral Hospitals in the region and study subjects. Data were collected using a pre-tested interview-based questionnaire. Data were entered and cleaned with Epi-Info version 6 and exported for analysis STATA version 14. Multiple linear regression was used to show the association between anticipated stigma and potential factors. Associations were measured using ß coefficients and were considered statistically significant if the p-value > 0.05. RESULTS: A total of 779 patients were included for analysis with a response rate of 97%. Their mean (Standard deviation) of anticipated stigma was estimated at 1.86 and 0.5, respectively. After running an assumption test for multiple linear regression; educational status, cigarette smoking, psychological distress, medication adherence, alcohol consumption, and social part of the quality of life were statically significantly associated with anticipated stigma. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION: The result showed a high level of anticipated stigma reported among the participants. Emphasizing improving their social part of the quality of life, avoiding risky behaviors like alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking, access to health education for chronically ill patients, integrating mental health in all types of chronic disease, and developing strategies and protocols which will help to improve patient medication adherence to their prescribed medication will be crucial. This can provide a foundation for government andnon-governmental organizations, and researchers implementing evidence-based interventions and strategies on chronic care to address factors related to anticipated stigma.

Translation and psychometric evaluation of chronic illness anticipated stigma scale (CIASS) among patients in Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Stigma is common among patients with chronic illnesses. It affects the delivery of healthcare for not addressing the psychological components and may interfere with the patient's attendance to necessary health care services. Therefore, a valid and reliable instrument to measure anticipated stigma related to chronic illness is vital to inform possible interventions. This study aimed to translate the Chronic Illness Anticipated Stigma Scale (CIASS) into the Amharic language and evaluate its psychometric properties in Ethiopia. METHODS: The CIASS was translated into Amharic language using standard procedures. The Amharic version was completed by 173 patients (response rate 96%) with chronic illness from three referral hospitals in the Amhara region. Internal consistency was examined through Cronbach's alpha. Construct validity was evaluated by confirmatory factor analysis and convergent validity by using a Pearson correlation of P-value less than or equal to 0.05. RESULTS: The internal consistency was estimated at Cronbach alpha of 0.92. By using a structural equation model, and modification indices a model fitness testing was run and shows a root mean squared error of approximation 0.049 (90% CI, 0.012-0.075). The structural validity results in 78.8% of confirmatory factor analysis showed from the extraction of the three-dimension (components). Validity tests for convergent by using Pearson correlation positively correlated with common mental distress and negatively correlated with quality of life-BREF, and the construct validity shows a good valid tool to CIASS. CONCLUSION: The Amharic language version of the chronic illness anticipated stigma scale shows a satisfactory level of reliability and validity on different psychometric measures of assessment. The tool may be useful for future researchers and patients with chronic illness in the Amharic-speaking population. Moreover, it will be used to see the psychological burden related to chronic illness and for comparison among international population groups.

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.

Prevalence and risk factors of pressure ulcer in hospitalized adult patients; a single center study from Ethiopia.

OBJECTIVE: The main objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of pressure ulcer and its risk factors among adult hospitalized patients at Dessie Referral Hospital, Northeast Ethiopia, 2016 G. C RESULT: A cross-sectional institutional based study with a single population proportion formula was used to determine the sample size. The total sample size of 355 patients was distributed proportionally to the respected wards. Every other patient was selected by systematic random sampling technique from each ward with a response rate of 100% A total of 53 patients with pressure ulcer were detected giving the prevalence rate of 14.9%. The lack of regular positioning and activity, friction/shear, and prolonged hospitalization were risk factors for pressure ulcer.

Self-care practice and associated factors among Diabetes Mellitus patients on follow up in Benishangul Gumuz Regional State Public Hospitals, Western Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the self-care practice among patients with diabetes and their associated factors in Benishangul Gumuz Public Hospitals, Western Ethiopia, 2018. RESULT: Out of the total 399 selected patients, 383 were participated in the study with a response rate of 96%. From 383 respondents, 45.7% had poor diabetes self-care practice. Unable to read and write (AOR = 3.63, 95% CI 1.33-9.89, p = 0.011), never had a diabetic health education (AOR = 4.09, 95% CI 1.89, 8.84, p = 0.000), not having glucometer (AOR = 2.66, 95% CI 1.30, 5.46 p = 0.007), poor diabetic knowledge (AOR = 5.01, 95% CI 2.44, 10.28, p = 0.000), poor self-efficacy (AOR = 3.00, 95% CI 1.76, 5.11, p = 0.000) and not having social support (AOR = 1.84, 95% CI 1.08, 3.13, p = 0.023) were significantly associated with poor self-care practice of diabetes patients. These findings request for the need of integrated interventional management approach, which will improve the health and quality of life of the diabetes patients.