Determinants of Nurses' Knowledge Toward the Elderly Care, Southwest, Ethiopia.

Introduction: Elderly individuals are the segment of the population that needs special care. The quality of care provided for elderly individuals is highly determined by the knowledge of nurses in elderly care. Hence, there are limited studies conducted to determine the level of knowledge of nurses regarding elderly care. Therefore, this study aimed to assess determinant factors of nurses' knowledge of elderly care. Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional study design was employed from April 1 to 10, 2021, among 345 nurses. Respondents were selected by a simple random sampling technique. The data were collected through a self-administered structured questionnaire. The collected data were entered and analyzed by using Statistical Package for Social Science software version 25.0. A multivariable binary logistic regression was used to identify factors significantly associated with the knowledge of nurses about elderly care. Result: The response rate of this study was 98.3%. More than half of the respondents were female (51.6%) and 38.3% were single in marital status. Being knowledgeable among nurses about elderly care was 51.9%. Ever living with the elderly (adjusted odd ratio [AOR]: 3.62; 95% CI: 1.661, 7.89) and taking geriatric care training (AOR: 5.209, 95% CI: 2.771, 9.79) were positively associated with the knowledge of nurses toward elderly care while work experience <5 years (AOR: 0.305; 95% CI: 0.134, 0,696), and work experience 5-10 years (AOR: 0.359; 95% CI: 0.15, 0.864) were negatively associated with the knowledge of nurses toward elderly care. Conclusion: The knowledge of nurses about elderly care was moderate. Ever lived with the elderly, work experience, and taking geriatric care training contributed to nurses' knowledge about elderly care. Therefore, hospital administrators and the Ministry of Health should facilitate training, design, and implement standard guidelines on nursing practice for elderly care.

Patients' Perception Towards Quality of Nursing Care and Associated Factors at Agaro General Hospital, Southwest Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction: Quality care is currently on the agenda of policy-makers at national and international levels. Patient-centeredness is considered an integral component of healthcare quality dimensions in addition to its effectiveness and safety. This indicates that healthcare should be viewed from a patient's perspective. Methods and Materials: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted with a total sample size of 422 using systematic random sampling among patients admitted to the Agaro General Hospital. SPSS software version 25.0 was used to enter and analyze the data. The relationship between the dependent variable and covariates was determined using multivariable binary logistic regression analysis. Results: A total of 405 patients participated in this study with a response rate of 96.0%. The overall percentage of positive perception was 76.3%. Clients aged 31-40 years were more likely [AOR: 2.191, 95% CI: 1.033-4.645, p-value: .041] and clients aged ≥ 51 years were less likely to perceive positively [AOR: 0.490, 95% CI: 0.271-0.886, p-value: .018]. Patients who had paid for receiving care were more likely to perceive it positively [AOR: 3.046, 95% CI 1.043-8.896, p-value: .042]. The odds of positive perception towards the quality of nursing care were higher among patients who thought the hospital cost was medium [AOR: 3.066, 95% CI: 1.286-7.311, p-value: .012], low [AOR: 13.859, 95% CI: 2.245-85.562, p-value: .005], and uncertain [AOR: 6.116, 95% CI: 1.988-18.809, p-value: .002]. Conclusion and Recommendations: Most patients had a positive perception of the quality of nursing care. Being elderly and feeling towards hospital costs have a negative influence whereas having paid for the treatment has a positive influence on the patients' perception of nursing care. Hence the need increases with age, and healthcare providers should pay great attention while providing care for elderly patients.

A Preliminary Investigation on a Commercial Ovine Pasteurellosis Vaccine Using Clinical and Pathological Endpoints.

Introduction: In this study we aimed to provide preliminary evidence on the safety and efficacy of the currently used ovine pasteurellosis vaccine in Ethiopia using clinical and pathological endpoints. Methods: Twenty, conventionally reared, apparently healthy, seronegative male lambs, were randomly classified into two groups of 10 animals as "vaccinated-challenged" and "unvaccinated-challenged controls". The first group received 1 mL of the licensed Pasteurella multocida biotype A based vaccine subcutaneously while the second group received phosphate-buffered saline as a placebo. Following vaccination, lambs were monitored for one month for potential vaccine adverse reactions. Five weeks postvaccination, all lambs were immunosuppressed using dexamethasone, and intratracheally challenged with 5.2×109 CFU/mL live Mannheimia haemolytica A1 (clinical isolates). Then, all lambs were followed up for eight days for clinical examination and necropsied on the ninth day postchallenge for pathological investigation. Results: There were no safety issues recorded during the study. In terms of clinical signs, lambs developed fever, depression, mucoid bilateral oculonasal discharge, coughing and sneezing regardless of their vaccination status. Fisher's exact test between vaccination status and each clinical sign showed a statistically insignificant association (p>0.05). The main pathological findings in both groups were pulmonary congestion, atelectasis, emphysema, and suppurative bronchopneumonia. Consolidation lung lesion score of +1 (5/10 of vaccinated, 6/10 of unvaccinated) and +2 (3/10 of vaccinated, 4/10 of unvaccinated) were recorded in a statistically indifferent manner among both vaccinated and nonvaccinated groups (p>0.05). Discussion and Conclusion: Collectively, the results suggested that the vaccine posed no safety concern and presumably lacks protective efficacy against local isolates. However, the study did not analyze antibody titer and their functionality using serum bactericidal assays. Further confirmatory studies could provide more evidence on the vaccine efficacy. Safety should further be assessed in a field setting involving a large number of animals to enable detection of rare vaccine adverse events.

Knowledge, attitude, prevention practice, and associated factors toward COVID-19 among preparatory school students in Southwest Ethiopia, 2021.

INTRODUCTION: As of February 2021 COVID-19 report in 57 African countries, there were 3,761,512 confirmed cases and 98,088 deaths. Ethiopia reported the highest number of cases in East Africa with a total of 147,092 cases and 2,194 deaths. Over 1.5 billion students from 195 countries across the world separated from school as a consequence of the closure of schools related to the pandemic. This study aimed to determine the level of knowledge, attitude, prevention practices, and determinant factors regarding COVID-19 among preparatory school students in southwest Ethiopia. METHODS: An institution-based cross-sectional study design was used for 422 samples. Each respondent was selected using simple random sampling. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. The collected data were entered and analyzed using Statistical Package for social science software version 25.0. Multivariable binary logistic regression was used to identify factors that were significantly associated with the practice of COVID-19 prevention. RESULTS: The response rate in this study was 96.2%. A higher proportion of the respondents were female (53.9%), Bench (43.6%), and protestant (47.3%). The level of good knowledge, positive attitude, and good practice were 81.8%, 70.9%, and 47.0% respectively. Using social media [AOR: 1.801, 95% CI: 1.005, 3.226], watching television [AOR: 1.884 95% CI: 1.093, 3.247], being knowledgeable [AOR: 5.173 95% CI: 2.276, 11.755], and having a positive attitude [AOR: 4.300 95% CI: 2.351, 7.868] were positively associated with COVID-19 prevention practice. CONCLUSION: Despite the high level of knowledge and a moderate level of positive attitude, the practice of COVID-19 prevention measures was low. Using social media, watching television, being knowledgeable, and having positive attitudes towards COVID-19 increases the tendency to practice COVID-19 prevention measures. School directors and teachers should strictly monitor students for their adherence to COVID-19 prevention measures as directed by the local and national health care departments.

Prevalence of urinary iodine concentration among school children: in Dessie City, Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Urinary iodine is recommended by the world health organization as the main indicator to assess iodine status in a population. Despite this recommendation little is known about urinary iodine concentration in the study area. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the level of urinary iodine concentration among school-aged children. METHODS: An institution-based cross-sectional study design was used to assess the level of urinary iodine from April to June 2019 and a systematic random sampling technique was applied to select study participants. Socio-demographic characteristics were assessed using a pretested structured questionnaire and the laboratory method by Sandell-Kolthoff reaction method was used. Data were cleaned, coded, and entered into Epi data version 3.1 and then exported to SPSS version 21 software for analysis. RESULT: A total of 634 study participants were enrolled in the study with a median age of 12 years (±SD = 2.0). The majority of the children were females (55.4%) and more than half of respondents report the use of iodized salt always. Median urinary iodine concentration was 158.5 µg/L (±SD = 104.1) with minimum and maximum values of 5.1 µg/L and 528.8 µg/L, respectively. The overall iodine deficiency in this study was 18.6% and severe deficiency constituted 7.4%. CONCLUSIONS: The iodine deficiency of the school children aged 6 to 14 in the present study was 18.6% indicating high prevalence. A high proportion of iodine deficiency was observed among females and it increases as age increases. This indicates the need for an additional strategy to control iodine deficiency.

Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activity of Solvent Fractions of Calpurnia aurea (Ait.) Benth. (Fabaceae).

BACKGROUND: Calpurnia aurea (Ait.) Benth. leaves are used to treat different diseases like ectoparasite infestation, diarrhea, sores, anthrax, fevers, pain, and snake venom. The leaves of Calpurnia aurea were first extracted by methanol and further fractionated with the help of n-hexane, dichloromethane and ethyl acetate with increasing polarity. METHODS: The antibacterial activities of the fractions were evaluated against disease causing bacteria using agar well diffusion. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of the fractions were determined by the micro-broth dilution method using tetrazolium salt colorimetric assay. The antioxidant activities of the solvent fractions were determined by phospho-molbedum reduction assay, reducing power assay and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity. RESULTS: The average MIC value of C. aurea fractions ranged from 1.95mg/mL to 31.25mg/mL, 7.81mg/mL to 31.25mg/mL and 13.02mg/mL to 62.5mg/mL, for ethyl acetate, dichloromethane and n-hexane fractions, respectively. The leaf extracts have a higher antioxidant effect, as shown in the phospho-molbedum reduction assay, reducing power and hydroxyl radical scavenging assay. CONCLUSION: The ethyl acetate and dichloromethane fractions revealed significant antibacterial effects against the growth of pathogenic bacteria. However, the n-hexane fraction showed the least antibacterial effect against all of the test bacteria. Furthermore, the n-hexane fractions of C. aurea showed higher antioxidant activity.

Determinant factors for the occurrence of tuberculosis after initiation of antiretroviral treatment among adult patients living with HIV at Dessie Referral Hospital, South Wollo, Northeast Ethiopia, 2020. A case-control study.

INTRODUCTION: Globally, tuberculosis takes the first rank for the ill-health of people living with HIV/AIDS. Despite the favorable outcome of antiretroviral therapy, the risk of tuberculosis remains higher among HIV patients. This obliges to identify factors for its occurrence and further prevention of drug-resistant tuberculosis. There is a contradiction between different studies and studies conducted in Ethiopia studied poorly the association between adherence to antiretroviral therapy and viral load with tuberculosis. Studies conducted in the study area were limited to cross-sectional study design. Therefore, this study claimed to identify factors determining the occurrence of tuberculosis after initiation of antiretroviral therapy. METHODS: This study was conducted at Dessie Referral Hospital by using a case-control study design on a sample of 565 with a control: case ratio of 3:1. Participants from controls were selected by systematic random sampling and from cases by consecutive random sampling. The data were collected by interviewing through structured questionnaires and from the medical record. The data were entered into Epi data version 3.1. In the multivariable analysis, variables with a P-value of ≤0.05 were anticipated as independent determinant factors. RESULT: Patients without separate kitchen (AOR: 3.547, 95% CI: 2.137, 5.888), having opportunistic infection (AOR: 3.728, 95% CI: 2.058, 6.753), CD4 count of <350 cells/mm3 (AOR: 3.383, 95% CI: 1.520, 7.528), baseline WHO stage III (AOR: 3.321, 95% CI: 1.688, 6.534) or IV (AOR: 2.900, 95% CI: 1.251, 6.722), don't taking IPT (AOR: 3.701, 95% CI: 2.228, 6.147) and those who were poorly adherent (AOR: 2.626, 95% CI: 1.272, 5.423) or moderately adherent (AOR: 3.455, 95% CI: 1.885, 6.335) to anti-retroviral therapy were more likely to develop tuberculosis after anti-retroviral therapy initiation. CONCLUSION: Poor housing conditions, having an opportunistic infection, low CD4 count, starting ART at the advanced HIV stage, don't take IPT, and being poorly adherent to antiretroviral therapy were associated with the occurrence of TB after initiation of ART. The institution should screen for TB as early as possible and strictly follow their drug adherence.

Hematological Indices of Pregnant Women at the University of Gondar Referral Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia: a Comparative Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Pregnancy is a natural physiological variation as a result of hormonal and metabolic changes. Worldwide a large proportion of women are expected to die each year as a result of pregnancy complication related to hematological profile alterations. Therefore, this study is aimed at assessing hematological indices of pregnant in comparison with non-pregnant women. METHODS: A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted among pregnant and non-pregnant women at the University of Gondar Hospital, from February to April 2015. A blood sample was collected from 139 pregnant and 139 age-matched non-pregnant women using systematic random sampling technique. Data analysis was made using SPSS version 20. Level of significance was analyzed using independent t-test and Mann-Whitney U test. A p-value ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: In this study, pregnant women had significantly higher WBC count [(7.08 ± 2.07 vs. 5.77 ± 1.85) x 109/L], MCV [(93.16 ± 3.44 vs. 90.74 ± 4.12) fL], MCHC [(30.40 ± 1.19 vs. 29.47 ± 1.46) pg], Neutrophil count [(4.73 ± 1.86 vs. 3.06 ± 1.47) x 109/L], Lymphocyte count [(1.65 ± 0.41 vs. 1.2 ± 0.54) x 109/L], RDW [(49.35 ± 2.9 vs. 46.37 ± 2.73) fL], PDW [(14.02 ± 0.6 vs. 13.12 ± 0.19) fL], and MPV [(10.49 ± 0.95 vs. 10.06 ± 1.18) fL] compared with controls. The RBC count [(4.55 ± 0.38 vs. 5.14 ± 0.53) x 1012/L], Hb [(13.73 ± 0.96 vs. 15.30 ± 1.074) g/dL], Hct [(42.14 ± 2.55 vs. 47.16 ± 3.36)%], and Platelets [(196.07 ± 48.88 vs. 249.36 ± 62.73) x 109/L] were significantly lower among pregnant women compared to the control group, respectively. This study also indicated that there was a significant difference in MCV, MCH, platelet count, absolute lymphocyte count and RDW across the three trimes-ters of pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: This study found a statistically significant difference in the majority of hematological indices between pregnant and non-pregnant women. Trimesters of pregnancy have an influence on some hematological indices. This study provides baseline data for basic hematological indices changes, and it is vital especially in the antenatal care assessment to avoid pregnancy-related adverse outcomes.

Phosphite alters the behavioral response of potato tuber moth (Phthorimaea operculella) to field-grown potato.

BACKGROUND: The potato tuber moth (PTM) (Phthorimaea operculella) is a pest of solanaceous species that causes serious damage to potato tubers and tomato fruits. Control is mainly dependent on the use of synthetic chemicals, which pose a risk to the environment and health of farmers, especially in developing countries where application safety rules are often neglected. In this study we aimed at investigating the effects of a plant resistance inducer (PRI) potassium phosphite on PTM larval population density and PTM parasitoid levels, which can be used as biocontrol agents. We also tested whether intercropping with tomato, which is less attractive to PTM, provided a spatial border to further reduce PTM numbers. RESULTS: In two different locations over two seasons, we showed that foliar application of phosphite more than halved the PTM larval populations on potato, and that PTM parasitoid numbers were unaffected. No consistent reduction in PTM was achieved by intercropping potato with tomato. CONCLUSIONS: Phosphite reduced PTM numbers in the field without interfering with autochthonous parasitoids, indicating its suitability as part of an Integrated Pest Management strategy. Ex situ choice tests showed that phosphite-treated potato deterred PTM, which could be a reason for the control of PTM in the field. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

Correlation between Serum Lipid Profile with Anthropometric and Clinical Variables in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

BACKGROUND: The problem of dyslipidemia is high in patients with diabetes mellitus. There is ample evidence that abnormalities in lipid metabolism are important risk factors for increased incidence of diabetes associated complications. The most important risk indicators for these complications are lipid profile abnormalities. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the correlation between serum lipid profile with anthropometric and clinical variables among type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. METHODS: A comparative cross sectional study was conducted at University of Gondar Hospital from February to April in 2015. A total of 296 participants (148 case and 148 healthy controls) were selected using systematic random sampling technique. Socio-demographic characteristics and clinical data were collected using pretested structured questionnaire incorporating the WHO Stepwise approach. Fasting venous blood sample was collected for blood sugar; lipid profile investigations and the blood levels were determined by Bio Systems A25 Chemistry Analyzer (Costa Brava, Spain). Independent sample t-test and Man Whitney U test were used to compare means. P-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Overall, T2DM patients had significantly higher total cholesterol ([205.4±50.9vs184.9±44.1]mg/dl), low density lipoprotein ([113.1±43.2vs100.1±36.4] mg/dl) and triacylglycerol ([189.22± 100.9 vs 115.13±59.2] mg/dl), and significant decline of high density lipoprotein cholesterol ([56.5±20.4vs62.1±13] mg/dl) as compared to healthy controls, respectively. Triacylglycerolemia was significantly associated with the risk of cardiovascular disease (AOR: 1.015; 95%CI: 1.010-1.021). Evident correlation was observed between anthropometric and clinical variables with lipid profile. CONCLUSION: Higher serum levels of fasting blood sugar, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triacylglycerol and lower levels of high density lipoprotein cholesterol are found in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. Thus, DM patients are more prone to dyslipidemia which is an important risk factor for atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease.

Development of Microsatellite Markers and Analysis of Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides from Ethiopia.

Twenty three polymorphic microsatellite markers were developed for citrus plant pathogenic fungus, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, and were used to analyze genetic diversity and population structure of 163 isolates from four different geographical regions of Ethiopia. These loci produced a total of 118 alleles with an average of 5.13 alleles per microsatellite marker. The polymorphic information content values ranged from 0.104 to 0.597 with an average of 0.371. The average observed heterozygosity across all loci varied from 0.046 to 0.058. The gene diversity among the loci ranged from 0.106 to 0.664. Unweighted Neighbor-joining and population structure analysis grouped these 163 isolates into three major groups. The clusters were not according to the geographic origin of the isolates. Analysis of molecular variance showed 85% of the total variation within populations and only 5% among populations. There was low genetic differentiation in the total populations (FST = 0.049) as evidenced by high level of gene flow estimate (Nm = 4.8 per generation) among populations. The results show that Ethiopian C. gloeosporioides populations are generally characterized by a low level of genetic diversity. The newly developed microsatellite markers were useful in analyzing the genetic diversity and population structure of the C. gloeosporioides populations. Information obtained from this study could be useful as a base to design strategies for better management of leaf and fruit spot disease of citrus in Ethiopia.