Time to recovery of asphyxiated neonates and its' predictors among newborns admitted to neonatal intensive care unit at Debre Berhan Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Neonatal asphyxia is a leading cause of early neonatal mortality, accounting for approximately 900,000 deaths each year. Assessing survival rates, recovery time and predictors of mortality among asphyxiated neonates can help policymakers design, implement, and evaluate programs to achieve the sustainable development goal of reducing neonatal mortality to 12/1,000 live births by 2030. The current study sought to ascertain the survival status, recovery time, and predictors of neonatal asphyxia. METHODS: A retrospective follow-up study conducted in Debre Berhan Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, which carried out from May 20th to June 20th, 2023 using records of asphyxiated babies in NICUs from January 1st, 2020 to December 31st, 2022, involving a sample size of 330. Pre-structured questionnaires created in Google Form were used to collect data, and STATA Version 14.0 was utilized for data entry and analysis, respectively. The Kaplan-Meier survival curve, log rank test, and median time were calculated. A multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression model was fitted in order to determine the predictors of time to recovery. Variables were statistically significant if their p-value was less than 0.05. RESULTS: Three hundred thirty admitted asphyxiated neonates were followed a total of 2706 neonate -days with a minimum of 1 day to 18 days. The overall incidence density rate of survival was 9.9 per 100 neonates' days of observation (95% CI: 8.85-11.24) with a median recovery time of 9 days (95% CI: 0.82-0.93). Prolonged labor (Adjusted hazard ratio (AHR: 0.42,95%CI:0.21-0.81), normal birth weight (AHR:2.21,95% CI: 1.30-3.70),non-altered consciousness (AHR:2.52,CI:1.50-4.24),non-depressed moro reflex of the newborn (AHR:2.40,95%CI: 1.03-5.61), stage I HIE (AHR: 5.11,95% CI: 1.98-13.19),and direct oxygen administration via the nose (AHR: 4.18,95% CI: 2.21-7.89) were found to be independent predictors of time to recovery of asphyxiated neonates.. CONCLUSION: In the current findings, the recovery time was prolonged compared to other findings. This implies early diagnosis, strict monitoring and provision of appropriate measures timely is necessary before the babies complicated into the highest stage of hypoxic -ischemic encephalopathy(HIE) and managing complications are the recommended to hasten recovery time and increase the survival of neonates.

Digital literacy level and associated factors among health professionals in a referral and teaching hospital: An implication for future digital health systems implementation.

Background: In Ethiopia and other developing countries, electronic medical record systems and other health information technology are being introduced. However, a small proportion of low-income countries have successfully implemented national health information systems. One cause for this can be the lack of digital literacy among medical practitioners. As a result, this study aimed to assess health professionals' digital literacy level and associated factors in Northwest Ethiopia. Method: A quantitative cross-sectional study was employed among 423 health professionals working in a teaching and referral hospital in Northwest Ethiopia. We modified and applied the European commission's framework for digital competency to assess the level of digital literacy among health professionals. We used stratified random sampling with proportional allocation to the size of the departments in the hospital to select study participants. Data were collected using a semi-structured, self-administered, and pretested questionnaire. Descriptive and binary logistic regression analysis techniques were used to describe respondents' digital literacy level and identify its associated factor, respectively. The odds ratio with 95% CI and value of p were used to assess the strength of the association and statistical significance, respectively. Results: Out of 411 participants, 51.8% (95% CI, 46.9-56.6%) of health professionals had adequate digital literacy. Holding a master's degree (Adjusted OR = 2.13, 95% CI: 1.18-3.85), access to digital technology (AOR = 1.89, 95% CI: 1.12-3.17), having training in digital technology (AOR = 1.65, 95% CI: 1.05-2.59), and having a positive attitude towards digital health technology (AOR = 1.64, 95% CI: 1.02-2.68) were found to be significant factors associated with health professionals digital literacy level of health professionals. Conclusion: Low level of digital literacy among health professionals was observed, with nearly half (48.2%) of them having poor digital literacy levels. Access to digital technology, training on digital technology, and attitude toward digital health technology were significant factors associated with digital literacy. It is suggested to increase computer accessibility, provide a training program on digital health technology, and promote a positive attitude toward this technology to improve the deployment of health information systems.

Organizational and health professional readiness for the implementation of electronic medical record system: an implication for the current EMR implementation in northwest Ethiopia.

OBJECTIVE: The WHO developed a manual outlining the preliminary organizational and health professionals' readiness to implement electronic medical records (EMR). On the other hand, the readiness assessment in Ethiopia only includes the evaluation of health professionals, leaving out organisational readiness components. As a result, this research aimed to determine health professionals' and organizational readiness to implement EMR at a specialized teaching hospital. METHODS: An institutional-based cross-sectional study design was conducted among 423 health professionals and 54 managers. Self-administered and pretested questionnaires were used to collect data. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with health professionals' readiness for EMR implementation. An OR with a 95% CI and p<0.05 was used to determine the strength of the association and the statistical significance, respectively. RESULTS: In this study, 53.7% management capacity, 33.3% finance and budget capacity, 42.6% operational capacity, 37.0% technology capability and 53.7% organisational alignment among the five dimensions evaluated to assess an organisation's readiness to implement an EMR system. Of 411 health professionals in this study, 173 (42.1%) with (95 CI 37.3% to 46.8%) were ready to implement an EMR system at the hospital. Sex (AOR 2.69, 95% CI 1.73 to 4.18), basic computer training (AOR 1.59, 95% CI 1.02 to 2.46), knowledge of EMR (AOR 1.88, 95% CI 1.19 to 2.97) and attitudes towards EMR (AOR 1.65, 95% CI 1.05 to 2.59) were significantly associated with health professionals' readiness towards EMR system implementation. CONCLUSIONS: Findings showed that most dimensions of organizational readiness for EMR implementation were below 50%. This study also revealed a lower level of EMR implementation readiness among health professionals compared with previous research studies' results. To improve organisational readiness to implement an electronic medical record system, a focus on management capability, financial and budget capability, operational capability, technical capability and organisational alignment was crucial. Likewise, having basic computer training, giving special attention to female health professionals and improving health professionals' knowledge of and attitudes towards EMR could help improve the readiness level of health professionals for implementing an EMR system.

Rabies Outbreak among Livestock in a Pastoralist Community, Southern Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Rabies still poses a significant health problem in most of African countries, where the majority of the cases result from dog bites. The situations in the marginalized pastoral areas were not well documented. CASE: In September 2015, rabid wild fox entered the pastoralist village and bit a domestic dog. The victim dog had turned rabid after four months and bit livestock, and rabies outbreak occurred in the family livestock. Consequently, one bull, one lactating cow, one calf, two donkeys and one heifer died of outbreak. The head of one heifer was removed and transported within 24 hours to the Rabies Referral Laboratory of Ethiopian Public Health Institute in Addis Ababa. The sample was confirmed as strong positive for lyssa virus antigen by Direct Fluorescent Anti-Body Test. This was the first confirmed case report from southern Oromia pastoralists. The occurrence of rabies cases across the district was also reported by veterinary and human health officers. CONCLUSION: Integrated intervention strategy and collaboration of animal health, human health and wildlife authority is needed. To halt the ongoing outbreak in the district, immediate response from the Government is recommended.