Determinants of severity levels of anemia among pregnant women in Sub-Saharan Africa: multilevel analysis.

Background: Anemia is a severe public health problem affecting 54% of pregnant women in SSA Yet, only a limited number of studies have provided a partial assessment of the pooled prevalence and related determinants of the severity levels of anemia in pregnant women in SSA. Therefore, this study provides the most recent estimates of anemia severity levels and related determinants. Methods: The most recent Demographic Health Survey (DHS) dataset of 21 Sub-Saharan African countries which were collected between 2015 and 2022 were used. A total of 14,098 pregnant women were included. Multilevel ordinal logistic regression was used. Results: The pooled prevalence of anemia was 51.26%. Pregnant women who were in the old age groups, and who have attended secondary and higher education were less likely to be at higher levels of anemia. Those women who have given birth to >1 children in the last 5 years, pregnant women in second and third trimester and living in poorest households had greater odds of being at higher levels of anemia. Conclusion: In Sub-Saharan Africa, anemia is a severe public health concern for pregnant mothers. When developing and implementing strategies for the prevention and control of anemia, it is imperative to take into account the individual and community circumstances. Programs for the prevention and control of anemia should incorporate the economic and educational empowerment of women.

Incidence of mortality and its predictors among patients with head injury admitted to adult intensive care unit at AaBET and ALERT hospitals, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Background: Traumatic head injury, referred to as the "silent epidemic", remains a growing public health concern and the leading cause of mortality in young adults, with a disproportionate burden of disability and death occurring in low-income and middle-income countries, including Ethiopia. However, estimates of the traumatic brain injury burden from low and middle-income countries are scarce. The aim of this study was to assess outcome and its associated factors among patients with head injury admitted to the Adult Intensive care unit at AaBET and ALERT hospitals, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods: Institution-based retrospective cohort study was conducted at AaBET and ALERT hospitals from February 01, 2019 to January 30, 2020. All head injury patients' records were reviewed. A structured checklist was used to collect data. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with death among head injury patients. Result: Out of 205 patients, 178 (86.8%) improved, while 27 (13.2%) died. Road traffic accident was the most common cause of head injury (Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 46.3%). Patients with pulse rate admission (AOR = 1.49), NA + level (3.48), type of head injury (AOR = 3.67), mechanical ventilation (AOR = 4.70) were significant predictors of death among patients with head injuries. Conclusion: The incidence of death among head injury patients was 13.2% (27). Road traffic accident was the leading cause of head injury. Pulse rate, plasma sodium level, penetrating head injury, being on a mechanical ventilator were predictors of death among traumatic head injury (THI) patients treated for head injuries. Prevention of road traffic accidents and continuous awareness creation about the consequences of a road traffic accident is recommended.

Awareness, Acceptance, and Associated Factors of Human Papillomavirus Vaccine among Parents of Daughters in Hadiya Zone, Southern Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

INTRODUCTION: Human papillomavirus infections are the most prevalent sexually transmitted disease among women worldwide. Cervical cancer is the second-most frequent disease worldwide in terms of incidence and mortality, and it is primarily responsible for fatalities in low- to middle-income nations, including Ethiopia. OBJECTIVE: To assess awareness, acceptance, and associated factors of the human papillomavirus vaccine among parents of daughters in the Hadiya zone, southern Ethiopia. METHODS: From November to December 2021, a community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in the Hadiya zone among parents with daughters in the zone. The study respondents were chosen using a two-stage sampling technique from parents with a 9-14-year-old daughter. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. For analysis, the data were entered into Epidata version 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 25. Variables with a p-value less than 0.25 in the bivariate analysis were transferred to multivariable analysis. A logistic regression model was applied to forecast the association between the predictor and outcome variables. Statistical significance was considered at a 0.05 p-value. RESULTS: The study showed that the overall acceptance of parents to vaccinate their daughters with HPV vaccination was 450 (84.9%). Parents of daughters of male sex (AOR: 0.407; 95%CI: 0.221, 0.748), who had only one daughter (AOR: 2.122; 95%CI: 1.221, 3.685), whose daughter(s) attended a government school (AOR: 0.476; 95%CI: 0.263, 0.861), who had poor knowledge (AOR: 0.532; 95%CI: 0.293, 0.969) and who had a negative attitude (AOR: 0.540; 95%CI: 0.299, 0.977) were discovered to have a strong correlation. CONCLUSION: This study found that there was a high level of parental acceptance; attitudes and knowledge about the HPV vaccine are significant in determining their intentions to vaccinate their daughter. Authorities in high-risk areas for cervical cancer incidence should plan and implement strategies by providing health information regarding human papillomavirus vaccination with an emphasis on raising community awareness.

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of face mask utilization and associated factors in COVID-19 pandemic among Wachemo University Students, Southern Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: The widespread use of face masks by the general public may help to prevent the spread of viruses. Face masks are thought to be a good strategy to protect against respiratory diseases such as the Coronavirus. Identifying student knowledge, attitude, and practice about the use of face masks is crucial to detect vulnerabilities and respond rapidly to avoid the spread of the infection. This study aimed to determine the knowledge, attitude, and practices of face mask utilization and associated factors in the COVID-19 pandemic among college students. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed from February to March 2021 among 764 students from Wachemo University, Southern Ethiopia. A multistage sampling technique was used in the study. The sample size for each department was allocated in proportion to the number of students in that department, and each respondent was chosen using a simple random sampling procedure. Data were collected using a pre-tested self-administered questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 26. To predict the relationship between the predictor and outcome variables, a logistic regression model was used. At a p-value of 0.05, statistical significance was declared. RESULTS: The study showed that the overall knowledge of the students was 223 (29.2%), their attitude was 673 (88.1%), and their practice was 684 (89.5%). The students from the college natural and computational sciences (AOR: 0.23; 95%CI: 0.13, 0.40) and students having good knowledge (AOR = 4.40; 95%CI; 2.13, 9.14) were found to be independently associated with face mask utilization. CONCLUSION: When compared to other researches, the knowledge about the usage of face masks in this study was low, but the attitudes and practices were high. Authorities in areas that are in danger of a COVID-19 pandemic should plan and implement public awareness and education initiatives.

Time to Recovery from Severe Pneumonia and Its Predictors Among Children 2-59 Months of Age Admitted to Pediatric Ward of Nigist Eleni Mohammed Memorial Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Hossana, Ethiopia: Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Severe pneumonia is still the greatest infectious cause of morbidity and mortality in children under the age of five around the world. Each night spent in the hospital raises the chance of bad drug responses, infections, and ulcers by 0.5%, 1.6%, and 0.5%, respectively. In Southern Ethiopia, as well as the research area, little is known regarding death and recovery time from severe pneumonia and their determinants. OBJECTIVE: To determine time to recovery from severe pneumonia and its predictors among children 2-59 months of age admitted to pediatric ward of Nigist Eleni Mohammed Memorial Comprehensive Specialized Hospital. METHODS: A facility-based retrospective cohort study was conducted among children 2-59 months of age. Three years' medical records, from January 2017 to December 2020, were reviewed. A total of 280 children with severe pneumonia were included. In the case of survival time, median was calculated. Kaplan Meier survival curve was used to estimate recovery time from severe pneumonia, and the independent effects of covariates on recovery time were analyzed using multivariable Cox-proportional hazard model. RESULTS: The median time to recovery was 4 days (interquartile range = 3, 5). The incidence rate of recovery was 24.16 per 100 person-days. Underweight (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.56, 95% CI = 0.38-0.80), age group 12-35 months (adjusted hazard ratio= 2.0, 95% CI=1.30-3.30), treatment with ampicillin and gentamicin (adjusted hazard ratio= 0.35, 95% CI: 0.13-0.80), and antibiotic change (adjusted hazard ratio= 0.34, 95% CI = 0.21-0.53) were statistically significant predictors of time to recovery from severe pneumonia. CONCLUSION: The median length of stay in the hospital was short (4 days [interquartile range =3, 5]). Time to recover from severe pneumonia was significantly influenced by being underweight, age, antibiotics administered first, and antibiotic change. Measures such as providing nutritious meals to children and ensuring that underweight children are properly managed should be bolstered.

Disparities in antenatal care service utilization among food secure and food insecure women in Gombora District, Hadiya zone, south Ethiopia.

INTRODUCTION: little is known about antenatal care (ANC) utilization difference among food secure and food insecure household pregnant women and factors contributing to inequities in antenatal care use in developing country including Ethiopia. To determine the disparities in the utilization of antenatal care that exists between pregnant women in food secure and food insecure household women. METHODS: a community based comparative cross-sectional study was conducted in Gombora District, Hadiya zone, southern Ethiopia. Data were collected from February 25th to March 25th, 2015, using a pre-tested structured questionnaire. Pregnant women were selected by a simple random sampling method. The data were entered using EpiData 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 21 for analysis. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was done to compare antenatal care utilization among food secure and insecure household women at 95% confidence interval (CI). Statistical tests were done at a level of significance of p<0.05. RESULTS: two hundred sixty-seven (34.5%) of the respondents received at least one antenatal care visit on current pregnancy. Forty-nine-point one percent of food secure and 23.3% of food insecure household women utilized ANC from health professionals. Factors associated with antenatal care utilization included being from a food secure household (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]= 2.54; 95%CI: 1.79-3.59), having attained secondary or higher education (aOR=3.76; 95%CI: 2.32-6.1), good level of knowledge of antenatal care (aOR= 2.42; 95%CI 1.34-4.33) and being from a wealthy household (aOR=2.10; 95% CI: 1.34-3.28). Conclusion: this study showed a significant variation in the use of ANC in food secure and food insecure household pregnant women. Interventions to improve ANC utilization should prioritize women from poor socio-economic and low educational background.

Relationship Between Unintended Pregnancy and Antenatal Care Use During Pregnancy in Hadiya Zone, Southern Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Unintended pregnancy has direct relation with poor utilization of maternal health care services and also associated with unhealthy behaviors during pregnancy. Few studies have examined the association between unintended pregnancy and maternal health behaviors during pregnancy in developing countries including Ethiopia. The purpose of the study was to determine the association of unintended pregnancy with use of antenatal care during pregnancy among pregnant women in Hadiya zone, southern Ethiopia. METHODS: Community based cross sectional study design was employed in Hadiya zone, southern Ethiopia in 2017. 748 pregnant mothers were included using single population proportion. Study participants were selected by simple random sampling technique. A structured interviewer administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Descriptive, bivariate and multivariate logistic regression was employed to identify the independent effect of unintended pregnancy on the outcomes of interest. The level of significance was confirmed if p-value was less than 0.05. RESULTS: More than one third (36.2%) of women reported unintended pregnancy. Unintended pregnancy was significantly associated with use of antenatal care. Women with unintended pregnancy were 69% less likely to receive ANC (AOR=0.31, 95% CI; 0.21-0.46) and were four times more likely to have late ANC initiation (AOR=4.40, 95% CI; 1.70-11.40) during pregnancy as compared to counterparts. CONCLUSION: This study finding showed an association between unintended pregnancy and ANC use during pregnancy. Women with unintended pregnancy were less likely to use antenatal care and more likely to delay initiation of antenatal care. Longitudinal studies are recommended on relationship between unintended pregnancy and ANC use.