RESUMO
Background: Pneumonia is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality among children worldwide. Despite its substantial impact, there exists a dearth of evidence regarding treatment outcomes and related factors, particularly within the Ethiopian context. This study endeavors to address these critical gaps by examining the treatment outcome of pneumonia among pediatric patients hospitalized in the Hiwot Fana Comprehensive Specialized University Hospital. Method: A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 204 children (≤14 years of age) diagnosed with pneumonia and admitted to the Hiwot Fana Comprehensive Specialized University Hospital. An interview using a structured questionnaire accompanied by a review of medical records was used to collect data from the parents/guardians. A binary logistic regression model with an adjusted odds ratio (AOR) and a 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to identify the associated factors with the outcome variable. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05 in the multivariable analysis. Result: Among the 204 children (≤14 years) included in the study, 119 (93.6%, 95% CI: 90.2-96.9) patients with pneumonia survived whereas 13 (6.4%, 95% CI: 3.1-9.7) died. Multivariable logistic regression analysis, after adjustments for potential confounders, revealed that children who had malnutrition (AOR = 3.5, 95% CI: 2.37-12.44), were unvaccinated (AOR = 3.41, 95% CI: 2.25-11.87), had altered mental states during admission (AOR = 4.49, 95% CI: 2.28-17.85), and had complicated types of pneumonia (AOR = 5.70, 95% CI: 2.98-15.09) were independently associated with mortality. Conclusion: Poor treatment outcome was 6.4% among pediatric patients admitted with pneumonia in this study setting. Being unvaccinated, malnourished, and admitted with a complicated type of pneumonia as well as having altered consciousness at the time of admission were significantly associated with poor treatment outcomes. These findings underscore the critical need to prioritize preventative measures against malnutrition and unvaccinated status in children. Early identification of such children and proper interventions are imperative to reducing such outcomes, particularly in resource-constrained settings.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Neural tube defects are a major public health problem and substantially contribute to morbidity and mortality, particularly in low-income countries, including Ethiopia. There are a paucity of data on the magnitude and associated factors of neural tube defects in Ethiopia, particularly in the study setting. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the magnitude of neural tube defects and associated factors among neonates admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit in Hiwot Fana Specialized University Hospital, Harar, Ethiopia. METHODS: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was employed from October 2019 to January 2020. A total of 420 newborn-mother pairs were included consecutively. Data were collected using a face-to-face interviewer-administered questionnaire and clinical examination. Data were entered into Epi Data version 3.1 and analyzed using the statistical package for Social Sciences version 20.0 software. An adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to identify the associated factors. A p-value <.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The magnitude of neural tube defects was 5.71% (95% CI: 3.5-7.9). Approximately 83.5% of infants had spinal bifida and 16.5% anencephaly. In multivariable logistic regression analyses, preterm birth (32-34 weeks) (AOR= 3.84; 95% CI: 2.1,10.7), low birth weight (1000-1500 g) (AOR = 4.74; 95% CI: 1.8, 9.1), 1500-2500 g (AOR = 3.01; 95% CI: 2. 1, 13.2), maternal coffee consumption (AOR = 11.2; 95% CI: 3.1, 23.7), a history of abortion or stillbirth (AOR = 9.6; 95% CI:7.6,19.4), radiation exposure (AOR = 5.0; 95% CI:1.6,14.3), and intake of anticonvulsant drugs during pregnancy (AOR = 4.75; 95% CI: 1.5,16.2) were factors associated with neural tube defects. CONCLUSION: In this study, the burden of neural tube defects was 5.71% among neonates admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit, which was a public health concern. Increased attention to the monitoring of neural tube defects in eastern Ethiopia is crucial to improve birth outcomes in the study setting.