Assessment of the hematological profiles among COVID-19 patients during the first and second waves in Ethiopia: A multicenter retrospective cohort study.

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 is highly infectious and patients with coronavirus diseases demonstrated a series of clinical symptoms caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2. Without a break of the wave's hematological profile of the patients is still ambiguous and differs from wave to wave. Objective: This study aimed to assess the hematological profile among coronavirus disease 2019 patients during the first and the second waves in Ethiopia. Methods: A multi-centered facility-based retrospective cohort study design was conducted at six coronavirus disease 2019 treatment centers. A total of 538 study participants were enrolled in the selected coronavirus disease 2019 treatment centers during the first and second waves of the pandemic. The demographic characteristics, underlying diseases, symptoms, and hematological parameters of patients were recorded. Data were entered into Epi-Data Manager 4.6 and analyzed using STATA 14.2. An independent sample t-test was used to assess the mean differences in hematological parameters across waves. Associations between categorical variables across waves were also determined using Chi-square and Fisher exact tests. Results: Among the total study participants, 240 (44.6%) and 298 (55.4%) patients were taken from wave-1 and wave-2, respectively. The average age of the study participants was 56.44 ± 16.25 years. The most frequent comorbidities in this study were hypertension, diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease, and asthma. The most presenting symptoms of COVID-19 infection across the two waves were presented. In the first wave, dry cough 166 (69.2%), fatigue 153 (63.75%), shortness of breath 148 (61.67%), and fever accounted 116 (48.33%), while during the second wave, dry cough 242 (81.2%), fatigue 244 (81.88%) shortness of breath 204 (68.47%) and fever account 180 (60.40%). White blood cells (WBC), neutrophils, and lymphocytes had shown increment during the first wave. Platelet count and platelet distribution width (p < 0.001) had significant mean differences across the two waves, while the other had no significant mean difference. Conclusion: In the present study, dry cough, fatigue, shortness of breath, and fever were found to be the most presenting symptoms of COVID-19 infection across the two waves. Only the platelet count and platelet distribution width had significant mean differences across the two waves, while the other had no significant mean difference across waves.

A Quantitative Study on Stigma and Statistically Correlated Factors Among Women Living with Genital Fistula in Oromia Region, Ethiopia. Identification of Urgent Corrective Strategies.

BACKGROUND: Two-to-three million women worldwide live with a genital fistula, with Asian and sub-Saharan African countries including Ethiopia accounting for the greatest percentage. Genital fistula is a devastating health problem due to the stigma associated with constant incontinence and bad-odor. Thus, this study aimed to determine the magnitude of the stigma towards women living with genital fistula in Oromia region, Ethiopia, and to highlight the factors associated with it, identifying potential strategies for corrective interventions. METHODS: This quantitative study was conducted among 422 women living with genital fistula in five fistula treatment centers of Oromia region using a cross-sectional study design from August 30, 2019 to February 28, 2020. Data were collected by face-to-face interview using a structured questionnaire, entered into Epi-data version 4.2, and analyzed by SPSS version 23. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis was done. P-value <0.05 was used to ascertain statistical significance with an adjusted odds ratio at 95% confidence interval (CI). The results were presented by text and tables. RESULTS: The response rate for this study was 100%. The magnitude of perceived high stigma related to genital fistula was 178 (42.2%). The factors associated with it were the respondents' father's educational level of being able to write and read compared to unknown fathers' educational level (AOR=0.09; 95% CI=0.03-0.34), and duration of living with a genital fistula of less than 2 years compared to living with a genital fistula for 5 years or more (AOR=0.52; 95% CI=0.31-0.86). CONCLUSION: The perceived level of stigma among women living with a genital fistula in Oromia region was significantly high. To reduce the perceived level of stigma and therefore to prevent the severe negative consequences of it, fathers, but also mothers, husbands, family members, and all the persons close to women living with genital fistulas should provide care and psychological support and all the necessary means to strongly encourage them to seek health care quickly, and to make them feel that they are beloved, and that there is hope for a healthy life in their near future.

Medication counselling practices amid COVID -19 pandemic and associated factors in drug retail outlets of Jimma town, Southwest Ethiopia: cross-sectional study.

Background: Patients' good understanding and awareness of drug information received at the drug retail outlet is paramount to gaining expected outcomes. In the COVID-19 pandemic, the routine counselling practice faced multifactorial challenges. Objectives: The study aimed to assess medication counseling practice and associated factors in drug retail outlets of Jimma town, southwest Ethiopia. Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted using an interviewer administered questionnaire. The data were analysed by using SPSS version 23. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to identify factors associated with medication counselling practice. Results: A total of 180 pharmacy professionals were enrolled in the study, about half (51.1%) of the participants reported good medication counselling provision for their patients. In A multivariable logistic regression analysis, reduced pharmacist's level of communication (AOR=0.008; CI: 0.001-0.292; p= 0.009) and shortage of personal protective equipment (AOR=0.021; CI: 0.002-0.226; p=0.002) due Covid-19 were factors associated with poor medication counselling practice. Conclusion: Reduced level of communication and shortage of personal protective equipment due to Covid-19 were factors associated with poor medication counselling practice. In general, Jimma town health offices and Oromia Region Health bureau should struggle in association with other stakeholders to improve the identified bottleneck of pharmacist's counselling practice.

COVID-19's Negative Impacts on Clinical Learning and Proposed Compensation Mechanisms Among Undergraduate Midwifery and Nursing Students of Jimma University.

BACKGROUND: Even though lockdown measures contributed to reducing the rate of COVID-19 transmission, it resulted in great distraction in clinical learning. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess COVID-19's negative impacts on clinical learning, and proposed compensation mechanisms among midwifery and nursing undergraduate students of Jimma University, southwest Ethiopia. METHODS: This study was conducted among 147 midwifery and nursing students of Jimma University in March 2021 using cross-sectional study design. The respondents were selected by simple random sampling method. Data were collected by using a self-administered questionnaire and analyzed descriptively by SPSS v.23. The results were presented in tables, and narrated. RESULTS: Three fifths (88 (59.9%)) of the study participants perceived high negative impacts of COVID-19 on their recent clinical learning. The proposed compensation mechanisms to be implemented before and during the next clinical practice include: using teacher-facilitated skill demonstration laboratory, case scenarios, clinical teaching videos, and clinical conferences. Students' effort to understand the objectives of their clinical learning and using multi-media to achieve it was another proposed compensation mechanism. Also, providing pre-placement training and in-service training with priority for students graduating during COVID-19 pandemic were proposed compensation mechanisms. CONCLUSION: COVID-19's negative impacts on clinical learning were great among the participants of this study. The proposed compensation mechanisms should be applied by all concerned bodies with great emphasis to end the long-term negative impact of the pandemic, thereby ensuring the production of competent midwives and nurses.

Achievement of Clinical Learning Outcomes and Associated Factors Among Midwifery and Nursing Undergraduate Students of Jimma University, Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Effective achievement of clinical learning outcomes indicates the success of the clinically oriented educational program including midwifery and nursing. In contrast, studies reported poor achievement of clinical competence in different health sciences programs in the country. Thus, this study aimed to determine the status of achievement of clinical learning outcomes and associated factors among midwifery and nursing students of Jimma University, Ethiopia. METHODS: Institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from March 25 to 30, 2021 among 147 midwifery and nursing students of Jimma University selected by simple random sampling technique. Data were collected by a semi-structured, pre-tested, self-administered questionnaire, entered into EpiData version 4.2, and analyzed by SPSS version 23. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were done to test the association. The odds ratio at 95% confidence interval (CI) and P-value < 0.05 was used to ascertain statistical significance. RESULTS: Only 65 (44.2%) participants achieved their clinical learning outcomes. Being a third year student (AOR 3.38; 95% CI = 1.5, 7.5) at p-value = 0.003, having good practice of COVID-19 preventive measures (AOR 2.25; 95% CI = 1.01, 5) at p-value = 0.047, perceived high students load in clinical teaching site (AOR 4.9; 95% CI = 1.6, 14.7) at p-value = 0.005, and students motivation to their clinical learning (AOR 3.1; 95% CI = 1.4, 6.63) at p-value = 0.004 were factors positively associated with achievement of clinical learning outcomes. CONCLUSION: Less than half of midwifery and nursing students of Jimma University had achieved their clinical learning outcomes. Therefore, the students, clinical teachers, and all concerned bodies should struggle their best to enhance good practice of COVID-19 preventive measures, students motivation to their clinical learning, and facilitate clinical learning in clinical teaching site with high students load for better achievement of clinical learning outcomes.