Severity of Injury and Associated Factors among Injured Patients Who Visited the Emergency Department at Wolaita Sodo Teaching and Referral Hospital, Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: An injury is a physical damage that occurs when the body is exposed to an excessive amount of energy. Physical agents, radiation, chemical agents, biological agents and physiological needs deprivation can cause injury. The study was aimed at assessing the severity of injury and identifying the factors associated with it among injured patients. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among patients who visited the emergency department of Wolaita Sodo Teaching and Referral Hospital from January 1, 2012 - January 1, 2017. A total of 320 patient records were included in the study and selected using simple random sampling. Statistical association was done for categorical variables using Chi-square. Rank correlation was done for three ordered options independent variables, Chi-squared test for trend used for two options independent variables, and General Chi-square test of independence used for independent variables with not ordered three and above options. Multivariate multinomial logistic regression was conducted. A P-value <0.05 was taken as a significant association. RESULTS: The study indicated that the majority (45.3%), 128(40%) and 47(14.7%) had minor, moderate and severe injury, respectively. Residence (AOR 0.462; 95%CI 0.268, 0.798), cause of injury (AOR 3.602; 95%CI 1.336, 9.714), night time injury (AOR 4.895; 95%CI 1.472, 16.277), afternoon time injury (AOR 8.776; 95%CI 2.699, 28.537), and chest injury (AOR 2.391; 95%CI 1.048, 5.454) were significant predictors of moderate injury. Afternoon time of injury (AOR; 4.683; 95%CI 1.137, 19.296) and head, neck and spinal cord injury (AOR; 4.933; 95%CI 1.945, 12.509) were predictors of severe injury.

Institutional delivery service use and associated factors among women who delivered during the last 2 years in Dallocha town, SNNPR, Ethiopia.

Aim: To determine the institutional delivery service use and identify factors associated among women who delivered during the last two years in Dallocha town. Design: A community-based cross-sectional study. Methods: The study was conducted from 10 March-10 April 2016. A total of 411 study participants were selected by using systematic sampling method. The source population was all reproductive age group mothers. Bivariate and multiple logistic regression was conducted. Results: Institutional delivery was 304 (74%). Factors associated with increased likelihood of institutional delivery were owning a radio or television, making more than four antenatal care visits, knowing at least one maternity service advantage. Not knowing about at least one benefit institutional delivery decreased the likelihood of institutional delivery. Conclusion: Three-quarters of the mothers delivered at the health institution. Accordingly, promotion of antenatal care follow-up, in-service training of health professionals and health education is recommended.

Predictors of therapeutic communication between nurses and hospitalized patients.

BACKGROUND: Therapeutic communication is a purposeful interaction between health professionals and patients that helps to achieve positive health outcomes. There is a pressing need for research examining factors influencing effective implementation of therapeutic communication in relation to patient-centered care and satisfaction. OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed at determining the effective implementation of therapeutic communication and its predictors. METHODS: Institution based cross-sectional study was conducted at the Jimma University Specialized Hospital from March 21 to April 9, 2016. One hundred ninety two patients were recruited using stratified sampling. A questionnaire was used to collect data. One-way ANOVA for mean difference by socio-demographic characteristics, simple and multivariable linear regressions were conducted. RESULTS: The study revealed that 67(34.9%) of the patients rated high level of therapeutic communication. Significant predictors of therapeutic communication implementation were educational status (ß = 5.87, P = 0.011), language difference (ß = -6, P = 0.014), education difference (ß = 5.21, P = 0.010) and perceived patient view score (ß = 3.57, P˂0.001). CONCLUSION: Therapeutic communication was poorly implemented. Education, language difference, education difference and perceived patient view scores were significant predictors of therapeutic communication.

Stunting and Its Determinants among Children Aged 6-59 Months in Northern Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Stunting reflects chronic undernutrition during the most critical periods of growth and development in early life. The study was aimed at assessing the magnitude of stunting and associated factors among children aged 6-59 month in central Ethiopia. METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 410 children aged between 6 and 59 months. Systematic random sampling technique was employed to select study participants. Interviewer-administered structured questionnaire was used to collect data. The data were entered using EPI INFO version 3.5.1, and analysis was done by SPSS version 21 and ENA, 2007 software for anthropometric calculation. World Health Organization standard 2006 was used to analyse anthropometric data. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were also carried out to identify predictors of stunting. Statistical significance was declared at p < 0.05 and 95% CI. RESULTS: Overall magnitude of stunting was 52.4 (95% CI: 47.6-57.2). Being female (AOR: 2.8, 95% CI: 1.503-5.099), belonging to age group of 25-59 months (AOR: 4, 95% CI: 1.881-8.424) and birth weight of <2.5 kg (AOR: 5, 95% CI: 1.450-17.309), mothers' lack of ANC visits (AOR: 3.2 95% CI: 1.40-7.10), and mistimed complementary feeding initiation (AOR: 2.4, 95% CI: 1.266-4.606) were positively associated with child stunting, whereas educational status of the mother (AOR: 0.01, 95% CI: 0.001-0.063) showed negative association. CONCLUSION: Stunting was a highly prevalent problem in the study area. Low weight at birth, female sex, older age, mistimed initiation of complimentary feeding, and mothers' lack of ANC visit were found to have significant relation with children's chronic malnutrition. Thus, interventions shall effectively address those factors to alleviate the problem.