Adherence to Self-Care Recommendations and Associated Factors among Adult Heart Failure Patients in West Gojjam Zone Public Hospitals, Northwest Ethiopia.

Background: Self-care practices are an important part of heart failure patient management and essential to control symptoms of the disease and its exacerbation. However, poor adherence to these self-care behaviors could be associated with an increase in hospitalization, morbidity, and mortality. Even if it is an important part of management for heart failure patients, yet information is not adequate in the study area about adherence to self-care recommendations and associated factors among heart failure patients. Purpose: To assess self-care recommendation adherence and associated factors among heart failure patients in West Gojjam Zone public hospitals. Methods: Institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 304 selected heart failure patients attending follow-up at public hospitals in West Gojjam Zone from March 16 to April 16, 2021. Consecutive sampling technique based on patient arrival with proportional allocation to each hospital was employed to select the study participants. Data were collected through face-to-face interview and reviewing patients' medical records. Data were entered into EpiData version 3.1 and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. Binary logistic regression model was fitted to assess the association between adherence to self-care recommendations and associated factors. P value < 0.05 with 95% confidence interval (CI) was considered to declare a statistically significant association in multivariable logistic regression. Results: In this study, 304 patients participated with a response rate of 97.4%. Only 32.9% of them had good adherence to self-care recommendations. Having good knowledge on heart failure (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 4.6; 95% CI: 1.82, 11.86), no depression (AOR = 6.1; 95% CI: 1.92, 19.37), having strong social support (AOR = 3.57; 95% CI: 1.56-8.33), age 30-49 years (AOR = 3.37; 95% CI: 1.14, 9.89), and college and above level of education (AOR = 6.17; 95% CI: 1.22, 31.25) were factors significantly associated with good adherence to self-care recommendations. Conclusion: This study showed that most of the heart failure patients had poor adherence to self-care recommendations. Policymakers and other stakeholders should develop and implement appropriate strategies to increase patients' adherence level to self-care recommendations by emphasizing on addressing identified factors.

Effect of a self-care educational intervention to improve self-care adherence among patients with chronic heart failure: a clustered randomized controlled trial in Northwest Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: As the burden of cardiovascular disease increases in sub-Saharan Africa, there is a growing need for low-cost interventions to mitigate its impact. Providing self-care health education to patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) is recommended as an intervention to prevent complications, improve quality of life, and reduce financial burdens on fragile health systems. However, little is known about health education's effectiveness at improving CHF self-management adherence in sub-Saharan Africa. Therefore the present study aimed to assess the effectiveness of an educational intervention to improve self-care adherence among patients with CHF at Debre Markos and Felege Hiwot Referral Hospitals in Northwest Ethiopia. METHODS: To address this gap, we adapted a health education intervention based on social cognitive theory comprising of intensive four-day training and, one-day follow-up sessions offered every four months. Patients also received illustrated educational leaflets. We then conducted a clustered randomized control trial of the intervention with 186 randomly-selected patients at Debre Markos and Felege Hiwot referral hospitals. We collected self-reported data on self-care behavior before each educational session. We analyzed these data using a generalized estimating equations model to identify health education's effect on a validated 8-item self-care adherence scale. RESULTS: Self-care adherence scores were balanced at baseline. After the intervention, patients in the intervention group (n = 88) had higher adherence scores than those in the control group (n = 98). This difference was statistically significant (ß = 4.15, p < 0.05) and increased with each round of education. Other factors significantly associated with adherence scores were being single (ß = - 0.25, p < 0.05), taking aspirin (ß = 0.76, p < 0.05), and having a history of hospitalization (ß = 0.91, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: We find that self-care education significantly improved self-care adherence scores among CHF patients. This suggests that policymakers should consider incorporating self-care education into CHF management. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: PACTR201908812642231.

Patient safety culture and associated factors among health care professionals at public hospitals in Dessie town, north east Ethiopia, 2019.

INTRODUCTION: Patient safety culture is defined as the attitudes, perceptions, and values that staffs share within an organization related to patient safety. The safety of health care is now a major global concern. It is likely that millions of people suffer disabling injuries or death directly related to medical care. Particularly in developing and transitional countries, patient harm is a global public health problem. The objective of the study is to assess patient safety culture and associated factors among health care professionals working in public hospitals in Dessie town, North East Ethiopia, 2019. METHODS: Facility based quantitative study was employed from March 15 -April 30, 2019 in public hospitals in Dessie town. Four hundred and twenty two health care professionals were recruited to complete a structured pretested self-administered questionnaire. The data was cleaned, coded and entered in to Epi Info-7 and exported to SPSS version 20. Data was further analyzed using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Variables with P value of less than 0.05 in multivariate analysis were declared as statistically significant at 95% CI. RESULTS: Of the 422 recruited a total of 411 participants completed the survey with a response rate of 97.4%. Close to half (184(44.8%)) of the participants indicated good patient safety culture. Good patient safety culture was positively associated with working in primary hospital (AOR = 2.56, 95% CI = 1.56, 4.21). On the other hand, good patient safety culture was negatively associated with health professional's age between 25-34 year (AOR = 0.25, 95% CI = 0.08-0.74) and working in Pediatrics ward (AOR = 0.39, 95% CI = 0.17-0.9) and in emergency ward (AOR = O.25, 95%CI = 0.09-0.67). CONCLUSION: The overall level of patient safety culture was under 50%. Good patient safety culture had positive association with working in primary hospital and negative association with professionals' age between 25-29 year, 30-34 year and working in pediatrics and emergency ward. Implementing actions that support all dimensions of safety culture should be promoted at all levels of hospitals.

Determinants of severe acute malnutrition among under five children in rural Enebsie Sarmidr District, East Gojjam Zone, North West Ethiopia, 2016.

BACKGROUND: Severe acute malnutrition is one of the major public health problems in developing countries having a devastating effect on the lives of many children under 5 years of age. In Ethiopia, there has been isolated studies conducted on malnutrition with no study attempting to identify the determinants of severe acute malnutrition in the rural district of Enebsie Sarmidr.This study intends to identify the determinants of severe acute malnutrition in rural district located in North West Ethiopia. METHODS: A Community based un matched case -control study was carried on 311 (64 cases and 247 controls) children aged between birth-59 months with their respective mothers or care takers from March 1-30/ 2016. Odds Ratio along with 95% confidence interval was estimated to identify determinants of severe acute malnutrition using the multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: The response rate was 97.8%. Severe acute malnutrition was significantly associated with age groups birth-24 months (AOR = 2.64, 95% CI 1.17-5.95), late initiation of breast feeding greater than an hour after birth (AOR = 4.26, 95% CI 1.74-10.42), nonexclusive breast feeding (AOR =5.81, 95% CI 1.80-18.79), diarrheal disease in the preceding 2 weeks before SAM (AOR = 7.98, 95% CI 2.57-24.74), febrile illnesses preceding 2 weeks before SAM (AOR = 2.87 95% CI 1.13-7.63), decreased or maintained mealing of the mother compared to the regular during pregnancy or lactation (AOR = 8.15, 95% CI 3.70-17.98) and birth interval less than 2 years (AOR = 3.34, 95% CI 1.55-7.20) after controlling other variables effect. CONCLUSION: A child's age, late initiation of breast feeding, nonexclusive breast feeding, diarrheal diseases and febrile illnesses preceding 2 weeks before SAM, decreased or maintained mealing compared to the regular during pregnancy and lactating of the mother and narrow birth interval were identified as determinants of SAM. Therefore, collaborative efforts are needed to improve promotion of better child caring practices specifically, child and maternal feeding practices and prevention and treatment of acute illnesses.

Timely initiation of breastfeeding and its association with birth place in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Timely initiation of breastfeeding is defined as putting the newborn to the breast within 1 h of birth. In Ethiopia, different studies have been conducted to assess the prevalence of timely initiation of breastfeeding and associated factors. The findings of these studies were inconsistent and characterized by great variability. Therefore, the aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to estimate the pooled prevalence of timely initiation of breastfeeding and its association with birth place in Ethiopia using the available studies. METHODS: Databases, including PubMed, Google scholar, Science direct and Cochrane library were systematically searched. All original studies reporting the prevalence of timely initiation of breastfeeding in Ethiopia were considered. Two authors independently extracted all necessary data using a standardized data extraction format. STATA 11 statistical software was used to analyze the data. The Cochrane Q test statistics and I2 test were used to assess the heterogeneity between the studies. A random effect model was computed to estimate the pooled prevalence of timely initiation of breastfeeding. In addition, the associations between timely initiation of breastfeeding and place of birth were determined. RESULTS: Sixteen studies were finally included in the meta-analysis. The findings of this meta-analysis revealed that, the pooled prevalence of timely initiation of breastfeeding in Ethiopia was 61.4% (CI: 51.4, 71.5%). The study also indicated that rural mothers had lower rate of initiating breastfeeding within the first 1 h after delivery as compared to their urban counterparts. Additionally, mothers who gave birth at health institution were almost 2.11 times more likely to initiate breastfeeding within 1 h as compared to mothers who did not give birth at health institution. CONCLUSION: In this study, timely initiation of breastfeeding in Ethiopia was significantly low compared to the current global recommendation on breastfeeding. Women from rural area were less likely to initiate breastfeeding within 1 h as compared with women from urban areas. Mothers who give birth at health institution were more likely to initiate breastfeeding timely.

Occupational Exposure to Needle Stick and Sharp Injuries and Associated Factors among Health Care Workers in Awi Zone, Amhara Regional State, Northwest Ethiopia, 2016.

BACKGROUND: Needle stick and sharp injuries were one of the major risk factors for blood and body fluid borne infections at health care facilities. OBJECTIVE: To assess occupational exposure to needle stick and sharp injuries and associated factors among health care workers in Awi zone, 2016. METHODS: institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted among 193 health care workers. Study participants were selected using systematic random sampling technique. RESULT: When queried, 18.7% of the respondents' encountered needle stick and sharp injury in the last 1 year. Participants who practiced needle recapping and had job related stress were 21.3 and 7.3 times more likely to face needle stick and sharp injury, respectively. However, those who apply universal precautions and acquire the required skill were 99% and 96% times less likely to face needle stick and sharp injury, respectively, than their counterparts. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION: The prevalence of needle stick and sharp injury was relatively low as compared to previous studies. Recapping of needle after use, job related stress, not applying universal precautions, and lack of the required skill were associated with needle stick and sharp injuries. Therefore, health care providers should apply universal precaution.

Exclusive breastfeeding practice and associated factors among mothers in Motta town, East Gojjam zone, Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia, 2015: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Exclusive breastfeeding means babies are given only breast milk and nothing else: no other milk, food, drink, not even water for one day (24 hrs) before the survey was conducted. It prevents 13% of childhood mortality; i.e, at least 1.2 million children worldwide would be saved every year. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) practice and its associated factor among mothers who have infants less than six months of age in Motta town, East Gojjam, Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia. METHOD: A community based quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted from April 7, 2015 to May 7, 2015. A simple random sampling technique was applied after taking all registered mothers who have infants less than six months old from local health extension workers of each kebele. A total of 423 mothers with infant less than six months old were included in this study. The data was collected using an interviewer administered questioaire. Both bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding practice. RESULT: Prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding was 50.1%. Mothers with young infants aged 0-1 month (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] 3.86: (1.64, 9.07), unemployed mothers (AOR 3.01: 1.46, 6.20), low income mothers (AOR 3.61: 1.75, 7.45), mothers who received breastfeeding counseling in pregnancy (AOR 2.76: 1.52, 4.99), fed colostrum (AOR 3.50: 1.45, 8.45), didn't give prelacteal feeds (AOR 4.48: 1.82, 11.03) and were supported by their husband (AOR 2.67: 1.04, 6.95) were more likely to practice exclusive breastfeeding than their counterparts. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding practice in study area was lower than country recommended level. Age of the child, maternal occupation, income, breastfeeding counseling during antenatal care, husband support of breastfeeding and colostrum feeding were independent predictors of exclusive breastfeeding practice. Recommendations to increase exclusive breastfeeding practice are revising postpartum maternity leave, increasing health professional's habit of breastfeeding counseling through training, involving husbands during counseling, educating mothers and the community as a whole to avoid traditional practices that hinder exclusive breastfeeding up to six months.