RESUMO
Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a significant public health disease and a major contributor to illness and death worldwide, including in Ethiopia. There are many information from first source which had inconclusive result in Ethiopia. Therefore, this review aimed to produce pooled evidence on the TB treatment delay and factors associated with it. Methods: The absence of a similar study with a systematic review and meta-analysis was confirmed. Articles from online available and unpublished sources conducted within Ethiopia between 2002 and 2024, were thoroughly screened using electronic sources such as Medline, Embase, Hinari, PubMed, the Cochrane Library, the Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Data analysis was performed using STATA version 14. Heterogeneity was assessed using Inverse of Variance (I2) and Cochrane Q tests. The funnel plot was employed to rule existence of publications subjectively while bias was checked using Egger's statistical method to quantify the bias. Result: Prevalence of TB treatment delay in Ethiopia was 50.42% at 95% (43.21, 57.64). Factors such as knowledge about TB, distance to health facilities less than 10 km, initial contact at a government service providing center for TB, having some educations, having pulmonary Tuberculosis, urban residency, were prtotective towards treatment delay. Female in gender, no chest pain symptom, disease severity with no restriction on daily activity, alcohol drinkers, and unmarried respondents were at higher risk to miss on time tuberculosis treatment. Conclusion and recommendation: The tuberculosis treatment delay in Ethiopia was considerably unexpected and basic personal variables and facility related variables were statistically associated with treatment. Therefore, Ethiopian TB control programs have to recognize and tackle the problem, obstacles, and vulnerability across the continuum patient care taking down and connecting to treatment post-diagnosis. This can be achieved by capacitating both government and non-governmental service provision centers and minimizing unfilled difference across professional awareness and skill, which will contribute further to minimizing delay.
RESUMO
Background: Indigenous healthcare practices are widely used by the majority of people in Ethiopia. People use them for various health needs; however the knowledge and practice of ethnomedicine across different parts of Ethiopia have not been extensively studied. This study explores ethnomedical knowledge and indigenous healthcare practices in Nekemte District, western Ethiopia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from March to April 2015 in Nekemte town and surrounding areas in western Ethiopia. The study employed a chain referral sampling technique to identify study participants. A total of 12 indigenous healers were interviewed through semi-structured interviews. Qualitative data procured through interviews were transcribed and translated into English, categorized, and narrated thematically. Results: The study revealed that ethnomedical knowledge in the study area was conveyed orally and through practical experience, and was characterized by secrecy. Fourteen different human ailments/conditions identified to be treated by the different indigenous healers, including gonorrhea, 'evil eye', diarrhea, herpes zoster, measles, and bone fractures. A further finding was that there is a lack of cooperation between modern and indigenous healthcare practitioners. Conclusions and recommendations: Indigenous healthcare practices were used to treat several human ailments. Although indigenous healthcare serves as an alternative source of healthcare for communities, lack of documentation of ethnomedicine and its associated knowledge, the lack of collaboration with modern practitioners, and the lack of support have a negative impact on indigenous healthcare. Properly considering these factors in health policies will help to preserve the local heritage of health care and resources