Severity and mortality of COVID-19 among people with disabilities: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: As the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent global healthcare crisis continue, people with disabilities may face greater health risks than their non-disabled peers. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to determine the severity and mortality of COVID-19 among people with different types of disabilities. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We will search PubMed, HINARI, ScienceDirect, PEDro and Cochrane Library databases. Grey literature search will also be conducted on MedRxiv and Google Scholar. Searches will be without date restrictions. Cohort, case-control and cross-sectional studies assessing the severity and mortality of COVID-19 among people with disabilities will be included. Only full-text studies in the English language will be included. The outcomes of interest include the risk of COVID-19 infection, rate of hospitalisation, severity, hospital stay, mortality and others variables where data are available. Two reviewers will extract data and perform risk of bias assessment independently. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale will be used to assess risk of bias. Review Manager V.5.4 and Stata V.16.0 software will be used for statistical analysis. Heterogeneity will be analysed using I² statistics. Pooled OR with 95% CI will be used to calculate the pooled results for outcome variables. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval and informed consent are not required as this is a systematic review of existing publications. The final results will be published in a peer reviewed journal and presented at national and international conferences. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42022306361.

Spatial Distribution and Determinants of Nonautonomy on Decision Regarding Contraceptive Utilization among Married Reproductive-Age Women in Ethiopia: Spatial and Bayesian Multilevel Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Studies conducted to date in Ethiopia did not explore the spatial distribution, individual-level, and community-level factors affecting women's nonautonomy on decision to use contraceptives. Hence, this study aimed to assess the spatial distribution of women's nonautonomy on decision regarding contraceptive utilization and its determinants in Ethiopia. METHODS: Data were accessed from the Demographic Health Survey program official database website (https://dhsprogram.com). A weighted sample of 3,668 married reproductive-age women currently using contraceptives was included in this analysis. Bayesian multilevel logistic regression models were fitted to identify the determinants of women's nonautonomy on contraceptive utilization. Adjusted odds ratio with 95% credible interval was used to select variables that have a significant effect on nonautonomy on contraceptive utilization. RESULTS: A high proportion of women with nonautonomy on decision regarding contraceptive utilization was found in northern parts of Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People's Region, Southern parts of Oromia, and Benishangul-Gumuz regions of the country. Overall, 2876 (78.40% (95% CI: 77.0%, 79.7%)) women were nonautonomous on decision regarding contraceptive utilization. In the final model, age from 35-49 (AOR (95% CI) = 0.63 (0.54, 0.72)), living in the richer households (AOR (95% CI) = 0.12 (0.03, 0.26)), being married at 18 years or above (AOR (95% CI) = 0.33 (0.19, 0.57)), and residing in an rural areas (AOR (95% CI) = 1.34 (1.01, 1.71)) and metropolitan regions (AOR (95% CI) = 0.71(0.54, 0.91)) were associated with women's nonautonomy on decision regarding contraceptive utilization. CONCLUSIONS: In Ethiopia, the spatial distribution of women's nonautonomy on decision about contraceptive utilization was nonrandom. More than three-fourths of married reproductive-age women in Ethiopia are nonautonomous on decision regarding contraceptive utilization. Region, residence, current age, age at marriage, and wealth index were statistically associated with women's nonautonomy on decision regarding contraceptive utilization.

Psychological problems and the associated factors related to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown among college students in Amhara Region, Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: The central aim of this study was to assess the level of psychological problems among college students during school closure due to the emerging COVID-19 pandemic. DESIGN: Institution-based, cross-sectional study. SETTING: Colleges in the Amhara regional state of Ethiopia. PARTICIPANTS: Participants were college students (N=422, >18 years) who were actively enrolled in the selected colleges preceding the survey. METHODS: Data entry was done using Epi Info V.7.02 and data analysis was done using SPSS V.24.0. Variables with a p value less than 0.25 in the bivariate analysis were entered into the multivariable logistic regression model. Model fitness was checked using the Hosmer-Lemeshow model fitness test. Statistically significant level was declared at p<0.05. OUTCOME: Level of psychological problem. RESULTS: This study involved 408 students, with a response rate of 96.6%. In this study, 77.2%, 71.8% and 48.5% of students experienced depression, anxiety and stress-related psychological problems during the lockdown, respectively. The multivariable logistic regression model showed that being female (adjusted OR (AOR)=1.68, 95% CI 1.09 to 2.91), inadequate practice of prevention measures (AOR=1.74, 95% CI 1.01 to 3.02) and living in an urban residency (AOR=0.76, 95% CI 0.48 to 0.94) were independent predictors of psychological problems among students. CONCLUSIONS: The study revealed that the level of anxiety, stress and depression disorders is optimally high among college students. Therefore, local governments should develop effective psychological interventions for students. Moreover, it is important to consider the educational enrolment type and the academic year of students.

Neonatal mortality and its associated factors among neonates admitted at public hospitals, pastoral region, Ethiopia: A health facility based study.

BACKGROUND: Neonatal mortality is a public health issue in, Ethiopia. Unfortunately, the issue is noticeably under-reported and underestimated, so the true gravity of the situation cannot be acknowledged in developing regions of the country. Regrettably, there is no single study to show the rates and predictors of neonatal mortality for Afar region. Thus, this study aims to assess neonatal mortality and associated factors in Afar region, Ethiopia. METHODS: A health facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 403 neonates admitted to the neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) from January 2015 to December 2019. Maternal and neonatal medical records were reviewed and audited using structured data extraction checklist. The data was collected by four trained nurses and midwives. The medical records were selected using a systematic random sampling technique. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were done. Adjusted odds ratio with the corresponding 95% confidence interval were used to assess the association between neonatal mortality and the associated factors. Finally, the statistical significance level was declared at a p-value of less than 0.05. RESULTS: In this study, 391 medical records of newborns were included with the data complete rate of 97.02%. The prevalence of neonatal mortality was 57 (14.6%) [95% CI 11.0%-18.4%]. A multivariable logistic regression showed that lack of antenatal care (ANC) follow up [AOR = 4.69: 95%CI (1.77, 12.47)], giving birth through cesarean section [AOR 3.59, 95%CI (1.22, 10.55)], having admission temperature less than 36.5°C [AOR 10.75, 95%CI (3.75, 30.80)], birth asphyxia [AOR 7.16, 95%CI (2.22, 23.10)], and having a length of stay greater than five days in the hospital [AOR 0.23, 95%CI (0.08, 0.66)] were significantly associated with neonatal mortality. CONCLUSION: This study revealed that the rate of neonatal mortality is still high compared to the national data. Antenatal care, cesarean section delivery, length of stay in the hospital, low temperature at admission and birth asphyxia were factors associated with neonatal mortality. Thus, the health facilities should give due attention to improve antenatal care, intrapartum care and standardized care for admitted neonates. Furthermore, prospective studies are recommended.

Knowledge level and factors influencing prevention of COVID-19 pandemic among residents of Dessie and Kombolcha City administrations, North-East Ethiopia: a population-based cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: In Ethiopia, community-level knowledge about the current COVID-19 pandemic has not been well studied. This study is aimed to assess knowledge level and factors influencing the prevention of the COVID-19 pandemic among residents of Dessie and Kombolcha city administrations, Ethiopia. DESIGN: Community-based cross-sectional study. SETTINGS: Dessie and Kombolcha city administrations. PARTICIPANTS: Participants were household heads or members (n=828, >18 years) who have lived in the study area for at least 2 months preceding the survey. METHODS: Binary logistic regression was used for a single outcome and multiple response variables. In the multivariable regression model, a value of p<0.05 and adjusted OR (AOR) with 95% CI were used to identify factors associated with knowledge level of the community. Epi Info V.7.2 and SPSS V.20 software were used for data entry and analysis, respectively. OUTCOME: Knowledge level. RESULTS: A total of 828 participants was involved with a response rate of 98%. Women were 61.7%. Participants' mean (±SD) age was 39 (±14) years. Of the total participants 54.11% (95% CI 50.6% to 57.6%) had inadequate knowledge about COVID-19 prevention. Significant associations were reported among women (AOR=1.41; 95% CI 1.03 to 1.92); age ≥65 years (AOR=2.72; 95% CI 1.45 to 5.11); rural residence (AOR=2.69; 95% CI 1.78 to 4.07); unable to read and write (AOR=1.60; 95% CI 1.02 to 2.51); information not heard from healthcare workers, mass media and social media (AOR=1.95; 95% CI 1.35 to 2.82), (AOR=2.5; 95% CI 1.58 to 4.19) and (AOR=2.13; 95% CI 1.33 to 3.42), respectively, with inadequate knowledge. CONCLUSION: These findings revealed that more than 50% of participants had inadequate knowledge about COVID-19. It highlights the need for widespread awareness campaigns about COVID-19 through mass media, healthcare professionals and social media as sources of information. House-to-house awareness creation is recommended to address older adults who are more vulnerable to the pandemic.