Determinants of Time-to-Death of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Patients at Felege Hiwot Referral Hospital, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.

Background: Leukemia is a group of cancers that usually begin in the bone marrow and results in a large number of abnormal white blood cells. Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia is the most prevalent leukemia in Western countries, with an estimated incidence rate of less than 1 to 5.5 per 100 000 people, and average age at diagnosis of 64 to 72 years. It is more common in men among Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia patients in Ethiopia's hospitals at Felege Hiwot Referal Hospital. Methods: A retrospective cohort research design was employed to acquire critical information from patients' medical records in order to achieve the study's purpose. The study comprised the medical records of 312 Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia who were followed from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2020. A Cox proportional hazard model was used to determine the risk factors for time to death in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia patients. Results: Accordingly the Cox proportional hazard model, age (Hazard Ratio = 11.36; P < .001), sex of male (Hazard Ratio = 1.04; P = .004), married status (Hazard Ratio = 0.03; P = .003), medium stages of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (Hazard Ratio = 1.29; P = .024), high stages of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (Hazard Ratio = 1.99; P < .001), presence of anemia (Hazard Ratio =0.09; P = .005), platelets (Hazard Ratio = 2.11; P = .007), hemoglobin (Hazard Ratio = 0.02; P < .001), lymphocytes (Hazard Ratio = 0.29; P = .006), red blood cell (Hazard Ratio = 0.02; P < .001), which patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia had a significant relationship with time to death. Conclusions: Age, sex, Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia stage, anemia, platelets, hemoglobin, lymphocytes, and red blood cells were all statistically significant determinants in the time to death of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia patients, according to the data. As a result, healthcare providers should pay particular attention to and emphasize the identified characteristics, as well as provide frequent counseling on how to enhance the health of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia patients.

Predictors of non-adherence to medication and time to default from treatment on HIV infected patients under HAART: a comparison of joint and separate models.

Background: Ethiopia is one of the Sub-Saharan Africa with the highest number of people living with HIV. Amhara region is one of the regions in the country in which many people are under medication. The main objective of this research was to identify significant predictors of non-adherence to medication and time to default from treatment for HIV infected patients under HAART. Methods: A retrospective secondary data were obtained from a random sample of 220 HIV patients under HAART. Separate and joint modeling approaches were conducted in data analysis. Joint modeling was conducted for analysis of non-adherence to medication and the time to default from treatment. In the joint model, a GLMM and Cox PH sub-models were fit together for non-adherence to medication and time to default from treatment. Results: The significant predictors for the variables of interests in current investigation were length of visiting time(AOR of 95% CI=0.866 (0.752, 0.997), female patients(AOR of 95% CI= 0.219 (0.067, 0.717)), patients disclosed the disease(AOR of 95% CI= 0.353 (0.194,0.641)), patients who got social support(AOR of 95% CI= 0.252 (0.194,0.631)), patients living with parter(AOR of 95% CI=0.188 (0.042,0.844)), patients with owner of cell phone(AOR of 95%CI= 0.272 (0.081,0.916)), urban HIV patients(AOR of 94%CI= 0.238 (0.078,0.722)), patients with working functional status(AOR of 95% CI= 0.234 (0.079,0.692)), patients with normal BMI(AOR of 95% CI=0.921 (0.881, 0.963)), patients with high baseline CD4 cell count(AOR of 95% CI=0.873 (0.552, 0.997)). Conclusion: Some groups of HIV patients were non-adherent to medication and defaulted from treatment. Health related education is recommended for non-adherent patients to be adherent for the prescribed medication and live long in the treatment.

Determinants of Organic Fertilizers Utilization Among Smallholder Farmers in South Gondar Zone, Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Adoption of organic fertilization is low among farmers in rural areas of Ethiopia, affecting yields and general food security in the region. This study aimed to identify the determinants of the utilization of organic fertilizers among smallholder farmers in the South Gondar Zone, Amhara National Regional State (ANRS), Northwest Ethiopia. METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study was used among smallholder farmers in the South Gondar Zone, ANRS, Northwest Ethiopia. Primary data were collected from 420 sample respondents using multistage sampling with a combination of both simple random and cluster sampling techniques. The binary logistic regression model was used to assess the use of organic fertilizers among smallholder farmers in the South Gondar Zone. The results are presented as adjusted odds ratios (AOR) together with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: head of household age (AOR = 1.099, 95% CI 1.018-1.187), married marital status (AOR = 10.506, 95% CI 1.355-81.427), literate head of household (AOR = 3.323, 95% CI 1.571-7.029), number of laborers (AOR = 1.442, 95% CI 1.060-1.962), farming experience (AOR = 1.132, 95% CI 1.041-1.232), farm size (AOR = 1.063, 95% CI 1.008-1.121), and number of livestock (AOR = 1.368, 95% CI 1.115-1.677) were positively associated with the utilization of organic fertilizer while single marital status (AOR = 0.062, 95% CI 0.004-0.851), cost of laborer (AOR = 0.965, 95% CI 0.951-0.978), household income (AOR = 0.880, 95% CI 0.824-0.939), medium soil fertility (AOR = 0.039, 95% CI 0.007-0.229), fertile soil (AOR = 0.020, 95% CI 0.003-0.120), and home to farm distance (AOR = 0.219, 95% CI 0.067-0.717) were negatively associated with the utilization of organic fertilizer. CONCLUSIONS: This finding showed that multiple variables have an effect to determining the use of organic fertilizer by smallholder farmers. Therefore, the finding is important to adopt programs to encourage the use of organic fertilizer, implement policies in an attempt to adapt the use of organic fertilizer among the South Gondar Zone, and critically consider these factors. Furthermore, extension workers should focus on raising awareness about the importance of organic fertilizers to encourage or expand their use among smallholder farmers.