Utilization of growth monitoring and promotion services among children younger than 2 years in West Armachiho district, Northwest Ethiopia.

Introduction: Inadequate physical growth and poor development of children are prevalent and significant problems worldwide, with 149 million children younger than 5 years stunted and 49 million wasted. Growth monitoring and promotion (GMP) is one of the major activities implemented with the aim of capturing growth faltering before the child reaches the status of undernutrition. In relation to this, the Amhara region, where the study area is found, is a highly burdened area for child malnutrition. Thus, it needs further investigation about the utilization of GMP services and associated factors among children younger than 2 years in the study area. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the utilization of growth monitoring and promotion services and associated factors among children younger than 2 years. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in the West Armachiho district, including 703 mother-child pairs, with a response rate of 94.7%. A simple random sampling technique was used to select the respondents. Both bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analyzes were performed. An adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with a 95% confidence interval was used to measure the strength of the association. Results: The proportion of utilization of growth monitoring and promotion services in the West Armachiho district was 13.7% (95%Cl; 11.2, 16.4). Factors such as maternal educational status (AOR = 2.17, 95%Cl; 1.05, 4.49), institutional delivery (AOR = 3.16, 95%Cl; 1.62, 6.13), family size (AOR = 2.66, 95%Cl; 1.13, 6.23), access to health facility (AOR = 3.17, 95%Cl; 1.45, 6.95), and maternal knowledge (AOR = 4.53, 95%Cl; 2.71, 7.59) were significantly associated with the utilization of growth monitoring and promotion services. Conclusion: Utilization of growth monitoring and promotion services in children younger than 2 years in the West Armachiho district was low. Thus, giving due attention to the improvement of the knowledge of the mothers/caregivers about child GMP services and counseling them about the importance of facility delivery is vital to improving growth monitoring and promotion services in the area.

Magnitude and predictors of pre-diabetes among adults in health facilities of Gondar city, Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study.

Introduction: Impaired glucose tolerance currently affects 374 million (7.5%) people worldwide, and by 2030, this number is predicted to affect 454 million (8%). Urban inhabitants have an increased risk of developing pre-diabetes. Thus, the study aimed to assess the magnitude of pre-diabetes and associated factors among adults attending outpatient departments of the health facilities of Gondar, Ethiopia. Method: From 3 March to 18 April 2020, an institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted. A systematic random sampling technique was used to select 992 participants. Data were gathered using an interviewer-administered questionnaire, and fasting blood glucose was assessed using capillary blood. Bivariable and multivariable binary logistic regression analyses were fitted to check the association between independent variables and pre-diabetes. Statistical significance was declared at a level of P of <0.05. Results: The prevalence of pre-diabetes was 16.6% (95% CIs: 14.3-18.8%). Age [AOR = 3.66, 95% CIs (2.05, 6.52)], a family history of diabetes mellitus [AOR = 3.46, 95% CIs (2.16, 5.52)], waist circumference [AOR = 3.6, 95% CIs (2.26, 5.88)], physical activity [AOR: 5.02, 95% CIs (2.87, 8.77)], dietary diversity [AOR = 3.07, 95% CIs (1.95, 4.84)], and smoking [AOR = 2.9, 95% CI (1.42, 6.05)] were factors associated with pre-diabetes. Conclusion: From our study, we can conclude that one in six adults in the health facilities have pre-diabetes. Age, family history of diabetes, waist circumference, physical activity, dietary diversity, and smoking were the factors associated with pre-diabetes. Therefore, it is recommended that adults should be educated on modifying their lifestyle, including their diet, and substantial care should be provided for older adults.

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitor Dose Optimization and Its Associated Factors at Felege Hiwot Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.

Introduction: Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors dose optimizations (ACEIs) are essential to boost the treatment outcome in heart failure patients (HF) with reduced ejection fraction. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to evaluate dose optimization and associated factors of ACEIs among HF patients. Method: An institutional-based retrospective study was conducted on 256 study participants from May 20 to August 30, 2020 in ambulatory care clinic at Felege Hiwot Comprehensive Specialized Hospital. A systematic random sampling method was carried out to select study participants. Data were collected from the patient interview and the review of medical records. Epidata and SPSS version 22 were used for data entry and analysis. A bivariate logistic regression analysis was done to determine the association of independent variables with a dose optimization of ACEIs. Results: The mean age of the subjects in the study was 53.82 years with a standard deviation (SD) of 17.067 and more than half of (60.9%) the patients were unable to read and write. Among participants who were receiving ACEIs, only 30.6% were taking an optimal dose. Age ≥65 years (AOR 5.04 (2.81-12.56)) and a dose of furosemide ≥40 mg (AOR, 2.62 (1.28-16.74)) were significantly associated with the suboptimal dose of ACEIs. Conclusion: Only one-third of patients received the optimum dose of ACEIs. Older age and dose of furosemide greater >40 mg were significantly associated with suboptimal dosing of ACEIs. Therefore, more attention must be given to older patients with HF in order to optimize the dose of ACEIs administered.