Prevalence of teenage pregnancy and associated factors among preparatory and high school students in Wolaita Sodo town, southern Ethiopia: an institution-based cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of teenage pregnancy and associated factors among teenage schoolgirls aged 15-19 years in Wolaita Sodo town, southern Ethiopia. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. SETTING: This study was conducted among teenage girls from preparatory and high schools in Wolaita Sodo town, southern Ethiopia, between 1 April and 30 May 2019. PARTICIPANTS: 588 (97.8%) of 601 randomly selected teenage schoolgirls aged 15-19 years (selected via a multistage random sampling technique) participated in the study. OUTCOME MEASURES: Teenage pregnancy and associated factors. RESULTS: The prevalence of teenage pregnancy among schoolgirls in Wolaita Sodo town was 14.6% (95% CI 11.9% to 17.7%). The current pregnancy rate was 33.7% (95% CI 23.9% to 44.7%). Having a family history of teenage pregnancy (AOR 3.3; 95% CI 1.3 to 8.4) and access to mass media (AOR 2.5; 95% CI 1.1 to 6.2) were positively associated with teenage pregnancy, while condom use (AOR 0.1; 95% CI 0.03 to 0.5) and knowledge of where to get modern contraceptives (AOR 0.4; 95% CI 0.2 to 0.9) were negatively associated. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of teenage pregnancy among schoolgirls in Wolaita Sodo was high. Having a family history of teenage pregnancy and access to mass media were positively associated with teenage pregnancy, whereas reported condom use and knowledge of where to get modern contraceptives were negatively associated with teenage pregnancy among schoolgirls.

Association between iron-folic acid supplementation and pregnancy-induced hypertension among pregnant women in public hospitals, Wolaita Sodo, Ethiopia 2021: a case- control study.

BACKGROUND: Pregnancy-induced hypertension is the new onset of high blood pressure after 20 weeks of gestation in women with previously normal blood pressure. To the best of our knowledge, no study has been conducted in our country to investigate the association between this pregnancy problem and iron-folic acid supplementation. The aim of this study was to determine the association between iron-folic acid supplementation and pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) in pregnant women at public hospitals in the Wolaita Sodo zone. METHODS: An institution-based case-control study was conducted among pregnant women who visited public hospitals in the Wolaita Sodo zone from March 3, 2022, to August 30, 2022. A consecutive sampling method was used to select the study participants. The total sample size was 492, of which 164 were cases and 328 were controls. The data were collected by conducting face-to-face interviews and measurements. The data were entered into EpiData version 4.6 and exported to STATA 14 for analysis. Those variables with a p-value less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Descriptive statistics and odds ratios were presented using texts, tables, and figures. RESULTS: A total of 471 women participated in this study, yielding a response rate of 96%. The cases had a mean age of 25 ± 4.43, while the controls had a mean age of 25 ± 3.99. The mean age at first pregnancy among cases was 20 ± 2.82 and among controls was 20 ± 2.97. The average number of deliveries for cases and controls was 1.97 ± 1.41 and 1.95 ± 1.38, respectively. There is no significant association between iron-folic acid supplementation and PIH. Pregnant women with high hemoglobin levels had higher odds of PIH as compared to those without it (AOR = 3.65; 95% CI: 1.0-12.9). Eating kocho (AOR = 14.4; 95% CI: 1.2-16.7) was positively associated with PIH. CONCLUSIONS: There is no association between iron-folic acid supplementation during pregnancy and pregnancy-induced hypertension. Pregnant women with high hemoglobin levels had higher odds of PIH as compared to those without it. There is an association between kocho consumption and PIH. More research should be done using stronger designs.

Determinants of Preeclampsia Among Pregnant Women in Public Hospitals of Wolaita and Dawuro Zones, Southern Ethiopia: A Case-Control Study.

Introduction: Preeclampsia is a leading cause of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality in Ethiopia. It is defined by the onset of new hypertension (HTN) and proteinuria in the second trimester of pregnancy. There is a research gap in the study area and there is an inconsistency of findings in previous studies. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the factors of preeclampsia among pregnant women in public hospitals. Methods and Materials: An institution-based unmatched case-control study was conducted in public hospitals in Wolaita and Dawuro Zones from February 1 to June 26, 2021. Women who were diagnosed with preeclampsia were cases, while those who did not have it were controls. They were selected using a consecutive sampling method. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were done by STATA. Results: A total of 349 cases and 698 controls participated in this study. The average age of the cases and controls was 26.1 ± 4.6 standard deviation (SD) and 24.6 ± 4.8 SD years, respectively. The determinants of preeclampsia in this study were a family history of HTN (adjusted odds ratio [AOR = 11.5; 95% confidence interval, CI: 6.46-20.41], family history of diabetes mellitus [AOR = 2.1; 95% CI: 1.10-3.90], having two or multiple pregnancies [AOR = 6.33; 95% CI: 2.28-17.51], primigravida [AOR = 1.49; 95% CI: 1.01-2.21], and being gravida 5-9 [AOR = 2.47; 95% CI: 1.34-4.58]). Conclusion: In this study, family history of HTN, family history of diabetes mellitus, history of preeclampsia, primigravida, and multiple gestation pregnancies were the determinants of preeclampsia. As a result, health care providers should pay special attention to pregnant women with a family history of HTN, primigravida, and two or multiple gestation pregnancies during antenatal care follow-up.

Availability of comprehensive emergency obstetric and neonatal care in developing regions in Ethiopia: lessons learned from the USAID transform health activity.

BACKGROUND: In collaboration with its partners, the Ethiopian government has been implementing standard Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care Services (CEmONC) since 2010. However, limited studies documented the lessons learned from such programs on the availability of CEmONC signal functions. This study investigated the availability of CEmONC signal functions and described lessons learned from Transform Health support in Developing Regional State in Ethiopia. METHOD: At baseline, we conducted a cross-sectional study covering 15 public hospitals in four developing regions of Ethiopia (Somali, Afar, Beneshangul Gumz, and Gambella). Then, clinical mentorship was introduced in ten selected hospitals. This was followed by reviewing the clinical mentorship program report implemented in all regions. We used the tool adapted from an Averting Maternal Death and Disability tools to collect data through face-to-face interviews. We also reviewed maternal and neonatal records. We then descriptively analyzed the data and presented the findings using text, tables, and graphs. RESULT: At baseline, six out of the 15 hospitals performed all the nine CEmONC signal functions, and one-third of the signal functions were performed in all hospitals. Cesarean Section service was available in eleven hospitals, while blood transfusion was available in ten hospitals. The least performed signal functions were blood transfusion, Cesarean Section, manual removal of placenta, removal of retained product of conceptus, and parenteral anticonvulsants. After implementing the clinical mentorship program, all CEmONC signal functions were available in all hospitals selected for the mentorship program except for Abala Hospital; the number of Cesarean Sections increased by 7.25% at the last quarter of 2021compared to the third quarter of 20,219; and the number of women referred for blood transfusions and further management of obstetric complications decreased by 96.67% at the last quarter of 2021 compared to the third quarter of 20,219. However, the number of women with post-cesarean Section surgical site infection, obstetric complications, facility maternal deaths, neonatal deaths, and stillbirths have not been changed. CONCLUSION: The availability of CEmONC signal functions in the supported hospitals did not change the occurrence of maternal death and stillbirth. This indicates the need for investigating underlying and proximal factors that contributed to maternal death and stillbirth in the Developing Regional State of Ethiopia. In addition, there is also the need to assess the quality of the CEmONC services in the supported hospitals, institutionalize reviews, surveillance, and response mechanism for maternal and perinatal or neonatal deaths and near misses.

Correction: Satisfaction with regular hospital foodservices and associated factors among adult patients in Wolaita zone, Ethiopia: A facility-based cross-sectional study.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0264163.].

Determinants of syphilis infection among pregnant women attending antenatal care in hospitals of Wolaita zone, Southern Ethiopia, 2020.

OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY: The objective of this study was to identify determinants of syphilis infection among pregnant women attending antenatal care in hospitals in the Wolaita zone, Southern Ethiopia,2020. METHODS: An unmatched facility-based case-control study was conducted among pregnant women who received antenatal care at four randomly selected hospitals from September 1 to October 30, 2020. A two-stage sampling technique was used in the selection of hospitals and study participants. The data were collected from the participants using a pre-tested structured questionnaire and analyzed using STATA Release 15. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to determine syphilis infection determinants. Crude and adjusted odds ratios were used for each explanatory variable with a 95% confidence level. A statistically significant association was declared when a p-value was less than 0.05. RESULTS: A total of 296 (74 cases and 222 controls) pregnant women participated, with a recruitment rate of 97.4%. In multivariate logistic regression, the likelihood of developing a maternal syphilis infection was higher in pregnant women who had more than one-lifetime sexual partner [AOR = 3.59, 95% CI (1.09-11.71)]; a history of sexually transmitted infections [AOR = 3.46, 95%CI (1.32-9.08)] and used a substance [AOR = 3.39, 95%CI (1.31-8.77)]. CONCLUSION: Sexual-related factors continued to be a major determinant of syphilis in pregnant women. The results suggest that there is a need to promote safe sexual behavior, raise awareness about the risk of STIs, and early diagnosis and treatment of STIs to control syphilis infection, and necessary to make the antenatal care service comprehensive for pregnant women.

Satisfaction with regular hospital foodservices and associated factors among adult patients in Wolaita zone, Ethiopia: A facility-based cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Food service in hospital is one of the essential parts of the treatment process that determines recovery length and a hospital stay of patients. Even though many researches have been conducted on patients' satisfaction with healthcare services, there is a lack of studies that specifically address the satisfaction with food service at healthcare facilities in Ethiopia. This study aimed to assess patient satisfaction with regular hospital food service and associated factors among adults admitted to in-patient departments of hospitals. METHODS: A hospital-based cross-sectional study design was conducted to interview 423 patients admitted to three randomly selected hospitals namely Wolaita Sodo University Referral and Teaching Hospital, Dubo St. Catholic Hospital and Sodo Christian Hospital. Participants were recruited based on probability proportional to the number of clients in each hospital. After data entry using EpiInfo v7.2.2.6, the data were exported to SPSS v23 software for further analysis. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions were undertaken to see the association between variables. Statistically significant variables were declared using an adjusted odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval. RESULT: Among the total participants 33.6% (95%CI: [29.1, 38.3]) of patients were satisfied with regular hospital food services. Multivariate analysis revealed that residence (AOR = 2.16; 95%CI: [1.28, 3.63]), monthly income (AOR = 5.64; 95%CI: [2.30, 8.28]), flavour of meal, (AOR = 2.63; 95%CI: [1.34, 5.56]), and provision of easily chewable food (AOR = 7.50; 95%CI: [2.00, 12.82]) were influencing factors for satisfaction on hospital foodservices. CONCLUSION: This research ascertained a low patient satisfaction with regular hospital meal service. The identified factors need to be addressed giving attention for each foodservice dimension to scale up the patient satisfaction with hospital food services.

Treatment seeking delay and associated factors among tuberculosis patients attending health facility in Ethiopia from 2000 to 2020: A systematic review and meta analysis.

BACKGROUND: Treatment seeking delay is defined as the time interval between the onset of the major symptoms of tuberculosis (TB) and the first visit to the formal health care facility. The patient was said to be delayed if the patient visited the health-facility after 3 weeks onset of major symptoms. However, in low-income countries like Ethiopia, the delay in treatment-seeking among tuberculosis patients contributes to a widespread transmission and high prevalence of tuberculosis. METHODS: Studies were retrieved from PubMed, Cochrane Database, Cinahl, Scopus, Mednar, and Google Scholar by employing a combination of search terms with Boolean operators. Heterogeneity across studies was assessed using the Cochrane Q test. A funnel plot was used for visual assessment of publication bias. Subgroup analyses were performed to explore the possible causes of heterogeneity. Egger's weighted regression test at a p-value < 0.05 was used to assess the presence of publication bias. Sensitivity analysis was performed to judge whether the pooled effect size was influenced by individual study. STATA software version 14 was used for all statistical analyses. RESULT: A total of 12 studies with 5122 total sample size were included. The national pooled prevalence of treatment seeking delay was 44.29% (95% CI: 39.805, 48.771). The visual inspection of the funnel plot showed the asymmetrical distribution, and the Egger test showed insignificant (P = 0.348). Patients who did not seek formal health care providers on a first contact had about 7 times more likely to delay than patients who sought formal health care provider on a first contact (OR: 7.192 ((95% CI 5.587-9.257), P = 0.001, I2: 85%). The others independent predictors of delay were rural residence (OR: 3.459 ((95% CI 1.469-8.148), P ≤ 0.001), extra pulmonary TB (OR: 2.520 ((95% CI 1.761-3.605), 0.180), lower educational level (OR 11.720 ((95% CI 1.006-2.938), P <0.001), and distance more than 10km from health facility (OR: 1.631 ((95% CI (10.858-3.101), P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: In this review, we identified a substantial treatment seeking delay among TB patients in Ethiopia. And, the independent predictors of delay were treatment sought before formal health care provider, residence of the patient, type of TB, educational level, and distance from a health facility. Thus, we recommend health extension workers, health professionals and other stakeholders to focus on patient education, and to continuously mobilize the whole communities on early treatment seeking with a special emphasis given to where treatment sought before formal health care provider, rural resident, extra pulmonary TB, and a patient living farther than 10km distance from health facility.