Inequities and trends of polio immunisation among children aged 12-23 months in Ethiopia: a multilevel analysis of Ethiopian demographic and health survey.

INTRODUCTION: Despite Ethiopia's policy intention to provide recommended vaccination services to underprivileged populations, inequity in polio immunisation persists. OBJECTIVE: This study examined inequity and trends in polio immunisation and determinant factors among children aged 12-23 months in Ethiopia between 2000 and 2019. METHODS: Cross-sectional data from 2000, 2005, 2011, 2016 and 2019 Ethiopian demographic and health surveys were analysed with the updated version of the WHO's Health Equity Assessment Toolkit software. Six standard equity measures: equity gaps, equity ratios, population attributable risk, population attributable fraction, slope index of inequality and relative index of inequality were used. Datasets were analysed and disaggregated by the five equality stratifiers: economic status, education, place of residence, sex of the child and regions. Multilevel logistic regression analysis was used to identify determinant factors. RESULTS: Polio immunisation coverage was increased from 34.5% (2000) to 60.0% (2019). The wealth index-related inequity, in coverage of polio immunisation between quintiles 5 and 1, was 20 percentage points for most surveys. The population attributable risk and population attributable fraction measure in 2011 indicate that the national polio immunisation coverage in that year could have been improved by nearly 36 and 81 percentage points, respectively, if absolute and relative wealth-driven inequity, respectively, had been avoided. The absolute difference between Addis Ababa and Afar Region was 74 percentage points in 2000 and 60 percentage points in 2019. In multilevel analysis result, individual-level factors like wealth index, maternal education antenatal care and place of delivery showed statistical significance. CONCLUSION: Although polio immunisation coverage gradually increased over time, in the 20-year survey periods, still 40% of children remained unvaccinated. Inequities in coverage by wealth, educational status, urban-rural residence and administrative regions persisted. Increasing service coverage and improving equitable access to immunisations services may narrow the existing inequity gaps.

Trends of inequality in DPT3 immunization services utilization in Ethiopia and its determinant factors: Evidence from Ethiopian demographic and health surveys, 2000-2019.

BACKGROUND: Low levels of diphtheria, tetanus toxoid, pertussis (DPT3) immunization services utilization and high deaths among under five children are concentrated in economically and socially disadvantaged groups, especially in low and middle-income countries, including Ethiopia. Hence, the aim of this study is to assess levels and trends in DPT3 immunization services utilization in Ethiopia and identify inequalities. METHODS: This study used data from 2000, 2005, 2011, 2016, and 2019 Ethiopian Demographic Health Surveys (EDHSs). The 2019 updated version of the world health organization (WHO's) Health Equity Assessment Toolkit (HEAT) software was used to analyze the data. Six measure of inequality was calculated: ratio (R), differences (D), relative index of inequality (RII), slope index of inequality (SII), population attributable fraction (PAF) and population attributable risk (PAR). The findings were disaggregated by the five equity stratifiers: economic status, education, place of residence, regions and sex of the child. RESULTS: This study showed an erratic distribution of DPT3 immunization services utilization in Ethiopia. The trends in national DPT3 immunization coverage increased from 21% in (2000) to 62% in (2019) (by 41 percentage points). Regarding economic inequality, DPT3 immunization coverages for the poorest quintiles over 20 years were 15.3% (2000), and 47.7% (2019), for the richest quintiles coverage were 43.1 (2000), and 83.4% (2019). However, the service utilization among the poorest groups were increased three fold compared to the richest groups. Regarding educational status, inequality (RII) show decreasing pattern from 7.2% (2000) to 1.5% in(2019). Concerning DPT3 immunization inequality related to sex, (PAR) show that, sex related inequality is zero in 2000, 2005 and in 2019. However, based on the subnational region level, significance difference (PAR) was found in all surveys: 59.7 (2000), 51.1 (2005), 52.2 (2011), 42.5 (2016) and 30.7 (2019). The interesting point of this finding was that, the value of absolute inequality measures (PAR) and (PAF), are shown a decreasing trends from 2000 to 2019, and the gap among the better of regions and poor regions becoming narrowed over the last 20 years. Concerning individual and community level factors, household wealth index, education of the mother, age of respondent, antenatal care, and place of delivery show statically significant with outcome variable. Keeping the other variables constant the odds of an average child in Amhara Region getting DPT3 immunization was 54% less than for a child who lived in Addis Ababa (OR: 0.46, 95% CI: 0.34 - 0.63). Respondents from households with the richest and richer wealth status had 1.21, and 1.26 times higher odds of DPT3 immunization services utilization compared to their counterpart (OR: 1.21, 95% CI: 1.04 -1.41) and (OR: 1.26, 95% CI: 1.13 - 1.40) respectively. CONCLUSION: We conclude that DPT3 immunization coverage shows a growing trend over 20 years in Ethiopia. But inequalities in utilization of DPT3 immunization services among five equality stratifies studied persisted. Reasons for this could be complex and multifactorial and depending on economic, social, maternal education, place of residence, and healthcare context. Therefore, policy has to be structured and be implemented in a ways that address context specific barriers to achieving equality among population sub-groups and regions.

Effect of contacts with health professionals on modern contraceptives uptake during the first 6 weeks after child birth: a prospective cohort study in Arsi Zone.

BACKGROUND: Healthy timing and spacing of pregnancy refers to the spacing between deliveries and subsequent pregnancies. The World Health Organization recommends waiting at least 24 months between the date of the live birth and the conception of the subsequent pregnancy in order to lower the risk of unfavorable maternal, perinatal, and newborn outcomes. Low use of contraception contributes to the high level of short inter-pregnancy intervals. Different studies conclusively demonstrate that this is a reality existing in Ethiopia right now. Limited data is available regarding the effects of contacts with health professionals on the use of contraception during the postnatal period. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was performed from October 01, 2020 to March 01, 2021. The study included 418 postnatal women who gave birth during the previous week. They were followed throughout the full postnatal period. A pre-tested structured questionnaire was used to gather the data. Data were gathered twice: once during the first week following birth and once again from the eighth to the 42nd day after birth. Epi-Info version 7 was used to enter data, which was subsequently exported to SPSS version 21 for analysis. The effect of contacts with health professionals where contraceptives were discussed on contraception uptake was measured using adjusted relative risk and its 95% confidence interval. RESULTS: Modern contraceptive uptake rate during the postnatal period was 16% (95% CI: 12.50-19.50%). Contraceptive use was 3.56 times more likely in women who were counseled about contraceptives during a contacts with health professionals at a health facility compared to those who did not have a contact (aRR = 3.56, 95% CI: 1.97-6.32). Women's age, place of residence, knowledge of whether they can become pregnant before menses return, menses return after birth, and resuming sexual activity after birth were all significantly associated with contraceptive use during the first six weeks following child birth. CONCLUSIONS: Modern contraceptive uptake rate during the postnatal period among women in the study area was low. Contacts with health professionals where contraception is discussed was the main factor associated with contraception uptake during the postnatal period. We recommend that the Arsi Zone Health Office, the Weardas Health Office in the Arsi Zone, and the health care providers in the Arsi Zone health facilities strengthen contraceptive counseling in postnatal health services to reduce the proportion of women with short inter-pregnancy intervals.

Corrigendum to "Reproductive Health Right Practice among Preparatory School Female Students of Assela Town, Arsi Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia".

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2020/6070638.].

Reproductive Health Right Practice among Preparatory School Female Students of Assela Town, Arsi Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia.

INTRODUCTION: Knowledge and practice toward reproductive health right (RHR) is critical to protect young women, especially school girls, from unwanted reproductive outcomes as improving access to reproductive health services. However, the majority of young people including female secondary school students in Ethiopia have very little knowledge on the youth's reproductive health rights. The aim of this study was to assess knowledge and practice toward reproductive health right among preparatory female students in Assela Town, Arsi Zone, Ethiopia. METHODS: A study was conducted among 403 preparatory school female students in Assela Town. Simple random sampling was employed to select the subjects, and a self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. The collected data were entered using EPI Info version 3.5.4 and exported to SPSS version 21 for analysis. Descriptive and logistic regression analysis was carried out. RESULT: Sixty percent of girls discussed reproductive issues openly with their peers. About 94% of the respondents knew, at least, one contraceptive method; injectable (91.2%) was the most known type of contraceptives. Marital status, father occupation, discussion on sexual and reproductive issues, and having sexual partners were affecting the practice of reproductive health rights. CONCLUSIONS: Knowledge of the students was moderate on reproductive health right which was 70%. Practice of sexual and reproductive health rights was 22.6% among the study participants. It is recommended that promotion on sexual and reproductive health right through media is important.

Prevalence and risk factors of pneumococcal nasopharyngeal carriage in healthy children attending kindergarten, in district of Arsi Zone, South East, Ethiopia.

OBJECTIVE: S. pneumoniae responsible for a range of respiratory infections from uncomplicated to severe invasive pneumococcal disease. Nasopharyngeal specimens were collected from children attending kindergarten and aged ≤ 6 years from February, 2017 to June, 2017 to assess the nasopharyngeal carriage and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of S. pneumoniae. Parents of children interviewed using questionnaire and check list to identify associated factors. An antimicrobial susceptibility test performed using disk diffusion method. RESULTS: Overall pneumococcal carriage were 18.4% (88/477). No significant variation in colonization based on sex and age of children. Children living with siblings (1-2) < 6 years in household (adjusted odd ratio = 16.06; 95% confidence interval 6.21-41.55) and > 5 person per household (adjusted odd ratio = 3.27; 95% confidence interval 1.50-7.14) were associated with higher S. pneumoniae carriage. Non- exclusive breast feeding (adjust odd ratio = 6.00; 95% confidence interval 3.33-10.80) and horse cart transportation (adjusted odd ratio = 2.75; 95% confidence interval 1.05-7.22) increases carriage. S. pneumoniae showed 21 (23.9%) resistance to erythromycin, 18 (20.4%) to amoxicillin, 13 (15.0%) to penicillin, and the least 1 (1.1%) to augmentin.