Physical Activity and Its Associated Factors among Patients with Hypertension at Amhara Region Comprehensive Specialised Hospitals, Northwest Ethiopia: An Institutional Based Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Accurate evaluation of physical activity for patients with hypertension is important to determine patients' health outcomes and intervention measures. Information about physical activity among patients with hypertension in Ethiopia is not well known. OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed to assess the physical activity and associated factors among patients with hypertension. STUDY DESIGN: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted. STUDY SETTING: The study was conducted at the Tertiary Hospital Northwest, Ethiopia. OUTCOME MEASURES: Physical activity was assessed by Global Physical Activity Questionnaire as the primary outcome and factors significantly associated with physical activity were secondary outcomes. PARTICIPANTS: Four hundred and twenty patients with hypertension took part in the study; among those 233 were men and 187 were women. The study participants were chosen using a systematic random sampling method. SPSS V.20 statistical software was used to analyse the data. In the multivariable logistic regression analysis model, adjusted OR (AOR) with a 95% CI and p value<0.05 were used to identify the associated factors with physical activities. RESULTS: Our study showed that 19.1% of study participants had inadequate physical activity, being old age with AOR: 10.27 (3.21 to 33.01), low or poor self-efficacy with AOR: 10.34 (4.89 to 21.84), poor self-rated health with AOR: 5.91 (1.73 to 20.13) and lack of adequate facilities with AOR: 4.07 (1.72 to 9.66) were significantly associated with inadequate physical activity. CONCLUSION: Inadequate physical activity was detected in one-fifth of the study participants, according to our research. Being elderly, having low self-efficacy, having inadequate facilities and having poor self-rated health were all linked to inadequate physical activity.

Prevalence and associated factors of frailty among community dweller older adults living in Gondar town, northwest, Ethiopia: a community based cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Frailty is a multidimensional geriatric condition that increases vulnerability to stressors, increases the risk of negative health outcomes, and lowers quality of life in older people. However, little attention has been paid to frailty in developing countries, particularly in Ethiopia. Therefore, the aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence of frailty syndrome and the sociodemographic, lifestyle, and clinical factors associated with it. METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study design was conducted from April to June 2022. A total of 607 study participants were included using a single cluster sampling technique. The Tilburg frailty indicator, which is a self-reported schedule for assessment of frailty, required respondents to answer 'yes' or 'no' and the total attainable score ranged from 0 to 15. An individual with a score of ≥ 5 considered frail. Data were collected by interviewing the participants using a structured questionnaire, and the data collection tools were pre-tested before the actual data collection period to check for the accuracy of responses, language clarity, and appropriateness of the tools. Statistical analyses were performed using the binary logistic regression model. RESULTS: More than half of the study participants were male, and the median age of the study participants was 70, with an age range of 60-95 years. The prevalence of frailty was 39% (CI 95%, 35.51-43.1). In the final multivariate analysis model, the following factors associated with frailty were obtained: older age (AOR = 6.26 CI (3.41-11.48), presence of two or more comorbidities (AOR = 6.05 CI (3.51-10.43), activity of daily life dependency (AOR = 4.12 CI (2.49-6.80), and depression (AOR = 2.68 CI (1.55-4.63) were found to be significant factors. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS: Our study provides epidemiological characteristics and the risk factors of frailty in the study area. Efforts to promote physical, psychological, and social health in older adults are a core objective of health policy, especially for older adults aged 80 and above years, and those with two or more comorbidities.

Extracorporeal shock wave therapy on pain and foot functions in subjects with chronic plantar fasciitis: systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

PURPOSE: The aim of this review was to synthesize current evidence on the efficacy of extracorporeal shock wave therapy on pain, and foot function in subjects with plantar fasciitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A comprehensive search of PubMed/Medline, CINAHL, AMED, PEDro, Cochrane Library, and Scopus were done to identify randomized controlled trials of extracorporeal shock wave therapy in subjects with plantar fasciitis. PEDro scale was used to evaluate the methodological quality of included trials. Visual Analogue Scale and Foot Function Index were the primary outcome measures of this review. Due to varying of entailed trials, meta-analysis was not carried out. RESULTS: Eleven randomized controlled trials with 658 patients were included. Extracorporeal shock wave therapy exhibited a moderate confirmation to better pain, and foot function of individuals with chronic plantar fasciitis. CONCLUSION: Extracorporeal shock wave therapy could be a promising rehabilitation intervention and might support to improve pain, and foot function of subjects with chronic plantar fasciitis.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONExtracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) exerted beneficial effects on pain and functional outcomes for chronic plantar fasciitis.ESWT could be effectively performed with no side effects.ESWT could be an alternative to the conventional management of chronic plantar fasciitis.

Effect of Ankle Joint Mobilization with Movement on Range of Motion, Balance and Gait Function in Chronic Stroke Survivors: Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials.

BACKGROUND: Ankle joint mobilization with movement has been speculated to be an important intervention for enhancing range of motion, balance, and gait functions in chronic stroke survivors. Nonetheless, there is a scarcity of recent conclusive evidence that evaluates its efficacy in chronic stroke patients. The purpose of this review was to synthesize existing evidence on the efficacy of mobilization with movement therapy on range of motion, balance, and gait performance in subjects after stroke. METHODS: A comprehensive systematic search of literature was performed using the following databases: PubMed/Medline, CINAHL, AMED, PEDro, Cochrane Library, and Scopus. Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale was used to evaluate the methodological quality of included trials. The primary outcome measures of this review were dorsiflexion range of motion (DF-ROM), and Berg balance scale (BBS). This review was reported in accordance with PRISMA statement guidelines. Due to variations in relevant trials, meta-analysis was not carried out. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Seven randomized controlled trials with a total of 224 subjects were analyzed. Evidence of overall quality was graded from moderate to high. This review found that mobilization with movement therapy could be an alternative rehabilitative intervention for subjects with chronic stroke to increase range of motion, balance, and gait ability. However, the evidence remains preliminary due to the small number of participants. Large-scale RCTs in the future are warranted to investigate the efficacy of mobilization with movement in subgroups of chronic stroke subjects.

Ankle and Foot Pain and Associated Factors Among Nurses at Ayder Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Mekelle, Ethiopia: Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Ankle-foot pain is a significant public health problem in nurse professionals and has great burdens to the individuals, healthcare systems, and community at large. However, there is limited evidence on the prevalence of ankle-foot pain and its associated factors among nurses in Ethiopia. Thus, the finding of this study will help to address health problems resulting from ankle-foot pain among nurses. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and associated factors of ankle-s-foot pain among nurse working in Ayder Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Tigray, Ethiopia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted on a total of 366 nurses, and a simple random sampling technique was used to recruit study participants. Data were collected by using a self-administered adapted standardized Nordic questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and a bivariate logistic regression model were done to identify factors associated with ankle-foot pain. Those variables with a P-value less than 0.05 with 95% CI in multivariate model were taken as statistically significant. Finally, AOR with 95% confidence interval at a P-value of <0.05 was reported. RESULTS: The prevalence of self-reported ankle-foot pain among nurses was 43.7% (95% CI=38.5-49.1). Older age (AOR=7.669, 95% CI=2.316-25.390), low shoe comfort (AOR=4.215, 95% CI=2.031-8.745), multiple foot conditions (AOR=6.102 95% CI=1.959-19.008), working night shifts (AOR=2.047, 95% CI=1.098-3.816), high physical demand (AOR=3.487, 95% CI=1.988-6.116), and nurses working in the intensive care unit (AOR=2.402, 95% CI=1.219-4.732) showed a statistically significant association with ankle-foot pain. CONCLUSION: This study indicated that the prevalence of ankle-foot pain is commonly reported among nurses working in Ayder Comprehensive Specialized Hospital. Therefore, awareness and prevention of ankle and foot pain in nurses should be prioritized to reducing risk factors. Nurses should give attention to comfortable footwear, and further longitudinal research is recommended.