Quality of life among women with a diagnosis of pelvic organ prolapse at Felege Hiwot Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Bahir Dar, Northwest Ethiopia: an institutional based cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Pelvic organ prolapse is among the most common gynecologic problems worldwide. It greatly influences women's quality of life. However, research regarding the effect of pelvic organ prolapse on quality of life is limited in our study area. METHODS: An institutional-based study design among women with the diagnosis of pelvic organ prolapse at Felege Hiwot Comprehensive Specialized Hospital was employed from May to July 2018. Interviewer-administered questionnaire and Prolapse Quality of Life assessment tool were used to collect data. Gynecologic speculum examination was done to collect objective data. Data were entered into Epi info version 7 and then exported in to SPSS, version 20.0, for analysis. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used. All the statistical tests were significant at P < 0.05. RESULTS: The average prolapse quality of life score was 48.35 ± 22.75 SD. The physical limitation (score: 69.83 ± 28.77 SD) and general health perception (score: 67.39 ± 20.26 SD) domains were the most affected life domains. Younger age (AOR = 3.02 [95% CI: 1.22-7.45]), being illiterate (AOR = 3.52 [95% CI: 1.12-11.10]), and having stage IV POP (AOR = 2.84 [95% CI: 1.16-7.00]) were associated with lower quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: The QOL score showed huge variability among the study participants. The physical limitation and general health perception domains were most affected. Being illiterate, being < 35 years old, and having stage IV pelvic organ prolapse were the factors associated with lower quality of life.

Utilisation of cervical cancer screening and factors associated with screening utilisation among women aged 30-49 years in Mertule Mariam Town, East Gojjam Zone, Ethiopia, in 2021: a cross-sectional survey.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the practice of cervical cancer screening and its associated factors among women aged 30-49 years. DESIGN: Community-based cross-sectional survey. SETTING: Mertule Mariam Town, Northwest Ethiopia, 1 May-20 June 2021. PARTICIPANTS: Women aged 30-49 years who were living in the study area were eligible for inclusion. A systematic random sampling technique was used to select study participants. A total of 488 respondents participated in the study. Data were collected by using interviewer-administered structured questionnaires. Data were entered into EpiData V.3.1 and then exported to SPSS V.25 for analysis. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were done. OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence of cervical cancer screening and factors associated with screening utilisation. RESULTS: The prevalence of cervical cancer screening was found to be 14.1%. Age (≤16 years) at first sexual intercourse (adjusted OR 14.89, 95% CI 6.21 to 35.74), history of sexually transmitted disease (11.65, 4.56 to 29.78), having multiple sexual partners (11.65, 4.56 to 29.78), having good knowledge about cervical cancer screening (4.72, 2.33 to 9.56) and having a family history of cervical cancer (4.72, 2.33 to 9.56) were statistically significantly associated factors for utilisation of cervical cancer screening. CONCLUSION: Utilisation of cervical cancer screening was low in Northwest Ethiopia. Educational status, age at first sexual intercourse, history of multiple sexual partners, sexually transmitted disease, family history of cervical cancer and knowledge about cervical cancer screening were significant factors for utilisation of cervical cancer screening.

Prevalence and determinants of post--abortion family planning utilization in a tertiary Hospital of Northwest Ethiopia: a cross sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Provision of post abortion contraception following an abortion is an excellent opportunity to address unmet family planning needs of women. In Ethiopia, post abortion family planning is minimal and underutilized. The objective of this study is to assess determinant factors for utilization of contraception following any abortion process (induced and/or spontaneous) among reproductive age women (15-49 years) in a tertiary hospital of North West Ethiopia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 423 clients who presented for either spontaneous or induced abortion care from September 2016 to August 2017 in Felege Hiwot referral hospital, North West Ethiopia. Respondents were identified using a consecutive sampling method. Data was collected in clinic using an interviewer administered pre-tested questionnaire administered after services were completed. Factors associated with use of post-abortion family planning were explored using multivariable logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: 64.8% of clients who presented for abortion care received family planning services before discharge from the hospital. Family planning counseling during service provision [AOR: 25.47, 95% CI: (9.11, 71.58)], having previous information about family planning [AOR: 2.16, 95% CI: (1.09, 4.23)], gestational age of index pregnancy less than 3 months [AOR: 1.78, 95% CI:(1.13, 3.05)], being a housewife [AOR: 0.32, 95% CI: (0.16, 0.65)] and monthly income > 5000 ETB [AOR: 0.38, 95% CI:(0.16,0.98)] are significantly associated with post abortion family planning utilization. CONCLUSIONS: The proportion of post abortion family planning utilization is good but could be improved. Education before and especially at the time of abortion services strongly influenced the usage of family planning services. The government and regional health bureau at large as well as health care providers at each health system level have an opportunity to provide information and counsel women on family planning methods to increase utilization of post abortion contraception.

Food Hygiene Practice and Its Determinants Among Food Handlers at University of Gondar, Northwest Ethiopia, 2019.

INTRODUCTION: Food hygiene is an essential matter of public health for protecting or preventing diseases caused by unsafe food due to lack of good quality from production to consumption. OBJECTIVE: The current study aimed at assessing the food hygiene practice and determinant factors among food handlers working at the University of Gondar. METHODS: Univariate and multivariable binary logistic regression analyses were used to test the association of covariates with the food safety practice. Variables with p-value <0.2 were candidates for multivariable analysis. The adjusted odds ratio with 95% confidence interval and p-values less than 0.05 were used to report associations in the final model. RESULTS: A total of 184(46.7%) of the study subjects had good self-reported food hygiene practice. Being male [Adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 2.37, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.34, 4.19)], educational status (primary [AOR: 2.54, 95% CI (1.16, 5.58)] and secondary [AOR: 2.20, 95% CI (1.11, 4.37)]), workers with greater than 2 years work experience [AOR: 1.86, 95% CI (1.06, 3.25)], monthly income of 2044-4867ETB/month [AOR: 2.05, 95% CI (1.01, 4.16)] were independent predictors of food safety practice of food handlers. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS: Below half of the study subjects had good self-reported food hygiene practice. Sex, educational status, and income were factors associated with the food hygiene practice. There should be continuous supportive supervision to raise the skills of food handlers to comply to better food hygiene practice. Food hygiene training should be given especially to female food handlers. Frequent audits are also required to ensure the permanence of effective and continuous training. Regular medical check up and strict hygiene follow-up should be encouraged to prevent foodborne disease outbreaks at universities.