Antenatal care dropout and associated factors among mothers delivering in public health facilities of Dire Dawa Town, Eastern Ethiopia.

INTRODUCTION: More than two-thirds of the pregnant women in Africa have at least one antenatal care contact with a health care provider. However, to achieve the full life-saving potential that antenatal care promises for women and babies, four visits providing essential evidence-based interventions - a package often called focused antenatal care are required. Hence, identifying the factors associated with dropout of maternal health care utilization would have meaningful implications. The study aimed to assess antenatal care dropout and associated factors among mothers delivering in the public health facilities of Dire Dawa town, Ethiopia. METHODS: Facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted from January 1 to 30, 2020. Proportionate sampling and simple random sampling techniques were used to select 230 women. Data were collected using a structured and pretested interview administered questionnaire during delivery. The data were entered into Epidata version 3.1 and analyzed using SPSS version 20. A binary logistic regression model with a 95 % confidence interval was used to analyze the results. Bivariable analysis (COR [crude odds ratio]) and multivariable analysis (AOR [adjusted odds ratio]) was used to analyze the results. From the bivariable analysis, variables with a p-value < 0.25 were entered into the multivariable logistic regression analysis. From the multivariable logistic regression analysis, variables with a significance level of p-value < 0.05 were taken as factors independently associated with ANC dropout. RESULT: The proportion of antenatal care dropouts was 86 (37.4 %) (95 % CI: 31.3-43.9). In logistic regression analyses, those who had no past antenatal care follow up were more likely to have ANC dropout (AOR = 7.89; 95 % CI: 2.109-29.498) and those who had no professional advice were more likely to have antenatal care dropout (AOR = 4.64 95 % CI: 1.246-17.254). CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that a high number of women had antenatal care dropout. Having no past ANC follow-up and professional advice were the major factors of ANC service utilization dropout. Hence, giving more information during the ANC visit is important to reduce the dropout rate from the maternity continuum of care.

Child sexual abuse and its outcomes among high school students in southwest Ethiopia.

Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a major contributing factor to the burden of disease among children and adolescents. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of CSA and its outcomes among female high school students in Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted among Jirren high school female students in April 2005. A total of 323 female students from grade 9 were selected by systematic random sampling and they completed a self-administered questionnaire on experiences of sexual abuse. Data were cleaned and analysed by SPSS/PC statistical package. The results revealed that the prevalence of CSA was 68.7%. Among the different forms of sexual abuses, verbal harassment was the most common (51.4%) followed by sexual intercourse, 18.0% and unwelcome kissing, 17.1%. The commonly indicated abusers in this study were unknown persons (36%) followed by school-mates (31.5%). Among victims of sexual abuse, 7.2% had an unwanted pregnancy and 5.9% had sexually transmitted diseases. The rate of other psychological effects of CSA, such as suicide ideation, suicide attempt, and sexual dysfunction, was high. The overwhelming majority (86.4%) considered sexual abuse to be a major social problem. The study revealed that the prevalence of CSA is high. Reproductive health education should be provided to students. Parents, police, and the public in general should be made aware of the problem before it endangers the lives of children and adolescents.