Essential maternal health service disruptions in Ethiopia during COVID 19 pandemic: a systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: COVID 19 pandemic has challenged the resilience of the most effective health systems in the world. The Ethiopian Ministry of health tried to ensure the continuation of essential maternal health services during the pandemic. Despite several individual studies conducted on the impact of COVID 19 on maternal health services, no evidence can summarize the extent of impact as a nation and which essential maternal health service is most affected. METHOD: A systematic review was conducted to summarize the extent of disruption of essential maternal health services and identify the most affected service in the era of the COVID pandemic in Ethiopia. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis guidelines were followed. Comprehensive literature was searched using international databases PubMed, Google scholar, and African Online Journal to retrieve related articles. Descriptive analysis was made to answer the review objective. RESULT: Overall, 498 articles were retrieved using our search strategy and finally 8 articles were included in the review. We found, ANC (26.35%), skilled birth attendance (23.46%), PNC (30%), family planning (14%), and abortion care (23.7%) maximum disruption of service utilization due to the pandemic. PNC service was the most significantly affected service unit followed by the ANC unit. CONCLUSION: Essential maternal health services have been significantly disrupted due to COVID 19 pandemic in Ethiopia. It is expected from all stakeholders to prioritize safe and accessible maternity care during the pandemic and the aftermath and take lesson to reduce maternal and infant morbidity and mortality.

Food Insecurity and Its Associated Factors Among Lactating Mothers in Yirgalem Town, South Ethiopia: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Food insecurity is a state in which people do not have both physical and economic access to sufficient food to meet their dietary needs. Food insecurity affects all nations despite that it is high in Africa, particularly in Ethiopia. There is limited information on the magnitude of food insecurity and its associated factors among lactating mothers in Ethiopia. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the magnitude of food insecurity and associated factors among lactating mothers in Yirgalem Town, South Ethiopia. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study design was conducted on five randomly selected Kebeles and 557 lactating mothers who were selected using a simple random sampling technique from January 10 to April 30, 2022. The data were collected using interviewer administered questionnaires. Bi-variable and multivariable logistic regression analysis was used in the analysis. Family folder documentation was used to know the number of lactating mothers found in each Kebeles. Food insecurity was measured by household food insecurity access scale (version 3). Dietary diversity was assessed by the 24-hour dietary recall method. Results: The magnitude of food insecurity among lactating mothers was 58.2%. Low minimum dietary diversity score, mothers with two and below antenatal care, mothers who had more than two children under 5 years, no home gardening practice, and having meals two and below were significantly associated with food insecurity. Conclusion: The magnitude of food insecurity was 58.2% in the study area. Therefore, the agricultural and health sectors should work collaboratively to improve home gardening practices, dietary diversity practices and maternal health services are highly recommended to reduce food insecurity.

Knowledge, attitude, practice and associated factors of oxygen therapy among health professionals in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Oxygen therapy is a life-saving intervention used in various healthcare settings to maintain adequate tissue oxygenation while minimizing cardiopulmonary work. Its effective and safe administration depends largely on the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of health professionals. However, there are no pooled studies that examined these skills in the context of Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the pooled prevalence of health professionals' knowledge, attitude, practice, and determinant factors about oxygen therapy in Ethiopia. METHODS: The databases PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Hinari, Science Direct, African Journal of Online, and Google Scholar were used to search for published studies; Direct Google searches and institutional repositories were used to search for unpublished studies. Duplicate studies were eliminated with Endnote X8 and reported according to PRISMA guidelines. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklist. A random-effects model was used to estimate the pooled prevalence of KAP among health professionals. Heterogeneity was assessed using Cochran's Q test and I2 statistics. Publication bias was checked by visual inspection of a funnel plot and Egger's regression test. STATA version 11 software was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: A total of 14 studies with 2,960 participants for knowledge and practice and 9 studies with 1,991 participants for attitude were used to estimate the pooled prevalence of KAP among health professionals. The pooled prevalence of good knowledge, positive attitude, and good practice regarding oxygen therapy were 52.13% (95% CI: 43.88, 60.39), 55.08% (95% CI: 50.80, 59.35%), and 48.94% (95% CI: 41.14, 56.74) respectively. Both good knowledge and positive attitude were affected by the availability of oxygen therapy guidelines, with adjusted odds ratios (AOR) of 6.11 (95% CI: 2.45, 15.22) and 2.17 (95% CI: 1.39, 3.39) respectively. Additionally, good knowledge (AOR: 4.31, 95% CI: 1.53, 12.11), training (AOR: 4.09, 95% CI: 2.04-8.20), and having an adequate oxygen supply and delivery system (AOR: 3.12, 95% CI: 1.92-5.07) were statistically associated with good practice. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS: The national pooled prevalence of good knowledge, positive attitude, and good practice among health professionals was low. Therefore, thorough monitoring, supervision, and evaluation of their oxygen therapy is highly recommended for all stakeholders. Yet again, we strongly advise that the identified factors be improved by organizing training sessions, making oxygen therapy guidelines available, and maintaining an adequate oxygen supply system. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The review protocol was registered in the international prospective register of systematic reviews with registration number PROSPERO: CRD42023486036.

Knowledge, Attitude and Associated Factors of Monkeypox Infection Among Healthcare Workers in Injibara General Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia.

Background: Fighting health threats, especially the rise of new infectious diseases, is one of the main responsibilities of healthcare workers. However, their knowledge and attitudes toward monkeypox have not yet been assessed. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and factors associated with monkeypox infection among healthcare workers at Injibara General Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia. Methods: Institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from December 1-30, 2022. Data were collected using a structured self-administered questionnaire. A simple random sampling technique was used to select study participants. Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression analyses were computed. The degree of association was interpreted using an odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval and a p-value < 0.05. Results: Among the 200 healthcare workers who participated, 38.5% (95% CI: 32.5%-45%) and 62% (95% CI: 55-68.5%) had good knowledge and positive attitudes regarding monkeypox respectively. Having a master's degree or above (AOR = 11.25: 95% CI: 2.03-62.33), being vaccinated against COVID-19 (AOR = 2.60: 95% CI: 1.37-4.94), and having access to information about monkeypox (AOR = 3.37: 95% CI: 1.33-8.50) were the factors associated with good knowledge. Furthermore, a positive attitude was significantly associated with being 30 years of age or older (AOR = 2.95: 95% CI: 1.55-5.60) and having access to information about monkeypox (AOR = 4.14: 95% CI: 2.06, 8.30). Conclusion: Both good knowledge and positive attitudes were relatively low among healthcare workers. Factors such as age, education level, COVID-19 vaccination status, and access to information about monkeypox were significantly associated with the knowledge and attitude of healthcare workers. To enhance the knowledge and attitude of healthcare workers, hospitals should consider offering educational upgrades, hosting educational events like seminars, conferences, webinars, and campaigns, and ensuring comprehensive coverage of the topic in medical curricula.

Magnitude and associated factors of cutaneous leishmaniasis among patients visiting Nefas Mewcha primary hospital, Northern Ethiopia, 2022: An institution-based Cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is the most common neglected tropical disease, causing stigmatised skin lesions. It is an important public health concern, with 95% of cases occurring in low-income and middle-income countries. Despite its long-recognized endemicity and psychosocial impacts, it is largely overlooked. OBJECTIVE: The main aim of this study is to investigate the magnitude and associated factors of CL in north-central Ethiopia. DESIGN: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted. SETTING: The study was conducted in Nefas Mewcha Primary Hospital (NMPH), north-central Ethiopia. PARTICIPANTS: The study was conducted among 332 individuals visiting NMPH from June to July 2022. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOMES: The primary outcome was to estimate the burden of CL among patients visiting NMPH, and the secondary outcome was to identify factors associated with the presence or absence of CL. The association between predictor variables and CL was assessed using a binary logistic regression model. Statistical significance was declared at a p _value of <0.05. RESULT: Out of the 332 study participants, 63 patients sought medical care with skin lesions, and 61 (18.37%, 95% CI: 14.5% to 22.9%) were patients with CL. Localized CL was the predominant type (86.9%). Male sex (adjusted OR (AOR): 4.51; 95% CI 1.94 to 10.45), older age (AOR 0.91, 95% CI: 0.87 to 0.94), secondary and tertiary educational status (AOR: 0.18, 95% CI: 0.05 to 0.6), poor knowledge of CL (AOR: 4.02, 95% CI: 1.81 to 9.76) and living with domestic animals (AOR: 5.29, 95% CI 3.24 to 7.5) were identified as predictors of CL. CONCLUSION: In the study area, the magnitude of CL was found to be high. Being male and young, having low educational status, having poor knowledge and living with domestic animals increase the risk of acquiring CL. As a result, increasing the knowledge of the community through scaling up of health education programmes and reducing activities that increase individuals' exposure to sandflies should be prioritised.

Correction: Delayed ART initiation in "Test and Treat era" and its associated factors among adults receiving antiretroviral therapy at public health institutions in Northwest Ethiopia: A multicenter cross-sectional study.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0271127.].

Quality of Life and Associated Factors Among Adult Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy Treatment at Amhara National, Regional State, Ethiopia, 2021.

Background: In cancer, quality of life (QoL) is an important patient-reported metric; evaluating how patients feel physically and emotionally while fighting the disease could lead to better treatment. Despite its therapeutic effects, chemotherapy treatment causes a plethora of side effects that can affect QoL. Factors affecting the QoL of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment in Ethiopia have not been thoroughly investigated. As a result, this study assesses QoL and associated characteristics among adult cancer patients receiving chemotherapy at Amhara Region, Ethiopia in 2021. Martials and Methods: From February 15 to May 15, 2021, an institutional based cross-sectional study was done in Amhara region. Three hundred fourteen patients were included in the study. The data was gathered using Amharic version of European organization for research and treatment of cancer quality of life questionnaire (EORTC QLQ C-30) through a face-to-face interview. Epi Data 4.6 was used to enter the data, which was then exported to SPSS version 23 for statistical analysis. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between independent and dependent variables. The statistical significance was determined by a p-value of less than .05. Result: Cancer patients in Amhara Region had a 44.32 average QoL. Emotional functioning AOR 1.01 (1.0-1.04), social functioning AOR 1.02 (1.01-1.03), nausea and vomiting AOR 0.95 (0.93-0.98), pain AOR 0.95 (0.93-0.98), financial difficulty 0.97 (0.95-0.99), education AOR 4.3 (1.49-12.32), underweight AOR 0.45 (0.24-0.84), > 5th cycle of chemotherapy AOR 4 (1.78-9.11), stage IV cancer AOR 0.21 (0.06-0.71), comorbidity AOR 0.28 (0.14-0.57), anxiety AOR 0.32 (0.12-0.84), and depression AOR 0.29 (0.13-0.63) were all significantly associated with QoL in multivariable logistic regression. Conclusion: Adult cancer patients receiving chemotherapy in the Amhara region had a poor QoL. Emotional functioning, social functioning, nausea and vomiting, pain, financial difficulty, education, body mass index, cancer stage, chemotherapy cycle, comorbidity, anxiety, and depression all had association with QoL. To improve the QoL of cancer patients, QoL assessments, proper symptom management, nutritional support, and integration of psycho-oncology treatment should be considered.

Perceived Childbirth Self-Efficacy and Its Associated Factors Among Pregnant Women in South-Central Ethiopia.

Background: Childbirth self-efficacy has been identified as a significant indicator of a positive childbirth experience. It is, however, the most neglected aspect of maternal care, and evidence in this regard was lacking in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to assess perceived childbirth self-efficacy and its associated factors among pregnant women in the Gurage zone, southern Ethiopia. Methods: The current study was conducted from April to May 2022 using a facility-based cross-sectional study design. We used a systematic sampling technique and selected a total of 423 women. To collect the data, we utilized an interviewer-administered questionnaire containing a childbirth self-efficacy inventory scale. Multiple linear regression analysis was employed to discover the factors influencing a woman's self-efficacy during childbirth. Results: The current study included 423 pregnant women in total. This study revealed that the overall mean score for perceived childbirth self-efficacy was 489.06 (SD = 65.77). Social support (ß = 0.214, P< 0.001), psychological well-being (ß = 0.254, P< 0.001), education status at the secondary level (ß = 0.151, P< 0.001), no fundal pressure (ß = 0.11, P = 0.010), and planned pregnancy (ß = 0.10, P =0.013) were positively associated with childbirth self-efficacy. Fear of childbirth (ß = 0.19, P< 0.001), Primipara women (ß = 0.14, P< 0.001), women who had experienced discomfort during vaginal examination (ß = 0.10, P = 0.009), and women who experienced the inability to push (ß = 0.10, P = 0.013) were negatively associated with childbirth self-efficacy. Conclusion: The overall mean score for the perceived childbirth self-efficacy was high when compared to the previous studies conducted in Australia. Healthcare professionals should create multifaceted strategies to support childbirth self-efficacy, such as relaxation techniques, prenatal psycho-education to reduce childbirth fear, enhance psychological well-being and encourage social support, particularly partner support during pregnancy and childbirth.

Quality of Life among Ethiopian Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review of Literatures.

Background: Assessment of quality of life (QoL) in cancer patients can provide an overall picture of the patient's adaptation to the disease and maintain long-term health and well-being. Determining the QoL in cancer patients could help with better care and could be as prognostic as medical factors and the survival benefit that pharmacological treatment could provide. The main objective of this review was to determine the prevalence of QoL among Ethiopian adult cancer patients. Methods: A systematic review was conducted using the "Preferred Reporting Results of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses" guidelines. Databases such as PubMed/Medline, CINAHL, AMED, Embase, the Cochrane Library, ScienceDirect, World Health Organization's Hinari portal, and African Journals Online databases were searched from January 2022 to June 2022. Google, Google Scholar, and university repositories were used to access unpublished studies. Two reviewers independently screened the data using a standardized data extraction format and appraised their quality using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Results: In this review, 10 studies were included. The prevalence of poor QoL ranged from 52 to 89.6. The physical, role, social, and emotional functioning were the most affected domains of QoL and have been significantly associated with QoL. Financial difficulty was the most important predictor of QoL among Ethiopian cancer patients. Pain, dyspnea, nausea, vomiting, and poor appetite were also reported as predictors of QoL. Low income, lower educational status, unmarried status, underweight, anxiety, and depression, advanced stage of cancer, patients with ≤2 cycles of chemotherapy, and the presence of comorbid diseases were significantly correlated with QoL. Conclusions: The QoL of an Ethiopian cancer patient was low. Quality of life assessments, appropriate symptom management, integration of psycho-oncology care, and providing economic support shall be considered to improve their QoL.

Nutritional Status and Its Determinants among Adult Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy Treatment at Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Hawassa, Southern Ethiopia.

Background: Malnutrition is a common problem in cancer patients. It has an impact on all aspects of the patient's life such as increasing the risk of infection, treatment toxicity, hospital stay, and health-care costs. Factors influencing the nutritional status of adult cancer patients undertaking chemotherapy treatment in Ethiopia have not been thoroughly investigated. As a result, the purpose of this study is to assess the nutritional status and its determinants among adult cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment at Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital. Objectives: The objective of this study is to determine the nutritional status and its determinants among adult cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment at Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among adult cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment at Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital Oncology Treatment Center, from January to May 2021. The data were gathered through a face-to-face interview and chart review method. Epi Data 4.6 was used to enter the data, which was then exported to SPSS version 25 for statistical analysis. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to determine the association between nutritional status and potential risk factors. A P value less than 0.05 was used to determine statistical significance. Result: This study revealed that 48.1% of participants have some level of malnutrition. Lowest wealth index AOR 0.06 (0.016-0.2), food insecurity AOR 0.1 (0.05-0.24), vomiting AOR 0.2 (0.110-.444), poor appetite AOR 0.2 (0.11-0.44), no diarrhea AOR 2.6 (1.34-5.00), and poor functioning AOR 0.3 (0.2-0.54) were significantly associated with good nutritional status. Conclusion and Recommendation. The prevalence of malnutrition among adult cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment at HUCSH was high. Wealth index, food security, poor appetite, diarrhea, and performance status were significantly correlated with the nutritional status of the patients. To improve the patient's nutritional status, economic support, early nutritional screening, and assessment, management of chemotherapy-induced symptoms should be considered.