Menstrual hygiene management practice and associated factors among high school and preparatory school adolescent students in Debre Markos town, Northwest, Ethiopia: a mixed-method study.

BACKGROUND: Despite being a normal occurrence, menstruation requires hygienic care and is associated with a number of myths and wrongdoings. Menstrual hygiene issues have been linked to major health issues, such as urinary tract and reproductive tract infections. Consequently, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the management of menstrual hygiene and related aspects among teenage students in Debre Markos town, North West, Ethiopia. METHODS: From March 15 to April 15, 2019, teenage pupils in Debre Markos town participated in a cross-sectional mixed study. An in-depth interview and a self-administered structured questionnaire were used to gather data. Quantitative information was imported into Epi Data and then exported to SPSS for examination. A 95% Confidence Interval of p-value ≤ 0.05 was used to declare significance. The method of thematic content analysis was used to examine the qualitative data. RESULT: This study comprised 531 individuals in total, with a 96.2% response rate. Approximately 260 adolescent females (49%, 95% CI: 39.2, 59.2) had good management practices for menstrual hygiene. Girls whose mothers were private employees (AOR: 0.3, 95% CI: 0.09, 0.99), self-employed (AOR: 0.52, 95% CI: 0.28, 0.98) and housewives (AOR: 0.53, 95% CI: 0.29, 0.98), and parent-adolescent discussions about menstruation (AOR: 1.62, 95% CI: 1.40, 3.34) were significantly associated with good menstrual hygiene management. Adolescence aged 17 years or older (AOR: 2.13, 95% CI: 1.32, 3.44) were found to have good knowledge regarding menstrual hygiene (AOR: 1.59, 95% CI: 1.43, 2.94). The qualitative study found that ignorance, an unfavorable school climate, and cultural and economic factors were the main causes of teenagers' poor menstrual hygiene. CONCLUSION: Nearly half of adolescent girls had good menstrual hygiene practice. Menstrual hygiene practice was associated with adolescent age, knowledge of menstruation, maternal occupational and discussion with parents. Girls had difficulty to manage menstrual hygiene due to poor knowledge, unsafe school environment, and cultural barriers. Thus, school-based programs aimed at improving knowledge towards menstrual hygiene management are needed.

Prevalence and determinants of postpartum depression among adolescent and adult mothers in Northwest Ethiopia.

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a common mental health issue in resource-limited settings that negatively affects the well-being of mothers and children. However, PPD often remains untreated, leading to long-term consequences for families. Therefore, we examined the prevalence and determinants of PPD among adolescent and adult mothers in northwest Ethiopia. Data were collected from 374 adolescent (10-19 years) and 760 adult (20-34 years) mothers 6 weeks after childbirth. Data were analyzed using binary and multiple logistic regression. Adolescent mothers had a significantly higher proportion of PPD (37.4%) than adult mothers (20.1%) and were more likely to report low self-esteem (13.1% vs. 8.2%) and low social support (28.3% vs. 23.3%). Factors associated with PPD differed between adolescent and adult mothers. Adolescent mothers with PPD were more likely to report household food insecurity, low self-esteem, low knowledge of postpartum complications, and working in agriculture or professional/technical occupations. For adult mothers, factors associated with PPD included distance to the nearest health facility, medium social support, inadequate dietary diversity, and food insecurity. Results suggest that targeted interventions by age group are needed to reduce the burden of PPD in Ethiopia.

Infection Prevention and Control Initiatives to Prevent Healthcare-Associated Transmission of SARS-CoV-2, East Africa.

The coronavirus disease pandemic has highlighted the need to establish and maintain strong infection prevention and control (IPC) practices, not only to prevent healthcare-associated transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to healthcare workers and patients but also to prevent disruptions of essential healthcare services. In East Africa, where basic IPC capacity in healthcare facilities is limited, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) supported rapid IPC capacity building in healthcare facilities in 4 target countries: Tanzania, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda. CDC supported IPC capacity-building initiatives at the healthcare facility and national levels according to each country's specific needs, priorities, available resources, and existing IPC capacity and systems. In addition, CDC established a multicountry learning network to strengthen hospital level IPC, with an emphasis on peer-to-peer learning. We present an overview of the key strategies used to strengthen IPC in these countries and lessons learned from implementation.

Evaluation of health system readiness and coverage of intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in infants (IPTi) in Kambia district to inform national scale-up in Sierra Leone.

BACKGROUND: Intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in infants (IPTi) with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) is a proven strategy to protect infants against malaria. Sierra Leone is the first country to implement IPTi nationwide. IPTi implementation was evaluated in Kambia, one of two initial pilot districts, to assess quality and coverage of IPTi services. METHODS: This mixed-methods evaluation had two phases, conducted 3 (phase 1) and 15-17 months (phase 2) after IPTi implementation. Methods included: assessments of 18 health facilities (HF), including register data abstraction (phases 1 and 2); a knowledge, attitudes and practices survey with 20 health workers (HWs) in phase 1; second-generation sequencing of SP resistance markers (pre-IPTi and phase 2); and a cluster-sample household survey among caregivers of children aged 3-15 months (phase 2). IPTi and vaccination coverage from the household survey were calculated from child health cards and maternal recall and weighted for the complex sampling design. Interrupted time series analysis using a Poisson regression model was used to assess changes in malaria cases at HF before and after IPTi implementation. RESULTS: Most HWs (19/20) interviewed had been trained on IPTi; 16/19 reported feeling well prepared to administer it. Nearly all HFs (17/18 in phase 1; 18/18 in phase 2) had SP for IPTi in stock. The proportion of parasite alleles with dhps K540E mutations increased but remained below the 50% WHO-recommended threshold for IPTi (4.1% pre-IPTi [95%CI 2-7%]; 11% post-IPTi [95%CI 8-15%], p < 0.01). From the household survey, 299/459 (67.4%) children ≥ 10 weeks old received the first dose of IPTi (versus 80.4% for second pentavalent vaccine, given simultaneously); 274/444 (62.5%) children ≥ 14 weeks old received the second IPTi dose (versus 65.4% for third pentavalent vaccine); and 83/217 (36.4%) children ≥ 9 months old received the third IPTi dose (versus 52.2% for first measles vaccine dose). HF register data indicated no change in confirmed malaria cases among infants after IPTi implementation. CONCLUSIONS: Kambia district was able to scale up IPTi swiftly and provide necessary health systems support. The gaps between IPTi and childhood vaccine coverage need to be further investigated and addressed to optimize the success of the national IPTi programme.

Sociodemographic Factors Predicting Exclusive Breastfeeding in Ethiopia: Evidence from a Meta-analysis of Studies Conducted in the Past 10 Years.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association between EBF and educational status, household income, marital status, media exposure, and parity in Ethiopia. METHODS: PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, SCOPUS, CINAHL and WHO Global health library databases were searched using key terms for all studies published in English between September 2009 and March 2019. The methodological quality of studies was examined using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) for cross-sectional studies. To obtain the pooled odds ratio (OR), extracted data were fitted in a random-effects meta-analysis model. Statistical heterogeneity was quantified using Cochran's Q test, τ2, and I2 statistics. In addition, Jackknife sensitivity analysis, cumulative meta-analysis, and meta-regression analysis were conducted. RESULTS: Out of 553 studies retrieved, 31 studies fulfilled our inclusion criteria. Almost all included studies were conducted among mothers with newborn less than 23 months old. Maternal primary school education (OR 1.39; 95% CI 1.03-1.89; I2 = 86.11%), medium household income (OR 1.27; 95% CI 1.05-1.55; I2 = 60.9%) and being married (OR 1.39; 95% CI 1.05-1.83; I2 = 76.96%) were found to be significantly associated with EBF. We also observed an inverse dose-response relationship of EBF with educational status and income. However, EBF was not significantly associated with parity, media exposure, and paternal educational status. CONCLUSIONS: In this meta-analysis, we showed the relevant effect of maternal education, income, and marital status on EBF. Therefore, multifaceted, effective, and evidence-based efforts are needed to increase the national level of exclusive breastfeeding in Ethiopia.

Pregnancy suppresses Mycobacterium tuberculosis-specific Th1, but not Th2, cell-mediated functional immune responses during HIV/latent TB co-infection.

Immunity to tuberculosis (TB) is suppressed due to HIV coinfection and this suppression could further be enhanced by pregnancy. However, the effect of pregnancy on Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis)-specific immune response during HIV/latent TB co-infection is not well understood. Here we investigated the changes in M. tuberculosis-specific functional Th1, Th2 and antibody responses in pregnant women with HIV/latent TB co-Infection. Pregnancy, concurrent with HIV infection, triggers a substantial suppression of M. tuberculosis-specific IFN-γ responses in a CD4+ T cell count dependent manner with an insignificant change in IL-4 and IgG responses. Conversely, M. tuberculosis-specific IL-10 production was markedly augmented in latent TB infected pregnant women with a lesser extent during HIV co-infection. These findings reveal that pregnancy suppresses anti-mycobacterial protective immune response in a CD4+ T cell count dependent manner during HIV/latent TB co-infection, suggesting a higher risk of developing active TB during pregnancy as a result of failing to control TB infection.

Level of self-care practice among diabetic patients in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is increasingly become a serious global public health concern in developed and developing countries including Ethiopia. It imposes significant burden of care on the individual, health care professionals and health system. As the result, immense need of self-care behaviors in multiple domains like food choices, physical activity, foot care, and blood glucose monitoring is required. However, there is no national study on diabetic self-care practices in Ethiopia. This meta-analysis, therefore, aims to estimate the pooled level of self-care practice among individuals living with diabetes mellitus in Ethiopia. METHODS: The systematic review was reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guideline. We systematically searched the databases: PubMed /MEDLINE, EMBASE, Google Scholar, and Science Direct for studies conducted in Ethiopia about self-care practice of diabetes patients. We have included all cross-sectional studies, which were published until August 20th,2019. Data were analyzed using STATA™ version 14.1 software, and the pooled prevalence with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were presented using tables and forest plots. The presence of statistical heterogeneity within the included studies was evaluated using I-squared statistic. We used Higgins and Egger's test to identify evidence of publication bias. The random-effects meta-analysis model was employed to estimate the pooled proportion of good diabetic self-care practices. RESULTS: We included 35 studies (with 11,103 participants) in this meta-analysis. The overall pooled prevalence of good diabetes self-care behavior among diabetic patients was 49% (95% CI:43, 56%). When categorized by the major domains of diabetes self-care, the pooled estimate of dietary practice was 50% (95% CI:42, 58%), for self- monitoring of blood glucose was 28% (95% CI:19, 37%), for recommended physical activity was 49% (95% CI:38, 59%), and for diabetic foot-care was 58% (95% CI: 41, 74%). CONCLUSION: More than half of diabetic patients in Ethiopia had poor diabetes self-care practice. High percentage of diabetic patients also had poor dietary practice, self- monitoring of blood glucose, physical activity, and diabetic foot care. Therefore, intervention programs should focus on improving the knowledge level of diabetic patients to improve the self-care practice of diabetic patients.

Hepatitis B Virus Infection and Its Determinants among Pregnant Women in Ethiopia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is an infectious and a global public health problem. The prevalence of HBV infection among pregnant women is between 2.3% and 7.9%. HBV infection during pregnancy is associated with prenatal transmission to the fetus. HBV has an effective vaccine which reduces up to 96% of the transmission. Although different studies were conducted in Ethiopia, none of them showed the national prevalence of HBV infection among pregnant women. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the pooled prevalence of HBV and its associated factors in Ethiopia. Methods: We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines for articles. All observational published studies were retrieved using relevant search terms in Google Scholar, African Online Journal, CINAHL, and PubMed databases. Newcastle-Ottawa assessment checklist for observational studies was used for critical appraisal of the included articles. The meta-analysis was done with STATA version 14 software. The I 2 statistics were used to test heterogeneity whereas Begg's and Egger's tests were used to assess publication bias. Odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was presented using the forest plot. Results: A total of twenty-three studies were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of HBV in Ethiopia was 4.75% (95% CI: 4.06, 5.44). The subgroup analysis showed a higher prevalence of HBV infection among pregnant women in Gambella (7.9%) and the lowest in Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region (SNNPR) (2.3%). Associated factors with HBV infection include history of multiple sexual partner (OR = 6.02 (95%CI = 3.86, 9.36)), blood transfusion history (OR = 5.71 (95%CI = 3.25, 10.04)), abortion history (OR = 3.58 (95%CI = 2.10, 6.09)), and history of body tattoo (OR = 2.83 (95%CI = 1.55, 5.17)). Conclusions: HBV infection among pregnant women is a common public health problem in Ethiopia. Multiple sexual partners, abortion history, blood transfusion history, and body tattoo were significantly associated with HBV infection. Policies and strategies should focus on factors identified in this study to improve the prevention of HBV among pregnant women.

Association Between the Level of Reported Good Medication Adherence and the Geographic Location of a Patient's Residence and Presence of a Glucometer Among Adult Patients with Diabetes in Ethiopia: A Systematic and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major public health problem worldwide that was estimated to have affected the lives of 425 million people globally in 2017. The prevalence and mortality rates of DM have increased rapidly in low- and middle-income countries with an estimated 2.6 million cases of DM occurring in Ethiopia alone in 2015. OBJECTIVE: Considering that Ethiopia is undergoing an epidemiological transition, it is increasingly important to understand the significant influence DM has on Ethiopians annually. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the existing studies were conducted to better understand the factors that are associated with DM medication adherence across Ethiopia and to elucidate areas for further studies. METHODS: Studies were retrieved through search engines in Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Embase, Medline, PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, Science Direct, and Scopus. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for cross-sectional studies was used to assess the critical appraisal of the included studies. Random effects model was used to estimate the association between the level of medication adherence and the geographic location of a patient's residence and presence of a glucometer at 95% CI with its respective odds ratio. Meta-regression was also used to identify the potential source of heterogeneity. Beggs and Egger tests were performed to determine publication bias. Subgroup analyses, based on the study area, were also performed. RESULTS: A total of 1046 articles were identified through searching, of which 19 articles representing 7756 participants were included for the final analysis stage. Reported good medication adherence among patients with diabetes in Ethiopia was 68.59% (95% CI, 62.00%-75.18%). Subgroup analysis was performed, and the pooled estimate of reported good medication adherence among these patients in regions outside Addis Ababa was 67.81% (95% CI, 59.96%-75.65%), whereas in Addis Ababa it was 70.37% (95% CI, 57.51%-83.23%). Patients who used a glucometer at home had an odds ratio of 2.12 (95% CI, 1.42-3.16) and thus reported good adherence. We found no statistically significant association between the geographic location of a patient's residence and a good level of reported medication adherence (odds ratio, 1.81; 95% CI, 0.78-4.21). CONCLUSIONS: Most adult patients with diabetes in these studies had a good level of reported DM medication adherence. Having a glucometer was significantly associated with reported increased medication adherence. Our findings suggest the need for interventions to improve diabetes medication adherence.

Determinants of first line antiretroviral therapy treatment failure among adult patients on ART at central Ethiopia: un-matched case control study.

BACKGROUND: In 2018 in Ethiopia, magnitude of human immunodeficiency virus Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome treatment failure was 15.9% and currently the number of patient receiving second line antiretroviral therapy (ART) is more increasing than those taking first line ART. Little is known about the predictors of treatment failure in the study area. Therefore; more factors that can be risk for first line ART failure have to identified to make the patients stay on first line ART for long times. Consequently, the aim of this study was to identify determinants of first line ART treatment failure among patients on ART at St. Luke referral hospital and Tulubolo General Hospital, 2019. METHODS: A 1:2 un-matched case-control study was conducted among adult patients on active follow up. One new group variables was formed as group 1 for cases and group 0 for controls and then data was entered in to Epi data version 3 and exported to STATA SE version 14 for analysis. From binary logistic regression variables with p value ≤0.25 were a candidate for multiple logistic regression. At the end variables with a p-value ≤0.05 were considered as statistically significant. RESULT: A total of 350 (117 cases and 233 controls) patients were participated in the study. Starting ART after 2 years of being confirmed HIV positive (AOR = 3.82 95% CI 1.37,10.6), nevirapine (NVP) based initial ART (AOR = 2.77,95%CI 1.22,6.28) having history of lost to follow up (AOR 3.66,95%CI 1.44,9.27) and base line opportunistic infection (AOR = 1.97,95%CI 1.06,3.63), staying on first line ART for greater than 5 years (AOR = 3.42,95%CI 1.63,7.19) and CD4 less than100cell/ul (AOR = 2.72,95%CI 1.46,5.07) were independent determinants of first line ART treatment failure. CONCLUSION: Lost to follow up, staying on first line ART for greater than 5 years, presence of opportunistic infections, NVP based NNRT, late initiation of ART are determinant factors for first line ART treatment failure. The concerned bodies have to focus and act on those identified factors to maintain the patient on first line ART.

Prevalence of goiter among children in Ethiopia and associated factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The distribution of goiter among children and its risk factors are not well investigated in Ethiopia. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis was designed to determine the pooled prevalence of goiter and its associated factors among children in Ethiopia. METHODS: Electronic web-based searches of PubMed, Google Scholar, EMBASE, and the World Health Organization's Hinari portal (which includes the SCOPUS, African Index Medicus, and African Journals Online databases) were conducted to find primary studies. Relevant data were extracted and descriptive summaries of the studies were presented in tables. The I2 statistic was used to assess heterogeneity across studies. Funnel plot asymmetry and Egger's tests were used to check for publication bias. A random effects model was used to estimate the pooled prevalence of goiter. Odds ratios (OR) with 95% Confidence Intervals (CI) were also used to determine the association of identified variables with goiter. All statistical analyses were conducted using Stata version 14 software. RESULTS: Our search identified 982 studies, of which, 19 articles were eligible for inclusion in the final meta-analysis. The pooled estimate of goiter among children in Ethiopia was 40.50% (95% CI: 33.6-47.40). The regional distribution of goiter ranged from 44.22 (95% CI: 17.44-71) in Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples' Region, to 32.79% (95% CI: 19.86-45.73) in Benishangul Gumez region. The prevalence of goiter among female children (44.34%) was higher than among male (32.88%) children. Goiter prevalence was also significantly higher among children who consumed vegetables three or more times per week OR = 1.3 (95% CI: 1.02-1.66); those who had family history of goiter, OR = 2.38 (95% CI: 1.9-2.99); and those whose family stored salt near to fires, OR = 1.4 l (95% CI: 1.1-1.79). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of goiter among children in Ethiopia was high, and endemic according to the WHO criteria. Our findings suggest the need for interventions to improve salt iodization, and for improved health education on appropriate salt storage. In addition, more research may be needed to improve our understanding of foods that increase the risk of goiter among children.

Mother-to-child transmission of HIV infection and its associated factors in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) is the main mode of HIV transmission in children under 15 years old. This problem is significant in the Sub-Saharan African countries, where more than 80% of children living with HIV are found. Previous studies in Ethiopia present inconsistent and inconclusive findings on the prevalence and associated factors of MTCT of HIV. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the pooled prevalence of MTCT of HIV and its associated factors in Ethiopia. METHODS: Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline was followed. All published studies were retrieved using relevant search terms in MEDLINE, PUBMED, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Google Scholar, CINAHL, and African Journals Online databases. Joanna Briggs Institute Meta-Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument (JBI-MAStARI) was used to critically appraise articles. STATA version 14 software was used to perform the Meta-analysis. The I2 statistics was used to test heterogeneity and publication bias was assessed using Begg's and Egger's tests. Odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was presented using forest plots. RESULTS: A total of nine studies, 3688 mother-baby pairs, were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of MTCT of HIV in Ethiopia was 9.93% (95% CI: 7.29, 12.56). The subgroup analysis showed a higher prevalence of MTCT of HIV in Dire Dawa City Administration (15.7%) and lowest in Southern Nations, Nationality and Peoples Region (SNNPR) (4.16%). Associated factors with MTCT of HIV include: mixed feeding, OR = 7.46 (95%CI: 4.71, 11.81), absence of infant ARV prophylaxis, OR = 7.89 (95%CI: 4.32, 14.42), home delivery, OR = 5.08 (95%CI: 2.32, 11.15), and absence of maternal PMTCT intervention, OR = 7.13 (95% CI: 3.31, 15.35). CONCLUSIONS: Almost one in ten HIV exposed infants become HIV positive in Ethiopia. Factors like: mixed feeding, the absence of infant ARV prophylaxis, home delivery and absence of mother's PMTCT intervention were significantly associated with MTCT of HIV. Therefore, the governmental and non-governmental organizations need to focus on the identified factors and work towards improving the prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) program.

Prevalence of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy in Ethiopia: a systemic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Although hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are the leading cause of poor perinatal outcomes in Ethiopia, there is no study that shows the national prevalence. Therefore, the aim of this study was to estimate the national pooled prevalence of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy from studies conducted in different parts of the country. METHODS: Databases; MEDLINE, PubMed, HINARI, EMBASE, Google Scholar and African Journals Online were searched by using different search terms on HDP and Ethiopia. Joanna Briggs Institute Meta-Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument was used for critical appraisal of studies. The analysis was done using STATA 14 software. The Cochran Q test and I2 test statistics were used to test heterogeneity of studies. Egger's test was used to show the publication bias. The pooled prevalence of HDP and the odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval was presented using forest plots. RESULT: Seventeen studies were included in this review, with a total of 258,602 pregnant women. The overall pooled prevalence of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy in Ethiopia was 6.07% (95% CI: 4.83%, 7.31%). The Subgroup analysis by region and year of study showed a higher prevalence of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy in Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region, 10.13% (95% CI = (8.5, 12.43)), and reduction in the rate of HDP from 1990's to 2010's, 8.54% reducing to 5.71% respectively. The pooled prevalence of pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) and preeclampsia/eclampsia alone were 6.29 and 5.47 respectively. Pregnant women ≥ 35 years old are more likely to develop hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, OR = 1.64 (95% CI = (1.18, 2.28)). No statistically significant difference was observed between HDP and younger maternal age (less than 20 years old); OR = 2.92 (95% CI = (0.88, 9.70)). There was no association between hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and number of pregnancy, OR = 1.37 (95% CI = 0.78, 2.41)). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy is high in Ethiopia. The problem is more common among older pregnant women (> 35 years old). Government and other stakeholders should give due attention to an early screening of hypertension during pregnancy.

Production diversification, dietary diversity and consumption seasonality: panel data evidence from Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Despite some improvements towards reducing hunger, malnutrition remains to be a crucial challenge in the developing world. The objective of this paper is to analyze the interplay between production diversity and dietary diversity across different seasons in rural Nigeria. The paper also investigates the relationship across different income quantiles. METHOD: The study uses the Living Standards Measurement Study - Integrated Surveys on Agriculture (LSMS-ISA) dataset of the World Bank. We use two rounds of survey data (2010 and 2012) from Nigeria. Data were collected in two visits: at post-planting (from September to November), and at post-harvesting (from February to April). We analyze the relationship between production diversity and dietary diversity using different panel data regression tools. RESULT: In post-harvest season, an increase in farm production diversification is associated with an increase with dietary diversity. On the other hand, production diversification does not have a significant contribution to the dietary diversity at post-planting. The analysis reveals that production diversification leads to better diet diversity for households in the second and third income quantiles. CONCLUSION: Seasonal variation on the contribution of production diversification on dietary diversity in rural Nigeria calls for the role of seasonally targeted policies. A higher propensity of households in the poorest quantile for malnutrition irrespective of the season suggests the need for targeted and continuous public health and nutrition interventions.

Correction to: Production diversification, dietary diversity and consumption seasonality: panel data evidence from Nigeria.

It has been highlighted that the original article [1] contained a typesetting mistake in the name of Sibhatu Biadgilign. This was incorrectly captured as Biadigilign in the original publication which has since been updated.

The effect of antenatal care on use of institutional delivery service and postnatal care in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Although there are many initiatives to improve maternal health services use, utilization of health facility delivery and postnatal care services is low in Ethiopia. Current evidence at global level showed that antenatal care increases delivery and postnatal care services use. But previous studies in Ethiopia indicate contrasting results. Therefore, this meta-analysis was done to identify the effect of antenatal care on institutional delivery and postnatal care services use in Ethiopia. METHODS: Studies were searched from databases using keywords like place of birth, institutional delivery, and delivery by a skilled attendant, health facility delivery, delivery care, antenatal care, prenatal care and postnatal care and Ethiopia as search terms. The Joanna Briggs Critical Appraisal Tools and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses were used for quality assessment and data extraction. Data analysis was done using STATA 14. Heterogeneity and publication bias were assessed using I2 test statistic and Egger's test of significance. Forest plots were used to present the odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULT: A total of 40 articles with a total sample size of 26,350 were included for this review and meta-analysis. Mothers who had attended one or more antenatal care visits were more likely (OR = 4.07: 95% CI 2.75, 6.02) to deliver at health institutions compared to mothers who did not attend antenatal care. Similarly, mothers who reported antenatal care use were about four times more likely to attend postnatal care service (OR 4.11, 95% CI: 3.32, 5.09). CONCLUSION: Women who attended antenatal care are more likely to deliver in health institutions and attend postnatal care. Therefore, the Ethiopian government and other stakeholders should design interventions that can increase antenatal care uptake since it has a multiplicative effect on health facility delivery and postnatal care services use. Further qualitative research is recommended to identify why the huge gap exists between antenatal care and institutional delivery and postnatal care services use in Ethiopia.

Birth preparedness and complication readiness among pregnant women in Ethiopia: a systematic review and Meta-analysis.

ᅟ: Birth preparedness and complication readiness is an essential component of safe motherhood programs that promote appropriate utilization of skilled maternal and neonatal care. Preparing for childbirth and its probable complications can reduce delays in seeking care. In Ethiopia, there were limited data on birth preparedness and complication readiness at the national level except a small scale studies conducted.This systemic review and meta-analysis study was conducted to assess the national estimates regarding the status of birth preparedness and complication readiness among pregnant women in Ethiopia. METHODS: Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline was followed during systemic review and meta-anaysis. The databases used to identify studies were; MEDLINE, PubMed, Google scholar, CINAHL, EMBASE and African Journals Online. Appropriate search terms were used to retrieve published studies conducted in Ethiopia. Joanna Briggs Institute Meta-Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument (JBI-MAStARI) was used for critical appraisal of studies. The meta-analysis was conducted using STATA 14 software. Forest plots were used to present the findings of this meta-analysis. The I2 test statistics and Egger's test were used to test heterogeneity and publication bias respectively. The pooled prevalence with 95% confidence intervals (CI) was computed. Duval and Tweedie nonparametric trim and fill analysis using the random-effect analysis was conducted to account for publication bias and high heterogeneity. RESULT: Thirteen studies and six thousand four hundred ninety three participants were included in this meta-analysis and overall pooled result showed 32% with 95% (25.6, 38.5) of the pregnant women were prepared for birth and its complications. In addition, 51.35% of women save money for birth and emergency case, 38.74% women identified skilled birth attendant, and only 26.33% of pregnant women were aware of danger signs during pregnancy. One fifth (20.59%) of women arranged transportation and 54.85% of women identified the place of birth. Only 8.18%pregnant women identified potential blood donor for emergency cases. CONCLUSION: Low proportions of pregnant women were prepared for childbirth and its complications. The Ministry of health, Regional health bureaus, health facilities and other stakeholders should work to improve birth preparedness and complication readiness among pregnant women in Ethiopia.

Prevalence and determinants of adolescent pregnancy in Africa: a systematic review and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Adolescence is the period between 10 and 19 years with peculiar physical, social, psychological and reproductive health characteristics. Rates of adolescent pregnancy are increasing in developing countries, with higher occurrences of adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes. The few studies conducted on adolescent pregnancy in Africa present inconsistent and inconclusive findings on the distribution of the problems. Also, there was no meta-analysis study conducted in this area in Africa. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to estimate the prevalence and sociodemographic determinant factors of adolescent pregnancy using the available published and unpublished studies carried out in African countries. Also, subgroup analysis was conducted by different demographic, geopolitical and administrative regions. METHODS: This study used a systematic review and meta-analysis of published and unpublished studies in Africa. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline was strictly followed. All studies in MEDLINE, PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Google Scholar, CINAHL, and African Journals Online databases were searched using relevant search terms. Data were extracted using the Joanna Briggs Institute tool for prevalence studies. STATA 14 software was used to perform the meta-analysis. The heterogeneity and publication bias was assessed using the I2 statistics and Egger's test, respectively. Forest plots were used to present the pooled prevalence and odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) of meta-analysis using the random effect model. RESULT: This review included 52 studies, 254,350 study participants. A total of 24 countries from East, West, Central, North and Southern African sub-regions were included. The overall pooled prevalence of adolescent pregnancy in Africa was 18.8% (95%CI: 16.7, 20.9) and 19.3% (95%CI, 16.9, 21.6) in the Sub-Saharan African region. The prevalence was highest in East Africa (21.5%) and lowest in Northern Africa (9.2%). Factors associated with adolescent pregnancy include rural residence (OR: 2.04), ever married (OR: 20.67), not attending school (OR: 2.49), no maternal education (OR: 1.88), no father's education (OR: 1.65), and lack of parent to adolescent communication on sexual and reproductive health (SRH) issues (OR: 2.88). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, nearly one-fifth of adolescents become pregnant in Africa. Several sociodemographic factors like residence, marital status, educational status of adolescents, their mother's and father's, and parent to adolescent SRH communication were associated with adolescent pregnancy. Interventions that target these factors are important in reducing adolescent pregnancy.

Rate of HIV transmission and associated factors among HIV-exposed infants in selected health facilities of East and West Gojjam Zones, Northwest Ethiopia; retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: In 2014, there were 170,000 new HIV-infected children globally. The rate of HIV transmission from mother to child in Ethiopia was 18%. Though there are a number of HIV-related studies conducted in Ethiopia, there is a scarcity of evidence on the rate of mother to child transmission. So, the aim of this study was to determine the rate of HIV transmission and associated factors among HIV-exposed infants in selected health facilities in East and West Gojjam Zones, Northwest Ethiopia. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study design was conducted. A total of 305 exposed infant- and mother pairs were included in this study. Data were collected from seven selected health facilities in East and West Gojjam Zone, Northwest Ethiopia. The study included a four-year duration PMTCT data, registered from July/2011 to July/2015. Data was collected using a prepared checklist. Data was entered using EpiData and analyzed using SPSS software. Descriptive, bivariate and multiple variable logistic regression analysis were conducted. A p-value less than 0.05 were used to declare statistical significant association. RESULT: Three hundred five infants and their mothers were included in this study. The mean age of mothers was 27.4 with a standard deviation of 4.3 years. The majority, 96.4% of infants were on exclusive breastfeeding before six months. The rate of HIV transmission at the end of 24 months were 5.9% (95% CI: 3.9%-7.9%). The number of positive children was reduced from 14 (10.29%) to 4(2.37%) due to the program shift from option A to option B+. Factors which were associated with transmission of HIV from mother to child were; children who were born from older mothers (AOR = 5.4, 95% CI = 1.15, 25.70), and infants whose mother couldn't get PMTCT intervention (AOR = 15.95, 95% CI = 3.35, 75), and mothers who became pregnant after they knew they were HIV positive (AOR = 0.22, 95%CI = 0.049,096). CONCLUSIONS: There is significant progress on the reduction of the rate of HIV transmission from mother to child in Ethiopia. Age of the mother, status of the mother at an entry to PMTCT program and presence of PMTCT interventions were significant factors associated with HIV transmission. Hence, the above factors should be given due emphasis on controlling HIV transmission from mother to child.

Prevalence and determinants of risky sexual practice in Ethiopia: Systematic review and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Risky sexual practice is a major public health problem in Ethiopia. There are various studies on the prevalence and determinants of risky sexual practice in different regions of the country but there is no study which shows the national estimate of risky sexual practices in Ethiopia. Therefore, this review was conducted to estimate the national pooled prevalence of risky sexual practice and its risk factors in Ethiopia. METHODS: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guideline was followed to review published and unpublished studies in Ethiopia. The databases used were; PubMed, Google Scholar, CINAHL and African Journals Online. Search terms were; risky sexual behavior, risky sexual practice, unprotected sex, multiple sexual partner, early sexual initiation, and/or Ethiopia. Joanna Briggs Institute Meta-Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument was used for critical appraisal. The meta-analysis was conducted using Review Manager software. Descriptive information of studies was presented in narrative form and quantitative results were presented in forest plots. The Cochran Q test and I 2 test statistics were used to test heterogeneity across studies. The pooled estimate prevalence and the odd ratios with 95% confidence intervals were computed by a random effect model. RESULTS: A total of 31 studies with 43,695 participants were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of risky sexual practice was 42.80% (95% CI: 35.64%, 49.96%). Being male (OR: 1.69; 95% CI: 1.21, 2.37), substance use (OR: 3.42; 95% CI: 1.41, 8.31), peer pressure (OR: 3.41; 95% CI: 1.69, 6.87) and watching pornography (OR: 3.6; 95% CI: 2.21, 5.86) were factors associated with an increase in risky sexual practices. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of risky sexual practices is high in Ethiopia. Being male, substance use, peer pressure and viewing pornographic materials were found to be associated with risky sexual practices. Therefore, life skills training is recommended to reduce peer pressure among individuals. Interventions should be designed to reduce substance use and viewing pornography.