Psychological Distress Among Health Care Workers in Health Facilities of Mettu Town During COVID-19 Outbreak, South West Ethiopia, 2020

Background: During any of the infectious disease outbreak, health care workers were at increased risk of being infected, and psychological distress was a common phenomenon. Therefore, the study aimed to assess the psychological distress related to COVID-19 among healthcare workers in Mettu town.Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted from May 1–15, 2020 using convenient sampling techniques among 127 health care providers during COVID-19 pandemic in the Mettu town. Self-administered questionnaire was used to collect information. Depression and anxiety were evaluated as subscales from the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21). Psychological distress related to COVID-19 was measured using the Impact of Event Scale Revised (IES-R). Data analysis were done using SPSS version 24. Chi-square test was used to find the association between the outcome and demographic variables. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the significance of the association at P-value < 0.05.Result: Using IES-R scale, 40.2% of the participants reported to have the symptoms of psychological distress. The majority of the participants reported mild psychological distress (37%) followed by moderate psychological distress (29%). The multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the odds of psychological distress were found to be higher among health care providers who reported to have depressive symptoms, and those who used alcohol, khat and tobacco in the past 3 months shows a significant association with psychological distress.Conclusion: Our findings revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic had exerted major psychological distress on health care providers. So the findings, seek attention for early psychological intervention needed to manage psychological distress in health care providers regarding identified factors

Prevalence of stunting and associated factors among neonates in Shebadino woreda, Sidama region South Ethiopia; a community-based cross-sectional study 2022

Abstract Introduction Stunting is a syndrome that begins at conception and leads to severe, irreversible physiological, physical and cognitive damage as an irreversible consequence of nutritional deficiencies and recurrent infections. Although multiple studies have been conducted in Ethiopia to show the magnitude of stunting and factors, all are concentrated on children aged between 6 to 59 months. Therefore, this study was done to determine the prevalence and associated factors of stunting at birth among new-borns. Methods A community-based cross-sectional study design was employed on 512 neonates in Shebadino Woreda, Sidama Region South Ethiopia 2022. A multistage sampling technique was employed. The data was collected door-to-door using pretested and structured questionnaires, through face-to-face interviews. The collected data were cleaned manually, coded, entered into Epidata version 4.6, and exported to SPSS version 26 software for analysis. Bi-variable analysis was conducted to assess the association of independent variables with the outcome variable. Variables with a p-value < 0.25 in bi-variable logistic regression were further analyzed using multivariable logistic regression. The odds ratio (OR) with 95% CI was used as a measure of association, and variables that had a p-value less than 0.05 in the multivariable logistic regression were considered as significantly associated variables. Result The prevalence of stunting in this study was 27.5%: 95% CI 22.6 to 31.9. Factors such as residence (AOR = 4.1, 95% CI: 1.49, 11.25), ANC follow up (AOR = 2.66, 95% CI: 1.34, 5.27), started taking Amessa (AOR = 3.48, 95% CI: 1.27, 9.55) and Sex of the neonate (AOR = 2.15, 95% CI: 1.54, 5.23) were significantly associated with stunting at a p-value of < 0.05. Conclusion About 27% of neonates were stunted, which implies, it require a quick public health measurement. New-born who were live in rural area and those who were started traditional medication (Amessa) were more stunted. Besides this, stunting was prevalently observed among a mother who had no ANC follow-up and male neonates. Thus, the regional health bureau and Shebedino woreda health office should increase awareness creation to bring behavioural change at community level to prevent traditional medication usage, ANC follow-up and giving priority for those who live in rural area

Effective breastfeeding techniques and associated factors among lactating women in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BackgroundEffective breastfeeding is crucial for maternal and child health, particularly in low-resource settings like Ethiopia. It encompasses a range of skills and strategies, including proper latch, positioning, and frequency of feeding. These techniques not only ensure sufficient milk transfer but also foster bonding between mother and child, enhancing the breastfeeding experience. To effectively prioritize maternal and child health, it is crucial to comprehensively understand the prevalence and factors influencing effective breastfeeding nationwide. Therefore, this study aimed to provide a pooled prevalence of effective breastfeeding techniques and associated factors among lactating mothers in Ethiopia.MethodsThe study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) checklist, focusing on studies conducted in Ethiopia. We identified eight relevant studies through Google Scholar, Medline, PubMed, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library. Analysis was conducted using STATA version 11, and systematic data extraction employed a checklist to extract relevant data. I2 tests and the Cochrane Q test statistic were used to evaluate heterogeneity. To explore potential publication bias, Egger's weighted regression, Begg's test, and a funnel plot were utilized.ResultsWe identified a total of 955 research articles. Eight studies meeting the eligibility criteria were incorporated into this meta-analysis and systematic review. The pooled prevalence of effective breastfeeding techniques was 41.99% [95% CI 32.16-51.81]. According to the results of the current meta-analysis, effective breastfeeding techniques were significantly associated with antenatal care follow-up [OR = 1.75, 95% CI 1.10-2.78], maternal educational status [OR = 2.70, 95% CI 1.55-4.71], breastfeeding technique counseling [OR = 2.02, 95% CI 1.41-2.90], the absence of breast problems [OR = 2.26, 95% CI 1.49-3.43], breastfeeding experience [OR = 1.98, 95% CI 1.14-3.46], and immediate skin-to-skin contact [OR = 2.32, 95% CI 1.56-3.44].ConclusionOur findings highlight the vital role of various factors in shaping effective breastfeeding.ImplicationsTo improve practices and health outcomes, we recommend targeted interventions, such as strengthening antenatal care, implementing maternal education, and providing comprehensive breastfeeding counseling. Proactively addressing breast problems and prioritizing immediate skin-to-skin contact is crucial for successful breastfeeding

Birth preparedness and pregnancy complication readiness and associated factors among pregnant women in Ethiopia: A multilevel analysis.

Maternal and child deaths occur during pregnancy and delivery. Timely information on signs of pregnancy complications and ways to plan for normal birth is a strategy to reduce maternal and child deaths. The purpose of this study was to assess birth preparedness, and pregnancy complications readiness and identify associated factors in Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study design was used. A total of 1635 weighted samples of pregnant women were included for analysis from the 2016 Ethiopian demographic and health survey data set. Multilevel mixed-effect logistic regression was used to estimate the effects of potential variables on birth preparedness and complication readiness. STATA version 15 software was used for data processing and analysis. A variable with a p-value < 0.05 with a 95% confidence interval was considered a significant factor. Pregnant women were informed about convulsions (8.02%), fever (35.95%), abdominal pain (28.92%), leaking fluid from the vagina (28.21%), and blurred vision (17.98%). Pregnant women prepared for supplies needed for birth (38.70%), transportation (20.04%), money (18.97%), people's support for birth (5.03%), and blood donors (3.11%). Only 56% and 44.91% of pregnant women had good birth preparedness and were informed about pregnancy complications respectively. Educational status, antenatal care visits, and region were significant factors associated with birth preparedness and complication readiness. Distance to health facility and residency were significantly associated with birth and complication readiness, respectively. Birth preparedness and complication readiness among pregnant women were low in Ethiopia. Empowering women with education, installing safe roads, building accessible health facilities, and emphasizing pregnancy complications and birth preparedness plans during antenatal care visits are important interventions to enhance birth preparedness and pregnancy complication readiness