Investigations of Latrine Coverage and Associated Factors Among Debretabor Town, Amhara Region North West Ethiopia

Studies in a number of countries have shown that wherever inappropraite waste disposal morbidity and mortality rates are high. Although latrine coverage is an important indicator for measuring success of the health service program; data on latrine coverage scarce in the study area. Objective: To investigate latrine coverage and associated factors in among households of Debretabor town, Amhara region, Ethiopia. Methods: A community based cross sectional study was conducted in Debretabor town from September 1-30, 2013. A total of 422 households were included in the study using systematic sampling technique. Data were collected using structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 16.0. Degree of association between independent and dependent variables was assessed with a 95% confidence level and p-value less than 0.05 was used to detect statistical significance. Result: In this study. Ninety three point five percent of households have latrine. Graduated as model family was predictor for availability of latrine (AOR= 3.18,). Income and house ownership were also found to be predictors for availability of latrine (AOR=3.70), (AOR=8.46), respectively. Educational status of respondents was found to be predictors for availability of latrine (AOR= 2.65). Conclusion: latrine coverage was relatively lower from the national target of 100%, still there are households that use open defication. Educational status, house owner shipe, income and graduated as model family were main factors affecting latrine availability. Improving socio economic status of households, provision of continuous advice and technical support at household level on the availability of latrine are recommended

Nearly half of preschool children are stunted in Dembia district, Northwest Ethiopia: A community based cross-sectional study

Background Stunting has been the most pressing public health problem throughout the developing countries. It is the major causes of child mortality and global disease burden, where 80 % of this burden is found in developing countries. In the future, stunting alone would result in 22 % of loss in adult income. About 40 % of children under five-years were stunted in Ethiopia. In the country, about 28 % of child mortality is related to undernutrition. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and determinants of stunting among preschool children in Dembia district, Northwest Ethiopia. Methods A community based cross–sectional study was carried out in Dembia district, Northwest Ethiopia from January 01 to February 29, 2015. A multi-stage sampling followed by a systematic sampling technique was employed to reach 681 mother-child pairs. A pretested and structured questionnaire was used to collect data. After exporting anthropometric data to ENA/SMART software version 2012, nutritional status (stunting) of a child was determined using the WHO Multicenter Growth Reference Standard. In binary logistic regression, a multivariable analysis was carried out to identify determinants of stunting. The Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) with a 95 % confidence interval was computed to assess the strength of the association, and variables with a P-value of <0.05 in multivariable analysis were considered as statistically significant. Results A total 681 of mother-child pairs were included in the study. The overall prevalence of stunting was 46 % [95 % CI: 38.7, 53.3 %]. In multivariable analysis, the odds of stunting was higher among children whose families had no latrine [AOR = 1.6, 95 % CI: 1.1, 2.2)]. Likewise, children living in household with more than four family size [AOR =1.4, 95 % CI: 1.1, 1.9)] were more likely to be stunted. Conclusions This study confirms that stunting is a very high public health problem in Dembia district. The family size and latrine availability were significantly associated with stunting. Hence, emphasis should be given to improve the latrine coverage and utilization of family planning in the district

Disrespect and abuse during childbirth in Western Ethiopia: Should women continue to tolerate?

BACKGROUND: Healthcare coverage in Ethiopia has improved dramatically in recent decades. However, facility-based delivery remains persistently low, while maternal mortality remains high. This paper presents the prevalence and associated factors of disrespect and abuse (D&A) during childbirth in public health facilities of western Oromia, Ethiopia. METHOD: A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 612 women from February 2017 to May 2017. Exit interview with the mothers were conducted upon discharge from the maternity ward. We measured D&A during childbirth using seven dimensions. Multivariable logistic regression model was used to assess the association between experience of D&A and client characteristics and institutional factors. RESULT: Three quarters (74.8%) of women reported experiencing at least one form of D&A during their facility childbirth. The types of D&A experienced by the women were; physical abuse (37.1%), non-dignified care (34.6%), non-consented care (54.1%), non-confidential care (40.4%), neglect (25.2%), detention (2.9%), and discrimination (13.2%). Experiences of D&A were 1.6 times more likely to be reported by women delivering at hospitals than health centers (OR: 1.64, 95% CI: 1.01, 2.66). Women without a companion throughout their delivery were almost 10 times more likely than women who had a companion to encounter D&A (OR: 9.94, 95% CI: 5.72, 17.28). On the other hand, women with more than 1,368-birr (USD 57) monthly income were less likely to experience any type of D&A (OR: 0.36, 95% CI: .21, .65). CONCLUSION: Three in four women reported experiencing at least one form of D&A during labor and delivery. This demonstrates a real disconnect between what the health system intends to achieve and what is practiced and calls for fundamental solutions in terms of both improving quality of facility-based delivery and ensuring women's right to receive health care with dignity

Engaging communities as partners in health crisis response: a realist-informed scoping review for research and policy

Background: Health is increasingly affected by multiple types of crises. Community engagement is recognised as being a critical element in successful crisis response, and a number of conceptual frameworks and global guideline documents have been produced. However, little is known about the usefulness of such documents and whether they contain sufficient information to guide effective community engagement in crisis response. We undertake a scoping review to examine the usefulness of conceptual literature and official guidelines on community engagement in crisis response using a realist-informed analysis [exploring contexts, mechanisms, and outcomes(CMOs)]. Specifically, we assess the extent to which sufficient detail is provided on specific health crisis contexts, the range of mechanisms (actions) that are developed and employed to engage communities in crisis response and the outcomes achieved. We also consider the extent of analysis of interactions between the mechanisms and contexts which can explain whether successful outcomes are achieved or not. Scope and findings: We retained 30 documents from a total of 10,780 initially identified. Our analysis found that available evidence on context, mechanism and outcomes on community engagement in crisis response, or some of their elements, was promising, but few documents provided details on all three and even fewer were able to show evidence of the interactions between these categories, thus leaving gaps in understanding how to successfully engage communities in crisis response to secure impactful outcomes. There is evidence that involving community members in all the steps of response increases community resilience and helps to build trust. Consistent communication with the communities in time of crisis is the key for effective responses and helps to improve health indicators by avoiding preventable deaths. Conclusions: Our analysis confirms the complexity of successful community engagement and the need for strategies that help to deal with this complexity to achieve good health outcomes. Further primary research is needed to answer questions of how and why specific mechanisms, in particular contexts, can lead to positive outcomes, including what works and what does not work and how to measure these processes

Впровадження інтернет‐банкінгу в Гані: перший погляд на споживче сприйняття

Internet banking is a tool in the service delivery arsenal for banks. This study focuses on client-bank relationship and on how Internet adoption may improve the qualitative relationship between banks and firms in Ghana and the business they serve. The study adopted a triangulation approach in meeting its objectives. A sample of 180 companies was sampled from the manufacturing, commerce, and services sectors of the economy. The findings of the study were mainly reported by means of descriptive statistics. The research findings indicate that Internet banking services are at their infant stage. Of the respondents, 68% had heard about Internet banking while 33% have never heard about it. 55% of the respondents said security concerns were the major barrier to the adoption of Internet banking. 55.6% of the firms that responded were not connected to the Internet whiles 44.4% were. Majority of the interviewees said they would still visit the bank even if their company adopts Internet banking. Access to their account balance and understanding customer needs are the most important factors for facilitating a good bank client relationship for firms in Ghana and their banks. Banks in Ghana need to start considering the introduction of Internet strategies in the development of customer relationship management (CRM) programs, which will ultimately increase the customer lifetime value of their clients. The present paper is one of the first Internet banking studies from a West African context on the usefulness of Internet banking technologies to bank clients.В усьому світі інтернет-банкінг є важливим інструментом арсеналу надання банківських послуг. Дослідження було проведене в країні, що розвивається, з метою вивчення взаємозв’язків між клієнтами і банками, якісного покращення стосунків між банками та компаніями Гани шляхом впровадження інтернет-технологій у банківську систему. Для успішного досягнення мети був використаний тригонометричний підхід. Вибірка зі 180 компаній охоплює наступні сектори економіки: сфера виробництва, комерції та надання послуг. Результати дослідження надані за допомогою описової статистики. Вони вказують на те, що послуги інтернет-банкінгу Гани знаходяться на початковому етапі. Якщо для 68% респондентів явище інтернет-банкінгу є знайомим, то 33% ніколи про нього не чули, 55% респондентів доповіли, що проблема безпеки – основний бар’єр до впровадження інтернет-банкінгу, а 55.6% компаній навіть не мали доступу до інтернету. Компанії Гани користуються інтернет-банкінгом для переказу грошей та перевірки залишку коштів на рахунку. Переважна більшість опитуваних продовжуватимуть користуватись послугами традиційних банків навіть після впровадження системи інтернет-банкінгу. Результати дослідження свідчать про те, що вільний доступ до розрахункового балансу, так само, як і розуміння потреб клієнтів, – найважливіші фактори покращення взаємозв’язків між банками та клієнтами. Банкам необхідно усвідомити важливість впровадження інтернет-технологій, щоб сприяти розвитку програм управління відносинами з клієнтами (CRM – customer relationship management). У кінцевому результаті це приведе до підвищення оцінки життєвого циклу клієнта. Дана стаття – одне з перших досліджень у сфері інтернет-банкінгу Західної Африки, яка наголошує на корисності системи інтернет-банкінгу

Anemia among adult HIV patients in Ethiopia: a hospital-based cross-sectional study

Hermela Melese,1 Molla Mesele Wassie,2 Haile Woldie,2 Abilo Tadesse,3 Nebiyu Mesfin3 1HIV Follow-up Care Clinic, Debre-Tabor Hospital, Debre‑Tabor, 2Department of Human Nutrition, Institute of Public Health, 3Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia Background: Anemia is a major public health problem in HIV patients around the world. It has a negative effect on the quality of life of HIV patients and progression of the HIV disease. In the sub-Saharan African setting, including Ethiopia where both HIV infection and under-nutrition are expected to be high, there is a paucity of data on the matter. This study was aimed to reveal the magnitude and factors associated with anemia among adult HIV patients in Debre-Tabor Hospital, northwest Ethiopia. Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was used among adult HIV patients in Debre-Tabor Hospital from April 1 to May 30, 2015. The diagnosis of anemia was made following the 2011 World Health Organization recommendation on hemoglobin cut-off points. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression was carried out to assess factors associated with anemia. Results: A total of 377 patients&rsquo; charts were reviewed. Most of the participants (n=237, 62.9%) were taking antiretroviral treatment (ART). The overall prevalence of anemia was 23% (95% CI: 19.1, 27.6). Being ART-na&iuml;ve (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 3.37; 95% CI: 1.59, 7.14), having treatment history with anti-tuberculosis (TB) drug (AOR: 3.2; 95% CI: 1.19, 8.67), taking zidovudine (ZDV)-containing ART regimen (AOR: 2.14; 95% CI: 1.03, 4.57), and having recent CD4+ T-lymphocytes count of &lt;200 cells/&micro;L (AOR: 2.13; 95% CI: 1.04, 4.36) were associated with occurrence of anemia among adult HIV patients. Conclusion and recommendation: Anemia continues to be a major co-morbidity among adult HIV patients in Ethiopia. Adult HIV patients who are taking ZDV-containing ART, with a history of TB treatment, have a low CD4+T-lymphocytes count and are ART-na&iuml;ve should be carefully screened and treated for anemia. Keywords: anemia, HIV/AIDS, antiretroviral treatment, ZDV toxicity, Ethiopi

Впровадження інтернет‐банкінгу в Гані: перший погляд на споживче сприйняття

Internet banking is a tool in the service delivery arsenal for banks. This study focuses on client-bank relationship and on how Internet adoption may improve the qualitative relationship between banks and firms in Ghana and the business they serve. The study adopted a triangulation approach in meeting its objectives. A sample of 180 companies was sampled from the manufacturing, commerce, and services sectors of the economy. The findings of the study were mainly reported by means of descriptive statistics. The research findings indicate that Internet banking services are at their infant stage. Of the respondents, 68% had heard about Internet banking while 33% have never heard about it. 55% of the respondents said security concerns were the major barrier to the adoption of Internet banking. 55.6% of the firms that responded were not connected to the Internet whiles 44.4% were. Majority of the interviewees said they would still visit the bank even if their company adopts Internet banking. Access to their account balance and understanding customer needs are the most important factors for facilitating a good bank client relationship for firms in Ghana and their banks. Banks in Ghana need to start considering the introduction of Internet strategies in the development of customer relationship management (CRM) programs, which will ultimately increase the customer lifetime value of their clients. The present paper is one of the first Internet banking studies from a West African context on the usefulness of Internet banking technologies to bank clients.В усьому світі інтернет-банкінг є важливим інструментом арсеналу надання банківських послуг. Дослідження було проведене в країні, що розвивається, з метою вивчення взаємозв’язків між клієнтами і банками, якісного покращення стосунків між банками та компаніями Гани шляхом впровадження інтернет-технологій у банківську систему. Для успішного досягнення мети був використаний тригонометричний підхід. Вибірка зі 180 компаній охоплює наступні сектори економіки: сфера виробництва, комерції та надання послуг. Результати дослідження надані за допомогою описової статистики. Вони вказують на те, що послуги інтернет-банкінгу Гани знаходяться на початковому етапі. Якщо для 68% респондентів явище інтернет-банкінгу є знайомим, то 33% ніколи про нього не чули, 55% респондентів доповіли, що проблема безпеки – основний бар’єр до впровадження інтернет-банкінгу, а 55.6% компаній навіть не мали доступу до інтернету. Компанії Гани користуються інтернет-банкінгом для переказу грошей та перевірки залишку коштів на рахунку. Переважна більшість опитуваних продовжуватимуть користуватись послугами традиційних банків навіть після впровадження системи інтернет-банкінгу. Результати дослідження свідчать про те, що вільний доступ до розрахункового балансу, так само, як і розуміння потреб клієнтів, – найважливіші фактори покращення взаємозв’язків між банками та клієнтами. Банкам необхідно усвідомити важливість впровадження інтернет-технологій, щоб сприяти розвитку програм управління відносинами з клієнтами (CRM – customer relationship management). У кінцевому результаті це приведе до підвищення оцінки життєвого циклу клієнта. Дана стаття – одне з перших досліджень у сфері інтернет-банкінгу Західної Африки, яка наголошує на корисності системи інтернет-банкінгу

Allometric scaling, biomass accumulation and carbon stocks in natural highland bamboo (Oldeania alpina (K. Schum.) Stapleton) stands in Southwestern Ethiopia

Bamboos provide a number of ecosystem services, including the provision of a permanent carbon (C) sink. The present study was undertaken in the Sheka forest, currently recognized as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The objectives of this study were to: (1) develop species- and site-specific allometric models for biomass estimation and (2) quantify the carbon storage capacity of highland bamboo stands. A total of 12 plots each measuring 10 m x 10 m were established at a distance of 200 m in the forest. 96 culms were harvested for the development of biomass estimation equations. Litter samples were collected in 1 m x 1 m subplots, while soil samples were collected at 0–10, 10–20, 20–40, and 40–60 cm soil depths for determination of soil organic carbon (SOC) contents. The estimated mean DBH, basal area and plant height were 7.0 cm, 53.2 m2 ha−1 and 12.9 m, respectively. The study has established allometric scaling of plant height with stem diameter in highland bamboo. It has also established that the allometric model is superior to commonly used non-linear H-DBH models. Aboveground biomass was estimated at 93 Mg ha−1 with mean C stocks of 43.7 Mg ha−1. The estimated below-ground biomass was 18.6 Mg ha−1 with C stocks of 8.7 Mg ha−1. The C stocks in the litter layer were estimated at 1.57 Mg ha−1. Average soil C storage was estimated at 388.12 Mg ha−1 within the 0–60 cm soil depth. In total, the natural highland bamboo stands store approximately 442.1 Mg C ha−1. The estimated C stocks were comparable with values reported for bamboos in Ethiopia and elsewhere. It is concluded that natural highland bamboo stands play a significant role as carbon sinks. The insights gained in this study are expected to be applicable to Afromontane ecosystems where highland bamboo occurs in Africa