Investigating EFL Teachers’ Knowledge and Practice in Vocabulary Instruction

The purpose of this study was to investigate EFL teachers’ knowledge and practice in vocabulary instruction. The study involved thirty six secondary school English teachers from three randomly selected schools. Simple random, purposive and available sampling techniques were employed for the study undertaken. Data was collected from the participant teachers through questionnaire, semi-structured interview, classroom observation and stimulated-recall interview. The findings show that, teachers’ knowledge was generally consistent with their classroom practices and this marked their knowledge guides their pedagogical practices. However, a few inconsistencies were also noticed. At the same time, the finding exhibited factors which could contribute to the mismatches between teachers’ knowledge and practices in vocabulary instruction. These factors include: Students’ lack of ability, their lack of motivation, lack of resources, large class size and others. The discussion of these findings suggests implications for practices and recommendations for future research to improve vocabulary instruction in secondary school context

PROFILE OF AIDS CASES IN ETHIOPIA

SUMMARY: After the first AIDS case was identified in Ethiopia in February 1986, 636 cases have been reported through November 1990. A marked increase in the number of cases was noted from year to year during the five years: 0.3% of all cases were reported in 1986, 2.7% In 1987, 13.4% in 1988, 28.5% in 1989 and 55.2% up to end of November 1990. The large majority of the patients (87.6%) were diagnosed in Addis Ababa hospitals; the remainder were reported from regional hospitals. 445(70.0%) of all patients were males; 191 were females; with a male to female sex ratio of2.3:1. The average age for both sexes was 31.1 years with 32.9 years for males and 26.9 years for females. Sexual contact with multiple partners, history of Sills, and injections received outside of medical institutions, were the three major risk factors identified in 61.3%, 45.6% and 7.9% of the patients respectively. Of the three major clinical features of the WHO case definition, marked weight loss (failure to thrive), was found in 581 (91.4%) of the patients, prolonged fever > 1 month in 542 (85.2%) cases and chronic diarrhea in 296 (46.5%) of the patients. Generalized lymphadenopathy, persistent cough for over 1 month, and generalized pruritic dermatitis were the common minor symptoms identified. It was documented that 361 (60.1 %) of the patients were alive; 163 (27.2%) died

SURVEILLANCE ON AIDS CASES IN ETIllOPIA

SUMMARY: The surveillance system for AIDS cases was introduced in Ethiopia at the beginning of 1989. This was preceded by the preparation of clinical surveillance guidelines and training for physicians at the national and regional levels. The guidelines contained descriptions of the referral system, the activities to be carried out, and recording/reporting forms to be used for this purpose. The trained physicians were given the responsibilities of carrying out the surveillance in their respective hospitals and to maintain regular reporting on the activities .A review of the surveillance activity of the last two years, revealed that 526 (82.7 %) of the patients were reported in 1989 and 1990, after the introduction of the system. Moreover, there was marked improvement in the quality of the reports on the patients. However, from the report presented by different supervisory AIDS, it was identified that the surveillance system was not properly introduced in several health institutions outside Addis Ababa. This indicates the need for regular training and support to the physicians involved in AIDS case surveillance, and for periodic revision of the surveillance system

Teachers’ knowledge: Teachers’ perceptions and their sources of knowledge in vocabulary instruction

The study investigated EFL teachers’ perceptions and their sources of knowledge in vocabulary instruction at the secondary school level in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. To fulfill this purpose, an explanatory research design and mixed data analysis methods were employed. The study involved thirty-six English teachers from three representative secondary schools. Data was collected from the participant teachers through a questionnaire and a semi-structured interview. The findings show that participants in the study generally have positive perceptions about vocabulary teaching and learning. According to the participants’ perspectives, vocabulary is central to language and it is important to language learners in their language learning. This thought was affirmed by participants in both quantitative and qualitative aspects of the study. The finding also revealed teachers’ sources of knowledge in vocabulary instruction. These knowledge sources include teachers’ teaching experience, their disciplinary background, apprenticeship of observation, and others. The discussion of these findings suggests implications for practices and recommendations for future research to improve vocabulary instruction in secondary schools

Cost-Effectiveness of Saxagliptin Compared With Glibenclamide as a Second-Line Therapy Added to Metformin for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Ethiopia

Background. Metformin is a widely accepted first-line pharmacotherapy for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Treatment of T2DM with glibenclamide, saxagliptin, or one of the other second-line treatment agents is recommended when the first-line treatment (metformin) cannot control the disease. However, there is little evidence on the additional cost and cost-effectiveness of adding second-line drugs. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate the cost-effectiveness of saxagliptin and glibenclamide as second-line therapies added to metformin compared with metformin only in T2DM in Ethiopia. Methods. This cost-effectiveness study was conducted in Ethiopia using a mix of primary data on cost and best available data from the literature on the effectiveness. We measured the interventions’ cost from the providers’ perspective in 2019 US dollars. We developed a Markov model for T2DM disease progression with five health states using TreeAge Pro 2020 software. Disability-adjusted life year (DALY) was the health outcome used in this study, and we calculated the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) per DALY averted. Furthermore, one-way and probabilistic sensitivity analysis were performed. Results. The annual unit cost per patient was USD 70 for metformin, USD 75 for metformin + glibenclamide, and USD 309 for metformin + saxagliptin. The ICER for saxagliptin + metformin was USD 2259 per DALY averted. The ICER results were sensitive to various changes in cost, effectiveness, and transition probabilities. The ICER was driven primarily by the higher cost of saxagliptin relative to glibenclamide. Conclusion. Our study revealed that saxagliptin is not a cost-effective second-line therapy in patients with T2DM inadequately controlled by metformin monotherapy based on a gross domestic product per capita per DALY averted willingness-to-pay threshold in Ethiopia (USD 953).publishedVersio

PROJECTIONS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF HIV/AIDS EPIDEMICS IN ETHOPIA

SUMMARY: The accumulated global experience on the duration of HIV latency period and the rates of annual progression to clinical AIDS provided the basis on which to formulate projections on the development of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Using the data available for 1989 on HIV prevalence in the adult population of Ethiopia and the computer model developed by the WHO Global Programme on AIDS, projections of the epidemic in this country were made. Conservative estimates on the number of STDs infected persons and AIDS cases indicate that Ethiopia is one to three years behind the most AIDS affected countries of Africa in the development of HIV I AIDS epidemic. According to the estimates the national AIDS case surveillance network was able to identify about 10% of the cases which have actually occurred. The progression of the epidemic is threatening, and it requires mobilization of all sectors of the society in order to affect HIV transmission

Soil fertility status and wheat nutrient content in Vertisol cropping systems of central highlands of Ethiopia

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SOME FACTORS PROMOTING SEX EMPLOYMENT IN ETHOPIA

Extensive surveys on HIV prevalence have been carried out in urban settlements of Ethiopia in 1988 -1989, among females involved in multi-partner sexual contacts (MPSC) (1,2). Pre- and post-test counselling was a permanent component of these surveys. Through individual interviews preceding blood drawing, valuable information was collected on the social status and STD/pregnancy protection practiced by the target group (3,4). The questionnaire however did not cover several important subjects such as factors provoking prostitution and economic status of the MPSC females. In order to obtain this information, a limited scale survey was carried out in three cities: Addis Ababa, Assela and Nazareth in 1989, among 339 MPSC females selected at random (113, 128 and 98 individuals in each town respectively)

Tuberculosis treatment outcome and associated factors among tuberculosis patients at Wolayta Sodo Teaching and Referral Hospital, Southern Ethiopia: a retrospective study

Background: Tuberculosis is a major public health problem throughout the world particularly in resource limited countries. Measuring and reporting of TB treatment outcomes and identifying associated factors are fundamental part of TB treatment. The aim of this study was to assess TB treatment outcome and associated factors among TB patients in Wolayta Sodo Teaching and Referral Hospital, Southern Ethiopia.Design and Methods: Facility based retrospective cohort study was conducted in Wolayta Sodo Teaching and Referral Hospital. All TB patients who registered during September 2014 to August 2019 and had known treatment outcome were included in the study. The data were collected using pretested structured data extraction format that included demographic, clinical and treatment outcome variables. SPSS Version 23 for Windows was used for data processing. Bivariate and multivariate analysis with 95% confidence interval (CI) was employed to infer associations between the independent and dependent variables.Results: Of total 232 TB patients included in the study, 54.3% were male,80.2% were urban residents, 65.9% were pulmonary TB (PTB). From the total 153 PTB cases,31.5% were smear positive, 17.2% were HIV co-infected and all of them were on antiretroviral treatment. Most, 97.0% of the TB cases were newly diagnosed and all were treated as first line treatment category. The overall treatment success rate was 82.5% (28% cured 54.3% completed), 11.2% loss to follow-up, 4.7% dead and 0.9% treatment failure. The treatment success rate of HIV co-infected TB patients was 77.5%. There was no significant association between TB treatment outcome and age, sex, residence, type of TB, category of patients and HIV status.Conclusions: The treatment success rate was low (82.5%) which is below the90% threshold defined standard with high proportion of patient’s lost to follow-up (11.2%). A higher number of transfer-out cases were recorded in this study. Thus, supervision and monitoring of DOTs implementation, improved counseling service, mechanisms for lost to follow-up patients should be strengthen. Establish efficient referral and contact tracing mechanisms for transferred-out cases and document their treatment outcomes of status is also fundamental

ELISA FALSE POSITIVITY IN RELATION TO HIV -1 PREVALENCE IN ETHIOPIA

ABSTRACT: A close investigation of data accumulated over several years at the National Referral Laboratory for AIDS (NRLA), revealed a certain pattern in the number of false positive results that occur in population groups with a given prevalence of HIV -1 infection. To provide more accurate information regarding this observation 8850 serum samples from females with multi-partner sexual contact (MPSC) residing in different regions of Ethiopia with varying HIV -1 prevalence rates, were collected and tested using 1st and 2nd generation enzyme immunoassays (EIA) and a western blot. The results obtained from this study suggest that the rate of the occurrence of false positive enzyme linked imrnuno-sorbent assay (ELISA) results during laboratory testing for HIV -1 antibody is (regardless of the quality of antigen used) inversely proportional to the prevalence of HIV-l in a given population group