Opportunities And Threats Towards The Continuity And Success Of Community-Based Reproductive Health Service Programme In Rural Community Of Northeast Ethiopia

Objective: To assess opportunities and threats towards the continuity and success of Community-based reproductive health service programme in Northeast Ethiopia. Design: Community-based comparative cross sectional study. Setting: Two districts of Amhara region, Ethiopia, classified as strong and weak community based reproductive health programme areas. Subjects: Seven hundred Ninety two women aged 15-49 years residing in the selected districts of Amhara region. Community-based reproductive health workers, programmeme coordinators and field supervisors were used as informants of qualitative data collection. Main outcome measure: Current use of modern contraceptive methods. Results: Strong versus weak programme areas: knowledge about modern contraceptive method (MCM), was (90% and 86.8%), [OR (95% CI) = 2.87(1.68, 4.91)], ever use of MCM (61.1 % and 29.7%), [OR (95% CI) = 3.71(2.72, 5.07)] and current use of MCM (54.8% versus 19.7%), [OR (95% CI) =4.95(3.53, 6.95)]. Method interruption was significantly higher, 37.6% in weak than 10.9% in strongly performing programme area. Causes of defaulting in strong versus weak programme areas were: wanted more pregnancy (4% and 39.5%), fear of contraceptives\' side effects (16% and 31.6%) and lack of method of choice (20% and 2.6%). Type of religion, husband approval, awareness of service existence and client satisfaction remained to be the predictors of current use of MCM in multivariate analysis. Qualitative study findings were found coherent with the quantitative results. Conclusion: Type of religion, husband approval, client satisfaction and awareness of service existence were the predictors of modern contraceptive methods utilisation in the study population. East African Medical Journal Vol. 85 (3) 2008: pp. 138-14

Factors Affecting Continuity And Success Of Community-Based Reproductive Health Service Programme In Rural Community Of Northeast Ethiopia

Objective: To assess opportunities and threats towards the continuity and success of Community based reproductive health service programme in Northeast Ethiopia. Design: Community based comparative cross sectional study. Setting: Two districts of Amhara region, Ethiopia, classified as strong and weak community based reproductive health programme areas. Subjects: Seven hundred and ninety two women aged 15-49 years residing in the selected districts of Amhara region. Community based reproductive health workers, programme coordinators and field supervisors were used as informants of qualitative data collection. Main outcome measure: Current use of modern contraceptive methods. Results: Strong versus weak programme areas: knowledge about modern contraceptive method (MCM), was (90% and 86.8%), [OR (95% CI) = 2.87(1.68,4.91)], ever use of MCM (61.1 % and 29.7%), [OR (95% CI) = 3.71(2.72, 5.07)] and current use of MCM (54.8% versus 19.7%), [OR (95% CI) = 4.95(3.53,6.95)]. Method interruption was significantly higher, 37.6% in weak than 10.9% in strongly performing programme area. Causes of defaulting in strong versus weak programme areas were: wanted more pregnancy (4% and 39.5%), fear of contraceptives\' side effects (16% and 31.6%) and lack of method of choice (20% and 2.6%). Type of religion, husband approval, awareness of service existence and client satisfaction remained to be the predictors of current use of MCM in multivariate analysis. Qualitative study findings were found coherent with the quantitative results. Conclusion: Type of religion, husband approval, client satisfaction and awareness of service existence were the predictors of modern contraceptive methods utilisation in the study population. East African Medical Journal Vol. 85 (10) 2008: pp. 487-49

OPPORTUNITIES AND THREATS TOWARDS THE CONTINUITY AND SUCCESS OF COMMUNITY-BASED REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH SERVICE PROGRAMME IN RURAL COMMUNITY OF NORTHEAST ETHIOPIA

Objective: To assess opportunities and threats towards the continuity and success of Community-based reproductive health service programme in Northeast Ethiopia.Design: Community-based comparative cross sectional study.Setting: Two districts of Amhara region, Ethiopia, classified as strong and weak community based reproductive health programme areas.Subjects: Seven hundred Ninety two women aged 15-49 years residing in the selected districts of Amhara region. Community-based reproductive health workers, programmeme coordinators and field supervisors were used as informants of qualitative data collection.Main outcome measure: Current use of modern contraceptive methods.Results: Strong versus weak programme areas: knowledge about modern contraceptive method (MCM), was (90% and 86.8%), [OR (95% CI) = 2.87(1.68, 4.91)], ever use of MCM (61.1 % and 29.7%), [OR (95% CI) = 3.71(2.72, 5.07)] and current use of MCM (54.8% versus 19.7%), [OR (95% CI) =4.95(3.53, 6.95)]. Method interruption was significantly higher, 37.6% in weak than 10.9% in strongly performing programme area. Causes ofdefaulting in strong versus weak programme areas were: wanted more pregnancy (4% and 39.5%), fear of contraceptives’ side effects (16% and 31.6%) and lack of method of choice (20% and 2.6%). Type of religion, husband approval, awareness of service existence and client satisfaction remained to be the predictors of current use of MCM in multivariate analysis. Qualitative study findings were found coherent with thequantitative results.Conclusion: Type of religion, husband approval, client satisfaction and awareness of service existence were the predictors of modern contraceptive methods utilisation in the study population

The development and potential of acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) imaging for carotid artery plaque characterization

Stroke is the third leading cause of death and long-term disability in the USA. Currently, surgical intervention decisions in asymptomatic patients are based upon the degree of carotid artery stenosis. While there is a clear benefit of endarterectomy for patients with severe (> 70%) stenosis, in those with high/moderate (50–69%) stenosis the evidence is less clear. Evidence suggests ischemic stroke is associated less with calcified and fibrous plaques than with those containing softer tissue, especially when accompanied by a thin fibrous cap. A reliable mechanism for the identification of individuals with atherosclerotic plaques which confer the highest risk for stroke is fundamental to the selection of patients for vascular interventions. Acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) imaging is a new ultrasonic-based imaging method that characterizes the mechanical properties of tissue by measuring displacement resulting from the application of acoustic radiation force. These displacements provide information about the local stiffness of tissue and can differentiate between soft and hard areas. Because arterial walls, soft tissue, atheromas, and calcifications have a wide range in their stiffness properties, they represent excellent candidates for ARFI imaging. We present information from early phantom experiments and excised human limb studies to in vivo carotid artery scans and provide evidence for the ability of ARFI to provide high-quality images which highlight mechanical differences in tissue stiffness not readily apparent in matched B-mode images. This allows ARFI to identify soft from hard plaques and differentiate characteristics associated with plaque vulnerability or stability

The biocompatibility of titanium cardiovascular devices seeded with autologous blood-derived endothelial progenitor cells: EPC-seeded antithrombotic Ti Implants

Implantable and extracorporeal cardiovascular devices are commonly made from titanium (Ti) (e.g. Ti-coated Nitinol stents and mechanical circulatory assist devices). Endothelializing the blood-contacting Ti surfaces of these devices would provide them with an antithrombogenic coating that mimics the native lining of blood vessels and the heart. We evaluated the viability and adherence of peripheral blood-derived porcine endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), seeded onto thin Ti layers on glass slides under static conditions and after exposure to fluid shear stresses. EPCs attached and grew to confluence on Ti in serum-free medium, without preadsorption of proteins. After attachment to Ti for 15 min, less than 5% of the cells detached at a shear stress of 100 dyne / cm2. Confluent monolayers of EPCs on smooth Ti surfaces (Rq of 10 nm), exposed to 15 or 100 dyne / cm2 for 48 h, aligned and elongated in the direction of flow and produced nitric oxide dependent on the level of shear stress. EPC-coated Ti surfaces had dramatically reduced platelet adhesion when compared to uncoated Ti surfaces. These results indicate that peripheral blood-derived EPCs adhere and function normally on Ti surfaces. Therefore EPCs may be used to seed cardiovascular devices prior to implantation to ameliorate platelet activation and thrombus formation