Predictors of Treatment Seeking Intention among People with Cough in East Wollega, Ethiopia Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior: A Community Based Cross -Sectional Study

Background: Early treatment seeking for cough is crucial in the prevention and control of Tuberculosis. This study was intended to assess treatment seeking intention of people with cough of more than two weeks, and to identify its predictors.Methods: A community based cross-sectional study was conducted among 763 individuals with cough of more than two weeks in East Wollega Zone from March 10 to April 16, 2011. Study participants were selected from eighteen villages by cluster sampling method. Data collection instruments were developed according to the standard guideline of the theory of planned behavior. The data were analyzed with SPSS 16.0. Multiple linear regression was used to identify predictors.Results: Mean score of intention was found to be 12.6 (SD=2.8) (range of possible score=3-15). Knowledge (β=0.14, 95%CI: 0.07-0.2), direct attitude (β=0.31, 95%CI: 0.25-0.35), belief-based attitude (β=0.03, 95%CI: 0.02-0.06) and perceived subjective norm (β=0.22, 95%CI: 0.13 -0.31) positively predicted treatment seeking intention. However, perceived behavioral control and control belief were not significantly associated with treatment seeking intention (p>0.05). Being smoker (β=-0.97, 95%CI:-1.65- (-0.37)) and higher family income (β=-0.06, 95%CI:-0.07-(-0.01) were significantly associated with lower treatment seeking intention.Conclusion: TPB significantly predicted treatment seeking intention among the study participants. Attitude and silent beliefs held by the respondents play an important role and should be given emphasize in prevention and control of Tuberculosis.Keywords: Tuberculosis, Cough, Intention, Treatment, Theory of Planned Behavio

Beekeepers' honeybee colony selection practice in Tigray, Northern Ethiopia.

Selection of colonies plays an important role for successful harvesting of desired products from honeybees. The purpose of this study was therefore to assess local knowledge and experience of beekeepers in Tigray regional state of Ethiopia with regard to colony selection and management practices during purchase and multiplication. Respondent selection was carried out based on the existing conventional agroecological zones namely Dega (highland), Kolla (lowland) and Weinadega (midland). Four woredas (districts) from Dega zone, and three from each of Kolla and Weinadega zones were sampled. A total of 185 beekeepers were interviewed to understand the criteria they were using to select colonies. Preference ranking data were indexed using linear programming. The result indicated that beekeepers were using six local selection criteria namely worker bee population, body color, comb building direction, aggressiveness, honey yield history and age of the colony ordered according to their preference rank from 1 to 6. Beekeepers understood that selection of honeybee colonies was important because productivity, management easiness and agroclimatic adaptation of colonies are different for different colonies. As a result colonies with dominant black colored bees were chosen as first priority for their merits of better honey productivity, tolerance to absconding and multiplication easiness in Weinadega and Kolla agroecologies. However, red/yellowish colored bees were preferred in Dega agroecology

Healthcare workers’ beliefs, motivations and behaviours affecting adequate provision of sexual and reproductive healthcare services to adolescents in Cape Town, South Africa: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND: Adolescents’ sexual and reproductive healthcare (SRH) needs have been prioritized globally, and they have the rights to access and utilize SRH services for their needs. However, adolescents under-utilize SRH services, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Many factors play a role in the under-utilization of SRH services by adolescents, such as the attitude and behaviour of healthcare workers. The aim of this study therefore, was to explore and gain an in-depth understanding of healthcare workers’ beliefs, motivations and behaviours affecting adequate provision of these services to adolescents in South Africa. METHODS: Twenty-four healthcare workers in public SRH services in Cape Town, South Africa participated in this qualitative study through focus group discussions. To fulfill the aims of this study, nine focus group discussions were conducted among the SRH nurses. RESULTS: SRH nurses indicated that they are experiencing challenges with the concept and practice of termination of pregnancy. They explained that this practice contradicted their opposing beliefs and values. Some nurses felt that they had insufficient SRH skills, which hinder their provision of adequate SRH services to adolescents, while others described constraints within the health system such as not enough time to provide the necessary care. They also explained having limited access to schools where they can provide SRH education and pregnancy prevention services in the surrounding area. CONCLUSIONS: Nurses are faced with numerous challenges when providing SRH services to adolescents. Providing the nurses with training programmes that emphasize value clarification may help them to separate their personal beliefs and norms from the workplace practice. This may help them to focus on the needs of the adolescent in a way that is beneficial to them. At the health systems level, issues such as clinic operating hours need to be structured such that the time pressure and constraints upon the nurse is relieved

A Decade of Research Progress in Chickpea and Lentil Breeding and Genetics

This paper summarizes achievements of chickpea and lentil breeding during the last decade /2005-2015/ in Ethiopia. Gentic yield gains from decadal breeding efforts were 80 kg/ha/year for chickpea and 52 kg/ha/yr for lentil. The germplasm enhancment and subsequent variety evaluation verification programs during the decade resulted in releases of 17 chickpea and 2 lentil varieties. These advanced varieties, when applied in production system with proper crop managment and protection practices, almost doubled productivity per unit area at farm level