Underweight and Predictors Among Children Aged 6–59 Months in South Ethiopia

ObjectivesUnderweight remains the primary public health concern among under-five-year-old children in Ethiopia, despite numerous government-implemented nutrition-specific and sensitive interventions. Therefore, this study aimed to assess underweight and associated factors among children in South Ethiopia.MethodsBetween March and April 2021, 717 children in the South Ari district who were between the ages of 6 and 59 months participated in a cross-sectional study. To choose a sample of households containing a minimum of one child between the ages of 6 and 59 months, a multi-stage sampling procedure was used. Data were collected by interviewer-administered structured questionnaires from the mothers of the children. To determine the factors associated with being underweight, a binary logistic regression analysis was built. All variables with a p-value <0.25 in the bivariable analysis were entered into a multivariable logistic regression analysis. To assess the strength of the association, an adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with a 95% confidence interval was used. With a p-value below 0.05, statistical significance was declared.ResultsThe prevalence of underweight was determined to be 29.7% (95% CI: 26.5%, 33.2%). Child age 6–23 months [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.28; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.18, 0.44], food insecurity (AOR = 1.48; 95% CI: 1.04, 2.10), sub-optimal child dietary diversity (AOR = 1.44; 95% CI: 1.01, 2.03), birth interval <24 months (AOR = 2.49; 95% CI: 1.75, 3.54), and common childhood illness (AOR = 2.21; 95% CI: 1.52, 3.21) were associated with being underweight.ConclusionUnderweight among children is predicted by household food insecurity, suboptimal dietary diversity, and common childhood illnesses, necessitating further efforts to improve food security and manage common illnesses

Global estimates on the number of people blind or visually impaired by cataract: a meta-analysis from 2000 to 2020

Background: To estimate global and regional trends from 2000 to 2020 of the number of persons visually impaired by cataract and their proportion of the total number of vision-impaired individuals. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis of published population studies and gray literature from 2000 to 2020 was carried out to estimate global and regional trends. We developed prevalence estimates based on modeled distance visual impairment and blindness due to cataract, producing location-, year-, age-, and sex-specific estimates of moderate to severe vision impairment (MSVI presenting visual acuity &lt;6/18, ≥3/60) and blindness (presenting visual acuity &lt;3/60). Estimates are age-standardized using the GBD standard population. Results: In 2020, among overall (all ages) 43.3 million blind and 295 million with MSVI, 17.0 million (39.6%) people were blind and 83.5 million (28.3%) had MSVI due to cataract blind 60% female, MSVI 59% female. From 1990 to 2020, the count of persons blind (MSVI) due to cataract increased by 29.7%(93.1%) whereas the age-standardized global prevalence of cataract-related blindness improved by −27.5% and MSVI increased by 7.2%. The contribution of cataract to the age-standardized prevalence of blindness exceeded the global figure only in South Asia (62.9%) and Southeast Asia and Oceania (47.9%). Conclusions: The number of people blind and with MSVI due to cataract has risen over the past 30 years, despite a decrease in the age-standardized prevalence of cataract. This indicates that cataract treatment programs have been beneficial, but population growth and aging have outpaced their impact. Growing numbers of cataract blind indicate that more, better-directed, resources are needed to increase global capacity for cataract surgery.</p

Global estimates on the number of people blind or visually impaired by cataract : a meta-analysis from 2000 to 2020

DATA AVAILABILITY : Data sources for the Global Vision Database are listed at the following weblink http://www.anglia.ac.uk/verigbd. Fully disaggregated data is not available publicly due to data sharing agreements with some principal investigators yet requests for summary data can be made to the corresponding author.CHANGE HISTORY 16 July 2024 : A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41433-024-03161-7.BACKGROUND : To estimate global and regional trends from 2000 to 2020 of the number of persons visually impaired by cataract and their proportion of the total number of vision-impaired individuals. METHODS : A systematic review and meta-analysis of published population studies and gray literature from 2000 to 2020 was carried out to estimate global and regional trends. We developed prevalence estimates based on modeled distance visual impairment and blindness due to cataract, producing location-, year-, age-, and sex-specific estimates of moderate to severe vision impairment (MSVI presenting visual acuity <6/18, ≥3/60) and blindness (presenting visual acuity <3/60). Estimates are age-standardized using the GBD standard population. RESULTS : In 2020, among overall (all ages) 43.3 million blind and 295 million with MSVI, 17.0 million (39.6%) people were blind and 83.5 million (28.3%) had MSVI due to cataract blind 60% female, MSVI 59% female. From 1990 to 2020, the count of persons blind (MSVI) due to cataract increased by 29.7%(93.1%) whereas the age-standardized global prevalence of cataract-related blindness improved by −27.5% and MSVI increased by 7.2%. The contribution of cataract to the age-standardized prevalence of blindness exceeded the global figure only in South Asia (62.9%) and Southeast Asia and Oceania (47.9%). CONCLUSIONS : The number of people blind and with MSVI due to cataract has risen over the past 30 years, despite a decrease in the age-standardized prevalence of cataract. This indicates that cataract treatment programs have been beneficial, but population growth and aging have outpaced their impact. Growing numbers of cataract blind indicate that more, better-directed, resources are needed to increase global capacity for cataract surgery.Brien Holden Vision Institute, Fondation Thea, Fred Hollows Foundation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF), Sightsavers International, and University of Heidelberg. Open Access funding enabled and organized by CAUL and its Member Institutions.https://www.nature.com/eyehj2024School of Health Systems and Public Health (SHSPH)SDG-03:Good heatlh and well-bein

Early cessation of breastfeeding and the associated factors among mothers with children aged 2 to 3 years in rural Southern Ethiopia: a community-based cross-sectional study

Abstract Background Breast milk is the first natural food for babies. It has nutritional, immunological, developmental, psychological, societal and environmental advantages. Failing to feed children for twenty-four months has so many negative consequences to children. Though studies have well documented the duration of breast feeding in the first six months, the proportion of women completing the recommended duration and factors associated with it has not been well investigated in rural places of Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aims to fill this gap in evidence among mothers with children aged 2 to 3 years in Arba Minch Health and Demographic Surveillance Site in 2021 E.C. Methods A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in all kebeles of the surveillance site by employing multi-stage sampling technique. Descriptive statistics was done to summarize findings and binary logistics regression model was used to identify factors significantly associated with early breast-feeding cessation respectively. OR with its 95% CI was obtained to quantify the degree of association between explanatory variables and early breastfeeding cessation. Result The proportion of early cessations of breast feeding was 29.30% (25.02, 33.64%). Being from a household with no fathers ‘education or primary education [AOR=0.22; 95%CI (0.07, 0.74)] and [AOR=0.30; 95%CI (0.12, 0.76)], farmer mothers [AOR=6.40; 95%CI: (1.38, 29.74)], birth interval of less than 2 years [AOR=2.07; 95%CI: (1.03, 4.16)], and with mothers’ one or two to three antenatal care visits [AOR = 2.73; 95%CI: (1.27,5.88)] were factors significantly associated with early cessations of breast feeding. Conclusion and recommendation The proportion of early cessations of breast feeding was high. Father’s education, being farmer, birth interval and ante natal care visit were significant factors. Health education about proper breast feeding practice and improving ante natal care attendance might improve premature cessation of breast feeding among women

Household food security-related characteristics in South Ari district, Southern Ethiopia, 2021 (N = 717).

Household food security-related characteristics in South Ari district, Southern Ethiopia, 2021 (N = 717).</p

Schematic presentation of the sampling procedure for the selection of study participants in South Ari district, Southern Ethiopia, 2021.

Schematic presentation of the sampling procedure for the selection of study participants in South Ari district, Southern Ethiopia, 2021.</p

English version questionnaires.

BackgroundHousehold food insecurity is a major public health problem in Ethiopia despite the presence of various interventions implemented by the government. However, there is a dearth of evidence regarding the prevalence and responsible factors in Ethiopia, specifically in the South Ari district. This study, therefore, aimed to assess household food insecurity and associated factors in South Ari district, Southern Ethiopia.MethodsA community-based cross-sectional study was employed from March 11 to April 11, 2021, at South Ari district, Southern Ethiopia. A two-stage sampling technique was used to draw a sample of 717 households. Data were checked and entered into Epi-Data V3.2., and exported to SPSS V25.0 for data exploration and analysis. Variables with a p-value ResultThe prevalence of household food insecurity was 44.8% (95% CI: 41.1%, 48.5%). Larger family size (8 and above) (AOR = 1.91, 95% CI: 1.10, 3.30), high dependency ratio (AOR = 2.71, 95% CI: 1.67, 4.40), medium dependency ratio (AOR = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.13, 2.62), poor wealth index (AOR = 2.30, 95% CI: 1.53, 3.46), not using agricultural extension service (AOR = 2.25, 95% CI: 1.57, 3.23), and non-beneficiary of productive safety net program (AOR = 1.71, 95% CI: 1.01, 2.87) were factors significantly associated with household food insecurity.ConclusionsThe findings of this study showed a significant proportion of households were food insecure in South Ari District. Larger family size, high and medium dependency ratio, poor wealth index, not using agricultural extension service, and non-beneficiary of productive safety net program were significant risk factors associated with household food insecurity. Therefore, rigorous work is highly needed to enhance income-generating activities, strengthen agricultural productivity, expand the productive safety net program, and limit population pressure through improved family planning use.</div

Minimum data set.

BackgroundHousehold food insecurity is a major public health problem in Ethiopia despite the presence of various interventions implemented by the government. However, there is a dearth of evidence regarding the prevalence and responsible factors in Ethiopia, specifically in the South Ari district. This study, therefore, aimed to assess household food insecurity and associated factors in South Ari district, Southern Ethiopia.MethodsA community-based cross-sectional study was employed from March 11 to April 11, 2021, at South Ari district, Southern Ethiopia. A two-stage sampling technique was used to draw a sample of 717 households. Data were checked and entered into Epi-Data V3.2., and exported to SPSS V25.0 for data exploration and analysis. Variables with a p-value ResultThe prevalence of household food insecurity was 44.8% (95% CI: 41.1%, 48.5%). Larger family size (8 and above) (AOR = 1.91, 95% CI: 1.10, 3.30), high dependency ratio (AOR = 2.71, 95% CI: 1.67, 4.40), medium dependency ratio (AOR = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.13, 2.62), poor wealth index (AOR = 2.30, 95% CI: 1.53, 3.46), not using agricultural extension service (AOR = 2.25, 95% CI: 1.57, 3.23), and non-beneficiary of productive safety net program (AOR = 1.71, 95% CI: 1.01, 2.87) were factors significantly associated with household food insecurity.ConclusionsThe findings of this study showed a significant proportion of households were food insecure in South Ari District. Larger family size, high and medium dependency ratio, poor wealth index, not using agricultural extension service, and non-beneficiary of productive safety net program were significant risk factors associated with household food insecurity. Therefore, rigorous work is highly needed to enhance income-generating activities, strengthen agricultural productivity, expand the productive safety net program, and limit population pressure through improved family planning use.</div

Socio-demographic and economic characteristics of study participants in South Ari district, Southern Ethiopia, 2021 (N = 717).

Socio-demographic and economic characteristics of study participants in South Ari district, Southern Ethiopia, 2021 (N = 717).</p

Factors associated with household food insecurity in South Ari district, Southern Ethiopia, 2021 (N = 717).

Factors associated with household food insecurity in South Ari district, Southern Ethiopia, 2021 (N = 717).</p