Awareness of Breast Cancer and Its Early Detection Measures Among Female Students, Northern Ethiopia

Globally breast cancer is the most common of all cancers. Since risk reduction strategies cannot eliminate the majority of breast cancers, early detection remains the cornerstone of breast cancer control. This paper, therefore, attempts to assess the awareness of breast cancer and its early detection measures among female students in Mekelle University, Ethiopia. An institution based cross-sectional study was conducted on randomly selected female students. Multistage sampling technique was employed to select the participants. A pre-tested structured questionnaire was used. Data analysis was carried out using SPSS version 16. In this study, 760 students participated making a response rate of 96 percent. Respondents with good knowledge score for risk factors, early detections measures and warning signs of breast cancer were 1.4 percent, 3.6 percent and 22.1 percent respectively. The majority 477 (62.8 percent) of participants practiced self-breast examination. In conclusion the participants had poor knowledge of risk factors, early detection measures and early warning signs of breast cancer.Therefore, the Ministry of health of Ethiopia together with its stalk holders should strengthen providing IEC targeting women to increase their awareness about breast cancer and its early detection measure

Determinants of individual dietary diversity score of children less than five years old in the southern zone of Tigray, Ethiopia

Dietary diversity is a measure of food consumption that reflects household access to a variety of foods and is also a proxy for  nutrient adequacy of the diet of  individuals. Dietary diversity is useful because it is correlated with nutrient intake as well as  various anthropometric measures in children. This study was carried out to assess the status of individual dietary diversity score (IDDS) of children under five years old (6-59 months) and its determinants in the Southern Zone of Tigray, Ethiopia. A survey of 320 households having children 6-59 months old was  conducted using a cross-sectional descriptive study with both qualitative and quantitative study designs following the FAO guidelines for the dietary diversity and a semi-structured questionnaire for  demographic and socio-economic factors. Data for the individual dietary diversity (IDDS) indicator were collected by asking the respondent (mother or caregiver) to recall the foods provided during the previous 24 hour period. Data analysis was conducted by using STATA 12 software. The mean IDDS in the study areas was found to be below four, which is the acceptable minimum level.  The traditional diet of children was cereal dominated and low in micronutrient rich food groups in all the assessed Kebeles1. Being a model2 farmer, household’s farmland endowment, female headship of the household, and experience in special meals preparation and participation in nutrition related training of household members were positively associated with dietary diversity of children in the study areas.In order to overcome the low IDDS of children in the areas and to improve their nutritional status through   consumption of diverse foods, it is important to make agricultural production more nutrition sensitive especially on diversification of nutrient dense agricultural products.Key words: Agriculture-Nutrition linkage, dietary diversity, food group, micronutrients, 24-hour recal

Non-carbon benefits for effective implementation of REDD+: The case of Bale Mountains Eco-Region, Southeastern Ethiopia

The study was conducted in four districts, namely Nansebo, Harenna Buluk, Dolo Mena and Dodolla, Southeastern Ethiopia with the following objectives - to: (i) investigate species richness and similarity, diversity, evenness and stand structure of the woody species; (ii) determine the amount of carbon stock stored in the above-ground biomass of woody species; (iii) establish the relationship between the Shannon diversity indices and carbon stock, (iv) identify the most important forest non-carbon benefits obtained by the local communities from the forests; and (v) determine contribution of forest resources to the local economy when compared with other incomes generated from agriculture, including livestock. Data generated by FARM Africa were used to achieve objectives (i) - (iii). To achieve objectives (iv) and (v), a focus group discussion and household survey were conducted. A total of 125 species of woody species, representing at least 45 families and 77 genera, were recorded. The Shannon diversity and evenness indices of the woody species ranged between 2.8 (Dodolla) and 3.5 (Harenna Buluk) and 0.79 (Nansebo) to 0.82 (Dolo Mena), respectively. The woody species had densities ranging from 550 (Dodolla) to 2106 (Harena Buluk) individuals ha-1. The above ground carbon stock stored ranged between 148.88 (Dodolla) and 246.27 (Dolo Mena) tons ha-1. About 10 products and services were mentioned by the respondents as important non carbon benefits from the forests. The non-carbon benefit with the highest contributions in the three districts was fuelwood, while coffee had the highest contribution in Dolo Mena. The contribution of forests to the local economy was significantly compared with other incomes. Forests contributed 40.2% to the household income in Harenna Buluk District and 18.8% in Nansebo District. Considering non-carbon benefits in the design and implementation of reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) is important to ensure its acceptance by local communities.Keywords: Bale, eco-region, non-carbon benefit, reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD+)

Prevalence of Neisseria gonorrhea and their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns among symptomatic women attending gynecology outpatient department in Hawassa Referral Hospital, Hawassa, Ethiopia

BACKGROUND: gonorrhoeae, a sexually transmitted disease caused by Neisseria gonorrhea for which humans are the only natural host. The causative organism is highly adapted to the genital tract and often causing asymptomatic and undetected infection in females in which Acquisition of gonococcal infection late in pregnancy can adversely affect labor and delivery as well as the well-being of the fetus. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence and drug susceptibility pattern of Neisseria gonorrhea among symptomatic women in Hawassa Referral Hospital.METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted from December 1 2010 to February 30, 2011 at Hawassa Referral Hospital. All women who visited gynecology outpatient department (OPD) with suspected gonococcal infection were included. Endocervical swab was collected by the attending physician. The presence of gonorrhea was confirmed by culture, gram staining and biochemical tests. Antimicrobial sensitivity test was performed using disc diffusion method and the result was interpreted accordingly. RESULTS: Of the total 215 cases examined, 11 (5.1%) were confirmed to have gonococcal infection. Although not statistically significant, most of the cases 5/11 (45.5%) were in age group of 20-24 years and the identified organism had low level susceptibility to quinolones (ciprofloxacin 55%, ofloxacin 64% & lomefloxacin 64%).CONCLUSION: Despite low rates of gonorrhea infection, it is important to focus on high-risk populations (reproductive age group) because of the great physical and emotional costs of the disease. A high resistance for quinolones, the commonly used antibiotics was observed for this laboratory-based diagnosis is recommended. Keywords: Neisseria gonorrhea, drug susceptibility, symptomatic women, Southern Ethiopi

Promoting global watershed management towards rural communities: the May Zeg-zeg initiativeLength: pp.192-195

Watershed managementRural development

Report on Training of Trainers (TOT) in Tigray Region on Africa RISING Project Validated Technologies/Innovations in the Ethiopian Highland

United States Agency for International Developmen

Spatial analysis of malaria incidence at the village level in areas with unstable transmission in Ethiopia

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Malaria is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Ethiopia, accounting for over five million cases and thousands of deaths annually. The risks of morbidity and mortality associated with malaria are characterized by spatial and temporal variation across the country. This study examines the spatial and temporal patterns of malaria transmission at the local level and implements a risk mapping tool to aid in monitoring and disease control activities.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In this study, we examine the global and local patterns of malaria distribution in 543 villages in East Shoa, central Ethiopia using individual-level morbidity data collected from six laboratory and treatment centers between September 2002 and August 2006.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Statistical analysis of malaria incidence by sex, age, and village through time reveal the presence of significant spatio-temporal variations. Poisson regression analysis shows a decrease in malaria incidence with increasing age. A significant difference in the malaria incidence density ratio (IDRs) is detected in males but not in females. A significant decrease in the malaria IDRs with increasing age is captured by a quadratic model. Local spatial statistics reveals clustering or hot spots within a 5 and 10 km distance of most villages in the study area. In addition, there are temporal variations in malaria incidence.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Malaria incidence varies according to gender and age, with males age 5 and above showing a statistically higher incidence. Significant local clustering of malaria incidence occurs between pairs of villages within 1–10 km distance lags. Malaria incidence was higher in 2002–2003 than in other periods of observation. Malaria hot spots are displayed as risk maps that are useful for monitoring and spatial targeting of prevention and control measures against the disease.</p

Summary of research for development ‘best practice’ technologies validated in the Africa RISING Endamehoni site in Ethiopia, 2013-2016

United States Agency for International Developmen

Patterns of mortality in domesticated ruminants in Ethiopia

BACKGROUND: Premature death of livestock is a problem in all ruminant production systems. While the number of premature ruminant deaths in a country is a reasonable indicator for the nation's health, few data sources exist in a country like Ethiopia that can be used to generate valid estimates. The present study aimed to establish if three different data sets, each with imperfect information on ruminant mortality, including abortions, could be combined into improved estimates of nationwide mortality in Ethiopia. METHODS: We combined information from a recent survey of ruminant mortality with information from the Living Standards Measurement Study and the Disease Outbreak and Vaccination Reporting dataset. Generalized linear mixed and hurdle models were used for data analysis, with results summarized using predicted outcomes. RESULTS: Analyses indicated that most herds experienced zero mortality and reproductive losses, with rare occasions of larger losses. Diseases causing deaths varied greatly both geographically and over time. There was little agreement between the different datasets. While the models aid the understanding of patterns of mortality and reproductive losses, the degree of variation observed limited the predictive scope. CONCLUSIONS: The models revealed some insight into why mortality rates are variable over time and are therefore less useful in measuring production or health status, and it is suggested that alternative measures of productivity, such as number of offspring raised to 1 year old per dam, would be more stable over time and likely more indicative