Children's Educational Completion Rates and Dropouts in the Context of Ethiopia's National Poverty Reduction Strategy

A combination of quantitative and qualitative method was used to analyse the determinants of school completion/dropout of children from primary education. A Cox box proportional hazard model was used analyse the survival of children in primary education. The findings have important implications for the formulation and revising Ethiopian Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper. While the policy focus of the 1996-initiated ESDP and the SDPRP (2002-5) on increasing educational access for all has been broadly successful, children from poor and/or highly indebted families still face significant constraints because they have to contribute to household survival through paid and unpaid work. It is therefore imperative to increase efforts to improve the livelihood options of the poor, including greater income generation opportunities, particularly in rural areas and for women. However, such strategies need to be child sensitive. For instance, income generating opportunities for women should simultaneously be accompanied by community childcare systems in order to prevent older children from shouldering their mother's childcare burden.education, children, Ethiopia, PRSP, poverty, survival analysis, Labor and Human Capital, A2, D1, J2,

Modelling the effects of surgical obstetric fistula repairs on the severity of depression and anxiety among women with obstetric fistula in Ethiopia

Obstetric surgical repair is the common therapeutic intervention available to women with obstetrical fistula. While surgical repair can address the physical symptoms, it may not end the psychological challenges that women with fistula face. This longitudinal study investigated the effects of surgical obstetric fistula repairs on the severity of depression and anxiety associated with obstetric fistula among 219 women admitted at six fistula hospitals in Ethiopia. Data was collected through structured Likert-scale questionnaire both on admission (prior to surgical obstetric fistula repairs) and on discharge (post obstetric fistula repairs).. Statistical Package for Social Science plus Analysis of Moment Structures (SPSS-AMOS) version 20 was used for data analysis. Findings indicate that women with obstetric fistula have higher psychological distress such as depression (91%) and anxiety (78%) pre-surgical repair than post-surgical repair. These psychological distresses were exacerbated by poor social and psychological support of women with obstetric fistula by the family and health care professionals. The findings were used to develop integrated mental health treatment model for women with obstetric fistula in order to address psychological health needs of this population.Health StudiesD. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies

Assessing Enablers and Constrainers of Graduation: Evidence from the Food Security Programme, Ethiopia

The purpose of this report is to identify the main enablers and constrainers of resiliency and graduation from food and cash support provided through the Food Security Programme (FSP) in Ethiopia. Different groups of women and men were interviewed to explore and interrogate the gendered experiences of change in relation to social protection provisions. The aim was to: identify different pathways to graduation for different participating households; identify indicators of graduation, resilience and sustainability that go beyond simple benchmarks or thresholds; and understand the enablers and constrainers to graduation. The larger objective of this work is to learn from the ways households strengthen their livelihoods in different PSNP scenarios in order to inform policy debates around assessing sustainable graduation from social protection programmes.DfI

Study on the prevalence and risk factors of bovine tuberculosis in dairy cattle in Adama city, central Ethiopia

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a serious infectious disease of cattle with significant economic impact and public health risk. It is particularly important in Ethiopia where effective control measures are lacking. This cross-sectional study was carried out between April and July 2016 on 1038 cattle selected from 206 dairy farms in Adama city located in central Ethiopia to estimate the prevalence of bTB and identify the potential risk factors using comparative intradermal tuberculin skin test. Accordingly, the individual animal level prevalence was found to be 2.1% (95% CI: 1.35 – 3.22). Of the 206 dairy farms included in the study, 7.3% (95% CI: 4.29 – 11.98) had one or more 15 cattle positive for the tuberculin test. Furthermore, 5.5% of the examined cattle were found reactive for atypical Mycobacterium. Among the risk factors considered, age and lactation status of the animals were significantly associated (p< 0.05) with the prevalence of bTB. It was noted that the apparent prevalence of bTB positive reactivity was greater in young and non-lactating cattle than their counterparts. In conclusion, the present study revealed 2.1% prevalence of bTB in the dairy farms investigated and culling of positive reactors is recommended as a feasible control intervention. Keywords: Adama; Bovine tuberculosis; CIDT; dairy cattle; Ethiopi

Self-Medication Practice in Limmu Genet, Jimma Zone, Southwest Ethiopia: Does Community Based Health Insurance Scheme Have an Influence?

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Indigenous astronomical knowledge based seasonal weather forecast: evidence from Borana Oromo pastoralists of Southern Ethiopia [version 1; peer review: 2 approved, 1 approved with reservations]

Indigenous knowledge is still widely used by communities around the world to overcome social-ecological challenges. Borana Oromo pastoralists of Southern Ethiopia have been searching for future weather phenomena using their indigenous knowledge. This study examines indigenous knowledge-based seasonal weather forecasts through using observable physical and temporal patterns of astronomic objects. Data were generated through using focus group discussion, experimental knowledgeable groups and direct observation in the year 2021. The finding reveals that Borana Oromo pastoralists commonly define physical and temporal outlooks of the Moon that are changed and/ or displayed periodically within a range of varying contexts. The observation of the Moon features have been offering sufficient lapse time in a more than/within ahead of a season/ and is relatively more accurate than the other traditional forecasting objects. The study showed that both temporal and spatial dimensions of the forecasting were actually happened in Ganna (March to May rainfall), Adolessa dry season (June to September) and Hgayya rainfall (October to November) seasons of 2021. This indigenous weather forecasting practices are still regularly used in every livelihood decision making process. However, this indigenous weather knowledge of Borana Oromo pastoralists of Southern Ethiopia is not yet mainstreamed in the formal institutional structures. Curtailments of mobility, severity of drought, weakening of traditional institution, leaving of traditional life style and death of the knowledgeable elders are the major factors that are challenging the potential effects of the indigenous weather forecasting indicators of the features of moon in the study area

Rotavirus-associated acute diarrhea outbreak in West Shewa Zone of Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia, 2017

Introduction: rotavirus causes severe-diarrheal diseases in infants. An estimation of 138 million rotavirus-associated diarrheal cases and 215,000 deaths occur every year globally. In December 2016, West-Shewa zone in Ethiopia reported unidentified gastrointestinal diarrhea outbreak. We investigated to identify the causative agent of the outbreak to support response operations. Methods: medical records were reviewed, and the daily line list was collected from health facilities. Descriptive data analysis was done by time, person and place. Stool specimens were first tested by antigen capture enzyme immunoassay (EIA) technique and further confirmed by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) as a gold standard. The product of RT-PCR was genotyped for each gene using G1-G4, G8-G9 and G12 primers for VP7 gene and P(4), P(6), P(8) and P(14) primers for VP4 gene. Results: a total of 1,987 diarrheal cases (5.7 per 1000) and five deaths (case-fatality rate 0.25%) were identified and epidemiologically-linked to confirmed rotavirus from December 2016 to February 2017. Among the cases, 1,946 (98%) were < 5 children. Fourteen (74%) of the 19 tested stool specimens were positive for rotavirus by EIA and RT-PCR. Majority of strains detected were G12P(6) (25%) and G-negative P(8) (25%) followed by G9P(8) (19%), G1P(8) (13%) and G3/G2 P(8), G12P(8), and G-negative P(6) (6% each). Conclusion: diarrheal outbreak which occurred in West-Shewa zone of Ethiopia was associated with rotavirus and relatively more affected districts with low vaccination coverage. Routine rotavirus vaccination quality and coverage should be evaluated and the surveillance system needs to be strengthened to detect, prevent and control a similar outbreak

Determinants of full valid vaccine dose administration among 12-32 months children in Ethiopia: Evidence from the Ethiopian 2012 national immunization coverage survey

Introduction: According to the 2012 national immunization coverage survey report of Ethiopia, EPI coverage by antigen is 79.6% for BCG, 80.0% for DPT-HepB-Hib1 90.1% for OPV1 65.7%; for adjusted DPT-HepB-Hib 3; 65.7 % for OPV3 and 68.2% for Measles. Similarly, the prevalence of full vaccination was 50%. However, the prevalence of valid vaccination dose for all vaccines is 18.6 %. Therefore, the aim of this study is to identify factors that determine the administration of full valid vaccines dose to set effective interventions.Methods: Data was obtained from the 2012 Immunization Coverage survey of Ethiopia, a cross- sectional study administered at the household level. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20. Binary and multivariate logistic regression with 95% CI was done to assess factors associated with getting full valid vaccination dose. Results: As documented from the 2012 national immunization coverage survey, the coverage of full valid vaccination dose were very low as compared to full immunization coverage that is 18.6% Vs 50%, respectively. Urban residence 2.6 (95% CI: 2.50, 2.68), mothers with age groups of 21-34 and >35 were 1.26 (95% CI: 1.22, 1.29) and 2.4 (95% CI: 2.3, 2.44); children with caretakers with primary, secondary, and higher level of education were 1.6 (95% CI: 1.22, 1.29), 2.8 (95% CI: 2.76, 2.92), and 2.2 (95% CI: 2.13, 2.27) times more likely to get valid vaccination dose.Conclusion: The rich wealth quintile, rural place of residence, living more than 5km proximity to nearest health facility, having more than six sibling, having teenage (<20years old) mother, having mother with no formal education, having mother/ care giver with no card or family folder which state children vaccination status sources, and having mother who did not heard a message about importance of vaccine were found to be the independent determinants of low valid dose immunization. The efforts at all level to increase full valid vaccination coverage by targeting activities to socio-economic, socio-demographic, organizational, and related determinants. [Ethiop. J. Health Dev. 2016;30(3):135-141]Keywords: Valid dose, vaccination, Ethiopi

Non-communicable diseases in Ethiopia: policy and strategy gaps in the reduction of behavioral risk factors

Introduction: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of death worldwide. Over 80% of NCD deaths occur in developing countries. Four modifiable behaviors, namely tobacco use, consumption of unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, and the harmful use of alcohol, contribute to 80% of the NCD burden. Studies show that the vast majority of NCDs can be prevented through behavioral risk-reduction interventions. Properly executed, the interventions could lead to a decrease in the burden of NCDs, ranging from a 30% drop in the prevalence of cancer to a 75% reduction in cardiovascular diseases. This study examined the policy and strategy gaps in the reduction of the modifiable NCD behavioral risk factors in Ethiopia to inform and guide policy-makers and other stakeholders. Methodology: This study used a data triangulation methodology with a sequential, explanatory, mixed-method design conducted in two stages. The authors carried out quantitative analysis on the prevalence and distribution of behavioral risk factors from the Ethiopia NCD STEPwise approach to surveillance (STEPS) survey. Qualitative data on national policies and strategies complemented the analysis of the progress made so far and the existing gaps. Results and Discussion: Ethiopia has made substantial progress in responding to the NCD epidemic by developing a health sector NCD strategic action plan, generating evidence, and setting time-bound national targets on NCD behavioral risk factors. Activities mainly aimed at reducing tobacco use, such as implementation of the ratified WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), using evidence of the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS), and the articulation of legislative measures are ongoing. On this paper our analysis reveals policy and strategy gaps, status in law enforcement, social mobilization, and awareness creation to reduce the major behavioral risk factors. Conclusions: NCDs share common risk factors and risk reduction strategies creates an opportunity for an effective response. However, the national response still needs more effort to have a sufficient impact on the prevention of NCDs in Ethiopia. Thus, there is an urgent need for the country to develop and implement targeted strategies for each behavioral risk factor and design functional, multisectoral coordination. There is also a need for establishing sustainable financial mechanisms, such as increasing program budgets and levying ‘sin taxes,’ to support the NCD prevention and control program. Ethiop. J. Health Dev. 2019; 33(4):259-268] Key words: NCDs, behavioral risk factors, policy, strategy, multisectoral coordination, Ethiopi