Association between water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and child undernutrition in Ethiopia : a hierarchical approach

Background: Undernutrition is a significant public health challenge and one of the leading causes of child mortality in a wide range of developing countries, including Ethiopia. Poor access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities commonly contributes to child growth failure. There is a paucity of information on the interrelationship between WASH and child undernutrition (stunting and wasting). This study aimed to assess the association between WASH and undernutrition among under-five-year-old children in Ethiopia. Methods: A secondary data analysis was undertaken based on the Ethiopian Demographic and Health Surveys (EDHS) conducted from 2000 to 2016. A total of 33,763 recent live births extracted from the EDHS reports were included in the current analysis. Multilevel logistic regression models were used to investigate the association between WASH and child undernutrition. Relevant factors from EDHS data were identified after extensive literature review. Results: The overall prevalences of stunting and wasting were 47.29% [95% CI: (46.75, 47.82%)] and 10.98% [95% CI: (10.65, 11.32%)], respectively. Children from households having unimproved toilet facilities [AOR: 1.20, 95% CI: (1.05,1.39)], practicing open defecation [AOR: 1.29, 95% CI: (1.11,1.51)], and living in households with dirt floors [AOR: 1.32, 95% CI: (1.12,1.57)] were associated with higher odds of being stunted. Children from households having unimproved drinking water sources were significantly less likely to be wasted [AOR: 0.85, 95% CI: (0.76,0.95)] and stunted [AOR: 0.91, 95% CI: (0.83, 0.99)]. We found no statistical differences between improved sanitation, safe disposal of a child’s stool, or improved household flooring and child wasting. Conclusion: The present study confirms that the quality of access to sanitation and housing conditions affects child linear growth indicators. Besides, household sources of drinking water did not predict the occurrence of either wasting or stunting. Further longitudinal and interventional studies are needed to determine whether individual and joint access to WASH facilities was strongly associated with child stunting and wasting

Earning pocket money and girls' menstrual hygiene management in Ethiopia : a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Many adolescent girls in Ethiopia and elsewhere missed school during their monthly cycles due to a lack of affordable menstrual absorbent materials or money to buy sanitary pads. So far, few studies have looked into the relationship between earning pocket money and maintaining good menstrual hygiene. Hence, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to synthesize the best available evidence regarding the association between earning pocket money and menstrual hygiene management among adolescents in Ethiopia. Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, Hinari, Science Direct, Cochrane Library, ProQuest, POPLINE, African Journal Online, Direct of Open Access Journals, and Google Scholar for studies examining the association between earning pocket money and menstrual hygiene management among adolescent girls in Ethiopia, without restriction in a publication year. The Joanna Briggs Institute quality assessment tool for the cross-sectional studies was used to assess the quality of included studies. A prefabricated checklist, including variables: first author, publication year, sample size, type of questionnaire, and the region was used to extract data from the selected articles. A random-effect meta-analysis model was used to estimate the pooled odds ratio (OR) of the association between earning pocket money and menstrual hygiene management. The heterogeneity and publication bias was assessed by using I2 test statistics and Egger’s test, respectively. Results: Data from nine studies involving 4783 adolescent girls were extracted. The meta-analysis revealed that adolescent girls who earned pocket money from their parents or relative had 1.64 times higher odds of having good menstrual hygiene management than their counterparts [pooled OR = 1.64, 95% CI: 1.16–2.34, I2:66.7%, n = 7 (number of studies)]. Similarly, the likelihood of having good menstrual hygiene management was lower by 49% among adolescent girls who did not receive any pocket money from their parents compared to their counterparts (pooled OR = 0.51, 95% CI: 0.35–0.74, I2:48.4%, n = 2). Conclusions: The findings revealed that adolescent girls who earned pocket money were more likely to practice good menstrual hygiene management. Progress toward better menstrual hygiene will necessitate consideration of this factor

Neonatal danger signs mentioned and practices done by postpartum mothers in Shashamane town, Oromia, Ethiopia, 2021.

Neonatal danger signs mentioned and practices done by postpartum mothers in Shashamane town, Oromia, Ethiopia, 2021.</p

English version questionnaires for maternal autonomy.

(DOCX)</p

Factors associated with decision-making autonomy among postpartum mothers in Shashamane town, Oromia, Ethiopia, 2021.

Factors associated with decision-making autonomy among postpartum mothers in Shashamane town, Oromia, Ethiopia, 2021.</p

Proportionally allocated sample of postpartum mothers in Shashamane town, Oomia, Ethiopia, 2021.

Proportionally allocated sample of postpartum mothers in Shashamane town, Oomia, Ethiopia, 2021.</p

English version information sheet and consent form.

(DOCX)</p

Maternal decision-making autonomy among postpartum mothers in Shashamate town, Oromia, Ethiopia, 2021 (N = 410).

Maternal decision-making autonomy among postpartum mothers in Shashamate town, Oromia, Ethiopia, 2021 (N = 410).</p

Health service utilization and proportion of decision making autonomy among postpartum mothers in Shashamane town, Oromia, Ethiopia, 2021 (N = 410).

Health service utilization and proportion of decision making autonomy among postpartum mothers in Shashamane town, Oromia, Ethiopia, 2021 (N = 410).</p

Sociodemographic characteristics among postpartum mothers in Shashamane town, Oromia, Ethiopia, 2021.

(N = 410).</p