Background. Vehicle repair work is one of the highest risk professions for work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Globally, only a few published studies have examined the prevalence and determinants of work-related musculoskeletal disorders among vehicle repair workers. Related studies in Ethiopia are even fewer. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of self-reported work-related musculoskeletal disorders and associated factors among vehicle repair workers in Hawassa city, South Ethiopia, 2019. Methods. An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 344 vehicle repair workers in the Hawassa city. The Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire-Extended (NMQ-E) was used to assess work-related musculoskeletal disorders on nine body regions. Descriptive statistics and multivariable analyses were used to characterize the data and identify factors associated with work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Result. The twelve-month prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders among this working group was 47.7% with 95% CI (42.7–53.2). Jobs continuously requiring repetitive motions (AOR: 4.29, 95% CI (1.78–10.2)), not having professional training (AOR: 2.04, 95% CI (1.09–3.81)), force exertion when using tools (AOR: 2.40, 95% CI (1.24–4.62)), job stress (AOR:4.54, 95% CI (2.44–8.46)), and regularly lifting, pushing, and pulling loads greater than 20 kg (AOR:4.85, 95% CI (2.65–8.87)) were identified as associated factors. Conclusion. This study showed a 47.7% prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Force exertion, repetitive tasks, manual handling of heavy loads, stress, and lack of training were the identified factors. Ergonomic awareness among workers should be increased through training. In addition, owners should investigate methods to reduce or eliminate risk factors leading to musculoskeletal disorders found among these workers. Automation of high-risk tasks should also be investigated.

Background Even though evidence shows that access to and use of improved latrines is related to healthful families and the public, obstacles to the adoption and use of improved latrine facilities remain. Globally, not many inquiries appear to have been carried out to satisfactorily inform us regarding the multi-level barriers influencing the adoption and utilization of improved latrines facilities. Related studies in Ethiopia are even fewer. Methods Two qualitative data gathering methods, viz., key informant interviews and focus group discussions, were employed to collect data for this study. A total of fifteen focus group discussions were conducted with members of the community in the rural Wonago district of Ethiopia. Similarly, ten key informant interviews were conducted with water, sanitation, and hygiene officers, and health extension workers responsible for coordinating sanitation and hygiene activities. Open code software 4.03 was used for thematic analysis. Result Barriers to adoption and use of improved latrine facilities were categorized into Contextual factors (e.g. Gender, educational status, personal preference for using the field, limited space, population density, the status of land ownership), Psychosocial factors (Culture, beliefs, attitudes, and perceptions of minimal health threat from children's feces), and Technological factors (inconveniences in acquiring materials and cost of constructing a latrine). Conclusion There are a series of multi-leveled barriers to the sustained adoption and use of latrines. Providing funding opportunities for the underprivileged and offering training on the engineering skills of latrine construction at the community level based on the contextual soil circumstances could expand the latrine coverage and use. Similarly, taking into account the variability in motivations for adopting and using latrines among our study in Ethiopia and other studies, we implore public health experts to recognize behaviors and norms in their target communities in advance of implementing sanitation interventions.

Background. The need to reduce the transmission of infectious diseases makes the use of personal protective equipment and safety medical devices compulsory among hospital laundry staff. The practice, however, remains to be low among hospital laundry staff members. Globally, not many studies seem to have been carried out to sufficiently tell us about the barriers to personal protective equipment use among hospital laundry workers. Related studies in Ethiopia are even fewer. This study assessed the barriers to personal protective equipment use among laundry staff of government hospitals in Hawassa City, Southern Ethiopia, 2019. Methods. Two qualitative data-gathering methods—focus group discussions and key informant interviews—were used to collect data for this study. Eight focus group discussions were conducted with hospital laundry workers. Similarly, six key informant interviews were held with Infection Prevention and Patient Safety Officers. Thematic analysis was performed using Open Code 4.02. Result. Organizational- and individual-level barriers such as unavailability of essential personal protective equipment, a disharmonious work environment, low perception of susceptibility, and belief about personal protective equipment interference with work performance were identified as the major barriers to personal protective equipment use in the present study. Conclusion. Organizational- and individual-level barriers have been identified as causes for the low level of personal protective equipment use among hospital laundry workers. Therefore, improving institutional supplies in quantity and quality may have a positive implication for the improvement of infection prevention practices in the study area. Also, designing sustainable strategies and raising laundry workers’ awareness of a safe work environment may lead to the improvement of infection prevention practices.

Background Community-based health insurance (CBHI) is a risk-pooling approach that tries to disperse health expenditures across families with varying health profiles to provide greater access to healthcare services by allowing cross-subsidies from wealthy to poor populations. It is crucial to assess the level of CBHI enrolment and its determinants in Ethiopia, where government health spending is limited to less than 5% of GDP, far below the Alma Ata Declaration’s benchmark of 15%. Although various epidemiological studies on CBHI enrolment status and its determinants have been undertaken in Ethiopia, the results have been inconsistent, with significant variability. However, no nationwide study assessing the pooled estimates exists today. Furthermore, the estimated strength of association at the country level varied and was inconsistent across studies. Hence, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed at estimating the pooled prevalence of CBHI enrolment and its determinants in Ethiopia. Methods A comprehensive search of studies was done by using PubMed, EMBASE, Science Direct, HINARI, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library. The database search was complemented by google scholar and some repositories for grey literature. The search was carried out from February 11 to March 12, 2022. The relevant data were extracted using a Microsoft Excel 2013 spreadsheet and analyzed using STATATM Version 16. Studies reporting the level and determinants of CBHI enrolment in Ethiopia were considered. A weighted DerSimonian Laired random effect model was applied to estimate the pooled national prevalence of CBHI enrolment. The Cochrane Q test statistics and I2 tests were used to assess the heterogeneity of the included studies. A funnel plot, Begg’s and Egger’s tests, were used to check for the presence of publication bias. Results Fifteen studies were eligible for this systematic review and meta-analysis with a total of 8418 study participants. The overall pooled prevalence of CBHI enrolment in Ethiopia was 45.5% (95% CI: 32.19, 58.50). Affordability of premium for the scheme[OR = 2.58, 95% CI 1.68, 3.47], knowledge of respondents on the CBHI scheme[OR = 4.35, 95% CI 2.69, 6.01], perceived quality of service[OR = 3.21, 95% CI 2.04, 4.38], trust in the scheme[OR = 2.32, 95% CI 1.57, 3.07], and the presence of a person with a chronic disease in the household [OR = 3.58, 95% CI 2.37, 4.78] were all found to influence CBHI enrolment. Conclusion Community health workers (CHWs) need to make a high effort to improve knowledge of CBHI in rural communities by providing health education. To deal with the issue of affordability, due emphasis should be placed on building local solidarity groups and strengthening local initiatives to aid poor members. Stakeholders in the health service delivery points need to focus on the dimensions of high service quality. The financial gap created by the adverse selection of households with chronically ill members should be rectified by implementing targeted subsidies with robust plans.

Introduction Workplace stress is a public health problem worldwide. Studies focusing on work-related stress among vehicle repair workers are scarce in African countries. The current study aimed to determine the prevalence of self-reported workplace stress and associated factors among vehicle repair workers in Hawassa City, South Ethiopia. Methods and findings A cross-sectional study design was employed among 347 vehicle repair workers from January 25 to February 22, 2019. Questionnaires were administered using interviews. Additional tools were used for weight and height measurements. The main findings were analyzed using descriptive statistics, bivariable, and multivariable logistic regression. The strength of association of variables was presented by odds ratio along with its 95% CI. The statistical assessments were considered significant at p<0.05. A total of 344 workers participated in the study. The prevalence of workplace stress among participants was 41.6% with 95% CI: (36.3–47.1). Factors associated with workplace stress were more than 10 years of work experience [AOR: 2.40; 95% CI (1.29–4.50)], work-related musculoskeletal disorder [AOR: 3.39; 95% CI (1.99–5.78)], squatting and lying work posture [AOR: 4.63; 95% CI (1.61–13.3)] and servicing large vehicles [AOR: 1.96; 95% CI (1.14–3.38)]. Conclusion and recommendations This study showed that the overall prevalence of work-related stress was substantially high. The independently associated factors were workers’ service years, symptoms of body pain, and the work environment. Preventive measures need to be implemented in vehicle repair workshops by focusing on work environment improvements.