BackgroundAlthough the common direct obstetric causes of maternal mortality are known from the literature, the contribution of each cause and the change in trend over decades is unknown in Ethiopia. The objective of this review was to assess the trend of proportion of maternal mortality due to the common direct causes.MethodsThis systematic review was done on eighteen health facility based maternal mortality studies conducted between 1980 and 2012 in Ethiopia. Emphasis was given to the proportion of maternal mortality due to direct causes and their case fatality rates.ResultsThe summary of the findings has shown that the top four causes of maternal mortality in the year 1980–1999 were abortion related complications (31%), obstructed labor/uterine rupture (29%), sepsis/infection (21%) and hemorrhage (12%). In the last decade, however, the top four causes of maternal mortality were obstructed labor/uterine rupture (36%), hemorrhage (22%), hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (19%) and sepsis/infection (13%).ConclusionAbortion and infection related maternal deaths have declined significantly in the last decade. Obstructed labor continues to be the major cause of maternal deaths; maternal deaths due to hypertensive disorders and hemorrhage showed an increasing trend. The findings in this review were somehow comparable with the WHO analysis for Africa in the same period with the exception of obstructed labor.

BACKGROUND: Although there is a general agreement on the importance of antenatal care to improve the maternal and perinatal health, little is known about its importance to improve health facility delivery in developing countries. The objective of this study was to assess the association of antenatal care with birth in health facility. METHODS: A systematic review with meta-analysis of Mantel-Haenszel odds ratios was conducted by including seventeen small scale studies that compared antenatal care and health facility delivery between 2003 and 2013. Additionally, national survey data of African countries which included antenatal care, health facility delivery and maternal mortality in their report were included. Data were accessed via a computer based search from MEDLINE, African Journals Online, HINARI and Google Scholar databases. RESULTS: The regression analysis of antenatal care with health facility delivery revealed a positive correlation. The pooled analysis also demonstrated that woman attending antenatal care had more than 7 times increased chance of delivering in a health facility. The comparative descriptive analysis, however, demonstrated a big gap between the proportion of antenatal care and health facility delivery by the same individuals (27%-95% vs 4%-45%). Antenatal care and health facility delivery had negative correlation with maternal mortality. CONCLUSION: The present regression and meta-analysis has identified the relative advantage of having antenatal care to give birth in health facilities. However, the majority of women who had antenatal care did not show up to a health facility for delivery. Therefore, future research needs to give emphasis to identifying barriers to health facility delivery despite having antenatal care follow up.

BackgroundStudent absenteeism is a major concern for university education worldwide. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence and causes of absenteeism among undergraduate medical and health sciences students at Hawassa University.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study using a pretested self-administered structured questionnaire from May-June 2013. The primary outcome indicator was self-reported absenteeism from lectures in the semester preceding the study period. The study included all regular undergraduate students who were enrolled in the University for at least one semester. The data was entered and analyzed using SPSS version 20. The association between class absenteeism and socio-demographic and behavioral correlates of absenteeism was determined by bivariate and multivariate analyses. Results were reported as crude odds ratios (COR), adjusted odds ratios (AOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).Results1200 students consented and filled the questionnaire. Of these students, 43.7% had missed three or more lectures and 14.1% (95% CI = 12.2-16.2) missed more than 8 lectures in the preceding semester. There was a significant association between missing more than 8 lectures and age of students, chosen discipline (medicine), and social drug use. The main reasons reported for missing lectures were preparing for another examination, lack of interest, lecturer’s teaching style, and availability of lecture material.ConclusionAt Hawassa University College of Medicine and Health Science student habits and teacher performance play a role in absenteeism from lectures. A university culture that promotes discipline and integrity especially among medical and older students discourages social drug use will likely improve motivation and attendance. Training in teaching methodologies to improve the quality and delivery of lectures should also help increase attendance.

BackgroundAlthough the magnitude of perinatal mortality in Ethiopia was among the highest in Sub Saharan Africa, there was no systematic review done to assess the trend and causes of perinatal death. The objective of this review was to assess the trend of perinatal mortality rate (PMR) and the causes attributed to perinatal deaths.MethodsStudies included in this systematic review were sixteen hospital and community based perinatal mortality studies, which were conducted between 1974 and 2013 using data concerning Ethiopia accessed either electronically or from local journals. The trend of PMR, stillbirth rate (SBR) and early neonatal mortality rate (ENMR) were given emphasis.ResultsThe PMRs reported from ten hospital based studies were in the range of 66 to 124 per 1000 births. The reports of the large scale community based PMRs were in the range of 37 to 52 per 1000 births. The proportion of stillbirths and early neonatal deaths reported from the hospital based and community based studies was very high (60–110 and 20–34/1000 births); the regression lines demonstrated that SBRs in the hospitals were mirror reflections of ENMRs in the community. The neonatal mortality rate (NMR), however, declined by more than 40% between 1990 and 2011.ConclusionThe PMR of Ethiopia was among the highest in Sub Saharan Africa. Over the decades, both hospital based and community based studies did not show a reduction in perinatal mortality. The trend of perinatal mortality rate has been stable between 90 and 40 per 1000 total births in the hospital and community setting, respectively. The significant reduction in NMR was due to significant decline in late neonatal mortality.

The purpose of this meta-analysis was to assess the association between risky sexual behaviour and level of education and economic status in male youth. Previous tests of the association of risky sexual behaviour with levels of education and economic status have yielded inconsistent results. Using data from 26 countries, from both within and outside Africa, we performed a meta-analysis with a specific focus on male youths' risky sexual behaviour. We applied a random effects analytic model and calculated a pooled odds ratio. Out of 19,148 males aged 15–24 years who reported having sexual intercourse in the 12 months preceding the survey, 75% engaged in higher-risk sex. The proportion of higher-risk sex among male youth aged 15–19 years was nearly 90% in 21 of the 26 countries. The pooled odds ratio showed a statistically significant association of higher-risk sex with male youth younger than 20 years, living in urban centers, well educated, and of a high economic status. The overall proportion of condom use during youths' most recent higher-risk sexual encounter was 40% and 51% among 15–19-year-olds and 20–24-year-olds, respectively. Our findings suggest that male youth's socioeconomic status is directly related to the likelihood that they practice higher-risk sex. The relationship between income and sexual behaviour should be explored further.