BackgroundContraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) for married women aged 15–49 in Ethiopia is 36%, with 35% using modern methods and 1% using traditional methods. However, the discontinuation rate is fairly high. Women usually discontinue contraception use for fertility and method related reasons without adopting an alternate method which in turn leads to many health risks such as unwanted pregnancy, unplanned childbearing, miscarriage, abortion, leads to morbidity and mortality among mothers and newborns. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of modern contraceptive discontinuation and to identify predicting factors.MethodsA community- based cross- sectional study was conducted in Humera town among 321 married women of reproductive age (15–49 yrs.) who had a history of modern contraceptive use. Systematic sampling technique was employed to select study participants and data was collected by BSc health extension workers using interviewer -administered questionnaire. EPI-INFO (V-7) and SPSS (V-23) software were used for entry and analysis respectively. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis were used to present results accordingly. P- Value < 0.05 was used as a cut point for statistical significance.ResultsThe magnitude of modern contraceptive discontinuation was 27.1%. Number of desired children (AOR = 2.83 95% CI = 1.16, 6.89), experience of side effects (AOR = 3 95% CI = 1.2, 7.58), discussion with female friend (AOR = 3.26 95% CI = 1.27, 8.36), counseled on side effects (AOR = 6.55 95% CI = 2.21, 19.39), number of male children (AOR = 2.51 95% CI = 1.06, 5.96), absence of husband support (AOR = 12.99 95% CI = 4.59, 36.78) and presence of community prohibition (AOR = 6.88 95% CI = 3.05, 15.51) were identified as predicting factors for modern contraceptive discontinuation.ConclusionMagnitude of modern contraceptive discontinuation among reproductive age group women in Humera was relatively high. Increasing community awareness, involving partners and pre dispensation counseling might help to reduce discontinuation and its consequences. Various targeted messages are also needed to dispel misconception at community level.

BackgroundProfessionalism is defined as the conceptualization of obligations, attributes, interactions, attitudes, and role behaviors required of professionals in relationship to individual clients and to society as a whole. Professionalism attributes include knowledge, spirit of inquiry, accountability, autonomy, advocacy, innovation and visionary, collaboration and collegiality, and ethics. The study assessed level and attributes of professionalism in nursing in Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia.MethodsInstitutional based cross sectional study supplemented by qualitative design was employed. Self administered semi structured questionnaire developed from RANO guideline was used. The FGD guideline was developed from different literatures. Data was analyzed using SPSS 16.0. Descriptive statistics and significance was checked at p < 0.05. Professionalism was measured using ANOVA. Qualitative of data were analyzed using coding technique. Written informed consent was obtained from the nurses and confidentiality was assured for all the information provide.ResultsThe mean scores for the nurses in Mekelle public hospitals on the professionalism were 140.50, knowledge (25.06), followed by ethics (25.00). The attitudes of respondents on professionalism were at high, moderate, low and very low level. Pearson product–moment correlation analysis revealed small yet significant associations among several professionalism attributes and characteristics of nurses in Mekelle Public hospitals. Age of respondents and work experience were significantly correlated with total professionalism. Work setting in Mekelle hospital was significantly associated with professionalism. Depending on FGD, the major factors were workload, had no vision, FMOH did not focused nursing as a profession, Weakness of the Ethiopian Nursing Association, lack of life insurance as well as the Health professionals and society’s views of the profession.ConclusionNurses with longer years of experience and the older respondents had significantly related with professionalism. Nurses who join professional organizations had high score on professionalism; and nurses working in Military Hospital had high score of professionalism.

IntroductionWorldwide, each year more than 500,000 women, 99% of them in developing countries, die from pregnancy and childbirth-related complications and an additional 15 to 20 million women suffer from debilitating consequences of pregnancy [1]. The major causes of maternal deaths are hemorrhage, infection, obstructed labor, hypertensive disorders in pregnancy, and complications of unsafe abortion [2].Maternal deaths due to unsafe abortion in developing countries fall within a narrow range from 9% to 17% of all maternal deaths [3]. Both the lowest and the highest figures are found in Africa (9% in Southern Africa and 17% in Eastern Africa), reflecting the combined impact of the legal abortion and health systems, with more liberal access to abortion and post abortion care in the health systems [3].Ethiopia is one of the counties with highest maternal mortality ratio which is currently estimated at 676/100,000 live births [4]. Main contributing factors for this high death includes unsafe abortion, among others [5]. Several studies in Ethiopia indicated that unsafe abortion may account for up to 25-35% of the maternal deaths [6][7][8]. A recent nationwide study on abortion related complications has shown that an estimated number of 17 patients are seen in hospitals for post abortion complications in a month and complications due to abortion were also reported from low-level facilities, which do not provide post abortion care services [9]. From a community based large-scale survey in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, maternal mortality in the city was estimated to be 566 per 100,000 live births and abortion was major contributor to the deaths [4,8,10]. In addition, safe abortion service is a recent trend and a formal post abortion care (PAC) service in the country is not yet well expanded [3,11,12]. Thus this study assessed the influencing factors of PAC utilization in selected health institutions in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods Study design, area and periodAn institution-based cross sectional study was conducted among reproductive age women (15-49 years) who were attending maternal and child health (MCH) services using structured interviews. A total of 153 respondents were recruited from six MCH clinics in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Data were collected between February and April, 2012. There were 620 clients attending MCH services that obtained from monthly registration report of MCH clinics in these six MCH clinics. Respondents were recruited proportionally to the client flow from each MCH clinics. For the purpose of this study, we defined users of post abortion care as women of childbearing age who had received all components of post abortion care services, and non users of post abortion care as women of childbearing age who had not received all of the components. We used the inclusion criteria as all reproductive age women with at least one abortion history in the last one year, and exclusion criteria as all reproductive age women who had no any abortion history, women with hearing problem, and mentally incompetent women d...

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