BackgroundGlobally, approximately 19 million children under 5 years are suffering from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM). It is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in low-income countries including Ethiopia. However, little is known regarding predictors of mortality among these children in Ethiopia. The current study aimed to assess the potential predictors of mortality among under-five children with SAM admitted to a stabilization center.MethodA retrospective cohort study was conducted in 527 under-five children who were admitted for SAM at the University of Gondar comprehensive specialized hospital from 2014 to 2016. Data were collected from a randomly selected chart after getting ethical clearance. Data were cleaned, coded and entered to Epi-info (version 7) and analyzed using STATA (version14). The outcome was computed by using tables and graphs. A multivariable cox proportional hazards model was fitted to identify predictors of mortality.ResultOverall, the median follow-up period was 10 days with interquartile range (Q1, Q3: 8, 17). At the end of the follow-up, the mortality rate was 66(12.52%). Anemia (AHR(Adjusted Hazard Ratio): 2.3, 95% CI: 1.2, 4.5), Shock (AHR: 7.9, 95% CI: 3.7, 16.7), no intake of antibiotics (AHR: 2.3 95% CI: 1.2, 4.4), IV-Fluid (AHR: 3.2, 95% CI: 1.7, 5.8), no intake of F75 (AHR: 6.6,95% CI: 2.9, 14.7) and no intake of F100 (AHR: 3, 95% CI: 1.6, 5.4) were independent predictors of mortality.ConclusionThe survival status of under-five children with SAM was lower than the national standard protocol. Altered general conditions such as shock, anemia, not adhering to medical and nutritional therapies were identified as predictors of mortality among SAM children. Health education on early medical seeking behavior and adherence on the routine regimens may improve this gap in child survival.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s13690-018-0309-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

BackgroundMedication administration is the final step/phase of medication process in which its error directly affects the patient health. Due to the central role of nurses in medication administration, whether they are the source of an error, a contributor, or an observer they have the professional, legal and ethical responsibility to recognize and report. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of medication administration error reporting and associated factors among nurses working at The University of Gondar Referral Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia.MethodsInstitution based quantitative cross - sectional study was conducted among 282 Nurses. Data were collected using semi-structured, self-administered questionnaire of the Medication Administration Errors Reporting (MAERs). Binary logistic regression with 95 % confidence interval was used to identify factors associated with medication administration errors reporting.ResultsThe estimated medication administration error reporting was found to be 29.1 %. The perceived rates of medication administration errors reporting for non-intravenous related medications were ranged from 16.8 to 28.6 % and for intravenous-related from 20.6 to 33.4 %. Education status (AOR =1.38, 95 % CI: 4.009, 11.128), disagreement over time - error definition (AOR = 0.44, 95 % CI: 0.468, 0.990), administrative reason (AOR = 0.35, 95 % CI: 0.168, 0.710) and fear (AOR = 0.39, 95 % CI: 0.257, 0.838) were factors statistically significant for the refusal of reporting medication administration errors at p-value <0.05.ConclusionIn this study, less than one third of the study participants reported medication administration errors. Educational status, disagreement over time - error definition, administrative reason and fear were factors statistically significant for the refusal of errors reporting at p-value <0.05. Therefore, the results of this study suggest strategies that enhance the cultures of error reporting such as providing a clear definition of reportable errors and strengthen the educational status of nurses by the health care organization.

Background. Depression is a comorbid disorder in patients with heart failure and it is a major public health problem worldwide. Little is known about the depression among heart failure patients in low-income countries, while, in Ethiopia, none was studied. Objective. This study is to assess the prevalence of depression and associated factors among heart failure patients at cardiac follow-up clinics at Amhara Region Referral Hospitals, Northwest Ethiopia, 2017. Methods. A hospital based cross-sectional study was conducted between March 30, 2017, and May 15, 2017, G.C., by using a systematic random sampling technique to select 422 of 1395 HF patients. Structured interviewer-administered questionnaires and patient card review with a checklist that incorporates the PHQ-9 tool for depression measurement were used. The collected data were checked, coded, and entered into Epi-info version 7 and exported to SPSS version 20. Bivariate logistic regression at p-value <0.2 was exported to multivariate logistic regressions and p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results. A total of 403 were included with a response rate of 95.5%. Among the participants, 51.1% had depressive symptoms. Factors associated with depressive symptoms were poor self-care behavior 1.60 [AOR (95% CI=1.01, 2.55)], poor social support 1.90 [AOR (95% CI=1.16, 3.12)], being female 2.70 [AOR (95% CI=1.44, 5.07)], current smoking history 4.96 [AOR (95% CI=1.54, 15.98)], and duration of heart failure (>1 year) 1.64 [AOR (95% CI=1.04, 2.59)]. Conclusions. Around half of the patients were depressive. The patients who had poor self-care behavior, were females, had poor social support, had a current history of smoking, and had duration of chronic heart failure >1 year need special attention. Therefore, all referral hospitals need efforts to focus on those problems and target improvements of depressive symptoms.

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Objectives: Retaining on antiretroviral therapy is essential for reducing HIV-related morbidity and mortality. However, attrition in HIV-positive children remains a critical challenge in resource-limited settings, including Ethiopia. This study aims to determine the incidence and predictors of attrition among children on antiretroviral therapy at the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia. Methods: An institution-based retrospective follow-up study was conducted among 357 HIV-positive children at the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital from 1 January 2005 to 30 December 2018 (G.C.). Data were collected by chart review using a structured and pre-tested data abstraction checklist. SPSS 22 and STATA 14.0 were used for data entry and analysis, respectively. In the Cox proportional hazard model, bivariables had a 0.25 computed to multivariable, and variables with a p-value of 0.05 at a 95% confidence interval were considered statistically significant predictors of attrition incidence. Results: A total of 344 child records with a completeness rate of 96.4% were reviewed and included in the analysis. The median follow-up period was 4.3 (interquartile range = 4.3 ± 4.7) years, and the median survival time was 132 months. The incidence rate of attrition was 6.6 per 100 person year observation (PYO) (95% confidence interval = 5.5, 8.0). In all, 105 (30.5%) children were recorded as attrition in the follow-up period. Baseline WHO clinical staging 3 and 4 (adjusted hazard ratio = 2.3 (95% confidence interval = 1.3, 4.0)), baseline weight-for-age −2 Z-score (adjusted hazard ratio = 3.1 (95% confidence interval = 1.7, 5.3)), cotrimoxazole non-users (adjusted hazard ratio = 2.5 (95% confidence interval = 1.4, 4.3)), and baseline hemoglobin levels 10 mg/dL (adjusted hazard ratio = 2.7 (95% confidence interval = 1.5, 47)) were found to be a predictor of attrition. Conclusion: The overall incidence of the rate of attrition was high. Baseline WHO clinical staging 3/4, baseline hemoglobin 10 mg/dL, cotrimoxazole (cotrimoxazole preventive therapy) non-user, and underweight at baseline (weight-for-age 2 Z-score) were found to be the main predictors of attrition.