Growth monitoring and promotion (GMP) is a prevention activity comprised of growth monitoring (GM) linked with promotion that serves as the core activity in an integrated child health and nutrition program. However, different methods of institutional studies have shown that utilization of GM services has remained to be inadequate. There is scarcity of studies conducted about GMP in quantitative method. Therefore, this study was conducted to address the proportion of GMP services and associated factors among children under two years of age in rural communities of Mareka district, Southern Ethiopia. Community based cross-sectional survey was conducted from August to September 2015. Single population proportion formula was used to determine the sample size with multi stage sampling technique. A total of 819 children under two years of age were included. Pretest was done on 10% of the total sample size. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20.0 software. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions used to analyze data. The response rate was 95%. Utilization of GMP services was 16.9%. Institutional delivery AOR (95% CI): 3.01(1.65–5.50), index child age 12–17 months AOR (95% CI): 4.03(2.16–7.51) and 18–23 months AOR (95% CI): 3.08(1.70–5.57), family size 4–5 AOR(95% CI): 0.14(0.06–0.33), family size >5 AOR(95% CI): 0.34(0.14–0.82), regular GMP attendance AOR (95% CI): 4.37(2.45–7.80), medium wealth index AOR(95% CI): 3.14(1.51–6.52) and high wealth index AOR(95% CI): 3.24(1.59–6.62) were factors associated with utilization of GMP services. Utilization of GMP services was low. Thus, efforts should be made to improve utilization of GMP services through promotion of institutional delivery, different family planning methods, and regular GMP attendance.

Background: Optimal infant and young child feeding practices are essential for normal growth, better health, and mental and physical development. Even though there are a lot of nutrition intervention programs in Ethiopia, still suboptimal feeding practices are prevalent. This study was devised to assess a level of minimum acceptable diet (MAD) and predictors among children aged 6-23 months in Mareka District, south Ethiopia. Method: A community-based cross-sectional study was employed on 662 study participants from August 15 to September 15/ 2015. They were selected by a multi-stage sampling technique. Data were collected by interviewer-administered semi-structured questionnaires. Statistical significance was declared at p-value <0.05 at multivariable logistic regression. Result: The study showed that 35.5 % of the children aged 6-23 months met the recommended MAD. Maternal primary and secondary education (AOR: 1.90; 95% CI: 1.15-3.16 and AOR: 2.06, 95% CI: 1.12-3.77), Media exposure (AOR: 2.16; 95% CI: 1.46-3.29), health facility delivery (AOR:2.52; 95% CI: 1.54-4.13), child age of 9-11 and 12-23 months (AOR:2.73; 95% CI: 1.41-5.49 and AOR:2.55; 95% CI: 1.39-4.69) and GMP service utilization (AOR: 4.09; 95% CI: 2.51-6.65) were associated with MAD of children. Conclusion: The level of MAD among children was low. Maternal educational status, media exposure, institutional delivery, child age, and GMP service utilization were associated with MAD. Increasing utilization of GMP service, health facility delivery, maternal education, and media promotion was recommended to increase the level of MAD.

Intestinal parasitic infections are the major public health problem globally, mostly in developing countries. World Health Organization recommends deworming to all at-risk people living in endemic areas as a prevention or intervention strategy. Therefore this study aimed to assess the deworming coverage and its predictors among Ethiopian children aged 24-59 months. The study analyzed retrospectively cross-sectional data on a weighted sample of 5,948 children aged 24-59 months nested within 645 clusters after extracting from the Ethiopian Demographic health survey. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression was employed to assess the association of variables. Predictors at p-value < 0.25 were entered into the multivariable logistic regression model, and statistical significance was declared at P-value < 0.05. In this study, the prevalence of maternal reported deworming supplements among children aged 24-59 months was 15.1%. Predictive variables significantly associated with deworming supplementation include maternal media exposure, maternal control of household healthcare decisions, institutional healthcare delivery, and child vitamin-A supplementation. Having history of a diarrheal disease, maternal and paternal education, and family size were also statistically significant predictors of deworming supplements. Therefore, deworming supplementation among children is low. Maternal education and employment, paternal education, family size, decision-making process, maternal media exposure, place of delivery, vitamin-A supplementation, and a having history of diarrhea were predictors of deworming supplements. Multifaceted interventions aimed at those predictors should be given emphasis.

Introduction: In Ethiopia, access to safe drinking water is very low, and even safe water at the point of distribution is subjected to frequent and substantial contamination during collection, transport, and storage. The purpose of this study was to assess the level of household water treatment practices and associated factors in rural households of the Sodo Zuria district, southern Ethiopia. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in 836 households using a multistage sampling technique. A structured and pre-tested questionnaire was used. Binary and multivariate logistic regression analysis was used. Results: The household water treatment practice was 44.1%. Households having a higher estimated monthly income, AOR = 1.5 (1.23, 3.47), older age greater than 45 years, AOR = 1.69 (1.08, 2.64), fetching water twice a day, AOR = 2.8 (1.21, 9.17), weekly washing of the water storage container, AOR = 0.3 (0.11, 0.83), and using the dipping technique to draw water from the collection jar, AOR = 1.67 (1.14, 2.42) were significant factors in the practice of household water treatment in the study. Conclusions: The household water treatment practice was low. Higher estimated monthly income, older household heads, fetching water twice per day, washing the water storage container weekly, and dipping techniques to draw water from water storage containers were significant factors of household water treatment practices. Thus, proper hygiene of water storage, and engaging the community in income-generating activities were recommended.

Colostrum contains antibodies that protect the newborn against disease. Despite this fact, many Ethiopian mothers see colostrum feeding as a cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. These mothers believe that colostrum must discard to alleviate this effect. However, the cause of this misconception about colostrum was not well researched, particularly in this study area. The main aim of the present study was to assess colostrum avoidance and associated factors among mothers having children aged 6–59 months in North Wollo Zone, Northeastern Ethiopia. An institution-based cross-sectional study design was used. Descriptive statistics, binary and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used for the statistical analysis. The prevalence of colostrum avoidance was 19 % (95 % CI 15⋅03, 22⋅89 %) among mother–child pair aged 6–59 months. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, the most important predictors were breast-feeding initiation Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) 6⋅369; 95 %, Confidence Interval (CI) (3⋅067, 13⋅224), pre-lacteal feeding AOR 3⋅464; 95 % CI (1⋅721, 6⋅973), shared household decision about child feeding AOR 3⋅585; 95 % CI (1⋅563, 7⋅226), Index child sex AOR 2⋅103; 95 % CI (1⋅015, 4⋅358) and health facility delivery AOR 3⋅033; 95 % CI (1⋅293, 7⋅117). The colostrum avoidance in the present study was 19 %. The study recommends the promotion of institutional delivery, timely initiation of breast-feeding, the shared household decisions about child feeding, avoiding sex preferences and stopping pre-lacteal feeding were critically important.

Adequate nutrition is essential for early childhood to ensure healthy growth, proper organ formation, and function, a strong immune system, neurological and cognitive development. The main aim of the present study was to assess the effect of maternal employment on nutritional status among children aged 6–23 months in the town of Bale Robe, Ethiopia. A community-based comparative cross-sectional study was conducted on about 597 (293 unemployed and 304 employed) having children aged 6–23-month-old children sampled were employed with a multistage sampling technique. A face-to-face interview was conducted using a structured pretested questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, binary and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used for the statistical analysis. The magnitude of stunting (39.9 %), underweight (39⋅9 %) and wasting (22⋅2 %) was greater in 6–23-month-old children born to employed mothers than their counterparts in unemployed ones [stunted (31⋅3 %), underweight (24⋅0 %) and wasted (11⋅8 %)]. Being a girl [AOR 0⋅31; 95 % CI (0⋅17, 0⋅54)] in employed mothers and [AOR 0⋅29; 95 % CI (0⋅16, 0⋅51)] in unemployed people significantly protected stunting. This study demonstrated that the nutritional status of 6–23-month-old children is better among unemployed mothers than among employed mothers. Therefore, concerted efforts may decrease child undernutrition in a study area.

About 1 billion stunted school-aged children are growing up with impaired mental development which can lead to low cognitive performance, reduced school achievement, and low productivity. But there is scarce evidence on cognitive function, school performance and their associated factors among school aged children. The main aim of this study was to assess cognitive function, school performance and determine their association with nutritional status among school children aged 7 to 10 years at Soddo Town and Soddo Zuriya Woreda, Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia. Institutional comparative cross-sectional study was conducted on a total sample of 178 primary school children. The Raven’s Color Progressive Matrices (RCPM) and selected tests from Kaufman assessment battery for children second edition were used. Mid-year average students’ examination result was also used. Data were analyzed by using SPSS version 25, WHO Anthro plus, and independent sample t-test. Bivariate and multivariate linear regression analyses were also used. Mean (±SD) cognitive test scores of urban study participants was 18.7 ± 3.4 for RCPM which was higher ( P < .001) as compared to rural (16.5 ± 3.3). The urban mean cognitive test scores was also higher for both pattern reasoning and visual processing with ( P < .001) as compared to rural counterparts. School performance was higher ( P < .001) for urban. Maternal education ( P < .002) and wealth index ( P < .006) were positively predicted while stunting ( P < .001) negatively predicted cognitive function test scores and school performance. Cognitive function and school performance of study participants were associated with their nutritional status and rural participants had significantly lower mean scores as compared to urban counterparts. Further study should be done to community level.

Background: Handwashing in schools with soap could substantially reduce diarrhea and respiratory infections among school-age children; however, in low-and-middle-income countries, handwashing is still being practiced to a very low extent in particular critical moments such as before eating and after using the toilet. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to assess the level of handwashing practice and its predictors among primary school children in South Ethiopia. Methods: A school-based cross-sectional study was conducted using a multistage cluster sampling technique from 6 primary schools with 580 students in total. Schools were purposively selected and the students were random. Data were collected using pre-tested questionnaires administered by interviewers and trained data collectors. Data were entered using Epi Data and exported to SPSS software for analysis. Both bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyzes were used. Result: Proper handwashing practice was reported in 28.10% (95% CI, 24.5, 31.7%) of students. Being eighth grade (AOR = 3.44, 95% CI 1.52, 8.23), urban residence (AOR = 18.84, 95% CI 14.02, 23.29], having parents (AOR = 10.74; 95% CI 8.80-12.36), role model teachers (AOR = 6.45; 95% CI 5.52-8.99), role model health professionals (AOR = 9.62; 95% CI 2.70-14.19), and school handwashing facility (AOR = 3.84, 95% CI 3.60, 4.07) were predictors of proper handwashing practice. Conclusions: Proper handwashing practice among schoolchildren was found below. Therefore, promoting and improving handwashing practices and preparing handwashing facilities in schools is mandatory to address the handwashing practice gap among primary school students in the study area.