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Background. Perinatal depression is a serious mental health problem that can negatively affect the lives of women and children. The adverse consequences of perinatal depression in high-income countries also occur in low-income countries. Objective. To assess the perinatal depression and associated factors among mothers in Southern Ethiopia. Methods. A community based cross-sectional study was conducted among selected 728 study participants in Arba Minch Zuria HDSS. A pretested questionnaire was used to collect the data. Data were analyzed using STATA version 12 software. Descriptive statistical methods were used to summarize the characteristics of the mothers. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression was used for analysis. Results. The prevalence of perinatal depression among the study period was 26.7%. In the final multivariable logistic regression, monthly income AOR (95% C.I): 4.2 (1.9, 9.3), parity [AOR (95% C.I): 0.14 (0.03, 0.65)], pregnancy complications AOR (95% C.I): 5 (2.5, 10.4), husband smoking status [AOR (95% C.I): 4.12 (1.6, 10.6)], history of previous depression AOR (95% C.I): 2.7 (1.54, 4.8), and family history of psychiatric disorders were the independent factors associated with perinatal depression. Conclusion. The study showed a high prevalence of perinatal depression among pregnant mothers and mothers who have less than a one-year-old child.

Background. Hypertension is a growing public health problem in many developing countries including Ethiopia. Determining the prevalence of hypertension and identifying the associated factors is crucial. Objective. To assess the prevalence of hypertension and associated factors, among adult population of Arba Minch town, Gamo Zone, Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region, Ethiopia. Methods. A cross-sectional study design was conducted from December 1 to 30, 2017 among adults. Study participants were selected using a multistage systematic sampling method. Data were collected by face-to-face interview after getting written informed consent by using a structured questionnaire. Additionally, weight, height, and blood pressure of participants were measured following standard procedures. Data were entered into a computer using EPI INFO 7 and exported into SPSS version 20 for analysis. Bivariate and multivariable analyses were performed to explore the association between hypertension and associated factors. Multivariable logistic regressions were fitted to control the effect of confounders. Results. A total of 784 study participants were included in this study. The overall prevalence of hypertension in Arba Minch Town was 35.2%, (95% CI: 32.4%, 38.4%). Nearly 90% of hypertensive patients were screened for the first time. Age ≥55 years [AOR = 7:74; 95% CI: 2.19, 27.23], income level which is greater than 2501 Ethiopian Birr [AOR = 9:5; 95% CI: 4.5, 20.20], working hour less than seven hours per day [AOR = 12:5; 95% CI: 4.3, 36.1], and chewing "khat" [AOR = 11:06: 95% CI: 4.3, 27.7] were the independently associated factors with hypertension. Conclusion. The prevalence of hypertension is found to be high. Increasing awareness on control use of "khat," increasing physical activity, and strengthening community-based periodic screening programs of high-risk populations are recommended.

The coexistence of both under nutrition and over nutrition or known as double burden of malnutrition (DBM) is a recent emerging nutritional problem documented in most developing countries. In Ethiopia, though there are various studies documenting the magnitude of under-five children nutritional problem, there is a research gap on DBM among adolescents. To fill the identified gap, the extent of the problem among in-school adolescents was assessed. A school based, cross-sectional study was conducted among 634 high school adolescent students in Arba Minch town, Southern Ethiopia from March 2015 to April 2015. Multi-stage sampling was employed to select the sampled participant. Following the school stratification by ownership as governmental and private, two schools were randomly selected from each category and the number of students were allocated proportionately. A pre-tested structured questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic and anthropometric measurements. Weight, height, waist circumference and hip circumference measurements were taken from all participants using standard procedures. Data were entered into EPI-info version 7 and analyzed using SPSS, version21. The anthropometric data were converted into nutritional indices using WHO Anthro-Plus software, version 1.0.4. Both bivariate and multivariate analyses were done using multinomial regression model. A total of 406 from the government and 228 from the private schools were enrolled in the assessment. The magnitude of underweight, and overweight and/or obesity were 19.7% (95%CI: 16.5%, 23.2%), and 11.2% (95%CI: 8.7%, 13.7%), respectively. Father educational and occupation status, family size and wealth index were significantly associated with underweight. The odds of being underweight among whose fathers' had no formal education was 12 times [AOR=12; 95% CI=4 to 34], higher than those whose education level was above secondary. Those from family size of five or less were 80% times less likely to be underweight [AOR=0.2; 95% CI=0.12 to 0.4] than those whose family size was more than 5. Participants whose fathers' occupation was merchant were 75% times less likely to be underweight than private work [AOR=0.25; 95%CI=0.09 to 0.6]. Wealth index quintile of lowest [AOR=9.4; 95% CI=3 to 29] and second [AOR=5; 95%CI=1.8 to14.9] were 5 times more likely to be underweight than their counterparts. This study revealed the coexistence of double burden of malnutrition among in-school adolescents. Parents' education, family size and wealth index were some of the predictors which require the collaborative effort of health, education and social affair sectors to avert the prevailing problem in the community.

ObjectiveTo assess cervical cancer services and knowledge of health service providers in public health facilities.ResultTwo of the three hospitals had cervical cancer screening services. One-third of the hospital had cervical cancer diagnosis service punch biopsy and cervical cancer treatment. Majority, 289 (93.5%) of study participants said cervical cancer was a preventable disease. Having multiple sexual partners 257 (83.2%) and post coital bleeding 251 (81.2%), were the most mentioned risk factor and clinical manifestation of cervical cancer respectively. Majority of the participants were aware of the correct time to start screening 291 (70.5%), and only 95 (25.9%) knew the screening intervals. Overall, 165 (53.4%) of health providers scored below the mean knowledge level score. Females had better knowledge about cervical cancer than males (X2 = 8.4, P = 0.003).