Anaemia has prevailed as a mild to severe public health problem in Ethiopian women of reproductive age. Many studies carried out on anaemia have been limited to subnational assessments and subgroups of women. The effects of potential factors thought to affect anaemia and severity levels of anaemia have not been well considered. Therefore, this study identifies individual, household and community level factors associated with anaemia among women of reproductive age in Ethiopia applying multilevel ordinal logistic regression models. Proportional odds assumption was tested by likelihood ratio test. About 35.6% of the variation on anaemia was due to between household and community level differences. Pregnancy (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.30, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.82, 2.91), HIV (AOR = 2.40, 95% CI: 1.76, 3.25), giving birth once (AOR = 1.2, 95% CI: 1.05, 1.40), giving birth more than once (AOR = 1.4, 95% CI: 1.19, 1.71), living with five or more family members (AOR = 1.24, 95% CI: 1.05, 1.47), living in poorest households (AOR = 1.34, 95% CI: 1.2, 1.61) and rural area (AOR = 1.57, 95% CI: 1.28, 1.92) were associated with greater odds of more severe anaemia compared with their respective counter parts. Secondary and above education (AOR = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.70, 0.97) and use of pills, implants or injectable (AOR = 0.67, 95% CI: 0.59, 0.77) were associated with lower odds of more severe anaemia. Anaemia prevention and control programmes need to be strengthened for women living with HIV/AIDS and during pregnancy. Household poverty reduction and social protection services need to be strengthened and integrated in anaemia prevention and management activities in women.

Background Anemia is disproportionately borne among children in the African regions including Ethiopia. In Ethiopia, there is limited information on the prevalence and factors associated with anemia among children aged 6–23 months. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify individual- and community-level factors associated with anemia among children 6–23 months of age. Methods The data were obtained from the 2016 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey, conducted from January to June 2016. A sample of 2554 children aged 6–23 months was included. Data were analyzed using STATA version 14. A multilevel ordinal logistic regression model was fitted and an adjusted odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval was obtained. Results The prevalence of anemia among children 6–23 months of age was 72.3%; 27.5% mild, 41% moderate, and 3.8% severe anemia. child age 18–23 months (AOR: 0.76; 95%CI: 0.61–0.93), female sex (AOR: 0.84; 95%CI: 0.72–0.98), maternal anemia (AOR: 1.53; 95%CI: 1.28–1.82), exclusive breastfeeding (AOR: 0.73; 95%CI: 0.54–0.98), child fever (AOR: 1.41; 95%CI: 1.03–1.93), underweight children (AOR: 1.42; 95%CI: 1.17–1.73) and exposure to either newspaper, radio or television (AOR: 0.78; 95%CI: 0.61–0.99) were the individual-level factors associated with anemia. High community-poverty (AOR: 1.30; 95%CI: 1.01–1.67), living in the regions of Somali (AOR: 2.08; 95%CI: 1.31–3.29), Amhara (AOR: 0.65; 95%CI: 0.45–0.94), Benishangul (AOR: 0.39; 95%CI: 0.25– 0.61) and Harari (AOR: 1.97; 95%CI: 1.18–3.31) were the community-level factors associated with anemia. Conclusion This study showed that childhood anemia is affected both by the individual- and community-level factors. The strategies of promoting exclusive breastfeeding, addressing maternal anemia, child fever, giving special attention for underweight children, and targeting regions identified to have a high risk of anemia should be strengthened to reduce childhood anemia.

Background: Severe pneumonia is still the greatest infectious cause of morbidity and mortality in children under the age of five around the world. Each night spent in the hospital raises the chance of bad drug responses, infections, and ulcers by 0.5%, 1.6%, and 0.5%, respectively. In Southern Ethiopia, as well as the research area, little is known regarding death and recovery time from severe pneumonia and their determinants. Objective: To determine time to recovery from severe pneumonia and its predictors among children 2-59 months of age admitted to pediatric ward of Nigist Eleni Mohammed Memorial Comprehensive Specialized Hospital. Methods: A facility-based retrospective cohort study was conducted among children 2-59 months of age. Three years' medical records, from January 2017 to December 2020, were reviewed. A total of 280 children with severe pneumonia were included. In the case of survival time, median was calculated. Kaplan Meier survival curve was used to estimate recovery time from severe pneumonia, and the independent effects of covariates on recovery time were analyzed using multivariable Cox-proportional hazard model. Results: The median time to recovery was 4 days (interquartile range = 3, 5). The incidence rate of recovery was 24.16 per 100 person-days. Underweight (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.56, 95% CI = 0.38-0.80), age group 12-35 months (adjusted hazard ratio= 2.0, 95% CI=1.30-3.30), treatment with ampicillin and gentamicin (adjusted hazard ratio= 0.35, 95% CI: 0.13-0.80), and antibiotic change (adjusted hazard ratio= 0.34, 95% CI = 0.21-0.53) were statistically significant predictors of time to recovery from severe pneumonia. Conclusion:The median length of stay in the hospital was short (4 days [interquartile range =3, 5]). Time to recover from severe pneumonia was significantly influenced by being underweight, age, antibiotics administered first, and antibiotic change. Measures such as providing nutritious meals to children and ensuring that underweight children are properly managed should be bolstered.

Background: Pneumonia is a major reason for hospital admission among children, particularly in resource-poor areas. A hospital stay (length of stay) alone is found to contribute for 46.8% of a household cost for single episode of severe pneumonia. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of recovery from severe pneumonia and predictors among children 2–59 months of age admitted to pediatric ward of Ayder Comprehensive Specialized Hospital (ACSH). Methods: A retrospective facility-based cohort study was conducted among under-five-year-old children admitted in ACSH. Three years medical records from July 7, 2015 to July 6, 2018 were reviewed. A total of 285 children with severe pneumonia admitted to pediatric ward of ACSH were included. Kaplan-Meier Survival Curve was used to estimate recovery time. The independent effects of covariates on recovery time are analyzed using multivariate Cox-proportional adjusted model. Result: The median survival time was four days (95% CI = 3.732 – 4.268). The incidence of recovery was 92.3%. Co-morbidity (AOR: 3.47, 95%CI, 2.21, 5.4), malnutrition (AOR = 1.9, 95%CI, 1.2, 3.1), duration of chief complaint (AOR = 0.72, 95%CI: 0.54, 0.94), and vaccination (AOR = 0.32, 95% CI, 0.13, 0.81) were significant predictors of time to recovery from severe pneumonia. Conclusion: High recovery rate and short length of hospital stay was observed in this study. Increased duration of chief complaint, presence of co-morbidity, being malnourished, and vaccination were factors that associated with time to recovery. Therefore focuses have to be given in increasing the community’s health seeking behavior to visit health facility early and especial attention should be given for children with co-morbidity, malnutrition, and unvaccinated children.

Background The world is currently facing a pandemic of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19). It has caused significant morbidity and mortality. So far little is known about recovery time (prolonged hospital stay) from Covid-19 and its determinants in Ethiopia as well as in the study area. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine time to recovery from Covid-19, and identify predictors of time to recovery among patients admitted to treatment centers of Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples Region (SNNPR). Methods and Materials A facility-based retrospective cohort study was conducted among Covid-19 patients admitted to care centers of SNNPR from May 30, 2020 to October 15, 2021. A sample of 845 patients was included in the study. Summarization of the data was done using mean (standard deviation) and median (inter quartile range). Kaplan–Meier Survival Curve was used to estimate recovery time from Covid-19 and the independent effects of covariates on recovery time was analyzed using multivariable Cox-proportional hazard model. Results The incidence density of recovery was 8.24 per 100 person-days (95% CI: 7.67, 8.85). The overall median recovery time was 10 days (IQR: 8–16 days). Critical stage of Covid-19 (aHR = 0.19, 95% CI: 0.12, 0.29), severe stage of Covid-19 (aHR = 0.40, 95% CI: 0.29, 0.56), mechanical ventilation (aHR = 0.20, 95% CI: 0.073, 0.56) and treatment center (aHR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.51, 0.90) were significant predictors of recovery rate among Covid-19 patients. Conclusion The median time to recovery from Covid-19 was relatively short. The incidence density of recovery was 8.24 per 100 person-days. The hazard of recovery was lower for patients at higher levels of Covid-19 severity and for patients in need of mechanical ventilation. Early identification of severity levels of the patients is required at the time of admission. Special attention, critical follow–up and management is warranted for patients at higher levels of Covid-19 severity.

Background: Traumatic head injury, referred to as the “silent epidemic”, remains a growing public health concern and the leading cause of mortality in young adults, with a disproportionate burden of disability and death occurring in low-income and middle-income countries, including Ethiopia. However, estimates of the traumatic brain injury burden from low and middle-income countries are scarce. The aim of this study was to assess outcome and its associated factors among patients with head injury admitted to the Adult Intensive care unit at AaBET and ALERT hospitals, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods: Institution-based retrospective cohort study was conducted at AaBET and ALERT hospitals from February 01, 2019 to January 30, 2020. All head injury patients’ records were reviewed. A structured checklist was used to collect data. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with death among head injury patients. Result: Out of 205 patients, 178 (86.8%) improved, while 27 (13.2%) died. Road traffic accident was the most common cause of head injury (Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 46.3%). Patients with pulse rate admission (AOR = 1.49), NA + level (3.48), type of head injury (AOR = 3.67), mechanical ventilation (AOR = 4.70) were significant predictors of death among patients with head injuries. Conclusion: The incidence of death among head injury patients was 13.2% (27). Road traffic accident was the leading cause of head injury. Pulse rate, plasma sodium level, penetrating head injury, being on a mechanical ventilator were predictors of death among traumatic head injury (THI) patients treated for head injuries. Prevention of road traffic accidents and continuous awareness creation about the consequences of a road traffic accident is recommended.

Background. Operative vaginal delivery refers to vaginal delivery performed with the use of instruments such as forceps or vacuum. Operative vaginal delivery-related maternal complications are still a serious problem, but they are one of the least investigated in Ethiopia, particularly in the study area. Increased difficulties have been attributed to a lack of understanding on how to anticipate the procedure’s complications. Identifying typical OVD complications can assist health providers in detecting and intervening early. The goal of this study was to find out which characteristics contributed to maternal problems during surgical vaginal birth. Methods. A health facility-based cross-sectional study design was used. From December 2019 to November 2021, a total of 326 mother’s OVD medical records were selected from a total of 1000 OVD medical records using a simple random sampling method. A checklist was used to collect the data. Binary logistic regression was computed and variables with a p value ≤ 0.2 in the bivariate logistic regression were taken to multivariate logistic regression analysis to examine the real relationship or statistical association with the outcome variable. The p value of <0.05 with a 95% confidence interval was considered a significant variable. The results are presented using tables, figures, and texts. Results. Maternal complications were prevalent in 62 of the cases (19%). The type of operative vaginal delivery instrument used (AOR = 2.248; 95% CI (1.144, 4.416)), the station of the presenting part at which the OVD was performed (AOR = 3.199; 95% CI (1.359, 7.533)), neonatal birth weight (AOR = 3.342; 95% CI (1.435, 7.787)), and duration of the second stage (AOR = 2.556; 95% CI (1.039, 6.284)) were significantly associated with the unfavorable maternal outcomes of operative vaginal delivery. Conclusions. Maternal complications are high in the study area. The type of operative vaginal delivery used, the duration of the second stage, the station of the presenting part at which the OVD was performed, and neonatal birth weights were all significantly related to maternal complications. While using the instrument, mothers with the identified factors should be given special attention.

Background Unsuppressed viral load count in patients on anti-retroviral therapy is linked to poorer survival and increased transmission of the virus. Despite efforts made in Ethiopia, the viral load suppression rate is still low. Objective To estimate time to viral load suppression and predictors of viral load suppression among adults on anti-retroviral therapy in Nigist Elen Mohamed Memorial Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, 2022. Materials and Methods A retrospective follow-up study was conducted among 297 adults on anti-retroviral therapy from January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2021. A simple random sampling technique was used to select study participants. The data were analyzed using STATA 14. Cox regression model was used. The adjusted hazard ratio with 95% CI was estimated. Results A total of 296 records of patients on anti-retroviral therapy were included in this study. The incidence of viral load suppression was 9.68 per 100-person months. The median time for viral load suppression was 9 months. Patients with baseline CD4 ≥200 cell/mm 3 (AHR: 1.87; 95% CI = 1.34, 2.63), who had no opportunistic infections (AHR = 1.84; 95% CI = 1.34, 2.52), who were on WHO clinical stage-I or II (AHR = 2.12; 95% CI = 1.18, 3.79) and who have taken tuberculosis preventive therapy (AHR = 2.24; 95% CI = 1.66, 3.02) had higher hazards of viral load suppression. Conclusion The median time for viral load suppression was 9 months. Patients who had no opportunistic infection, with higher CD4 count, on WHO clinical stage-I or II, who have taken tuberculosis preventive therapy had higher hazards of viral load suppression. Careful monitoring and counseling of patients with CD4 levels lower than 200 cells/mm3 are necessary. Careful monitoring and counseling of patients in advanced WHO clinical stages, with lower CD4 count levels and with opportunistic infections is crucial. Strengthening the provision of tuberculosis preventive therapy is warranted.