Utilization of Environmental Health Services of Urban Health Extension Program and Associated Factors in Debretabor Town, North West Ethiopia: Cross Sectional Study

Abstract

Back ground: Studies in a number of countries have shown that wherever indiscriminate waste disposal is high, infant and child mortality rates are high. Although utilization of environmental health services is an important indicator for measuring success of the health extension program; data on environmental health services of urban health extension program are scarce in the study area and elsewhere in Ethiopia. Objective: To assess utilization of environmental health services of urban health extension program and associated factors in Debretabor town, Amhara region, Ethiopia. Methods: A community based cross sectional study was conducted in Debretabor town from September 1-30, 2013. A total of 422 households were included in the study using systematic sampling technique. Data were collected using structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 16.0. Degree of association between independent and dependent variables was assessed with a 95% confidence level and p-value less than 0.05 was used to detect statistical significance. The findings of quantitative data were triangulated with the qualitative one. Result: In this study 69.8% and 65.5% of households practiced proper solid and liquid waste management mechanisms respectively. Income was found to be predictors for liquid waste management (AOR=1.82) Educational status of respondents was found to be predictors for liquid waste management (AOR=1.83). Conclusion: Solid and liquid waste management practices were lower than the minimum 75% expectation of the national health extension program package and, Educational status, house ownership, income and graduated as model family were main factors affecting environmental health services. Improving socio economic status of households, provision of continuous advice and technical support at household level on the utilization of environmental health service are recommended.

Factors Associated with Health Extension Service Utilization in Dera District, Oromia, Ethiopia: A Multi Level Analysis

“…The result also revealed that being model in implementing HEP had a highly significant effect with utilizing of HEP. The households who were not model in HEP had higher odds of not utilizing HEP than those who were model, which is in line with the previous studies done by [16,17,19] that a model family utilized HEP more likely than non-model family.…”

“…In this study, the household who had satisfactory knowledge, utilize more likely than those do who had unsatisfactory knowledge, similar findings were obtained by [11,17,18,19] that those who had satisfactory knowledge utilize HEP more likely than those who had not satisfactory knowledge. However, it contradicts with [16] finding done on utilization of urban health extension program at Debretabor Town.…”

“…Educated mothers expected to have higher awareness and understanding about HEP than those who had no education. In this finding, the result showed that as the education level of mothers' increase, the odds of not utilizing HEP decrease, similar findings were obtained by [15,16] as the education level of mothers increase, the odds of not utilizing HEP decrease.…”

Utilization of Urban Health Extension Program Services and Associated Factors among Hosanna Dwellers, Hadiya Zone, southern Ethiopia: A Community Based Cross-Sectional Study

“…Previous literature found that the health extension program primary health care service coverage is not similar with each previous study those differences in urban and rural areas includes: community uptake of family planning service, improvement of maternal and child immunization service, <5 child diarrhea disease prevention and treatment, graduation of model household or open defecation free kebelle, and solid and liquid waste management practice in the country [9][10][11][12]. Nevertheless, shortage of published literature in the study setting to investigate attitude and participation level of household members towards health extension program service accomplishment in urban areas to improve primary health care service utilization [11,12]. There were also one hospital, three public health centers and more than 10 private higher and medium clinics were provision of health care services for the communities reside in the urban.…”

Untitled

“…Health extension service utilization. Anyone who implements at least 75% of the national health extension program packages [16].…”