Millennium Journal of Health

Perspective of Health Workers on Birth Companions Involvement in Maternal Care: Mixed Method Study in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Kidist Lemma Gizachew — 2024-08-19

Background: Birth companions have been shown to improve the quality of care provided to laboring women. There is a lack of study exploring the extent of birth companion involvement in Ethiopia.

Objectives: This study was done to determine the knowledge, perspective, and practice of healthcare providers towards the involvement of birth companions during childbirth.

Methods: The study was done in SPHMMC and three health centers that were randomly selected from the list of catchment health centers of SPHMMC. It used a cross-sectional study design supplemented by a qualitative study design. The quantitative study used a structured questionnaire and was undertaken among 51 healthcare providers, and this was augmented by in-depth interviews of providers.

Results: The finding from the study showed that only 39.2 % of the study participants were knowledgeable about the benefits of birth companions. Two themes emerged from the in-depth interviews, and these are ‘benefits noticed with birth companions’ and ‘challenges faced with birth companions’. Most of the health care providers, 82.4 %, didn’t allow birth companions. The reasons mentioned for this include fear of breach of privacy, interference with routine medical care, and risk of litigation/complaints.

Conclusion: The study has shown that most healthcare providers are against the practice of involving birth companions. Since this practice is one way to ensure the quality of care provided, there should be an effort to increase the knowledge of health professionals on the benefits of birth companions. There is also a need for improvement of the work setup.

Magnitude of underweight and associated factors among women aged 15-49 years with obstetric fistula in Hamlin fistula hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2021: A cross-sectional hospital-based study

Tigist Debebe — 2024-08-19

Background: The poor nutritional status of women has been a significant problem in Ethiopia. A reason for the widespread malnutrition and the associated consequences in resource-poor settings are due to diets that are often monotonous

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of underweight and its associated factors among women with obstetric fistula at Addis Ababa Hamlin Fistula Hospital, Ethiopia.

Methods: This study gathered data through a cross-sectional survey involving 143 women aged 15-49 who attended the outpatient department of Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital between January 20 and February 20, 2021. The sample size was determined using a single population proportion formula, and systematic random sampling was applied. Face-to-face interviews, structured questionnaires, chart reviews, and anthropometric measurements were conducted. The data was analyzed using SPSS version 26. Descriptive statistics, binary, and multiple logistic regressions were done. A significance level of p<0.05 was utilized.

Results: The findings revealed that 33.6% (95% CI: 26%-42%) of women with obstetric fistula were underweight. Rural residence was associated with a 5.14-fold higher likelihood of being underweight compared to urban areas (AOR=5.14, 95% CI: 1.33, 19.84). Additionally, women from food-insecure households had a 4.06 times higher risk of being underweight compared to those from food-secure households (AOR=4.06, 95% CI: 1.61, 10.25). Furthermore, women with low dietary diversity scores were 4.07 times more likely to be underweight compared to those with high dietary diversity scores (AOR=4.07, 95% CI: 1.29, 12.91).

Conclusion: The study highlights the high prevalence of underweight among women with obstetric fistula, even greater than global prevalence rate of 9.7%, and emphasizes the importance of implementing comprehensive interventions to improve nutrition and well-being in this population.

Participants experience on an adaptable platform implemented to conduct qualification exam in the middle of COVID-19 crisis: A cross-sectional study in an Ethiopian Medical School

Esubalew Tadesse Mindaye — 2024-08-19

No Abstract

Normal Exophthalmometric Values among adults in Central Northern Ethiopia

Asrat Sime Debela — 2024-08-19

Background: The variation on normal exophthalmometric value due to different factors, makes determining it very curial for diagnosis and management of different orbital disorders. The main aim of this study was to assess the normal exophthalmometric value (EV) among normal adult population of Debre Birhan town, Central Northern Ethiopia.

Methods: This is a community based cross sectional study conducted from February to April, 2019. The Hertel’s exophthalmometer was used to measure EV. Multistage sampling technique was used to identify households which were included in the study. The collected data was entered, processed and analyzed by using SPSS version 20.

Results: A total of 1108 eyes of 554 healthy adults (with a response rate of 93.6%) aged between 18 and 95 years were included in this study. The EV ranged from 10 mm to 20 mm and the mean was 17.47± 1.94mm and 17.47 ± 1.97 mm for the right and left eyes respectively with no difference between genders (p=0.15). The mean inter outer canthal distance (IOCD) for males was 96.56±5.21mm while that of females was 94.61±5.26 mm with (p=0.004) mean difference of 1.95, t=2.85; 95% CI: (0.61, 3.29). The EV was not different between the sexes (P= 0.1), but decline of EV measurement was found after fifth decade of life.

Conclusion and recommendation: This population based study identified the normal range of EV and IOCD in a predominantly homogenous Ethnic population in Central North Ethiopia for the first time. No significant difference in EV was observed between the two gender groups, while IOCD values are significantly higher in males than females. Other similar studies that involve various ethnic areas of the country are recommended.

Utilization of post Abortion contraceptives and associated factors among Women seeking Abortion services at St. Paul Hospital Millennium Medical College in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2023

Bizualem Teferi — 2024-08-19

Background: Provision of family planning following an abortion service is an important opportunity to address unmet family planning needs of women and enhance their future reproductive health. In developing countries such as Ethiopia, post abortion family planning continues to be underutilized.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess utilization of post abortion contraceptives and associated factor among women seeking abortion services at St. Paul's Hospital Millennium Medical College in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at St. Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College from April 20, 2023 to May 30, 2023 GC using pre- tested structured questionnaire. Data was collected from all Women of childbearing age having an index pregnancy with GA <28 weeks or 1 kilogram of fetus. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS version 25.

Results: A total of 276 post-abortion women participated in the study with a response rate of 93.5%. Among all women included in this study, 207 (75%); used some form of family planning following the index abortion. In the multivariable logistic regression model, unmarried women were 3.4 times more likely to use family planning compared to widowed/separated ( AOR=3.4; 95% CI=1.51,7.8) and women who had post abortal family planning counseling were 4 times more likely to use PAFP than those who didn’t receive counseling [AOR=3.99; 95%CI:1.319, 12.109].

Conclusion: This study shows that post abortion family planning utilization is low. Being unmarried and receiving post abortal family planning counselling were predictors of post-abortion family planning service utilization.

Chest CT scan patterns of COVID-19 Pneumonia at Girum Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Dawit Wondifraw Tilahun — 2024-08-19

Background: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a rapidly spreading infection which was declared as a pandemic by the World Health Organization, in March 2020. The standard for diagnosis of COVID-19 is reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test. According to our literature search, in our country there is a considerable knowledge gap regarding the Chest CT imaging features of COVID- 19 and factors associated with it, to date, as the disease is a new occurrence in time and is yet to play out.

Objectives: The main aim of this study is to evaluate the Chest CT scan features of COVID19 at Girum Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from June 2020 to February 2021.

Methods: This cross-sectional study used secondary data of all patients with confirmed COVID-19 (RT- PCR Positive) who had Chest CT imaging in Girum Hospital from June 2020 to February 2021. Data collection template was used to collect data elements from the respective Chest CT images and Electronic Medical Records of patients. Data was entered in to EPI Info version 7, transferred to SPSS version 26, and descriptive methods were used to determine patterns of findings and analytic methods were used to find associations between variables.

Results: A total of 162 patients with COVID-19 pneumonia were evaluated. The commonest duration in days between symptom onset and Chest CT imaging was 5-8 days in 77(47.5%) patients. One or more Comorbid illnesses were present in 68(42.0%) patients. The most common Chest CT imaging finding seen in 106 (65.4%) patients was a widespread ground-glass opacity being bilateral and peripheral, and especially involving the lower lobes.

Conclusion: The observed features of COVID-19 on chest CT imaging show similarities to other viral infections’ chest CT patterns. Unknown aspects need to be further researched.

Disease pattern and outcome of patients in the pediatric intensive care unit of St Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College: a retrospective crosssectional study

Tsedenia Kebede — 2024-08-19

Background: A Pediatric intensive care unit is a specialized facility that supports children with failing vital functions due to neurological deterioration, respiratory issues, cardiovascular compromise, severe infections, and accidental poisoning. However, critical care data in lowresource settings is scarce.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the disease pattern and outcome of patients admitted in pediatric intensive care unit of St. Paul's Hospital Millennium Medical College (SPHMMC).

Methods: A retrospective hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted in the Pediatrics and Child Health department among consecutively admitted patients from December 2019 to June 2021. The data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 25. A chi-square test was used to test for the significance of the association; a p-value of less than 0.05 was considered significant. Logistic regression was applied as necessary.

Results: A total of 211 children were included in the study. Of these, children under 1 year (45.5%) accounted for the largest number; males outnumbered females at 53.6%. Respiratory illnesses, neurological disorders, and infectious diseases were the most common reasons for admission. Patients who stayed in the intensive care unit for 2–7 days accounted for 52.6%. Ventilator support was required by 45.5% of patients, while 35.1% of patients needed circulatory support. Upon discharge, 29.4% of patients had died, 59.2% were transferred to the ward, and 10.4% left against medical advice. Significant associations were found between mortality and patients under 2 years, admission for less than 2 days, and the need for mechanical ventilation and inotrope support.

Conclusion: Respiratory and neurological diseases were the most common reasons for admission. The overall mortality in our pediatric intensive care unit was high and most deaths occurred within the first 2 days of admission. This emphasizes the importance of early detection and the timely transfer of critically ill patients.