Antenatal care (ANC) is one of the core interventions for improving maternal outcomes. The average annual decline of maternal mortality rate from 1990 to 2013 was 5% in Ethiopia. This figure was below the least expected 5.5% to achieve the targeted 75% by 1990–2015. Moreover, completion of the recommended four or more ANC visits was only 32%. This study was aimed to examine individual, household and community level potential determinants of completing the recommended visits in the country. The 2014 Ethiopian Mini Demographic and Health Survey data were used. Among women aged 15–49 years 3694 who had given birth in the 5 years preceding the survey were included in the analysis. The robust standard error method of generalized estimation equations were used for binary outcome variable from the clustered data. Only 33.0% (95% CI 31. 5% 34.5%) of women completed the recommended visits. Out of the total women, 56.5% had at least one ANC visit. Out of those who had at least one ANC visit, 37.4% visited in their first trimester. Completing the recommended visits was negatively associated with women in the lower educational level, lower economic conditions, higher birth order, and rural residence. But, it was positively associated with the community level high quality ANC services received. Difference in age and region also affected the completion of the recommended visits. The finding revealed the need for improving the uptake of ANC services, early arrival in the first trimester for services, and motivating mothers that begin ANC to confirm continuity. Strategies to foster completing the recommended visits should focus on upgrading quality of care services at the community level. Women in low economic level, high birth order, rural residence, and low educational status should be given special attention. Early and late age groups should be given special attention regarding the services.

Utilization of antenatal care (ANC) in Ethiopia was low. There was also a variation of this underutilization of ANC service from region to region in the country. Therefore, this study aimed at providing a comprehensive analysis on socio-economic and demographic determinants of utilizing ANC services in Benishangul Gumuz Region. The study was conducted based on the 2011 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey. Data analyzed were taken from 674 mothers in Benishangul Gumuz Region who had at least one child in the 5 years before the survey was undertaken. Binary logistic regression model was used to analyze the data. Variables with a p-value< 0.25 in bivariable analysis were considered for the final model. In the final multivariable model, a variable was declared as significantly associated with ANC utilization for p-value< 0.05. Adjusted odds ratio with its respective 95% confidence interval was reported to show the strength of association. The results of the study showed that educational level, place of residence, ethnicity, and household’s wealth were determinants of ANC utilization in the region at 5% level of significance. Lower educational level, difference of ethnicity, lower wealth status and rural residence of women were determinants on ANC utilization. Providing awareness creation on ANC visits for rural women during health care services provision, at community meeting, at working place and at any social association were recommended. In addition, creating conducive environment in entrepreneurial activities for poor women would improve ANC utilization. Lastly, further researches were recommended to study the effect of various traditional, cultural and other related practices on utilization of ANC services among ethnic groups in the region.

Background: Rabies has a worldwide distribution in continental regions of Africa, Asia and the Latin America. Globally, the case fatality rate is 100% once a clinical sign is developed. Poor public awareness towards rabies is one of the major obstacles in any prevention and control scheme of the diseases. The study aimed to assess knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) about rabies and associated factors among household heads in Mekelle city, Northern Ethiopia, 2016. Methods: A community based cross-sectional study was conducted from October to November 2016 with a total of 633 study participants. Data were collected using a pretested structured questionnaire and entered to EPI-Info 3.5.4 and coded, cleaned and analyzed using SPSS version 20 software. Bi variable and multivariable analysis was done to identify factors associated with knowledge, attitude and practice about rabies. Variables having p < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant at 95%CI. Results: Of 633 study participants, 357 (56.4%) were females and 239 (37.8%) were 18–35 years old. Among the study participants, 56.1% (95%CI = 52.2, 59.9), 56.2% (95%CI = 52.4, 60.1) and 61.3% (95%CI = 57.5, 65.1) had good level of knowledge, attitude and practice on the prevention and control of rabies respectively. Being female (AOR = 1.50, 95%CI = 1.05, 2.13), dog owner (AOR = 1.68, 95%CI = 1.17, 2.41) and participants who had training on rabies (AOR = 2.22, 95%CI = 1.53, 3.21) were found to have good knowledge. Married participants (AOR = 2.19, 95%CI = 1.16, 4.16), participants who owned dog (AOR = 2.64, 95%CI = 1.80, 3.86) and those encountered dog bite (AOR = 2.24, 95%CI = 1.23, 4.10) were found to have positive attitude towards rabies. Similarly, dog ownership (AOR = 11.85, 95%CI = 7.16, 19.6) was found to be associated with good practice. Conclusion: This study showed that more than half of the respondents had good knowledge, attitude and practice about the prevention and control of rabies.

Background: Globally, complications of preterm birth are among the most common cause of neonatal mortality. In Ethiopia, the neonatal mortality reduction is not worthy of attention. Hence, this study reviewed the prevalence of preterm birth and factors associated with preterm birth in Ethiopia.Methods: The review protocol of this study has been registered in PROSPERO (CRD42017077356). The PRISMA guideline was followed for this review. Studies that assessed the prevalence and/or associated factors of preterm birth in Ethiopia and published from Jan 01, 2009 to Dec 31, 2019 were considered. Studies were searched from the PubMed and Science Direct among medical electronic databases and Google Scholar. Random-effects model was used for detected heterogeneity among studies. Publication bias and sensitivity analysis were assessed. Pooled estimates with its 95% confidence interval were reported using forest plots. The quality of evidence from the review was assessed using GRADE approach.Results: Twenty-two studies involving a total of 12,279 participants were included. The overall pooled prevalence of preterm birth in Ethiopia was 10.48% (95% CI: 7.98–12.99). Pooled odds ratio showed rural residence (AOR = 2.34, 95% CI: 1.35–4.05), being anemic (AOR = 2.59, 95% CI: 1.85–3.64), < 4 antenatal care visits (AOR = 2.34, 95%CI: 1.73–3.33), pregnancy induced hypertension (AOR = 3.49, 95% CI: 2.45–4.97), prelabor rapture of membrane (AOR = 4.42, 95% CI: 2.28–8.57), antepartum hemorrhage (AOR = 5.02, 95% CI: 2.90–8.68), multiple pregnancies (AOR = 3.89, 95% CI: 2.52–5.99), past adverse birth outcomes (AOR = 3.24, 95% CI: 2.53–4.15) and chronic illness (AOR = 4.89, 95%CI: 3.12–7.66) were associated with increased likelihood of preterm birth. Further, support during pregnancy was associated with reduced occurrence of preterm birth.Conclusion: The pooled national level prevalence of preterm birth in Ethiopia is high. Socio demographic, nutritional, health care, obstetric and gynecologic, chronic illness and medical conditions, behavioral and lifestyle factors are the major associated factors of preterm birth in Ethiopia. This evidence is graded as low grade. Thus, efforts should be intensified to address reported risk factors to relieve the burden of preterm birth in the study setting, Ethiopia.

Nutritional status of children influences their health status, which is a key determinant of human development. In Ethiopia, 28% of child mortality is caused by under nutrition. There is also some controversial evidence about the association between maternal characteristics and nutritional status of under five children. This study was aimed to assess the association between maternal characteristics and nutritional status among 6–59 months of children in Ethiopia. This was furtheranalysis ofthe 2016 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Surveyusing7452 children.. Generalized estimating equations was used to quantify the association of maternal factors with stunting and wasting. Both crude Odds ratio and adjusted odds ratio with the corresponding 95% confidence intervals were reported to show the strength of association. In multivariable analysis, variables with a p-value of < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. The higher odds of stunting were found among children whose mothers had no education (AOR = 1.58; 95%CI: 1.25, 2.0) and primary education (AOR = 1.42; 95%CI: 1.13, 1.78), underweight nutritional status (AOR = 1.59; 95%CI: 1.27, 2.0), and anemia (AOR = 1.16; 95%CI: 1.04, 1.30). Similarly, higher odds of wasting were observed among children whose mother had underweight nutritional status (AOR = 2.34; 95%CI: 1.65, 3.38), delivered at home (AOR = 1.31; 95%CI: 1.07, 1.60), and lower than 24 months birth interval (AOR = 1.31; 95%CI: 1.04, 1.64). Maternal education, nutritional status, and anemia were associated with child stunting. Also maternal nutritional status, place of delivery, and preceding birth interval were associated with wasting. Therefore, there is needed to enhance the nutritional status of children by improving maternal underweight nutritional status, maternal educational and maternal anemia status, prolonging birth interval, and promoting health facility delivery.

This study was aimed at assessing the incidence of lost-to-follow-up and its predictors among HIV-positive adults after initiation into antiretroviral therapy at Pawi General Hospital, northwest Ethiopia. The overall cumulative incidence of lost-to-follow-up after ART initiation was high, 11.6 (95% CI 9.8–13.7) per 100 adult-years follow-up time. Independent significant predictors of lost to follow up were being aged 15–28 years (aSHR = 0.44; 95% CI 0.24–0.83), being on WHO clinical stage IV (aSHR = 2.09; 95% CI 1.02–3.13); and receiving isoniazid preventive therapy (aSHR = 0.11; 95% CI 0.06–0.18).