Objective: The main objective of this study was to assess survival status and predictors of mortality among preterm neonates admitted to Mizan Tepi University Teaching Hospital. Materials and Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 568 randomly selected neonates. All preterm neonates admitted in NICU from May 9, 2016 to December 30, 2019 were the source population. Data were extracted from medical chart and entered to EpiData version 4.4.2.1 and analyzed by STATA version 14. Descriptive statistics, bivariate and multivariable analyses were done in a Cox regression model. Variables with P-value of < 0.05 were considered statistically significant in predicting the preterm mortality. Results: Out of 568 preterm neonates, 199 (35%) died with an incidence rate of 62.15 (54.09– 71.41) deaths per 1000 person-day-observations with median survival time of 15 days. Vaginal mode of delivery (adjusted hazard ratio, AHR: 1.78, 95%CI: 1.05– 3.08), non-cephalic presentation (AHR:1.8, 95%CI: 1.04– 3.06), born from mothers with no ANC follow-up (AHR: 1.9, 95%CI: 1.29– 3.01), fifth minute APGAR score < 7 (AHR: 1.87, 95%CI: 1.31– 2.68), RDS (AHR: 1.74, 95%CI: 1.28– 2.36), did not receive KMC (AHR: 1.45, (95%CI: 1.06– 1.98), did not cry immediately after birth (AHR: 2.81, 95%CI: 2.03– 3.93)), VLBW (AHR: 2.67, 95%CI: 1.29– 5.53), low birth weight (AHR: 2.24, 95%CI: 1.15– 4.39), and hypothermia (AHR: 1.36, 95%CI: 1– 1.84) were significantly associated with preterm mortality. Conclusion: Preterm neonatal mortality was high and the predictors were almost all preventable and treatable. Therefore, emphasis should be given toward prevention and early anticipation, and management of these predictors.

Objective This study aimed to assess the morbidity and mortality patterns of preterm neonates with low birth weight admitted in the Amhara region referral hospitals in Ethiopia. Design Hospital-based retrospective follow-up study. Setting Amhara region referral hospitals, Ethiopia. Participants A total of 291 preterm neonates low birth weight that were admitted to referral hospitals in the Amhara region between 1 January 2017 and 30 December 2018 were reviewed. Data were entered into Epi-data V.4.4.2.1 and exported to STATA V.14 for analysis, and variables with a p value of <0.05 at 95% confidence level in multivariable logistic regression model analysis were declared as statistically significant associated factors of mortality. Primary outcome Morbidity and mortality patterns in preterm low birthweight neonates. Results This study revealed that 37.8% (95% CI 32.4% to 43.5%) of preterm low birthweight neonates died. The most common morbidities found were 219 (75.26%) hypothermia, followed by 201 (69.07%), 145 (49.83%), 39 (13.4%) and 24 (8.25%) with sepsis, respiratory distress, jaundice and congenital anomalies, respectively. Sepsis (AOR: 2.0; 95% CI 1.03 to 3.89), respiratory distress (AOR: 4.6; 95% CI 2.51 to 8.40), hypoglycaemia (AOR 3.91; 95% CI 1.09 to 10.52), APGAR score at fifth minute <7 (AOR 0.39; 95% CI (0.18 to 0.82) and duration of hospital stay below mean (<9.82 days) (AOR 0.17; 95% CI 0.09 to 0.33) were associated with mortality. Conclusion The mortality rate of preterm low birthweight neonates was high, indicating that this is a public health issue. Hypothermia, sepsis, respiratory distress, jaundice and congenital anomalies were the common morbidities. Sepsis, respiratory distress, hypoglycaemia, Apgar score at fifth minute <7 and duration of hospital stay below the mean were independent factors of mortality. However, these need to be further investigated in future research and appropriately addressed using prospective follow-up.

Background: Leadership is the basis of professional and organizational commitment, teamwork and success. Midwives leaders’ leadership skills and capabilities have long been recognized as essential contributors to health services and outcomes. However, there are insufficient reports on the effect of leadership styles on midwives’ performance in African countries including Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effect of leadership style on midwives’ performance in public health Institutions, southwest Ethiopia. Objective: This study aimed to determine the effect of leadership style on midwives’ performance, Southwest Ethiopia/2022. Methods and Materials: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 121 midwives using a random sampling technique and a pre-tested questionnaire from May 19/2022-June to 6/2022. Data were entered into Epi-data version 4.4.2.1, edited, coded, categorized and cleaned before analysis. Data were analyzed using the SPSS version 24; and the results are presented in tables, and statements. Correlations and linear regressions were conducted to identify the relationship between leadership style and midwives’ performance. Results: In this study, the autocratic leadership style was predominantly practiced by midwifery leaders with a mean score of 2.996 followed by democratic (Mean=2.632) and laissez-faire (Mean=2.49) leadership styles. Inferential statistics (Correlation) analysis revealed a positive relationship between democratic and laissez-faire leadership styles and a negative relationship between autocratic styles and midwives’ performance. Multiple linear regressions showed that both democratic (P=0.02) and laissez-faire leadership styles (P=0.00) had a positive effect where as autocratic leadership style (P=0.60) had a negative effect on midwives’ performance. Conclusion and Recommendation: Autocratic Leadership is the most practiced leadership style in the study area. An autocratic leadership style was negatively related to midwives’ performance, while democratic and laissez faire styles were positively related. Therefore, health care leaders, administrators, supervisors and department heads should implement democratic and laissez-faire leadership styles to enhance midwives’ performance.

Background: Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) is a highly contagious and cause for the death of many people worldwide. Due to physiological immunosuppressive state and mechanical alteration, pregnant women are at a higher risk of severe illness and adverse maternal and fetal outcomes from COVID-19 than non-pregnant women. Compliance with the preventive measures is essential to control COVID-19 related consequences. Therefore, this study aimed to assess compliance with COVID-19 preventive measures among pregnant women attending antenatal care at public facilities of Debre Berhan town, Ethiopia. Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted from May 1 to 30, 2021 among 402 pregnant mothers. Data were collected via a face-to-face interviewer-administered questionnaire. Then, entered into Epi-Data version 4.6 and exported to SPSS version 25 for data analysis. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, variables with p < 0.05 were declared as statistically significant and the strength of statistical association was measured by adjusted odds ratio (AOR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: Of the total 396 participants, 222 (56.1%) of women had a good compliance with COVID-19 preventive measures. Maternal age (25– 34 years) [AOR: 1.926; 95% CI (1.084, 3.421)] and (≥ 35 years) [AOR: 3.018; 95% CI (1.53, 5.952)], husband educational status [AOR: 3.68; 95% CI (1.55, 8.737)], had current chronic disease [AOR: 2.516; 95% CI (1.297, 4.883)], and knowledge [AOR: 5.484; 95% CI (3.057, 9.838)] were significant predictors to have good compliance with COVID-19 preventive measures. Conclusion: Although COVID-19 is a global and national agenda, compliance towards its preventive measures was not sufficient enough. Therefore, scale-up the community awareness via media campaign is crucial which will eventually improve compliance. Furthermore, those women who had no pre-existing chronic diseases and those in the young age group should be given special consideration.

Aims: The timing of the first bath is an important variable in newborn care despite variations from setting to setting. Early first bath can affect the newborn’s temperature, blood sugar levels, bonding with his/her mother, comfort, and security. Thus, timing affects several aspects of newborn care and is still a major concern. However, in Ethiopia, there is insufficient evidence regarding newborn bath timing. Therefore, this study aimed to assess early newborn bath practice and its associated factors in Jimma, Southwest Ethiopia, 2021. Materials and Methods: An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted from July to August 2021 on 388 postpartum women who came for newborn immunization. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. Data were entered into Epi-data 4.4.2.1 and exported to Stata version 14 for cleaning and analysis. Logistic regression was used to determine the association between explanatory and response variables. The level of significance was declared at a p-value of less than 0.05 in multivariable logistic regression. Results: This study revealed 126 (32.5%) of mothers were practicing early newborn bathing. Vaginal mode of delivery (AOR: 3.84 (95% CI: 1.96– 7.52)), poor knowledge about danger signs (AOR: 6.78 (95% CI: 3.77– 12.19), poor knowledge about hypothermia (AOR: 0.35 (95% CI: 0.20– 0.58) and educational level of women (AOR: 0.33 (95% CI: 0.15– 0.73) were variables significantly associated with early newborn bathing practice. Conclusion: Early neonatal bathing practice in this study is high and needs priority as it results in neonatal hypothermia and its complications. Therefore, Education for women and their families on delayed bathing of their newborns could begin in antenatal care visit, on admission into the labor and delivery unit and again on the postpartum unit.

Background: Midwife turnover is a major problem and challenge for health-care leaders in Ethiopia. However, to date, little has been documented on turnover intention and its associated factors among midwifery professionals in southwest Ethiopia. Therefore, this study was conducted to fill the information gap on turnover intention and the factors influencing turnover intention among midwives in southwest Ethiopia. Objective: This study aimed to determine the turnover intention and associated factors among midwives, southwest Ethiopia/2022. Methods and Materials: An institutional-based cross-sectional study design was conducted among one hundred twenty one (121) midwives using structured self-administered and a pre-tested questionnaire from May 19/2022-June to 6/2022. Data were entered into Epi-data 4.4.2.1 edited, coded, categorized and entered into the data analysis. Data were analyzed using the statistical package for social science (SPSS) version 24, and the results are presented using figure, tables, and statements. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine the factors associated with turnover intention at significance level of 0.25 and 0.05, respectively. Results: In this study, from 121 midwives included in the analysis, approximately 48.76% (95% CI: 39.86– 57.74) of midwives had a turnover intention from their current health-care institution, and 53.72% (95% CI: 44.68– 62.52) of midwives did not have job satisfaction. Being male (AOR: 2.9 (95% CI: 1.14– 7.39)), working in Health center (AOR: 0.20 (95% CI: 0.06– 0.70)) and not having mutual support (AOR: 0.17 (95% CI: 0.07– 0.44)) were associated factors of turnover intention among midwives. Conclusion and Recommendation: In this study, the turnover intention among midwives was higher than that among other local and national figures. Gender, mutual support and type of working institution were factors associated with turnover intention among midwives. Therefore, public health organizations should review their maternity staff to establish teamwork and mutual support.