Background: Hyperemesis gravidarum is one of the problems encountered among pregnant women due to persistent and excessive vomiting starting before the end of the 22nd week of gestation. The current study aimed to assess the prevalence of hyperemesis gravidarum and associated factors among pregnant women at comprehensive specialized hospitals in northwest Ethiopia. Methods: A multi-facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted at comprehensive specialized hospitals from 1st June 2022 to 30th July 2022. The data were entered using EPI Data Version 4.6 statistical software and analyzed using SPSS Version 26. Descriptive statistics such as frequency, mean, and percentage were calculated. Univariable and multivariable binary logistic regression analyses were carried out to identify the associated factors of hyperemesis gravidarum. Results: In all, 404 study participants were enrolled. About 16.8% of pregnant women were found to have hyperemesis gravidarum. Age < 20 year (AOR = 3.170; 95% CI: 1.119, 8.980), study participants who cannot read and write (AOR = 5.662; 95% CI: 2.036, 15.7470), grade 1–8 (AOR = 4.679; 95% CI: 1.778, 12.316), and grade 9–10 (AOR = 8.594; 95% CI: 3.017, 24.481), being housewife (AOR = 6.275; 95% CI: 1.052, 37.442), living in urban area (AOR = 2.185; 95% CI: 1.035, 4.609), having previous hyperemesis gravidarum (AOR = 2.463; 95% CI: 1.210, 5.012), having family history of hyperemesis gravidarum (AOR = 2.014; 95% CI: 1.002, 4.047), unplanned pregnancy (AOR = 2.934; 95% CI: 1.030, 8.351), having recent abortion (AOR = 2.750; 95% CI: 1.010, 7.483), and gravidity (AOR = 1.956; 95%CI: 1.023, 3.737) were factors associated with hyperemesis gravidarum. Conclusion: The prevalence of hyperemesis gravidarum is higher. Low maternal age, lower educational level, being a housewife, being an urban resident, having previous hyperemesis gravidarum, having a family history, having an unplanned pregnancy, and having a recent abortion were significantly associated with hyperemesis gravidarum.

Background: Evaluating the medicine burden from the patients’ perspective is essential for getting good health outcomes of diabetes mellitus (DM) management. However, data are limited regarding this sensitive area. Thus, the study was aimed to determine the medication-related burden (MRB) and associated factors among DM patients at Felege Hiwot Comprehensive Specialized Hospital (FHCSH) in northwest Ethiopia.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 423 systematically selected DM patients attending the DM clinic of FHCSH from June to August 2020. The medication-related burden was measured by using the Living with Medicines Questionnaire version 3 (LMQ-3). Multiple linear regression was used to identify factors associated with medication-related burden and reported with 95% confidence interval (CI). p-value <0.05 was considered as statistically significant to declare an association.Results: The mean LMQ-3 score was 126.52 ( ± 17.39). The majority of the participants experienced moderate (58.9%, 95% CI: 53.9–63.7) to high (26.2%, 95% CI: 22.5–30.0) degrees of medication burden. Nearly half (44.9%, 95% CI: 39.9–49.7) of the participants were non-adherent to their prescribed medications. VAS score (B = 12.773, p = 0.001), ARMS score (B = 8.505, p = 0.001), and fasting blood glucose (FBS) on visit (B = 5.858, p = 0.003) were significantly associated with high medication-related burden.Conclusion: A significant number of patients suffered from high medication-related burden and non-adherence to long-term medicine. Therefore, multidimensional intervention to decrease MRB and to upgrade adherence is required to increase patients’ quality of life.

Irrational prescription of medication is a common issue in clinical practice, particularly for eye disorders that can affect vision. This study aimed to assess the prescribing practices, drug utilization, and post-dispensing knowledge of ophthalmic medications at the University of Gondar Comprehensive and Specialized Hospital in Northwest Ethiopia. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods study was conducted at the ophthalmology department of the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital from March 2024 to June 2024. Quantitative data were collected using an interviewer-administered structured questionnaire, and chart review was then entered into EpiData version 4.6 and analyzed using SPSS version 25. Descriptive statistics were computed and Binary logistic regression analyses identified factors influencing post-dispensing knowledge, with a significance level of p < 0.05 and results presented with 95% confidence intervals. Qualitative data were collected through in-depth interviews and analyzed thematically using OpenCode software version 4.2. Most respondents were elderly and male, with a higher prevalence of ocular diseases. Ophthalmic medications were predominantly solutions (53.2%), with antibacterial drugs (41.2%), especially Tetracycline, being the most common. Fixed-dose combination drugs were primarily steroid-antibiotic combinations. The average number of drugs per prescription was 1.43, with 90.37% of prescriptions being generic and 66.8% from the National Essential Drug List. Strength, dose, frequency, and duration were recorded in 68.3%, 31.5%, 92.4%, and 31.5% of the prescriptions, respectively. Post-dispensing knowledge was good in 38% of the patients, and 11.5% used medication in both eyes despite infection in only one. Patients with a diploma or higher education (AOR = 2.46, 95% CI 1.35, 4.46) were more likely to have better medication knowledge than those unable to read or write. Most prescribing indicators were below the e World Health Organization’s recommended standards, except for the number of drugs per prescription and the dispensing time. In addition, most ophthalmic prescriptions lacked adequate and complete prescribing information, and most patients had insufficient post-dispensing knowledge. These findings highlight the urgent need to improve prescribing practices, enhance counseling, and implement targeted educational programs to ensure safer and more effective ophthalmic care.

Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a prominent cause of worldwide disability, severely affecting quality of life in Ethiopia. Despite a significant prevalence of treatment-resistant depression, challenges in treatment adherence, and a high prevalence of adverse drug reactions, the studies in Ethiopia have limited data on antidepressant treatment changes. Objectives: This research aims to identify patterns of antidepressant treatment changes, the reasons for treatment changes, and associated factors among patients with MDD in Ethiopia. Design: A hospital-based cross-sectional study. Methods: The present study was conducted at Debre Tabor Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia, from June 01, 2025, to August 30, 2025. The data was entered, cleaned, and analyzed by using SPSS Version 27. The antidepressant side-effect checklist was used to classify adverse effects as mild, moderate, or severe. The Naranjo adverse drug reactions (ADRs) probability scale assessed antidepressant-related adverse drug reactions; non-adherence was evaluated using a self-reported tablet count tool. A multivariable logistic regression model was utilized to identify factors associated with antidepressant treatment changes. The significance level was set at a p -value of 0.05, with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: Out of 220 respondents, 127 (57.7%) did not respond to their antidepressants, which impacted their ability to carry out daily responsibilities. Approximately one-third of participants (80, or 36.4%) had switched medications. More than half of the patients with MDD (114, or 51.82%) experienced ADRs related to antidepressants. The prevalence of non-adherence to medication was 54.6%; 95% CI: 48.6, 60.9. Antidepressant treatment change was significantly associated with having a history of relapse (AOR = 2.52, 95% CI: 1.28, 5.42) and a history of hospital admission (AOR = 2.35, 95% CI: 1.25, 7.59). Conclusion: The management of MDD in Ethiopia faces challenges such as high non-adherence rates, significant ADRs, and limited access to alternative treatments. About 36.4% of patients underwent antidepressant treatment changes. A history of relapse and admission history were associated with antidepressant treatment changes. Future research should investigate longitudinal research to understand non-response and its impact on patient outcomes.