Vaccination is one of the cost effective strategies reducing childhood morbidity and mortality. Further improvement of immunization coverage would halt about 1.5 million additional deaths globally. Understanding the level of immunization among children is vital to design appropriate interventions. Therefore, this study aimed to assess full immunization coverage and its determinants among children aged 12–23 months in Ethiopia. The study was based on secondary data analysis from the 2016 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS). Information about 1,909 babies aged 12–23 months was extracted from children dataset. Both bivariate and multivariable logistic regression models were utilized to assess the status and factors associated with full immunization. Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was computed. Variables with less than 0.05 p-values in the multivariable logistic regression model were considered as statistically and significantly associated with the outcome variable. The overall full immunization coverage was 38.3% (95% CI: 36.7, 41.2). Rural residence (AOR = 0.60, 95% CI: 0.43, 0.84), employed (AOR = 1.62, 95% CI: 1.31, 2.0), female household head (AOR = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.44, 0.76), wealth index [middle (AOR = 1.44, 95% CI: 1.07, 1.94) and richness (AOR = 1.65, 95% CI: 1.25,2.19)], primary school maternal education (AOR = 1.38,95% CI: 1.07, 1.78), secondary school maternal education (AOR = 2.19, 95% CI: 1.43, 3.36), diploma graduated mothers (AOR = 1.99, 95% CI: 1.09, 3.61), ANC follow ups (AOR = 2.79, 95% CI:2.17 3.59), and delivery at health facilities (AOR = 1.76, 95% CI: 1.36, 2.24) were significantly associated factors with full immunization. Full immunization coverage in Ethiopia was significantly lower than the global target. Female household head and rural dwellings were negatively associated with full immunization. In contrast higher maternal education, employment, middle and rich economic status, ANC follow up, and delivery at health facility were positively associated with full immunization among 12–23 months old children. This suggests that improved health education and service expansion to remote areas are necessary to step immunization access.

Antenatal care (ANC) is special care for pregnant women with the aim of preventing, detecting and treating health problems in both the fetus and mother. Early ANC attendance promotes early detection and treatment of complications which result in proper management during delivery and puerperium. However, the majority of pregnant women in Ethiopia initiate their ANC late. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the prevalence of late initiation of ANC and its associated factors among attendants in Addis Zemen primary hospital. An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted at Addis Zemen primary hospital from February 7 to June 122,018. The systematic random sampling technique was employed to select 369 pregnant women who attended ANC in the hospital. Data cleaning and analysis was done using SPSS version 25 statistical software. Descriptive statics and bi variable and multivariable logistic regression models were employed to assess the magnitude and factors associated with late initiation of ANC defined as making the first visit after 12 weeks of gestation. This study indicated that 52.5% of the attendants initiated ANC late. The multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that being housewife (Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 2.85, 95% CI: 1.36, 5.96), self-employment (AOR = 2.38, 95% CI: 1.12, 5.04), travel expenses (AOR = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.05, 2.81), poor knowledge about ANC (AOR = 2.98, 95% CI: 1.78, 5.01) and unplanned pregnancy (AOR = 2.31, 95% CI: 1.28, 4.16) were significantly associated with late ANC initiation. The prevalence of late ANC initiation remains a major public health issue in Ethiopia. The major factors for being late were found to be poor knowledge, being housewife, and self-employment, travel expenses and unintended pregnancy. District and zonal health offices should work to create awareness about the importance of early initiation of ANC, make the service closer to the community and increase contraceptive utilization.

Prematurity accounts about 1 million neonatal deaths worldwide and the second causes of both neonatal and under five-child mortality. Neonatal mortality accounts for 43% of under-five child mortality in Ethiopia. From this preterm is the second leading cause of death and is steadily increased in low-income countries. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess time to death and predictors among preterm neonates admitted in University of Gondar comprehensive specialized hospital neonatal intensive care unit North West Ethiopia 2018. Institution-based retrospective follow-up study was conducted among 516 preterm neonates from January 2016 to March 2018. Data were extracted retrospectively from patients’ records using a pretested structured checklist. Descriptive summary statistics like median survival time, Kaplan Meier failure estimation curve and Log-rank test were computed. Bivariate and multivariable Gompertz parametric hazards models were fitted to identify the predictors of mortality. Hazard ratio with a 95% confidence interval was calculated and p-values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. The proportion of preterm neonatal death in this study was 28.8% (95%CI (25.1, 32.9)). Home delivery (AHR = 2.25, 95% CI (1.03, 4.88)), hyaline membrane disease (AHR =3.21, 95% CI (1.96, 5.25)), gestational age, (AHR = 0.82, 95% CI (0.74, 0.91)), cry immediately at birth (AHR = 1.74, 95% CI (1.19, 2.53)), kangaroo mother care (AHR = 0.24, 95%CI (0.11, 0.52)), presence of jaundice (AHR = 1.62, 95%CI (1.12, 2.54)) and hypoglycemia at admission (AHR = 1.75, 95%CI (1.21, 2.54)) were found to be significant predictors of time to death for preterm neonates. Proportion of preterm neonatal death in this study was high. Home delivery, Jaundice, hypoglycemia, gestational age, cry immediately at birth, kangaroo mother care and hyaline membrane disease were significant predictors of time to death.

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.

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus is a serious metabolic disease that is often associated with vascular complications. There are 1.9 million people living with Diabetes in Ethiopia; diabetes mellitus is found to be the ninth leading cause of death related to its complications. Although the rate of vascular complications continues to rise, there is limited information about the problem. This study aimed to estimate the incidence and predictors of vascular complications among type 2 diabetes mellitus patients at University of Gondar Referral Hospital. Institution based retrospective follow-up study was conducted at University of Gondar Referral Hospital with 341 newly diagnosed type 2 DM patients from September 2005 to March 2017 and the data were collected by reviewing their records. Schoenfeld residuals test and interaction of each covariate with time were used to check proportional hazard assumption. The best model was selected by using Akaike Information Criteria (AIC). Hazards ratio (HR) with its respective 95% confidence interval were reported to show strength of association. The selected patients were followed retrospectively for a median follow up time of 81.50 months (Inter quartile range (IQR) = 67.2–103.3). The mean age (± Standard deviation (SD)) of patients at baseline was 51.7(SD: ±11.5 years) and 57.48% were females. The incidence rate of vascular complications was 40.6 cases/ 1000 person years of observation. The significant predictors for vascular complications where found to be male sex (Adjusted hazard ratio (AHR) = 0.50, 95% CI: 0.27, 0.94), having hypertension at baseline(AHR = 3.99, 95% CI: 1.87, 8.56), positive protein urea at base line (AHR = 1.69, 95% CI: 1.03, 2.78), high density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C) level ≥ 40 mg per deciliter (mg/dl) (AHR = 0.43, 95% CI: 0.24, 0.77), low density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C) level > 100 mg/dl (AHR = 3.05, 95% CI: 1.47, 6.35) and triglyceride > 150 mg/dl (AHR = 2.74, 95% CI: 1.28, 5.84). The incidence of vascular complications among type 2 diabetes patients remains a significant public health problem. Hypertension at baseline, LDL-C > 100 mg/dl, triglyceride > 150 mg/dl, HDL-C ≥ 40 mg/dl and male sex were significant predictors of vascular complication. In the light of these findings targeted interventions should be given to diabetes patients with hypertension comorbidity and dyslipidemia at follow up clinics.

Depression is an important public health concern due to its devastating morbidity and mortality among older adults. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of depression and associated factors among older adults (age ≥ 60 years) in Ambo Town, Ethiopia, 2016. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among older adults in Ambo town from May to June 2016. Geriatric depression scale item 15 (GDS 15) was used to conduct face-to-face interviews with 800 study participants. Data were entered into Epi Info version 7 and analyzed using SPSS version 20. Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression analysis were employed. Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with a 95% confidence interval was used to calculate significance. The prevalence of depression was found to be 41.8% [CI = 38.5%, 45.5%]. The multivariable logistic regression model revealed that female sex (AOR = 1.72; 95% CI = 1.12, 2.66), trading (AOR = 2.44; 95% CI =1.32, 4.57), living with children (AOR = 3.19, 95% CI =1.14, 8.93) and retirement (AOR = 3.94, 95% CI = 2.11, 7.35) were associated with depression among older adults. The prevalence of depression among older adult was found to be high. Due emphasis needs to be given to screening and treating depression, especially among older females, retired individuals, adults living with children and merchants.