Background: Inappropriate self-medication is a public-health problem worldwide. Major problems associated with self-medication include wastage of resources, increased resistance of pathogens, and adverse drug reactions. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess self-medication practices and associated factors among undergraduate Wollo University students in Northeast Ethiopia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 341 undergraduate university students using a pretested and self-administered questionnaire from January to February 2019. Simple random sampling was used to select study participants. Data were collected using the self-administered questionnaire and analyzed with SPSS version 20. Multiple logistic regression was employed in data analysis, with P< 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: The prevalence of self-medication in this study was 64.98%. Mildness of disease (57, 34.13%) and dissatisfaction with health-care services, (44, 26.34%) were the main reasons for self-medication practice. The most common types of diseases for self-medication were headache (80, 47.9%), gastrointestinal infections (74, 44.31%), and respiratory tract infections (48, 28.74%). Analgesics (94, 56.28%) and antibiotics (60, 35.9%) were the leading classes of medicine used in self-medication. Multivariate regression analysis indicated that agriculture students (AOR 0.163, 95% CI 0.049– 0.545) were 84% less likely to practice self-medication than medicine and health-science students. Conclusion: This study revealed that self-medication practices are common among study participants and significantly associated with their field of study. Awareness promotion on the risk of inappropriate self-medication for university students is highly recommended.

Background: Childhood anemia is an important public health problem in Ethiopia. The northeast part of the country is among the areas affected by recurrent drought. Despite its significance, studies are scarce on childhood anemia particularly, in the study area. This study aimed to assess the proportion and factors associated with anemia among under-five children in Kombolcha town. Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 409 systematically selected 6 to 59 months aged children visited health institutions in Kombolcha town. Data were collected using structured questionnaires from mothers/caretakers. The data entry and analysis were done using EpiData version 3.1 and SPSS version 26 respectively. Binary logistic regression was fitted to identify factors associated with anemia. Statistical significance was declared at p-value ≤ 0.05. The effect size was reported using the adjusted odds ratio with its 95% confidence interval. Results: Of the participants, 213(53.9%) were males with a mean age of 26 months (SD ± 15.2). The proportion of anemia was 52.2% (95% CI, 46.8-57%). Being in the age of 6–11 months (AOR = 6.23, 95% CI: 2.44, 15.95), 12–23 months (AOR = 3.74, 95%CI: 1.63, 8.60), having low dietary diversity score (AOR = 2.61, 95% CI: 1.55, 4.38), having a history of diarrhea (AOR = 1.87, 95% CI: 1.12, 3.12) and having the lowest family monthly income (AOR = 16.97, 95% CI: 4.95, 58.20) were positively associated with anemia. Whereas, maternal age ≥ 30 years (AOR = 0.37 (0.18, 0.77) and exclusive breastfeeding until six months (AOR = 0.27, 95% CI: 0.16, 0.45) were negatively associated with anemia. Conclusions: Childhood anemia was a public health problem in the study area. Child age, maternal age, exclusive breastfeeding, dietary diversity score, diarrhea, and family income were significantly associated with anemia.

Introduction: Diabetes self-care is important to maintain optimal glycemic control and prevent debilitating and costly complications. Diabetes self-care may be improved through the identification of individual and group barriers to regimen adherence and subsequent development of specific plans to overcome these barriers. This study assessed the self-care practice and associated factors among type 2 diabetes patients attending their treatment at Dessie Referral Hospital, Dessie, North-Eastern Ethiopia. Methods: The study employed parallel mixed methods design which followed a cross-sectional interview and in-depth interview methods, respectively, from September to October 2019. The collected data were subjected to descriptive and inferential analysis for the quantitative part and a thematic analysis for the qualitative part. Results: A total of 328 type 2 diabetes patients participated in the study of which 50.3% reported good self-care practice. Being in the age category of 60– 69 years old (AOR = 0.334, 95% CI (0.135, 0.951)), being ≥ 70 years old (AOR = 0.359, 95% CI (0.135, 0.951)), having complications (AOR = 1.956, 95% CI (1.172, 3.262)), having co-morbidity (AOR = 0.443, 95% CI (0.262, 0.749)) and diabetes education (AOR = 2.684, 95% CI (1.633, 4.412)) were significantly associated with good diabetes self-care. Accessibility, social support, knowledge and beliefs and diabetes-related morbidities were identified as barriers to diabetes self-care by the patients. Conclusion: The findings from this study revealed that only half of the type 2 diabetes patients who participated in this study reported good self-care practice. Different factors, including diabetes education, were significantly associated with good diabetes self-care according to the quantitative study. This was supported by the findings from the qualitative part and thus the recommendation to strengthen diabetes health education to patients and their families.

Background: One third of global antmicrobial resistance deaths are attributed to drug resistant tuberculosis. Lost to follow-up is one of the causes of the development of acquired drug resistant tuberculosis. There is a gap in nationally representative reliable information on lost to follow-up among patients with drug-resistant tuberculosis in Ethiopia. Objective: To estimate the pooled prevalence and associated factors of lost to follow-up among patients with drug resistant tuberculosis in Ethiopia. Methods: Observational studies searched from PubMed, HINARI and CINAHL were screened for eligibility. After assessing the quality of studies, data were extracted using a checklist. Heterogeneity was assessed using forest plot, Q and I². The random effects meta-analysis model was employed to pull the prevalence of lost to follow-up. Sub-group analysis and meta regression were performed to identify the sources of heterogeneity. Publication bias was assessed using funnel plots with Egger’s and Begg’s tests. Sensitivity analysis was performed to assess the influence of individual studies on the overall estimate. The odds ratios were used to measure associations. Results: The review was performed among 11 studies of which 9 were cohort studies. The sample sizes ranged from 90 to 612 and comprised a total of 3,510 participants. The pooled prevalence of lost to follow-up was 8.66% (95% CI, 5.01–13.14) with a high heterogeneity (I² = 93.49%, p<0.001). Pulmonary multi-drug resistant tuberculosis patients were 50% less likely to loss from follow-up compared to extra pulmonary tuberculosis patients. Conclusion: There was a high prevalence of lost to follow-up among multi-drug resistant tuberculosis patients in Ethiopia. Anatomical site of tuberculosis was a significant factor affecting lost to follow-up. Strengthening the health care system and patient education should be given a due emphasis. Registration number: CRD42020153326; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=153326.

Background: Closing the gap of unmet for family planning is crucial to eliminate new pediatric HIV infections likewise to improve maternal and child health among reproductive-age women living with HIV. However, studies conducted on unmet need for family planning among reproductive-age women living with HIV showed inconsistent and non-conclusive findings on the magnitude of the problem. Moreover, there was no meta-analysis conducted in this area. So this systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to estimate the pooled prevalence unmet need for family planning among reproductive-age women living with HIV in Ethiopia. Methods: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline was followed to review both published and unpublished studies in Ethiopia. All studies in PubMed, Cochrane Library, Hinari, Google Scholar, CINAHL, and Global Health databases were searched. Meta-analysis was performed using STATA 14 software. The heterogeneity and publication bias were assessed using the I² statistics and Egger regression asymmetry test, respectively. Forest plots were used to present the pooled prevalence with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: This review included 7 studies, and 3333 study participants. The pooled prevalence of unmet need for family planning among reproductive-age women living with HIV in Ethiopia was 25.13% (95%CI: 19.97, 30.29). The pooled prevalence of unmet need for spacing and limiting was 13.91% (95%CI: 10.11, 17.72) and 9.11% (95%CI: 6.43, 11.78), respectively. Conclusions: One-fourths of reproductive-age women living with HIV had an unmet need for family planning. A variety of programmatic investments are needed to achieve more meaningful progress toward the reduction of unmet need for family planning among reproductive-age women living with HIV.

Early HIV diagnosis and access to treatment is one of the most effective ways to prevent its further spread and to protect the health of those living with the virus. However, delay in diagnosis is the major risk factor for uptake of and response to antiretroviral therapy. Institution-based unmatched case-control study design was used in the study. The study was conducted in Debre-Markos and Finote-Selam Hospitals, Northwest Ethiopia. Cases were people living with HIV who had CD4 count <350cells/mm3 or WHO clinical stage III and IV regardless of the CD4 count at first presentation and controls were those who had CD4 count ≥350cells/mm3 or WHO clinical stage I and II. If both criteria were available, the CD4 count was used in the study as World Health Organization recommended. A total of 392 respondents (196 cases and 196 controls) were recruited and selected systematically. The data were collected by trained nurses using chart review and interviewer administered structured questionnaire. Binary Logistic Regression Model was used to identify the factors associated with late HIV diagnosis. About 95.9 % of study participants provided complete response. Having no understanding, compared to having understanding, about HIV/AIDS (AOR = 1.7, 95 %CI = 1.08–2.79) and ART (AOR = 2.1, 95 %CI: 1.25–3.72), being tested as a result of symptoms/ illness, compared to being tested for risk exposure (inverted AOR =2.5, 95 %CI: 1.64–4.76), and acquiring HIV through sexual contact, compared to acquiring it through other modes (AOR = 2.5, 95 %CI = 1.52–4.76) were positively and independently associated with late HIV diagnosis. Unlike perceived HIV stigma, having no understanding about HIV and ART, being tested for presence of symptoms/illness, and acquiring HIV through sexual contact were independent and significant factors for late HIV diagnosis.