In Ethiopia about 25% of rural women are chronically malnourished. Non-pregnant and non-lactating women present an opportunity to implement strategies to correct maternal and child health status and to potentiate improved pregnancy outcomes in developing countries like Ethiopia. The determinant factors of chronic energy deficiency vary across settings and contexts; hence, it is important to identify local determinant factors in order to implement effective and efficient intervention strategies. To assess the determinants of chronic energy deficiency of non-pregnant, non-lactating rural women within the reproductive age group (15–49 years), in rural kebeles of Dera district, North West Ethiopia, 2019. A community based unmatched case control study was conducted. A total of 552 participants were involved and a multi-stage sampling technique was used to select the samples. Data was collected from January 15 to February 30, 2019 using face-to-face interviews and anthropometric assessments. EPI-info version 7 and SPSS™ version 23 were used for data entry and analysis, respectively. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression models were used to analyze the association between dependent and independent variables. Association was considered statistically significant at 95% CI with p-value < 0.05 in multivariable logistic regression. A total of 548 non-pregnant, non-lactating women with 137 cases and 411 controls were included in the study with a response rate of 99.3%. High family size (AOR = 1.88, 95% CI: 1.085, 3.275), low educational status (AOR = 3.389, 95% CI: 1.075, 10.683), inadequate meal frequency (AOR = 5.345, 95% CI: 2.266, 12.608), absence of home garden (AOR = 5.612, 95% CI: 3.177, 9.915) and absence of latrine facility (AOR = 6.365, 95% CI: 3.534, 11.462) were found positively associated with chronic energy deficiency. Inadequate meal frequency, absence of home gardening, absence of latrine facility, high family size and educational status of illiterate were the determinants of chronic energy deficiency, thus indicating the imperative for a multi-sectoral approach with health, agriculture and education entities developing and delivering interventions.

Background: Gender-based violence (GBV) particularly against women is unfortunately common during armed conflicts. No rigorous and comprehensive empirical work has documented the extent of GBV and its consequences that took place during the two years of devastating armed conflict in Northern Ethiopia. This study aims to assess GBV and its consequences in war-torn areas of northern Ethiopia. Methods: We used a qualitative method augmented by quantitative method to enroll research participants. We conducted in-depth interviews to characterize the lived experiences of GBV survivors. All interviews were conducted confidentially. The data were collected to the point of data saturation. All interviews were transcribed verbatim into local language, translated into English, and analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. We also used reports from healthcare facilities and conducted a descriptive analysis of the demographic characteristics of study participants. Results: One thousand one hundred seventy-seven persons reported GBV to healthcare providers. The qualitative study identified several forms of violence (sexual, physical, and psychological). Gang rape against women including minors as young as 14 years old girls was reported. Additionally, the perpetrators sexually violated women who were pregnant, and elderly women as old as 65 years, who took refuge in religious institutions. The perpetrators committed direct assaults on the body with items (e.g., burning the body with cigarette fire) or weapons, holding women and girls as captives, and deprivation of sleep and food. GBV survivors reported stigma, prejudice, suicide attempts, nightmares, and hopelessness. GBV survivors dealt with the traumatic stress by outmigration (leaving their residences), seeking care at healthcare facilities, self-isolation, being silent, dropping out of school, and seeking counseling. Conclusion: GBV survivors were subjected to multiple and compounding types of violence, with a wide range of adverse health consequences for survivors and their families. GBV survivors require multifaceted interventions including psychological, health, and economic support to rehabilitate them to lead a productive life.

Background: The prevalence of abdominal obesity has been dramatically increasing both in developed and developing countries, including Ethiopia. It is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, type-2 diabetes mellitus, high blood pressure, and cancer. However, there is inadequate data regarding the prevalence and associated factors of abdominal obesity among adult population in Ethiopia. Objective: This study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of abdominal obesity among the adult population in Woldia town, Northeast Ethiopia in 2020. Method: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Woldia town from March 20 to April 20, 2020. Data on socio-demographic, dietary history, and anthropometric characteristics were collected from 802 adults using the World Health Organization stepwise technique. Multi-stage sampling was employed to select the study subjects. Data were cleaned, coded, and entered by EPI-info Version 7 and were exported to SPSS Version 20 for further analysis. To indicate the strength of association, odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were used. Result: From a total of 823 respondents 802 were involved with a response rate of 97.4%. The overall prevalence of central obesity based on waist to hip ratio was 16.5% with 95% CI (14.2–19.2). Female sex [AOR = 13.3, 95% CI: 7.01–25.39), high wealth rank (AOR = 2.95, 95% CI: 1.21–7.17), single marital status (AOR = 0.16, 95%CI: 0.04–0.58), age from 35 to 55 years (AOR = 4.3, 95% CI: 2.22–7.99), age greater than 55 years (AOR = 3.8, 95%CI: 1.36–10.78), secondary educational level (AOR = 1.83, 95% CI: 1.05–3.18), eat more protein (AOR = 4.22, 95% CI: 1.26–14.22), and consumption of snacks (AOR = 2.78, 95% CI: 1.68–4.61) were significantly associated with abdominal obesity. Conclusion: The prevalence of abdominal obesity among adults in Woldia town is high, and has become an emerging nutrition-related problem. Being female, older age, being in a high wealth rank, consuming more meat, having secondary education level, and consuming snacks were the risk factors of abdominal obesity. Nutrition interventions should target adults mainly focusing on the alarmingly increase in nutrition problems, such as abdominal obesity, in Ethiopia with specific attention to females.

Background. The prevalence of undernutrition in low- and middle-income countries is still remarkably high. Undernutrition during adulthood is a greater risk factor for low productivity, poor health, and mortality. There is limited information on the prevalence and determinants of chronic energy deficiency in Ethiopia. Objective. To assess the prevalence and determinants of chronic energy deficiency among adults aged 18–59 years in Ethiopia. Method. A secondary data analysis was conducted using the data obtained from the 2016 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey. Data were collected using a multistage stratified cluster sampling technique, and the analytic sample consisted of 9,280 adults aged 18–59 years. The chi-square test and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used, and value <0.05 was taken as statistically significant. Result. A total of 9280 adults aged 18–59 years were included in the study and 2911 (28.7%) (95% CI: 27.0%–30.4%) of whom were chronic energy deficient. Adults who have no work (AOR = 1.41, 95% CI: 1.16, 1.72), male adults from Tigray region (AOR = 2.23, 95% CI: 1.61, 3.09), Afar region (AOR = 2.98, 95% CI: 2.04, 4.36), Somali region (AOR = 3.14, 95% CI: 2.19, 4.52), Gambella region (AOR = 1.89, 95% CI: 1.29, 2.76), Harari region (AOR = 1.54, 95% CI: 1.09, 2.19), Amhara region (AOR = 1.53, 95% CI: 1.09, 2.13), Oromia region (AOR = 1.53, 95% CI: 1.07, 2.19), Dire Dawa (AOR = 1.45, 95% CI: 1.03, 2.05), adults live lonely (AOR = 1.44, 95% CI: 1.21, 1.71), and adults residing in poor wealth index households (AOR = 1.26 : 95% CI: 1.07, 1.49) were significantly associated with chronic energy deficiency. Conclusion and recommendation. Chronic energy deficiency among male adults in Ethiopia was a high public health problem. Marital status, wealth index, occupation, and region were significant predictors of chronic energy deficiency. The Ministry of Health with other partners should strictly monitor and evaluate interventions that are being applied and should give focus to adult men to prevent malnutrition.

Introduction: The double burden of malnutrition refers to the simultaneous presence of under nutrition and overweight, obesity, or diet-related non-communicable diseases which might occur at the population, household, and individual level. The simultaneous presence of overweight/obese mothers with undernourished children in the same household, as well as overweight children with underweight mothers, holds particular significance. This phenomenon primarily impacts low-income and middle-income countries. The prevalence of double-burden malnutrition at the household level has increased significantly in sub-Saharan African countries. However, there is limited knowledge regarding the extent and factors associated with the double burden of malnutrition among mother–child pairs in Ethiopia. Consequently, the objective of this study was to assess the prevalence and determinants of the double burden of malnutrition among mother–child pairs at the household level in Bahir Dar City, Ethiopia.Method: In the year 2021, a community-based cross-sectional study design was employed among 702 mother–child pairs in Bahir Dar City from February 28 to March 23. A multistage sampling technique was used to identify study participants who were interviewed using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. The nutritional status of children was evaluated using WHO Anthro Software. To determine the strength of the association, multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed, and adjusted odds ratios with their respective 95% confidence intervals were computed.Results: The prevalence of the double burden of malnutrition among mother–child pairs was 14.5% (95% CI: 12.8, 15.7%}. Participants who were in the richest wealth index were 2.72 {AOR = 2.72, 95% CI 2.01, 5.63} times more odds of double burden of malnutrition than the poorest. The odds of the double burden of malnutrition among children who had high dietary diversity decreased by 63% {AOR = 0.37, 95% CI 0.22, 0.61} than low dietary diversity. Food secure households were 1.96 {AOR = 1.96, 95% CI 1.13, 3.39} times more likely to have the double burden of malnutrition than food insecure households. The odds of the double burden of malnutrition among mothers who completed college and above decreased by 74% {AOR = 0.26 95% CI 0.121, 0.549} than those unable to read and write.Conclusions and recommendation: The magnitude of the double burden of malnutrition was lower than the Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey. Wealth index, dietary diversity, food security, and educational status were significantly associated with the double burden of malnutrition. Therefore, it is recommended to implement public health interventions that target the identified associated factors in order to reduce the burden of double malnutrition.

Background: One of the strategies to promote child health and reduce child mortality is growth monitoring and promotion services. But, there is limited information on determinants of Growth Monitoring and Promotion service utilization. Objective: To identify determinants of growth monitoring and promotion (GMP) service utilization among children 0–23 months of age in Legambo district, South Wollo zone, Northern Ethiopia, 2020. Methods: Community based un-matched case-control study was conducted on 363 (91 cases and 272 controls) study participants from March 15 to April 15, 2020. A multi-stage sampling technique was employed to select the study participants. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regressions were performed and an adjusted odds ratio with 95% confidence intervals was estimated to identify determinants of GMP service utilization. Results: A total of 358 mothers (89 cases and 269 controls) with 98.6% response rate were included in the study. The mean (±SD) age of child was 11.66(±6.29) months among controls and 15.02 (±6.06) months among cases. Good maternal knowledge (AOR) = 2.42; 95% CI: 1.23, 4.75), favorable attitude (AOR = 2.45; 95% CI; 1.20, 4.98), counseling on GMP (AOR = 2.34; 95% CI; 1.19, 4.56), attending ante natal care services (AOR = 2.46; 95% CI: 1.18, 5.16), index child age 12–17 months (AOR = 3.45; 95% CI: 1.26, 9.41) and 18–23 months (AOR = 4.38; 95% CI: 1.53, 12.49), and short distance to health facilities (AOR = 4.53; 95% CI; 1.99, 10.28) were determinants of GMP service utilization. Conclusion: Index child age, good knowledge, favorable attitude, attending antenatal care services, receiving nutritional counseling, and a short distance to health facility were determinants of GMP service utilization. Nutritional interventions should emphasize nutritional counseling and accessibility of growth monitoring and promotion services.