Background: Older adults are disproportionately affected by hypertension, which is an established risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Despite these facts, little information is available with regard to old age hypertension in Ethiopia. Thus, this study assessed old age hypertension and associated factors among older adults in rural Ethiopia. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study design was employed among 418 selected permanent residents of Chiro town aged 50 years and older using simple random sampling technique. Data were collected face to face using a structured questionnaire which is adapted from the WHO Stepwise approach to surveillance of non communicable disease instrument, and was used to collect data on risk factors. Physical measurements were taken as per WHO STEP guidelines. The data were entered into Epi Data version 3.1 and exported to SPSS Version 20 for analysis. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis were conducted and statistical significance was declared at a p-value ≤0.05. Results: The overall prevalence of old age hypertension was 41.9% (95% CI: 37.2–46.6). Age ≥70 years (AOR: 1.91; 95% CI: 1.12–3.27), low intake of fruits (AOR: 2.45; 95% CI: 1.55–3.86), overweight/obese (AOR: 4.29; 95% CI: 2.48–7.42) and family history of hypertension (AOR: 2.95; 95% CI: 1.70–5.12) were significantly associated risk factors of hypertension. Conclusion: The prevalence of hypertension among older adults was high. Older age ≥70 years, low intake of fruits, overweight/obese and having a family history of hypertension were significantly associated with hypertension. Consideration should be given for community-based screening of hypertension among older adults. In addition, fruit consumption habits and maintaining normal weight should be encouraged.

Introduction: Although there has been a remarkable decline in under-five mortality through the decades, it is still highest in socio-economically disadvantaged countries, including Ethiopia. The benefits of reducing under-five mortality have been highly emphasized in the ambitious target of Sustainable Development Goals. The risk factors of under-five mortality have not been exhaustively researched in Ethiopia using recent nationwide survey data. Objective: This study aimed to determine the risk factors of under-five mortality using the recent nationwide survey data. Method: The data source for this study was the 2016 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted and statistical significance was declared at p value < 0.05. Results: The data for a total of 10,641 under-five children were analyzed and the under-five mortality rate was 67 per 1000 live births in this study. In the final model, rural residence (AOR=2.0, [1.20, 3.30], P=0.008), mothers who gave birth with preceding birth intervals of shorter than 24 months (AOR=2.12, CI=[1.72, 2.61], P<0.000), multiple births (AOR=4.74, CI=[3.34, 6.69], P<0.000), very small size of child at birth (AOR=1.43, CI= [1.10, 1.85], P=0.007), and being male (AOR=1.30, CI=[1.07, 1.57], P<0.008) showed significant association with under-five mortality compared to their counterparts. Conclusion: Under-five mortality was significantly associated with place of residence, preceding birth interval, plurality, size of child at birth, and sex of the child. Thus, special emphasis should be placed on children with rural residence, preceding birth interval of shorter than 24 months, very small size of the child at birth, and male children.

Background: In Ethiopia, large scale health care efforts had been done to promote infant health and survival. However, nationwide data is lacking on the survival status and proximate determinants of infant mortality in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study was aimed to identify the survival status and determinants of infant mortality in Ethiopia using Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS).Methods: The data source for this study was the 2016 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey. Records of all 10,641 live births and survival informations of all 2826 infants born 5 years before the survey were reviewed. Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards regression model were employed to identify the proximate determinants associated with the infant mortality.Results: The results of Kaplan-Meier estimation showed that the highest infant deaths occurred in the early months of life immediately after birth and declined in the later months of follow-up time. About 65% of infant deaths occurred during the first month’s of life. Using the Cox proportional hazard model we found that: mothers’ level of education, preceding birth interval, plurality, size of child at birth and sex of child as significant predictors of infant mortality. The risk of dying in infancy was lower for babies of mothers with secondary education (RR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.56–0.98), higher education (RR = 0.51, 95% CI:0.45–0.80), for preceding birth interval longer than 47 months (RR = 0.51, 95% CI: 0.27, 0.92) and higher for birth interval shorter than 24 months (RR = 2.02, 95% CI:1.40–2.92), for multiple births (RR = 4.07, 95% CI: 1.14–14.50), for very small size of infants (RR = 3.74, 95% CI:1.73–8.12), for smaller than average size infants (RR = 3.23, 95% CI: 1.40–7.41) and for female infants (RR = 1.26, 95% CI: 1.01–1.56) compared to the reference category.Conclusions: A significant proportion of infants died during the study period of which nearly two third of deaths occurred during the first months of life. Thus, close monitoring and supporting reproductive age mothers to increase the uptakes of family planning and antenatal care and follow-up is highly recommended to increase the infant survival.

Background: Recently, the focus of family planning programs has changed from female oriented to men oriented, or both partner oriented to have effective outcomes. Although, contraceptive use among sexually active women was exhaustively researched; there is still a huge gap on modern contraceptive use and its determinants among sexually active men in Ethiopia. Objectives: We assessed the determinants of contraceptive use among sexually active men in Ethiopia using national survey data. Method: The data source for this study was the 2016’s Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey of men aged above 15–59 years. We analyzed data of 12, 688 sexually active men in the past 12 months prior to the survey using STATA version 14.1. Bivariate and multivariable multinomial logistic regression analysis was conducted and statistical significance was set at p value < 0.05. Result: From a total of 12, 688 sexually active men in Ethiopia, 9378 (73.9%) didn’t use any modern contraception or use traditional methods, 2394 (18.9%) use partner methods for those who reported using a method through their partner (such as pill, IUD, injections, female sterilization and Norplant) and the rest 916 (7.2%) used male methods for those who reported using male only methods (such as condoms and male sterilization). In the adjusted multinomial logistic regression model, men’s age categories 25–34 years (AOR:2.0; 95%CI = 1.5–2.5), 35–44 (AOR: 2.8; 95%CI = (2.0–3.8), and 45⁺ years (AOR: 1.5; 95%CI = 1.0–2.6), being rural resident (AOR: 1.60; (95%CI = 1.3–2.2), married and living with partner (AOR: 0.03; (95%CI = 0.01–0.06), who attended secondary (AOR:1.2; (95%CI = 0.8–1.9) and higher (AOR: 1.4; (95%CI = 1.2–2.5) education, whose partner was working (AOR: 1.6; (95%CI = 1.3–2.2), having three and above children (AOR: 0.5; (95%CI = 0.3–0.8), reading newspaper/magazines at least once a week or less than once a week, listening to radio at least once a week, watching television at least once a week and watching television less than once a week were significantly associated with use of male method than traditional/no method as compared to their respective references. Conclusion: Modern contraceptive use among sexually active men in Ethiopia is low and multiple factors determined it. Close monitoring and supporting of sexually active men with age above 25 years, rural background, higher educational level, whose partner was working, having three and more children and little exposure to media may increase men’s use of modern contraceptives.

Background: Patients’ loss to follow-up (LTFU) from tuberculosis treatment and care is a growing worry in Ethiopia. But, available information is inadequate in assessing the time to tuberculosis patient loss to follow-up difference between health centers and a general hospital in Ethiopia. We aimed to assess time to LTFU difference between health centers and a general hospital in rural Ethiopia. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study from September 2008 to August 2015 and collected data from September 1 to October 02, 2016. A total of 1341 TB patients with known treatment outcomes were included into the study. Log rank test was used to compare the difference in time to TB patient loss to follow-up between health centers and a general hospital, whereas Cox proportional hazard model was used to assess factors associated with time to loss to follow-up in both settings. Results: We reviewed a total of 1341 patient records, and the overall follow-up time was 3074.7 and 3974 person months of observation (PMOs) for TB patients followed at health centers and a general hospital, respectively. The incidence of loss to follow-up rate was 27.3 per 1000 PMOs and 9.6 per 1000 PMOs, at health centers and a general hospital, respectively. From the overall loss to follow-ups that occurred, 55 (65.5%) and 33 (86.8%) of LTFUs occurred during the intensive phase and grew to 78 (92.9%) and 38 (100%) at health center and a general hospital, respectively, at the end of 6-month observation period. Older age (AOR = 1.7, 95%CI, 1.2–2.5, P < 0.001), being a rural resident (AHR = 2.7, 95%CI, 1.6–4.6), HIV reactive (AHR = 2.2, 95%CI, 1.5–3.2), following treatment and care in health center (AHR = 3.38, 95%CI, 2.06–5.53), and living at more than 10 km away from the health facility (AHR = 3.4, 95%CI, 2.1–5.7) were predictors for time to loss to follow-up among TB patients on treatment and care. Conclusion: Time to TB patient loss to follow-up between health centers and a general hospital was significant. Loss to follow-up was high in patients with older age, rural residence, sero positive for HIV, living further from the health facilities, and following treatment and care at health centers. Strengthening the DOTs program with special emphasis on health centers is highly recommended.

Background: Determining the extent of seropositivity of SARS-CoV-2 antibody has the potential to guide prevention and control efforts. We aimed to determine the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibody among individuals aged above15 years and residing in the congregate settings of Dire Dawa city administration, Ethiopia. Method: We analyzed COVID-19 seroprevalence data on 684 individuals from a community based cross-sectional survey conducted among individuals aged above 15 years and residing in congregate settings in Dire Dawa from June 15 to July 30, 2020. Data were collected using interview and blood sample collection. Participants were asked about demographic characteristics, COVID-19 symptoms, and their practice of preventive measures. Seroprevalence was determined using SARS-CoV-2 IgG test. Bivariate and multivariate multilevel mixed effects logistic regression model was fitted and statistical significance was set at p value < 0.05. Result: The estimated SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence was 3.2% (95 % CI 2.0–4.8) in the study region with no differences by age and sex but considerable differences were observed by self-reported practice of COVID-19 preventive measures. The cluster effect is not significant (P = 0.396) which has suggested no evidence of heterogeneity in SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among the clusters. The odds of SARS-CoV-2 antibody seroprevalence were higher for individuals who were employed and work by moving from home to work area (AOR; 9.73 95% CI 2.51, 37.68), reported of not wearing facemasks when leaving home (AOR; 6.4 95% CI 2.30, 17.66) and did not practice physical distancing measures (AOR; 10 95% CI 3.01, 33.20) compared to their counterparts, respectively. Our estimated seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 among participants who reported not to have practiced social distancing measures was 12.8 (95% CI, 7.0, 19) and 1.5 (95% CI, 0.5, 2.5) among those who reported of practicing them. More than 80% of study participants reported of implementing infection prevention measures (face masks and physical distancing recommendations). Conclusion: The detected SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among the study participants was low at the time of the survey indicating higher proportion of population yet to be infected. COVID-19 preventive measures were associated with reduced seroprevalence and should be promoted to avoid transmission to the uninfected majority.