Introduction: Screening of cancer is the maximum effort and critical element for providing health related care in order to decrease cancer related dealt because of the disease burden is in its advanced stages. Unfortunately, advanced-stage presentation and late diagnosis of cancers endure a problem in low-income countries including Ethiopia. However, there is scarcity of published articles about the problem in Ethiopia. Objective: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of advanced-stage -stage presentation of cancer at the time of diagnosis and associated factors among adult cancer patients at Northwest Amhara comprehensive Specialized Hospitals, oncology treatment units, Northwest Ethiopia, 2022. Methods: An institution based cross-sectional study was conducted in Northwest Amhara public referral hospitals on 422 study participants. A systematic random sampling technique was performed. The data were collected through face to face interview and document review via structured, pretested questionnaires. Epi. Data version 4.6 and Stata version 14.0 software’s were used for data entry and analysis respectively. Logistic regression were carried out to recognize factors associated with advanced-stage -stage presentation of cancer at the time of diagnosis. Adjusted odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval were used to measure the strength of association. Variables having p-value less than 0.2 in bivariable analysis were entered in to multivariable analysis; variables with a p-value < 0.05 were declared significantly associated with advanced-stage -stage presentation of cancer at the time of diagnosis. Results: The overall prevalence of advanced-stage presentation of cancer at the time of diagnosis was found to be 67.57%. Age ≥ 60 years old patients (AOR = 6.10, 95%: (1.16–32.1)), patients had have a feeling of burden (AOR = 1.82, 95%, CI: (1.04–3.20)), and cancer patients with comorbidity illness (AOR = 2.40, 95%, CI: (1.40–4.12)) were significantly associated with advanced-stage presentation of cancer at the time of diagnosis. Conclusion: The prevalence of advanced-stage presentation of cancer at the time of diagnosis was found to be high. Its better, health care providers in oncology treatment facilities need to give special attention to older patients, having feeling of burden and cancer patient with comorbidity to reduce the risk of developing late stage presentation of cancer.

Introduction: Cancer is a primary and challenging health problem, has a significant impact on caregivers, and is a leading cause of emotional responses like depression. Depression is the most common and serious psychiatric disorder that has a considerable effect on the daily life of primary caregivers. Different articles reported that the magnitude of depression was prevalent among primary caregivers of patients with cancer. There is scarcity of published articles about the problem in Ethiopia. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of depression and associated factors among primary caregivers of adult cancer patients at Northwest Amhara Regional States Referrals Hospitals, oncology treatment units, Northwest Ethiopia, 2021. Methods: An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Northwest Amhara Regional States Referrals Hospitals. A systematic random sampling technique was used to select 421 participants. The data were collected using interviewer-administered and chart review through structured, pretested Patient Health Questionarie-9 questionnaires. The data were entered into Epi. Data version 4.6 and analyzed using Stata version 14.0. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression were carried out to identify factors associated with depression. Adjusted odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval and variables with a p-value < 0.05 were considered significantly associated with depression. Results: The prevalence of depression was 45.15%. Being female (AOR = 2.01, 95%, CI: 1.27–3.19), having an average monthly income of < 1000 Ethiopian birr (AOR = 3.54, 95% CI: 1.54–8.13), and primary caregivers of a cancer patient with mixed therapy (AOR = 4.54, 95%, CI: (1.5–13.48) were significantly associated with depression. Conclusion: The prevalence of depression among primary caregivers of adult patients with cancer was significant. It’s better, health care providers in oncology treatment facilities need to recognize and screen and give special attention to female primary caregivers, having an average monthly income of < 1000 Ethiopian birr, and primary caregivers of a cancer patient with mixed therapy to reduce the risk of developing depression.

Introduction: Currently, the problem of cancer has been increasing around the world, predominantly in middle- and low-income countries. Anemia, a major and often overwhelming health burden for cancer patients, significantly distorts their quality of life. It is well-established that the length of treatment increases the frequency of anemia, with hematological malignancies experiencing nearly double the rate compared to solid tumors. Despite this established knowledge, data on the prevalence of anemia among cancer patients in Ethiopia remains scarce, according to the investigators.Objective: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of baseline anemia and associated factors among adult cancer patients at Northwest Amhara Comprehensive Specialized Hospitals, oncology treatment units, Northwest Ethiopia, in 2021.Methods: This study employed an institutional-based cross-sectional design and was conducted in Northwest Amhara Comprehensive Specialized Hospitals. A systematic random sampling technique was used to select 315 participants. The data were collected using interviewer-administered questionnaires and chart reviews of existing medical records using a structured and pretested questionnaire format. The data were entered into Epi. Data version 4.6 and analyzed using Stata version 14.0. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression were carried out to identify factors associated with anemia. Adjusted odds ratios with a 95% confidence interval and variables with a p-value of < 0.05 were considered significantly associated with anemia.Results: The prevalence of baseline anemia among adult patients with cancer was found to be 34.84%. Being a woman (AOR = 1.97; 95% CI: 1.00–3.87), being underweight (AOR = 1.96; 95% CI: 1.09–3.52), and having stage III cancer (AOR = 2.35; 95% CI: 1.12–3.01) were significantly associated with anemia.Conclusion: The prevalence of baseline anemia among adult cancer patients was significant. Women, cancer patients with an underweight body mass index, and those diagnosed with clinical-stage III cancer were more likely to have baseline anemia. For health policymakers and healthcare providers, it is better to give special attention to female patients, patients who are underweight, and patients with advanced-stage cancer to reduce the risk of developing the outcome. This would allow for timely intervention to manage anemia and potentially improve treatment tolerance and quality of life for cancer patients.

BackgroundHookworm infection is a common problem among schoolchildren and mothers in tropical and subtropical countries, causing cognitive impairment, growth retardation in children and anaemia, low birth weight, preterm birth, and intrauterine growth delay in susceptible mothers. Since schoolchildren generally have a higher prevalence due to behavioral and hygiene-related factors, our systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors for Hookworm infection among schoolchildren in Ethiopia.MethodsRelevant studies were retrieved from several search databases. The data were extracted via a standard data extraction format, and STATA version 11 was utilized for the analysis. Funnel plots and Egger's regression tests were used to evaluate publication bias, whereas the I2 test was used to determine heterogeneity. A random effects model meta-analysis was conducted to determine the pooled prevalence and associated factors of Hookworm infection among schoolchildren.ResultsIn this review, 48 studies with 43,285 participants were included. The pooled prevalence of Hookworm among schoolchildren was 13.01% (95% CI: 10.52, 15.51). Hookworm infection was significantly associated with the inability to use protective footwear (OR = 5.90, 95% CI: 2.86, 12.18) and the inability to use latrines (OR = 3.04, 95% CI: 1.77, 5.23). Subgroup analysis by diagnostic methods revealed that the highest prevalence of Hookworm was found to be 28.50% (95% CI: 24.09, 32.91) using combinations of Kato-Katz, McMaster, and spontaneous tube sedimentation techniques.ConclusionOur study revealed that a significant prevalence of schoolchildren were affected by Hookworms, with substantial regional variations. This suggests that there is a need for better control measures such as improving hygiene, sanitation, and protective measures such as footwear. In addition, a combination of one or more diagnostic methods should be employed for better detection of parasites. This systematic review and meta-analysis have been registered in PROSPERO with reference number CRD42024558542.

Background Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability globally. Caregivers of stroke survivors play a crucial role in the recovery process, yet they often experience high levels of depression. Understanding the global prevalence of depression among these caregivers and identifying associated factors is essential for developing effective support strategies. This study sought to assess the global pooled prevalence of depression and identify its associated factors among caregivers of stroke survivors. Method We conducted a comprehensive literature search across multiple databases, including Scopus, PsycINFO, EMBASE, Google Scholar, Psychiatry Online, and PubMed/MEDLINE, to identify relevant articles. Articles published from January 2004 up to January 10, 2024, that reported on the prevalence of depression among caregivers of stroke survivors were included. The data were extracted via Microsoft Excel, and statistical analyses were performed using Stata version 14. Publication bias was assessed using funnel plots and Egger’s test. The heterogeneity of the studies was assessed using Cochran’s Q and I² statistics. Sensitivity and subgroup analyses were employed to identify potential causes of heterogeneity. Results A total of 27 articles involving 3799 caregivers were included in the analysis. The pooled prevalence of depression among caregivers of stroke survivors was found to be 43.87% (95% confidence interval [CI] 35.99–51.74). Subgroup analyses revealed significant variations according to geographical regions, assessment tools used, study design, and caregiver types. Factors associated with higher levels of depression included long duration of caregiving and being a caregiver of a male stroke patient. Conclusion The findings of this systematic review and meta-analysis highlight a significant prevalence of depression among caregivers of stroke survivors globally. Factors associated with depression included a long duration of caregiving and being a caregiver of a male stroke patient. This study highlights the need for targeted interventions to support caregivers and address their mental health needs, thereby improving their well-being and the quality of care they provide.