Background: Ethiopia is one of the countries where the healthcare system is not yet developed to the required level; hence, it is not uncommon that drugs, particularly antimicrobials, are inappropriately used for infections by any causative agents, with or without prescription, in combination or not, and, of more concern, without sensitivity tests. So, it was considered important to assess the magnitude of inappropriate antimicrobial use among inpatients attending Madda Walabu University Goba Referral Hospital, southeast Ethiopia. Methods: A health institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2018 to April 2019. Patient folders from collaborating wards were reviewed for antibiotic use. Inappropriateness of a drug or its dosage, or both, was considered in reference to the Ethiopian national treatment guideline. The information obtained was analyzed using SPSS version 20. Patterns of prescription of antimicrobials for the hospitalized patients were analyzed using simple descriptive statistics. Results: A total of 801 antibiotics were written as prescriptions to 471 clients, 228 (47.6%) of whom had received two or more antibiotics at the time of the study. Of the total prescribed antibiotics, 142 (30.1%) had an inappropriate prescription. Genitourinary tract infections accounted for 42 (30.4%) of the inappropriate prescriptions due to the wrong dose and drugs. Cephalosporins were the most extensively prescribed class of antibiotics, 24.4% of which were inappropriately prescribed. Intravenous formulations made up the largest proportion of prescriptions, at 335 (41.8%). The most commonly prescribed antimicrobials were cephalosporins, 178 (38%); nitroimidazoles, 115 (24.5%); and macrolides, 53 (11.3%), while ceftriaxone was prescribed in 249 (53%) and metronidazole in 123 (26.2%) cases. Conclusion: Low dose, inadequate duration and empiric use of antibiotics were major causes of inappropriate use in the study area. Therefore, local antimicrobial sensitivity tests, antibiotic stewardship and following the national treatment guideline are recommended to overcome inappropriate antimicrobial use.

Introduction: An occupational injury is the primary cause of workplace absenteeism, disability, retirement, mutilation, and mortality. Therefore, injuries in the workplace pose major public health and developmental problems especially in developing countries. Therefore, the present study identified the prevalence of injury and its determinants among building construction employees in Robe town, Ethiopia. Methods: An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted among building construction employees in Robe town from March 01-25/2017. A simple random sampling technique was used to select the study participants. The data was entered into EPiData 3.1and analysed by using SPSS version 20 software. Face to face interview was conducted on 402 respondents using structured and pretested questionnaire. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the effect of explanatory variables on injuries. Results: The overall prevalence of injury among building construction employees was 39.2% [95 % CI: (34.4, 44.2)] in the past one year. The three leading causes of injuries were falls from the same level (38.5%), followed by injuries caused by movable or falling object (23.1%), and falls from elevation (13.4%). Being male, use of personal protective equipment, health and safety training, regular supervision and job satisfaction were factors significantly associated with injury. Conclusion: This study reported a relatively higher prevalence of injury among building construction workers compared to other studies. Factors such as being male, working without using personal protective equipment, absence of health and safety trainings, lack of regular supervision and job dissatisfaction were associated with significantly higher levels of occupational injury among construction workers. Therefore, employers should focus on providing safety training, promoting use of personal protective equipment during work, regular workplace supervision, and satisfying their employees by creating good work environments and working situations to reduce the rate of occupational injury.

ObjectiveTuberculosis remains deadliest communicable diseases accountable for health problem among various individuals annually and is related to malnutrition. Addressing nutritional deficiency in Tuberculosis patients is a crucial side of tuberculosis management programme. Therefore, the aim was to assess the magnitude of nutritional deficiency and associated factors among new pulmonary tuberculosis patients of Bale Zone Hospitals, south-east Ethiopia, 2018. Cross-sectional study design was utilized. Data collection was carried out using structured questionnaires and anthropometric measurements. Body mass index was calculated to see nutritional deficiency. Crude and adjusted odds ratios in conjunction with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals were computed. p-value < 0.05 was thought of to declare a result as statistically associated.ResultsPrevalence of nutritional deficiency was 63.2%. The mean Body mass index for all listed participants was 17.86 kg/m2. Employment status of the patients, p-value 0.012 (AOR = 1.82; 95% CI 1.14, 2.89) and Khat chewing, p-value 0.02 (AOR = 0.43; 95% CI 0.23, 0.85) were factors independently associated with nutritional deficiency. Prevalence of nutritional deficiency was found to be high. Nutritional support for the impoverished, regular nutritional assessment and dietary counseling are necessary for better treatment outcome and effective Tuberculosis management programme.

Regular breast self-examination is the most cost-effective method for early detection of breast cancer, especially in resource-limited countries. However, breast self-examination practice was low among reproductive-age women.ObjectiveThis study aims to evaluate breast self-examination practice and associated factors among women of reproductive age in southeast Ethiopia.MethodsA convergent parallel mixed-methods study design was conducted on 836 women of reproductive age. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used for the quantitative part of the study and supplemented by focus group discussions. A database was created using Epi-info version 3.5.3, and analyzed using SPSS version 20. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regressions were done to examine the effect of explanatory variables. Variables with p-value &lt;0.05 during multivariable logistic regressions were considered as significantly associated with the dependent variable. Thematic data analysis was carried out for the qualitative study.ResultOut of 836 total participants, only 20.7% had ever heard about breast self-examination practice. Also, only 13.2% of the mothers had practiced breast self-examinations. Even though the majority of the participants during focused group discussions had knowledge about breast cancer screening, most of them stated that breast self-examination was not practiced among them. Maternal age, mother’s level of education, and previous history of breast examination by health professionals were significant predictors of breast self-examination practices.ConclusionThis study reported a low prevalence of breast self-examination practice. Therefore, enhancing women’s education and encouraging breast examination by health professionals are essential to increase the proportion of women performing breast self-examination.

Background. Globally, around 1.9 million people were dying due to food-borne diseases annually, and intestinal parasites infected one-third of the population, according to estimates and more prevalent in developing countries due to poverty. This study assessed predictors of intestinal parasites among food handlers working in Goba towns. Methods. A laboratory-based cross-sectional study was conducted from October to December 2020. Clean, dry, and leak-proof stool cups were used to collect the samples. The SPSS version 20 computer software was used to enter and clean the data, code it, and analyze it. The researchers performed binary and multivariable logistic regression analyses, with a p value of 0.05 considered significant. Result. A total of 98 (34%) of the 288 food workers tested positive for various intestinal parasites. Giardia lamblia was the most common parasite, with 42 (14.6%), followed by Entamoeba histolytica/dispar with 31 (10.8%), Ascaris lumbricoides with 8 (2.8%), Taenia species with 5 (1.7%), and E. vermicularis with 4 (1.4%). Six (2%) of the 98 positive food handlers had two infections. E. histolytica and G. lamblia were the most common parasites found in mixed infections. Hand washing with soap and water before handling food (AOR: 3.06, 95% CI: 1.16, 7.26) and untrimmed fingernail status (AOR: 2.3, 95% CI: 1.14, 4.34) were found to be strongly linked to intestinal parasite infection. Conclusion. In this investigation, intestinal parasite species were found in 34% of stool samples. Independent predictors of intestinal parasite infection were fingernail status and hand washing with water and soap use before food handling. To control intestinal parasite infection among food handlers in the research area, personal hygiene and ambient cleanliness should be improved.