Background This study tried to reflect evidences regarding internalized stigma and assessed risk factors of internalized stigma. Objective It aims to assess the magnitude, domains, and covariates of internalized stigma among patients with mental illness in southern Ethiopia. Methods The study was carried out by using a cross-sectional study design at Dilla University Referral Hospital (DURH). A total of 317 patients with mental illness were involved. Internalized stigma was measured using Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness (ISMI) scale. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 20. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were done. Result The prevalence of internalized stigma was 32.1% among people living with mental illness in Dilla University Referral Hospital. Being female, medication nonadherence, and lack of family support were factors independently associated with internalized stigma. Conclusion The results of this study found an intermediate prevalence of internalized stigma among people living with mental illness in Dilla University Referral Hospital (DURH). It revealed how much antistigma campaigns are so much important to tackle internalized stigma among people living with mental illness. Incorporating counseling and structured therapy played an important role in maximizing their quality of life.

Abstract:The stigma associated with mental illness can potentially be a reason for lower quality of life among persons with mental illness. Since self stigma can also exist without actual stigma from the public, more hidden and inside, it seems to be the worst form of stigma against people with mental illness and can directly affect the overall well being of people with mental illness. Moreover, it is also a great barrier for social interaction. However, no study is available on impact of self stigma on quality of life of people with mental illness in South Ethiopia generally and particularly in Dilla town. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of self stigma on quality of life of people with mental illness at Dilla University Referral Hospital, south Ethiopia. The study was conducted in the psychiatry outpatient department of Dilla University referral hospital. An institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted on 317 people with mental illness that attended psychiatric clinic for mental health service from June 1 st to 30 th , 2016. Data were collected using a pre tested interviewer administered structured questionnaires. Self-stigma was measured using Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness (ISMI) Scale which was validated and used in many other similar settings. Quality of life was measured using quality of life assessment tool Short Form, Version-2 (SF-36). In this study, the prevalence of self stigma among people with mental illness was 32.1%. Regarding Quality of life (QoL) of people with mental illness, 54.6% were experiencing lower quality of life. As self stigma increases by one unit in studied participants, quality of life decreases by 4.1% (OR=0.041; 95% C.I: -0.065,-0.012). In other words, self stigma and QOL were inversely correlated(r=-0.076) which indicates that stigma worsen QoL of people with mental illness. The result of this study was revealed that, apparently high prevalence of self-stigma among persons with mental illness and lower quality of life. To improve QoL of people with mental illness, tackling stigma need to be addressed by health professionals, community, researchers, policy makers and stakeholders.

Background: The high level of fluoride in the Rift Valley water is due to naturally occurring fluoride that dissolves out of certain acidic volcanic rock formations. However, the utilization of drinking fluoride filtered water with appropriate level of fluoride provides more than 60% of fluoride required by the body. Dugda district is one of the parts of Ethiopian central rift valley(ECRV) that have high fluoride up to 14mg/l in their groundwater source. There are 11 village sized de-fluoridation schemes in Dugda district. Sothe aim of this study was to assess the challenges of utilizing fluoride filtered water, and associated factors, in Ethiopian rift valley, Oromia region, North East Shaw Zone, Dugdadistrict. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study design complemented with the qualitative study was conducted from April 11-30, 2018Girigorian Colander. A total of 417 head of households were selected randomly for survey questioner interview,and six in-depth interviews were done with different water and sanitation experts at office level and 12 community key informant interview had done. Result:In this study, 56.3% of the studded participants utilized fluoride filtered water for drinking and cooking foods.Household with a family history of no fluorosis problem had a statically significant association with utilizing fluoride filtered water 44.4 times (AOR 44.42, CI, (18.83, 24.74) more likely utilized fluoride filter water as compared to their counterpart. More than three forth 321(79.3%) households prefer to utilize filtered water from the newly established filtering techniques so-called HAP (Hydroxyl Appetite Filter), but in practice only181(44.7%), 47(11.6%) utilizetheir water from HAP and bonechar fluoride filteringtechniques respectively. Conclusion: The results of this study revealed that those H/H utilized community level florid filterwater regularly were less likely affected by fluorosis problem than those H/H not utilized there drinking water from community level florid filter. Accessibility and type of fluoride filtering options were most challenging factors to utilize fluoride filtered water by households.

Background Anxiety can disturb a student's academic success and his future, including withdrawal from classes. The dropout rate was found to be twice as high as in the 1st grade compared to the 2nd or 3rd grade. It also causes people around the world to feel excessive anxiety, fear, lack of self-confidence, and embarrassment. One of the key reasons in the current study is the lack of data on the degree of mental illness, especially in higher education institutions. Objective: To assess the anxiety and factors of Mizan Tepi University students. METHODS From April 21th to May 21, 2020, an organization-based cross-sectional survey was conducted in the city of Mizan Tepi. The survey used a structured questionnaire and a self-administered questionnaire-ASQ tool. The stratified sampling method included 301 individuals in the study.Pre-test questionnaires that are also used for data collection. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 20. Result There are 320 freshmen students of these, 301 attended during the investigation. There are 162 (54%) male respondents and 138 (46%) female respondents in the study. The average student age and (SE) age are 21.6, (± 0.13) years old. The prevalence of anxiety was found to be 26.7% among first-year students. Compared with males (16.7%), female freshmen (40.6%) have a statistically higher incidence of anxiety. [AOR 95%CI=3.36 (1.88, 6.01) Conclusion his study shows that anxiety is a common mental problem among college students calling for public intervention to prevent more serious forms of anxiety. This finding indicates that women and older students have a high chance of suffering from anxiety.

Background: - Mental illness is an important determinant of the quality of life of individuals. The negative attitude and negative beliefs toward mental illness even among health professionals is still persisting and lead to widespread stigma and poor help seeking behavior among people with mental illness. In Ethiopia, there is little research done on assessing the knowledge and attitudes of health professionals and this study will narrow this great gap.Objective: -To assess the knowledge and attitude of health professionals toward mental illness at governmental and private health facilities at Dilla town.Methods: Facility based cross-sectional study design was employed. The data were collected by using self-administered questionnaire with a total of 126 health professionals. Study participants were drawn using a simple random sampling method. Statistics investigation was done by using SPSS version 21. Descriptive statistics & logistic regression was done and the result was discussed and presented by frequency tables, graphs, and charts. Variables with p-value < 0.05 were declared as having substantial association between factors and the outcome variables. THE Result: The level of knowledge on mental illness among health professionals was 43.8%. Regarding Attitude of Health professionals toward mental illness, 59.6% were holding an unfavorable attitude. Respondents who have had high awareness have 0.025 times better attitude than those who have no control group. However, this association is not significant. (AOR=0.025, 95% C.I: 0.035, 0.085). In this study the level of literacy, contact with a mental ill, individual level of qualification, psychiatric training experience, and long duration of working experience have a strong positive impact on the attitude of health professionals to the psychiatric ills.Conclusion and Recommendation: The outcome of the study revealed the studied participants had an apparently unfavorable attitudes regarding psychiatric illness associated with lower levels of literacy. This finding was used as the screening attitude by empowering health professionals regarding their knowledge toward mental illness. Over half of the health professionals held an unfavorable attitude toward mental illness. This gives a direction to do more on emphasizing of developing awareness creation and expanding psychiatric training to empower attitude of health professionals toward mental illness.