Background: Food insecurity influences children nutritional status by limiting the quantity and quality of dietary intake. Studies conducted across different parts of the world revealed controversial evidences about the relationship between household food insecurity and child nutritional status. Although child malnutrition and food insecurity are the main problems in Ethiopia, to what extent food insecurity contributes to children nutritional status is not yet well studied. Therefore, this study was conducted to compare children nutritional status in food secure and insecure housholds. Method: A community based comparative cross sectional study was conducted in Sekela District,Western Ethiopia from February 5-27, 2014. The total sample size was 576 households having at least one children less than 5 year's old. Two stage cluster stratified sampling technique was used to select study participants. Data were collected using a pre tested structured questionnaire and anthropometric measurements. Household food insecurity was measured using household food insecurity access scale. Anthropometry indices were calculated using WHO Anthro 3.1.0 and interpreted according to WHO 2006 cutoff points. Data were entered using Epi.Data 3.2. and exported to SPSS 21.0 for analysis. Logistic regression analysis was employed to identify independent predictors of children under nutrition. Result: The mean of household food insecurity score was 8.16 ± 6.01 and the prevalence of food insecurity was 74.1%. Of children in food insecure households 38.9% were stunted, 22.6% were underweighted and 12.9% were wasted while the respective prevalence of stunting, underweight and wasting were 31.3%, 11.8% and 7.6% among children in food secure households. Food insecurity had association with children underweight (AOR = 2.25; 95% CI = 1.29, 3.94), but not with stunting and wasting. Children under nutrition had independent association with sex and age of the child, colostrum feeding, upper respiratory infection, fever, and maternal literacy. Conclusion: Household food insecurity and child under nutrition were critical problems in the study setting. Socio demographic factors, poor child caring practices, infection and food insecurity had positive association with children under nutrition. Thus, due emphasis should be given for the designing and implementation of multi sectorial community based nutrition interventions and initiation of income generating livelihood to the community to curtail under nutrition and household food insecurity in the locality.

Background Developing countries are suffering from the previously existing infectious diseases and alarmingly growing burden of noncommunicable diseases like diabetes mellitus. There is increased speculation that diabetes mellitus might attribute to high infectious diseases burden, such as tuberculosis. The global importance of diabetes mellitus as a tuberculosis-risk factor is still not a well-established fact. Thus, we conducted this study to determine the prevalence of diabetes mellitus and its associated factors among adult tuberculosis patients attending tuberculosis clinics. Methodology We conducted a cross-sectional survey, from March 10 to April 15, 2017, among 421 tuberculosis patients receiving tuberculosis treatment in health facilities of Dire Dawa City Administration Council, Eastern Ethiopia. Study participants were selected using systematic random technique, and data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Fasting blood sugar and anthropometric measurements were carried out for all participants. A logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with diabetes mellitus. Result The prevalence of diabetes mellitus in this study was 13.5%. Age 26–40 (AOR = 6, 95% CI: (1.28, 27.5)), age ≥41(AOR = 9, 95% CI: (1.9, 44.4)), and family history of diabetes (AOR = 3.14, 95% CI: (1.23, 8.02)) were found to have a significant association with diabetes mellitus. Conclusion This study found that the magnitude of diabetes mellitus among tuberculosis patients was higher than the national estimated prevalence of diabetes mellitus in Ethiopia. This study suggests the need for screening each tuberculosis patient for diabetes.

BackgroundPeople living with HIV/AIDS are facing sub-optimal adherence to antiretroviral therapy. Short message service innovative strategies have been recommended by the national strategy to support medication adherence among HIV positive people. Thus, this study was conducted to examine the feasibility and acceptability of a short message service to improve medication adherence among people living with HIV/AIDS receiving Antiretroviral Treatment.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional survey, from February 5 to 30, 2018, among 422 randomly selected adults living with HIV/AIDS receiving antiretroviral treatment at Adama Hospital. Interviewer administered structured questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data on the feasibility and acceptability of short message services, socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of participants. Qualitative data were also collected from two focus groups to supplement the quantitative findings. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with the feasibility and acceptability of short message services.ResultsOf 420 participants responded to our questionnaire, about nine of ten patients (93.8%) possessed had a mobile phone. Most of the patients (90.9%) were willing to accept SMS to improve their medication adherence. Patients who were in young age, early adult, disclosed their HIV status, having cell phone always and believe short message service aid adherence were more likely to accept short messages on adherence. On the other hand, frequent ART Clinic visit and perceived low confidentiality of short message service were negatively associated with acceptability of short message service.ConclusionThe acceptability of short message service on adherence to antiretroviral therapy was high among people living with HIV/AIDS central Ethiopia. Authors recommend further studies, piloting or experimenting, that validate the acceptability, feasibility, effectiveness, and scalability of the intervention.

BackgroundAnemia continued to become a major public health problem in developing nations including Ethiopia. Especially, school children are more vulnerable for anemia and consequences of anemia. Generating accurate epidemiological data on anemia in school children is an important step for health policy maker. There are limited evidences on anemia prevalence in school-age children in Ethiopia. This study aimed to synthesize the pooled prevalence of anemia in school-age children in Ethiopia.MethodsThis systematic review and meta-analysis was followed the PRISMA guidelines. Comprehensive searched was conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, HINARI, and Ethiopian Journal of Health Development for studies published before 2016, supplemented by manual searches to identify relevant studies. Two review authors independently selected studies, extracted data, and assessed quality of studies. The Cochrane Q test and I2 test statistic were used to test heterogeneity through studies. The overall prevalence was calculated using random-effects model of DerSimonian–Laird method.ResultsFrom 831 obtained studies, 13 articles included in the meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of anemia among school children in Ethiopia was 23% (95% CI 18–28%). The prevalence of anemia in male and female school-age children was 27% (95% CI 20 and 34%) and 24% (95% CI 18 and 30%), respectively.ConclusionsThis study found that prevalence of anemia was a moderate public health problem in school children. Due to the complications of anemia for school children, preventative planning and control of anemia among school children in Ethiopia is necessary.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s13643-018-0741-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Background Adolescent is the population whose age between 10–19 years old. They are undergoing rapid growth, development and are one of the nutritionally at-risk groups who should need attention. Adolescent undernutrition is a worldwide problem. Even if this stage brings the second window of opportunity to break the intergenerational cycle of undernutrition little is known specifically in the study area. This study was conducted to assess the prevalence of undernutrition and its associated factors among school adolescent girls in Abuna Gindeberet district, Central Ethiopia, 2021. Methods Institution-based cross-sectional quantitative study design was conducted in Abuna Gindeberet district among 10–19 years adolescent girls attending primary and secondary schools from January 1–30, 2021. A systematic random sampling technique was used to select 587 adolescent girls. Data were collected by using interviewer-administered structured and anthropometric measurements. Data were coded, then entered into the Epi-info version 7.2.2.6 and exported to SPSS version 25 and WHO Anthro plus for analysis. Logistic regression analysis was done to identify predictors of under nutrition. Level of statistical significance was declared at p-value < 0.05. Results The overall magnitude of stunting and thinness were 15.4% [95% CI (12–18)] and 14.2% [95% CI (11–17)] respectively. Number of meals per day [AOR = 3.62, 95% C.I (2.16, 6.05)], adolescent girls of lower grades [AOR = 2.08, 95% C.I (1.07, 4.04)] and who did not begin menstruation [AOR = 1.71, 95% C.I (1.06, 2.73)] were significantly associated with stunting. Adolescent girls engaged in vigorous intensity activities [AOR = 2.51, 95% C.I (1.14, 5.54)], poor dietary diversity score [AOR = 4.05, 95% C.I (1.43, 11.46)] and adolescent age [AOR = 3.77, 95% C.I (1.06, 13.37)] were significantly associated with thinness among adolescent girls. Conclusions Adolescent girl's undernutrition is a public health problem in the study area. The number of meals per day, adolescent girls of lower grades and who did not begin menstruation were significantly associated with stunting as well as adolescent girls engaged in vigorous-intensity activities; poor dietary diversity score and adolescent age were significantly associated with thinness among adolescent girls. Therefore, government and other stakeholders should focus on these identified factors to improve the nutritional status of adolescent girls.