Background Effective risk communication is one of the critical strategies in the response to COVID-19. This study examined risk perceptions and attitudinal responses to COVID-19 among the educated section of the society in Ethiopia. Methods An internet-based survey was conducted from April 22 to May 04, 2020, in Ethiopia. A questionnaire addressing the perception of health threat-combination of perceived vulnerability (PV) and perceived seriousness (PS), and perceived efficacy-combinations of perceived response efficacy (PRE), perceived self-efficacy (PSE), and perceived collective efficacy (PCE). The data were analyzed using SPSS 21.0. Descriptive statistics were computed after the standardization of the scores. The scores for overall efficacy and threat were split by median value and response classifications were generated through threat by efficacy interactions. For statistical significance, 95% CI and p-value < 0.05 were used. Results A total of 929 respondents submitted their responses. Eight hundred and twenty-eight (89.1%) of the respondents were male and 753 (81.1%) were Christian. The perceived threat to COVID-19 was generally low (median = 58.3). The median score for overall efficacy, PRE, and PSE were 79.8, 87.5, and 80.0, respectively. However, the median value (66.7) for PCE was relatively low. Perceived threat significantly varied by age, education, occupation, and place of residence (p < 0.05). Perceived efficacy significantly differed by gender, residence, and use of some sources of information (p < 0.05). In terms of response to COVID-19, 290 (31.2%), 239 (25.7%), 175 (18.8%) and 225 (24.2%) of the respondents were in the responsive, pro-active, avoidant, and indifferent attitudinal categories, respectively. The avoidant and indifferent groups constituted a fear control response (mal-adaptive motivation towards COVID-19 protective behavior) whereas responsive and pro-active categories formed a danger control response (self-protective motivation). These responses varied significantly by residence, region, religion, and sources of information (p < 0.05). Conclusions Understanding people’s perceived health threat and efficacy is a critical step toward creating risk communication campaigns. Hence, this study provided an insight that has the potential to inform the COVID-19 risk communication campaigns targeting the educated section of the society, by ensuring a balanced combination of threat appeals and efficacy messages for improved self-protective responses.

Background: An estimated 150 million married women in the developing world want to delay or stop childbearing and are not using contraception. Among women who are not currently using contraception, some report that they want to space births, while others report that they do not want to have any more children. Therefore, this study is aimed to assess unmet need for family planning and associated factors among currently married women in Misha District, Hadiya Zone, Southern Ethiopia. Methods: A community based cross-sectional survey was conducted among 660 currently married women. Structured interviewer administered questionnaires were used to collect data. A stratified multistage sampling technique was used to select respondents from each stratum. The collected data were entered to EPI-data 3.2.1 and exported to SPSS version 16.0 for analysis. Furthermore, bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to identify the influencing factors using backward variable selection techniques. The crude and adjusted odds ratios together with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals were computed and interpreted accordingly. A P-value<0.05 was considered to declare a result as statistically significant in this study. Result: Unmet need for family planning was 175 (26.5%) and met need was 210 (31.8%) of currently married women. Mother education [AOR (95%CI)=4.01(2.43-6.60)], parity [AOR (95%CI=3.30(2.03-5.35)], knowledge of contraceptive method [AOR (95%CI)=4.05(1.61-7.20)] were positively associated with unmet need and discussion with partner and health extension workers [AOR (95%CI)=0.18(0.12-0.27)] were negatively associated with unmet need for family planning. Conclusion: The proportions of women with unmet need for family planning in the study site were still high. Developing and implementing programs that encourage the involvement of men in family planning, encouraging spousal communication and discussion with HEWs were possible factors to bridge the gap between demand and unmet need.

Background: Provision of services for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection as devastating diseases is a concern of Ethiopian government by advancing a comprehensive HIV care and treatment program that includes access to anti-retroviral therapy. and then evaluating client satisfaction is a crucial part to improve efficiency of services, eliciting the opinion of users about the available services and identifying factors associated with satisfaction which is the aim this study.Methods: Facility based cross sectional study design was conducted from January-February, 2015. Consecutive sampling technique was applied to select individual member of client. Data was analyzed by using SPSS version 16.0. Multiple Linear regressions were used to identify independent predictors. Qualitative data was collected using in-depth interview with clients and health providers and used for concurrent triangulation with quantitative.Results: Client satisfaction to antiretroviral treatment ART services was 70.10% (211/301). As independent predictors, perceived availability of the services [β (95% CI) = 1.79(1.07-3.01), perceived patient provider interaction [β (95% CI) = 1.76 (1.07-2.88), perceived privacy during examination [β (95% CI) = 1.16 (1.03-1.31)], perceived confidentiality of medical record [β (95% CI) = 1.26 (0.67-0.98), educational status (primary school completed) [β (95% CI) = 2.41 (3.97 to 9.74)], and clients who disclosed their HIV status to their parents [β (95% CI) = 4.33 (2.39 to 8.18)] were associated with client satisfaction to ART. In total, 73.17% of the variance in the quality of services in terms of client satisfaction could be explained by Donebidean model. Conclusion:Despite higher numbers of clients were satisfied in the services provided, significantly intolerable numbers were not satisfied. Therefore, due attention should be given to fill the gap of perception of the clients through ART mentorship by inaugurating with IEC/BCC in the context of their educational level and in their living situation.

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Screening of viral transfusion-transmissible infections (TTIs) among blood donors is of public health concern. It is a cost-effective method to monitor the occurrence, distribution, and trends of TTIs in healthy people. This study aimed to estimate the magnitude of the three common viral TTIs among blood donors in Hossana, Ethiopia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 417 blood donors from April to May 2020 in Southern Ethiopia. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and laboratory blood screening for hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) using Wantai AiDTM HBsAg, anti-HCV, and HIV 1 + 2 Ag/ Ab ELISA. Data were entered into Epi-Data version 3.1 and analyzed using SPSS version 21.0. A binary logistic regression model was fitted to identify factors associated with each viral infection. The odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval was calculated. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 417 blood donors participated in this study producing an overall prevalence of viral TTI was 14.38%. HBV, HCV, and HIV prevalence were 9.83%, 2.39%, and 4.31%, respectively. HBV-HIV was a common co-infection, which had 1.2%. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, family history of hepatitis (AOR=5.2, 95% CI (2.92, 7.41)) and multiple sexual contacts (AOR=4.2, 95% CI (2.32-7.43)) were significantly associated with HBV; low educational level (AOR=3.1, 95% ) and multiple sexual contacts (AOR=4.9, 95% CI (3.51-7.96)) were significantly associated with HIV, but the only variable alcohol consumption (AOR=2.7, 95% CI (6.72-23.76)) was also associated with HCV infection. Conclusion:In this study, the magnitude of viral TTIs among blood donors is high. This indicates that there are high risks of transmission for these infectious pathogens. Therefore, effective stringent donor selection and screening protocols should be developed.