Background: Changes in the total fertility rate-lifetime births per woman have dramatic effects on population size. More than 100 million women in developing countries, or about 17 present of all married women would prefer to avoid a pregnancy but are not using any form of family planning.Method: Cross-sectional study including both quantitative and qualitative surveys. Multistage stratified sampling was employed considering all governmental and private non health post-secondary institutions.Result: Mothers level of education has a significant gross effect on awareness of emergency contraception (OR=0.848, P<0.01). Respondents who had no experience of communicating with their respective mother was lower by 62.6% as compared with those who had experience of discussion about reproductive health issues with their mothers (OR=0.374, P<0.001). Those who had no experience of communicating with their respective partner was less by 71.2 (OR=0.288, P<0.01) as compared to those who had no experience. Female students who never had sexual intercourse was less by 71.4% as compared with their counter parts (OR=0.286, P<0.05). Those who had no experience of discussion with their respective mothers and who had no experience of discussion with sexual partner were found less by 59.1% (OR=0.409, P<0.01) and 64.8% (OR=0.352, P<0.001) respectively. Respondents who have no intention to use modern contraceptives and who had poor knowledge of EC was less by (OR=0.272, P<0.05) and OR=0.194, P<0.01) respectively. Conclusion:Building providers' capacity through in-service and pre-service trainings with emphasis on methods regimen available for different products and method of teaching and counseling of clients according to the method guideline became very vital.

Background: The problem of home delivery and maternal mortality is still the problem which is ubiquitous in most developing countries like Ethiopia. Trendy home delivery practices due to cultural norms, beliefs, perceptions and knowledge of women were deterrent to maternal health service utilization. Methods:A community based cross sectional study with internal comparison was conducted on 756 women who have delivered in the last two years. Descriptive, bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to analyze the data. Odds ratio with 95% CI was estimated to assess the predictors of institutional delivery services.Result: Only 14.5% of the mothers delivered by skilled birth attendants, while a significant majority 83.3% gave birth at home. Maternal Knowledge about dangerous health problems related to pregnancy AOR (95% CI): 2.59(1.03,6.54), Lack of maternal knowledge about free delivery service AOR (95% CI): 0.02(0.01,0.06), Exposures to radio at least once a week AOR (95% CI):3.41(1.18, 9.89), husbands attendance during ANC AOR (95% CI): 4.08(1.25,13.32), knowledge of child birth need health professional help AOR (95% CI):3.60 (1.40,9.30), Expecting birth complication during delivery AOR (95% CI): 3.68(1.41,9.65), preference of hot food AOR (95% CI): 0.03(0.01,0.12), a need to buried placenta immediately at home AOR (95% CI): 0.02(0.01,0.05) were important predictors of institutional delivery services. Conclusion:The study indicates that there is low utilization of institutional delivery service. Knowledge of mothers, exposure to radio, husband attendance at ANC, preference of hot food, a need to buried placenta immediately at home were found to be factors affecting utilization of institutional delivery services.

Background: Maternity Waiting Areas also called Maternity Waiting Homes are residential facilities, located near a recognized medical facility, where non-laboring pregnant women from remote areas stay awaiting their delivery and be transferred to the medical facility shortly before delivery. Research indicates that 99% of all maternal mortalities occur in the developing countries. Ethiopia is a major contributor to the world-wide death of mothers. Maternity Waiting Areas, an approach designed to improve access of rural mothers to comprehensive emergency obstetric care has been introduced three decades ago in Ethiopia.

Background: Almost all pastoralist communities in Sub-Saharan Africa are living in arid and semi-arid areas and are mobile to search water, grass and suitable place for themselves as well as for their livestock. Their mobility is a strategy to manage efficiently the uncertainty in a fragile environment where settled life is risky. Studies show that mobility renders the utilization of health and other social services rather difficult. Outpatient service utilization pattern in pastoralist communities in Ethiopia has not been studied. Available data are very few and mostly institution based. Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted on 771 people, from February to March 2012, in three pastoralist woredas (districts) of the South Omo Zone, which is located in the south western part of Ethiopia. The study employed both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. The quantitative data was collected by the use of a pre-tested questionnaire by interviewers trained for this purpose. Focus group discussions were carried out for collecting the qualitative data. Systematic sampling technique was used for household selection. Data entry, editing and analysis were done using SPSS for window version 16.0 statistical programs. Ethical clearance was obtained from Jimma University Collage of Public Health and Medical Science Ethical Review Committee.Results: Out of the 771 study participants 21.5% were female and 78.5% were male. 86.9% were illiterate and 13.1% had elementary education. 94.2% were followers of traditional and cultural beliefs and 5.8% were protestant. The mean age was 35 years. A total of 536(69.5%) individuals (414 males and 122 females) reported to have at least one episode of illness within the one year recall period. With regard to response to illness episodes, 242(45.1%) reported that they were self-treated, 217(40.5%) went to traditional healers, and only 77(10%) used modern health facilities. The main factors affecting outpatient utilization were distance and level of household literacy. Conclusion:The findings show very low utilization of services among mobile pastoralists in South Omo Zone, Southwest of Ethiopia. The main factors affecting outpatient utilization was distance and level of household literacy. Reducing distance of health facilities and expansion of primary education are recommended.

Background: The global burden of chronic degenerative disease is increasing worldwide. Most developing countries have dual burden with infectious and non-infectious diseases. Kidney disease is a long term health condition and defined as the gradual loss of body, renal function and death over time. Renal abnormalities were quite prevalent in rheumatoid arthritis patients and there is a significant increase of renal derangement with duration of disease and severity of disease activity.