Low delivery care utilization continues to be a public health problem that significantly contributes to maternal morbidity and mortality, especially in developing countries like Ethiopia. The aim of the study is to determine the extent of urban-rural disparity of delivery care utilization and its determinants. A community-based cross-sectional quantitative study supplemented with qualitative data was conducted from February 15 to March 10, 2014. Data were collected from eligible woman using interviewer-guided semistructured questionnaires and focus group discussions. Logistic regression analysis with 95% confidence interval and p-value less than 5% was used to identify potential determinant variables. From 567 women, institutional delivery care was attended by 45.9% (260) respondents of whom 69.3% were urban and 21.3% were rural. Mass media and antenatal care attendance were the major determinants in urban respondents, whereas children ever born, partners' occupation, women's autonomy, and pregnancy-related health problems were statistically significant associations in rural women. The need for maternal health care is not met to the required level. There is a significant disparity in delivery care attendance among urban and rural women of the study area. Women's empowerment and awareness creation should be extensively worked on through mass media and posters or health information.

Study objective: To evaluate the timing of prophylactic antibiotic administration in elective surgical patients, and anesthetists' opinion regarding this issue.Design: Prospective, facility based cross-sectional study was employed. Setting: Jimma university teaching hospital (JUTH)Patient: Elective surgical patients and anesthesia professional of the hospital.Measurement: Data were collected prospectively from all elective surgical patients (except emergency, obstetric cases) and interred in predesigned forms as per existing protocol in JUTH from February 01 to March 30, 2014. The time of antibiotic prophylactic administration in respect to incision time was analyzed and descriptive result was presented as percentages of total responses.Main results: Prophylactic antibiotics was given before skin incision for 107 (79.9%) patients and 27 (20.1%) after skin incision. However; only 75 (56%) patients were get administered within proper time (60minutes) and the mean time of preoperative administration was 66+24 minutes. Prophylactic antibiotic medication was continued for >24 hours in 95% cases and re-dosing were not given for six surgical procedures which lasted >3 hours.Out of 26, only 71% anesthetists could mention the recommended time of antibiotic prophylaxis administration. About 21(80.8%) of anesthetists agreed that its surgeon's responsibility for preoperative antibiotic selection and shared with nurses for preoperative administration. Anesthetists assume that they are responsible for confirmation of pre-incision administration and repeat administration during prolonged surgery. They indicated training was inadequate and deemed necessary in 77% of participants. Conclusion:The timing of prophylactic antibiotic administration was below the standard of practice. Hospital administration and infection control officer should work to improve compliance in accordance with published evidence-based guidelines.

Background Recent studies showed that poor personal hygiene practices play a major role in the increment of communicable disease burden in developing countries. In Ethiopia, 60% of the disease burden is related to poor sanitation practices. This school based study was aimed to assess the effectiveness of school-friendly and peer-led approach in improving personal hygiene practices of school adolescents in Jimma Zone, Southwest of Ethiopia. Methods A total of 1000 students from 10 to 19 years were included into the study. The intervention was done using peer-led approach, health clubs and linking the school events with parents. Data were collected at baseline, midline and end-line using structured questionnaires. Repeated measurement analysis was done and statistical significance was considered at alpha 0.05. Results The findings of this study indicated that there was a significant difference in personal hygiene practices and knowledge between the intervention and control groups (P<0.001). A significant difference was also observed with the duration of time in the intervention schools (P<0.05). The proportion of adolescents who reported illness before the baseline survey was significantly high among the intervention schools (P<0.01). However, at midline of the survey, the proportion of self-reported illness was significantly high among the control group(P<0.001). Conclusion The findings of this study showed that there was a significant improvement in personal hygiene knowledge and practice of students in the intervention schools. Therefore, there is a need for proper health education intervention through the framework of schools for the students to improve their personal hygiene knowledge and practices.

Background: Malnutrition continues to be a major public health problem in developing countries. The problem is very significant among infant and young children. Although malnutrition is remarkably responsible for childhood death, the contributing factors are not well studied in the study area. Therefore, this study aimed to assess dietary patterns and anthropometric status of under-five children in Arba Minch Zuria, Gamo Goffa Zone, Southern Ethiopia. Methods:This cross-sectional study was conducted on child-mother-pairs in Arba Minch Zuria from February-July, 2012. Quantitative data were obtained from sample of 762 respondents by using pretested questionnaires and observational checklists. Qualitative data were collected by using in-depth interviews with tape recorder. Sociodemographic status, maternal and child characteristics, child feeding practices, anthropometry and dietary diversity were assessed.Results: Breastfeeding is considered as natural gift in this community. About 95.8% of mothers had ever breastfed their children. More than half of mothers (57.3%) initiated breastfeeding within first hour of delivery and small number 78(10.2%) of mothers discarded colostrum. About 60.4% of mothers exclusively breastfed their children to 5-6 months. Majority of (74.5%) children had diets in the lowest dietary diversity group (<3 food groups), 16% of the children had diets in the medium dietary diversity group (4-5 food groups). Thirteen percent of the children are wasted and 45.9% of them are stunted. Stunting was significantly associated with number of under-five children, lack of paternal education, not exclusive breastfeeding and lack of dietary diversity. More than one-fourth (25.7%) of children are underweight which significantly associated with lack of dietary diversity, lack of maternal and paternal education. Conclusions:Behavioral change communications on key optimal child feeding behaviors need to be given in this community to maximize the effect of global and national infant and young child feeding recommendations. In addition, consumption of different types of food and nutrition education interventions that address the dietary diversity issues of the study area are urgently required in the study participants.

44(0.20, 0.97). Overall, in more than one-fifth of mothers (20.1%), the breastfeeding attachment and positioning were found to be lower than the national and global recommendations. It is highly related to infant's age, paternal educational and an exposure to breastfeeding education. Thus, continuous community based nutritional health education were needed to promote optimal breastfeeding skills using health workers, religious leader and local community resource people as key actors.