ObjectiveTo assess the prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) and associated factors among HIV-infected adults in northwest Ethiopia.DesignHospital-based cross-sectional study.SettingHIV clinic of the University of Gondar Hospital, Ethiopia.ParticipantsAll HIV-infected adults who visited the HIV clinic from December 2013 to the end of February 2014 were the source population.MeasuresA structured and pretested questionnaire incorporating the WHO STEPwise approach was used. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was applied to assess factors associated with DM.ResultsThe overall prevalence of type 2 DM was 8% (95% CI 5.5% to 10.5%). The prevalence of DM was higher (13.2%; 95% CI 8.0% to 18.3%) among subjects receiving pre-antiretroviral treatment (pre-ART) than among those taking ART (5.1%; 95% CI 2.6% to 7.6%). Thirteen (35.1%) of the DM cases were newly identified during the study. Obesity (adjusted OR (AOR) 6.55; 1.20 to 35.8), hypertension (AOR 3.45; 1.50 to 7.90), being in the pre-ART group (AOR 4.47; 1.80 to 11.08), hypertriglyceridaemia (AOR 2.24; 1.02 to 49.5) and tertiary-level education (AOR 11.8; 2.28 to 61.4) were associated with DM.ConclusionsOverall DM prevalence was high, particularly among subjects in the pre-ART group. More educated, hypertensive and obese HIV-infected adults were more likely to have DM as a comorbidity. Health policy and the clinical management of HIV-infected individuals should take into account the rising DM.

BACKGROUND:Nowadays, a large number of students experience spinal pain quite early in life due to heavy school bag loads. Moreover, external forces in the form of school bags may influence the normal growth, development of children and adolescents, and also maintenance of alignment of their bodies, which can pose a huge threat to postural integrity under external load. Awareness about the appropriate load and placement of backpack is thought to be important in reducing musculoskeletal complications among children's.METHODS:A systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted to determine the influence of postural deviations due to backpack load among school children's. Electronic databases were searched, and a reference list of retrieved articles were relevant to postural changes among school children with the backpack were screened. Reviewers graded the papers according to Lloyd-Smith's hierarchy of evidence scale. Papers were quality appraised using a modified Crombie tool.RESULTS:Twelve papers were identified for inclusion in this review. Methodological difference limited our ability to collate evidence.CONCLUSION:Most of the articles recommended that backpack load limit for school children should be 10–15% of body weight. However, the appropriate load limit for school children is limited due to lack of articles, the low hierarchy of evidence, and small sample size. This review constrains the use of published literature to inform good load limit of school pack among the school children.

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Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) and associated long term complications have become increasingly prevalent in developing countries. However, there is little evidence on the extent of shoulder and hand musculoskeletal complications in Ethiopia.Objective: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of shoulder and hand musculoskeletal complications and their associations among diabetic patients. Method: An institution based cross-sectional study was conducted from March to June, 2012 at the University of Gondar Teaching Referral Hospital. The systematic sampling technique was used to select 301 DM patients. To collect the data interviews and examination on hands and shoulders were conducted. Results: Out of the total 301 subjects, 163 (54.2%) were female. The mean age (±SD) of the subjects was 45.9 (±15.9) years. The cumulative prevalence of shoulder and hand complications was 16.6% and the majority of them in females 36 (20.1%). The prevalence was higher 37 (21.3%) in type 2 DM patients. The bivariate logistic regression analysis showed that shoulder and hand complication was significantly associated with sex, type of diabetes, age and duration of DM illness; (p<0.05). However, in multivariate logistic regression analysis, only sex had a significant association with shoulder and hand complications (p=0.04). Conclusion:The prevalence of shoulder and hand musculoskeletal complications was high in the Ethiopian DM population, and was higher in female and in older patients. Examination of the shoulder and the hand should then be included as an integral part of the care for diabetic patients.

Background: Disability is the social outcome of unfavorable interactions between individuals’ impairments, on the one hand, and inaccessible physical spaces, disenabling cultural environment and negative attitudes towards disability and persons with disabilities, on the other. Despite the fact that it directly affects 15% of Ethiopians as well as families and communities, policy-relevant studies on disability and the conditions of persons with disabilities are lacking. The Dabat Demographic Health Surveillance System (DHSS) was established to collect vital statistics in Dabat district, Amhara region. But it did not collect data on disability types, causes and community responses. With this drawback in DHSS, this study aimed at assessing the prevalence, types and major causes of severe disability in Dabat district. Method: A community-based cross-sectional study design was employed and covered 17,000 households residing in 13 Kebeles of Dabat district. The study was conducted in 2018 utilizing the modified 12-item World Health Organization’s Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS 2.0) and 7-item WHO Minimal Generic Set of Domains of Functioning and Health to collect data on disability in the district. The data were organized and presented as frequencies and percentages in table and figures. Relevant variables were used to construct a logit model that predicts the likelihood of disability whereby P-value < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results: This study found that the overall prevalence of disability in Dabat district was 2.14% [95% CI: 2.03, 2.24]. About 8.3% of households reported at least one member with disability. Visual impairment was the most commonly reported impairment (51%) while 8.19% had multiple impairments. Eighty-three percent of immediate the causes of disability were modifiable – specifically, illness (36.93%), injury (17.81%), and congenital (10.86%). The aged [AOR=1.0; 95% CI: 1.03, 1.04], those unable to read or write illiterate [AOR=1.57; 1.15, 2.14], the unmarried/single [AOR=1.39; 95% CI: 185,2.47] and the separated [AOR=2.78; 95% CI: 4.14,6.19] were more likely to risk disability in the population.Conclusion: This study reported an increased likelihood of impairment among those with advanced ages. The proportion of households with PwDs was also high. While most disabilities were visual, there were significant numbers with mobility impairments and hard of hearing. Most school-age PwDs did not complete secondary education, while employment was significantly limited. The findings indicated that most causes of disability were reversible if impairments were screened or identified early and preventive or medical treatments were sought. Without undermining the role of specialized medical treatments, this study underlines the significance of early screening and preventive community interventions through CBR programs and rehabilitation workers in lowering disability rates in the district.