Background The outpatient therapeutic feeding program is one dimension of the Community Based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) that provides screening, diagnostic and treatment services for children with Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM). However, little is known about the program outcomes and factors affecting time to recovery. Objectives To determine median time of recovery and associated factors among under-five children with SAM treated at outpatient therapeutic feeding unit in Dire Dawa, Eastern Ethiopia from January 1 st , 2013 to December 31 st , 2016. Methods A facility-based retrospective cohort study supplemented with qualitative inquiry was conducted to analyze the records of 713 under-5 children with SAM that were randomly selected from four health centers and one hospital in Dire Dawa. In-depth interviews were conducted with five health professionals. Data was collected from the nutrition registration log book by using structured check lists. The collected data were entered into EPI-data version 3.1 software and exported to SPSS version 23 for analysis using Kaplan Meir and Cox proportional hazard regression. Results The overall recovery rate was 569 (79.8%). Eighty (11.2%) defaulted, 27 (3.8%) were non-responders, 4 (0.6%) died and 15 (2.1%) were transferred-out. The median recovery time was 8.7 weeks (IQR: 5.0–14 weeks). Children with an admission weight of ≥7kg (AHR = 1.73, 95% CI: (1.41–2.14), children who were dewormed (AHR = 1.44, 95% CI: (1.01–2.06) and children with weight gain of ≥8g/kg/day (AHR = 5.76, 95% CI: (4.51–7.38) had higher probability of recovering faster. However, marasmic children stayed longer in treatment (AHR = 0.51, 95% CI: (0.37–0.71) and a low Plumpy Nut consumption rate (g/day) (AHR = 0.79) was associated with longer time of stay on treatment. Conclusion The recovery rate was within the level specified in the Sphere International standards which is >75%. A higher weight at admission, taking deworming and a steady weight gain were positively associated with a fast recovery time. Appropriate nutritional therapy and management of SAM as per the national protocol will be helpful to overcome lower weight gain and higher length of stay on treatment.

IntroductionUnsuccessful TB treatment outcome is a serious public health concern. It is compelling to identify, and deal with factors determining unsuccessful treatment outcome. Therefore, study was aimed to determine pattern of unsuccessful TB treatment outcome and associated factors in eastern Ethiopia.MethodsA case control study was used. Cases were records of TB patients registered as defaulter, dead and/or treatment failure where as controls were those cured or treatment complete. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to derive adjusted odds ratios (OR) at 95% CI to examine the relationship between the unsuccessful TB treatment outcome and patients’ characteristics.ResultsA total of 990 sample size (330 cases and 660 controls) were included. Among cases (n = 330), majority 212(64.2%) were because of death, 100(30.3%) defaulters and 18(5.5%) were treatment failure. Lack of contact person(OR = 1.37; 95% CI 1.14-2.9, P, .024), sputum smear negative treatment category at initiation of treatment (OR = 1.8; 95% CI 1.3-5.5,P, .028), smear positive sputum test result at 2nd month after initiation treatment (OR = 14; 95% CI 5.5-36, P,0.001) and HIV positive status (OR = 2.5; 95% CI 1.34-5.7, P, 0.01) were independently associated with increased risk of unsuccessful TB treatment outcome.ConclusionDeath was the major cause of unsuccessful TB treatment outcome. TB patients do not have contact person, sputum smear negative treatment category at initiation of treatment, smear positive on 2nd month after treatment initiation and HIV positive were factors significantly associated unsuccessful treatment outcome. TB patients with sputum smear negative treatment category, HIV positive and smear positive on 2nd nd month of treatment initiation need strict follow up throughout DOTs period.

Purpose: Addressing the contraceptive needs of young married women is critical to improve their health and well-being. In patriarchal societies, young married women are under intense pressure to demonstrate their fecundity. Therefore, research that specifically address the needs for contraception of young married women have been generally given less emphasis in Ethiopia. This study assessed the extent of unmet needs for contraception and its associated factors among young married women in Eastern Ethiopia. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among young married women (14-24 years of age) in Eastern Ethiopia. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire. The prevalence ratio (PR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) was calculated, and factors associated with unmet needs for contraception were identified using log-binomial regression statistical model. Results: Among 2933 young women interviewed, the unmet need for contraception was 1014 (34.6%; 95% CI, 32.9%-36.4%). The prevalence of unmet needs for contraception decreased with increased young women's household decision-making autonomy score (APR= 0. 76; CI=0.62-0.94). Exposure to family planning (FP) information during the last 12 months (APR= 1.24; CI=1.1-1.42), age 18 or more years (APR=1.25; CI=1.04-1.5), multiparty (APR= 1. 9; CI=1.7-2.1) and desire to have 5 children or lesser than 5 children (APR= 1. 2; CI=1.06-1.32) were associated with higher prevalence of unmet needs for contraception. Conclusion: One-third of married young women had unmet needs for contraception. More efforts to empower women to make decisions that affect their own life and providing appropriate family planning information are necessary to reduce the burden of unmet needs among young married women in rural settings in Ethiopia.

Introduction Despite the increasingly wider availability of contraceptives and the high levels of unmet need for family planning in rural Ethiopia, contraceptive utilization among young married women is low. Studies on associated factors in Ethiopia so far have been focused on individual factors with little emphasis on socio-cultural factors. This study aimed to assess the association between contraceptive utilization and socio-cultural factors among young married women in Eastern Ethiopia. Methods A community-based survey was conducted among young married women aged 14–24 years. A total of 3039 women were interviewed by trained data collectors using a structured questionnaire. Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) with 95% Confidence Intervals (CI) was used to identify factors associated with contraceptive utilization using multivariable logistic regression analysis. Results The current contraceptive prevalence rate was 14.1% (95% CI: 12.8–15.5). Perceived social approval (AOR = 1.90; 95% CI = 1.60–2.30) and perception of friends’ contraceptive practice (AOR = 1.34; 95% CI: 1.20–1.54) were significantly and positively associated with contraceptive utilization. On the contrary, increased score of belief in contraceptive myths was significantly and negatively associated with contraceptive use (AOR = 0.60; 95% CI: 0.49–0.73). Moreover, recent exposure to family planning information (AOR = 1.67; 95% CI: 1.22–2.28), ever-mother (AOR = 9.68; 95% CI: 4.47–20.90), and secondary and above education level (AOR = 1.90; 95% CI: 1.38–2.70) were significantly associated with higher odds of contraceptive utilization. Conclusion Only about one-in-seven young married women were using contraceptive methods. Socio-cultural factors significantly influence young married women’s contraceptive utilization. Interventions to address social norms and pervasive myths and misconceptions could increase the use of contraceptive methods in young married women.

Background: Human Immune Deficiency Virus (HIV) infection remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality. In Ethiopia, despite test and treat all HIV positives are adopted, a significant number of people eligible for Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) show up with advanced disease and at lower CD4 count. There is currently paucity of studies conducted that investigate predictors of mortality among adults on ART in the study area. Objective: To explore Survival and predictors of mortality among adult HIV-positive patients on ART in Kambata Tambaro Zone, Ethiopia, from August 2013 to February 2019. Methods: A health facility-based retrospective cohort study was conducted among records of 467 adult HIV-positive patients on ART selected using simple random sampling. Data were collected using standardized abstraction tool. Kaplan-Meier, Log rank tests and Cox regression model was applied to estimate survival status and identify predictors of mortality, respectively. Results: Of the total 467 study subjects, 59 (12.63%) of them died in the study period. The median follow-up time of the cohort was 40.1 (IQR=13.6-59.0) months. The mortality rate of the cohort was 4.1 per 100 PYO. The overall survival probability of the cohort was 84.38% (95 CI=80.08-87.82) at 66 months. Bedridden function AHR=3.0 (95% CI, 1.44-6.64), Fairadherence AHR=3.3 (95% CI, 1.50-7.07), Poor-adherence AHR=3.8 (95% CI, 1.88-7.96), presence of OIs AHR=4.2 (95% CI, 1.98-8.50), Late diagnosis (CD4 count >/=350) AHR=3.0 (95% CI, 1.91-6.42) and Immunologic failure AHR=3.5 (95% CI, 1.41-6.29) were independent predictors of time to death in Cox-Regression. Conclusion: Late Diagnosis, poor adherence, being bedridden, having OI and Immunologic failure were independently associated with time to death. Early diagnosis to start treatment and emphasizing on close follow-up care to improve treatment adherence should be given special emphasis.