The burden of disabilities in Sidama National Regional State, Ethiopia: A cross-sectional, descriptive study

Abstract

Background Assessing the burden and describing the status of people with disabilities is very essential. The previous studies conducted about the prevalence, causes, and types of disability in Ethiopia were inconsistent and disagreeable. Objectives To determine the prevalence, causes, and types of disabilities in Sidama National Regional State, Ethiopia. Methods A house-to-house census was carried out on a total of 39,842 households in 30 randomly selected kebeles of the Dale and Wonsho districts and Yirgalem city administration, Sidama National Regional State. The data were collected using structured and pretested questionnaires via the Kobo Collect application from May 01 to 30, 2022. The analysis was performed by STATA version 16 software. After cleaning and organizing, descriptive statistics were employed to characterize the study findings. Results In this study, people with disabilities aged one to 80 years old were included. The mean Standard Deviation (SD) age of people with disabilities in years was 31.95 (15.33). Of 228,814 people, 1,694 were people with disabilities in Dale and Wonsho districts and Yirgalem city administration, with a prevalence of 0.74% (95% CI: 0.72, 0.76). Of the causes of disability, 61% of the disabilities were due to illness, injury, and accidents. Extremity paralysis (35.4%), vision disability (20.13%), hearing disability (19.7%), walking disability (14.7%), and cognitive disabilities (7.7%) were the identified types of disabilities. Conclusion This study revealed that the burden of disability is considerable in Dale and Wonsho districts and Yirgalem city administration. The vast majority of disability causes could have been avoidable. As a result, developing and implementing various strategies to raise community awareness about the causes and preventive measures is critical.

Assessment of community-based intervention approaches to improve the health and welfare of working donkeys in selected areas of Sidama region, Southern Ethiopia

“…The three study areas, namely, Hawassa, Leku, and Yirgalem are located 270, 295, and 310 km south of Addis Ababa, respectively, at an altitude range of 1,790–2,950 m.a.s.l. The selected districts are known for their high donkey population and highly dense populations and are commonly considered representative of the region’s socio-economic and cultural issues ( 25 ). The climate in the zone is characterized by a long rainy season from June to September, accounting for 75% of total rainfall; a short rainy season ranging from February to May; and a dry season from October to January ( 26 ).…”

“…Therefore, the study aims to assess the impact of community-based interventions on improving donkeys' health and welfare status. socio-economic and cultural issues (25). The climate in the zone is characterized by a long rainy season from June to September, accounting for 75% of total rainfall; a short rainy season ranging from February to May; and a dry season from October to January (26).…”

Psychological distress and its associated factors among people with specific chronic conditions (diabetes and/or hypertension) in the Sidama region of southern Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study

“…This study was conducted among individuals with HTN and DM in three randomly selected hospitals (Bona, Daye and Yaye hospitals) of Sidama national regional state in southern Ethiopia. According to study report, these districts are characterized by a high burden of disease [ 11 ].…”