Undiagnosed hypertension and associated factors among adult population in central zone of Tigray, Northern Ethiopia 2020: A cross-sectional study.

Background And Aims: Undiagnosed hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and complications such as heart attack and stroke. Limited information is available on the prevalence of undiagnosed hypertension and its associated factors in Ethiopia, particularly in the study setting. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of undiagnosed hypertension and its associated factors in the central zone of Tigray, Northern Ethiopia.

Immediate health and economic impact of the Tigray war on internally displaced persons and hosting households.

Globally, war is the major cause of displacement from the usual place of the biological environment. The war of Tigray exposed thousands of people to internal displacement and migration. Evidence has shown that displaced people and migrants shoulder the health and economic burden to ensure survival.

Perinatal outcome of oligohydramnios in academic hospitals in a low resource setting.

Oligohydramnios has been a topical issue in obstetrics. The prevalence of oligohydramnios ranges from 1 to 5%. Conflicting data exists concerning its effects on adverse perinatal outcome.

War-related sexual and gender-based violence in Tigray, Northern Ethiopia: a community-based study.

Introduction: Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) during armed conflicts has serious ramifications with women and girls disproportionally affected. The impact of the conflict that erupted in November 2020 in Tigray on SGBV is not well documented. This study is aimed at assessing war-related SGBV in war-affected Tigray, Ethiopia.

Time to Recovery of Severely Ill COVID-19 Patients and its Predictors: A Retrospective Cohort Study in Tigray, Ethiopia.

Background: COVID-19 is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality and is caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). A patient infected with SARS-CoV-2 is said to be recovered from the infection following negative test results and when signs and symptoms disappear. Different studies have shown different median recovery time of patients with COVID-19 and it varies across settings and disease status.

Effect of health facility linkage with community using postnatal card on postnatal home visit coverage and newborn care practices in rural Ethiopia: A controlled quasi-experimental study design.

Background: Postnatal home visit has the potential to improve maternal and newborn health, but it remains as a missed opportunity in many low-and middle-income countries. This study examines the effect of health extension worker administered postnatal card combined with health facility strengthening intervention on postnatal home visit coverage, newborn care practices, and knowledge of newborn danger signs in rural Ethiopia.

Methods: We employed quasi-experimental design using controlled before-and-after study in intervention and comparison districts of rural Tigray, northern Ethiopia.

"Mothers will be lucky if utmost receive a single scheduled postnatal home visit": An exploratory qualitative study, Northern Ethiopia.

Background: Postnatal home visits (PNHVs) have been endorsed as strategy for delivery of postnatal care (PNC) to reduce newborn mortality and improve maternal outcomes. Despite the important role of the Health Extension Workers (HEWs) in improving the overall healthcare coverage, PNHV remains as a missed opportunity in rural Ethiopia. Thus, this study aimed to explore the barriers and facilitators of scheduled postnatal home visits in Northern Ethiopia.

Determinants of Diabetic Foot Ulcer Among Adult Patients with Diabetes Attending the Diabetic Clinic in Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: Unmatched Case-Control Study.

Background: Diabetic foot ulcer is among the commonest complications of diabetic mellitus attributed to a number of morbidity and mortality cases in diabetic patients. Nowadays, the incidence of diabetic foot ulcer is increasing due to the increased prevalence of diabetes. However, the risk factors of the problem are less studied in Ethiopia.

Seroprevalence of Hepatitis B Virus Infection, Mother-To-Child Transmission, and Associated Risk Factors Among Delivering Mothers in Tigray Region, Northern Ethiopia: a Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction: High prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection among pregnant women is the primary source of infection for their children and the general population. Mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) is the primary mode of transmission in endemic areas like Ethiopia. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of HBV infection, rate of MTCT, and associated risk factors among delivering mothers.

Utilization and factors associated with antenatal, delivery and postnatal Care Services in Tigray Region, Ethiopia: a community-based cross-sectional study.

Background: This study aimed to identify the utilization and factors associated with antenatal care, delivery, and postnatal care services in Tigray regional state, Ethiopia.

Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 667 women of reproductive age group who had children aged 45 days - 6 months in 13 districts (3 urban and 10 rural). Data were collected from May-June 2015.

Postnatal home visits by health extension workers in rural areas of Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study design.

Background: In low-income countries like Ethiopia, where families have poor access to or do not utilize the services of formal health care systems, community health workers provide postnatal care services through home visits. However, the extent and effectiveness of home-based postnatal visits by community health workers such as the Ethiopian health extension workers (HEWs) are not well explored. This community -based study aimed to determine the coverage, contents of postnatal home visits and associated factors by health extension workers in Northern Ethiopia.

Intestinal parasitic infections and determinant factors among school-age children in Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections and associated factors among school-age children in Sebeya primary school, northern Ethiopia, 2017.

Results: The prevalence of intestinal parasites in school-age children was (29.9%).

Overweight and obesity among children under five in Ethiopia: further analysis of 2016 national demographic health survey: a case control study.

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the determinants of overweight and obesity among children under 5 years in Ethiopia.

Results: Data from a total of 672 (224 cases and 448 controls) under 5 years of age children were included in the study. Urban residence (AOR = 2.

Barriers to access to visceral leishmaniasis diagnosis and care among seasonal mobile workers in Western Tigray, Northern Ethiopia: A qualitative study.

Background: Ethiopia bears a high burden of visceral leishmaniasis (VL). Early access to VL diagnosis and care improves clinical prognosis and reduces transmission from infected humans; however, significant obstacles exist. The approximate 250,000 seasonal mobile workers (MW) employed annually in northwestern Ethiopia may be particularly disadvantaged and at risk of VL acquisition and death.

Health system reforms in five sub-Saharan African countries that experienced major armed conflicts (wars) during 1990-2015: a literature review.

Background: Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has had more major armed conflicts (wars) in the past two decades - including 13 wars during 1990-2015 - than any other part of the world, and this has had an adverse effect on health systems in the region.

Objective: To understand the best health system practices in five SSA countries that experienced wars during 1990-2015, and yet managed to achieve a maternal mortality reduction - equal to or greater than 50% during the same period - according to the Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group (MMEIG). Maternal mortality is a death of a woman during pregnancy, or within 42 days after childbirth - measured as maternal mortality ratio (MMR) per 100,000 live births.

Determinants of defaulting from completion of child immunization in Laelay Adiabo District, Tigray Region, Northern Ethiopia: A case-control study.

Background: Globally 2.5 million children under five years of age die every year due to vaccine preventable diseases. In Tigray Region in Northern Ethiopia, full vaccination coverage in children is low.

Factors that hinder or enable maternal health strategies to reduce delays in rural and pastoralist areas in Ethiopia.

Objectives: To document factors that hinder or enable strategies to reduce the first and second delays of the Three Delays in rural and pastoralist areas in Ethiopia.

Methods: A key informant study was conducted with 44 Health Extension Workers in Afar Region, Kafa Zone (Southern Nation, Nationalities and Peoples' Region), and Adwa Woreda (Tigray Region). Health Extension Workers were trained to interview women and ask for stories about their recent experiences of birth.

Health Extension Workers' and Mothers' Attitudes to Maternal Health Service Utilization and Acceptance in Adwa Woreda, Tigray Region, Ethiopia.

Background: The maternal health system in Ethiopia links health posts in rural communities (kebeles) with district (woreda) health centres, and health centres with primary hospitals. At each health post two Health Extension Workers (HEWs) assist women with birth preparedness, complication readiness, and mobilize communities to facilitate timely referral to mid-level service providers. This study explored HEWs' and mother's attitudes to maternal health services in Adwa Woreda, Tigray Region.

Multilevel analysis of individual and community level factors associated with institutional delivery in Ethiopia.

Background: Improving maternal health is one of the eight millennium development goals to reduce maternal mortality (MM) by three quarters between 1990 and 2015. Institutional delivery is considered to be the most critical intervention in reducing MM and ensuring safe motherhood. However, the level of maternal morbidity and mortality in Ethiopia are among the highest in the world and the proportion of births occurring at health facilities is very low.

The Health Extension Program and Its Association with Change in Utilization of Selected Maternal Health Services in Tigray Region, Ethiopia: A Segmented Linear Regression Analysis.

Background: In 2003, the Ethiopian Ministry of Health established the Health Extension Program (HEP), with the goal of improving access to health care and health promotion activities in rural areas of the country. This paper aims to assess the association of the HEP with improved utilization of maternal health services in Northern Ethiopia using institution-based retrospective data.

Methods: Average quarterly total attendances for antenatal care (ANC), delivery care (DC) and post-natal care (PNC) at health posts and health care centres were studied from 2002 to 2012.

Unintended pregnancy among female sex workers in Mekelle city, northern Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Unintended pregnancy is a significant public health concern in the world. Particularly, female sex workers are exposed to the risk of unintended pregnancy, abortion and their consequences. The aim of this study was, therefore, to assess unintended pregnancy and associated factors among female sex workers in Mekelle city, northern Ethiopia.