Barriers to equitable healthcare services for under-five children in Ethiopia: a qualitative exploratory study.

Background: Disparities in child healthcare service utilization are unacceptably high in Ethiopia. Nevertheless, little is known about underlying barriers to accessing child health services, especially among low socioeconomic subgroups and in remote areas. This study aims to identify barriers to equity in the use of child healthcare services in Ethiopia.

Explaining changes in educational disparities in competent maternal health care services in urban and rural areas in Ethiopia.

Introduction: Aggregate statistics of maternal health care services have improved in Ethiopia. Nevertheless, the country has one of the lowest Universal Health Coverage (UHC) service coverage indices, with slight improvement between 2000 and 2019. There are disparity studies that focus on a single dimension of inequality.

Child, maternal, and adult mortality in rural Ethiopia in 2019: a cross-sectional mortality survey using electronic verbal autopsies.

Background: Ethiopia, with about 10% of Africa's population, has little direct information on causes of death, particularly in rural areas where 80% of Ethiopians live. In 2019-2020, we conducted electronic verbal autopsies (e-VA) to examine causes of death and quantify cause-specific mortality rates in rural Ethiopia.

Methods: We examined deaths under 70 years in the three years prior to the survey dates (November 25, 2019-February 29, 2020) among 2% of East Gojjam Zone (Amhara Region) using registered deaths and adding random sampling in this cross-sectional study.

Inter-district and Wealth-related Inequalities in Maternal and Child Health Service Coverage and Child Mortality within Addis Ababa City.

In sub-Saharan Africa, urban areas generally have better access to and use of maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) services than rural areas, but previous research indicates that there are significant intra-urban disparities. This study aims to investigate temporal trends and geographic differences in maternal, newborn, and child health service utilization between Addis Ababa's poorest and richest districts and households. A World Bank district-based poverty index was used to classify districts into the top 60% (non-poor) and bottom 40% (poor), and wealth index data from the Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS) was used to classify households into the top 60% (non-poor) and bottom 40% (poor).

Inequities and trends of polio immunisation among children aged 12-23 months in Ethiopia: a multilevel analysis of Ethiopian demographic and health survey.

Introduction: Despite Ethiopia's policy intention to provide recommended vaccination services to underprivileged populations, inequity in polio immunisation persists.

Objective: This study examined inequity and trends in polio immunisation and determinant factors among children aged 12-23 months in Ethiopia between 2000 and 2019.

Methods: Cross-sectional data from 2000, 2005, 2011, 2016 and 2019 Ethiopian demographic and health surveys were analysed with the updated version of the WHO's Health Equity Assessment Toolkit software.

Health system barriers to the first dose of measles immunization in Ethiopia: a qualitative study.

Background: Ethiopia has made considerable progress toward measles elimination. Despite ongoing efforts, the country remains among those with the highest number of children missing their initial dose of measles vaccine, and the disease continues to be a public health emergency. The barriers within the health system that hinder the first dose of measles immunization have not been thoroughly investigated.

Trends of inequality in DPT3 immunization services utilization in Ethiopia and its determinant factors: Evidence from Ethiopian demographic and health surveys, 2000-2019.

Background: Low levels of diphtheria, tetanus toxoid, pertussis (DPT3) immunization services utilization and high deaths among under five children are concentrated in economically and socially disadvantaged groups, especially in low and middle-income countries, including Ethiopia. Hence, the aim of this study is to assess levels and trends in DPT3 immunization services utilization in Ethiopia and identify inequalities.

Methods: This study used data from 2000, 2005, 2011, 2016, and 2019 Ethiopian Demographic Health Surveys (EDHSs).

Intimate partner violence as a determinant factor for spontaneous abortion during pregnancy: an unmatched case-control study.

Background: Intimate partner violence affects a significant portion of women worldwide throughout their lifetimes. Ethiopia lacks data that policymakers could utilize to develop context-specific policies for handling intimate partner violence during pregnancy.

Objectives: To identify the determinants of spontaneous abortion among women survivors of intimate partner violence during pregnancy in Adigrat General Hospital, Northern Ethiopia, in 2020.

Decomposition analysis of women's empowerment-based inequalities in the use of maternal health care services in Ethiopia: Evidence from Demographic and Health Surveys.

Background: The use of maternal health care services tends to rise with women's empowerment. However, disparities in the use of maternal health care services in Ethiopia that are founded on women's empowerment are not sufficiently addressed. In light of women's empowerment equity stratifier, this study seeks to assess inequalities in the uptake of maternal health care services (early antenatal care, four or more antenatal care and postnatal care services).

Cause-Specific Mortality Fraction (CSMF) of adult mortality in Butajira, South Central Ethiopia.

Cause- and context-specific mortality data are imperative to understand the extent of health problems in low-income settings, where national death registration and cause of death identification systems are at a rudimentary stage. Aiming to estimate cause-specific mortality fractions, adult (15+ years) deaths between January 2008 and April 2020 were extracted from the Butajira health and demographic surveillance system electronic database. The physician review and a computerized algorithm, InterVA (Interpreting Verbal Autopsy), methods were used to assign the likely causes of death from January 2008 to April 2017 (the first) and May 2017 to April 2020 (the second) phase of the surveillance period, respectively.

The Experiences of Cervical Cancer Patients During Follow-Up Care in Ethiopia: A Qualitative Study.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to explore the experiences among cervical cancer patients during follow-up care.

Patients And Methods: A qualitative study was conducted with purposively selected cervical cancer patients receiving follow-up treatment at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and analyzed via thematic analysis.

Barriers in adult vitamin D service provision by health care workers: a qualitative study in three ecologies of Ethiopia.

Background: Adult vitamin D deficiency, which is a public health problem in low-income countries, is correlated with increased mortality. Although health care workers (HCWs) in Ethiopia are educated on important minerals their counseling on the uses of vitamin D and its possible sources was not witnessed since their knowledge and practice is low. The main aim of this study is to explore barriers to good knowledge, positive attitude, and practice of health care providers on adult vitamin D.

Inequalities in early marriage, childbearing and sexual debut among adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa.

Background: Adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) is a major public health concern in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, inequalities in ASRH have received less attention than many other public health priority areas, in part due to limited data. In this study, we examine inequalities in key ASRH indicators.

Knowledge, attitude and practice of health care workers on measuring adult vitamin D level, diagnosis of deficiency, and management of consequent health conditions in three ecologies of Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Vitamin D is essential for health and its shortage exacerbates overall mortality. Health care workers (HCWs) need to educate on its uses and sources although studies indicate their low level of practice. The main aim of this study is therefore to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of measuring adult vitamin D status, diagnosis of deficiency and managing health consequences among HCWs in Ethiopia.

Inter-relationships among key reproductive health indicators in sub-Saharan Africa focusing on the central role of maternal literacy.

Background: Indicators of reproductive health (RH) are expected to be both inter-related and associated with key social determinants. As the provision of RH services is usually integrated, the effort to improve one RH component should influence the other components. However, there is a lack of evidence-based models demonstrating the inter-relationships.

Cohabitation duration, obstetric, behavioral and nutritional factors predict preeclampsia among nulliparous women in West Amhara Zones of Ethiopia: Age matched case control study.

Background: Preeclampsia is a major cause of maternal and perinatal mortality in developing countries. Identifying its risk factors is essential for early diagnosis and management. However, there has been a paucity of information on predictors of preeclampsia among nulliparous women in a resource limited setting.

Socio-economic inequalities in ANC attendance among mothers who gave birth in the past 12 months in Debre Brehan town and surrounding rural areas, North East Ethiopia: a community-based survey.

Background: In Ethiopia, socio-economic inequalities in the utilization of antenatal care (ANC) have long been an obstacle to the country's effort in achieving universal coverage of the service. The study aimed to investigate socio-economic inequalities in the use of ANC services among recently-delivered women in Debre Brehan and surrounding areas, North East Ethiopia.

Methods: A community-based survey was carried out in Debre Brehan and surrounding areas in North East Ethiopia.

Level and Correlates of Unmet Need of Contraception among Women in Extended Postpartum in Northern Ethiopia.

Background: About 222 million women in developing countries had unmet need for contraception. Women in their first year after childbirth had the largest proportion of unmet need for contraception. This first year after delivery is described as an extended postpartum period.

Determinants of antenatal care and skilled birth attendance in sub-Saharan Africa: A multilevel analysis.

Objective: To determine individual- and country-level determinants of utilization of key maternal health services in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

Study Setting: We used the most recent standard demographic and health survey data from the period of 2005 to 2015 for 34 SSA countries. Predictors of key maternal health service indicators were determined using a sample of 245 178 women who had at least one live birth 5 years preceding the survey.

The prevalence of risky sexual behaviors among youth center reproductive health clinics users and non-users in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: A comparative cross-sectional study.

Background: Risky sexual behaviors adversely affect the health of youth and young adults exposing them to sexually transmitted infections including HIV/AIDS and unwanted pregnancy to females that in turn lead to deleterious health, social and economic consequences. Youth centers inform their clients on sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS, unwanted pregnancy, high risk abortion, and other reproductive health problems. Therefore, this study was designed to assess the prevalence of risky sexual behaviors among youth center reproductive health clinic users and non-users in Addis Ababa.

Disparities in maternal health services in sub-Saharan Africa.

Objectives: To examine the progress of and disparities in the provision of key maternal health services in the sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) region.

Methods: A time-trend analysis of disparities in antenatal care (ANC) and skilled birth attendance (SBA) coverage in SSA over the last 25 years was conducted. The average values of each country's 5-year period data were used for analysis.

Injury-related gaining momentum as external causes of deaths in Ethiopian health and demographic surveillance sites: evidence from verbal autopsy study.

Background: In Ethiopia, though all kinds of mortality due to external causes are an important component of overall mortality often not counted or documented on an individual basis.

Objective: The aim of this study was to describe the patterns of mortality from external causes using verbal autopsy (VA) method at the Ethiopian HDSS Network sites.

Methods: All deaths at Ethiopian HDSS sites were routinely registered and followed up with VA interviews.

Health system's response for physician workforce shortages and the upcoming crisis in Ethiopia: a grounded theory research.

Background: A rapid transition from severe physician workforce shortage to massive production to ensure the physician workforce demand puts the Ethiopian health care system in a variety of challenges. Therefore, this study discovered how the health system response for physician workforce shortage using the so-called flooding strategy was viewed by different stakeholders.

Methods: The study adopted the grounded theory research approach to explore the causes, contexts, and consequences (at the present, in the short and long term) of massive medical student admission to the medical schools on patient care, medical education workforce, and medical students.

Medical students' career choices, preference for placement, and attitudes towards the role of medical instruction in Ethiopia.

Background: In Ethiopia, the health care delivery and the system of medical education have been expanding rapidly. However, in spite of the expansion, no studies have been carried out among medical students to identify their career choices and attitudes towards the medical instruction. Therefore, this study aimed to fill the gap in evidence in these specific areas.

Survival analysis to measure turnover of the medical education workforce in Ethiopia.

Background: Until recently, there were only a few medical schools in Ethiopia. However, currently, in response to the apparent shortage in physician workforce, the country has made huge progress with respect to the expansion of medical schools, by adopting the so-called flooding strategy. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of the intended strategy also relies on physician accessibility and turnover.