Why do women prefer home births in Ethiopia?
Background: Skilled attendants during labor, delivery, and in the early postpartum period, can prevent up to 75% or more of maternal death. However, in many developing countries, very few mothers make at least one antenatal visit and even less receive delivery care from skilled professionals. The present study reports findings from a region where key […]
When the law makes doors slightly open: ethical dilemmas among abortion service providers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
BACKGROUND: In 2005, Ethiopia changed its abortion law to curb its high maternal mortality. This has led to a considerable reduction in deaths from unsafe abortions. Abortion is now legal if the woman’s pregnancy is a result of rape or incest, if her health is endangered, if the fetus has a serious deformity, if she […]
Midwives’ and patients’ perspectives on disrespect and abuse during labor and delivery care in Ethiopia: A qualitative study
Background: It is increasingly recognized that disrespect and abuse of women during labor and delivery is a violation of a woman’s rights and a deterrent to the use of life-saving, facility-based labor and delivery services. In Ethiopia, rates of skilled birth attendance are still only 28% despite a recent dramatic national scale up in the […]
Undernutrition and its determinants among adolescent girls in low land area of Southern Ethiopia
Background Undernutrition is one of the most common causes of morbidity and mortality among adolescent girls worldwide, especially in South-East Asia and Africa. Even though adolescence is a window of opportunity to break the intergenerational cycle of undernutrition, adolescent girls are a neglected group. The objective of this study was to assess the nutritional status […]
Key factors influencing motivation among health extension workers and health care professionals in four regions of Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study
Background Although Ethiopia has improved access to health care in recent years, quality of care remains low. Health worker motivation is an important determinant of performance and affects quality of care. Low health care workers motivation can be associated with poor health care quality and client experience, non-attendance, and poor clinical outcome. Objective this study […]
Effect of early and current Helicobacter pylori infection on the risk of anaemia in 6.5-year-old Ethiopian children
Background: Epidemiological and clinical studies in high income countries have suggested that Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) may cause anaemia, but evidence is lacking from low income countries. We examined associations between H. pylori infection in early childhood and anaemia at the age of 6.5 years in an Ethiopian birth cohort. Methods: In 2011/12, 856 children […]
Knowledge, attitude, and practice of preconception care and associated factors among obstetric care providers working in public health facilities of West Shoa Zone, Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study
Preconception care is biomedical, social, and behavioural care provided for a woman or couple before conception occurs or throughout their reproductive year. In Ethiopia, it’s reported that the majority of health care providers had poor knowledge and practice of preconception care. The institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 359 obstetric care providers to assess knowledge, […]
Community food beliefs during pregnancy in rural kebeles of Ofla Woreda, Northern Ethiopia: an explorative qualitative study
Background: Dietary related misconceptions during pregnancy affect the heath of mothers and their growing babies. Misconceptions vary from place to place and from community to community. Understanding of a given community’s food perceptions during pregnancy helps policy makers able to design cultural appropriate interventions. In Ethiopia, however, evidences on food beliefs and perceptions during pregnancy […]
Assessment of quality of primary care with facility surveys: a descriptive analysis in ten low-income and middle-income countries
Background: Primary care has the potential to address a large proportion of people’s health needs, promote equity, and contain costs, but only if it provides high-quality health services that people want to use. 40 years after the Declaration of Alma-Ata, little is known about the quality of primary care in low-income and middle-income countries. We […]
Essential new-born care practices and associated factors among post natal mothers in Nekemte City, Western Ethiopia
Background New-born survival is a prominent goal on the global health agenda and an important area of focus for programs seeking to ensure child survival. Geographically, neonatal deaths are most prevalent in Sub-Saharan Africa and southern Asia, accounting for 39% and 38% of all neonatal deaths respectively while Ethiopia in particular has 28% neonatal death. […]