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Background Globally, more than 20.5 million infants are born with low birth weight, and the majorities were from Asia and Africa. Even though efforts were made to reduce low birth weight worldwide, it remains a global public health problem, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Objective To assess low birth weight and associated factors among newborn babies in health institutions in Dessie, Amhara, Ethiopia. Methods An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 358 newborn/mother pairs from March 1 to April 15, 2017, in Dessie town health institutions. The data were collected using a semi-structured interviewer-guided questionnaire. The numbers of newborn/mother pairs surveyed from each health institution were allocated proportionally, and systematic random sampling was used to select the respondents. Epi-info version 7.0 was used for data entry, and Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 20 was used for the analysis. Multivariate logistic regression with adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were used to identify significantly associated variables with low birth weight. Results In this study, the prevalence of low birth weight was 15.6%. Maternal age

Introduction. Neonatal hypothermia is the reduction in the body temperature of the newborn (less than 36.5°C). It is a global problem in neonates born both at hospitals and homes, but it showed a higher prevalence in developing countries (>90%). Although hypothermia is rarely a direct cause of death, it contributes to a substantial proportion of neonatal mortality globally. Objective. To assess neonatal hypothermia and associated factors among newborns admitted in the NICU of Dessie Referral Hospital. Methods and Materials. An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from March 15 to May 30, 2018. The data was collected from the mother and the chart of the newborn using a semistructured questionnaire. Data were cleaned, coded, and entered in EPI-info version 7.1.2.0 then exported to Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20 software for analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression and crude and adjusted odds ratio with their 95% confidence interval were computed. Finally, p value < 0.05 was used to identify variables that had a significant association with neonatal hypothermia. Result. The proportion of neonatal hypothermia in the study area was 66.8%. Preterm delivery (AOR=2.6, 95% CI: 1.1, 6.2), no skin-to-skin contact within 1 hour of delivery (AOR=3.0, 95% CI: 1.3, 7.8), delivered at night time (AOR=2.0, 95% CI: 1.02, 4.0), and neonates who had resuscitation (AOR=2.9, 95% CI: 1.1, 7.2) showed significant association with neonatal hypothermia. Conclusion. In this study, the proportion of hypothermia was high. Preterm delivery, no skin-to-skin contact within 1 hour, night-time delivery, and having resuscitation were significantly associated with neonatal hypothermia. Therefore, special attention is needed for the thermal care of preterm neonates and neonates delivered at night time. Furthermore, there should be strict adherence to cost-effective thermal care recommendations like warm resuscitation and skin-to-skin contact.

Background Vertical transmission of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is the primary route of infection among children. Ethiopia is among the top ten countries in the world with the highest burden of HIV infections among children. Therefore we aimed to assess mother to child transmission (MTCT) of HIV and associated factors among HIV exposed infants (HEIs). Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted using retrospective data collected from HEIs paired with their mothers who had received the services in prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) programs from January 2014 to December 2017 in public health facilities in Dessie town. Data of a total of 313 HEIs paired with their mothers were obtained by using semi-structured data extraction proforma from their medical records. The data were processed in Epi-info version 7.1.2.0 and analyzed using SPSS version 22. Crude and adjusted odds ratios with their 95% confidence intervals and p-value were used to identify significant factors. Results The prevalence of HIV among exposed infants was 3.8%. Absence of maternal antenatal care visit (AOR = 4.6, 95% CI: 1.17-17.99), home delivery (AOR = 4.2, 95% CI: 1.04 -16.76), absence of antiretroviral intervention to the mother (AOR= 5.7, 95% CI: 1.10-29.36), and failure to initiate nevirapine prophylaxis for the infant (AOR = 5.3, 95% CI: 1.11 -25.44) were significant factors of MTCT of HIV. Conclusion Prevalence of MTCT of HIV was low (3.8%) in Dessie town public health facilities. Having ANC visit, delivery at health facility, maternal ARV drug intake, and infant ARV prophylaxis were the significant protective factors against MTCT of HIV. Promoting ANC service utilization among pregnant women and providing counseling as well as setting up linkage with PMTCT and giving ARV intervention to all HIV positive pregnant women and timely initiation of NVP prophylaxis to all HEIs should be recommended by the minister of health and health facilities.

Background Lower respiratory infections are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, particularly in children younger than 5 years. Even if the burden of lower respiratory infections in children under 5 years old had decreased dramatically in the last 10 years, it is still the main cause of morbidity and mortality in children under-5 years old in developing countries, so the aim of this study was to assess the magnitude of lower respiratory tract infections and associated factors among under-five children visiting Wolaita Sodo University Teaching and Referral Hospital. Method A cross-sectional study was conducted from 1st to 30th April 2019, among under-five child/mother or caretaker pairs visiting Wolaita Sodo University Teaching and Referral Hospital. Child/mother or caretaker pairs who visits outpatient department for curative care service or follow up were recruited for the study. Data were collected using a semi-structured pre-tested interviewer-guided questionnaire. Epi-info (version 7.1.2.0) was used for data entry, and Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 20 was used for analysis. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression, crude and adjusted odds ratios with their 95 % confidence intervals was computed. Finally, a p-value ≤ 0.05 was used to identify variables that had a significant association with acute lower respiratory infection. Result A total of 414 child/mother or caretaker pairs were recruited for the study. The magnitude of acute lower respiratory infections among under-five children was 40.3 % (95 % CI: 35.7- 44.9 %). Unvaccinated children (AOR: 2, 95 % CI, (1.27–3.16)), non-exclusive/replacement feeding (AOR: 1.85, 95 % CI, (1.18–2.91)), households mainly used unclean fuel for cooking (AOR: 2.12, 95 % CI, (1.07–4.19)), absence of separate kitchen (AOR: 1.7, 95 % CI, (1.09–2.65)), and absence of window in the kitchen room (AOR: 1.69, 95 % CI, (1.07–2.68)) showed significant association with acute lower respiratory infection. Conclusions The magnitude of acute lower respiratory tract infections among under-five children visiting outpatient department was 40.3 %. Unvaccinated children, non-exclusive/replacement feeding, using unclean fuel for cooking, absence of a separate kitchen, and absence of window in the kitchen showed significant association with acute lower respiratory infection. Therefore, special attention should be given to the environmental sanitation and family health components of health extension packages.

Background The majority of neonatal deaths in developing countries occurred at home due to late recognition of the signs of serious illness by parents or caregivers. In Ethiopia, besides the attempts made to scale-up the maternal and child health services, maternal knowledge of neonatal danger signs is low. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the knowledge of neonatal danger signs and associated factors among mothers attending pediatric immunization clinics in Gidan district health centers, North Wollo, Ethiopia. Method An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from September 1–30, 2020, among 399 mothers attending pediatric immunization clinics in Gidan district health centers. The data were collected using a pretested, structured, and interviewer-administered questionnaire. Epidata version 4.4.2.0 was used for data entry, and Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 22 was used for analysis. Descriptive statistics, bivariate and multivariate logistic regression were computed. Finally, an adjusted odds ratio along with 95% CI was calculated, and variables that had a P-value, Neonatal danger signs, Knowledge, Associated factors, Ethiopia.

Zemen Mengesha Yalew,1 Yibeltal Asmamaw Yitayew,2 Ebrahim Seid Mohammed,3 Tesfaye Bezabih Gezihagne3 1Department of Comprehensive Nursing, College of Medicine and Health Science, Wollo University, Dessie, Ethiopia; 2Department of Pediatrics and Child Health Nursing, College of Medicine and Health Science, Wollo University, Dessie, Ethiopia; 3Department of Journalism and Communication, College of Social Sciences, Wollo University, Dessie, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Yibeltal Asmamaw Yitayew Email yibie.asmamaw21@gmail.comBackground: Despite the efforts made to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in Ethiopia, new cases continue to rise. Therefore, to overcome the devastating effects of the outbreak, health communication and the community’s knowledge, perception, and behavioral responses towards COVID-19 should be assessed.Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study design was conducted from June 15 to July 30, 2020, with 827 and 18 participants for the quantitative and qualitative study, respectively. The data were collected using ODK collect and exported to SPSS version 25 for analysis. Multivariate logistic regression was computed, and variables that had a significant association were interpreted at p < 0.05 with a 95% CI. Additionally, the qualitative data were collected using in-depth interview and then transcribed, translated, and analyzed using thematic content analysis.Results: The majority (97.8%) of respondents obtained information about COVID-19 through broadcast media, and 58.5% of the participants had good knowledge of COVID-19. Likewise, 51.3%, 60.9%, 73.8%, 35.1%, and 74.2% of participants had high perceived susceptibility, severity, benefit, barrier, and self-efficacy to COVID-19, respectively. Additionally, 54.3% of respondents had good behavioral responses to COVID-19. Kombolcha town residents (AOR: 4.32, 95% CI, 2.02– 9.2), aged from 25 to 34, and 35 to 44 years old (AOR: 2.62, 95% CI, 1.37– 5.0), and (AOR: 2.23, 95% CI, 1.11– 4.46), respectively, secondary or above education (AOR: 2.38, 95% CI, 1.17– 4.86), good knowledge of COVID-19 (AOR: 2.07, 95% CI, 1.42– 3.02), high perceived self-efficacy (AOR: 4.90, 95% CI, 3.10– 7.75), and low perceived barriers (AOR: 3.17, 95% CI, 2.12– 4.74) to COVID-19 preventive measures were significantly associated with the behavioral responses to COVID-19.Conclusion: In this study, the behavioral responses to COVID-19 were relatively low. Therefore, continuous awareness creation is needed to scale up the community’s knowledge and perceived self-efficacy. Furthermore, the general public, especially young people, should follow the government’s COVID-19 prevention and control rules and regulations.Keywords: COVID-19, health communication, knowledge, perception, behavioral response, Ethiopia

Patient experience of nursing care is the perception of the patient about the real existing nursing service. Addressing patient experience of nursing care is very important to improve nursing service quality because it identifies the factors that affect the nursing care quality better than patient satisfaction. Therefore, this study aimed to assess patient experience in nursing care and associated factors among adult admitted patients in Debre Markos and Dessie referral hospitals. An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from March 1, 2019, to March 30, 2019, among 528 consecutively selected adult admitted patients. Data were cleaned, coded, and entered in Epi-data version 3.1 then exported to Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 25 for analysis. Multivariate logistic regression, with a 95% CI was used to identify variables that had a significant association. The overall good patient experience in nursing care was 64%. Duration of admission ≥22 days (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.67, 95% CI = 1.013-7.025) and free service (AOR = 3.69, 95% CI = 2.381-5.730) showed a positive association with patient experience in nursing care. However, admission in gynecology ward (AOR = 0.43, 95%CI = 0.257-0.707), secondary education (AOR = 0.53, 95% CI: 0.308-0.907), and college or above education (AOR = 0.55, 95%CI = 0.320-0.957) showed a negative association with patient experience in nursing care.

Background: Lower respiratory tract infections are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, particularly in children younger than five years. Even if the burden of lower respiratory tract infections in children under-five years had decreased dramatically in the last ten years, it is still the main cause of morbidity and mortality in under five years old children in developing countries. So, this study was aimed to assess lower respiratory tract infections and associated factors among under-five children visiting Wolaita Sodo University Teaching and Referral Hospital.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from April 1-30, 2019, among under-five children attended the Pediatrics outpatient department of Wolaita Sodo University Teaching and Referral Hospital. The data was collected using a semi-structured pre-tested interviewer guided questionnaire. Epi -info (version 7.1.2.0) was used for data entry, and Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 20 was used for analysis. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression, crude and adjusted odds ratio with their 95% confidence interval were computed. Finally, p-value Result: The prevalence of acute lower respiratory tract infections among under-five children was 40.3% (95%CI: 35.7%- 44.9%). Unvaccinated children (AOR: 2, 95% CI, (1.27-3.16)), non-exclusive/replacement feeding (AOR: 1.85, 95% CI, (1.18-2.91)), households mainly used unclean fuel for cooking (AOR: 2.12, 95% CI, (1.07-4.19)), absence of separate kitchen (AOR: 1.7, 95% CI, (1.09-2.65)), and absence of window in the kitchen room (AOR: 1.69, 95% CI, (1.07-2.68)) showed significant association with acute lower respiratory tract infection.Conclusion: The prevalence of acute lower respiratory tract infections was 40.3%. Unvaccinated children, non-exclusive/replacement feeding, households mainly used unclean fuel for cooking, absence of a separate kitchen, and absence of window in the kitchen room showed significant association with acute lower respiratory tract infection. Therefore, special attention should be given for the environmental sanitation and family health component of the health extension packages.