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Background Medical students often experience chronic stress. Self-esteem is one of the most important factors in the process of psychosocial growth and has remarkable effect on thoughts, feelings, values, and goals. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and associated factors of low self-esteem (LSE) and mental distress among Medical Students of Jimma University. Method This cross-sectional study was conducted in Jimma University from June to July, 2018. Self-esteem was measured with Rosenberg self-esteem scale. Self-administered Short form with General Health Questionnaire was used to assess presence of mental distress. Result Out of 422 students enrolled to the study, 279 (66.1%) were male, and 413 (97.9 %) were 18 to 25 years of age. The prevalence of LSE and mental distress were 19.0%, and 19.7 %, respectively. Students who had LSE had 5 times higher risk of having mental distress, AOR= 5.1 (95% CI, 2.9–8.9). Moreover, female students had higher risk of developing mental distress (AOR=1.9, 95% CI, 1.1–3.3). Students who had poor social support were 4.3 times at higher risk of developing LSE, AOR=4.3 (95% CI, 1.9–9.8). Those who reported to have poor academic performance were also more likely to have LSE AOR= 3.7 (95% CI, 1.3–10.0). Conclusion One in five medical students had LSE and it is strongly associated with metal distress. Female students were at higher risk of mental distress. Preventive, curative and rehabilitative mental health services should be available for medical students with particular attention to those with poor social support.

Additional file 2. Window of exposure of the Ethiopian Great Famine.

Additional file 1. Sampling procedure.

Additional file 1.

The relationship between social capital and health has been the subject of research in developed countries. However, empirical evidence from developing countries is scarce. This study examines the association between different dimensions of social capital and maternal health in Jimma Zone of Ethiopia. We utilized a cross sectional data gathered from a random sample of 422 mothers in four districts of the zone. We utilized two-stage regression procedure. We have also controlled for other confounding factors and heterogeneity of the study areas. We find that an increase in an overall score of a mother’s social capital would increase her probability of enjoying better health condition by about 0.61. However, we found mixed effects of different sub-dimensions of social capital. Increases in scores of sub-dimensions of structural social capital like social cohesion and networks are associated with 0.39 and 0.19 decreases in probability of enjoying better health status. Nevertheless, increases in scores of dimensions of cognitive social capital like general trust, institutional trust and sense of security would increase probability of enjoying better health status by 81%, 64% and 65% respectively. Therefore, people with higher levels of social capital – especially in terms of social interaction and all forms of cognitive social capital– engage in healthier behaviors and feel healthier. Since the other forms of capital such as physical and human capital are scarce in countries like Ethiopia, health policies that aim to promote maternal health should promote favorable social capital, which is abundantly available in these countries.

Food insecurity and malnutrition present key policy challenges in Ethiopia. This paper examined the determinants of food security among rural households in Ethiopia using data from the latest round of Ethiopian Rural Household Survey. Two measures of household food security (a self-reported food security status and a multidimensional index generated based on principal components analysis - PCA) were used. OLS regressions were first run to identify important determinants based on the two measures, disregarding endogeneity problems. Then Instrumental Variable (IV) estimation was carried out to account for endogeneity issues. The results revealed that age and education of household head, adequacy of rainfall, livestock possession, participation in off-farm activities, soil conservation practices and per capita consumption expenditure were strongly and positively related to household food security; while access to credit and remittance had a negative influence. Accordingly, the study suggests that a judicious combination of interventions that enhance income diversification opportunities in rural areas through promoting off-farm activities, education, training and extension services, and improving livestock productivity could help enhance household food security. Provision of awareness creation on better and productive utilization of such resources as credit should also be emphasized in rural areas.

This study was conducted with the aim of analysing the factors that influence microfinance loan repayment, evaluating the loan rationing mechanism and also assessing the impact of the program on the livelihood of borrowers, using primary data collected through structured questionnaire. The estimation results of the descriptive statistics and the probit model show that education, income, loan supervision, suitability of repayment period, availability of other credit sources and livestock are important and significant factors that enhance the loan repayment performance, while loan diversion and loan size are found to significantly increase loan default. In addition female borrowers were found better in terms of loan repayment. According to these findings the institution is recommended to see into these factors with care and design a better lending strategy focusing on effective supervision, training and approval of appropriate loan size so as to minimize the loan default problem observed. Moreover, it should pay attention to expanding of its services so that more poor women join the program and benefit from it there by contributing to the improvement of the repayment performance. Regarding the loan rationing, borrowers who are literate, loan diverters, support more dependents and earn more income, were disfavored; while those who are older, male, apply for larger loan amounts, own livestock of higher value, perceive supervision as adequate and the repayment period as suitable were favored. There were some serious problems observed in the rationing mechanism the institution employed, i.e., borrowers who are good payers (like those who are literate) were rationed more while those who contribute to the default problem (like those who are male and who apply for larger loan amounts) were rationed less. The institution is particularly recommended to improve these problems observed in its rationing mechanism. The credit scheme was also found to have positive impact in improving the income, education, health and nutritional status of the borrowers as evidenced by the Wilcoxon test that compares the situations before and after participation in the credit scheme. Key Words: microfinance, loan repayment performance, loan diversion, loan rationing, impact, creditworthy