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Background: The period around childbirth and the first 24 hours postpartum remains a perilous time for both mother and newborn. Health care providers' compliance to the World Health Organization modified partogram across the active first stage of labor is a graphic representation of a mother's condition that is used as a guide in providing quality obstetrics care. However, little evidence is documented on the health providers' adherence to the use of the partograph in Ethiopia, which limits health care providers' ability to improve quality care services. Therefore, this study assessed the adherence of partograph use and associated factors in Ethiopia., Methods: Data from the Ethiopian 2016 National Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care survey of 3,804 health facilities that provided maternity services were used. We extracted 2611 partograph charts over a 12 months period prior to the survey to review the proper recording of each component. Data analyses were performed using SPSS version 22.0 software. A logistic regression analyses was used to identify the association of explanatory variables with the outcome variable. A p-value of <0.05 was considered as cut off point to declare the significance association in the multivariable analysis., Results: Of the total 2611 partographs reviewed, 561(21.5%) of them were fully recorded as per the WHO guideline. Particularly, molding in 50%, color of liquor in 70.5%, fetal heart beat in 93.3%, cervical dilation in 89.6%, descent in 63.2%, uterine contraction in 94.5%, blood pressure in 80.5%, pulse rate in 70.5%, and temperature in 53% were accurately recorded. The odds of adherence to partograph use were 1.4 in rural health facilities when compared to their counterparts (AOR=1.44; 95% CI: 1.15, 1.80, P- 0.002)., Conclusion: This study revealed a poor level of adherence in partograph use in Ethiopia. Molding, maternal temperature and decent were the least recorded parameters of the partograph. The odds of completion of partograph were high in rural facilities. Strong supporting supervision and mentoring the health workers to better record and use of partograph are needed mainly in urban health facilities. Moreover in the future, interventional research should be conducted to improve the current rate of adherence.

Background: Short birth interval is known to have a negative effect on perinatal, neonatal and child health outcomes. In Ethiopia, 29% of births are short birth intervals at less than 24 months. Even though optimum birth spacing is considered as an essential factor for the health of women and their children, to the best of the authors' knowledge studies conducted on short birth interval are insufficient to inform policy makers. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess short birth interval and associated factors among women of child bearing age in Tigray, Ethiopia., Methods: A community based cross-sectional study was conducted in Tselemti district among women of child bearing age from January 28 to February 28, 2016. Systematic sampling technique was used to select participants. Data were collected through face to face interviews and analyzed using SPSS version 20.0. Odds ratio along with 95% CI was computed to ascertain association between the outcome and predictor variables. A p-value of < 0.05 was considered as cut off point to assess significance of associations in the multivariable analysis., Results: The overall prevalence of short birth interval among women of child bearing age was 187 (23.3%). Sub-optimum breastfeeding (AOR = 7.01; 95% CI: 3.64, 13.46), non-use of contraceptive (AOR = 2.44; 95% CI: 1.55, 3.82), being Muslim (AOR = 2.02; 95% CI: 1.20, 3.40) and not having desire to had the last child (AOR = 3.63; 95% CI: 2.23, 5.91) were factors associated with short birth interval., Conclusion: Even though currently coverage of family planning use has increased, this study showed that short birth interval is still a concern for Ethiopian women due to factors such as: religion, suboptimum breastfeeding, unwanted pregnancy and non-use of contraceptives. Improving the accessibility and coverage of contraceptive use and involvement of religious leaders in family planning programs are essential strategies to be considered.

Importance: The increasing burden due to cancer and other noncommunicable diseases poses a threat to human development, which has resulted in global political commitments reflected in the Sustainable Development Goals as well as the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Action Plan on Non-Communicable Diseases. To determine if these commitments have resulted in improved cancer control, quantitative assessments of the cancer burden are required., Objective: To assess the burden for 29 cancer groups over time to provide a framework for policy discussion, resource allocation, and research focus., Evidence Review: Cancer incidence, mortality, years lived with disability, years of life lost, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) were evaluated for 195 countries and territories by age and sex using the Global Burden of Disease study estimation methods. Levels and trends were analyzed over time, as well as by the Sociodemographic Index (SDI). Changes in incident cases were categorized by changes due to epidemiological vs demographic transition., Findings: In 2016, there were 17.2 million cancer cases worldwide and 8.9 million deaths. Cancer cases increased by 28% between 2006 and 2016. The smallest increase was seen in high SDI countries. Globally, population aging contributed 17%; population growth, 12%; and changes in age-specific rates, -1% to this change. The most common incident cancer globally for men was prostate cancer (1.4 million cases). The leading cause of cancer deaths and DALYs was tracheal, bronchus, and lung cancer (1.2 million deaths and 25.4 million DALYs). For women, the most common incident cancer and the leading cause of cancer deaths and DALYs was breast cancer (1.7 million incident cases, 535 000 deaths, and 14.9 million DALYs). In 2016, cancer caused 213.2 million DALYs globally for both sexes combined. Between 2006 and 2016, the average annual age-standardized incidence rates for all cancers combined increased in 130 of 195 countries or territories, and the average annual age-standardized death rates decreased within that timeframe in 143 of 195 countries or territories., Conclusions and Relevance: Large disparities exist between countries in cancer incidence, deaths, and associated disability. Scaling up cancer prevention and ensuring universal access to cancer care are required for health equity and to fulfill the global commitments for noncommunicable disease and cancer control.

Background: Sexually transmitted infections are highly prevalent among pregnant women in Africa. Among the incidence of HIV infection in children, 90% of the infection is attributable to their mothers. Ethiopia is one of the countries with an increasing risky sexual behavior and the most affected by the HIV epidemic. If prevention of mother to child transmission focuses on increasing contraception, it will prevent more than 29% of HIV infection at birth. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess utilization of dual contraceptive  method and associated factors among reproductive age women on antiretroviral therapy in selected public hospitals of Mekelle town, Northern Ethiopia., Methods: Institution based cross-sectional survey was conducted in selected public hospitals of Mekelle among women under antiretroviral therapy from March 1-April 31, 2016. We used a systematic sampling technique to select 331 women. A pretested interviewer administered questionnaire was used for data collection. The data were entered in to Epi data version 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 20 for analysis. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis was computed. Odds ratio along with 95% CI was computed to ascertain the association. Statistical tests at p-value of < 0.05 were considered as cut off point to determine statistical significance., Results: Only 51(15.7%) of participants have utilized dual contraception method. Being single[AOR 5.43, 95% CI (1.61, 18.32)] and cohabitated [AOR 6.06; 95% CI: (2.16, 16.95)] in marital status, having HIV negative partner [AOR 4.44; 95% CI: (1.23, 16.04)], exposure to post diagnosis counseling [AOR 3.03; 95% CI: 1.34, 6.80], disclosed HIV status [AOR 6.06; 95% CI: (1.78, 20.87)] and discussing safer sex with partner [AOR 6.96; 95% CI: (2.75, 16.62)] were positively associated with utilization of dual contraceptive method., Conclusion: The overall magnitude of dual contraceptive use is still low in this study. This will be a great concern on the transmission of the virus from mother to babies and partners and risk of complications following unintended pregnancy. This will continue to present as major public health problems in the region unless future interventions focuses on the barriers through tailored counseling and husband involvement in all aspects of the HIV/AIDS care.

Importance: Comprehensive and timely monitoring of disease burden in all age groups, including children and adolescents, is essential for improving population health., Objective: To quantify and describe levels and trends of mortality and nonfatal health outcomes among children and adolescents from 1990 to 2015 to provide a framework for policy discussion., Evidence Review: Cause-specific mortality and nonfatal health outcomes were analyzed for 195 countries and territories by age group, sex, and year from 1990 to 2015 using standardized approaches for data processing and statistical modeling, with subsequent analysis of the findings to describe levels and trends across geography and time among children and adolescents 19 years or younger. A composite indicator of income, education, and fertility was developed (Socio-demographic Index [SDI]) for each geographic unit and year, which evaluates the historical association between SDI and health loss., Findings: Global child and adolescent mortality decreased from 14.18 million (95% uncertainty interval [UI], 14.09 million to 14.28 million) deaths in 1990 to 7.26 million (95% UI, 7.14 million to 7.39 million) deaths in 2015, but progress has been unevenly distributed. Countries with a lower SDI had a larger proportion of mortality burden (75%) in 2015 than was the case in 1990 (61%). Most deaths in 2015 occurred in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Global trends were driven by reductions in mortality owing to infectious, nutritional, and neonatal disorders, which in the aggregate led to a relative increase in the importance of noncommunicable diseases and injuries in explaining global disease burden. The absolute burden of disability in children and adolescents increased 4.3% (95% UI, 3.1%-5.6%) from 1990 to 2015, with much of the increase owing to population growth and improved survival for children and adolescents to older ages. Other than infectious conditions, many top causes of disability are associated with long-term sequelae of conditions present at birth (eg, neonatal disorders, congenital birth defects, and hemoglobinopathies) and complications of a variety of infections and nutritional deficiencies. Anemia, developmental intellectual disability, hearing loss, epilepsy, and vision loss are important contributors to childhood disability that can arise from multiple causes. Maternal and reproductive health remains a key cause of disease burden in adolescent females, especially in lower-SDI countries. In low-SDI countries, mortality is the primary driver of health loss for children and adolescents, whereas disability predominates in higher-SDI locations; the specific pattern of epidemiological transition varies across diseases and injuries., Conclusions and Relevance: Consistent international attention and investment have led to sustained improvements in causes of health loss among children and adolescents in many countries, although progress has been uneven. The persistence of infectious diseases in some countries, coupled with ongoing epidemiologic transition to injuries and noncommunicable diseases, require all countries to carefully evaluate and implement appropriate strategies to maximize the health of their children and adolescents and for the international community to carefully consider which elements of child and adolescent health should be monitored.