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Abstract Background Malaria is a critical public health concern in Ethiopia, with significant socioeconomic consequences. Malaria data trend analysis is essential for understanding transmission patterns and adopting evidence-based malaria control measures. The purpose of this study was to determine the 5 year distribution of malaria in North Shewa zone, Amhara region, Ethiopia, in 2023. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study design was employed to analyse the 5 year trend of malaria surveillance data in the North Shewa zone of the Amhara regional, Ethiopia, spanning from July 2018 to June 2023. The malaria indicator data were gathered from the zone’s public health emergency management database. Malaria data from the previous 5 years was collected, compiled, processed, and analysed using Microsoft Excel 2019. Results Among a total of 434,110 suspected cases 47,889 (11.03%) cases were confirmed as malaria, with an average annual malaria incidence rate of 4.4 per 1000 population in the Zone. Malaria cases exhibited an increase from Epidemiological Week (Epi week) 37 to Epi week 49 (September to November) and again from Epi week 22 to week 30 (May to July). Individuals aged 15 and above, and all districts in the Zone except Angolela were notably affected by malaria. Conclusion Despite implementing various measures to reduce malaria incidence, the disease continues to persist in the zone. Therefore, the Zone Health Department should intensify its preventive and control efforts.

Sweet potato is a significant root crop that can be used for both food and feed. Bench-Sheko zone mid-altitudes, in general, are among the most important sweet potato growing regions in southwest Ethiopia. During the 2017 and 2018 growing seasons, a study was carried out in the Semen-Bench district of the Bench-sheko zone, southwestern Ethiopia, to investigate the adaptability and performance of improved sweet potato varieties and to identify the best performer variety. A randomized complete block design with three replications was used to compare the performance of five improved (viz., Awassa-83, Beletch, Berkume, Kulfo, Tula) and one Local sweet potato variety. The results of both years and over year combined statistical analysis indicated that the varieties significantly varied in terms of all yield and yield-related traits. As a result, the Awassa-83 variety acquired the greatest values of average root diameter in both the 2017 (11.9 cm) and 2018 (10.1 cm) growing seasons, followed by the Berkume variety. In both 2017 and 2018 growing seasons and over year combined analysis, the highest average storage root length (21.5 cm), marketable storage root yield (29.06 ton/ha), total storage root yield (43.22 ton/ha), and storage root dry weight (42%) was recorded from variety Awassa-83. Variety Beletech and Berkume were found to be statistically similar and the next highest in terms of marketable storage root yield, and total storage root yield; moreover, variety Berkume was found to be the next highest in terms of storage root dry weight in two years combined result. On the other hand, the variety Beletech, which was closely followed by Awassa-83, had the highest average number of roots per plant (8.28) and the greatest number of marketable roots per plant (7.04). Therefore, considering overall traits Awassa-83 was found to be superior in overall performance and can be recommended for production in the study area and related agro-ecologies.

Background: Perinatal mortality is a major global public health concern, especially in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Despite perinatal mortality being a major public health concern in SSA, there are very limited studies on the incidence and factors associated with perinatal mortality. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the factors associated with perinatal mortality in SSA., Methods: A secondary data analysis was conducted based on the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data of 27 SSA countries. About 314,099 births in the preceding five years of the surveys were considered for the analysis. A multilevel binary logistic regression model was fitted to identify factors associated with perinatal mortality. Deviance (-2Log-Likelihood Ratio (LLR)) was used for model comparison. The Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) with the 5% Confidence Interval (CI) of the best-fitted model was used to verify the significant association between factors and perinatal mortality., Results: The perinatal mortality rate in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) was 37.31 per 1,000 births (95% CI: 36.65, 37.98). In the final best-fit model, factors significantly associated with higher perinatal mortality included media exposure (AOR: 1.12, 95% CI: 1.08, 1.17), maternal age ≥ 35 years (AOR: 1.13, 95% CI: 1.06, 1.21), health facility delivery (AOR: 1.10, 95% CI: 1.06, 1.15), having 2-4 births (AOR: 1.35, 95% CI: 1.25, 1.47), five or more births (AOR: 1.69, 95% CI: 1.53, 1.86), residence in West Africa (AOR: 1.30, 95% CI: 1.24, 1.36) or Central Africa (AOR: 1.05, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.11), rural residency (AOR: 1.08, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.13), and difficulty accessing a health facility (AOR: 1.06, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.10). In contrast, factors significantly associated with lower perinatal mortality were a preceding birth interval of 2-4 years (AOR: 0.70, 95% CI: 0.67, 0.74) or five or more years (AOR: 0.91, 95% CI: 0.84, 0.97), Antenatal Care (ANC) visit (AOR: 0.66, 95% CI: 0.63, 0.69), higher education levels (AOR: 0.82, 95% CI: 0.73, 0.93), middle household wealth (AOR: 0.93, 95% CI: 0.88, 0.98), and richer household wealth (AOR: 0.93, 95% CI: 0.87, 0.99)., Conclusion: Perinatal mortality was a major public health problem in SSA. Maternal socio-demographic, obstetrical, and healthcare-related factors are significantly associated with perinatal mortality. The findings of this study highlighted the need for holistic healthcare interventions targeting enhancing maternal healthcare services to reduce the incidence of perinatal mortality., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Bezie et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: Perinatal depression is a significant public health issue affecting one in four women globally. It occurs at a critical time of a woman's life; affecting her relationships with family, and child's emotional, behavioral, and cognitive development. Considering the burden of the problem to the whole family, this systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to estimate the pooled prevalence of perinatal depression and its determinants in Ethiopia to provide up-to-date evidence at a national level., Methods: All observational studies conducted on perinatal depression in Ethiopia were included based on the selection criteria. Data was extracted using Microsoft Excel and then exported to STATA version-11 for analysis. The random-effects model was employed to estimate the pooled effect size of perinatal depression and its determinants with 95% confidence intervals. Funnel plots analysis and Egger regression tests were conducted to check the publication bias. Sub-group and sensitivity analyses were also performed., Results: This systematic review and meta-analysis included thirty studies and the pooled prevalence of perinatal depression in Ethiopia was 24.29% (95% CI (21.98, 26.59)). According to the subgroup analysis, the pooled prevalence of antenatal depression and others (postnatal and perinatal depression) was 24.24% and 24.52% respectively. Regarding determinants of perinatal depression, having unplanned pregnancy [OR = 3.04 (2.2, 4.2)], intimate partner violence [OR = 3.09(2.14, 4.46)], poor social support [OR = 3.3(2.38, 4.57)], and a history of depression [OR = 3.68(2.45, 5.52)] were significantly associated with depression., Conclusion and Recommendation: This study showed that the pooled prevalence of perinatal depression in Ethiopia was found to be high. To ensure the mental health of both the mother and child, health professionals should routinely screen perinatal women for depression giving special focus for those with a history of depression and managing them accordingly., Competing Interests: Declarations Ethical approval and consent to participate Not applicable. Consent for publication Not applicable. Competing interests The authors declared that no competing interest exists., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Caring for people with mental illness requires a significant investment of personal physical, mental, social, and financial resources, which greatly impact the daily lives of caregivers. The process of providing care is multifaceted and intricate, involving both positive and negative emotional responses. Burden of care is a term used to describe the negative effects of caregivers' burden on their physical, psychological, social, and economic well-being. Therefore, the aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to provide an overview of the most recent information available regarding the pooled prevalence of burden of care among people with mental illness in Africa., Methods: In this study, we followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), which is a suitable guideline for reports of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. The PROSPERO protocol number for this review is CRD42024499138. To find publications for the systematic review and meta-analysis, we used PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Scopus databases. The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) for cross-sectional study quality assessment was employed to evaluate the methodological quality of the studies included in this review. The data was extracted in Microsoft Excel, and then it was exported into STATA 11.0 for analysis. A funnel plot and an objective examination of Egger's regression test were used to check for publication bias., Results: We have included 12 studies conducted in African countries with 2156 study participants, of whom 1176 (54.55%) were female individuals. In this meta-analysis, the pooled prevalence of burden of care among caregivers of people with mental illness in Africa was 61.73 (95% CI: 51.25-72.21%). Further, in subgroup analysis regarding the study country, the pooled prevalence of carer burden among caregivers of people with mental illness in Egypt and Nigeria was 79.19% and 55.22%, respectively., Conclusion: This review found a high pooled prevalence of caregiver burden related to mental illness in Africa. To minimize the challenges faced by individuals with mental illnesses, as well as the burden on their caregivers, stakeholders may find these findings useful for addressing prevention, early screening, and management., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Proper nutrition during early childhood is essential for healthy growth and development, yet many children, particularly in low and middle-income countries, fail to meet recommended intake levels of fruits and vegetables. This study aims to assess the factors associated with zero vegetable and fruit (ZVF) consumption among children aged 6-23 months in Tanzania, using data from the 2022 Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey (DHS)., Methods: A weighted sample of 4582 children aged between 6 and 23 months were included in the study. Data cleaning, coding, and analysis were performed using STATA version 17 software. To address the hierarchical nature of the DHS data and the binary outcome variable, a multilevel mixed-effect binary logistic regression model was used. The deviance value served as a guide for determining the best-fitting model. In the subsequent multivariable multilevel binary logistic regression analysis, adjusted odds ratios were computed alongside their respective 95% confidence intervals to evaluate the strength of association, with statistical significance set at a p-value below 0.05., Result: The overall proportion of ZVF consumption among children aged 6-23 months in Tanzania was 48.34% (95% CI: 46.87, 49.81). Current breastfeeding status, maternal educational status, household wealth index, sex of the household head, and community poverty level were associated with higher odds of ZVF consumption. Meanwhile, child age, maternal employment status, father's educational status, and media exposure were associated with lower odds of ZVF consumption., Conclusion: Child age, current breastfeeding status, maternal educational status, maternal employment status, father's educational status, household wealth index, sex of household, media exposure, and community poverty level were significantly associated with ZVF consumption. Efforts should focus on educating mothers about the early introduction of fruits and vegetables in children's diets, alongside supporting breastfeeding. Tailored economic empowerment initiatives are needed in impoverished communities to improve access to nutritious foods., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: The University of California, San Diego Brief Assessment of Capacity to Consent (UBACC) is a tool to assess the capacity of participants to consent in psychiatric research. However, little is known about the psychometric properties in low and middle-income countries. This study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the UBACC., Methods: We examined the reliability, latent factor structure, and item response of the first attempt of the UBACC items in a sample of 32,208 adults (16,467 individuals with psychosis and 15,741 controls) in Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa, and Uganda; exploring these properties in the full sample and stratified by country, diagnostic status, sex, and ethnolinguistic language groups., Results: Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) suggested a two-factor model for the overall sample. However, a three-factor model was more appropriate when examining the latent structure across country, language, and sex. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) revealed an adequately fitting three-factor model for the full sample and across country, sex, and language. A two-factor model, however, was more appropriate for English and Amharic languages. Across all groups, the internal consistency of the UBACC was low, indicating below-threshold reliability (Cronbach's α (95 % CI = 0.58 (0.57-0.59). Using a multidimensional item-response theory framework for the full sample revealed that UBACC item 8, measuring understanding of the benefits of study participation, was the most discriminating item. Many of the other items had below-threshold discriminating characteristics., Conclusion: EFA and CFA converged towards a two and three-dimensional structure for the UBACC, in line with the developers of the original scale. The differences in properties between populations and language groups, low internal consistency, and below-threshold item functioning suggest that investigations into the cultural and linguistic nuances are still warranted. Understanding the utility of consent tools, such as the UBACC, in underrepresented populations will be a part of the larger process which ensures that research participants are adequately protected., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Poor sleep quality is a serious concern among diabetes mellitus patients, adversely affecting glycemic management and the prognosis of diabetic patients. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to estimate the overall pooled prevalence of poor sleep quality and its associated factors among diabetic patients in Sub-Saharan Africa., Methods: Several search databases were employed to retrieve the eligible studies. A standardized data extraction format was used to extract the data, and the analysis was conducted using STATA version 14. To determine heterogeneity, the I 2 test was conducted, and both the funnel plot and Egger's regression test were used to assess the publication bias. A random effects model meta-analysis was performed to estimate the overall prevalence and associated factors of poor sleep quality., Results: In the current meta-analysis, a total of 11 studies with 3,766 study participants were included. The overall pooled prevalence of poor sleep quality among diabetic patients was 53.22% (95% CI: 36.26, 70.19). Poor sleep quality was significantly associated with longer duration of diabetes (OR = 2.94, 95% CI: 1.85, 4.67), poor glycemic control (OR = 2.24, 95% CI: 1.51, 3.32), depression (OR = 4.09, 95% CI: 2.07, 8.05) and comorbidity (OR = 1.94, 95% CI: 1.31, 2.88)., Conclusion: In this study, more than half of diabetic patients in Sub-Saharan Africa had poor sleep quality. Therefore, healthcare providers should give more attention to sleep disorders when screening diabetic patients to improve their poor sleep quality.

Bovine tuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium bovis , is a chronic zoonotic disease that persists in Ethiopia despite global control efforts, impacting public health and the economy. However, little is known about the epidemiology of bovine tuberculosis in Southwest Ethiopia. This study aims to assess the prevalence of bovine tuberculosis and identify associated risk factors in dairy cattle. A cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2022 to October 2023 in four districts in the Sheka, Bench-Sheko, and Keffa zones. A multistage sampling approach was employed, resulting in the selection of 1,152 cattle from various herds. Tuberculin skin testing was performed to detect bovine tuberculosis, and data on potential risk factors were collected through questionnaires. Logistic regression models were used to analyze the association between bovine tuberculosis and various risk factors. The overall prevalence of bovine tuberculosis was 4.95% at the cow level and 22.19% at the herd level in the study areas. Significant herd-level risk factors for bovine tuberculosis included lowland areas, larger herd sizes, and the introducing new animals. At the cow level, risk factors included age, breed, body condition, herd size, introduction of new animals, and management system. The study reveals a high prevalence of bovine tuberculosis in dairy cattle in Southwest Ethiopia, identifying key risk factors. Effective control requires targeted interventions, such as improved management practices, enhanced farmer awareness, and a better understanding of and guidance on bovine tuberculosis strategies in Ethiopia. Future research should isolate and characterize M. bovis in the study areas., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Author(s).)

Psychotic symptoms are of increasing interest in mental health due to their predictive value for future psychotic disorders. While these symptoms are prevalent in the general population, their occurrence varies globally. This study aimed to explore the prevalence and factors associated with psychotic symptoms among individuals identified as substance-naïve and recent abstainers without a history of psychosis. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted on 11,686 participants who reported no lifetime substance use, no substance use in the previous three months, and did not have a diagnosis of psychosis. The study utilized the Psychosis Screening Questionnaire to estimate the one-year prevalence of psychotic symptoms and their associations with demographic and clinical attributes. Results revealed a 3.5 % overall prevalence of psychotic symptoms with 2.9 % prevalence among substance naïve and 4.3 % among recent abstainers. Factors associated with psychotic symptoms were age, being female, having chronic medical conditions, encountering traumatic life events being divorced or separated and lower education levels which positively correlated with symptom scores. There is a need for future investigations and longitudinal studies to uncover the underlying mechanisms and impacts of psychotic symptoms., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest We the authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background: HIV-related stigma has significant adverse impacts on people living with HIV/AIDS, such as psychological distress, decreased quality of life, a reluctance to get screened and treated, and a reluctance to disclose their status due to fear of stereotypes or rejection., Objectives: To determine the pooled prevalence and factors associated with HIV-related perceived stigma and internalized stigma among people living with HIV/AIDS in Africa., Methods: Articles that assessed the prevalence and associated factors of HIV-related perceived stigma and internalized stigma were reviewed. PubMed, EMBASE, Google Scholar, African Journal Online, CINAHL, and Science Direct were the databases used to search the primary studies. The data was extracted through a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and exported to STATA version 14 for further analysis. The I2 test was applied to test heterogeneity, whereas Egger's test and funnel plot were used to check publication bias., Results: In this study, the total sample size was 28,355 (for perceived stigma) and 22,732 (for internalized stigma). The overall pooled prevalence of HIV-related perceived stigma and internalized stigma was determined to be 41.23% and 35.68%, respectively. Based on the subgroup analysis results, the highest pooled prevalence of perceived stigma was observed in Nigeria (50.04%), followed by Ethiopia (41.72%), while the highest prevalence of internalized stigma was observed in Ethiopia (56.13%), followed by Cameroon (44.66%). Females (OR = 1.63: 1.31, 2.02) and rural dwellers (OR = 1.93: 1.36, 2.74) had more odds of experiencing HIV-related perceived stigma., Conclusion and Recommendation: This study concluded that four in ten and more than one-third of people living with HIV/AIDS suffered from perceived and internalized stigma. Thus, special considerations must be given to women and rural dwellers. It is recommended to implement multi-level interventions and foster empowerment and support for individuals living with HIV., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the study was carried out without any financial or commercial affiliations that might be seen as posing a conflict of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 Tadesse et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak is one of the public health problems that pose a serious mental health concern due to its high morbidity and mortality rate. The healthcare workers are at risk of developing mental health symptoms like depression and anxiety because they are the first point of contact in the diagnosis, treatment, and care of patients with COVID-19. This study aimed to systematically review the prevalence and the associated factors of depression and anxiety disorders among healthcare workers amid COVID-19 pandemic in Ethiopia., Method: A systematic review and meta-analysis study was conducted. Different primary studies that assessed the depressive and anxiety disorders during amid COVID-19 pandemic in the Ethiopian healthcare workers were extracted by Microsoft Excel and exported to STATA version 11 for further analysis. Random-effects model meta-analysis was used to the estimate pooled effect size and the effect of each study with their 95% confidence interval. Funnel plot analysis and Egger regression tests were conducted to detect the presence of publication bias. Subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis were conducted., Results: Thirteen studies with 5,174 participants were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis study. The pooled prevalence of depression and anxiety disorders was 40.39% (95% CI: 28.54, 52.24) and 44.93% (95% CI: 31.39, 58.46), respectively. Being a woman, being married, working in the frontline, and having high perceived susceptibility were significantly associated with depression among the Ethiopian healthcare workers. Similarly, being a woman, being older in age, working in the frontline, and having high perceived susceptibility were the factors associated with anxiety disorder among the Ethiopian healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic., Conclusion: The prevalence of depression and anxiety disorders in the Ethiopian healthcare workers was high. The timely detection and appropriate management of mental health problems is essential for the quality of healthcare services, and proactive support methods for the female, married, and older-age healthcare professionals could result in these outcomes., Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier CRD42022299074., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Kassew, Melkam, Minichil, Wondie and Ali.)

Introduction: Mental illness is mental and emotional disturbances that affect individual thinking, feeling, decision-making, mood, and daily functioning. A poor attitude toward severe mental illness means an individual has a distorted perception or attitude toward severely mentally ill patients. Despite the presence of a high burden of negative attitudes toward severe mental illness, there is a limited study conducted on Ethiopian University students. Therefore, this study aimed to reveal the prevalence of poor attitudes toward severe mental illness and its associated factors among University Gondar medical students in Northwest Ethiopia., Method: An institutional-based cross-sectional study design was employed from Jun 25 to August 15, 2022. A structured self-administered questionnaire was used to screen the attitudes of students toward severe mental illness. Mental Illness Clinician's Attitude fourth version and Mental Health Knowledge Schedule score tools were used to screen the attitude of students. Bi-variable logistic regression analysis was employed and variables with a p-value of less than 0.25 were entered into the multivariable logistic regression for further analysis. Factors with a p-value less than 0.05 at a 95 % Confidence Interval (CI) in the multivariable logistic regression analysis were considered statistically significantly associated., Results: From the total of 423 study participants with a 100 % response rate the overall prevalence of poor attitude towards severe mental illness among university students was 68.1 % with a 95 % CI (63.6-72.6). Age (18-24) [AOR = 2.47; 95 % CI: (1.37,4.45)], being male [AOR = 3.22; 95 % CI: (2.01-5.17)], from a rural area [AOR = 1.82; 95 % CI: (1.13-2.93)], and with no family history of mental illness [AOR = 2.07; 95 % CI: (1.12-3.82)] were statistically significantly associated factors with poor attitude towards severe mental illness., Conclusions: and recommendations: Approximately three-fourths of university Gondar medical students (68.1 %) had poor attitudes towards severe mental illness. Age (18-24), being male, originating from a rural area, and with no family history of mental illness were significantly associated with a poor attitude toward severe mental illness. Awareness creation about mental illness can change the attitude of students which can be done by the mental health department to give as a common course can help the student to have a positive attitude., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Background: The Populations Underrepresented in Mental illness Association Studies (PUMAS) project is attempting to remediate the historical underrepresentation of African and Latin American populations in psychiatric genetics through large-scale genetic association studies of individuals diagnosed with a serious mental illness [SMI, including schizophrenia (SCZ), schizoaffective disorder (SZA) bipolar disorder (BP), and severe major depressive disorder (MDD)] and matched controls. Given growing evidence indicating substantial symptomatic and genetic overlap between these diagnoses, we sought to enable transdiagnostic genetic analyses of PUMAS data by conducting phenotype alignment and harmonization for 89,320 participants (48,165 cases and 41,155 controls) from four cohorts, each of which used different ascertainment and assessment methods: PAISA n=9,105; PUMAS-LATAM n=14,638; NGAP n=42,953 and GPC n=22,624. As we describe here, these efforts have yielded harmonized datasets enabling us to analyze PUMAS genetic variation data at three levels: SMI overall, diagnoses, and individual symptoms., Methods: In aligning item-level phenotypes obtained from 14 different clinical instruments, we incorporated content, branching nature, and time frame for each phenotype; standardized diagnoses; and selected 19 core SMI item-level phenotypes for analyses. The harmonization was evaluated in PUMAS cases using multiple correspondence analysis (MCA), co-occurrence analyses, and item-level endorsement., Outcomes: We mapped >6,895 item-level phenotypes in the aggregated PUMAS data, in which SCZ (44.97%) and severe BP (BP-I, 31.53%) were the most common diagnoses. Twelve of the 19 core item-level phenotypes occurred at frequencies of > 10% across all diagnoses, indicating their potential utility for transdiagnostic genetic analyses. MCA of the 14 phenotypes that were present for all cohorts revealed consistency across cohorts, and placed MDD and SCZ into separate clusters, while other diagnoses showed no significant phenotypic clustering., Interpretation: Our alignment strategy effectively aggregated extensive phenotypic data obtained using diverse assessment tools. The MCA yielded dimensional scores which we will use for genetic analyses along with the item level phenotypes. After successful harmonization, residual phenotypic heterogeneity between cohorts reflects differences in branching structure of diagnostic instruments, recruitment strategies, and symptom interpretation (due to cultural variation).

Background: Sexual violence against women is a pervasive public health challenge and human rights violation, with global prevalence rates of approximately one in three women affected, notably prevalent in African countries. Understanding its multifaceted determinants is crucial for developing targeted intervention strategies. Thus, this study aimed to investigate factors associated with sexual violence against reproductive-age ever-married women in Ghana., Methods: A weighted sample of 3,816 reproductive-age ever-married women from the 2022 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) was included. To accommodate the hierarchical nature of the DHS data and the binary outcome variable 'sexual violence', a multilevel mixed-effect logistic regression model was employed. The deviance value was utilized for selecting the best-fitted model. In the multivariable multilevel binary logistic regression analysis, adjusted odds ratios (AORs) along with their respective 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were utilized to gauge the association strength, with statistical significance set at a p-value < 0.05., Result: The prevalence of sexual violence was found to be 8.80% (95% CI: 7.94-9.74). Factors positively associated with sexual violence included women's decision-making autonomy (AOR = 1.39, 95% CI: 1.08-1.74), husband/partner's alcohol consumption (AOR = 3.88, 95% CI: 2.98-5.06), sex of household head (AOR = 1.31, 95% CI: 1.02-1.68), and justification of beating (AOR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.01-1.81). Conversely, women's age showed a negative association with sexual violence (AOR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.48-0.98)., Conclusion: In conclusion, prioritizing initiatives that empower women in decision-making roles, provide support for those struggling with alcohol consumption, and raise awareness about its impact on interpersonal relationships and the risk of sexual violence is essential. Furthermore, addressing harmful gender norms, particularly those justifying violence, and considering demographic characteristics are vital components of comprehensive strategies to prevent and mitigate sexual violence., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Mekuria Negussie et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Importance: Psychological distress is characterized by anxiety and depressive symptoms. Although prior research has investigated the occurrence and factors associated with psychological distress in low- and middle-income countries, including those in Africa, these studies' findings are not very generalizable and have focused on different kinds of population groups., Objective: To investigate the prevalence and characteristics (sociodemographic, psychosocial, and clinical) associated with psychological distress among African participants., Design, Setting, and Participants: This case-control study analyzed data of participants in the Neuropsychiatric Genetics in African Populations-Psychosis (NeuroGAP-Psychosis) study, which recruited from general outpatient clinics in Eastern (Uganda, Kenya, and Ethiopia) and Southern (South Africa) Africa. Individuals who participated in the control group of NeuroGAP-Psychosis from 2018 to 2023 were analyzed as part of this study. Data were analyzed from May 2023 to January 2024., Main Outcomes and Measures: The prevalence of psychological distress was determined using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10), which measures distress on a scale of 10 to 50, with higher scores indicating more distress. Participants from the NeuroGAP-Psychosis study were categorized into cases as mild (score of 20-24), moderate (score of 25-29), and severe (score of 30-50), and participants with scores less than 20 were considered controls. Factors that were associated with psychological distress were examined using binomial logistic regression., Results: From the data on 21 308 participants, the mean (SD) age was 36.5 (11.8) years, and 12 096 participants (56.8%) were male. The majority of the participants were married or cohabiting (10 279 participants [48.2%]), most had attained secondary education as their highest form of learning (9133 participants [42.9%]), and most lived with their families (17 231 participants [80.9%]). The prevalence of mild, moderate, and severe psychological distress was 4.2% (869 participants), 1.5% (308 participants), and 0.8% (170 participants), respectively. There were 19 961 participants (93.7%) who served as controls. Binomial logistic regression analyses indicated that the independent associations of psychological distress were experience of traumatic events, substance use (alcohol, tobacco, or cannabis), the physical comorbidity of arthritis, chronic neck or back pain, and frequent or severe headaches., Conclusions and Relevance: In this case-control study among ethnically diverse African participants, psychological distress was associated with traumatic stress, substance use, and physical symptoms. These findings were observed to be consistent with previous research that emphasizes the importance of traumatic events as a factor associated with risk for psychopathology and notes the frequent co-occurrence of conditions such as physical symptoms, depression, and anxiety.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted the economic, psychological, and social well-being of people in Ethiopia. Pandemic-related fears can exacerbate anxiety and depression symptoms among those with pre-existing physical and mental health conditions as well as those with prior exposure to traumatic events., Methods: We used data from the Ethiopia NeuroGAP-Psychosis study (898 cases and 941 controls with and without a diagnosis of psychosis respectively, 66% male, mean age = 37 years). Data was collected between November 2021 and June 2022 during the COVID-19 pandemic from four hospitals in Ethiopia (three in Addis Ababa and one in Jimma city). Structural equation modeling analysis was conducted to examine the associations between trauma exposure, physical health conditions (like arthristis, neurological disorders, diabetes), COVID-19 stress, and psychological distress (depression and anxiety symptoms). We assessed direct and indirect effects for mediation, and conducted multigroup analysis to examine moderation by case control status., Results: We found evidence that the impact of greater trauma exposure and physical health conditions on higher psychological distress was mediated through higher COVID-19 stress. Sociodemographic characteristics (older age and being maried) were associated with higher psychological distress, with these associations mediated through greater trauma, physical health conditions, and COVID-19 stress. Case-control status also moderated the associations between these variables, with the mediation effects being stronger in cases and weaker in controls. Further, cases reported greater trauma and psychological distress, while controls reported more physical health conditions and COVID-19 stress., Implications: Our findings uniquely assess the interaction of health and emergency related factors in understudied settings like Ethiopia. They underscore the importance of including daily hardships and environmental stressors, along with prior trauma exposure, as risk factors for the assessment of mental health symptoms. This study has key implications for mental health screening and intervention research in response to complex emergency contexts like Ethiopia with a history of armed conflict in addition to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings can aid the development of targeted services that address the mental health of at-risk groups with pre-existing mental and physical health conditions., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: Sexual violence is a violation of women's rights, resulting in significant physical and psychological challenges and adverse reproductive health outcomes. Addressing these issues demands urgent public health interventions and support systems to mitigate the profound impact on individuals and societies. Thus, this study aimed to assess sexual violence against ever-married reproductive-age women in East Africa., Methods: Data retrieved from the recent Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) of East African countries was used, and a weighted sample of 40,740 ever-married reproductive-age women was included. To identify factors associated with sexual violence, multilevel mixed-effects models utilizing robust Poisson regression were applied. Akaike's and Bayesian information criteria, as well as deviance, were utilized to compare the models. In the multivariable regression model, adjusted prevalence ratios (APR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to estimate the strength of association, with statistical significance set at a p-value < 0.05., Result: The pooled proportion of sexual violence among ever-married reproductive-age women in East Africa was 13.05% (95% CI: 12.74-13.36). The multivariable multilevel robust Poisson regression revealed that age at first cohabitation/marriage, having a primary educational level, being employed, residing in a female-headed household, having a husband/partner who drinks alcohol, and living in rural areas were positively associated with sexual violence. On the contrary, having secondary and higher educational levels and living in communities with a high proportion of uneducated women were negatively associated with sexual violence., Conclusion: Empowering girls and women through education reduces their vulnerability. Effective programs should prioritize workplace safety, financial independence, and robust legal protections against harassment and abuse. Raising awareness about the impact of alcohol abuse on relationships and the heightened risk of sexual violence is crucial. Moreover, enhancing access to support services and community networks, especially in rural areas, is essential for preventing and responding to sexual violence., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Introduction: Human rights violations and violence against women are serious public health issues that have numerous detrimental repercussions on one's physical, emotional, sexual, and reproductive health. According to studies, women's perceptions and traits of violence are highly predictive of their likelihood of seeking help against violence. Even though intimate partner violence is a huge challenge nowadays in Africa, there is a low level of help-seeking behavior. Conducting this study at the East African level on help-seeking behavior can provide a clue for policy-makers. Therefore, this study aimed to reveal the prevalence of help-seeking behavior against intimate partner violence and determinant factors among women in East Africa., Method: Multilevel logistic regression analysis was carried out among East Africans using recent demographic and health survey data. A total of 7,387 participants aged 15 to 49 years were included in this study from East African countries. Individual- and community-level variables were considered to determine the associated factors with help-seeking behaviors against intimate partner violence with 95% CI and AOR., Results: The prevalence of help-seeking behavior against intimate partner violence among women was 38.07% with 95% CI (36.96%, 39.18%). Husbands drink alcohol [AOR = 1.46: 95% CI (1.33, 1.61)], women who have work [AOR = 1.33: 95% CI (1.19, 1.50)], and women with higher educational status [AOR = 1.36: 95% CI (1.16, 1.59)] were factors associated with help-seeking behavior against intimate partner violence., Conclusion: Approximately four out of 10 women were seeking help for intimate partner violence in East Africa. Husbands drinking alcohol, women's high educational status, and women having occupations were the factors that were associated with help-seeking behaviors against intimate partner violence., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Melkam, Asnake, Mekuria Negussie, Bezie, Asmare, Asebe, Seifu and Fente.)

Background: Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) is a common mental health condition with major public health consequences, affecting 0.2-3.3 % of the general population. ASPD has become increasingly common in correctional settings. Therefore, this study aimed to assess antisocial personality disorder and its determinants among prisoners in South Gondar zone correctional centers, which has a vital role in early intervention., Methods: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted using the simple random sampling technique to recruit a total of 552 participants. Antisocial personality disorder was assessed by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th text revision (DSM-5) using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. We used binary and multivariate analyses to identify factors associated with ASPD. Statistical significance was declared at a 95 % confidence interval (CI) of p-value ˂0.05., Results: A total of 552 participants took part with a response rate of 97.87 %. The prevalence of antisocial personality disorder among prisoners was found to be 27.5 %, with a 95 % CI (23.96, 31.42). The study revealed that male sex (AOR = 5.25, 95 % CI: 1.60, 17.31), being unemployed (AOR = 4.38, 95 % CI: 1.27, 15.08), family history of mental illness (AOR = 2.23, 95 % CI: 1.30, 3.81), and repeated incarceration (AOR = 2.04, 95 % CI: 1.28, 3.23) were factors significantly associated with antisocial personality disorder., Conclusions: This study showed a higher prevalence of antisocial personality disorder among prisoners. Male sex, unemployment, family history of mental illness, and history of incarceration were significantly associated with antisocial personality disorder. Therefore, the findings of this study recommend that incarcerated people require more attention and early intervention for antisocial personality disorder in correctional centers., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declared no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: According to the WHO, obstetric fistula (OBF) is an abnormal connection between the genital tract and the urinary tract that occurs as the result of obstetric trauma, typically from prolonged obstructed labour. In 2018, globally, 50 000 and 100 000 cases of OBF are reported each year. The core of activities focused on reducing fistulas depends on a review of the disorder's knowledge and the features of women at risk of having a lack of understanding. The effect of community-level factors on awareness of OBF was not yet known in Nepal. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the community-level and individual-level factors of awareness of OBF among childbearing-aged women in Nepal., Methods: The 2022 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey data were used for this study. It included 14 845 childbearing-aged women. Because of the clustering effects of Demographic and Health Survey data and the binary nature of the outcome variable, a multilevel binary logistic regression model was applied. An adjusted OR (AOR) with a 95% CI was reported to declare the statistical significance. In addition, the model that had the lowest deviance was the one that best fit the data., Results: The overall prevalence of awareness of OBF among childbearing women in Nepal was 35.9% (95% CI 35.1%, 36.7%). Educational status (women who attended secondary education (AOR=1.65; 95% CI 1.41, 3.03) and higher education (AOR=4.29; 95% CI 1.14, 36.70)), currently working status (AOR=1.85; 95% CI 1.04, 3.30), birth history (AOR=2.23; 95% CI 1.48, 4.10), media exposure (AOR=1.54; 95% CI 1.07, 3.09) and women's age from 30 to 39 (AOR=3.38; 95% CI 1.35, 8.93) and 40 to 49 years old (AOR=4.68; 95% CI 1.60, 13.67) at the individual level, as well as urban residence (AOR=1.53; 95% CI 1.99, 2.87) and high community-level media exposure (AOR=2.05; 95% CI 1.67, 2.64) at the community level were statistically significant factors with awareness of OBF., Conclusion: Our study revealed that awareness of OBF among childbearing-aged women in Nepal was low (35.9%). The findings of this study will assist policymakers and public health programmers in understanding the magnitude of OBF awareness and the contributory factors. In addition, it will be useful to increasing awareness of OBF in the communities and promoting primary prevention approaches through education and motivation efforts., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

We deployed the Blended Genome Exome (BGE), a DNA library blending approach that generates low pass whole genome (1-4× mean depth) and deep whole exome (30-40× mean depth) data in a single sequencing run. This technology is cost-effective, empowers most genomic discoveries possible with deep whole genome sequencing, and provides an unbiased method to capture the diversity of common SNP variation across the globe. To evaluate this new technology at scale, we applied BGE to sequence >53,000 samples from the Populations Underrepresented in Mental Illness Associations Studies (PUMAS) Project, which included participants across African, African American, and Latin American populations. We evaluated the accuracy of BGE imputed genotypes against raw genotype calls from the Illumina Global Screening Array. All PUMAS cohorts had R 2 concordance ≥95% among SNPs with MAF≥1%, and never fell below ≥90% R 2 for SNPs with MAF<1%. Furthermore, concordance rates among local ancestries within two recently admixed cohorts were consistent among SNPs with MAF≥1%, with only minor deviations in SNPs with MAF<1%. We also benchmarked the discovery capacity of BGE to access protein-coding copy number variants (CNVs) against deep whole genome data, finding that deletions and duplications spanning at least 3 exons had a positive predicted value of ~90%. Our results demonstrate BGE scalability and efficacy in capturing SNPs, indels, and CNVs in the human genome at 28% of the cost of deep whole-genome sequencing. BGE is poised to enhance access to genomic testing and empower genomic discoveries, particularly in underrepresented populations.

Background: Addressing the global challenge of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is crucial and demands immediate attention. Raising awareness, improving healthcare facilities, and implementing preventive measures are necessary to reduce the spread and mitigate their adverse effects. The treatment seeking behavior of individuals in relation to STIs is an important factor in STI prevention and control. Thus, this study aimed to identify factors associated with STI-related care-seeking behavior among sexually active men in East Africa., Methods: A weighted sample of 3,302 sexually active men from recent Demographic and Health Surveys (DHSs) in East African countries were included for analysis. To accommodate the inherent clustering in DHS data and the binary nature of the dependent variable, we applied a multi-level mixed-effect logistic regression model. The deviance value was used to select the best-fitted model. The strength of the association was estimated using an adjusted odds ratio, along with a 95% confidence interval, and statistical significance was determined at a p-value < 0.05., Result: The pooled prevalence of STI-related care-seeking behavior among sexually active men in East Africa was 71% (95%CI: 69.76, 72.75). In the multivariable multilevel model, individuals in the age groups of 25-34 (AOR = 1.58, 95%CI: 1.22, 2.04) and 44 years and above (AOR = 1.44, 95%CI: 1.01, 2.02), those who were married (AOR = 1.62, 95%CI: 1.25, 2.11), had 1 (AOR = 1.88, 95%CI: 1.50, 2.35) and ≥2 (AOR = 2.53, 95%CI: 1.89, 3.39) sexual partners excluding their spouse, had ever been tested for HIV (AOR = 1.86, 95%CI: 1.52, 2.28), and had media exposure (AOR = 1.30, 95%CI: 1.04, 1.62) had a positive association with care-seeking behavior for STIs., Conclusion: Based on our findings, seven out of ten sexually active men in East Africa exhibit care-seeking behavior for STIs. It is crucial to implement policies and strategies aimed at improving the health-seeking habits of young, unmarried men. Utilizing diverse media platforms to disseminate accurate information and success stories about STI symptoms is pivotal in achieving this goal., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Seifu et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Aim: Few psychosis screening instruments have been tested for use in Africa, yet appropriate tools can increase the detection of self-reported psychotic symptoms, improve the detection of psychosis and impact its prognosis., Method: The construct validity and factor structure of Psychosis Screening Questionnaire (PSQ) were tested with confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and item response theory (IRT) in a sample of 1928 Ethiopian adults without any history of psychosis. We tested a unidimensional model with and without an item on mania. For IRT, unidimensional latent structure one-parameter logistic (1PL) and two-parameter (2PL) logistic models were tested and compared for relative fit using a likelihood-ratio test., Result and Discussion: The prevalence of lifetime positive screens was 2.8% in an Ethiopian sample of adults from a general medical setting. A unidimensional model demonstrated good fit for the PSQ, (CFI = 0.993, TLI = 0.986 and RMSEA = 0.025). For IRT, a 2PL model was the best fitting one. IRT tests of item difficulty and discrimination parameters showed that paranoia had the highest discrimination α = 4.59 $$ \left(\alpha =4.59\right) $$ and lowest difficulty ( β = 2.53 $$ \beta =2.53 $$ ), likely to be endorsed at low levels of psychotic features. Thought insertion had the highest item difficulty ( β = 2.98 $$ \beta =2.98 $$ ). Overall, the measure captures the psychosis construct at higher levels of the latent trait and may be suited for detecting moderate to severe levels of psychosis., Conclusion: The PSQ is found to have good construct validity in screening for psychosis among Ethiopian adults. Future studies may focus on the diagnostic validity of the PSQ comparing it with a structured clinical interview., (© 2024 The Author(s). Early Intervention in Psychiatry published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

Introduction: Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is the most prevalent form of violence against women globally and is more prevalent than rape or other violent attacks by strangers. Different observational studies have established a strong positive association between alcohol use and intimate partner violence. Even though there are a lot of studies that show the association between partner alcohol use and intimate partner violence limited studies were conducted that show the direct causative relations of partner alcohol use and IPV among reproductive-age women in East Africa. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effect of partner alcohol use on intimate partner violence in East Africa's recent Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data with Propensity Score Matching (PSM)., Method: Community-based cross-sectional study design with a propensity score matching was used from the East African countries' DHS data. A total of the weighted sample size of 72,554 reproductive-age women was used for this study. Propensity score matching analysis was conducted to determine the causal relation between partner alcohol use and intimate partner violence. Intimate partner violence was the outcome variable and partner alcohol use was the treatment variable. Propensity score matching was carried out through Stata software by using psmatch2 of the logit-based model. The assumption of common support was verified and achieved. Mantel-Haenszel boundaries have been used to investigate the possibility of hidden bias in the outcome., Result: The prevalence of partner alcohol use and intimate partner violence from East African countries was 37.94 with a CI of (37.58%, 38.29%) and 41.45% with a CI (41.09%, 41.80%) respectively. Partner alcohol use contributed to a 2.78% increase in intimate partner violence according to the estimated average treatment on treated values in the treated and control groups were 59.41% and 31.51%, respectively. Ultimately, it was found that among all research participants, the average effect on the population as a whole was 25.33%., Conclusion: We conclude that partner alcohol use has a direct cause for intimate partner violence. Therefore, controlling partner alcohol consumption can reduce the burden of intimate partner violence., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Introduction: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a human rights violation that often involves violence against women, which appears to be the most prevalent type of abuse. IPV is a global public health issue with major human rights violations. Pregnant women's IPV needs special consideration because of the possible harm that might happen to mothers and their fetuses. The enormous global public health issue of IPV affects physical, mental, and sexual transgressions. Even though there were studies conducted on IPV among women, few studies were conducted among pregnant women in sub-Saharan African countries. Therefore, this study revealed IPV and associated factors among pregnant women from the recent Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) in sub-Saharan African countries., Methods: Multilevel logistic regression analysis used data from the recent sub-Saharan African countries DHS was carried out using this secondary data. For this study, pregnant women between the ages of 15 and 49 were included; the total sample size was 17,672. Multilevel logistic regression models were calibrated to determine the associated factors at the individual and community level with IPV, with a 95% CI and AOR., Results: The prevalence of IPV among pregnant women in 23 sub-Saharan African countries was 41.94%, with a 95% CI of 40.82 to 43.06%. Poorer and poorest [AOR = 1.92; 95% CI: (1.01, 3.67)] and [AOR = 2.01; 95% CI:(1.02, 3.92)], partner alcohol drink [AOR = 3.37;95% CI:(2.21, 5.14)], and no partner education [AOR = 2.01;95% CI:(1.12, 3.63)] were statistically associated factors with IPV among pregnant women., Conclusion: The prevalence of IPV among pregnant women in sub-Saharan African countries was high (41.94%). Low economic status, partner drinking alcohol, and partner no education were the associated factors of IPV. This finding provides clues for policymakers and other organizations concerned about women., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Melkam, Fentahun, Rtbey, Andualem, Nakie, Tinsae, Wassie, Lemma Seifu and Fente.)

Background: Many adolescents are vulnerable to gender-based violence, and it is a major public health issue. Even though the burden of gender-based violence is still high in Ethiopia, there is a lack of summary information to address the problem. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the pooled magnitude and factors associated with gender-based violence among female students in Ethiopian higher educational institutions., Methods: The primary articles were searched using databases like PubMed, Google Scholar, CINAHL, SCOPUS, EMBASE, and African Journal Online. Articles that assessed the magnitude and factors associated with GBV among female students in Ethiopia were included. A Microsoft Excel spreadsheet was used to extract the data, which was then exported to Stata version 14 for further analysis. The statistical heterogeneity was evaluated using the I 2 test. Due to heterogeneity, a random effect meta-analysis model was employed. Publication bias was checked through Egger's weighted regression test and funnel plot., Results: This study included twenty-five primary studies with 13,013 participants. The prevalence of lifetime GBV (n = 7), sexual violence (n = 25), and physical violence (n = 7) was found to be 51.42% (42.38, 60.46), 46.53% (39.86, 53.21), and 37.93% (24.68, 51.18), respectively. Witnessing their mother's abuse by their father during childhood, a lack of open discussion in the family about reproductive health and related personal issues, alcohol consumption, and tight family control were some of the factors significantly associated with lifetime gender-based violence. Furthermore, those who had drunken friends, a regular boyfriend, multiple sexual partners, and chat chewing were factors significantly associated with lifetime sexual violence., Conclusions and Recommendations: Our findings revealed that half of female students at higher institutions suffered from violence. So it is recommended to provide accessible information about the consequences of GBV and early intervention for students with the above factors., Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/#recordDetails, identifier CRD42023494760., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Tadesse, Tinsae, Nakie, Rtbey, Andualem, Kelebie, Kibralew, Tadesse Abate, Shumet, Melkam and Fentahun.)

Background: The link between trauma exposure and psychotic disorders is well-established. Further, specific types of trauma may be associated with specific psychotic symptoms. Network analysis is an approach that can advance our understanding of the associations across trauma types and psychotic symptoms., Methods: We conducted a network analysis with data from 16,628 adult participants (mean age [standard deviation] = 36.3 years [11.5]; 55.8% males) with psychotic disorders in East Africa recruited between 2018 and 2023. We used the Life Events Checklist and the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview to determine whether specific trauma types experienced over the life course and specific psychotic symptoms were connected. We used an Ising model to estimate the network connections and bridge centrality statistics to identify nodes that may influence trauma types and psychotic symptoms., Results: The trauma type "exposure to a war zone" had the highest bridge strength, betweenness, and closeness. The psychotic symptom "odd or unusual beliefs" had the second highest bridge strength. Exposure to a war zone was directly connected to visual hallucinations, odd or unusual beliefs, passivity phenomena, and disorganized speech. Odd or unusual beliefs were directly connected to transportation accidents, physical assault, war, and witnessing sudden accidental death., Conclusion: Specific trauma types and psychotic symptoms may interact bidirectionally. Screening for psychotic symptoms in patients with war-related trauma and evaluating lifetime trauma in patients with odd or unusual beliefs in clinical care may be considered points of intervention to limit stimulating additional psychotic symptoms and trauma exposure. This work reaffirms the importance of trauma-informed care for patients with psychotic disorders., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2024 The Author. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Sexual dysfunction is the most frequent health problem among psychiatric patients. This could be the result of both the nature of the illness itself and the side effects of prescribed psychotropic medications. It also significantly affects an individual's general well-being, interpersonal relationships, self-esteem, and treatment outcomes. Therefore, the current systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to determine the combined prevalence of sexual dysfunction and its correlated factors among people with mental illness., Methods: We retrieved eligible primary studies using various search databases like PubMed, EMBASE, Science Direct, African Journal Online, Google Scholar, and Psychiatry Online. The report of this systematic review was reported following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. We used standardized data extraction checklists and STATA version 14 for data extraction and analysis, respectively. The I-squared statistics test was used to check statistical heterogeneity within the included articles. Publication bias was assessed using a funnel plot and the Egger test. To estimate the overall prevalence and correlated factors of sexual dysfunction, a random effects model meta-analysis was employed., Results: In this meta-analysis, a total of 15 primary studies with 2849 psychiatric patients were included. The overall pooled prevalence of sexual dysfunction among psychiatric patients in Africa was 58.42% (95% CI: 49.55, 67.28). Having older age (OR = 1.92, 95% CI: 1.28, 2.87), longer duration of illness (OR = 2.60, 95% CI: 1.14, 5.93), history of relapse (OR = 3.51, 95% CI: 1.47, 8.43), poor quality of life (OR = 3.89, 95% CI: 2.15, 7.05), and antipsychotic medications (OR = 2.99, 95% CI: 1.84, 4.86) were significantly associated with sexual dysfunction., Conclusion: This meta-analysis revealed that approximately two-thirds of psychiatric patients in Africa are affected by sexual dysfunction. Therefore, the findings of this study recommend that when evaluating psychiatric patients, health professionals should focus more on sexual dysfunction. It is also essential to promote awareness and incorporate sexual health assessment and intervention into mental health services to reduce the overall burden of the problem., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright: © 2024 Fentahun et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: Individuals diagnosed with chronic medical conditions and patients appointed to undergo surgery face various degrees of anxiety as a result of doubts related to the outcome of surgery, and the psycho-socioeconomic costs of the medical illness. This can affect the treatment process and even the outcome of patients with medical and surgical cases. Though different studies were conducted on anxiety and associated factors among medical and surgical patients in Ethiopia, the findings were found to be inconsistent and had a wide discrepancy. So, this systematic review and meta-analysis estimated the pooled effect size of anxiety among this population and guides to plan appropriate intervention at a national level., Methods: Studies conducted on anxiety and associated factors among medical and surgical patients in Ethiopia were included. Data was extracted using Microsoft Excel and analyzed using STATA version 11. The random-effects model was used to estimate the pooled effect size of anxiety and its determinants with 95% confidence intervals. Funnel plots and Egger's regression tests were employed to check publication bias. Sub-group and sensitivity analyses were also conducted., Results: The pooled prevalence of anxiety among medical and surgical patients in Ethiopia was found to be 48.82% with a 95% CI (42.66, 54.99). Being female[OR = 2.84(2.02, 4.01)], fear of death [OR = 2.93(1.57, 5.50)], and history of surgery[OR = 0.42(0.27, 0.065)], among surgical patients and being female[OR = 2.35(1.94, 2.850], having poor social support[OR = 2.22(1.62, 3.05)], perceived stigma[OR = 4.25(1.97, 9.18)] and family history of mental illness[OR = 1.86(1.21, 2.86)] among medical patients were significantly associated with anxiety in this systematic review and meta-analysis., Conclusion and Recommendation: The pooled prevalence of anxiety among medical and surgical patients in Ethiopia was found to be high. Therefore, it would be good for professionals to screen patients for anxiety besides managing their medical or surgical cases to detect them early and address them., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Rtbey et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: Anxiety symptoms are the most frequent mental health problems in the world, and it is a serious public health concern, especially among adolescents, because if left untreated, adolescent anxiety can have a number of detrimental effects, including lower academic performance, strained relationships with friends and family, substance addiction, thoughts of suicide and homicide, and trouble finding work. While this vulnerability is concerning in all situations, it is particularly critical in armed conflict areas. Ethiopia is one of the most recent war-affected countries, but to the best of our knowledge, limited studies focused on adolescents in this context. Therefore, this study assessed the experience of war trauma and its effects on anxiety symptoms among high school students in Woldia town, Ethiopia., Objective: We assessed the experience of war trauma and its effects on anxiety among high school students, as well as associated risk factors, in war-affected areas in Woldia town, northeast Ethiopia., Methods: A cross-sectional study design was conducted from May 23 to June 08 2022. Data were collected from high school students in Woldia town. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to identify independent factors associated with anxiety., Results: A total of 624 out of 660 students participated in the study (94.5% response rate). The prevalence of anxiety among high school students in Woldia town was 39.7%. In the multivariable analysis, having depression (AOR = 9.24, 95% CI: 6.27, 13.64), witnessing the murder of family/friends (AOR = 1.93, 95% CI: 1.05, 3.57), being of female sex (AOR=1.59, 95% CI: 1.08, 2.36), and having a family history of mental illness (AOR=1.69, 95% CI: 1.00, 2.85) were factors significantly associated with anxiety., Conclusions and Recommendations: The prevalence of anxiety in this study was approximately two in five high school students. Therefore, we recommend that the Ministry of Education collaborate with the Ministry of Health to expand and implement mental health services in high schools to promote the wellbeing of students for the prevention of anxiety., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Kassa, Anbesaw, Nakie, Melkam, Azmeraw, Semagn and Abate.)

Although the overall burden of malaria is decreasing in Ethiopia, a recent report of an unpredictable increased incidence may be related to the presence of community-wide gametocyte-carrier individuals and a high proportion of infected vectors. This study aimed to reveal the current prevalence of gametocyte-carriage and the sporozoite infectivity rate of Anopheles vectors for Plasmodium parasites. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from May 01 to June 30/2019. A total of 53 households were selected using systematic random sampling and a 242 study participants were recruited. Additionally,515 adult female Anopheles mosquitoes were collected using Center for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) light traps and mouth aspirators. Parasite gametocytemia was determined using giemsa stain microscopy, while sporozoite infection was determined by giemsa staining microscopy and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Among the total 242 study participants, 5.4% (95%, CI = 2.9-8.3) of them were positive for any of the Plasmodium species gametocyte. Furthermore, being female [AOR = 15.5(95%, CI = 1.71-140.39)], age group between 15-29 years old [AOR = 16.914 (95%, CI = 1.781-160.63)], no ITNs utilization [AOR = 16.7(95%, CI = 1.902 -146.727)], and high asexual parasite density [(95%, CI = 0.057-0.176, P = 0.001, F = 18.402)] were identified as statistically significant factors for gametocyte carriage. Whereas sporozoite infection rate was 11.6% (95%, CI = 8.2-15.5) and 12.7% (95%, CI = 9.6-16.3) by microscopy and ELISA, respectively. Overall, this study indicated that malaria remains to be an important public health problem in Gondar Zuria district where high gametocyte carriage rate and sporozoite infection rate could sustain its transmission and burden. Therefore, in Ethiopia, where malaria elimination program is underway, frequent, and active community-based surveillance of gametocytemia and sporozoite infection rate is important., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Minwuyelet et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is the most prevalent but neglected psychiatric disorder, with somatic symptoms that are severe enough to markedly affect usual daily activities and have a negative impact on mental health and quality of life by affecting female patients' behavior and cognition. Studies regarding premenstrual dysphoric disorder and associated factors among high school students in low- and middle-income countries are limited. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and associated factors of PMDD among high school students, and this is pivotal in further investigation., Methods: A school-based cross-sectional study was conducted from March 25 to April 17, 2023 using a simple random-sampling technique to select a sample of 564 participants. Premenstrual dysphoric disorder was assessed using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). Self-administered standardized questionnaires were used to collect data., Result: A total of 548 study participants participated, with a 97.2% response rate. The prevalence of premenstrual dysphoric disorder among high school students was found to be 33.03% (95%CI: 29.20-37.09). In a multivariable analysis, irregular menstruation cycle (AOR = 4.242, 95%CI = 2.182-8.246), depression (AOR = 5.272, 95%CI = 2.779-10.002), having greater than 4 days of menstruation bleeding duration (AOR = 2.138, 95%CI = 1.105-4.138), and high perceived stress (AOR = 3.468, 95%CL = 1.217-9.880) were the factors significantly associated with premenstrual dysphoric disorder., Conclusion: The overall prevalence of PMDD which was one-third among high school students was high. Moreover, long duration of menstruation bleeding, depressive symptoms, irregular menstruation cycle, and high perceived stress were significant factors in PMDD. Therefore, it needs early screening and intervention in primary healthcare settings, especially for those who have high perceived stress, having depression, having a long duration of menstruation bleeding, and having an irregular menstruation cycle, so as to have good academic achievement and psychological wellbeing., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Kibralew, Demilew, Koye, Yitayih, Kelebie, Melkam, Tadesse, Fentahun, Nakie, Wassie and Amare.)

Background: Malaria is a critical public health concern in Ethiopia, with significant socioeconomic consequences. Malaria data trend analysis is essential for understanding transmission patterns and adopting evidence-based malaria control measures. The purpose of this study was to determine the 5 year distribution of malaria in North Shewa zone, Amhara region, Ethiopia, in 2023., Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study design was employed to analyse the 5 year trend of malaria surveillance data in the North Shewa zone of the Amhara regional, Ethiopia, spanning from July 2018 to June 2023. The malaria indicator data were gathered from the zone's public health emergency management database. Malaria data from the previous 5 years was collected, compiled, processed, and analysed using Microsoft Excel 2019., Results: Among a total of 434,110 suspected cases 47,889 (11.03%) cases were confirmed as malaria, with an average annual malaria incidence rate of 4.4 per 1000 population in the Zone. Malaria cases exhibited an increase from Epidemiological Week (Epi week) 37 to Epi week 49 (September to November) and again from Epi week 22 to week 30 (May to July). Individuals aged 15 and above, and all districts in the Zone except Angolela were notably affected by malaria., Conclusion: Despite implementing various measures to reduce malaria incidence, the disease continues to persist in the zone. Therefore, the Zone Health Department should intensify its preventive and control efforts., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Epilepsy is a global health and economic burden with major problems that have an impact on physical, psychological, and social activities. Quality of life (QoL) is often disturbed and can be influenced by many factors, like anti-seizure medication side effects, the sociocultural environment, and various disease-related factors. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to provide an overview of the most recent information available regarding the pooled prevalence of poor quality of life and associated factors among adult people with epilepsy in Ethiopia., Methods: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) is an appropriate set of guidelines for reporting systematic reviews and meta-analyses. This systematic review and meta-analysis protocol was registered on the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) with CRD42024527914. To find publications for the systematic review and meta-analysis, we used both manual and electronic searches. The publications were searched by PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and other grey publications were searched by Google Scholar. The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) for cross-sectional study quality assessment was employed to evaluate the methodological quality of the studies included in this review. The data was extracted in Microsoft Excel, and then it was exported into STATA 11.0 for analysis. A funnel plot and an objective examination of Egger's regression test were used to check for publication bias., Results: We have included 7 studies conducted in Ethiopia with 2123 study participants, of whom 1163 (54.78%) were male individuals, and 1196 (56.34%) of the participants were living without marriage (either single, divorced, or widowed). The pooled prevalence of poor quality of life among people with epilepsy in Ethiopia is 45.07 (95% CI: 39.73-50.42%). Further, in subgroup analysis regarding the assessment tool of poor quality of life of people with epilepsy, QOLIE-31 accounted for 50.05% (95%CI: 46.65-53.45) and WHO QOL BREF accounted for 39.72% (95%CI: 27.67-51.78). Among the associated factors, being unable to read and write, anxiey and depression were significantly linked to the quality of life of people with epilepsy., Conclusion: This review found that there was a high pooled prevalence of poor quality of life related to people with epilepsy in Ethiopia. This study may provide further information to concerned bodies that do early screening and manage the quality of life of individuals with epilepsy. Also, screening and intervention for anxiety and depression problems should be considered in regular epilepsy care management., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objectives: The objective of this study is to estimate the overall pooled prevalence of depression and its associated factors among high school, college and university students in Ethiopia., Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis., Data Sources: PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, Science Direct, African Journal Online and Google Scholar. The primary articles were searched from 2 April 2023 to 11 May 2023., Eligibility Criteria: Observational studies such as cross-sectional, case-control and cohort studies that reported the prevalence and associated factors of depression among students in Ethiopia were included. Both published and unpublished primary studies were included in this review., Data Extraction and Synthesis: Two authors independently extracted all the important data using a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and exported it to Stata V.14 for analysis. The statistical heterogeneity among the included articles was assessed by the I 2 statistics test. Publication bias was checked using the funnel plot and Egger's regression test., Results: A total of 17 primary studies with 8798 study participants were included in the current study to estimate the combined prevalence of depression. The pooled prevalence of depression among Ethiopian students was 35.52% with a 95% CI (30.54% to 40.51%). Subgroup analysis showed that the pooled prevalence of depression was higher in Addis Ababa, which was 40.43%, with a 95% CI (28.02% to 52.83%). Female sex, first-year educational level, family history of mental illness, alcohol drinking and parental neglect were significantly associated with depression in this study., Conclusion: In this review, the overall pooled prevalence of depression among students in Ethiopia was high compared with the general population. Therefore, it is necessary to make more efforts to provide mental healthcare and psychosocial support to students to improve their mental health and decrease the overall burden of depression., Prospero Registration Number: CRD42023424301., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Introduction: Intimate partner violence is a human rights violation that often involves violence against women, which appears to be the most prevalent type of abuse. Intimate partner violence is a major global public health issue that includes physical, emotional, and sexual violence. The prevalence of intimate partner violence in Africa is high. The burden of intimate partner violence among reproductive-age women is high in Kenya. Therefore, the main aim of this study is to determine the associated factors of intimate partner violence among reproductive-age women at the individual and community level from the recent Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) 2022 data of Kenya., Methods: The Kenya National Demographic and Health Survey data of 2022 was used for this study. The overall sample size for this study was 14,612, which focused on women aged 15 to 49 years who had ever been partnered and responded to the domestic violence module. Multilevel logistic regression models to determine the prevalence and associated factors at the individual and community level with intimate partner violence with a 95% Confidence Interval (CI) and Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR)., Result: The overall prevalence of intimate partner violence was 41.1% with a 95% CI (40.07%, 42.60. Male-headed households, poorest and middle wealth status, partner alcohol use, separated/widowed current marital status, and low education of women were statistically significantly associated with intimate partner violence at the individual level variables in this study., Conclusions: The prevalence of intimate partner violence was high. Educating women, reducing partner alcohol use, and improving the economic status of women, were crucial in mitigating the burden of intimate partner violence. The intimate partners are supposed to respect the rights of women., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10) has been widely used to screen psychological distress across many countries. However, its performance has not been extensively studied in Africa. The present study sought to evaluate and compare measurement properties of the K10 across four African countries: Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, and South Africa. Our hypothesis is that the measure will show equivalence across all. Data are drawn from a neuropsychiatric genetic study among adult participants ( N = 9179) from general medical settings in Ethiopia ( n = 1928), Kenya ( n = 2556), Uganda ( n = 2104), and South Africa ( n = 2591). A unidimensional model with correlated errors was tested for equivalence across study countries using confirmatory factor analyses and the alignment optimization method. Results displayed 30 % noninvariance (i.e., variation) for both intercepts and factor loadings across all countries. Monte Carlo simulations showed a correlation of 0.998, a good replication of population values, indicating minimal noninvariance, or variation. Items "so nervous," "lack of energy/effortful tasks," and "tired" were consistently equivalent for intercepts and factor loadings, respectively. However, items "depressed" and "so depressed" consistently differed across study countries (R 2 = 0) for intercepts and factor loadings for both items. The K10 scale likely functions equivalently across the four countries for most items, except "depressed" and "so depressed." Differences in K10 items were more common in Kenya and Ethiopia, suggesting cultural context may influence the interpretation of some items and the potential need for cultural adaptations in these countries.

Background: Urinary tract infections are common bacterial and fungal infections in humans, occurring both in the community and in immunocompromised patients in healthcare settings. Urinary tract infections have a significant health impact on HIV-infected patients. Nowadays, drug-resistant pathogens are widespread poses a serious clinical risk, and causes urinary tract infection. The common agents of bacteria and fungi that cause urinary tract infection are Escherichia coli followed by Klebsiella pneumonia, Staphylococcus saprophyticus, Enterococcus faecalis, group B streptococcus, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida. albicans. This study aimed to investigate uro-pathogen, multidrug resistance pattern of bacteria, and associated factors of community-acquired urinary tract infection among HIV-positive patients attending antiretroviral therapy in Dessie comprehensive specialized hospital, Northeast Ethiopia from February 1, 2021, to March 30, 2021., Methods: An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted at Dessie Comprehensive Specialized Hospital. Socio-demographic and clinical data were collected by using structured questionnaires from HIV patients suspected of community-acquired urinary tract infections. About 10 ml of clean-catch midstream urine was collected and inoculated into Blood agar, MacConkey, and Cysteine lactose electrolyte deficient media. Yeasts were identified by using Gram stain, germ tube test, carbohydrate fermentation, assimilation tests, and chromogenic medium. Gram stain and biochemical tests were performed to identify isolates and an antimicrobial susceptibility pattern was performed on disc diffusion techniques. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS version 25. Both bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed and a P value of < 0.05 with an adjusted odds ratio with their 95% confidence interval (CI) was used as statistically significant associations., Results: From the total 346 study participants, 92 (26.6%) were culture positive 75 (81.52%) were bacterial and 17 (18.48%) were fungal pathogens. From a total of 75 bacteria isolates 51(68%) were Gram-negative bacteria and the most commonly isolated bacteria were E. coli 16 (21.33%) followed by K. pneumoniae 11(14.67%) and enterococcus species 10(10.87. Of the 17 fungal isolates of fungi, 8(47.1%) were represented by C. tropicalis. Of the isolated bacteria, 61(81.3%) were resistant to three and above classes of antibiotics (drug classes). About 13 (81.3%) of E. coli, 9(81.8%) of K. pneumoniae, 8(80%) of Enterococcus species, 7 (77.8%) of P. aeruginosa, and CoNs 7(87.5%) were the most frequently exhibited three and above classes of antibiotics (multi-drug resistance). Amikacin and gentamicin were effective against Gram-negative Uro-pathogens. Participants aged>44year, female, being daily labor, being farmer, unable to read and write, patients with CD4 count of ≤ 200 cells/mm3 and CD4 count of 201-350 cells/mm3, who had chronic diabetics, patients having a history of hospitalization and who had urgency of urinations were statistically significant association with significant urinary tract infections., Conclusion: The burden of community-acquired urinary tract infections among HIV patients is alarmingly increased. Therefore, behavior change communications might be considered for promoting the health status of HIV patients. Moreover, CD4 level monitoring and therapeutics selection based on microbiological culture are quite advisable for the management of urinary tract infections of HIV patients., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interest., (Copyright: © 2024 Tilahun et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: Depression is the most common mental health outcome of exposure to war-related traumatic stressors. Due to inter-communal conflict, Dessie City residents have experienced prolonged armed conflict in 2021. This conflict leads to widespread violence, negative impact on mental health, and large-scale forced migration. However, the problem is not properly addressed in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the prevalence and risk factors of depression in the war-affected area in Dessie City, Ethiopia., Method: A cross-sectional study design was conducted among 785 participants in 2022. The study subjects were selected using a multi-stage cluster sampling technique. The outcome measures used in the study were validated with the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Data was entered using Epi-data version 3.1 and SPSS version 25 was used to analyze data. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regressions were done to identify factors related to depression. In multivariable logistic regression variables with a p-value less than 0.05 were considered significant and, adjusted OR (AOR) with 95% CI was used to present the strength of the association., Result: The prevalence of depression among participants was found to be 24.5% (95% CI,21.7, 27.5). In multivariable analysis, post-traumatic stress disorder (AOR = 2.79, 95% CI 1.76-4.43), middle-perceived life threats (AOR = 8.25, 95% CI 2.47-17.49), low social support (AOR = 1.90, 95% CI 1.23-2.96) were variables significantly associated with depression., Conclusion: This study found a high prevalence of depression among Dessie City residents. post-traumatic stress disorder, middle-perceived life threats, and low social support were associated with depression. Interventional strategies should be implemented to promote healing, resilience, and the overall well-being of individuals and communities. However, the findings underscore the need to address the current lack of mental health care resources in post-conflict populations., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Introduction: The negative effects of stigma and discrimination in communities and families include medication non-adherence, heightened psychological distress, verbal and physical abuse, a lack of social support, isolation, and dangerous health behaviors such as hiding prescriptions. Despite the huge burden of HIV/AIDS discriminatory attitudes, limited studies were conducted in Ghana. Therefore, this study examines the burden of discriminatory attitudes and their determinant factors on people who are living with HIV/AIDS in Ghana., Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of discriminatory attitudes and associated factors among people who are living with HIV/AIDS in Ghana based on recent DHS data., Method: Secondary data analysis was used for this multilevel logistic regression analysis based on the Ghana Demographic Health Survey of 2022. Data extraction, cleaning, and analysis were conducted using Stata version 14. The community of Ghana, from the 15 to 49 age group, was used for this study, with a final sample size of 22,058 participants. Four separate models were fitted, incorporating individual and community levels. Multilevel logistic regression models were calibrated to determine the associated factors at the individual and community level with discriminatory attitudes, with a 95% CI and AOR., Results: The prevalence of discriminatory attitudes toward people living with HIV/AIDS was 60.92%, with a 95% CI (60.13, 61.70) among Ghana DHS. Lower wealth status, having no comprehensive knowledge of HIV, low educational status at the individual level, and low wealth status at the community level, poorest and poorer [AOR =2.03; 95% CI: (1.04, 3.94)] and [AOR = 2.09; 95% CI: (1.84, 8.65)], respectively, no comprehensive knowledge [AOR = 3.42; 95% CI: (1.74, 6.73)], no and primary education [AOR = 3.18; 95% CI: (2.48, 5.51)] and [AOR = 3.78; 95% CI: (2.68, 5.92)], respectively, at the individual level and low wealth status [AOR = 1.58; 95% CI: (1.00, 2.46)] community level were the associated factors., Conclusion: The prevalence of discriminatory attitudes toward people living with HIV/AIDS was high (60.92%) in Ghana's DHS. The associated factors for this study were lower wealth status, having no comprehensive knowledge of HIV, and low educational status at the individual level., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Melkam and Fente.)

Background: Suicide is a prominent source of harm and death globally, and it is the leading cause of premature death among prisoners. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and factors associated with suicidal ideation and attempt among prisoners in Northwest Ethiopia., Methods: An institution-based cross-sectional study design was performed from May 23 to June 22, 2022. After proportional allocation to the three correctional institutions, a total of 788 study participants were randomly recruited. The World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) was used to evaluate suicide ideation and attempt. To determine factors associated with suicidal ideation and attempt, multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted. At a 95% confidence interval (CI) of P-value <0.05, statistical significance was declared., Results: The prevalence of suicidal ideation and attempt among prisoners was 23.6% and 10.7%, with 95% CI (20.76, 26.70) and (8.68, 13.02), respectively. Female sex (AOR = 2.38, 95% CI: 1.12, 5.05), family history of mental illness (AOR = 3.09, 95% CI: 1.93, 4.88), depression (AOR = 2.04, 95% CI: 1.43, 2.98), poor social support (AOR = 2.76, 95% CI: 1.56, 4.85) and previous incarceration (AOR = 1.84, 95% CI: 1.18, 2.86) were significantly associated with suicidal ideation. However, being single (AOR = 2.58, 95% CI: 1.47, 4.54), family history of suicide (AOR = 2.43, 95% CI: 1.18, 5.01), depression (AOR = 2.62, 95% CI: 1.59, 4.31) and previous imprisonments (AOR = 2.11, 95% CI: 1.20, 3.69) were associated with suicidal attempt., Conclusions: The prevalence of suicidal ideation and attempt among prisoners were found to be high. Therefore, the findings of this study recommend that early detection and design of prison mental health services should be delivered to develop mental health care, prevention, and intervention programs for incarcerated people to improve suicidal behavior in prison., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exis., (Copyright: © 2024 Fentahun et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

In Ethiopia, the use of veterinary vaccines to control animal diseases is an effective strategy. A study conducted in Southwest Ethiopia from October 2020 to October 2021 aimed to determine the adoption level of veterinary vaccines and factors affecting their use. The study used multistage random sampling to select districts and interviewed 476 farmers who had either adopted or not adopted the vaccines. The study found that certain diseases should be prioritized for vaccination to safeguard the health of cattle, sheep, goats, and poultry. These include anthrax (19.12 %), blackleg (17.65 %), foot and mouth disease (10.50 %), and lumpy skin disease (8.82 %) in cattle, and pasteurellosis (18.07 %), contagious caprine pleuropneumonia (15.97 %), peste des petits ruminants (14.15 %), and Orf (13.45 %) in sheep and goats. Newcastle disease (21.85 %), infectious bursal disease (19.33 %), and coccidiosis (17.02 %) were identified as high-priority diseases for flock health. Overall, 30.7 % of farmers were adopters of veterinary vaccines, while 69.3 % were non-adopters. The study identified several factors that influence the likelihood of adopting veterinary vaccines, including breed type (OR = 9.1, p < 0.0001), production size (OR = 9.7, p < 0.0001), production type (OR = 2.7, p < 0.0001), and farm location (OR = 9.8, p = 0.001). Common barriers to vaccination included a lack of disease knowledge, high vaccine costs, limited vaccine availability, and administration difficulties. Insights from the study can guide strategies for promoting veterinary vaccine adoption in Ethiopia. Stakeholders should pay attention to these findings since vaccine use is crucial for controlling animal diseases, enhancing animal health, and preventing economic losses. Further research is needed to investigate factors affecting enhanced veterinary vaccine adoption., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors claim to have no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Anxiety disorder is an unpleasant emotional feeling with symptoms related to psychological and autonomic symptoms such as headache, perspiration, palpitations, dizziness, and stomach discomfort. The use of substances become a worldwide problem among youth which brings situation that leads to serious social and health-related problems. Anxiety disorders with substance use have a huge impact on their high prevalence, therapeutic issues, and poor prognosis on clinical effects. Although the prevalence of anxiety disorders is significant among young people who use substances, limited studies were conducted. Therefore, this study revealed the burden of anxiety disorders among youth with substance use and associated factors in Ethiopia., Method: A community-based multi-stage with a simple random sampling technique was conducted. A total of 372 substance users study participants were recruited for this study. Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Tests, Depression Anxiety Stress Scales, and other tools were used to assess anxiety disorders with substance use and associated factors. Data were entered into Epi-data version 4.6, and exported to SPSS version 20 for further analysis. Bi-variables logistic regression analysis was employed to identify variables with a p-value of < 0.2 and associated factors were determined in multi-variables logistic regression analysis with a p-value < 0.05 with AOR and CI., Results: From a total of 372 respondents the overall prevalence of anxiety disorders with substance use was 48.1%. Male sex [AOR = 1.99; 95% CI: (1.01-3.93)], low educational status of the father [AOR = 6.38 95%CI: (1.50-7.08)], and the presence of stress [AOR = 2.48; 95% CI: 2.48(2.43-4.40)] were significantly associated factors with anxiety disorders with substances use., Conclusions and Recommendations: The prevalence of anxiety disorders with substance use was 48.1% therefore; it is recommended that the zonal administration give collaborative work with the health bureau and facilitate awareness creation about the impact of substance abuse. Clinicians are recommended to mitigate anxiety disorders with substance use to get a good prognosis for clients with controlling their stress., Competing Interests: no conflict of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 Melkam et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: Psychiatric comorbidity is a double burden among people with epilepsy. Since people with epilepsy are more vulnerable to psychiatric illnesses. So, the implementation of an appropriate intervention to minimize the double burden of comorbidity is very important. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of psychiatric comorbidity among people with epilepsy in Ethiopia., Methods: This systematic review and meta-analysis followed the Preferred Reporting Item Review and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) guideline. Searching databases were PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, and HINARI.The quality of the included articles was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). The pooled meta-logistic regression was computed to estimate the pooled prevalence and the risk factors with a 95% CI., Results: The pooled prevalence of psychiatric comorbidity in people with epilepsy was 34.69 % (95 % CI: 29.27, 40.10). Frequent seizures (POR = 2.94: 95 % CI: 1.08, 8.00) and a history of divorce (POR = 2.00: 95 % CI: 1.09, 3.81) were associated factors of psychiatric comorbidity in people with epilepsy., Conclusions: This systematic review and meta-analysis revealed that the pooled prevalence of psychiatric comorbidity among people with epilepsy was found to be higher compared with the general population. Therefore, among people with epilepsy, parallel psychiatric evaluation is very important along with neurological evaluation., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)