Bezatu Mengistie

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  Dataset: predictors of oral rehyderation therapy

  Bezatu Mengistie, Yemane Berhane, Alemayehu Worku
• Article: Predictors of Oral Rehydration Therapy use among under -five children with diarrhea in Eastern Ethiopia: a community based case control study.

  Bezatu Mengistie, Yemane Berhane, Alemayehu Worku
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  ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Rehydration therapy is a critical intervention to save the lives of children during the episodes of diarrhea. However, millions of children die every year due to failure to replace fluid effectively. The objective of this study was to identify the predictors of Oral Rehydration Therapy use among under-five children with diarrhea. METHOD: A community based unmatched case control study was conducted in Kersa district, Eastern Ethiopia, in February, 2011. The cases were 241 under-five children with diarrhea in the preceding two weeks before the survey and who had received Oral Rehydration Therapy while the controls were 253 under-five children with diarrhoea in the preceding two weeks before the survey and who had not received Oral Rehydration Therapy. The cases and the controls were compared to find out the factors that were associated with the utilization of Oral Rehydration Therapy.ResultThe study revealed that caregivers' previous experience of Oral Rehydration Therapy use (AOR = 4.05, 95% CI = 2.63--6.22), seeking advice or treatment from health facilities, (AOR = 3.25, 95% CI = 2.06--5.11) and knowledge of Oral Rehydration Therapy (AOR = 3.09, 95% CI = 1.97--4.85) were found to be the positive determinants of Oral Rehydration Therapy use. Perception of teething as a cause of diarrhea was negatively associated with the utilization of Oral rehydration Therapy (AOR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.37--0.98). CONCLUSION: Health education should be strengthened on the benefit, preparation, early initiation of Oral Rehydration Therapy and the causes of diarrhea. Attention should be given to those who do not have previous experience of Oral Rehydration Therapy use and have less frequent contacts with the health facilities.
  BMC Public Health 11/2012; 12(1):1029. · 2.00 Impact Factor
• Article: Health workers' attitudes toward sexual and reproductive health services for unmarried adolescents in Ethiopia.

  Mesfin Tilahun, Bezatu Mengistie, Gudina Egata, Ayalu A Reda
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  ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Adolescents in developing countries face a range of sexual and reproductive health problems. Lack of health care service for reproductive health or difficulty in accessing them are among them. In this study we aimed to examine health care workers' attitudes toward sexual and reproductive health services to unmarried adolescents in Ethiopia. METHODS: We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional survey among 423 health care service providers working in eastern Ethiopia in 2010. A pre-tested structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests and logistic regression were performed to drive proportions and associations. RESULTS: The majority of health workers had positive attitudes. However, nearly one third (30%) of health care workers had negative attitudes toward providing RH services to unmarried adolescents. Close to half (46.5%) of the respondents had unfavorable responses toward providing family planning to unmarried adolescents. About 13% of health workers agreed to setting up penal rules and regulations against adolescents that practice pre-marital sexual intercourse. The multivariate analysis indicated that being married (OR 2.15; 95% CI 1.44 - 3.06), lower education level (OR 1.45; 95% CI 1.04 - 1.99), being a health extension worker (OR 2.49; 95% CI 1.43 - 4.35), lack of training on reproductive health services (OR 5.27; 95% CI 1.51 - 5.89) to be significantly associated with negative attitudes toward provision of sexual and reproductive services to adolescents CONCLUSIONS: The majority of the health workers had generally positive attitudes toward sexual and reproductive health to adolescents. However, a minority has displayed negatives attitudes. Such negative attitudes will be barriers to service utilization by adolescents and hampers the efforts to reduce sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancies among unmarried adolescents. We therefore call for a targeted effort toward alleviating negative attitudes toward adolescent-friendly reproductive health service and re-enforcing the positive ones.
  Reproductive Health 09/2012; 9(1):19.
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  Article: Community based assessment on household management of waste and hygiene practices in Kersa Woreda, Eastern Ethiopia

  Bizatu Mengistie, Negga Baraki
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  ABSTRACT: Background: Improper waste management may have health and environmental hazards. Studies showed the relationship of many diseases to improper waste management. Objective: This study aimed to assess the status of waste management and hygiene practices in Kersa Woreda, Eastern Ethiopia.. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted in Kersa Demographic Surveillance and Health Research Centre (KDS-HRC) project site in April 2008. The study subjects were randomly selected 444 households. Data were collected through interview and observation. Results: The majority of the households, (66%) disposed solid wastes in open dumps and only 6.9% of the households had temporary storage means for solid waste. About 98.4 % of the respondents revealed that the responsibility of waste management is left for women and girls. Only 36.4% households had latrines and almost all were simple unsanitary traditional pits. From those households with latrine the habit of hand-washing after defecation was reported to be only about 5.1%. The habit of hand washing after defecation is significantly associated with the educational status of the respondents (P<0.01) Conclusion: in the study community household management of waste is in poor condition. Health-workers and local authorities must pay special emphasis to improve these conditions. Further in-depth studies should also be encouraged to look for improved interventions.
  Ethiopian Journal of Health Development 01/2010; 24(2):103-109. · 0.15 Impact Factor
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  Article: Standard precautions: occupational exposure and behavior of health care workers in Ethiopia.

  Ayalu A Reda, Shiferaw Fisseha, Bezatu Mengistie, Jean-Michel Vandeweerd
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  ABSTRACT: Occupational exposure to blood and body fluids is a serious concern for health care workers, and presents a major risk for the transmission of infections such as HIV and hepatitis viruses. The objective of this study was to investigate occupational exposures and behavior of health care workers (HCWs) in eastern Ethiopia. We surveyed 475 HCWs working in 10 hospitals and 20 health centers in eastern Ethiopia using a structured questionnaire with a response rate of 84.4%. Descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis using logistic regression were performed. Life time risks of needle stick (30.5%; 95% CI 26.4-34.6%) and sharps injuries (25.7%; 95% CI 21.8-29.6%) were high. The one year prevalence of needle stick and sharps injury were 17.5% (95% CI 14.1-20.9%) and 13.5% (95% CI 10.4-16.6%) respectively. There was a high prevalence of life time (28.8%; 95% CI = 24.7-32.9%) and one year (20.2%; 95% CI = 16.6-23.8%) exposures to blood and body fluids. Two hundred thirteen (44.8%) HCWs reported that they were dissatisfied by the supply of infection prevention materials. HCWs had sub-optimal practices and unfavorable attitudes related to standard precautions such as needle recapping (46.9%) and discriminatory attitudes (30.5%) toward HIV/AIDS patients. There was a high level of exposure to blood and body fluids among HCWs. We detected suboptimal practices and behavior that put both patients and HCWs at significant risk of acquiring occupational infections. Health authorities in the study area need to improve the training of HCWs and provision of infection prevention equipment. In addition, regular reporting and assessment of occupational exposures need to be implemented.
  PLoS ONE 01/2010; 5(12):e14420. · 4.09 Impact Factor