Patient referral alone is not an effective strategy to capture partners of patients with sexually transmitted infections in low-resource settings: a case-control study

Aim

Partner notification (PN) is a key public health intervention aimed at preventing re-infection and controlling the spread of STIs. However, only limited research has been conducted to investigate factors associated with PN in Ethiopia.

Subject and methods

A nested case-control study was undertaken within a cohort of individuals being treated for STIs in public health facilities in Ethiopia. Hierarchical binary logistic regression was used to identify socio-demographic, behavioral and psychosocial factors associated with PN.

Results

A total of 250 patients on STI treatment who notified their partners (cases) were compared with 185 patients who did not notify their partners (controls). STI patients were less likely to notify their partner if they were single [AOR = 0.33, 95% CI: (0.15–0.73)], in a casual partnership [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.33, 95% CI: (0.15–73)], not knowledgeable about a partner’s sexual behavior [AOR = 0.43, 95% CI: (0.24–0.77)], had poor knowledge of risky sexual behavior [AOR = 0.23, 95% CI: (0.12–0.43)] and had no intention of notifying partners [AOR = 0.19, 95% CI: (0.10–0.36)]. The odds of PN were higher among highly educated respondents [AOR = 5.16; 95% CI: (1.83–14.54)].

Conclusion

Capturing STI cases through patient referral partner notification is less likely to be successful among patients who are single and in a casual relationship.

     

Children who were vaccinated,breast fed and from low parity mothers live longer: A community based case-control study in Jimma,Ethiopia

Background  

Improving child survival through various health interventions has been one of the main preoccupations of public health programs in developing nations. However, efforts to understand the child death determinants and determine whether the health interventions are really contributing to the reduction of mortality were not satisfactory. The purpose of this study is to identify determinants and causes of child mortality.     

The goitre rate,its association with reproductive failure,and the knowledge of iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) among women in Ethiopia: Cross-section community based study

Background  

Iodine deficiency is severe public health problem in Ethiopia. Although urinary iodine excretion level (UIE) is a better indicator for IDD the goitre rate is commonly used to mark the public health significance. The range of ill effect of IDD is however beyond goitre in Ethiopia. In this study the prevalence of goitre and its association with reproductive failure, and the knowledge of women on Iodine Deficiency were investigated.     

Young adult and middle age mortality in Butajira demographic surveillance site,Ethiopia: lifestyle,gender and household economy

Background  

Public health research characterising the course of life through the middle age in developing societies is scarce. The aim of this study is to explore patterns of adult (15–64 years) mortality in an Ethiopian population over time, by gender, urban or rural lifestyle, causes of death and in relation to household economic status and decision-making.     

Comparative effects of high glucose on different adult sympathetic neurons in culture

In vivo, diabetes causes neuropathy in the sympathetic celiac/superior mesenteric ganglion (CG/SMG) but not the superior cervical ganglion (SCG). Therefore, our aim was to compare the effects of high glucose in vitro on adult rat SCG and CG/SMG neurons. High glucose decreased viability and neurite outgrowth and increased TUNEL staining in freshly dissociated neurons from both ganglia. In cultures established for 24 h before exposure to high glucose, a significant (p < 0.01) decrease in neurite-bearing neurons from CG/SMG but not SCG occurred. CG/SMG neurons took longer (p < 0.05) to initiate neurite outgrowth and had lower (p < 0.002) anti-oxidant defence enzyme activity. These properties may contribute to the selective development of neuropathy in CG/SMG in diabetes in vivo.     

Demonstrating the robustness of population surveillance data: implications of error rates on demographic and mortality estimates

Background  

As in any measurement process, a certain amount of error may be expected in routine population surveillance operations such as those in demographic surveillance sites (DSSs). Vital events are likely to be missed and errors made no matter what method of data capture is used or what quality control procedures are in place. The extent to which random errors in large, longitudinal datasets affect overall health and demographic profiles has important implications for the role of DSSs as platforms for public health research and clinical trials. Such knowledge is also of particular importance if the outputs of DSSs are to be extrapolated and aggregated with realistic margins of error and validity.     

Sources of variation for indoor nitrogen dioxide in rural residences of Ethiopia

Background  

Unprocessed biomass fuel is the primary source of indoor air pollution (IAP) in developing countries. The use of biomass fuel has been linked with acute respiratory infections. This study assesses sources of variations associated with the level of indoor nitrogen dioxide (NO₂).