AAU Institutional Repository (AAU-ETD)
Addis Ababa University Institutional repository is an open access repository that collects,preserves, and disseminates scholarly outputs of the university. AAU-ETD archives' collection of master's theses, doctoral dissertations and preprints showcase the wide range of academic research undertaken by AAU students over the course of the University's long history.
How to Submit Your Work
The repository contains scholarly work, both unpublished and published, by current or former AAU faculty, staff, and students, including Works by AAU students as part of their masters, doctoral, or post-doctoral research
- All AAU faculty, staff, and students are invited to submit their work to the repository. Please contact the library at your college.
You may contact digirep@aau.edu.et.with any questions about the repository
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Recent Submissions
Comparison of the Efficiency of CSF and Serum PCR in the Diagnosis of Bacterial Meningitis Among Suspected Cases at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital and Yekatit 12 Hospital Medical College, Addis Ababa Ethiopia
(Addis Ababa University, 2025-02-27) Lema Ayele; Daniel Asrat; Getachew Tesfaye
Background
Early and accurate diagnosis of bacterial meningitis reduces mortality and sequelae. In resource-limited settings like Ethiopia, where laboratory diagnostics are scarce, developing a diagnostic tool based on an easy-to-collect blood sample for the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis is crucial to improving the diagnosis and prompt treatment initiation that has a great impact on patient outcomes.
Objective
To compare the efficiency of cerebrospinal fluid and blood PCR for the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis in patients suspected of meningitis.
Methods
An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital and Yekatit 12 Hospital Medical College from August 2023 to February 2024. A total of 202 patients who were suspected of having meningitis were given their consent to collect the demographic, clinical data, CSF, and blood samples. Demographic data and clinical samples (CSF and Blood) were collected by using pre-tested standardized questionnaires and aseptic techniques, respectively. Conventional laboratory analysis and bacterial isolation using aliquots of CSF were performed following the standard microbiology laboratory procedures. The leftover CSF and serum samples were stored at -20°C until transported to the Armauer Hansen Research Inistitute (AHRI) for further molecular tests. Genomic DNA from CSF and serum was extracted by the Bioer NPA-32P automated nucleic acid purification machine. A multiplex PCR technique was used to detect the presence of Neisseria meningitidis, Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus agalactiae, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The end product of the PCR amplicon was observed under the Vilber machine after staining with ethidium bromide. Data were entered into Epi Info 7, cleaned, exported to Excel, and loaded into SPSS version 26 software for analysis. Descriptive statistics were presented in tables and bar charts. The agreement between the tests to detect bacterial meningitis was calculated by using an SPSS contingency table.
Result
Out of 202 study participants, 54% (n = 109) were males, and 88.6% (n = 179) of them were from the pediatric population, with an average age of 1.45 ± 0.69 years. Reduced ability to breastfeed was the most common clinical presentation 74.8% (n = 151), followed by high fever 71.3% (n = 144) and a loss of consciousness 66.3% (n = 134). Of 202 CSF, 5.4% (n = 11) and 4.5% (n = 9) of the samples tested were positive for gram stain and culture, respectively. Overall, bacterial DNA was detected in 26% (n = 54) and 46% (n = 93) CSF and serum samples, respectively. The concordance between CSF and serum PCR was observed in 34 (17%) cases. E. coli was the most predominant bacteria detected in both CSF and serum PCR at 55.5% (n = 30) and 61.2% (n = 57), respectively, followed by S. pneumoniae detected in both CSF and serum PCR at 15% (n = 8) and 29% (n = 27), respectively. The overall agreement between CSF and serum PCR is 60.9% with a positive percent agreement, and negative percent agreement between the two tests is 62.9% and 60.1%, respectively.
Conclusion
Bacterial DNA was 20% more frequently detected in serum compared to CSF, and 42% compared to culture in suspected cases of meningitis. Furthermore, these findings are clinically very important to minimise the invasive lumbar puncture for CSF collection. Overall, serum PCR could be considered as a supplementary diagnostic tool, a less invasive diagnostic procedure for the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis. However, further similar studies are important using qPCR and both blood and CSF culture.
Determinants of Postpartum Depression in selected Health Facility in Addis Ababa Ethiopia
(Addis Ababa University, 2026-05-01) Addisalem Belachew; Dame Abera
The purpose of this study was to investigate the determinants of postpartum depression in selected health facility in Addis Ababa in February 2026. A mixed methods design was used; combining quantitative screening of postpartum depressive symptoms cross sectional study with qualitative exploration of women’s lived experiences thematic analysis. Data was collected from 268 postpartum new mothers within Twelve months following delivery, using validated tools and 6 in-depth interviews. The results were analyzed using inferential statistics and descriptive statistics. Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Transcripts were coded, categories were developed, and themes were generated through an iterative process. Emerging themes were triangulated with quantitative findings to enhance validity. The result shows that 29.7% new mothers have postpartum depression; education, marital status, planned Pregnancy, visits from neighbors and family members, not experiencing domestic violence and not experience stigma from family members were significant predictors of postpartum depression among new mothers. Consistently qualitative result explores Participants described a range of emotional challenges including sadness, stress, sleep disturbance, and, in severe cases, self-harm ideation. These experiences were often linked to first-time motherhood, financial hardship, limited maternity leave, and lack of partner involvement. Postpartum depression should be integrated into maternal and child health services at public health centers, Incorporating digital platforms and social media-based support systems may also offer innovative ways to reach and support postpartum women.
Adaptation and Validation of the Career Adapt-Ability Scale (Caas) Among Addis Ababa University Undergraduate Students
(Addis Ababa University, 2026-06-01) Barkot Maeregu; Daniel Tefera
Career adaptability is a crucial psychological and social resource that enables university students to deal with employment related tasks, transitions and uncertainty of the constantly altering world of work. The Career Adapt-Ability Scale (CAAS), originally developed and validated by Mark Savickas and Erik Porfeli, has emerged as a well-established tool for evaluating important career resources. Even though CAAS has been validated across several countries and cultural contexts, there are limited evidence about its psychometric properties in Ethiopia. As a result, this research intended to adapt and validate the Amharic version of CAAS among undergraduate students at Addis Ababa University. A quantitative cross-sectional methodological study design was employed in 487 final year undergraduate students. Standard cross-cultural adaptation procedures which included forward translation, back translation, expert review and pilot testing were followed. The study results demonstrated good internal consistency reliability for the overall scale (α=.849),while subscale reliability coefficients ranged from .835 to .858. Item-Level Content Validity Index (I-CVI) values ranged from .83 to 1.00, and the Scale-Level Content Validity Index (S-CVI) was .95. The factor analyses supported the original four-factor structure of the scale, consisting of concern, control, curiosity and confidence. The study concluded that the Amharic version of the CAAS demonstrated satisfactory reliability and validity for assessing career adaptability among Ethiopian undergraduate students.
An Assessment of the Practices and Problems of the Management of Cluster Resource Centers in Primary Schools of East Wollega Zone
(Addis Ababa University, 2009-03-01) Asfaw Wodajo; Manishaa Pandey
School Cluster Model has been one of the strategies that are being implemented in
Ethiopian education system to address the problems of educational quality and efficiency.
In practice, however, the management of the school cluster resource centers has been
highly challenged by a number of problems. Thus, the main purpose of the study was to
assess the practices and problems of the management of primary schools cluster resource
centers in East Wollega Zone.
Based on this purpose, a review of related literature was made. Descriptive survey
method was usedfor the study. Samples were taken from ZEO experts, WEOs experts and
officials, CRC committee members, and teachers from both satellite schools and CRCs to
be used as data sources. Questionnaire and an interview guide were employed for data
collection. In order to select representative samples from the populations, availability
and random sampling techniques were followed. Percentage and chi-square test were
used as statistical tools for data analysis and interpretation.
The findings of the study revealed that despite some improvements in the cases of
students participation rate/enrollment, better framework for teachers ' inspection, pupil
competitions and teachers ' and schools ' experience-sharing, the important purposes and
strategies of the implementation of the cluster model were not well practiced in the CRCs
and lacked comprehensiveness in terms of coverage of essential administrative,
pedagogic, economic and political aspects. The important managerial functions did not
involve the major actors such as teachers and the community. One of the principles of
good governance- the clear definition of roles, responsibilities, authority and
accountability of different parts of the CRC system was not well practiced.. On top of
this, the finding showed that the major difficulties that hindered the effectiveness of the
CRC management system were found to be insufficiency of awareness, lack of financial
and material budget, shortage of skilled manpower (lack of proper staffing), lack of
facilities, and lack of community financial, material and labor support. The findings of
the study imply that the current situation of the CRC management really calls for special
attention if the systems are to be efficient and effective in bringing about the desired
change.
Finally, measures that should be taken by DEB, EWZEO, WEDs and the CRC systems
were suggested. The major ones were the need to build adequate awareness among the
major CRC stakeholders about the purposes, basic requirements and implementing
strategies of the cluster model, establish clear vision, mission and strategies for the
implementation of the model, staff the CRCs properly, clearly define the roles,
responsibilities, authorities and accountabilities of each portion/actor of the systems,
generate one's own income, build consensus among the CRC actors with regard to the
acceptable standards of performance and basic requirements in terms of financial,
material and skilled manpower needs, arrange workshops and trainings for each segment
of the cluster systems to enhance their managerial and implementing capacities were
suggested.
Career Confidence, Job Readiness, and Self-Esteem Among Medical Interns at Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
(Addis Ababa University, 2026-06-01) Hikma Nassir; Getachew Abera
This study was conducted to determine the levels of career confidence, job readiness and selfesteem among medical interns of Addis Ababa University in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and to identify factors related with them. It was a quantitative cross-sectional research design and a total of 192 medical interns were enrolled using a census method during academic year 2025-2026. Self-administered questionnaire, which consists of socio-demographic data and instruments for measuring career confidence, job readiness and Rosenberg self-esteem scale was used for data collection. Descriptive statistics, independent samples t-test, Pearson correlation and multiple linear regressions analyses were used with the help of SPSS version 27. A significance level was taken at p < 0.05.Medical interns' career confidence, job readiness and self-esteem were at moderate levels (M = 77.96, SD=16.04; M = 64.12, SD =15.22; and M=23.90, SD=5.24 respectively). Statistically significant differences existed among sex, education,geographic origin and career plan in relation to career confidence and job readiness of medical interns (p < 0.05). However, self -esteem was not significantly different among the various study groups. There were significant positive relationships among the three constructs (p < 0.01);correlation between career confidence and job readiness was the strongest (r=0.444). Overall,medical interns at Addis Ababa University seem to be moderately ready for practice and there are differences among groups. Strengthening mentorship, career guidance, and internshipsupport may improve both professional confidence and readiness among interns