Browsing by Author "Belachew, Ayele"

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    Assessment of Desire for Marriage and Fertility preferences among Adolescent girls in a Senior Secondary School; Borena, Ethiopia
    (Addis Ababa University, 2012-06) Shore, Hirbo; Belachew, Ayele
    Background information: Adolescence is the transitional period from childhood to adulthood characterized by significant physiological, psychological and social changes. It is during this period that the biosocial transition is experienced, including intention and desire for future individual and societal role such as marriage and child bearing. Age at first marriage has a major effect on childbearing since women who marry early have, on average, a longer period of exposure to pregnancy and a greater number of lifetime births. In Ethiopia among women age 25-49, 63 percent married by age 18, and the median age at first marriage among women age 25-49 is 16.5 years. The fertility among adolescents age 15-19 in Ethiopia is 79 births per 1,000 women. The contribution of adolescents’ fertility to the overall fertility rate in Ethiopia is significant. This study complements research on adolescents’ reproductive and marital behavior by examining their desired age of marriage and family formation. Objective: The objective of the study was to assess adolescents’ desire for marriage and fertility preferences among high school students in a Senior Secondary School, Borena, Ethiopia. Methods and material: School based cross-sectional study was conducted using both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods among sample of 422 adolescents from senior secondary and preparatory school on their desire for marriage and fertility preferences from January 5-6, 2012. Data was entered by Epidata version 3.1 and analyzed SPSS version 16. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were carried out. Result: More than four fifth (85.4%) of adolescents desire to marry at age less than twenty four years. The mean desired age of marriage was 21.1 year (20-22.2 years). More than one fourth (29.2%) desired to have child five or more children and the mean desired number of children was 3.85 (1.85-5.85). Multivariate logistic regression showed that religion (being Muslim and Catholic), mother education (being illiterate), having married friend(s), ever had sexual intercourse, and internal locus of control (higher) were independently associated with desired age of marriage. Furthermore, ethnicity (being Amhara and Burji), places of birth (Rural), desired age of marriage, believe of parent determine when and who to marry, intension to have child and internal locus of control (higher) independently associated with desired fertility preferences. Conclusion: Great majority of adolescents desired to marry before 24 years of age. Significant proportion of adolescents desire to have five or more children. School should offer adolescents’ reproductive health education with focus on increasing awareness among young people on the micro and macro advantages of late age of marriage and lower fertility preference.
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    Early Sexual Initiation and its Associated Factors among Youth in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
    (Addis Ababa University, 2014-06) Belay, Tigist; Belachew, Ayele
    Introduction: Youth who begin early sexual activity are less likely to use condoms and more likely to have multiple partners and early child bearing which intern brings about higher rates of maternal and child morbidity and mortality. Higher rates of unintended pregnancy, HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections among youths make it fundamental to understand factors associated with early sexual initiation in a wider perspective for designing and implementing effective interventions. Objective: To assess the magnitude of early sexual initiation and its associated factors among youths in Addis Ababa, April 2014 Methodology: A quantitative cross sectional facility based study supplemented with qualitative enquiry was conducted on a sample of 622 youth’s attending youth centers in Addis Ababa. A systematic random sampling technique was applied to select the study participants. A pretested structured questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data while focus group discussions using semi-structured interviewer guide were used to generate qualitative information. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were done. Odds ratio with 95% confidence interval was estimated to identify predictors of early sexual debut using multivariable logistic regression analysis. Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Result: Early sexual initiation (sex before the age of 18yrs) among youth in Addis Ababa was 42%. Among youths who had history of sexual debut at early age thirty-seven percent of them didn’t use condom at first sex and 44% of male participant had sex with commercial sex workers in their life time. Multivariate analysis:-Being female AOR = 4.46(1.41, 14.15), younger age group AOR= 3.20[1.50, 6.82], school attendance AOR=3.52(2.14, 5.79), reported pressure to have sexual intercourse AOR=2.18(1.13, 4.23), watching sex movies at early age AOR=7.27(3.65, 14.48) and using alcohol AOR=2.48(1.09, 5.63) were identified as independent predictors of early sexual initiation. Regarding consequences 37% of pregnancies were before the age of 18years. In addition, 47% of youths had history of STI in the past 12 month prior to survey. Conclusions: This study indicates that a considerable proportion of youths engages in sexual activity at an early age and continues to practice risky sexual behaviors. Peer influence played a major role in youths sexual behaviors. Watching sex movies at younger age (15-19) and use of alcohol were found to be independent predictor of early sexual initiation. In order to protect youth from early sexual debut, schools should focus on promoting peer educators and the way of peer discussion. Strategies should be designed to control the use of alcohol and to restrict watching sex movies at early age
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    Framework to Adopt Cloud Computing for Medical Image Archiving and Sharing
    (Addis Abeba University, 2012-11) Demsash, Bizuayehu Getnet; Belachew, Ayele; Lamenew, Workshet
    Today’s best practices in medicine rely heavily on the use of diagnostic images and reports, throughout the hospital and in nearly every part of the healthcare enterprise. Sincepatients are nomadic in today’s healthcare environment there is a need to distribute and retrieve images across different healthcare providers. This often requires the interaction of multiple heterogeneous platforms. Multi-site implementations therefore require advanced integration capabilities and excellent IT skills.In this context, outsourcing of computation and storage resources using cloud infrastructure has become a potential alternative. Recently there has been an increase in the number of organizations adopting and implementing Picture Archiving and Communication Systems using cloud computing model. The research paper discusses the advantages of cloud computing for healthcare and specifically to medical imaging, the limitations of current IT utilization in healthcare organizations. It also discusses standard, legal and compliance issues for healthcare data. By doing so, this research set out to determine how a PACS can be implemented using cloud computing architectures and implementation tools, and developing a framework that helps to provide a complete and timely access to critical imaging/diagnostic information at the point of care, regardless of the source, age or location of the information in an cloud environment.In addition to the general framework to adopt cloud services, a design framework is developed in order to provide medical image archiving and sharing solution as a service. A rigorous analysis of the latest research on Cloud Computing as an alternative to IT provision, management and security for medical image archive and sharing is done. It also took into account the best practices for Cloud Computing usage within different hospitals and imaging centers, by interviewing with selected radiologists, physicians and healthcare IT professionals. The research finding shows that Cloud Computing is a potential alternative the framework is useful to healthcare organizations for medical image archiving and sharing.The paper finally recommends further research directions.
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    Occupational Noise Induced Hearing Loss among Dire Dawa Textile Workers
    (Addis Ababa University, 1995-04) Belachew, Ayele; Stansfield, Sally (PhD)
    Although dangerous noise levels have been previously measured in Ethiopian factories, no studies have documented the importance of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). This study was designed to assess the prevalence and risk factors for NIHL i n a Dire Dawa textile mill . After a random start, a systematic sample of 630 workers were selected from among the 5900 factory employees. Data were collected through interviews, otologic examinations, pure tone audiometry and environmental noise surveys to document noise exposures. Noise level s as high as 110 dB(A) were detected, with average of 99. 5±3. 2 dB (A) in the weaving section and 89.0±2.5 dB(A) in the spinning section. Audiometric tests revealed a 34% overall prevalence o f NIHL, with a higher rate (71.7% ) among weavers. NIHL was significantly associated only with level of noise, duration of exposure, and work section. Those who worked for 20 years or more had a nearly ten-fold increased risk of NIHL (OR=9.60, CI=3.40-23.30) Those chronically exposed to noise level of 90 dB(A) or more had a 14-fold increased risk of NIHL (OR=14.4 0 , CI=8.20-25 . 12 ) . Preventive interventions were generally absent, teeth no employees reporting use of personal protective devices (PPDs ) . It is recommended that a hearing conservation on program be promptly implemented .
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    Status of Family Planning Service Integration in Chronic HIV Care Clinics for Women on Reproductive Age group in selected health facilities in Dessie town, North East Ethiopia
    (Addis Ababa University, 2011-07) Yitagess, Wassye; Belachew, Ayele
    Introduction: Family planning is an important instrument to prevent unintended pregnancy. Integrating FP service in chronic HIV care clinics is facilitative intervention to preventing newborn from HIV by enabling interested women to prevent pregnancies. Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the level of family planning service integration for women on reproductive age group in chronic HIV care clinics Methodology: A cross sectional study was carried out from October 2010 to January 2011 in selected health facilities in Dessie town, North East Ethiopia. Women of reproductive age group that attended chronic HIV care were the study population. Single population proportion formula was employed to determine sample size. A total of 401 women attending the chronic HIV care were selected as study participants. Furthermore, nine chronic HIV care providers, facility HIV care service focal persons, and program managers at town and zonal level were included to provide qualitative information. Data were collected using clients exit interview by using case managers, and provider‟s interview and document review by the principal investigator. Result: Four hundred one female clients who were attending chronic HIV care were interviewed. Of the total respondents, 393 (98 %) had ever heard about any family planning methods. From these ever heard, 238 (60.5%) of respondents reported as they have got counseling about FP in chronic HIV care clinics. Condom was the only FP method which is provided in chronic HIV care clinics. Thus, one hundred sixty eight (42.7%) respondents have been provided condom in the clinics. Among respondents who were provided condom, 108(64.3%) received condom after counseling. Whereas, referral linkage between chronic HIV care clinics and FP units was not encouraging. In this study FP service integration was not satisfactory. Hence, Only 110 (27.98%) of respondents was provided with an integrated manner. Among respondents who ever heard about FP, 248 (63.1%) and 130(33.1%) clients were strongly support or support FP service integration in chronic HIV care clinics respectively. Different factors may affect service integration, provider‟s work load, and FP training gaps, shortage of space and supplies might be some of the factors. Conclusion: Although, clients had demand for service integration, the level of integration was not encouraging. Training of health workers and supplies of logistics should be considered for better integration of FP service within the chronic HIV care clinics
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    Unmet need for family planning among HIV positive women attending HIV care and treatment services in Zewditu Memorial Hospital Addis Ababa; Ethiopia
    (Addis Abeba Universty, 2014-02) Ketema, Dereje; Belachew, Ayele
    Background: Globally there is huge increase in family planning access and use. Despite this an estimated 137 million women in the developing world, who would like to avoid childbearing, are unable to avoid it. The concept of unmet need defines the gap between women's reproductive intentions and their family planning behavior. There are few incites and substantive data available on the magnitude of unmet needs for family planning and occurrence of unintended pregnancy among HIV positive women in Ethiopia (Addis Ababa). Objective: To assess the unmet need for family planning among HIV positive women attending HIV care and treatment services in Zewditu Memorial Hospital Addis Ababa Methodology: Institution based cross-sectional study was conducted from March to September 2013 on 419 HIV positive women. Data was collected using structured questionnaire which was administered by counselor nurses. The data was entered in to EPIinfo and analyzed using SPSS. Result The study findings show that the overall prevalence of unmet need is 32.7%, comprising 21.7%of women who wanted to limit births and 11% who wanted to space births. Educational status and employment status of the women were found to be significantly associated factor with unmet need for family planning. In a multivariate analysis, HIV positive women who have unmet family planning need at P < .019 were having a significantly higher chance of experiencing unintended pregnancy. Family planning and condom use were most discussed with service providers during entry to ART; this was reported by 38% of the respondents. Conclusion: Unmet family planning needs were high among HIV positive women in ART units in Addis Ababa as compared to findings of EDHS 2011. Limiters were higher than spacers. As a major indicator of these, occurrence of unintended pregnancy were higher among HIV positive women in the ART follow up units in Zewditu memorial Hospital