Browsing by Author "Berhane, Yemane"

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    Air Pollution in Ethiopia: Indoor air Pollution in a Rural Butajira and Traffic air Pollution in Addis Ababa
    (Addis Abeba Universty, 2009-06) Kumie, Abera; Berhane, Yemane
    Background About half of the global population and over 70% of countries in the Sub-Saharan Africa rely on biomass fuel as a source of household energy. Over 95% of households in Ethiopia use biomass fuel for cooking. Despite the prevailing major concerns among policy makers and professionals on air pollution, the magnitude of air pollution from domestic and traffic sources in Ethiopia is not well established. Objectives This thesis attempted to examine the magnitude of air pollution by measuring 24-hr concentrations of indoor nitrogen dioxide in rural Butajira and daily measurement of ambient carbon monoxide in traffic congested areas of Addis Ababa. Materials and Methods A longitudinal study was conducted to assess the indoor air pollution component between March 2000 and April 2002. Concentrations of NO2 were measured cross-sectionally at about threemonth interval using a modified Willems badge air samplers. Mothers of children in households were interviewed within 24 hours of air sampling about characteristics of fire use, type of fuel and cooking pattern. A Saltzman colorimetric method using a spectrometer calibrated at 540 nm was used to analyze the mass of NO2 in field samples. Roadside traffic air pollution was assessed using portable CO USB data loggers. CO monitor is small electronic equipment installed along 40 roadside sampling points to continuously measure and record CO concentrations at an average interval of 10 seconds for about 10 hours in the daytime. Four on-road traffic light posts were also included to explore the association with the results of roadside CO concentrations. Data were entered and analyzed using EPI INFO version 6.02 statistical software. SPSS version 15.0 was further used to run regression analysis. Data from CO logger were downloaded in Excel format. Summary statistics, graphs, charts, and tables were the main tools used to present findings. One-way ANOVA, multiple regression analysis and linear mixed model analysis were also used to sort out any non-random differences in NO2 and factors affecting the levels of NO2. viii Results Wood, crop residues and animal dung were the main fuels in rural households in the study area. The mean 24-hr concentration of NO2 was 97.3 μg/m3 (95% CI: 95.9, 98.6). The median (IQR) was 68.4 (98.7) μg/m3. Ecology and season have shown differences in the mean concentration of NO2. Households in the highland areas and during wet season had higher indoor NO2 concentration. Biomass fuel type, ecology, purpose of fire use, cooking of at least one type of food in a day, and frequency of fire use were important household variables to explain the variations in the daily NO2 concentration. While ecology was the major predictor, housing physical structures showed little influence on the variation of indoor NO2. In Addis Ababa, the 15-minute mean (+SD) CO concentrations were 2.03 (1.94) and 2.64 (2.53) ppm respectively observed during the wet and dry seasons of 2007 and 2008. The two means did not vary significantly. There were variations in average CO by time and location of sampling. CO tended to be high in early mornings and in the afternoon rash hours. The CO profiles between roadside and on-traffic post light were, however, not different from each other. Conclusions and Recommendations About 70% of NO2 Key words: magnitude, NO indoor measurements were more than double the currently proposed annual mean of WHO air quality guideline. Ecology and fire-fuel use household characteristics were important determinants of indoor air pollution. Although average CO concentrations were below the US-EPA and WHO ambient air quality guidelines, there is a strong indication that CO concentrations will exceed or approach these guidelines shortly. Further studies in the description of burden of diseases attributed to indoor air pollution are highly recommended. Interventions targeting at improving the design and utilization of fuelstove efficiency and ventilation are essential. The measurement of traffic particulate matter in high traffic areas is suggested given the high proportion of on-road diesel-engined vehicles in Addis Ababa. 2, indoor air pollution, agro-ecology, sources, biomass fuel, variation, Addis Ababa, CO, traffic air pollution, Ethiopia.
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    Are Reminder Stickers Effective in Reducing Immunization Dropout Rates?
    (Addis Ababa University, 1992-03) Berhane, Yemane; Pickering, Joyce(PhD)
    A field trial to assess the effectiveness of a reminder sticker in reducing immunization dropout rates was conducted in two districts of Addis Ababa between October 14, 1991 and January 31, 1992. A total of 703 children were entered into the study. The study population was divided into intervention and control groups according to a randomly determined schedule. The intervention group received the reminder sticker and the control group did not recei ve the sticker. All other services were identical. A baseline interview documented the socio-demographic and maternal characteristics potentially related to immunization services utilization and revealed no statistically significant differences between the intervention and the control group. The dropout rates were 7.3% and 13.3% in the intervention and control groups respectively. The Relative Risk of being a dropout in the intervention group was 0.55(0.35,0.87) . This difference is clinically and statistically (p<.Ol) significant. Therefore, it is concluded that the reminder sticker is effective in reducing immunization dropout rates. Further, large scale investigations under operational conditions are recommended prior to the routine introduction of stickers into the immunization services
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    Comparative Study of Drug Resistance in Smear Positive New and Re-Treatment Cases of Tuberculosis in the Somali Region, Ethiopia
    (2002-04) Said, Abdurahman; Berhane, Yemane
    An institution-based retrospective cohort study was carried out in four hospitals located in four zones of the Somali Region to assess the magnitude and pattern of resistance to 5 essential anti-tuberculosis drugs currently in use and to determine the risk factors associated with drug resistant TB. A total of 190 patients were enrolled consecutively between March and August, 2001; culture was performed on 187 specimens and 127 of these (41 re-treatment and 86 new cases) underwent drug susceptibility tests (DST) to five first-line anti-tuberculosis drugs (isoniazid, rifampicin, ethambutol, streptomycin and thioacetazone) at the Ethiopian Health and Nutrition Research Institute in Addis Ababa. Serology for HIV was done on 112 of the 127 patients with MTB isolates which were included in the analysis. Resistance to any drug was 17.4% in new cases and 46.3% in previously treated cases. MDRTB was seen in 1.2% and 10% of the new and re-treatment cases, respectively. Double drug resistance ranged between 1.2%-2.3% and 7.3-14.6% for new and re-treatment cases, respectively while triple and four-drug resistance were 1.2% for new cases and ranged between 5-7.5% in re-treatment cases. Resistances to all the 5 drugs were 1.9% and 7.3% in new and re-treatment cases, respectively. The differences in resistance level between the two groups were statistically significant at the P<0.01 level. Ethambutol resistance of 2.3% in new cases and 12.2% in re-treatment cases were the highest recorded in the country so far. Resistance to rifampicin is increasing in Eastern part of Ethiopia. The over all HIV seroprevalence was 6.3%, lowest in Sub-Saharan Africa; it was 4% in new cases and 11.4% in the old ones but the difference did not achieve significance due to a small sample size. 10 The prevalence of drug resistance in general and MDR-TB in particular are high in the Somali region. Regulating the private sector and strict control of drugs in the black market, active involvement of the public, the private sector and others concerned, and considering alternative regimens for those harboring resistant strains are suggested for averting the dangers of wide spread MDR-TB.