Browsing by Author "Negash Ashenafi"

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    Caring for HIV Positive Children: Psychological Functioning of Care-Givers with HIV Positive Children: a Qualitative Study Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
    (Addis Ababa University, 2019) Negash Ashenafi; Bahiretibeb Yona
    Background: HIV/AIDS is an epidemic infectious illness which affects anyone regardless of age, sex, social class, academic level and race. It has a significant direct or indirect impact not only on the patient but also on the care-givers with significant morbidity, mortality and economic burden. Despite an increased care for the infected individual, the psychological impact of the illness on the care-givers has been undermined specially in low to middle income countries including Ethiopia. To date there have been no studies about the psychological functioning of care-givers raising HIV positive children. Objective: The objective of this study is to explore the psychological functioning of care-givers of HIV positive children following at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital. Methods: Data was gathered on 14 participants, biological parent and close relative, using semi-structured interviews. The interviews were conducted in Amharic, transcribed and then translated into English. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis Result; This finding showed that the care-givers age range from 22-85 and 13 out 14 care-givers were female. Majority of them were at low academic level, low socioeconomic status and have temporary employment. Most of them were biological and single parent and they were also sero-positive. The result identified that caregivers experienced emotional pain after hearing the result, persistent or transient maternal guilty, depression, dealing with sero-discordance, discrimination, disclosure concern and change of behaviors in the child. The finding also highlighted the presence of economical struggle, house problem and unemployment on the care-givers. To get through their psychological distress care-givers also used spirituality, hope, getting financial or material support and sharing responsibility with older children as their coping mechanisms. Conclusion; Caring for HIV positive children is found to be psychologically burdensome especially in a resource limited setting. So, having an integrated mental health service for care-givers is unquestionable. Considering the high burden of care-giving in women, it will be very important to involve male care-givers and empower women economically.
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    Caring for HIV Positive Children: Psychological Functioning of Care-Givers with HIV Positive Children: a Qualitative study.
    (Addis Abeba University, 2019-01) Negash Ashenafi; Bahiretibeb Yonas ; Girma Fikirte ; Abebe Workeabeba
    Background: HIV/AIDS is an epidemic infectious illness which affects anyone regardless of age, sex, social class, academic level and race. It has a significant direct or indirect impact not only on the patient but also on the care-givers with significant morbidity, mortality and economic burden. Despite an increased care for the infected individual, the psychological impact of the illness on the care-givers has been undermined specially in low to middle income countries including Ethiopia. To date there have been no studies about the psychological functioning of care-givers raising HIV positive children. Objective: The objective of this study is to explore the psychological functioning of care-givers of HIV positive children following at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital. Methods: Data was gathered on 14 participants, biological parent and close relative, using semi structured interviews. The interviews were conducted in Amharic, transcribed and then translated into English. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis Result; This finding showed that the care-givers age range from 22-85 and 13 out 14 care-givers were female. Majority of them were at low academic level, low socioeconomic status and have temporary employment. Most of them were biological and single parent and they were also sero positive. The result identified that caregivers experienced emotional pain after hearing the result, persistent or transient maternal guilty, depression, dealing with sero-discordance, discrimination, disclosure concern and change of behaviors in the child. The finding also highlighted the presence of economical struggle, house problem and unemployment on the care-givers. To get through their psychological distress care-givers also used spirituality, hope, getting financial or material support and sharing responsibility with older children as their coping mechanisms. Conclusion; Caring for HIV positive children is found to be psychologically burdensome especially in a resource limited setting. So, having an integrated mental health service for care givers is unquestionable. Considering the high burden of care-giving in women, it will be very important to involve male care-givers and empower women economically.
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    Caring for HIV Positive Children: Psychological Functioning of Care-Givers with HIV Positive Children: a Qualitative Study.
    (Addis Abeba University, 2019-01) Negash Ashenafi; Bahiretibeb Yonas ; Girma Fikirte ; Abebe Workeabeba
    Background: HIV/AIDS is an epidemic infectious illness which affects anyone regardless of age, sex, social class, academic level and race. It has a significant direct or indirect impact not only on the patient but also on the care-givers with significant morbidity, mortality and economic burden. Despite an increased care for the infected individual, the psychological impact of the illness on the care-givers has been undermined specially in low to middle income countries including Ethiopia. To date there have been no studies about the psychological functioning of care-givers raising HIV positive children. Objective: The objective of this study is to explore the psychological functioning of care-givers of HIV positive children following at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital. Methods: Data was gathered on 14 participants, biological parent and close relative, using semi structured interviews. The interviews were conducted in Amharic, transcribed and then translated into English. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis Result; This finding showed that the care-givers age range from 22-85 and 13 out 14 care-givers were female. Majority of them were at low academic level, low socioeconomic status and have temporary employment. Most of them were biological and single parent and they were also seropositive. The result identified that caregivers experienced emotional pain after hearing the result, persistent or transient maternal guilty, depression, dealing with sero-discordance, discrimination, disclosure concern and change of behaviors in the child. The finding also highlighted the presence of economical struggle, house problem and unemployment on the care-givers. To get through their psychological distress care-givers also used spirituality, hope, getting financial or material support and sharing responsibility with older children as their coping mechanisms. Conclusion; Caring for HIV positive children is found to be psychologically burdensome especially in a resource limited setting. So, having an integrated mental health service for caregivers is unquestionable. Considering the high burden of care-giving in women, it will be very important to involve male care-givers and empower women economically
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    Morbidity and Mortality among Pediatric Congenital Heart Disease Patients on Waiting List at Cardiac Center –Ethiopia.
    (Addis Ababa University, 2025-07) Negash Ashenafi; Bezabih Abebe
    Introduction: Congenital heart diseases are prevalent globally, causing significant morbidity and mortality, particularly in low-to-middle income countries where limited cardiac care infrastructure, like in Ethiopia, leads to protracted surgical waiting lists exceeding 15,000 patients. Despite these known challenges, there is a scarcity of local data on the specific burden of morbidity and mortality, and their predictors among paediatric CHD patients on the surgical waiting lists in Ethiopia. Objective: Assessed the morbidity and mortality patterns, and their predictors, among paediatric CHD patients waiting open-heart surgery at the Children’s Heart Fund Cardiac Center-Ethiopia. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at the Children’s Heart Fund Cardiac Center-Ethiopia, analyzing data from pediatric congenital heart disease patients registered for open-heart surgery between September 1st, 2019, and August 31st, 2021. Patients under 15 years old who were candidates for open-heart surgery constituted the study population. Follow-up was conducted retrospectively until December 31st, 2024. Data on patient demographics, clinical status, nutritional status, and outcomes (survival, date/cause of death, morbidity events) were primarily abstracted from medical records, with phone contact used to ascertain missing information. Statistical analysis involved descriptive statistics, Kaplan-Meier survival curves with log-rank tests, and multivariable Cox proportional hazards models to identify mortality predictors. All analyses were performed using STATA version 15.0 and SPSS version 26. Result: In this retrospective cohort study of 297 paediatric CHD patients on a waiting list for open-heart surgery, 11.8% underwent surgery, 22.6% died, and 65.7% remained waiting. The overall incidence death rate was 614.4 per 100 person-years of observation, with 67 deaths occurring over 4,000 person-days of follow-up. The median time from enrolment to death was 517 days (17 months), while the median time to surgery was 721 days (24 months). Significant predictors of mortality were weight at enrolment (HR=0.78; 95% CI: 0.66, 0.93), number of OPD visits (HR=0.92; 95% CI: 0.86, 0.99), complication (HR=4.58; 95% CI: 2.53, 8.28), and Cyanotic CHD (HR=2.60; 95% CI: 1.45, 4.66). Conclusion: This study revealed a high waitlist mortality, a prolonged waiting period, low surgery rate, and high morbidity. Lower weight, fewer outpatient visits, the occurrence of complications, and having cyanotic heart disease are determinants of mortality.