Folic Acid Supplements Prescribing Practice During Protective Period and its Associated Factors among Health Professionals in Selected Governmental Health Centers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2023.
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Date
2023
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Background; supplementing folic acid (FA) before and in the 1st month of the conception is an
essential preventive factor especially for neural tube defects (NTDs) and other congenital
anomalies. However, in Ethiopia it is not given attention by policy makers, poorly administered
at the right time by healthcare professionals, less utilized by pregnant women and/or women
planning conceive. As a result, FA deficiency and insufficiency are a major public health issue in
Ethiopia.
Objectives: a goal of a research was to assess folic acid supplement (FAS) prescribing practice
during protective period and its associated factors among health professionals in selected
governmental health centers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2023.
Methods; Institutionalized cross-sectional survey was carried out in Addis Ababa public health
centers with a total sample size 396 from February20-May22/2023. To choose the respondents
systematic random sampling methods was used and after each respondent's signed consent, a row
data was gathered using a pretested self-administered questionnaires. The data was coded, interred
to Epi data 4.6.0.6 and transferred to Statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) 27 software. Then
binary and multivariable logistic regression analysis method was used to show the associated variables
with FA prescribing practice using a confidence interval of 95% and significance value<0.05).
Result: The total prevalence of folic acid prescribing practice during periconception period was
64.4% [95% CI (59.68-69.12]. But those prescribed during protective period was 26.7%. Ever
not attended birth of neonate with NTD, not prescribing dose of 4mg folic acid (FA) for women
with NTD, type of women whom FA was prescribed were associated with FA prescribing
practice during protective period.
Conclusion and recommendations; the healthcare professional’s prescribing practice
during protective period was still very low, needs more attention in order to FA strengthen
FAS.
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Keywords
Folic acid supplements, prescribing practice, Periconception period, Neural tube defects.