Ethiopian medical journal
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Ethiopian medical journal · Apr 1998
Patterns of childhood mortality in three districts of north Gondar Administrative Zone. A community based study using the verbal autopsy method.
This community based study was undertaken to determine the infant and child mortality rates, causes of childhood mortality and examine the utilization patterns of health services in north Gondar Administrative Zone. The study was conducted from November 1994 to May 1995. A pretested questionnaire based on criteria suggested for diagnosis of childhood mortality in developing countries, using verbal autopsy, was administered to mothers or care takers whose under five children died within five years prior to data collection. ⋯ The most common causes of mortality were respiratory tract infections, diarrhoea and malnutrition. The method of verbal autopsy if used with well tested and validated criteria may be of great help in describing mortality patterns in places where there is no regular surveillance of mortality. Based on the results, intervention packages on the most common causes of mortality at different levels of health care can be devised.
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Ethiopian medical journal · Jul 1997
Neonatal sepsis in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: a review of 151 bacteremic neonates.
A retrospective study of 542 neonatal sepsis cases was undertaken. Bacteremia was confirmed in 151 cases. There were a total of 195 (36%) deaths. ⋯ Klebsiella was the leading etiologic agent (38%), with a mortality rate of 54%. Low birth weight was found to be a predisposing factor for the development of sepsis and mortality. The high incidence of sepsis, the increase in mortality rate and the spread of nosocomial infection is discussed.
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Ethiopian medical journal · Jan 1997
Review Case ReportsExtramedullary blast transformation in a patient with chronic myelogenous leukaemia.
Extramedullary blast transformation (crisis) of stable, chronic myelogenous leukaemia in a 71-year old male Ethiopian is presented. The difficulties encountered in the diagnosis and management of this rare but grave condition are discussed and literature is reviewed.
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Ethiopian medical journal · Jan 1995
Knowledge, attitude and practice of family planning among senior high school students in north Gonder.
Sexual experience, knowledge, attitude and practice on contraception was studied among 991 senior high school students in north Gonder in May 1993 using anonymous questionnaire. Three-hundred-four students (30.7%) answered that they had experienced sexual intercourse. Out of 83 sexually active female students 25(30.1%) reported to have been pregnant. ⋯ The most common reason for not using modern contraceptive methods among sexually active respondents was little or no knowledge of contraceptives followed by no access to contraceptives and harmful effects of contraceptives. It is recommended that family life education should be conducted in high schools. Counselling and clinical services on family planning in high schools and places where adolescents gather for recreation and other purposes may also be considered.
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Ethiopian medical journal · Oct 1994
The relation of early nutrition, infections and socio-economic factors to the development of childhood diabetes.
The relationship of development of diabetes from birth up to 15 years of age to the type of feeding in infancy, childhood infections and vaccination was studied in 55 patients attending Endocrinology Clinics of the Ethio-Swedish Children's and Tikur Anbessa Hospitals over a period of two years (January 1990 to December 1991). Seventy-four unaffected siblings and 107 unrelated controls were interviewed for comparison. No significant difference was found in relation to type of feeding up to the ages of three, six and 12 months or older between patients and unaffected siblings. ⋯ The odds ratios between diabetics and unrelated controls for introduction of bottle-feeding at three months and six months of age were 0.32 (confidence intervals 0.14-0.74) and 0.31 (confidence intervals 0.13-0.77) respectively. The use of cow's milk and other formulas in bottle-feeding showed a significant negative association with the development of diabetes chi 2 = 5.8 (p < 0.025), chi 2 = 3.8 (p < 0.05) respectively. A history of vaccination against tuberculosis, measles, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus (DPT) and polio was significantly more common among unrelated controls than diabetics, chi 2 from 4.6 to 11.4 (p < 0.05 to p < 0.001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)