Research Article
Food Consumption Score and Associated Factors Among Pregnant Women in Injibara Town, Northwest Ethiopia፡
A Community Based Crss-Sectional Study
Issue:
Volume 1, Issue 1, March 2026
Pages:
1-11
Received:
29 December 2025
Accepted:
26 January 2026
Published:
28 February 2026
Abstract: Background: Pregnant women are the most vulnerable groups for poor food consumption, particularly for those in resource limiting settings like Ethiopia. Furthermore, there is a scarcity of evidence on food consumption in these population groups and study area. Thus, this study aimed to assess adequate food consumption score and associated factors among pregnant women in Injibara Town, North west Ethiopia. A community based cross-sectional study was conducted from October 7 to November 09, 2024, among 383 pregnant women in Injibara Town. A multistage sampling technique followed by Systematic random sampling technique was used to select study participants. Data were collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire on Kobo Toolbox and exported to SPSS version 26 for analysis. Binary logistic regression was employed to explore associations between dependent and independent variables. Finally adjusted odds ratio with 95% Confidence Interval at p-value < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. The result showed that nearly three fifth (58.9%, 95% CI: 54.2%-64.1) of the study participants had adequate food consumption score. Pregnant women who were followed ANC Three times [AOR = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.238, 0.89], prim gravida [AOR = 1.745, 95% CI: 1.036, 2.939], poor wealth status [AOR = 0.269, 95% CI: 0.125, 0.577], middle wealth status [AOR = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.251, 0.843], and skip meal [AOR = 0.288, 95% CI: 0.137, 0.604] were significantly associated with adequate food consumption score. This study revealed that the overall consumption of adequate food during pregnancy was below the World Food Program recommendation. Strengthening antenatal care Services, give special attention to multi grvida women, addressing socioeconomic barriers and reducing meal skipping are recommended to improve adequate food consumption.
Abstract: Background: Pregnant women are the most vulnerable groups for poor food consumption, particularly for those in resource limiting settings like Ethiopia. Furthermore, there is a scarcity of evidence on food consumption in these population groups and study area. Thus, this study aimed to assess adequate food consumption score and associated factors a...
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Research Article
Eliminating Parent-to-Child HIV Transmission in Rural Sindh: A Case Series from a Low-resource Setting at CDC HIV Treatment Centre, Nawab Shah
Ubedullah Malik*
,
Ghulam Qadir Rajput,
Shumaila Rind,
Mumtaz Rahu,
Paras Tunio,
Naila Altaf,
Gul Naz Khan,
Mehak Talha
Issue:
Volume 1, Issue 1, March 2026
Pages:
12-17
Received:
25 September 2025
Accepted:
27 January 2026
Published:
28 February 2026
Abstract: Background: Preventing parent to child transmission of HIV remains a priority in resource limited settings. We report outcomes of 29 HIV positive women managed at the CDC HIV Treatment Centre, Peoples Medical College Hospital Nawab shah, Shaheed Benazir Abad. All women delivered while maternal viral load was undetectable or not detected. Parent-to-child transmission of HIV remains a health challenge in rural districts of Pakistan where access to viral load monitoring, consistent antiretroviral therapy (ART), and structured delivery services is often limited. This case series documents outcomes from a rural ART Centre in Sindh. Methods: This is a descriptive case series of consecutive pregnant women who received antenatal care, ART, and delivery care at the treatment center. Interventions included maternal ART, viral load monitoring, adherence support, infant prophylaxis, early infant diagnosis, and feeding counselling. Primary outcome was infant HIV status. Secondary outcomes included mode of delivery, maternal adherence, and programmatic lessons. From January 2024 to December 2025, 29 HIV-positive pregnant women were enrolled at the CDC HIV Treatment Centre, Peoples Medical College Hospital, Nawab shah. All mothers were provided ART and monitored for viral load suppression before delivery. Infant HIV testing was conducted at 6 weeks, 9 months, and 16 months using viral load testing. Results: Between the study period, 29 HIV positive women delivered under care at the center with maternal viral load reported as negative or not detected at the time of delivery. All 29 infants were HIV negative on early infant diagnosis. No case of vertical transmission was detected. All 29 mothers achieved undetectable viral load at the time of delivery. Each infant received prophylaxis according to national protocols. All infants tested HIV-negative at 6 weeks, 9 months, and 16 months. There were no cases of loss to follow-up or infant mortality related to HIV. Conclusions: In this rural setting, a focused PMTCT program achieved zero detected vertical transmissions among 29 consecutive deliveries where mothers had undetectable viral load at delivery. These results show that standard PMTCT interventions can be effective when delivered consistently, even with limited resources. This research is all based on rural area Pakistan in Sindh province. This case series demonstrates that complete prevention of parent-to-child transmission of HIV is possible in a low-resource rural setting when viral suppression and structured follow-up are ensured. The findings provide a practical model for replication in Pakistan and similar contexts.
Abstract: Background: Preventing parent to child transmission of HIV remains a priority in resource limited settings. We report outcomes of 29 HIV positive women managed at the CDC HIV Treatment Centre, Peoples Medical College Hospital Nawab shah, Shaheed Benazir Abad. All women delivered while maternal viral load was undetectable or not detected. Parent-to-...
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Research Article
Assessments of Healthcare Service Utilization and Associated Factors Among Members and Non-members of Community-based Health Insurance in Addis Ababa Ethiopia
Abdulwahid Abdo*,
Getabalew Endazenaw
Issue:
Volume 1, Issue 1, March 2026
Pages:
18-25
Received:
26 January 2026
Accepted:
21 February 2026
Published:
14 March 2026
DOI:
10.11648/j.sdph.20260101.13
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Abstract: Background: Community-based health insurance is designed to provide financial protection and reduce out-of-pocket payments for health care. Direct out-of-pocket payments for health care restrict access to health services and compromise household wellbeing. Objective: To assess healthcare service utilization and associated factors among members and non-members of community-based health insurance in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in 2025. Method: A community-based comparative cross-sectional study was conducted from March 6 to April 8, 2021. Multistage sampling was used to select 366 households (183 insured, 183 uninsured). Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. Data entry and analysis were performed using EPI INFO v7 and SPSS v25, respectively. Descriptive statistics, two-sample t-tests, and logistic regression were used. Results: A total of 354 households (178 insured, 176 uninsured) participated, yielding a response rate of 97.5%. Healthcare service utilization was significantly higher among CBHI members (73.6%) compared to non-members (55.7%) (t = –3.579, p < 0.05). For CBHI members, significant predictors included sex of household head and presence of illness episode. For non-members, sex, marital status, and chronic illness were significant predictors. Conclusion: CBHI membership is significantly associated with higher healthcare service utilization. Expanding CBHI coverage and addressing financial and perceptual barriers are recommended to improve healthcare access.
Abstract: Background: Community-based health insurance is designed to provide financial protection and reduce out-of-pocket payments for health care. Direct out-of-pocket payments for health care restrict access to health services and compromise household wellbeing. Objective: To assess healthcare service utilization and associated factors among members and ...
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