The burden of disabilities in Sidama National Regional State, Ethiopia: A cross-sectional, descriptive study

Psychological distress and its associated factors among people with specific chronic conditions (diabetes and/or hypertension) in the Sidama region of southern Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

The majority of people with long-term, non-communicable medical conditions experience significant psychological anguish. Poor mental health or psychological distress influences low lifestyle decisions that result in obesity, inactivity, and cigarette use as well as poor health literacy and limited access to health promotion activities.

OBJECTIVES

The study's purpose was to measure the prevalence of psychological distress and it's predictors in patients with chronic non-communicable diseases who were being treated in selected hospitals in the Sidama region of southern Ethiopia in 2022.

METHODOLOGY

Institutional based cross-sectional study was carried out using a sample of 844 patients receiving medication for either high blood pressure or diabetes mellitus or both between May1 and August 31, 2022. To gauge psychiatric distress, the Amharic translation and Ethiopian validation of the Kessler 6 scale (K-6) was employed. The analysis was done using binary logistic regression and an odds ratio with the corresponding 95% confidence interval was estimated to measure the strength of the association. P value <0.05 was considered to declare the significance.

RESULT

Patients with diabetic mellitus, hypertension or both had a 49.6% prevalence of psychological distress at selected Sidama hospitals. Age, drug side effects, history medical complications following diabetic mellitus/hypertension, and body mass index of the patient were all significantly linked with psychological distress (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

According to the results of this study, psychological distress is far more prevalent than it was in past studies in Ethiopia and other African countries. To lessen the problem, all stakeholders must cooperate, but health agencies, policymakers, and NGOs particularly need to put in extra effort. The study also showed a significant association between body mass index, patient age, drug side effects, and history of medical complications following diabetic mellitus /hypertension.

Assessment of community-based intervention approaches to improve the health and welfare of working donkeys in selected areas of Sidama region, Southern Ethiopia

Background

Although efforts have been made by certain non-governmental organizations, like the Donkey Sanctuary, SPANA (Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad), and Brooke Ethiopia, to change the attitudes and practices of donkey owners toward improving the health and welfare of working donkeys, their impact has not been assessed so far. A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess and compare donkeys' health and welfare problems in community-based intervention areas versus non-intervention areas in selected districts of Sidama regional state, Southern Ethiopia.

Methods

For the animal-based welfare assessments, 200 donkeys each were selected and included from intervention and non-intervention areas. The selected donkeys were then assessed for their welfare and health status using five important parameters, namely, body condition score, presence and severity of wounds, behavior, presence and severity of lameness, and presence of other signs of illness/diseases.

Results

The prevalence and severity of lameness and wounds on donkeys managed in non-intervention areas were higher than those observed in community-based intervention areas. The prevalence of lameness in the non-intervention areas (25.5%) was over two times higher than the prevalence in the intervention areas (12%). Likewise, over 37% of the donkeys in the non-intervention areas were wounded, of which 64% were suffering moderate to severe wounds. Moreover, donkeys in the intervention areas had better body condition and were alert and friendly upon human approach. There was a statistically significant difference (p < 0.01) between the intervention and non-intervention areas in all the considered parameters, namely, the presence of lameness, wound, body condition score, demeanor, and response to approach.

Conclusion and recommendations

Based on this study's findings, the community-based intervention approach was found to improve the health and welfare of working donkeys. Therefore, comprehensive and continuous equine health and welfare promotion through community-based intervention approaches should be designed and implemented to improve the welfare of working equines in the country.