Gender-Based Violence - Magnitude and Types in Northwest Ethiopia

Background

Violence Against Women (VAW) becomes a serious public health issue as unnecessary morbidity and mortalities affect women and girls. Women who experience violence had the possibility of another of violence. Although gender-based violence (GBV) is a common problem in Ethiopia, the burden is not well studied.

Objective

This study determines the magnitude of Gender-Based Violence among women receiving Sexual and Reproductive Health Services in a Specialized Hospital.

Methods

Institution-based retrospective follow-up study was conducted at the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital among gender-based violence (GBV) service users from January 2017 to January 2022. Data were collected from register logbooks and also medical records for some variables, using a tool prepared by refereeing literature and adapting locally available resources and researchers experiences. Epi-info 7 was used to enter the data and exported it to SPSS V-23 for analysis. Descriptive statistics like frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviations are computed for all variables.

Results

The lifetime proportion of sexual and physical violence was found to be 81% and 5%, respectively, while 3% of women experienced both sexual and physical violence. One hundred seventy (29.4%) of the incidents were done by an intimate-partners (boyfriend/husband). The majority (86%) had extra genital injuries. After genital examination, about one-fourth (25%) of survivors had fresh hymenal tears. About three-fourths (75.1%) of the survivors visit the health facility within threes day after the incident.

Conclusion

The study found that GBV is common in Northwest Ethiopia. Future research should involve sensitive methods and grounded approaches to explore survivors' experiences and views on local gender cultures and other contextual factors. Establishing One-stop-center could improve the quality of the services provided to the women.

Reasons for modern contraceptives choice and long-acting reversible contraceptives early removal in Amhara Region, Northwest Ethiopia; qualitative approach

BACKGROUND

Women use modern contraceptive methods, mainly either to limit or space pregnancy and both are not identical in their choices. One method may not best fit an individual's need irrespective of the time of spacing. Cognizant of this, the context with which women base in choice of contraceptives, their lived experiences in using, and factors for early removal/ discontinuation of long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) are not much investigated in the study setting and our study aimed to bridge the gap through exploring the underlying reasons.

METHOD

A phenomenological study design was used to explore sampled women's reasons and experiences. Reproductive-aged women (15-49 years) who removed long-acting methods in the past 6 months were included. A criterion sampling approach was employed to recruit study participants. Data was collected using an interview guide for in-depth (IDIs) and key informant interviews and were tape-recorded with interviewees' consent. Audio data were transcribed verbatim and translated into English. The data was first saved in plain text format and imported into Atlas.ti 7.0 software to facilitate coding and categorizing. The content analysis method was used to classify, organize data, and interpret the qualitative data according to key categories.

RESULTS

Several misconceptions about contraceptives (e.g., implants are not appropriate for daily laborers, women who use contraceptives (such as injectables) can only bear girl-child, etc.) were reported by clients and health providers. These misconceptions might not have scientific merit but they are powerful enough to affect actual behaviors toward contraceptives, including early removal. The awareness, attitude, and use of contraceptives tend to be lower in rural areas. For premature removal of LARCs, side effects, and heavy menstrual bleeding, was the most commonly identified reason. The IUCD is the least preferred method and users said it is not comfortable during sex.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

Our study found different reasons and misconceptions for modern contraceptive methods' non-use and discontinuation. Standardized counseling approaches like the REDI (Rapport Building, Exploration, Decision Making, and Implementation) framework should be implemented in the country consistently. Some of the concrete providers' conceptions should be well-studied considering contextual factors to bring scientific evidence.

Midwifery-led researches for evidence-based practice: Clinical midwives engagement in research in Ethiopia, 2021

Introduction

Health workers involvement in research had an impact on studies and whole system. They influence the clinical practice and help to implement evidences. Although International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) put research as one of the midwifery competencies and professional development activity, clinical midwives are poorly involved in research. Therefore, this study is aimed to assess clinical midwives engagement in research and bridge the gap through applicable strategies.

Method

Institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among clinical midwives working at public health facilities of Central and North Gondar Zone, Ethiopia from September to October, 2020 G.C. A structured and pre-tested self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data and entered into Epi-info version 7. Descriptive statistics was used to describe study population. Bi-variable and multi-variable logistic regression analysis was performed using STATA Version 14 and significance level declared at 95% confidence interval, p-value ≤ 0.05 and respective odds ratios.

Result

Out of 335 clinical midwives, 314 were participated making the response rate 93.7%. Among the midwives, one hundred seventy two (54.8%) (95% CI: 49.08%, 60.37) have good skill on conducting a research. Clinical midwives with mothers with formal education [AOR: 1.90, 95% CI: (1.03, 3.51), currently work on referral hospitals [AOR: 2.33, 95% CI: (1.19, 4.53)] and having good level of knowledge on research [AOR: 2.19, 95% CI: (1.25, 3.82)] have significant association with having good research skill. Forty eight (15.2%) (95% CI: 11.5%, 19.7%) ever participated in research during their clinical practice. Clinical midwives who have good knowledge on research [AOR: 0.31, 95% CI: (0.14, 0.70)] are about 0.3 times less likely to participate on research than who have poor knowledge [AOR: 0.31, 95% CI: (0.14, 0.70)].

Conclusion and recommendation

Although more than half have good research skill, only a small proportion of midwives were involved in research. Capacity building activities are crucial to strengthen midwives skill on research and ensure their involvement.