Diriba Tola

Background Breast cancer is a global health issue, being the most common malignancy and a leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women, particularly in Ethiopia. Despite this high burden, mortality rates and predictors of mortality remain undetermined. This study aimed to assess the pooled incidence of mortality due to breast cancer and identify the predictors of mortality in Ethiopia. Methods A comprehensive search was conducted using several databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, Google Scholar, Google, and Web of Science. Articles were evaluated according to predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Relevant data were extracted to Excel and analyzed using R version 4.2.3 and Stata version 17.0. Results Eight studies were included in this analysis. The pooled incidence of mortality among patients with breast cancer was 25% (95% CI: 17–33%). The results showed that late-stage at diagnosis (AOR=4.79, 95% CI: 1.76–7.81) and chemotherapy treatment (AOR=0.51, 95% CI: 0.06–0.96) were significant predictors of mortality. Conclusions This systematic review and meta-analysis estimated the pooled incidence of mortality among patients with breast cancer in Ethiopia to be 25%. These findings indicate that individuals diagnosed at late stages of breast cancer have a five-fold increased risk of dying compared to those whose cases were diagnosed early. Furthermore, the study indicated that the likelihood of death for patients receiving chemotherapy was 51% lower than for those not receiving chemotherapy. These insights highlight the importance of early detection and effective treatment options for reducing mortality from breast cancer among patients in Ethiopia.

Background Breast cancer is a global health issue, being the most common malignancy and a leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women, particularly in Ethiopia. Despite this high burden, survival rates and predictors of mortality remain undetermined. This study aimed to assess the pooled incidence of breast cancer and identify factors influencing mortality in Ethiopia. Methods A comprehensive search was conducted using several databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, Google Scholar, Google, and Web of Science. Articles were evaluated according to predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Relevant data were extracted and analyzed using R version 4.2.3 and Stata version 17.0. Results Eight studies were included in this analysis. The pooled incidence of mortality among patients with breast cancer was 25% (95% CI: 17–33%). The results showed that late-stage at diagnosis (AOR=4.79, 95% CI: 1.76–7.81) and chemotherapy treatment (AOR=0.51, 95% CI: 0.06–0.96) were significant predictors of mortality. Conclusions This systematic review and meta-analysis estimated the pooled incidence of mortality among patients with breast cancer in Ethiopia to be 25%. These findings indicate that individuals diagnosed at late stages of breast cancer have a five-fold increased risk of dying compared to those whose cases were diagnosed early. Furthermore, the study indicated that the likelihood of death for patients receiving chemotherapy was 51% less than for those not receiving chemotherapy. These insights highlight the importance of early detection and effective treatment options for improving survival outcomes in breast cancer patients in Ethiopia.

Introduction: Food safety practices cannot be overstated since these practices directly impact public health by preventing food-borne illnesses. Despite global advancements, gaps persist in local food safety practices, particularly in under-resourced regions where knowledge, training, and infrastructure may be limited. This study aimed to assess food safety practices and determinant factors among food handlers in food establishments in Bako town in 2023. Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted from August 19 to September 16, 2023, involving 325 randomly selected food handlers who participated in face-to-face interviews using pre-tested structured questionnaires and observational checklists. The collected data were coded and entered into Epi Data version 3.1, then exported to SPSS version 25 for further analysis. Results: A total of 319 food handlers participated, yielding a response rate of 98.2%. The findings indicated that only 30.4% of food handlers demonstrated good food handling practices. Key factors associated with improved practices included a strong knowledge of food safety, prior training in food safety protocols, and a positive attitude toward food safety. Conclusions and Recommendations: This study highlights the critical need to enhance the knowledge of food handlers by providing on food handling protocols and fostering positive attitudes among food handlers toward food safety practices. Recommendations include implementing targeted interventions within food safety practices by focusing on education, training, and attitude development via collaboration with local authorities and different stakeholders in the town.

Background: Diabetic nephropathy is defined as patients with diabetes mellitus who have persistent proteinuria for at least three consecutive measurements per year, a high blood creatinine level (>130 mol/l), or a decrease in glomerular filtration rate (<60 ml/min). Limited studies were done in Ethiopia on determinants of diabetic nephropathy among diabetic patients. Therefore, this study aimed to identify determinants of nephropathy among adult diabetic patients on follow-up at public hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2022. Methods: A hospital-based unmatched case-control study design was conducted from 6 September to 9 November 2022, among diabetic patients on follow-up at public health hospitals in Addis Ababa. Using consecutive sampling techniques, a total of 442 (353 controls and 89 cases) were recruited, with a control-to-case ratio of 4:1. The data were collected using a structured and interview-administered questionnaire and variables like high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, Glycated hemoglobin, and type of diabetes were extracted from the medical records of the patients using a checklist. The collected data were entered into Epidata 3.1 and analyzed by STATA version 15.0. Variables with a p-value < 0.25 in the bivariable logistic regression were selected for the final model. In multivariable logistic regression model fitting, variables with a p-value < 0.05 with 95% CI adjusted odds ratio have declared statistically significant risk factors of diabetic nephropathy. Results: In this study, out of 442 study participants, 334 controls and 89 cases were included in the analysis, with a response rate of 94.6% and 100%, respectively. The majority of the study participants were 92.13% of cases and 84.13% of controls; 7.87% of cases, and 15.87% of controls were type 2 diabetes mellitus. Age 65 and above years old (AOR: 2.42; 95% CI: 1.28, 4.57); Smoking cigarette (AOR: 2.22; 95% CI: 1.18, 4.16); Non-adherent to diet (AOR: 2.11; 95% CI: 1.15, 3.84); Drinking alcohols (AOR: 1.95; 95% CI: 1.07, 3.52); Duration with diabetes more than 10 years (AOR: 3.39; 95% CI: 1.76, 6.54); Poor glycemic control (AOR: 2.19; 95% CI: 1.23, 4.28); and Low-density lipoprotein (AOR: 2.97; 95% CI: 1.69, 5.28) were found to be statistically significant risk factors of nephropathy among diabetic patients. Conclusion: This study found that old age, smoking cigarettes, non-adherence to diet, duration of diabetes, alcohol drinking, Glycated hemoglobin A1C, and high low-density lipoprotein were risk factors for nephropathy. Hence, continuous health education on lifestyle modifications and diabetic-related complications in each follow-up visit via front-line health professionals are very essential to avert the problem.