BACKGROUND: Neonatal jaundice is a significant contributor to illness and death in newborns, leading to frequent admissions to neonatal intensive care units. To better understand this issue, a study was conducted to identify the factors contributing to neonatal jaundice among newborns admitted to Dessie and Woldia comprehensive specialized hospitals in northeast Ethiopia.
METHODS: The study took place from April 1 to May 30, 2022, using unmatched case-control design. A total of 320 neonates paired with their mothers were involved, including 64 cases and 256 controls. Data were collected through a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire and a review of medical records. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS Version 23, and a multivariate logistic regression model was employed to understand the relationship between independent factors and the occurrence of neonatal jaundice. Statistical significance was determined at a threshold of P value less than 0.05.
RESULTS: The study findings revealed that maternal age over 35 years, residing in urban areas [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 2.4, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.23, 4.82], male gender (AOR = 4.3, 95% CI: 1.90, 9.74), prematurity (AOR = 3.9, 95% CI: 1.88, 8.09), and ABO incompatibility (AOR = 2.6, 95% CI: 1.16, 5.96) were significant determinants of neonatal jaundice. Conversely, the study indicated that cesarean birth was associated with a 76% lower likelihood of infant jaundice compared to vaginal delivery (AOR = 0.24, 95% CI: 0.08, 0.72).
CONCLUSIONS: To prevent, diagnose, and treat neonatal jaundice effectively, efforts should primarily focus on managing ABO incompatibility and early detection of prematurity. Additionally, special attention should be given to neonates born through vaginal delivery, those with mothers over 35 years old, and those residing in urban areas, as they are at higher risk of developing newborn jaundice. Close monitoring of high-risk mother-infant pairs during the antenatal and postnatal periods, along with early intervention, is crucial for reducing the severity of neonatal jaundice in this study setting.

UNASSIGNED: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is the most common form of leishmaniasis that causes skin lesions on exposed parts of the body. It is endemic in over 170 districts and highly prevalent in the northern and southern parts of Ethiopia. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the determinants of CL among students of Wegeltena secondary school in Delanta district, Northeast Ethiopia.
UNASSIGNED: This unmatched case-control study was conducted from January 4 to 20, 2021 at Wegeltena secondary school. Cases were students who had an active lesion of CL and controls were students who had never been infected with CL (no active lesions). A simple random sampling technique was utilized to select participants in the control group. Data were collected by using a pretested, interviewer-administered structured questionnaire. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed and variables were declared determinants of CL at a p value of <0.05.
UNASSIGNED: A total of 225 students (58 cases and 167 controls) participated in the study. The mean age of cases and controls was 18.6 (SD ± 0.99 years) and 18.5 years (SD ± 1.17 years), respectively. In this study, 74.1% of cases and 51.5% of controls have been living in rural areas. Furthermore, being male (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 4.11; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.94-8.69), rural residents (AOR = 2.95; 95% CI: 1.33-6.52), living in areas where caves (AOR = 3.63; 95% CI: 1.24-10.59), nearby forest (AOR = 4.04; 95% CI: 1.42-11.51), and hyrax available (AOR = 2.43; 95% CI: 1.16-5.08) were significantly associated with CL.
UNASSIGNED: In our study, sociodemographic and environmental factors were found to be determinants of CL. Therefore, reducing outdoor activities, wearing protective clothes, use of insecticide-treated nets, and destruction of sand fly breeding sites shall be implemented targeting the rural population that resides in areas where forests, caves, and hyraxes are prominent.

UNASSIGNED: Globally, in 2016, about 38% and 3% of all neonatal death were recorded in sub-Saharan Africa and Ethiopia, respectively. In the same year, 47 neonates out of 1000 live births were not surviving in the first 28 days of age in the Amhara region, Ethiopia. Despite the highest burden of neonatal death in the region, specific or the proximate determinants of neonatal death in the neonatal intensive care unit were not well identified.
UNASSIGNED: This study aimed to identify the determinants of neonatal mortality at neonatal intensive care unit in Dessie Referral Hospital, Northeast Ethiopia.
UNASSIGNED: An institution-based unmatched case-control study was conducted on neonates admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of Dessie Referral Hospital, from January 1, 2016, to December 30, 2017. A total of 390 charts (130 cases and 260 controls) were selected by simple random sampling technique. The data were abstracted from the facility-based data abstraction form. A binary logistic regression analysis was fitted to identify the determinants of neonatal mortality.
UNASSIGNED: Pregnancy-induced hypertension (AOR = 4.57; 95% CI 1.45-14.43), prolonged rupture of membrane (AOR = 2.04; 95% CI 1.13-3.68), very low birth weight (AOR = 7.00; 95% CI 2.10-23.35), and low birth weight (AOR = 2.12; 95% CI 1.10-4.20) were identified factors. Moreover, respiratory distress syndrome (AOR = 3.61; 95% CI 1.10-12.04), perinatal asphyxia (AOR = 2.27; 95% CI 1.18-4.39), meconium aspiration syndrome (AOR = 2.35; 95% CI 1.12-4.97), and infection (AOR = 2.26; 95% CI 1.34-3.82) were also significantly associated with neonatal death.
UNASSIGNED: Pregnancy-induced hypertension, prolonged rupture of membrane, low birth weight, respiratory distress syndrome, perinatal asphyxia, meconium aspiration syndrome, and infections were the major determinants of neonatal mortality. Therefore, special attention will be given to small and sick babies. Moreover, early anticipation of complications and management of mothers who had pregnancy-induced hypertension and prolonged rupture of the membrane would save neonates.