Selected Health Centers Research Articles

Groundwater Potential Zone Identification in the Crystalline Basement Rock Terrain of Liberia Using Integrated Remote Sensing and GIS

This paper presents groundwater favorability mapping of fractured crystalline bedrock terrain throughout Liberia with a focus on 43 selected health centers. The aim of this research is to create groundwater suitability maps to be used by the Liberian Ebola Emergency Response Project. Hydrogeological investigations can often be cost prohibitive, particularly in developing nations. Therefore, this study was performed using only publicly available free geospatial data. The materials acquired included a geologic map obtained from the USGS, a Digital Elevation Map, and images from Landsat 8. The data was analyzed with both remote sensing software and ArcGIS and processed to produce several thematic maps. The maps were combined in a multi-criteria analysis (weighted linear combination) to produce a variety of groundwater favorability maps. The results suggest significant spatial variability within 5 km of all selected health centers. These models will be further refined and may prove useful for the Emergency Response Project and future groundwater development in Liberia.

Level of Awareness on Danger Signs During Pregnancy and Associated Factors, among Pregnant Mothers, Dire Dawa Administrative Public Health Facilities, Eastern Ethiopia

Background: Raising awareness of women on danger signs during pregnancy is crucial for safe motherhood. In Ethiopia a country where maternal morbidity and mortality is high where little is known about awareness level of pregnant women on danger signs of pregnancy is used to enhance utilization of skilled care in low-income countries like Ethiopia.Objective: To determine level of awareness on danger signs of pregnancy and associated factors among ANC attendant mother in urban and rural health centres, in Diredawa, eastern Ethiopia.Methods and materials: Facility based cross-sectional study design was used to collect data. The study was conducted among a sample of 502 pregnant women in Diredawa administration town in selected health centres from Jan 1-Mar 30/2017. Sample size was determined by using double population proportion formulas. Simple random sampling technique was used to select six health centres, three from each urban and rural resident. Then systematic random sampling technique was used to select study subjects by considering both the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Pregnant mothers were interviewed face to face using pre-tested structured questionnaire. Data was checked for completeness, consistency and coded before data entry. Data entered, cleaned and analyzed using SPSS for windows version 20.0. Bivariate, multivariable logistic regression model were used to demonstrate the difference between study subjects’ characteristics (independent variables) and level of awareness of danger sign of pregnancy.Results: Of all 502 (100%) respondents interviewed 121 (24.1%) mothers had good awareness of danger signs of pregnancy. Maternal age, educational status, place of most recent delivery, residents and danger sign causes problem or death to the mother were independently associated with awareness of women about danger sign of pregnancy.Conclusion: Three fourth of study subjects didn’t have awareness about DSP. Maternal age, maternal education, place of most recent delivery, residents and danger sign causes problem or death to the mother were independently associated with awareness of women about danger sign of pregnancy. Thus, provision of information, education and communication targeting women, family and the general community on danger signs of pregnancy and associated factors was recommended.

Prevalence of Anemia and Associated Risk Factors among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care in Selected Health Centers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Prevalence of Anemia and Associated Risk Factors among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care in Selected Health Centers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Cost of care for hypertension in a selected health center of urban Puducherry: An exploratory cost-of-illness study

Background: Among noncommunicable diseases, hypertension is one of the most important risk factors, the control of which imposes a huge financial burden on the healthcare system and the society. Objectives: The objective of this study was to measure the monthly cost incurred in care of hypertension in urban Puducherry and to estimate the total annual cost required to provide care for the adults with hypertension in a typical primary health center (PHC) of India. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in the service area of urban health center (UHC) in Puducherry, functioning under the Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, JIPMER. A sample of 238 adults ≥ 18 years identified through a baseline survey conducted in 2014 was interviewed using a pretested semi-structured questionnaire. The questionnaire collected information on sociodemographic data, place of seeking hypertension care, and its duration and various direct and indirect costs incurred. Recall period was fixed as 1 month for OP care and 1 year for hospitalization. A prevalence-based approach was used for calculating the cost of illness. Average monthly and annual direct and indirect costs were calculated and were compared across the type of facility of care and with the presence or absence of comorbidities. The cost of care from UHC and other government hospitals were calculated from standard rates. The average annual cost from UHC was used to calculate the annual amount required to provide care of hypertension in a typical PHC of India. Results: Among the 238 participants, 73.5% (n = 175) were female, and the mean (standard deviation) age was 58 (11.7) years. Majority (72%, n = 172) took care for their hypertension from UHC, JIPMER. Half of them (n = 119) had associated comorbidities. Average monthly direct cost of care for hypertension was 223.2 (198.0–329.4) Indian national rupees. There was statistically significant difference in the cost of care among participants utilizing public and private facilities, and also among participants with comorbidities and without comorbidities. The estimation of annual cost of hypertension care for a typical PHC comes around 1.07 crores. Conclusion: The control of hypertension in a community leads to a significant load on health system; however, it is essential for preventing further catastrophic costs as a result of complications and mortality. This cost could be saved if we could prevent the population from becoming hypertensives by preventive measures, and it will further lead to reduction in mortality and morbidity and the associated costs.

An exploratory study to assess the infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices among mothers attending pediatric OPD at selected health centers of Punjab.

An exploratory study to assess the infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices among mothers attending pediatric OPD at selected health centers of Punjab.

The Effects of Inhalation Aromatherapy with Rose and Lavender at Week 38 and Postpartum Period on Postpartum Depression in High-risk Women Referred to Selected Health Centers of Yazd, Iran in 2015.

Background:Postpartum depression (PPD) is one of the most common problems in women of childbearing age. This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of aromatherapy on PPD.Materials and Methods:In this study, 105 pregnant women at 35–37 weeks of pregnancy were enrolled using convenient sampling and randomly assigned to three groups. The intervention group dropped 7 drops of lavender oil and 1 cc rose water at the concentration of 100%, and the placebo group dropped 7 drops of odorless sesame seed oil, with 1 cc of musk willow sweat at the concentration of 100% by dropper on a special cloth. They put the cloths on their mouths and took 10 deep breaths before sleeping and then placed them next to their pillows. The control group only received the routine care. The intervention lasted from 38th week of pregnancy until 6 weeks after delivery. Then depression level was determined before the intervention, 35–37 weeks of pregnancy, 2 and 6 weeks after delivery using Edinburgh questionnaire.Results:The mean of depression score in the intervention group decreased significantly compared to the placebo and control groups, 2 weeks (F = 9.412, p < 0.001) and 6 weeks after delivery (F = 7.813, p < 0.01).Conclusions:This study provides valid evidence for the effect of aromatherapy on PPD. Therefore, the use of aromatherapy can be recommended in high-

Determinants of Acute Diarrhoea among Children Aged 6-59 Months in Chire District, Southern Ethiopia: Unmatched Case-Control Study

Background: Acute diarrhoea is a major global health problem, and the developing countries like Ethiopia bear the huge share of the burden. As of 2015, Ethiopia stands sixth among fifteen high diarrhoea death occurring countries in the world. Chire district is one of the affected areas in South Ethiopia despite the absence of scientific evidences of driving factors. Thus, this study was aimed to assess the determinants of acute diarrhoea among under-five year aged children in Chire district of Southern Ethiopia. Methods: Facility based unmatched case-control study was conducted in three purposely selected health centers. Five hundred twelve children were included into two groups, 256 cases and 256 controls. Simple random sampling technique was used to select the study subjects. Standardized structured questionnaire was used for data collection and SPSS version 20.0 for data analysis. Descriptive analysis, bivariate and multivariate logistic regression model were used to identify the associated factors. Results: The study showed that age of 6-11 months [AOR: 2.43, 95% CI, (1.28, 4.61)], five or more persons in the house-hold [AOR: 2.69, 95%CI, (1.50, 4.83)], inappropriate disposal of infant feces [AOR: 3.69, 95%CI, (1.13, 6.49)], lack of vitamin-A supplementation [AOR: 3.44, 95%CI, (1.82, 6.49)], maternal history of recent diarrhoea [AOR: 1.68, 95%CI, (1.07, 2.65)] and poor knowledge of respondents about risk factors were significantly associated with acute diarrhoea. Conclusion: Majorities of identified findings have strong association with the maternal or care-takers behavior. Thus, the responsible bodies, especially the district health office and the health extension workers are highly required to provide the intensive and regular health education on the causes and consequences of disease. In addition, vitamin-A should be supplemented as per national guideline.

The Effect of Group Sexual Counseling Based on Cognitive Behavioural Approach on Sexual Satisfaction of Women

Introduction: Sexual satisfaction is an important factor in the prevention of sexual dysfunction in women. It is an important factor in the healthy emotional and physiological aspects of sexual relationship. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of sexual counselling by cognitive behavioural approach on sexual satisfaction of women. Materials and Methods: This randomised clinical trial was conducted in two groups with pre-test and post-test on 198 women referred to selected health centres of Hamadan, 2016. The centres were randomised and taken as experimental and control group, three centres were selected as a control group and three as experimental group. The participants were selected by simple random sampling. The intervention group received four sessions (two hours) of group sexual counselling. Before and after the intervention, the demographic and sexual satisfaction questionnaires were completed. Results: After intervention, there were significant difference between two groups regarding sexual satisfaction (p<0.001). The mean score of the experimental group significantly decreased (p<0.001) and the mean score of sexual dissatisfaction in the control group didn’t changed significantly (p=0.625). Conclusion: The research findings showed that group sexual counseling based on CBT had an effect on the sexual satisfaction and increased women’s sexual satisfaction. © 2018, Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research. All rights reserved.

EVALUASI PROGRAM SANITASI TOTAL BERBASIS MASYARAKAT DI KABUPATEN MAMUJU

Low coverage of family latrines, village implement community-based total sanitation (STBM) and the village of defecation Random Stop (Stop Babs) resulted in increased cases of disease based environment. The purpose of this study was to determine the components of the input, process and output for the low coverage STBM program. This study is an evaluation using a qualitative approach in 10 selected health centers in Mamuju conducted by purposive sampling based health centers category in June – August 2015. The informants are holders STBM program health centers, community health centers and the head of environmental health section chief. In collecting the data, researchers used the method triagulasi ie depth interviews, observation and document analysis. Analyses were performed with a qualitative analysis of the various opinions that combined the results of triangulation. The results showed there were several indicators of input components of adequate policies, authority and responsibility, human resources; except for operational funds and infrastructure. Kompenen planning process, pengoorganisasian and reporting is adequate, but the implementation and monitoring indicators was inadequate. Output components are all yet to reach the standards set. Conclusion there are some indicators that are not sufficient operating funds, infrastructure, implementation, and monitoring.

Factors Affecting the Utilization of Family Planning among Women Attending Selected Health Centers in Ile Ife, Osun State, Nigeria

Factors Affecting the Utilization of Family Planning among Women Attending Selected Health Centers in Ile Ife, Osun State, Nigeria

Treatment Outcome of Tuberculosis Patients in Selected Health Centres in Addis Ababa: a Five Year Retrospective Study

Treatment Outcome of Tuberculosis Patients in Selected Health Centres in Addis Ababa: a Five Year Retrospective Study

Factors associated with late ANC initiation among pregnant women in select public health centers of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: unmatched case-control study design.

BackgroundAlthough Ethiopia has shown remarkable achievements in reducing maternal mortality in the last 10 years, the prevalence of late antenatal care (ANC) initiation is still high in the country.ObjectiveThe primary purpose of this study was to identify the factors related to late ANC initiation among pregnant women in selected public health centers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.Subjects and methodsA total of 402 pregnant women (cases=134, controls=268) were recruited using multistage sampling. The design selected for the study was unmatched case–control. EpiData version 3.02 and SPSS version 20.0 were used for data entry and statistical analysis, respectively. Binary logistic regression model was used to model the odds of late ANC initiation.ResultsThe odds of attending ANC late were significantly higher for mothers with a monthly household income of <US$45.5 (AOR=6.67; 95% CI: 2.40, 18.60), who were educated up to eighth grade or below (AOR=2.17; 95% CI: 1.03, 4.60), who had unplanned pregnancy (AOR=2.73; 95% CI: 1.03, 7.23), who did not receive advice from health extension workers or TV/radio (AOR=5.21; 95% CI: 2.49, 10.88), who stayed for <5 years in Addis Ababa (AOR=3.93; 95% CI: 1.89, 8.12), and who was charged >$8.50 to start the ANC service (AOR=3.04; 95% CI: 1.98, 4.67).ConclusionLow educational level, low income of the household, unplanned pregnancy, stay for <5 years in Addis Ababa, not getting advice from health extension workers or local TV/radio and higher cost associated with initiation of the first ANC service were the main predictors of late ANC initiation. Therefore, any intervention which would need to improve early ANC initiation should focus on economic empowerment of women, and tailored health education for migrant women should be strengthened.

National Assessment of Data Quality and Associated Systems-Level Factors in Malawi.

Routine health data can guide health systems improvements, but poor quality of these data hinders use. To address concerns about data quality in Malawi, the Ministry of Health and National Statistical Office conducted a data quality assessment (DQA) in July 2016 to identify systems-level factors that could be improved. We used 2-stage stratified random sampling methods to select health centers and hospitals under Ministry of Health auspices, included those managed by faith-based entities, for this DQA. Dispensaries, village clinics, police and military facilities, tertiary-level hospitals, and private facilities were excluded. We reviewed client registers and monthly reports to verify availability, completeness, and accuracy of data in 4 service areas: antenatal care (ANC), family planning, HIV testing and counseling, and acute respiratory infection (ARI). We also conducted interviews with facility and district personnel to assess health management information system (HMIS) functioning and systems-level factors that may be associated with data quality. We compared systems and quality factors by facility characteristics using 2-sample t tests with Welch's approximation, and calculated verification ratios comparing total entries in registers to totals from summarized reports. We selected 16 hospitals (of 113 total in Malawi), 90 health centers (of 466), and 16 district health offices (of 28) in 16 of Malawi's 28 districts. Nearly all registers were available and complete in health centers and district hospitals, but data quality varied across service areas; median verification ratios comparing register and report totals at health centers ranged from 0.78 (interquartile range [IQR]: 0.25, 1.07) for ARI and 0.99 (IQR: 0.82, 1.36) for family planning to 1.00 (IQR: 0.96, 1.00) for HIV testing and counseling and 1.00 (IQR: 0.80, 1.23) for ANC. More than half (60%) of facilities reported receiving a documented supervisory visit for HMIS in the prior 6 months. A recent supervision visit was associated with better availability of data (P=.05), but regular district- or central-level supervision was not. Use of data by the facility to track performance toward targets was associated with both improved availability (P=.04) and completeness of data (P=.02). Half of facilities had a full-time statistical clerk, but their presence did not improve the availability or completeness of data (P=.39 and P=.69, respectively). Findings indicate both strengths and weaknesses in Malawi's HMIS performance, with key weaknesses including infrequent data quality checks and unreliable supervision. Efforts to strengthen HMIS in low- and middle-income countries should be informed by similar assessments.

Using formative research to promote antenatal care attendance and iron folic acid supplementation in Zinder, Niger.

In Niger, use of antenatal care (ANC) and iron folic acid (IFA) supplements is suboptimal. The objectives of this paper are as follows: (a) to conduct formative research to understand barriers and beliefs among pregnant women related to ANC, IFA supplementation, and pregnancy outcomes; (b) assess the quality of currently provided ANC services; (c) use the findings to guide the development of programmatic interventions to improve coverage of ANC services and IFA supplementation of pregnant women. Structured in-home interviews (n=72) and focus groups (n=4) were conducted with pregnant women in 4 randomly selected villages in rural Zinder. ANC consultations (n=33) were observed in 5 randomly selected health centres, and exit interviews were conducted with all pregnant women and seven health agents following these observations. During workshops with stakeholders, results of the formative research were interpreted, and programmatic interventions were developed. In home interviews, 72% of women reported having attended at least one ANC visit. They also reported husbands (71%), mothers (40%), and friends (33%) supporting ANC attendance. Among those having attended ANC, only 65% reported taking IFA the day prior to the interview. Three of five health centres visited had IFA in stock. Health staff did not provide IFA supplements during 18 of 33 observed ANC consultations of which only 7 cases could be explained by the lack of IFA supplements in stock. Findings were used to design a 3-pronged intervention: (a) behaviour change communication activities in communities; (b) quality improvement activities in health centres to strengthen ANC; and (c) provision of key supplies required for ANC.

Nutritional Status among Children under Five Years in Amman, Jordan

Objectives: There is scarcity of data on malnutrition among children in Jordan. Therefore, this study was conducted to assess the nutritional status and estimate the prevalence rates of stunting, underweight, and wasting and their associated factors among children under five. Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between January and April 2017 among children under five years in Amman, Jordan. All Jordanian children under five years who visited the selected health centers for vaccination or accompanied their mothers during the study period were included in this study. Mothers or caregivers of children were interviewed face-to face using the study questionnaire. Weight in kilograms and height in centimeters were measured for all children. Anthropometric indices were calculated using reference medians recommended by the World Health Organization. Results: This study included a total of 923 (463 boys and 460 girls) children. The prevalence rates of stunting, underweight, and wasting were 6.2%, 3.8%, and 2.8%, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that low birth weight was significantly associated with stunting (OR = 2.9, 95% CI: 1.4,6.0; p-value=0.003) and underweight (OR =5.6, 95% CI: 2.5,12.3, p-value &lt;0.001). Compared to exclusive breastfeeding, mixed feeding was associated with increased odds of stunting (OR =2, 95% CI: 1.1-3.9, p-value =0.029) and underweight (OR = 2.2, 95% CI: 1.002, 5.0; p = 0.049). None of the variables were significantly associated with wasting. Conclusions: The prevalence rates of stunting, wasting and undernutrition among children under five years in Jordan are low. Low birth weight and mixed feeding were associated with higher rates of malnutrition.

Health-related quality of life of HIV infected adults with and without Visceral Leishmaniasis in Northwest Ethiopia

BackgroundHealth-related quality of life (HRQoL) is an important outcome measure among HIV infected patients receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART). When HIV infected patients coinfected with Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) the problem become severe because VL accelerates HIV replication and disease progression. The impact of VL on the quality of life of HIV infected patients has not been studied. In this study in Ethiopia, we compared the quality of life of HIV infected patients with and without VL.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2015 to September 2016 in selected health centers and hospitals, in Northwest Ethiopia. Data on quality of life was collected by trained nurses. The instrument used to collect the data was the short Amharic version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life for HIV clients (WHOQoL-HIV). Depression was assessed using the validated version of Kessler scale. Data was entered and analyzed using SPSS version 20. Descriptive statistics, bivariate and multivariate linear regression model was used to summarize the results.ResultsA total of 590 study participants were included in the study with response rate of 95%. Of the 590 patients included in our study 125 (21%) were HIV-VL coinfection. HIV-VL coinfected patients had a lower quality of life in all the domains as compared to HIV patients without VL. Depression was consistently and strongly associated with all the quality of life domains of both groups. Also, in HIV infected patients a longer duration in ART was associated with higher HRQoL domains except for the spiritual and level of independence domains. With regard to HIV-VL coinfected patients, a longer duration in ART was associated with psychological, spiritual and level of independence domains of HRQoL. Demographics, clinical, and treatment characteristics resulted few significant associations with HRQoL domains of both groups.ConclusionHIV-VL coinfected patients had a poor quality of life in all the domains of the WHOQoL-HIV instrument. Depression, duration of ART and education were strongly associated with the quality of life. Depression should be targeted for intervention to improve the quality of life.

Factors that contribute to treatment defaulting amongst tuberculosis patients in Windhoek District, Namibia

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the factors that contribute to treatment defaulting amongst Tuberculosis (TB) patients at a major health centre in Windhoek district, Namibia.Methods: A descriptive and explorative qualitative study using in depth interviews was conducted among ten TB defaulters. Key informant interviews were also conducted with the two TB nurses based at the health centre. Eligible participants were purposively selected. A thematic content analysis of transcribed data was conducted.Results: The study results indicate that defaulting TB treatment is a big challenge to TB management. The reasons for defaulting given by respondents were complex and included patient factors such as medication related factors, lack of knowledge and information as well as alcohol abuse. The findings also revealed unemployment as a major socio-economic factor that contributes to defaulting. In addition, the study shows that community, family, religious and cultural factors such as poor family support, work-related factors and religious and cultural beliefs have an influence on defaulting.Conclusions: The study concludes that no single factor contributed to treatment defaulting amongst TB patients in the selected health centre in Windhoek district and this concurred with the literature.

Anemia among pregnant women attending the family health center in Kafr Al-Sheikh city, Egypt (an intervention study)

Objective The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of anemia among pregnant women and estimate the effect of iron supplementation on hemoglobin concentration among the anemic participants. Background Anemia in pregnancy is a major health problem. It is the most common cause of maternal mortality. Severe anemia is associated with preterm birth, low birth weights, and a fetus small for gestational age. Most of the complications are preventable through increased awareness and improving health status of pregnant women. Participants and methods This was a cross-sectional study conducted in the family health center of Kafr Al-Sheikh city. The study included 200 pregnant women attending the selected family health center during the period of data collection. The studied group was assessed regarding their socioeconomic characteristics, obstetric history, and dietary history. Then, the hemoglobin level was estimated for the diagnosis of anemia. The anemic group received iron supplementation according to the recommendations in National Practice Guidelines for Family Physicians. The hemoglobin level was re-estimated after 4 weeks of taking iron. Results The study results revealed that the prevalence of anemia among the studied group was 32%. The majority of anemic women had mild anemia (92.2%). The most significant risk factor for anemia among the studied groups was a histtory of anemia [P = 0.000, odds ratio (OR)=18.18], followed by a low socioeconomic standard (P = 0.089, OR = 17.4), and then a long duration of menstruation (P = 0.000, OR = 14.16). There was a significant improvement in hemoglobin concentration after intervention (4.04 ± 1.68%). Conclusion There was a significant improvement in the hemoglobin level among anemic pregnant women after 4 weeks of oral iron supplementation according to National Practice Guidelines for Family Physicians.

Birth complications control between midwives among women in Cross River States-Nigeria

Objectives: This study sought to assess birth complications control between midwives among women in cross river states-Nigeria. To achieve this purpose, one null hypothesis was formulated to guide the study. Method: The study adopted was survey design. The sample consisted of 360 post-natal women selected from a population of 78,814 through the polio immunization registers of selected health centers. Accidental sampling technique was used to select the respondents. The instrument used for collecting data for the study was a 36-item questionnaire. Independent t-test and contingency chi-square were used in testing the null hypotheses. Results: The result showed that women delivered by traditional midwives have more negative control of delivery pain caused by birth complication than their counterparts who are delivered by western trained midwives; On the basis of finding it implies that western midwives are different from their counterparts. All what the traditional midwives need is workshops, seminars, conferences during ante-natal period to acquaint the traditional midwives with delivery related activities and procedures. It was also recommended that the traditional midwives should be given adequate training so that they can face the society and avoid further complications. Conclusion: Government should also continue to train more midwives to avoid the patronage of traditional birth attendance because hospital is the best place for delivery.

Seroprevalence and risk factors of Hepatitis E Virus infection among pregnant women in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

BackgroundHepatitis E virus (HEV) is highly endemic in several African countries with high mortality rate among pregnant women. The prevalence of antibodies to HEV in Ethiopian pregnant women is not known. The study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of anti-HEV IgG and anti-HEV IgM among pregnant women.Material and methodsA total of 386 serum samples were collected from pregnant women between April 2014 to January 2015 in Gandhi Memorial Hospital and four selected Health centers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Data were collected for socio demographic characteristics using a structured questionnaire. Serum samples were examined for anti-HEV IgG and anti- HEV IgM using ELISA. The association of anti-HEV status with risk factors was assessed. Factors demonstrating significant association in bivariate analysis were included in multivariate logistic regression models. Analyses were performed using SPSS version 21.ResultsAnti- HEV IgG antibody was detected in 122 (31.6%) women and two women (0.5%) were positive for anti-HEV IgM from the total 386 women. Age and educational status had statistically significant association with HEV infection. There was no significant association between anti-HEV antibody seroprevalence rate with trimester, parity, HIV status and other risk factors.ConclusionIn this study we found a high seroprevalence rate of anti-HEV IgG among pregnant women in Addis Ababa Ethiopia. Preventive measures like improvement of education and creating awareness may reduce the risk in pregnant women. Moreover nationwide surveillance of HEV especially in rural setting should be conducted to establish a national estimate and validate our findings.