Researches
Addis Continental Institute of Public Health collaborates with government and
non-governmental organizations to expand the evidence base for public
health programs planning and evaluation. The Institute has many senior
experts in the field of public health that can help develop research
proposals, implement field research, and perform data analysis and
report writing. Some recent examples of the research and evidence
capturing projects organized by ACIPH and its staff are described below.
Chronic non communicable diseases (NCDs), in particular cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancers, and chronic respiratory diseases, account for 60% of all deaths globally, more than double the number of deaths caused by infectious diseases, maternal and prenatal conditions, and nutritional deficiencies combined. The global prevalence of NCDs is increasing at an alarming rate, with the majority of cases occurring in developing countries. The change in life style characterized manly by behavioral, dietary and nutritional states are believed to contribute to increased burden of NCDS. More here...
Children and women are most vulnerable to malnutrition in developing countries because of low dietary intakes, infectious diseases, lack of appropriate care, and inequitable distribution of food within the household. The Ethiopian Demographic Health Survey conducted in 2005 showed that the level of malnutrition in the country among under five year children; 47% stunted, 11 percent wasted, and 38 percent underweight. To this response the Government of Ethiopia (GOE) developed the National Nutrition Program (NNP) in 2008. As a contribution to the NNP, the GOE-UNICEF Country Program Action Plan 2007 -2011 has initiated the implementation of the CBN sub- component in selected woredas in Amhara, Oromia, SNNP and Tigray regions. Abstract
In Ethiopia, malaria is one of the most important public health problems, with more than three-quarters of the landmass of the country and an estimated 68% of the total population is considered at risk of malaria infections. Ethiopia is implementing a range of malaria control interventions that aim to improving access and equity to preventive as well as curative health services, which include prompt and effective malaria treatment, selective vector control using insecticide treated nets (ITNs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS). Effective and timely prevention and control of malaria epidemics is also part of the main strategies. The need for developing comprehensive and high impact communication strategies for malaria control is imperative. More here...
The Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) was launched in 2000 to increase immunization coverage and reverse widening global disparities in access to vaccines. The partnership includes governments in industrialized and developing countries, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), World Health Organization (WHO), World Bank, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), foundations, vaccine manufacturers, and public health and research institutions working together to achieve common immunization goals. Health systems strengthening (HSS) grants are a relatively new addition to GAVI’s funding portfolio. The GAVI Alliance created this new funding window in 2005 based on a multi-country study that identified systemwide barriers to higher immunization coverage. Currently, a total of US $800 million is available from GAVI for HSS to help countries address difficult health systems issues such as management and supervision; health information systems; health financing; infrastructure and transportation; and health workforce numbers, motivation and training. More here...
Women’s and girls’ empowerment project is funded by Packard foundation and implemented by pathfinder international Ethiopia in Amhara, Oromia and Addis Ababa regions from 2007- 2009. Five implementing organization were involved in the implementation of the project. Increasing awareness of reproductive health issues, advocating for the elimination of harmful traditional practices and increasing access and utilization of youth friendly services are among the major strategies of the project. A baseline survey was conducted in May 2007 and ongoing monitoring and evaluation was performed through out the project period. End project survey is conducted in May 2009 and changes in selected indicators were compared with the results of the baseline study. More here...
According to Influenza experts, the world is overdue for another flu pandemic. It is therefore helpful to understand the scope of preparedness of the most vulnerable nations. This study was conducted to understand Ethiopia’s past experiences in responding to emergencies, current preparedness for emergencies, and effective channels of communications during emergency situations. It is hoped that by understanding these aspects of emergency preparedness among targeted nations, we can better design pandemic flu preparedness and response programs. More here...
This formative assessment was conducted with the aim of understanding the perception of police officers about risks for HIV/AIDS and the services available to prevent, care and treat HIV/AIDS. The study utilized qualitative research approach, mainly Focus Group Discussion and semi-structured interview, to collect relevant data. Data pertaining to risk HIV perception; assessment of the adequacy of the police force structure to support MARCH activities; facilitators and barriers to health services utilization related to HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care; and feasibility of implementing serial print drama and peer group discussions for modeling and enforcing behavioral change were collected. Interviews and discussions were audio taped, and then transcribed verbatim. Data were analyzed using the thematic approach assisted by the Open Code computer program. The study concluded that there is a general lack of policy and guidelines for fighting HIV/AIDS in the police force. Available services are not accessed due to fear of stigma and discrimination, lack of information and communication, poor quality of services, and lack of actual and perceived confidentiality. The sample print serial drama was acceptable with modification to reflect on the nature and function of the police force. Useful suggestions about organization, leadership, frequency, and duration of peer group discussion sessions are gathered. The findings suggest that a workplace policy related to HIV/AIDS need to be developed in order to encourage service utilization, reduce stigmatization attitude and improve service quality. Practical manual how to avoid/reduce the risk of HIV acquisition need to be developed and provided to each police force member. Print Serial Drama and peer Group discussion are acceptable and feasible methods of modeling and reinforcing HIV/AIDS prevention activities aimed at behavioral change among Federal and Addis Ababa police force members in Ethiopia. However, policy and implementation guidelines as well as a good implementation plan need to be in place to implement sustainable and effective HIV/AIDS programmme.
‘Treat, Train, Retain’ (TTR), the study is an important component of WHO’s overall effort to strengthen human resources for health and to promote comprehensive national strategies for human resource development across different disease programmes. It is also part of WHO’s effort to promote universal access to HIV/AIDS services. TREAT part of the TTR study is emphasized in this survey. TREAT study is a package of HIV treatment, prevention, care and supports services for health workers who may be infected or affected by HIV and AIDS. The main goal of this project is to facilitate improved prevention, diagnosis, treatment and support of HIV/AIDS and TB and other occupational hazards among health workers and their families by providing a detailed situational analysis to identify current best practices, the strengths and limitations of services in both current best practice and routinely available services, and explore potential strategies for filling gaps, overcoming barriers, and improving timely uptake of services by health workers. The study is conducted in six African countries selected primarily on the basis of their burden of disease, Population size, number of HIV-infected health workers, and geographical spread. These African countries are Zimbabwe, South Africa, Mozambique, Malawi, Kenya, and Ethiopia. Ethiopia is selected on the first phase of this study due to its high burden of HIV, very scarce human resource, High population pressure, and is rapidly scaling up and decentralizing HIV services. Addis Continental Institute of Public Health implemented the project in Ethiopia. The study objectives includes summarizing relevant literature, policy and guidelines; identifying examples of best practice and lessons learnt; identifying the gaps and barriers in routine &best-practices; and exploring perceptions of health workers& policy-makers to solutions.
Behaviors associated with substance abuse such as alcohol and Khat are believed to be among the main factors that increase the vulnerability to risky sexual behaviors that facilitate the spread of HIV infection. In Ethiopia both khat and alcohol are consumed widely and HIV prevalence is high in urban areas but their association has not been studied. The Ethiopian Public Health Association and CDC in collaboration with ACIPH initiated the investigation of the magnitude of the exposure and the association to risky sexual behaviors. The study tries to assess alcohol and Khat consumption and its association with HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment practices. The study utilizes a mix of qualitative and quantitative designs. The study focused on twelve woredas which are located in eight regions of the country that have high HIV prevalence. The study consisted of three components: household survey, clinic based survey, and qualitative interviews. The total sample size for the household survey was about 10,500, in addition to 1000 PLWHA patients attending ART clinics and 72 in-depth interviews with key informants.
Early marriage is one of the traditional practices that are widely experienced in most parts of Ethiopia by young girls and boys. The practice is highly rampant in the Northern part of the country particularly in Tigray and Amhara regional states. Mrts have been made by government as well as non government organizations to tany researches indicated that the impact of early marriage is more severe on girls in terms of heath and educational attainment. Thousands of girls had health complications as the result of early marriage. Among others, Fistula is the major and devastating health consequences of early marriage. Effoackle this silent epidemic. Addis Continental Institute of Public Health (ACIPH) in collaboration with Tulane University and MEASURE Evaluation conducts an evaluation survey in sixteen woredas if the Amhara regional state to assess the outcome of the interventions carried out by the USAID implementing partners. Over 5000 randomly selected households and eligible female adolescent between the ages of 10 and 19, male adolescent between the ages of 15 and 24, and one of their parents participate in the study. The survey includes questions about incidence of and attitudes toward early marriage and childbearing, as well as exposure to interventions to delay the age of marriage for girls in both rural and urban areas of Amhara Region.
The "Women and Girls Empowerment Project" is a three years project funded by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. It is implemented through Pathfinder International by its implementing partners. It aimed to improve the status of women and girls using various strategies. In order to assess the change resulting from the interventions and the effectiveness of the various strategies used to improve the status of women and girl’s conducting an on going monitoring and evaluation is crucial. Addis Continental Institute of Public Health is in charge of the on going monitoring and evaluation of the project. The ongoing evaluation provides baseline information for evidence based project implementation and closely monitor and document practices that would enable the project perform in a more efficient and useful way. The monitoring and evaluation methods include formative baseline assessment in selected intervention communities; assessing the comparative advantage of the various program approaches with emphasis on identifying which programmatic approaches worked best for increasing access to RH/FP services (i.e. community education, YFS, peer education and strengthening youth clubs, refurbishment, provider training, etc); identifying which programmatic approaches worked best for advocating for the elimination of HTP and GBV (i.e.: community education, advocacy, community action committees, etc); identifying which programmatic approaches worked best for providing disadvantaged girls with opportunities for education and development of leadership and life skills (i.e.: girls’ scholarships, girls’ clubs, introduction of professional role models, etc); searching and documenting the most significant changes (behavioral/practice) within the project.; providing periodic updates to the program implementers and managers about the findings to improve ongoing programming; and producing a summary evaluation report that triangulates the various sources of evaluation data. |
Wednesday, 8th of February 2012
Last Updated on Friday, 3 September 2010 03:36
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