Injection practice in north western Ethiopia

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Injection therapy is a common medical intervention globally.
• Understanding local injection practices is crucial for public health interventions.
• Ethiopia faces challenges in ensuring safe injection practices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe injection practices in Bahir Dar District, Ethiopia.
• To identify factors associated with injection use.
• To assess the prevalence and patterns of injection therapy.

Main Methods:

• A community-based cross-sectional descriptive study.
• Systematic sampling of 1380 households from urban and rural settings.
• Data collection on injection prevalence, reasons, providers, and equipment use.

Main Results:

• Overall two-week injection prevalence was 13%, with comparable rates in rural (12%) and urban (14%) areas.
• Diarrhea and fever were primary reasons for injections; informal providers were more common in rural settings.
• Disposable syringe use was higher in urban areas; children under five had a significantly higher injection rate.

Conclusions:

• Injection therapy is widely used for common ailments like diarrhea and fever in the study area.
• Variations in provider consultation and equipment use exist between urban and rural populations.
• Enhancing injection equipment supply and providing regular training are recommended to improve injection safety, particularly for young children.