Mirgissa Kaba is a public health expert with a multi-disciplinary orientation and qualifications. He started his career as a graduate assistant at the current Jimma University following completion of his first degree in Sociology from AAU. Subsequently, he did Anthropology from the same university and epidemiology from the Swiss Tropical and Public Health, the University of Basel in Switzerland. Mirgissa has rich experiences and competencies in teaching, research, and community services. He advised and promoted more than 30 PhD and Master's students from the fields of public health, sociology, and anthropology. In focus areas of behavioral domain Mirgissa published 67 publications in peer reviewed scientific journals, 6 book chapters, 19 editorials, brief communications and policy briefs and 5 teaching materials. Mirigssa is an Associate Professor of Public Health with researches geared towards Cultural Epidemiology in the areas of maternal and reproductive health, HIV and AIDS, Cervical Cancer targeting women and youth in urban and pastoral settings in particular. Currently Mirgissa is based at the school of Public Health, Addis Ababa University. Mirgissa received several awards for his merit and is involved in several pieces of research as PI and CO-PI.
Background Annually 57 million people across the globe require palliative care, 76% are from low-... more Background Annually 57 million people across the globe require palliative care, 76% are from low- and-middle income countries. Continuity of palliative care contributes to a decline in emergency room visits., decreased hospital deaths, improved patient satisfaction, better utilization of services, and cost savings. Despite efforts made to develop the palliative care guideline in Ethiopia, the service is not yet organized and linked to primary health care. This study aimed to explore barriers to the continuum of palliative care from facility to household for cancer patients in Addis Ababa. Methods Qualitative exploratory study was conducted with face-to-face interviews with a total of 25 participants. The study population was adult cancer patients, primary caregivers, healthcare providers, volunteers, and nationwide advocates. Data were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and finally imported to Open code version 4.02 software for coding and analysis. Thematic analysis was guided by...
Background Tuberculosis (TB) causes significant morbidity and mortality in refugee populations. A... more Background Tuberculosis (TB) causes significant morbidity and mortality in refugee populations. Although Ethiopia is the third largest refugee-hosting country in Africa, there is limited published data on the prevalence and associated factors of TB in refugees. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary TB (PTB) and explore associated factors in presumptive TB refugees residing in refugee camps in Ethiopia. Methods A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted between February and August 2021 in refugee camps in Ethiopia. Data were collected consecutively from 610 presumptive TB refugees who attended for TB diagnosis in selected refugee camp clinics in Ethiopia. A pre-tested questionnaire was used to collect data, and sputum samples were collected from eligible study participants. The Xpert Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB)/Rifampicin (RIF) assay was performed on direct spot sputum samples, whereas morning sputum samples...
Background Oromia is the largest national regional state in the Ethiopian federation. It covers o... more Background Oromia is the largest national regional state in the Ethiopian federation. It covers over a third of the country’s landmass. In terms of shear geography, Oromia is about the size of the sovereign European state of Germany. Demographically, Oromia closely matches with Poland among other European countries. Since early 2019, there are actively ongoing armed conflicts in Oromia damaging the public health infrastructure.Objective The objective of this study is to assess and document the impacts of armed conflicts in Oromia on the public health infrastructure.Method The study is a quantitative review of administrative records and reports employing a qualitative analytical prism.Results Oromia has 22 administrative zones of which 11 (50%) host 142 sites sheltering about 1.5 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). A total of 1072 public healthcare facilities sustained attacks in areas of armed conflicts across Oromia. Among the 159 motor vehicles attacked (ambulances, distr...
Background Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed reproductive organ cancer among women i... more Background Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed reproductive organ cancer among women in Ethiopia. Even though breast self-examination (BSE) is shown to be the least expensive, less time-consuming, and non-invasive screening method, the practice of breast self-examination in Ethiopia is poor. Therefore this study aimed to assess breast self-examination practice and predictors among female secondary school teachers using the Health Belief Model. Materials and methods An institution-based, cross-sectional study was conducted among 589 female secondary school teachers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A self-administered questionnaire containing socio-demographic characteristics, sources of information, knowledge, perception on breast self-examination, and BSE practice was prepared based on the Champion's revised Health Belief Model and used as a data collection instrument. Multi-variable binary logistic regression was employed to identify the predictors of breast self-examinatio...
IntroductionThe aging population is rapidly increasing globally, with 80% of the older population... more IntroductionThe aging population is rapidly increasing globally, with 80% of the older population living in low- and middle-income countries. In Eastern African countries, there exists an incongruence between readiness–economically, structurally, politically, and culturally–to create a conducive environment for healthy aging, which implies public health as well as ethical concerns. The aim of this scoping review was to explore existing evidence addressing the various ethical issues in connection with elder care in the region of Eastern Africa.MethodsWe searched six databases (Africa-Wide Information, AgeLine, CINHAL, MEDLINE, APA PsycInfo, and SocINDEX) to identify peer-reviewed journal articles that could meet some eligibility criteria such as being a peer-reviewed journal article written in English, having been published in any year until July 2020, and focusing on ethical issues in the care of older people aged 60 years and older from Eastern Africa. We also searched for addition...
Background Shisha smoking predisposes the users to cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and infection... more Background Shisha smoking predisposes the users to cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and infections, such as tuberculosis, hepatitis, and herpes. In Ethiopia, there is little data on the adolescents’ shisha smoking experience. This study aimed to explore the lived experience of high school students and inform ongoing and future prevention and control interventions. Methods This study was conducted in Addis Ababa and Adama cities in Ethiopia. Twenty-five secondary school students aged 15-22 years who had shisha smoking experience participated in this study. A topic guide was used to facilitate the in-depth interviews (IDIs) and a digital audio recorder recorded the interviews. Interviews varied between 40-90 minutes and were conducted in private open-air spaces where only the interviewee and researcher were present. Each transcript was coded using Atlas.ti version 8 software. The analytical approach was iterative, with interview transcripts analyzed at the time of coding and re-analyz...
Background Leprosy or Hansen’s disease is known to cause disability and disfigurement. A delay in... more Background Leprosy or Hansen’s disease is known to cause disability and disfigurement. A delay in case detection of leprosy patients can lead to severe outcomes. In Ethiopia, the disability rates caused by leprosy among new cases are relatively high compared to other endemic countries. This suggests the existence of hidden leprosy cases in the community and a delay in timely detection. To reduce disability rates, it is crucial to identify the factors associated with this delay. This study aimed to determine the extent of delay in case detection among leprosy cases in Eastern Ethiopia. Methods This cross-sectional explorative study was conducted in January and February 2019 among 100 leprosy patients diagnosed ≤6 months prior to inclusion. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data, including the initial onset of symptoms, and the reasons for delayed diagnosis. Descriptive statistics, including percentages and medians, were used to describe the case detection delay. Logistic...
BackgroundPatients with breast cancer are assumed to be susceptible to anxiety and depression, wh... more BackgroundPatients with breast cancer are assumed to be susceptible to anxiety and depression, while there is a lack of evidence about the epidemiology and underlying factors in Ethiopia. Hence, we aimed to assess the prevalence and predictors of anxiety and depression among patients with breast cancer in Ethiopia.MethodAn institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted among patients with breast cancer who were attending treatment at the Oncology Center of the Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, the largest referral teaching hospital in Ethiopia. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HDAS) was used to evaluate the anxiety and depression status of the participants, and a structured questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic, socioeconomic, and clinical data from the participants. Medical records of the participants were reviewed to collect and correlate information about the grade and stage of cancer. An analysis was done using STATA 15.1.ResultsThe study includ...
Introduction the World Health Organization has identified vaccine hesitancy as one of the top ten... more Introduction the World Health Organization has identified vaccine hesitancy as one of the top ten threats to global health. The purpose of this study was to explore factors contributing to COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among healthcare providers, their perspectives regarding vaccine uptake by the public and their recommendations to improve vaccine uptake in Ethiopia. Methods a phenomenological qualitative study was conducted among purposively selected healthcare providers working in the Ministry of Health (MoH), regulatory authority, public and private hospitals and health centres who hesitated to take the COVID-19 vaccine in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in June 2021. A total of twenty in-depth interviews were conducted using a semi-structured open-ended interview guide. Participants included nurses, physicians, pharmacists, health officers, Medical Laboratory technologists and midwives. A qualitative content analysis approach was chosen to analyse the data. Results all the participants agreed (n=20) that lack of consistent information and inadequate evidence about COVID-19 vaccine safety, efficacy and quality were the main reasons for COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. History of perceived and confirmed COVID-19 infection history, misinformation, religious views, unknown short and long-term effects of the vaccine and undefined length of time of vaccine´s protection were also other reasons mentioned by the participants. Conclusion healthcare providers were hesitant toward COVID-19 vaccine mainly due to lack of clear evidence regarding the vaccine´s short and long-term safety, efficacy and quality profiles. Hence, the long-term safety and efficacy of the vaccine should be extensively studied and evidence dissemination and communication should be clear and transparent.
Vulnerability and politics are among the relevant and key topics of discussion in the Ethiopian h... more Vulnerability and politics are among the relevant and key topics of discussion in the Ethiopian healthcare context. Attempts by the formal bioethics structure in Ethiopia to deliberate on ethical issues relating to vulnerability and politics in healthcare have been limited, even though the informal analysis of bioethical issues has been present in traditional Ethiopian communities. This is reflected in religion, social values, and local moral underpinnings. Thus, the aim of this paper is to discuss the bioethical implications of vulnerability and politics for healthcare in Ethiopia and to suggest possible ways forward. First, we will briefly introduce what has been done to develop bioethics as a field in Ethiopia and what gaps remain concerning its implementation in healthcare practice. This will give a context for our second and main task – analyzing the healthcare challenges in relation to vulnerability and politics and discussing their bioethical implications. In doing so, and si...
Ethiopia has the second-largest youth population in Africa with about 37.4 million people aged 10... more Ethiopia has the second-largest youth population in Africa with about 37.4 million people aged 10–24 years. To meet the needs of this population group, adolescent, and youth health (AYH) programs, including those focused on sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and youth development, have gained traction in Ethiopia in the last two decades, especially following the 2005 election in Ethiopia. However, adolescents and youths in Ethiopia continue to face a high burden of morbidity and mortality from multiple factors including, teenage pregnancy, unplanned pregnancy, compromised nutrition, HIV and STIs, unsafe abortion, early and child marriage, and unmet needs for family planning. To date, adolescents and youth-related interventions in Ethiopia are fragmented under various ministries, uncoordinated, underfunded, project-oriented, lack effective policy implementation, and lack meaningful participation of young people. Addressing adolescents and youth health and development issues require...
Background: Management of menstruation as a biological occurrence for women of reproductive age a... more Background: Management of menstruation as a biological occurrence for women of reproductive age and men’s role is determined by socio-cultural factors. There is dearth of evidence on men in general and boys support on menstrual hygiene and management. This study aims to identify school based menstrual hygiene and management interventions and the role of boys in Oromia region, Ethiopia.Method: The study was carried out in 2017-18 academic year in eight Oromia Development Association (ODA) supported public schools with sport for life interventions. Schoolboys and girls aged 12-15, parents and school teachers participated in the study. Focus Group Discussion with boys, girls, and key informant interviews with parents were completed. Data were transcribed and translated into English and themes were developed following the objectives. Interpretation and presentation of the findings were substantiated with quoted shared opinions. Result: Finding shows that after two years of school based ...
Background Annually 57 million people across the globe require palliative care, 76% are from low-... more Background Annually 57 million people across the globe require palliative care, 76% are from low- and-middle income countries. Continuity of palliative care contributes to a decline in emergency room visits., decreased hospital deaths, improved patient satisfaction, better utilization of services, and cost savings. Despite efforts made to develop the palliative care guideline in Ethiopia, the service is not yet organized and linked to primary health care. This study aimed to explore barriers to the continuum of palliative care from facility to household for cancer patients in Addis Ababa. Methods Qualitative exploratory study was conducted with face-to-face interviews with a total of 25 participants. The study population was adult cancer patients, primary caregivers, healthcare providers, volunteers, and nationwide advocates. Data were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and finally imported to Open code version 4.02 software for coding and analysis. Thematic analysis was guided by...
Background Tuberculosis (TB) causes significant morbidity and mortality in refugee populations. A... more Background Tuberculosis (TB) causes significant morbidity and mortality in refugee populations. Although Ethiopia is the third largest refugee-hosting country in Africa, there is limited published data on the prevalence and associated factors of TB in refugees. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary TB (PTB) and explore associated factors in presumptive TB refugees residing in refugee camps in Ethiopia. Methods A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted between February and August 2021 in refugee camps in Ethiopia. Data were collected consecutively from 610 presumptive TB refugees who attended for TB diagnosis in selected refugee camp clinics in Ethiopia. A pre-tested questionnaire was used to collect data, and sputum samples were collected from eligible study participants. The Xpert Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB)/Rifampicin (RIF) assay was performed on direct spot sputum samples, whereas morning sputum samples...
Background Oromia is the largest national regional state in the Ethiopian federation. It covers o... more Background Oromia is the largest national regional state in the Ethiopian federation. It covers over a third of the country’s landmass. In terms of shear geography, Oromia is about the size of the sovereign European state of Germany. Demographically, Oromia closely matches with Poland among other European countries. Since early 2019, there are actively ongoing armed conflicts in Oromia damaging the public health infrastructure.Objective The objective of this study is to assess and document the impacts of armed conflicts in Oromia on the public health infrastructure.Method The study is a quantitative review of administrative records and reports employing a qualitative analytical prism.Results Oromia has 22 administrative zones of which 11 (50%) host 142 sites sheltering about 1.5 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). A total of 1072 public healthcare facilities sustained attacks in areas of armed conflicts across Oromia. Among the 159 motor vehicles attacked (ambulances, distr...
Background Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed reproductive organ cancer among women i... more Background Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed reproductive organ cancer among women in Ethiopia. Even though breast self-examination (BSE) is shown to be the least expensive, less time-consuming, and non-invasive screening method, the practice of breast self-examination in Ethiopia is poor. Therefore this study aimed to assess breast self-examination practice and predictors among female secondary school teachers using the Health Belief Model. Materials and methods An institution-based, cross-sectional study was conducted among 589 female secondary school teachers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A self-administered questionnaire containing socio-demographic characteristics, sources of information, knowledge, perception on breast self-examination, and BSE practice was prepared based on the Champion's revised Health Belief Model and used as a data collection instrument. Multi-variable binary logistic regression was employed to identify the predictors of breast self-examinatio...
IntroductionThe aging population is rapidly increasing globally, with 80% of the older population... more IntroductionThe aging population is rapidly increasing globally, with 80% of the older population living in low- and middle-income countries. In Eastern African countries, there exists an incongruence between readiness–economically, structurally, politically, and culturally–to create a conducive environment for healthy aging, which implies public health as well as ethical concerns. The aim of this scoping review was to explore existing evidence addressing the various ethical issues in connection with elder care in the region of Eastern Africa.MethodsWe searched six databases (Africa-Wide Information, AgeLine, CINHAL, MEDLINE, APA PsycInfo, and SocINDEX) to identify peer-reviewed journal articles that could meet some eligibility criteria such as being a peer-reviewed journal article written in English, having been published in any year until July 2020, and focusing on ethical issues in the care of older people aged 60 years and older from Eastern Africa. We also searched for addition...
Background Shisha smoking predisposes the users to cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and infection... more Background Shisha smoking predisposes the users to cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and infections, such as tuberculosis, hepatitis, and herpes. In Ethiopia, there is little data on the adolescents’ shisha smoking experience. This study aimed to explore the lived experience of high school students and inform ongoing and future prevention and control interventions. Methods This study was conducted in Addis Ababa and Adama cities in Ethiopia. Twenty-five secondary school students aged 15-22 years who had shisha smoking experience participated in this study. A topic guide was used to facilitate the in-depth interviews (IDIs) and a digital audio recorder recorded the interviews. Interviews varied between 40-90 minutes and were conducted in private open-air spaces where only the interviewee and researcher were present. Each transcript was coded using Atlas.ti version 8 software. The analytical approach was iterative, with interview transcripts analyzed at the time of coding and re-analyz...
Background Leprosy or Hansen’s disease is known to cause disability and disfigurement. A delay in... more Background Leprosy or Hansen’s disease is known to cause disability and disfigurement. A delay in case detection of leprosy patients can lead to severe outcomes. In Ethiopia, the disability rates caused by leprosy among new cases are relatively high compared to other endemic countries. This suggests the existence of hidden leprosy cases in the community and a delay in timely detection. To reduce disability rates, it is crucial to identify the factors associated with this delay. This study aimed to determine the extent of delay in case detection among leprosy cases in Eastern Ethiopia. Methods This cross-sectional explorative study was conducted in January and February 2019 among 100 leprosy patients diagnosed ≤6 months prior to inclusion. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data, including the initial onset of symptoms, and the reasons for delayed diagnosis. Descriptive statistics, including percentages and medians, were used to describe the case detection delay. Logistic...
BackgroundPatients with breast cancer are assumed to be susceptible to anxiety and depression, wh... more BackgroundPatients with breast cancer are assumed to be susceptible to anxiety and depression, while there is a lack of evidence about the epidemiology and underlying factors in Ethiopia. Hence, we aimed to assess the prevalence and predictors of anxiety and depression among patients with breast cancer in Ethiopia.MethodAn institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted among patients with breast cancer who were attending treatment at the Oncology Center of the Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, the largest referral teaching hospital in Ethiopia. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HDAS) was used to evaluate the anxiety and depression status of the participants, and a structured questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic, socioeconomic, and clinical data from the participants. Medical records of the participants were reviewed to collect and correlate information about the grade and stage of cancer. An analysis was done using STATA 15.1.ResultsThe study includ...
Introduction the World Health Organization has identified vaccine hesitancy as one of the top ten... more Introduction the World Health Organization has identified vaccine hesitancy as one of the top ten threats to global health. The purpose of this study was to explore factors contributing to COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among healthcare providers, their perspectives regarding vaccine uptake by the public and their recommendations to improve vaccine uptake in Ethiopia. Methods a phenomenological qualitative study was conducted among purposively selected healthcare providers working in the Ministry of Health (MoH), regulatory authority, public and private hospitals and health centres who hesitated to take the COVID-19 vaccine in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in June 2021. A total of twenty in-depth interviews were conducted using a semi-structured open-ended interview guide. Participants included nurses, physicians, pharmacists, health officers, Medical Laboratory technologists and midwives. A qualitative content analysis approach was chosen to analyse the data. Results all the participants agreed (n=20) that lack of consistent information and inadequate evidence about COVID-19 vaccine safety, efficacy and quality were the main reasons for COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. History of perceived and confirmed COVID-19 infection history, misinformation, religious views, unknown short and long-term effects of the vaccine and undefined length of time of vaccine´s protection were also other reasons mentioned by the participants. Conclusion healthcare providers were hesitant toward COVID-19 vaccine mainly due to lack of clear evidence regarding the vaccine´s short and long-term safety, efficacy and quality profiles. Hence, the long-term safety and efficacy of the vaccine should be extensively studied and evidence dissemination and communication should be clear and transparent.
Vulnerability and politics are among the relevant and key topics of discussion in the Ethiopian h... more Vulnerability and politics are among the relevant and key topics of discussion in the Ethiopian healthcare context. Attempts by the formal bioethics structure in Ethiopia to deliberate on ethical issues relating to vulnerability and politics in healthcare have been limited, even though the informal analysis of bioethical issues has been present in traditional Ethiopian communities. This is reflected in religion, social values, and local moral underpinnings. Thus, the aim of this paper is to discuss the bioethical implications of vulnerability and politics for healthcare in Ethiopia and to suggest possible ways forward. First, we will briefly introduce what has been done to develop bioethics as a field in Ethiopia and what gaps remain concerning its implementation in healthcare practice. This will give a context for our second and main task – analyzing the healthcare challenges in relation to vulnerability and politics and discussing their bioethical implications. In doing so, and si...
Ethiopia has the second-largest youth population in Africa with about 37.4 million people aged 10... more Ethiopia has the second-largest youth population in Africa with about 37.4 million people aged 10–24 years. To meet the needs of this population group, adolescent, and youth health (AYH) programs, including those focused on sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and youth development, have gained traction in Ethiopia in the last two decades, especially following the 2005 election in Ethiopia. However, adolescents and youths in Ethiopia continue to face a high burden of morbidity and mortality from multiple factors including, teenage pregnancy, unplanned pregnancy, compromised nutrition, HIV and STIs, unsafe abortion, early and child marriage, and unmet needs for family planning. To date, adolescents and youth-related interventions in Ethiopia are fragmented under various ministries, uncoordinated, underfunded, project-oriented, lack effective policy implementation, and lack meaningful participation of young people. Addressing adolescents and youth health and development issues require...
Background: Management of menstruation as a biological occurrence for women of reproductive age a... more Background: Management of menstruation as a biological occurrence for women of reproductive age and men’s role is determined by socio-cultural factors. There is dearth of evidence on men in general and boys support on menstrual hygiene and management. This study aims to identify school based menstrual hygiene and management interventions and the role of boys in Oromia region, Ethiopia.Method: The study was carried out in 2017-18 academic year in eight Oromia Development Association (ODA) supported public schools with sport for life interventions. Schoolboys and girls aged 12-15, parents and school teachers participated in the study. Focus Group Discussion with boys, girls, and key informant interviews with parents were completed. Data were transcribed and translated into English and themes were developed following the objectives. Interpretation and presentation of the findings were substantiated with quoted shared opinions. Result: Finding shows that after two years of school based ...
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