# Proportion of Traditional Uvulectomy and Associated Factors Among Caregivers of Children Under Five‐Years Old Visiting Tibebe Ghion Specialized Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia: A Cross‐Sectional Study

## TL;DR

This study found that nearly half of caregivers in Ethiopia performed traditional uvulectomy on children under five, with factors like illiteracy and rural residence increasing the likelihood.

## Contribution

The study identifies key sociodemographic and behavioral factors associated with traditional uvulectomy in Northwest Ethiopia.

## Key findings

- 46% of caregivers reported performing traditional uvulectomy on children under five.
- Caregivers from rural areas and those with no ANC follow-up were significantly more likely to perform uvulectomy.
- Witnessing positive outcomes of uvulectomy increased the likelihood of the practice by over six times.

## Abstract

Traditional uvulectomy is prevalent in Ethiopia, and is most commonly performed on children under 5 years old with a particular focus on infants under 6 months. The practice continues to be a significant issue in Ethiopia. This study aims to assess the proportion of traditional uvulectomy and its associated factors among caregivers of children under 5 years old visiting Tibebe Ghion Specialized Hospital (TGSH) in Northwest Ethiopia in 2023.

An institutional‐based cross‐sectional study was conducted from October 1 to December 30, 2023, at TGSH. A total of 402 caregivers with children under 5 years old were selected using a systematic random sampling technique. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 23. Both Bivariable and multivariable analyses were performed to identify associated factors. Variables with a p‐value less than 0.25 in the bivariable Logistic regression analysis were included in the multivariable analysis. Odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals and p‐values < 0.05 were used to determine significant associations.

The proportion of traditional uvulectomy was 46%. Approximately 97.3% of the procedures were performed on children under 6 months of age. Caregivers who could not read and write were 1.85 times more likely to practice uvulectomy than those who could read and write (AOR: 1.85, 95% CI: 1.39–6.27). Caregivers from rural areas were 2.81 times more likely to practice than caregivers from urban areas (AOR: 2.81, 95% CI: 1.63–5.68), those without ANC follow‐up were 5.20 times more likely to practice uvulectomy compared to caregivers who had ANC follow up (AOR: 5.20, 95% CI: 2.06–8.63), those had no information about harmful effects of traditional uvulectomy were 2.43 times more likely to practice uvulectomy than their counterparts (AOR: 2.43, 95% CI: 1.24–4.55), and those who had witnessed good outcome of traditional uvulectomy were 6.05 times more likely to practice uvulectomy (AOR: 6.05, 95% CI: 3.64–12.11).

The Proportion of traditional uvulectomy remains high in the study area, and it is associated with factors such as illiteracy, lack of ANC follow‐up, rural residency, lack of awareness about the harmful effects of uvulectomy, and witnessing positive outcomes. Immediate actions should include increasing awareness through ANC counseling and educating caregivers on the risk of uvulectomy. Long‐term solutions could involve policy changes and community‐based interventions aimed at reducing the practice and its associated risks.