Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39696083›Full record

ArticleBMC public health2024

Starvation remains the leading cause of death in Tigray, northern Ethiopia, after the Pretoria deal: a call for expedited action.

Mekonnen Haileselassie, Hayelom Kahsay, Tesfay Teklemariam, Ataklti Gebretsadik, Ataklti Gessesse, Abraham Aregay Desta, Haftamu Kebede, Nega Mamo, Degnesh Negash, Mengish Bahresilassie and 7 more

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In one paragraph

Article in BMC public health, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

17 authors.

Mekonnen HaileselassieTigray Health Research Institute, Tigray, Ethiopia. mekonnen210@yahoo.com.
Hayelom KahsayTigray Health Research Institute, Tigray, Ethiopia.
Tesfay TeklemariamTigray Health Research Institute, Tigray, Ethiopia.
Ataklti GebretsadikTigray Health Research Institute, Tigray, Ethiopia.
Ataklti GessesseTigray Health Research Institute, Tigray, Ethiopia.
Abraham Aregay DestaTigray Health Research Institute, Tigray, Ethiopia.
Haftamu KebedeTigray Health Research Institute, Tigray, Ethiopia.
Nega MamoTigray Health Research Institute, Tigray, Ethiopia.
Degnesh NegashTigray Health Research Institute, Tigray, Ethiopia.
Mengish BahresilassieTigray Regional Health Bureau, Tigray, Ethiopia.
Rieye EsayasTigray Regional Health Bureau, Tigray, Ethiopia.
Amanuel HaileTigray Regional Health Bureau, Tigray, Ethiopia.
Gebremedhin GebreegziabiherSchool of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, Tigray, Ethiopia.
Amaha KahsaySchool of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, Tigray, Ethiopia.
Gebremedhin Berhe GebregergsSchool of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, Tigray, Ethiopia.
Hagos AmareSchool of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, Tigray, Ethiopia.
Afework MulugetaSchool of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, Tigray, Ethiopia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPeople in war-affected areas are more likely to experience excess mortality with hunger. However, information on the causes of death associated with hunger is often nonexistent. The purpose of this study was to verify and investigate hunger and hunger-related deaths after the Pretoria deal in Tigray, northern Ethiopia.

methodsA cross-sectional study was conducted in nine districts and 53 IDP sites, which were randomly selected. All households with deceased family members were included and screened for perceived causes of death between November 2, 2022, and August 30, 2023. Suspected starvation deaths were further verified by the WHO-adapted verbal autopsy questionnaire to establish cause-specific mortality. Using a standardized cause-of-death list, three physicians assigned the causes of death, and disagreements over-diagnoses were settled by consensus. The Food and Nutrition Technical Assistance guidelines were also used to quantify household hunger status.

resultsVerbal autopsies were conducted for 72.2% (1946/2694) of deaths. Of these deaths, 201 (7.5%) in under-five children and 1205 (44.7%) in females were recorded. Deaths increased from 8.6% in March to 16.4% in July. A total of 90.6% of deaths occurred at home. Starvation was the predominant cause of death across all ages (49.3%, n = 1329). About 94/155 (60.3%) in the IDP center and 1235/2539 (48.6%) in the community died due to starvation. Children under five had a higher risk of starvation-related deaths (OR = 1.7; 95% CI: 1.22-2.34). Females were also more likely to die by starvation than males. Large proportions of households (60.1%) had moderate or severe hunger.

conclusionStarvation was the leading cause of death across all ages in the study group. This reflects an expedited humanitarian response from aid agencies to prevent more deaths. Interventions, including the return of the displaced communities to their original homes, are needed to rescue those facing moderate to severe hunger.

Indexed as

Cause of DeathStarvationAdolescentAdultAgedAutopsyChildChild, PreschoolCross-Sectional StudiesEthiopiaFemaleHumansHungerInfantMaleMiddle AgedCauses of deathStarvationTigrayVerbal autopsy

Identifiers

PMID39696083
PMCPMC11653542

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.