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Personal web page:
https://garummafeyissa.com/
Professional web page:
https://www.brooklyn.edu/faculty-staff/garumma-tolu-feyissa/  
 
Professional Summary:

Dr. Garumma Feyissa is a faculty in the Department of Health and Nutrition Science at Brooklyn College, City University of New York. Garumma earned his PhD from the University of Adelaide in Evidence-Based Healthcare in 2018, his MPH from Jimma University in 2011, and his BSc. in Public Health/Health Officer from Haramaya University in 2006. He is a well-published Public Health Scientist. His research interests include health disparity, maternal and child health, mental health, chronic disease, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and community health. Dr. Feyissa is passionate about expanding evidence-based policy and practice in health and social care through evidence-based research and teaching. Garumma utilizes diverse research methodologies ranging from primary quantitative and qualitative research to systematic reviews and methods that involve best practice implementation, guideline development, and evaluation. Equipped with both qualitative and quantitative research methods, Garumma aims to conduct both primary research and systematic reviews to generate and synthesize evidence that guides public health policies and practices.

 

Publications:

Selected Publications

Maternal and Child Health 

  1. Feyissa, G. T., Pouget, E. R., Soboka, M., Ibnat, R., & Wong, T. (2025). How Effective are Community Health Workers in Managing and Preventing Perinatal Depression in Sub-Saharan Africa? A Systematic Review of Quantitative Evidence. Health Policy and Planning. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapol/czaf084.  
  2. Kitila, SB, Wordofa, MA, Feyissa, G.T.(2025). The effect of completion of continuum of maternal healthcare on birth outcomes in Southwest Ethiopia: A prospective follow-up study, International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijans.2025.100942.
  3. Feyissa GT, Pouget ER, Kitila SB, Terfa YB, Wong T. Integrating Mental Health Services into Perinatal Care: Challenges and Opportunities. J Multidisciplinary Healthcare, 18:4317-4339 https://doi.org/10.2147/JMDH.S536732.
  4. Feyissa, G. T., Tolu, L. B., Soboka, M., & Ezeh, A. (2023). Effectiveness of interventions to reduce child marriage and teen pregnancy in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review of quantitative evidence. Frontiers in reproductive health, 5, 1105390, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37064827/.
  5. Pouget, E. R., Feyissa, G. T., & Wong, T. (2024). Inequity in US Racial/Ethnic Infant Health and Birth Outcomes: The Role of the Adult Sex Ratio as a Potential Indicator of Structural Anti-Black Racism. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, 1-9, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38528178/.
  6. Kitila, S. B., Feyissa, G. T., & Wordofa, M. A. (2023). Why do women walk away from maternal health services in Southwest Ethiopia? A qualitative study of caregivers' and clients' perspectives. BMC Women's Health, 23(1), 83, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36823562/.
  7. Bayo, P., Alobo, G., Sauvé, C., & Feyissa, G. T. (2022). Mothers’ perceptions of the practice of kangaroo mother care for preterm neonates in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review of qualitative evidence. JBI Evidence Synthesis, 20(2), 297-347; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34171891/
  8. Tessema, M., Birhanu, D., Mizana, B. A., Belay, A., Tura, G., Abera, M., ... & Feyissa, G. T. (2022). Compliance with antenatal psychosocial assessment practice among midwives: a best practice implementation project. JBI Evidence Implementation, 20(1), 44-52; https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2023-03368-006.
  9. Kitila, S. B., Feyissa, G. T., Olika, A. K., & Wordofa, M. A. (2022). Maternal healthcare in low-and middle-income countries: a scoping review. Health Services Insights, 15, 11786329221100310; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35615600/
  10. Abute Idris, Z., Tolu Feyissa, G., Tesfaye Elilo, L., Selamu Jifar, M., & Mecha, A. (2022). Healthcare‐Seeking Behavior and Associated Factors for Newborn Danger Signs among Mothers Who Gave Birth in the Last 12 Months in Anlemo District. Advances in Public Health, 2022(1), 7592832; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1155/2022/7592832
  11. Siraneh, Y., Berhane, M., Abraham, G., Feyissa, G. T., & Morankar, S. (2021). Compliance to kangaroo mother care best practice: an evidence-based implementation project. JBI Evidence Implementation, 19(3), 228-235; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34491922/.
  12. Girma, W., Tamiru, D., Woldie, M., Kebede, A., Birhanu, Z., Getachew, B., ... & Feyissa, G. T. (2021). Exploring the experience and challenges of maternity waiting homes in Jimma, southwest Ethiopia. African Journal of Midwifery and Women's Health, 15(1), 1-11; https://www.magonlinelibrary.com/doi/abs/10.12968/ajmw.2020.0007.
  13. Tolu, L. B., Ezeh, A., & Feyissa, G. T. (2021). Vertical transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2: a scoping review. PloS one, 16(4), e0250196; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33886645/
  14. Feyissa, G. T., Tolu, L. B., & Ezeh, A. (2020). Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on sexual and reproductive health and mitigation measures: the case of Ethiopia. African journal of reproductive health, 24(2), 24-26; https://www.ajrh.info/index.php/ajrh/article/view/2284.
  15. Tareke, K. G., Lemu, Y. K., Yidenekal, S. A., & Feyissa, G. T. (2020). Community’s perception, experiences and health seeking behavior towards newborn illnesses in Debre Libanos District, North Shoa, Oromia, Ethiopia: Qualitative study. Plos one, 15(1), e0227542; https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.02275….
  16. Belay Tolu, L., Yigezu, E., Urgie, T., & Feyissa, G. T. (2020). Maternal and perinatal outcome of preeclampsia without severe feature among pregnant women managed at a tertiary referral hospital in urban Ethiopia. PloS one, 15(4), e0230638; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32271787/.
  17. Tolu, L. B., Birara, M., Teshome, T., & Feyissa, G. T. (2020). Perinatal outcome of meconium-stained amniotic fluid among labouring mothers at teaching referral hospital in urban Ethiopia. PloS one, 15(11), e0242025; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33186362/.
  18. Tolu, L. B., Ararso, R., Abdulkadir, A., Feyissa, G. T., & Worku, Y. (2020). Perinatal outcome of growth restricted fetuses with abnormal umbilical artery Doppler waveforms compared to growth restricted fetuses with normal umbilical artery Doppler waveforms at a tertiary referral hospital in urban Ethiopia. PloS one, 15(6), e0234810; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32555633/.
  19. Kitila, S. B., Sudhakar, M., & Feyissa, G. T. (2020). Compliance with immediate newborn care practice among midwives working in maternity wards: a best practice implementation project. JBI Evidence Implementation, 18(3), 337-344; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32649397/.
  20. Tareke, K. G., Lemu, Y. K., & Feyissa, G. T. (2020). Exploration of facilitators of and barriers to the community-based service utilization for newborn possible serious bacterial infection management in Debre Libanos District, Ethiopia: descriptive qualitative study. BMC pediatrics, 20, 1-14; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32563243/.
  21. Tolu, L. B., Jeldu, W. G., & Feyissa, G. T. (2020). Effectiveness of utilizing the WHO safe childbirth checklist on improving essential childbirth practices and maternal and perinatal outcome: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PloS one, 15(6), e0234320; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32530940/.
  22. Tesfaye, L., Lemu, Y. K., Tareke, K. G., Chaka, M., & Feyissa, G. T. (2020). Exploration of barriers and facilitators to household contact tracing of index tuberculosis cases in Anlemo district, Hadiya zone, Southern Ethiopia: A Qualitative study. Plos one, 15(5), e0233358; https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.02333….
  23. Feyissa, G. T., Balabanova, D., & Woldie, M. (2019). How effective are mentoring programs for improving health worker competence and institutional performance in Africa? A systematic review of quantitative evidence. Journal of multidisciplinary healthcare, 989-1005; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31824166/.

HIV/AIDS, Community Health Workers and Adolescent Health
1. Hogben, M. S., & Feyissa, G. T. (2023). Highlights in HIV and STIs, 2021/2022. Frontiers in Reproductive Health, 4, 1116800; https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/reproductive-health/articles/10.33….
2. Wado, Y. D., Bangha, M., Kabiru, C. W., & Feyissa, G. T. (2020). Nature of, and responses to key sexual and reproductive health challenges for adolescents in urban slums in sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review. Reproductive Health, 17, 1-14; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32998741/.
3. Feyissa, G. T., Woldie, M., Munn, Z., & Lockwood, C. (2019). Exploration of facilitators and barriers to the implementation of a guideline to reduce HIV-related stigma and discrimination in the Ethiopian healthcare settings: A descriptive qualitative study. PLoS One, 14(5), e0216887; https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6513051/.
4. Feyissa, G. T., Lockwood, C., Woldie, M., & Munn, Z. (2019). Reducing HIV-related stigma and discrimination in healthcare settings: A systematic review of quantitative evidence. PloS one, 14(1), e0211298; https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.02112….
5. Woldie, M., Feyissa, G. T., Admasu, B., Hassen, K., Mitchell, K., Mayhew, S., ... & Balabanova, D. (2018). Community health volunteers could help improve access to and use of essential health services by communities in LMICs: an umbrella review. Health policy and planning, 33(10), 1128-1143; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30590543/.
6. Feyissa, G. T., Lockwood, C., Woldie, M., & Munn, Z. (2018). Reducing HIV-related stigma and discrimination in healthcare settings: a systematic review of guidelines, tools, standards of practice, best practices, consensus statements and systematic reviews. Journal of multidisciplinary healthcare, 405-416; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30214222/.

7. Feyissa, G. T., Lockwood, C., & Munn, Z. (2015). The effectiveness of home-based HIV counseling and testing in reducing stigma and risky sexual behavior among adults and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JBI Evidence Synthesis, 13(6), 318-372.

8. Feyissa, G. T., Lockwood, C., Woldie, M., & Munn, Z. (2018). Evaluation of a guideline developed to reduce HIV-related stigma and discrimination in healthcare settings and establishing consensus. PloS one, 13(7), e0198781; https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6063398/.

COVID-19
1. Feyissa, G. T., Tolu, L. B., & Ezeh, A. (2021). COVID-19 death reporting inconsistencies and working lessons for low-and middle-income countries: opinion. Frontiers in medicine, 8, 595787; https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/medicine/articles/10.3389/fmed.202….
2. Tolu, L. B., Feyissa, G. T., & Jeldu, W. G. (2021). Guidelines and best practice recommendations on reproductive health services provision amid COVID-19 pandemic: scoping review. BMC public health, 21, 1-10; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33536001/.
3. Tolu, L. B., Feyissa, G. T., Ezeh, A., & Gudu, W. (2020). Managing resident workforce and residency training during COVID-19 pandemic: scoping review of adaptive approaches. Advances in medical education and practice, 527-535; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32848492/.
4. Tolu, L. B., Ezeh, A., & Feyissa, G. T. (2020). How prepared is Africa for the COVID-19 pandemic response? The case of Ethiopia. Risk Management and Healthcare Policy, 771-776; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32753990/.

Mental Health Problems and Substance Use Disorders
1. Yitayih, Y., Feyissa, G. T., Adorjan, K., & Soboka, M. (2020). Effectiveness of symptom-triggered regimen versus fixed-dosage regimen of benzodiazepine treatment for alcohol detoxification: a systematic review protocol. JBI Evidence Synthesis, 18(5), 1064-1069; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32813360/.
2. Teshome, M., Soboka, M., Feyissa, G. T., Salelew, E., & Kerebih, H. (2020). Medical comorbidity among psychiatric patients treated at Jimma University Medical Center, Southwest Ethiopia: Retrospective record review. Neurology, Psychiatry and Brain Research, 38, 33-38; https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0941950020301044.
3. Derajew, H., Tolessa, D., Feyissa, G. T., Addisu, F., & Soboka, M. (2017). Prevalence of depression and its associated factors among primary caregivers of patients with severe mental illness in southwest, Ethiopia. BMC psychiatry, 17, 1-8; https://bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12888-017-124….
4. Fikreyesus, M., Soboka, M., & Feyissa, G. T. (2016). Psychotic relapse and associated factors among patients attending health services in Southwest Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study. BMC psychiatry, 16, 1-10; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27765033/.

Nutrition and metabolic problems

  1. Beressa, G., Feyissa, G. T., Murimi, M., Muhammed, A. H., Abdulkadir, A., Jema, A. T., Alenko, A., Kebede, A., Lencha, B., Sahiledengle, B., Solomon, D., Atlaw, D., Gomora, D., Zenbaba, D., Dibaba, D., Nigussie, E., Nugusu, F., Desta, F., Ejigu, N.,…Belachew, T. (2025). Nutritional status and associated factors among school age children in Southeast Ethiopia using a Bayesian analysis approach. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 24141. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-10743-2
  2. Berhanu, H., Feyissa, G. T., Geleta, D., & Sudhakar, M. (2022). Diabetes mellitus self-management education at Jimma University Medical Center: Evidence-based implementation project. JBI Evidence Implementation, 20(4), 280-288; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35185132/.
  3. Asesefa Kisi, M., Tamiru, D., Teshome, M. S., Tamiru, M., & Feyissa, G. T. (2018). Household food insecurity and coping strategies among pensioners in Jimma Town, Southwest Ethiopia. BMC public health, 18, 1-8; https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-018-6….
  4. Melaku, Y., Dirar, A., Feyissa, G. T., & Tamiru, D. (2018). Optimal dietary practices and nutritional knowledge of school adolescent girls in Jimma Town, South West Ethiopia. International Journal of adolescence and Youth, 23(3), 299-307; https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02673843.2017.1369889.
  5. Epheson, B., Birhanu, Z., Tamiru, D., & Feyissa, G. T. (2018). Complementary feeding practices and associated factors in Damot Weydie District, Welayta zone, South Ethiopia. BMC public health, 18, 1-7; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29587689/.
  6. Workicho, A., Belachew, T., Feyissa, G. T., Wondafrash, B., Lachat, C., Verstraeten, R., & Kolsteren, P. (2016). Household dietary diversity and animal source food consumption in Ethiopia: evidence from the 2011 welfare monitoring survey. BMC public health, 16, 1-11; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27884138/.

Methodological papers
1. Tricco, A. C., Khalil, H., Holly, C., Feyissa, G., Godfrey, C., Evans, C., ... & Munn, Z. (2022). Rapid reviews and the methodological rigor of evidence synthesis: a JBI position statement. JBI evidence synthesis, 20(4), 944-949; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35124684/
2. Feyissa, G. T., Woldie, M., Lockwood, C., & Munn, Z. (2020). The Development and Contextualization of a Guideline to Reduce HIV-Related Stigma and Discrimination in Health Care Settings. SAGE Publications Limited. available from https://methods.sagepub.com/case/dev-context-guideline-reduce-hiv-relat….

Selected supplementary and conversation articles
1. Ezeh, A., & Feyissa, G. T. (2020). What’s driving Africa’s population growth. And what can change it. The Conversation Retrieved from https://theconversation. com/whats-driving-africas-population-growth-and-what-can-change-it-126362 accessed, 30.
2. Woldie, M., Admassu, B., Feyissa, G., Alaro, T., Mitchell, K., Mayhew, S., ... & Balabanova, D. (2017). 002 BP: Videovoice Diaries to Understand The Perspectives of Community Health Volunteers In Ethiopia: Insights From Collaborative Qualitative Research. BMJ open, 7(Suppl 2).; https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/bmjopen/7/Suppl_2/bmjopen-2017-016492.1…

Global Burden of disease collaborative papers 

  1. GBD 2019 Universal Healthcare Coverage Collaborators. Measuring universal health coverage based on an index of effective coverage of health services in 204 countries and territories, 1990-2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. Lancet. 2020 Aug 27:S0140-6736(20)30750-9. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30750-9. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 32861314.
  2. LBD Double Burden of Malnutrition Collaborators. Mapping local patterns of childhood overweight and wasting in low-and middle-income countries between 2000 and 2017. Nature medicine. 2020;26(5):750.
  3. GBD 2016 ColLaborators (including Feyissa GT). Global, regional, and national burden of neurological disorders, 1990–2016: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016. The Lancet Neurology. 2019;18(5):459-80.
  4. GBD Cancer Collaboration. Global, Regional, and National Cancer Incidence, Mortality, Years of Life Lost, Years Lived With Disability, and Disability-Adjusted Life-Years for 29 Cancer Groups, 1990 to 2017: A Systematic Analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study. JAMA Oncology. 2019. doi: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2019.2996.
  5. GBD 2016 Traumatic Brain Injury and Spinal Cord Injury Collaborators. Global, regional, and national burden of traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury, 1990–2016: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016. The Lancet Neurology. 2019 Jan 1;18(1):56-87.
  6. GBD 2017 Disease and Injury Incidence and Prevalence Collaborators. Global, regional, and national incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability for 354 diseases and injuries for 195 countries and territories, 1990–2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. The Lancet. 2018 Nov 10;392(10159):1789-858.
  7. GBD 2017 Collaborators. Measuring progress from 1990 to 2017 and projecting attainment to 2030 of the health-related Sustainable Development Goals for 195 countries and territories: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. The Lancet. 2018 Nov 10;392(10159):2091-138.
  8. GBD 2016 Diarrheal Disease Collaborators. Estimates of the global, regional, and national morbidity, mortality, and etiologies of diarrhea in 195 countries: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016. The Lancet Infectious Diseases. 2018 Sep 19.
  9. GBD 2017 Mortality Collaborators. Global, regional, and national age-sex-specific mortality and life expectancy, 1950–2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. The Lancet. 2018 Nov 10;392(10159):1684-735.
  10. GBD 2017 Colaborators. Global, regional, and national age-sex-specific mortality for 282 causes of death in 195 countries and territories, 1980–2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. The Lancet. 2018 Nov 10;392(10159):1736-88.
  11. GBD 2017 Population and Fertility Collaborators. Population and fertility by age and sex for 195 countries and territories, 1950–2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. The Lancet. 2018 Nov 10;392(10159):1995-2051.