Search

This paper presents a study on color preferences among a sample of Ghanaian adults. Two surveys were conducted, with a total of 143 participants (50 in Survey 1, and 93 in Survey 2). The participants completed both printed and digital questionnaires to gather data on their color preferences. The results showed that blue was the most preferred color by both males and females in general, but not for specific items. In survey 2, a chi-square test on categorical variables revealed a significant relationship between gender and preference for light, dark, or bright colors (p=0.025), as well as gender and number of preferred colors per personal item (p=0.02). However, no significant relationships were found between gender and change of colors from childhood (p=0.73), gender and number of preferred colors (p=0.204), gender and most preferred colors (p=0.216), age, and the number of preferred colors (p=0.19). Interestingly, 66.3% of the participants in Survey 2 indicated that their preferred colors were based on innate attraction, regardless of whether their color preferences had changed or remained the same since childhood. Overall, blue and red were the most preferred colors, with a score of 34.4%. These findings provide valuable insights for design practitioners and communicators and offer a basis for future research on color preferences among Ghanaians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to examine elderly smallholder farmers' perceptions of and adaptation to climate variability and change in the Offinso Municipality, Ghana. Design/methodology/approach: This paper used quantitative and qualitative methods. Quantitative data were analyzed with frequencies and chi-square tests, whereas qualitative data were thematically analyzed. Findings: The results showed that elderly smallholder farmers' knowledge of climate variability and climate change were based on their sex, level of formal education and experience in farming. Elderly smallholder farmers adopted both on-farm and off-farm strategies to cope with climate change and variability. The vulnerability of elderly smallholder farmers to climate change calls for social protection mechanisms such as a pension scheme that guarantees access to monthly cash transfers. Such a scheme will ease constraints to livelihood and ensure improved well-being. Originality/value: Elderly smallholder farmers have remained invisible in discourses on perceptions and adaptation to climate change despite the surge in number of this category of farmers. This paper therefore represents an attempt to highlight the experiences of elderly smallholder farmers with climate variability and change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Advancement in biomedical science has led to the discovery of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) as new strategies for prevention of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This current study was a quantitative analysis that sought to evaluate the awareness and willingness to use PrEP and PEP by sexually active adults in Ghana. Material and methods: The study respondents consisted of 365 sexually active adults in Ghana. A questionnaire was designed and administered to participants online using respondent-driven sampling (RDS) approach. A Χ² test and logistic regression were employed for the analysis. Results: The study revealed a generally low awareness of PrEP and PEP. Only 25.2% of the respondents were aware of PrEP, while 20.3% were aware of PEP. Despite the low awareness rate, majority of respondents (69.3%) were willing to use PrEP and PEP for prevention of HIV. On the other hand, 30.7% of the respondents indicated their unwillingness to use PrEP and PEP citing the fear of undesirable side effects of the medications as the main reason for their decision. Conclusions: This paper calls on policy-makers to intensify advocacy for the usefulness of PrEP and PEP. The Ghana Health Service and Ghana AIDS Commission should also ensure that PrEP and PEP services are increased and include all sexually active persons in Ghana. This will ensure a great success in mitigating HIV infections in Ghana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Promoting Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR) aims to increase the productive capacities of farmer households. Under FMNR, farmers select and manage natural regeneration on farmlands and keep them under production. While FMNR contributes to the wealth of farming communities, its contribution to household food security has rarely been researched. We, therefore, used a mixed-methods approach to address the research gap by measuring FMNR's contribution to food security among farmer households in the Talensi district of Ghana. We adopted the Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS) and Food Consumption Score (FCS) to estimate food security status among 243 FMNR farmer households and 243 non-FMNR farmer households. Also, we performed a Chi-square test of independence to compare the frequency of each food group (present vs not present) between FMNR adopters and non-FMNR adopters to establish the relationship between adopting FMNR and consuming the FCS and HDDS food groups. Our results reveal that FMNR farmer households are more food secure than non-FMNR farmer households. The HHDS of the FMNR farmer households was 9.6, which is higher than the target value of 9.1. Conversely, the HHDS of the non-FMNR farmer households was 4.3, which is lower than the target value of 9.1. Up to 86% and 37% of the FMNR farmer households and non-FMNR farmer households fell within acceptable FCS; 15% and 17% of FMNR farmer households and non-FMNR farmer households fell within borderline FCS. While none of the FMNR farmer households fell within poor FCS, 46% of non-FMNR farmer households fell within poor FCS. Adopting FMNR is significantly related to consuming all food groups promoted and benefiting from FMNR practices. The paper recommends enabling farmers in semi-arid environments to practice and invest in FMNR for long-term returns to food security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Several studies have described health-seeking behaviour within the context of various diseases, the health status and age group. However, knowledge on patient health-seeking behaviour in the use of public and private hospitals and socio-demographic characteristics in developing countries is still scarce. This paper examines the influence of socio-demographic behavioural variables on health-seeking behaviour and the use of public and private health facilities in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach: Quantitative research approach uses the modified SERVQUAL dimension as a data collection tool. Descriptive statistics with Pearson's chi-square test were conducted to determine the relationship between socio-demographic behavioural variables and health-seeking behaviour of patients using public and private hospitals. Findings: The results showed that there is a significant relationship between the socio-demographic characteristics (sex, marital status, education, level of income) and the health-seeking behaviour of patients in regard to the utilisation of public and private health facilities (p < 0.000). Originality/value: There is a significant relationship between patients' socio-demographic variables and their choice and utilisation of public and private healthcare services. This information is of value to policy makers so that they have an idea on the socio-demographic behavioural variables that influence patients' health-seeking behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined socio-demographic factors that account for the construction of authorized houses in peri-urban areas of Ghana. Using Bamahu, a rapidly growing suburb of Wa in Ghana as a case study, the paper contributes to the position that a holistic understanding of the demand side factors accounting for the growth of illegal housing in today's emerging cities is a prerequisite to achieving sustainable urban development. A cross-sectional survey design was adopted for the study whilst a multistage sampling process was used to identify respondents. Questionnaires were administered to 270 homeowners. Descriptive statistics and the Chi square test of independence were used to analyze the data. With the exception of site plans, majority (53.0%, 53.3%, 52.2% and 50.4%) of homeowners did not obtain indentures, building plans, building permits and land title certificates respectively before building. The tendency to construct an unauthorized building was greatly influenced by the mode of land acquisition and the highest level of education attained by the homeowner, whilst gender of the homeowner had no significant (p > 0.05) influence on the acquisition of such documentations. A mix of relationships was however identified between occupation, house type and the acquisition of land and building documentations. Policy reforms and intensifying sensitization exercises for prospective homebuilders and customary landholders on procedures and processes in land acquisition and its subsequent development is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health literacy offers an opportunity to effectively direct health information and services to poor and marginalised groups. However, minimal attempts have been made to understand the state and determinants of health literacy, and its association with health-related behaviours among street-involved youth (SIY). This paper explores the status and sociodemographic correlates of functional health literacy (FHL) among SIY in Kumasi in Ghana. It also assesses the relationship between FHL, sociodemographic factors and two of the commonest health-related behaviours—alcohol use and smoking—among SIY. The study purposively sampled 337 SIY, aged 12 to 24 years, from five suburbs in the central business district of Kumasi Metropolitan Area in Ghana. The mean age of participants was 18 years (± 3.3). About 48%, 37% and 15% of them had inadequate, problematic and sufficient FHL respectively. Approximately 37% consumed alcohol and 14% smoked. Sex (female) and ethnicity (Ewe) were associated with inadequate FHL. Also, having some education and having been involved with the streets for three years or more were associated with inadequate FHL. Furthermore, being older, having some education, ethnicity, traditional religious affiliation, being male, having health insurance and inadequate FHL were associated with alcohol use. Smoking was associated with age (being older) and having been involved with the streets for three years or more. The paper argues that relevant health interventions must compensate for the heterogeneity of SIY as regards their FHL and sociodemographic characteristics to curb deleterious health behaviours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite a growing burden of stroke in low‐middle‐income countries, research on patient's experiences and access to rehabilitation services remains limited. This study explores the experiences of stroke patients in relation to access and use of stroke rehabilitation services, coping strategies and strategies to improve care in Ghana. A cross‐sectional study was conducted. A total of 136 adult stroke patients hospitalised and subsequently discharged in three major referral hospitals in Ghana participated in the study. A paper‐based questionnaire was used to collect data. Data were inputted into STATA version 12, cleaned and analysed using descriptive statistics and Chi‐Square tests. Findings showed that stroke patients experience stroke differently. Early detection (awareness) of stroke symptoms at onset was low (29.4%). Hypertension was the major (58.1%) predisposing risk factor for stroke, followed by diabetes (14.7%). Multiple barriers impede access to outpatient rehabilitation services: high cost of medications (43.4%), transportation constraints (10.3%), long waiting time (6.6%), forgetfulness about appointment (4.4%), limited education on rehabilitation (20.6%), lack of community support (12.5%) and ineffective communication with healthcare providers (5.2%). Recommended strategies to improve access to rehabilitation care included public education on stroke and its associated risk, reduction in the cost of drugs and increased stroke rehabilitation funding by the NHIS, especially for physiotherapy consultation and training support to caregivers on patient care. Given the difference in stroke experience and barriers in accessing rehabilitation care, multi‐level health policy and service delivery reforms are needed to improve access to rehabilitation care, including national public awareness campaigns on early signs of stroke and subsidised cost of stroke rehabilitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to examine the managerial role in the practices of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in developing economies. Design/methodology/approach -- The paper takes the form of an empirical analysis of employees' opinions based on a quantitative survey of 100 middle and senior level managers from four organisations chosen from relatively high impact industry sectors. Findings -- Managerial role in the practice of CSR is limited and ineffective in Ghana. Difficulties of effective CSR implementation mainly stem from leadership weak spots in the form of mismanagement and corruption, lack of leadership commitment and unwillingness to allocate monies due for CSR activities. Organisations can do better in the practice of CSR if management's attitude to CSR, corruption, and work behaviors are positive. Practical implications -- The paper provides valuable information on managerial activities with regards to organisational CSR, and how these can be improved. Originality/value -- Empirical literature on CSR in developing countries is limited. This paper identifies the roles that management and organisational leadership can play in the practice of CSR in developing countries. The paper proposes a universal approach which aims to address the need for adequate and effective enforcement of CSR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public–private partnership (PPP) between Technical Universities (TUs) and industry is important for development. Although the typologies, benefits and the challenges in such partnerships have been studied in the past, the problem of lack of clarity of leadership roles along with the effects of leadership qualities necessary for sustaining PPPs between TUs and industry in Ghana persists, as it has not been well considered. In this paper, we investigate the leadership roles that sustain PPPs among TUs and related industries in Ghana. A conceptual model is proposed to identify leadership roles for sustaining PPPs between TUs and industry. Questionnaires were administered to 418 respondents selected using the stratified random sampling technique. Among these, data was gathered from 320 respondents who completed questionnaires. Having obtained 77% value for Cronbach Alpha to confirm reliability and acceptance of data, further statistical analysis was performed to obtain results for this study. In particular, descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were employed to determine the extent of relationships among the variables in the model. The results of the study revealed that leadership roles of negotiation skills, networking, planning, and monitoring significantly contributed to the sustainability of PPPs in TUs. Overall, the study suggests that leadership of TUs and industries should effectively carry out the roles of negotiation, planning, networking, monitoring, and evaluation in order to achieve sustainable partnerships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decision-making regarding the outcome of a pregnancy may include participation of the woman herself, her sexual partner, parents, family, and/or community. This paper examines who had the most say in the outcome of young Ghanaian women's last pregnancy and whether this correlated with her level of reproductive autonomy (RA). We analysed cross-sectional data from 380 previously pregnant young women in urban Ghana. We measured communication and decision-making RA using modified scales ranging from 3 (low RA) to 12 (high RA). We tested unadjusted associations between the RA sub-scales and who made the pregnancy decision (self, partner, both together, or someone else) and used multinomial regression models to understand these associations when controlling for sociodemographic, reproductive history, and social context variables. In final models, a one-point increase in decision-making RA was associated with an adjusted relative risk ratio of 0.79 (95% CI: 0.66–0.93; p = 0.006) of partner having the most say as compared to the woman having the most say. The communication RA scale was not associated. Programmes that increase RA may be effective in increasing women's rights to execute decisions about reproductive health and outcomes. Future research should explore this notion and the role of pregnancy disclosure in this relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy is a major public health challenge with the potential to prevent communities from achieving the coverage level necessary for herd immunity against the COVID-19 virus. Objective/aim: The study determined COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and associated factors among residents of the Afadzato South District of Ghana. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 422 respondents aged 18 years and above using a self-administered and interviewer administered structured questionnaires for persons who could read and with no formal education respectively. The study was conducted and reported in line with the Strobe statement for cross sectional studies. Data analysis was done using the Stata-17.0 software. The association between the dependent and independent variables was examined using a logistic regression analysis, with a p-value of < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: More than half of the respondents (n = 291, 68.96%) were below 25 years old. Majority of the respondents were females (n = 218, 51.66%) and had attained secondary education (n = 291, 68.96%). Less than half of the respondents 35.5% (151) indicated acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine and more than half (n = 271, 64.22%) indicated non-acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine. The results showed that education level, information source, overall knowledge of COVID-19 vaccine, and misconception of COVID-19 vaccine were significantly associated with acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine. Conclusion: The study found high vaccine hesitancy among the respondents. Important significant predictors of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy were education level, information source, overall knowledge of COVID-19 vaccine, and misconception of COVID-19 vaccine. In the attempt to address vaccine hesitancy by health agencies, it is important to take into consideration the varying educational backgrounds of the population in context and their diversified sources of information. This may ensure that everyone in the community is reached with important information on COVID-19 and its vaccines to reduce misconceptions and misinformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Personal hygiene is essential to the current paradigm shift towards predictive, preventive, and personalized medicine, which enables the prediction and prevention of infectious disease outbreaks. Objective. The aim of this paper was to evaluate the personal hygiene practices among university students aiming at providing a basis for preventive and predictive medical interventions and to make future efforts improve target interventions for young people. Methods. The study was conducted using a cross-sectional study. Validated instruments that related personal hygiene practices were used to obtain quantitative data from 412 tertiary students from seven universities in Accra, Ghana. The resulting data were analyzed with IBM-SPSS, version 23. Results. There were more female respondents (54.4%) in the study than male respondents (45.6%). Respondents between the age group of 19-24 years constituted majority (59.7%) of the respondents in the study. Respondents from urban areas exhibited good hygiene practice compared to those from urban residences. There was a significant association between residence and hygiene practice (χ2=17.8, P≤0.001). We also observed that those respondents within the upper class in society had a poor hygiene practice, compared to the Lower Class and Middle Class respondents. Lack of education (63.1%) was observed as the main barrier to personal hygiene among the respondents. Future of the society depends on the health of its youth. Conclusion. A significant number of students are not actively practicing good hygiene. There is a need for deployment of preventive medicine interventions targeted at young people. It calls for improvement in methods of hygiene education for young people in tertiary institutions and the inclusion of hygiene in school curricula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This paper presents results of baseline data on the determinants of contraceptive use in 7 districts in northern Ghana where there is an ongoing integrated primary health care systems strengthening project known as the Ghana Essential Health Intervention Project (GEHIP). Methods: We used a household survey data conducted within 66 randomly sampled census enumeration areas in seven rural districts of the Upper East Region of northern Ghana where health systems strengthening interventions are currently ongoing in three of the districts with four of the districts serving as comparison districts. This survey was conducted prior to the introduction of interventions. Data was collected on various indices included geographic information systems (GIS) and contraceptive use. The data was analyzed using survey design techniques that accounts for correct variance estimation. Categorical variables were summarized as proportions and associations between these variables and contraceptive use tested using Chi-square test. Uni-variable and multivariable logistic regression techniques were used to assess the effects of the selected covariates on contraceptive use. All tests were deemed to be statistically significant at 5% level statistical significance. Results: Results show that contraceptive use is generally low (about 13 per cent) and use is nearly evenly for spacing and stopping purposes. Factors associated with the use of contraceptives include exposure to integrated primary healthcare services, the level of education, and socioeconomic status, couple fertility preference, marital status, and parity. For instance, the odds of contraceptive use among 15-45 year old women who live 2 km or more from a CHPS compound is 0.74 compared to women who live less than 2 km from a CHPS compound (p-value = 0.035). Conclusion: The findings suggest that rapid scale up of the Community based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) program accompanied with improved door-to-door health services would kindle uptake of modern contraceptive use, reduce unwanted pregnancies and hasten the attainment of MDG 4 & 5 in Ghana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Effective​ self-reporting of medication administration errors (MAEs) is crucial for patient safety globally, yet underreporting persists as a significant challenge, hindering policy interventions. Despite extensive studies on barriers to MAE reporting by nurses, limited attention has been given to this issue in Ghana. This study aimed to explore the reasons behind nurses' reluctance to report MAEs, contributing to a broader understanding of this critical issue. Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted among registered nurses at two public health facilities in the Ashanti Region, Ghana. Self-administered questionnaires were distributed to 153 respondents using stratified and simple random sampling. Descriptive and inferential statistics, including chi-square and logistic regression, were employed to analyze 150 completed questionnaires using SPSS version 23, with a significance level set at P < 0.05. Results. The majority (60.7%) of nurses reported MAEs, primarily to the ward in-charge (72.0%) and documented in the incidence book (54.3%), while only 9% reported to patients. Reasons for nonreporting included fear of criticism (34.5%), litigation (19.5%), losing practice licenses (18.6%), and stigma (17.7%). Significant correlations were found between nurses' sociodemographic characteristics (age, marital status, years of practice, and rank) and their self-reporting of MAEs (P < 0.05). Conclusion. Despite high levels of self-reported MAEs among nurses, fear remains a pervasive barrier to reporting. Addressing the culture of blame, criticism, and stigma is imperative to enhance nurses' confidence in reporting MAEs globally, transcending geographical boundaries and fostering patient safety on a broader scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Oral disease poses a significant public health burden for many countries and affects individuals throughout their lifetime, causing pain, disfigurement, impairment of function and reduced quality of life. Among children and adolescents globally, there is a recognized trend of poor oral hygiene, attributed to the accumulation of plaque and calculus deposits that increase with age. This study assessed the knowledge, practice and factors associated with the practice of oral hygiene among Junior High School students (JHS) in Koforidua, in the Eastern Region of Ghana. Methods: A school-based cross-sectional study design was conducted among 233 JHS students in Koforidua township using a multistage sampling technique. Descriptive and inferential statistics, including frequency, percentage, and Pearson's Chi-square test, were conducted. The results were interpreted using tables and graphs. Results: Findings from the study revealed that more than half 126 (54.1%) of the respondents had a good level of knowledge of oral hygiene. The majority 130 (55.8%) of them also had good oral hygiene practice. The findings further indicated that a significant relationship was found between the class or education level of students and good oral hygiene practice (χ2 = 17.36, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Overall, the current study found that over half of the JHS students had good knowledge as well as practice of oral hygiene. This reinforces the significance of oral health education and awareness campaigns, especially in school settings, to improve knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours related to oral hygiene. The study however found only class or education level of students to be statistically associated with the practice of oral hygiene. While other variables did not reach statistical significance, our research serves as a starting point for further investigation and exploration of the various factors that may contribute to oral hygiene practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION The Global Youth Tobacco Survey's findings have been used to support Ghana's tobacco control legislation, monitor tobacco use among the youth and also used in meeting various Articles of the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). These Articles include: Article 8 (Protection for exposure to tobacco smoke); Article 12 (Education, communication, training and public awareness); Article 13 (Tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship); Article 14 (Demand reduction measures concerning tobacco dependence and cessation); and Article 16 (Sales to and by minors). Among the four waves of GYTS in Ghana, the 2017 GYTS was the first to assess waterpipe smoking, through optional questions included in the GYTS questionnaire. We assessed sex, age and regional differentials in waterpipe smoking among the youth in Ghana, and also explored the association between the use of other tobacco products and waterpipe use. METHODS The GYTS employs a standardized methodology with self-administered questionnaires, consisting of core, optional, and country specific questions. Fourteen questions, out of the seventy-four (74) questions administered for the entire GYTS, assessed waterpipe tobacco smoking (WTS). Chi-squared test was used to assess sex, age, grade/form and regional differentials in waterpipe use. Furthermore, the association between smoking cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, electronic cigarettes and waterpipe smoking, was explored by employing a chi-squared test with a 5% significance level. RESULTS Of a total of 5664 students who participated in the study, 90.9% were aged 13-15 years. The respondents were almost equally distributed among males and females. Overall, 3.1% of the respondents had ever smoked waterpipe. The overall prevalence of current waterpipe use was 1.7%; with 2.1% in girls (95% CI: 0.9-4.7%) and 0.9% in boys (95% CI: 0.5-1.6%), p=0.033. Additionally, more than half (55.0%) of the current waterpipe users smoked three or more sessions per day. Surprisingly, close to half (46.9%) of the current waterpipe users smoked at home. CONCLUSIONS Waterpipe use, particularly among the female student population, represents an emerging tobacco epidemic and hence deserves immediate attention from authorities. This study revealed that waterpipe is being used among Junior High students in Ghana. Education on the health implications of waterpipe use should be intensified among the youth, to help minimize its use and to prevent its associated health harms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study assessed adolescents' satisfaction with services received during their most recent abortion and the factors associated with satisfaction at reproductive health centres in the Greater Accra region of Ghana. Design: A facility‐based cross‐sectional survey was used for this study. Methods: Overall, 254 adolescent girls aged between 15 and 19 years, who had an abortion within 1 week of the study period were recruited for the study. All the 254 respondents were recruited consecutively as they visited health facilities for abortion services from March 2019 to February 2020. Written informed consent was signed by respondents, and data were collected using the Patient Satisfaction with Nursing Care Quality Questionnaire, and the data were analysed using Stata version 15.0. Univariate, bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted. Results: A majority of adolescents reported being satisfied with the abortion services they received. Ample waiting space and the system of 'first‐come‐first‐served' were the highest rated elements of service satisfaction. Adolescents were least satisfied with the inadequacy of instructions and lack of information on medications received and their therapeutic or side effects. Ethnicity, having a stable intimate partner and perceived adequacy of staff were the factors associated with satisfaction with abortion services. Conclusion: Adolescents are unique group of people with peculiar health needs. If they are treated with respect and dignity, they are likely to be satisfied with services received from the reproductive health centres offering comprehensive abortion care. Impact: The study addresses adolescent satisfaction with abortion care received; if health providers treat adolescent seeking abortion care with respect, friendly and non‐judgemental attitude, it will enable adolescents to seek abortion care from qualified professionals instead of unskilled service providers to reduce maternal mortality. Patient's contribution: Patients from 11 reproductive centres responded to the questionnaire used for the data collection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Menstruation-related school absenteeism significantly affects girls' academic progress and general wellbeing. This study aimed to assess menstruation-related school absenteeism in an urban population in the Northern Region of Ghana. A school-based cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence of school absenteeism among girls using a structured questionnaire, which was pretested. The data were analyzed using Stata 16. Descriptive and inferential statistics, including cross-tabulation, the chi-square test, and binary logistic regression, were performed. The majority (59%) was between the ages of 15 and 19 years. Approximately one fifth of all respondents missed school during menstruation. Reasons assigned to missing school were menstrual pains (57%), stained clothes (43%), heavy bleeding (40%), and self-stigmatization (2%). The majority (95%) of respondents used some form of materials to absorb menstrual blood. About 88% of respondents used sanitary pads, 11% used cloth, and 1% used tissues to absorb their menstrual blood. The multivariable analysis showed that school girls < 15 years old (AOR: 3.69, 95% CI: 2.02–6.73), first year of Junior High School (AOR: 4.68, 95% CI: 2.14–10.22), and public school (AOR: 3.57, 95% CI: 1.83–6.94) were associated with increased odds of menstruation-related school absenteeism. Menstruation-related school absenteeism is considered high and could affect girls' educational attainment. School absenteeism due to menstruation, particularly in public schools, warrants attention by the Ghana Education Service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Postnatal care (PNC) is critical for the newborn and the mother, as it offers the opportunity to examine the mother and child to ensure early and timely intervention of any obstetric anomalies that might have gone unnoticed during delivery. However, there is a lack of data on PNC utilization and associated determinants in Ghana. Meanwhile, it is suspected that the PNC service should be more patronized by mothers, particularly within the first 2 days after delivery; therefore, investigating PNC utilization and associated factors could inform policies to enhance PNC uptake. Objective: The objective is to determine the level of utilization of PNC service and associated factors in the Savannah region of Ghana. Methods: The study used a facility-based analytical cross-sectional study design. The study was carried out in 311 postnatal mothers using consecutive sampling. Data collection was carried out using a questionnaire. Univariate and multiple logistic regression was performed to establish the determinants of PNC. Variables/variable categories with P <.05 were significantly associated with PNC. The significance level is anchored at P <.05. Results: The study showed that almost all respondents (98.7%) have heard about PNC services through health workers (39.7%), media (13.0%), and friends and relatives (47.2%). Most of the respondents (88.7%) have used PNC services within 48 h. Mothers aged 25–39 years were about seven times more likely to utilize PNC compared to those who were less than 25 years old (AOR [adjusted odds ratio] = 7.41, 95% CI [confidence interval]: 1.98–7.71); mothers with high school education (SHS) and above were also approximately four times more likely to use PNC compared to those who had no formal education (AOR = 3.65, 95% CI 1.97–13.66). In the same vein, married mothers were 10 times more likely to use PNC compared to those who are single mothers (AOR = 10.34, 95% CI: 3.69–28.97), whereas mothers who had at least four antenatal care (ANC) visits during pregnancy were approximately seven times more likely to use PNC compared to those who had less than four ANC visits (AOR = 6.92, 95% CI: 1.46–32.78). Reasons for not attending PNC include waiting time (40.5%), health workers' attitude (32.4%), being attended by a student (16.2%), being busy (27.0%), inadequate information on PNC (24.3%), and no family support (18.9%). Conclusion: All mothers knew about the PNC services, with a higher proportion patronizing the services. The increasing age, the level of mothers, marital status, and participation in ANC were significant determinants of the use of PNC. More education during ANC on the importance of PNC service is required to achieve universal coverage of PNC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of African Journal of Reproductive Health is the property of Women's Health & Action Research Centre and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of African Journal of Reproductive Health is the property of Women's Health & Action Research Centre and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper explores the perception of health and environmental concerns of workers and residents living close to e-waste recycling sites in Ghana using both qualitative and quantitative research techniques. The social constructionist approach and a logit regression model were adopted to examine the rationale of their claims and concerns which have hitherto been unknown and unexplored. We find that workers’ environmental and health perceptions were seriously downplayed and do not match those of epidemiological studies, revealing a lack of convergence between lay and expert knowledge. This study further shows a respondent-specificity rationale; the perception of those directly involved in the processes was mainly influenced by economic considerations, while some at bestdisplayed “genuine” ignorance. We recommend that all policy interventions incorporate approaches that have a better chance of arriving at conclusions economically meaningful to participants and that facilitate greater understanding of health and environmental issues. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Copyright of African Journal of Reproductive Health is the property of Women's Health & Action Research Centre and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of African Journal of Reproductive Health is the property of Women's Health & Action Research Centre and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

im: The present paper is an original research that explores housing satisfaction and residents' ability to cope with day-to-day demands, taking into account other dimensions of housing and sociodemographic factors. Subjects and methods: A cross-sectional survey ( n = 562) was randomly administered to residents in three neighbourhoods (Labone, Asylum Down and Nima) in Accra, Ghana. The association between the outcome variables and housing attributes were analysed using logistic regression. Results: The findings indicate that housing satisfaction was significantly predicted by age, with older people more likely to be dissatisfied with their housing arrangement. Respondents were dissatisfied with housing arrangements if they lived in Nima [odds ratio (OR) = 2.75, p < .001], Asylum Down (OR = 1.72, p < .01), crowded households (OR = 1.158, p < .05) or in compound houses (OR = 2.50, p < .001). In the context of housing attribute variables, respondent's ability to cope with day-to-day demands was significantly associated to their income level. Odour annoyance as an indicator of housing condition emerged as a strong predictor of respondent's inability to cope with daily demands with OR ranging from 1.68 to 2.33. Those who were dissatisfied with the location of their home as a place to live also reported poor coping abilities (OR = 1.86, p < .01). Discussion and conclusions: From the findings, government policy on housing should encourage the construction of more affordable housing units to ease the crowding situation in Accra. There is also a need for the Accra City Council to provide clearer guidelines for both tenants and landlords in response to increasing tenancy disputes in context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: We determined the relationship between trust, belief and adherence among patients who complain of hypertension in Ghana. Design: A cross‐sectional design was used. Method: We sampled 447 Ghanaians with hypertension receiving care at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital. Data were collected using a pre‐tested self‐administered questionnaire. Data analyses were conducted with the aid of Stata 15.0. Results: There is low belief and trust in the biomedical treatment for hypertension. Only 36.9% of the respondents said they adhered to treatment with females expressing higher level of adherence. Trust and belief in allopathic care were associated with adherence to treatment. It is recommended that health workers identify effective ways of improving patients' trust in the allopathic care for hypertension through teaching and re‐enforcement models to enhance treatment adherence and reduce the complications of hypertension. Patient or Public Contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The maintenance of physical activity (PA) over the life course is considered a hallmark for ageing well, but individuals who practice PA also often pursue lifestyles (e.g., smoking) that may inhibit the medicinal impact of PA on them. PA is said to protect against cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), but the literature has little to say about the impact of PA on the risk of CVDs when it is associated with lifestyle factors, comorbidities, and personal characteristics. This study aimed to assess the association between PA time and CVDs, with relevant lifestyle factors, comorbidities, and personal characteristics treated as covariates. Subject and methods: The study's population was retired and working older people aged 60 years or more in Accra, Ghana. A total of 686 individuals responded to self-reported questionnaires. Pearson's chi-square test and binary logistic regression were used to present findings. Results: The study found that the risk of having one or more CVDs increases as time spent in moderate and vigorous PA increases, whereas individuals who drank alcohol a few days a week or most days a week are respectively 2 (OR = 2.415; p = 0.037) and 22 (OR = 21.933; p = 0.000) times more likely to have one or more CVDs compared to those who never drank alcohol. Conclusion: Health education should not only encourage PA maintenance but should also make individuals aware of the need to avoid unhealthy behaviours to maximize the positive effect of PA on health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Poor adherence and under-utilization of antiretroviral therapy (ART) services have been major setbacks to achieving 95-95-95 policy goals in Sub-Saharan Africa. Social support and mental health challenges may serve as barriers to accessing and adhering to ART but are under-studied in low-income countries. The purpose of this study was to examine the association of interpersonal support and depression scores with adherence to ART among persons living with HIV (PLWH) in the Volta region of Ghana. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey among 181 PLWH 18 years or older who receive care at an ART clinic between November 2021 and March 2022. The questionnaire included a 6-item simplified ART adherence scale, the 20-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), and the 12-item Interpersonal Support Evaluation List-12 (ISEL-12). We first used a chi-squared or Fisher's exact test to assess the association between these and additional demographic variables with ART adherence status. We then built a stepwise multivariable logistic regression model to explain ART adherence. Results: ART adherence was 34%. The threshold for depression was met by 23% of participants, but it was not significantly associated with adherence in multivariate analysis(p = 0.25). High social support was reported by 48.1%, and associated with adherence (p = 0.033, aOR = 3.45, 95% CI = 1.09–5.88). Other factors associated with adherence included in the multivariable model included not disclosing HIV status (p = 0.044, aOR = 2.17, 95% CI = 1.03–4.54) and not living in an urban area (p = 0.00037, aOR = 0.24, 95% CI = 0.11–0.52). Conclusion: Interpersonal support, rural residence, and not disclosing HIV status were independent predictors of adherence to ART in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One method to enhance maternal health outcomes in underdeveloped nations is to help women and encourage them to give birth in medical facilities (skilled delivery). Yet, impediments to facility birth have reportedly included fear of abuse and contempt during labour and delivery. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the self-reported experiences of postnatal women and the types of abuse and disrespect they encountered during delivery. One hundred and thirteen (313) women were chosen at random from three healthcare facilities in the Greater Accra area for a cross-sectional study. STATA 15 was used to analyze the data. According to the study, more than half of the postnatal women (54.3%) were urged to have support people present during labour and delivery. Approximately 75.7% said they had been mistreated in some way, with physical violence accounting for 19.8% and undignified care for 9.3%. About 7.7% (n = 24) of the women were detained or confined against their will. The study's findings indicate that labour-related abuse and disrespect are common. Without improving the birthing experience for women, expanding medical facilities might not result in the skilled or facility-based deliveries that are intended. The quality of maternal health care should be monitored, and hospitals should train their midwives in providing excellent patient care (customer care). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anecdotal evidence of philanthropic practices has accumulated over the years through oral traditions and all over the psyche of the African, yet it is seldom studied empirically. By decomposing charitable giving into its spheres of formal and informal, this study examined the determinants and relationship of charitable giving in Ghana. Our findings, based on survey data from 1,533 household heads and instrumental variable probit model, revealed that while marital status, education, household size, religiosity, ethnicity, and empathic concern are important predictors of formal cash and in-kind giving, informal cash and in-kind giving is driven by income, religiosity and empathic concern. On the other hand, it was evident that formal volunteering is mainly determined by income, household size, religiosity, and empathic concern, whereas gender and religiosity influence informal volunteering. Furthermore, we established that, in both spheres of formal and informal giving, the relationship between cash and in-kind giving and volunteering is complementary. Premised on these findings, we recommend nonprofits and policymakers to recognize the complementary role and distinctive determinants of the spheres of giving in designing tools and policies to raise the levels and effectiveness of fundraising and volunteering campaigns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This quantitative study examined relationships among method safety, peri-abortion family planning counseling, immediate post-abortion family planning method adoption, and current modern contraception use among girls and women in Ghana. Our data comprised a sample of 1,416 abortion-seekers aged 15 to 49 years from the 2017 Ghana Maternal Health Survey. Results from binary logistic regression analyses suggest that those who adopted post-abortion contraception were more likely to be current users of contraception than those who did not. Also, although counterintuitive, girls and women using a safe abortion method were less likely to be current user of contraception than those using unsafe abortion methods. By induction, young women's vulnerability that underpins unsafe abortions translated into seeking contraception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although links between social relationships and health are well established, few studies have concurrently examined the effects of compositional, structural, and functional dimensions of social networks on glycemic (HbA1c) control in low- and middle-income countries such as Ghana. In these settings where informal social relationships are critical for access to resources, evaluating the links between social network characteristics, social support, and glycemic control may provide clarity about important relationships that facilitate the well-being of individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In 2018, we conducted a hospital-based, cross-sectional survey of noninstitutionalized adults with T2DM in Ghana. Using data from 247 study participants, multivariable linear regression models were used to estimate associations between: 1) HbA1c and three social network characteristics (kin composition, household composition, and network density); 2) social support and the three social network characteristics; and 3) HbA1c and social support. We also examined gender differences in these associations and applied mediation techniques to determine if network characteristics operated through social support to affect HbA1c. Findings indicated that higher kin composition and higher household composition were each significantly associated with increased social support. Neither social support nor social network characteristics were significantly related to HbA1c, and there were no gender differences in any of these associations. Although family and household members were identified as important sources of social support for diabetes management, the ways in which they influence HbA1c control among Ghanaians require further investigation. Future studies can examine whether changes in social support over time, social support satisfaction, or other dimensions of social relationships improve T2DM outcomes in countries like Ghana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Malaria is still a huge social and economic health problem in the world. It especially affects the developing countries of Africa. A particular problem is the misuse and abuse of over-the-counter antimalarials. This problem could lead to the emergence of drug-resistant strains and the subsequent elimination of more antimalarials from the list of effective antimalarials in Ghana. Methods: During the implementation of the study, an original questionnaire was used to collect data among Ghanaians on their knowledge of malaria, attitude towards antimalarials and their use of antimalarials. Results: The proportion in the analyzed subgroups was compared using the chi-square test. The analysis was conducted using TIBCO Software Inc., Krakow, Poland (2017) and Statistica (data analysis software system), version 13. In total, 86.29% of respondents knew the symptoms of malaria (p = 0.02) and 57.2% knew the cause of malaria (p < 0.001). Respondents with higher education were significantly more likely to know the symptoms of malaria (96%) p < 0.001. In the study group, only 74.59% of the respondents consulted medical personnel before taking the antimalarial drug (p = 0.51) and only 14.2% of the remaining respondents performed a rapid diagnostic test for malaria. Conclusions: The awareness of Accra and Yendi native inhabitants about the causes and symptoms of malaria and alternative ways of prevention is quite high. People's education very significantly influences the way Accra residents deal with suspected malaria. Widespread public education and awareness and accessibility to places where antimalarial drugs are sold play a very important role in the proper use of antimalarial drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Data are needed to inform hepatitis B virus (HBV) testing and treatment policies in Ghana to make progress towards achieving the 2030 WHO elimination targets. This study investigated testing patterns for HBV and described the age, sex, and region-specific prevalence of HBV infection in Ghana using hospital data.Methods: A nationwide multi-centre cross-sectional study was performed where hospital-based registers were reviewed. These included review of 139,966 laboratory, 169,048 blood bank, and 83,920 delivery register entries from 22 healthcare institutions in Ghana. Frequencies and proportions, and crude and pooled estimates reported. Chi squared test was used for tests of independence. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with a positive test result.Results: The crude HBsAg seroprevalence was 8.48% (95%CI 8.25-8.57%) with pooled estimate of 11.40% (95%CI 10.44-12.35). HBsAg seroprevalence among children under 5 years was 1.87% (95%CI 1.07-3.27) and highest age-specific seroprevalence was in those 40-49 years. The highest region-specific seroprevalences was in the Savannah (22.7%). Predictors of a positive HBsAg RDT test included female sex (OR 0.81 95% CI 0.74-0.88), and age (OR 1.005 95%CI 1.002-1.007). The proportion of parturient women receiving HBsAg testing increased between 2017 (87.2%) and 2020 (94.3%) (p < 0.001). The crude HBsAg seroprevalence in parturient women was 6.14% (95% CI 5.97-6.31). Among blood donors the crude HBsAg seroprevalence was 5.69% (95%CI 5.58-5.80). Data from 2 teaching hospitals indicated that in 2020, although 1500 HBsAg positive tests were recorded only 746 serological profile and 804 HBV DNA tests were performed. HBV e antigen seroprevalence was 6.28% (95%CI 4.73-7.84).Conclusion and Recommendations: Ghana remains a country with high HBV burden. There is an unequal distribution, with higher HBsAg seroprevalence in the north of the country. Furthermore, PCR testing is not widely available outside of large teaching hospitals, which limits diagnostic work-up. Hepatitis reporting systems and registers should be improved to facilitate data capture of indicators and standardised across the country to allow for comparability. Furthermore, where gains have been made in testing among pregnant women, there is a need for linkage to appropriate care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatitis B testing is the gateway for prevention and care. However, previous studies document low hepatitis B testing uptake in sub‐Saharan Africa. This study investigated knowledge, stigma endorsement and knowing someone with hepatitis B as correlates of hepatitis B testing behaviours among people in the Greater Accra and Northern regions of Ghana. A cross‐sectional survey was completed by 971 participants (Greater Accra = 503, and Northern region = 468) between October 2018 and January 2019. Approximately 54% of the participants reported having been tested for hepatitis B. The logistic regression analyses showed that having greater hepatitis B knowledge was positively associated with hepatitis B testing (OR = 1.22, 95% CI: 1.14–1.30). Higher hepatitis B stigma endorsement was negatively related to hepatitis B testing (OR = 0.97, 95% CI: 0.96–0.99). Also, participants who knew someone (i.e. parent, sibling and/or friend) with hepatitis B were more likely to have tested compared to those who did not know someone with hepatitis B (OR = 7.15, 95% CI: 5.04–10.14). This study demonstrates that knowing someone with hepatitis B increases the likelihood of testing, highlighting the need to create safe and non‐judgmental contexts for people with hepatitis B (PWHB) to disclose if they want to. Also, given that greater hepatitis B knowledge increases testing and hepatitis B stigma endorsement impedes testing, interventions that increase knowledge and reduce stigma should be incorporated in efforts to promote testing in Ghana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article takes a health assets approach to extract policy lessons for Ghana's present Child and Family Welfare Policy , introduced in 2014. We examine the role of Ghanaian adolescents' socioeconomic status and family social capital in their subjective well-being using data obtained from a representative survey of adolescents (aged 13-18 years) in Ghana's Upper West Region. Our empirical results revealed that various sub-components of family social capital, including family sense of belonging, autonomy support, control, and social support, varied with adolescents' self-reported life satisfaction and happiness after controlling for their family socioeconomic status and other personal characteristics. Once family social capital was controlled for, socioeconomic status explained adolescents' life satisfaction, but not their happiness. These findings confirm existing studies suggesting that family social capital can function as a protective 'safety net' for adolescents with low SES in the specific Ghanaian context. Consequently, this study contributes to the literature by arguing that, in order to develop Ghana's Child and Family Welfare Policy further, adolescent 'social empowerment' ought to be accentuated alongside its current focus on enhancing household 'economic empowerment' via social protection interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Patient safety is a global concern for both health professionals and the public. Studies show that evaluating patient safety culture can help improve patient safety outcomes. Nursing care strategically places nurses at the centre of patient safety promotion and their proximity to patients makes them the drivers of patient safety. Managerial decisions regarding patient safety impact greatly on patient safety outcomes in the healthcare organization. This study aimed to assess the managerial patient safety practices that influence adverse event reporting in three hospitals in the Savannah Region of Ghana. Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional design was used to collect data from 210 participants in three hospitals. Data were analysed using descriptive, Pearson's correlation and linear regression. Results: It was found that patient safety practices with good positive rating scores were management support (56.6%), managers' expectations (62.8%) and feedback about errors (56.2%). Areas with weak patient safety practices were staffing levels (42.4%), open communication (40.2%) and non-punitive response to errors (36.7%). Again, nurses' attitude towards adverse events reporting was generally low (37.3%). Managerial patient safety practices that had significant associations with adverse events reporting were management support (r =.18, p <.001), open communication (r =.19, p <.001), non-punitive to errors (r =.21, p <.001) and feedback about errors (r =.37, p <.001). Again, the significant predictors of adverse events reporting were feedback about errors (β =. 36, p <.001) and non-punitive response to errors (β =. 21, p <.01). Conclusion: Nurses perceived patient safety culture in their units to be good. Although nurses' attitude towards adverse events reporting was low, the significant predictors of adverse events reporting were feedback about errors and non-punitive response to errors. Therefore, healthcare managers should continually strengthen patient safety to ensure optimal care outcomes. Implications for nursing practice: Feedback on errors and non-punitive response to errors had a great influence on adverse events reporting, managerial failure to provide feedback and a non-punitive work environment could result in under-reporting of adverse events. This can be a major threat to patient safety; hence clinical practice should be aware of this and put in strategies to appropriately address them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: Most published clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) endorsed therapeutic exercises, education, and body weight management as the gold standard for managing knee osteoarthritis (OA). However, it is difficult to ascertain whether the physiotherapy practice pattern in Ghana uniformly conforms to the generally accepted standard. Our aim was to describe the patterns of physiotherapists' practice with respect to Knee OA in a low‐resource setting. Method: A web‐based nationwide cross‐sectional survey was performed among registered members of the Ghana Physiotherapy Association. Consented participants were sampled into the study through a purposive sampling method. A self‐designed and validated questionnaire was administered to obtain the participants' awareness of CPGs, while the selection of modalities by the physiotherapists was based on a clinical vignette. Exploratory analysis of data was performed for the association of the age, sex, education, and the number of patients managed per week with the awareness of CPGs, using the Chi‐square test at a significance level of p < 0.05. Results: Of the total 165 participants, only 148 responded and were included for data analysis. Sixty‐one (41.2%) of the 148 respondents were aware of specific CPGs for knee OA management, even though 98 (66.2%) utilized OA‐specific outcome measures for management evaluation. Majority of the participants (90.5%) commonly selected therapeutic exercises, and 83.8% utilized education for weight management. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and ice therapy were selected by 68.2% and 66.2% of the respondents, respectively. The number of patients managed per week was not significantly associated (p > 0.05) with the awareness of CPGs. Discussion: Our findings show high utilization of therapeutic exercises and patients' education in the management of knee OA despite the low awareness of OA‐specific CPGs. Implication for Physiotherapy: The inclusion of passive modalities coupled with the physiotherapists' low awareness underpins the need for continuing education on condition‐specific CPGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing occurrence of diseases across geographical borders creates a need to understand how information source preferences and trust in those sources influence risk perception across contexts. However, cross-context studies about information sources are not common in health communication and promotion scholarship. Using a survey, the research team compared how information sources, perceived usefulness of Ebola information, interpersonal and social trust and context influence risk perception and self-efficacy in an Ebola-affected (Liberia) and -unaffected (Ghana) country. Respondents from the unaffected country trusted the information they received significantly more and had higher levels of interpersonal and social trust than respondents from the affected country. These findings reinforce the use of community health workers as channels to support behavior and social change-focused programs, particularly in crisis situations, in addition to other information channels and sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although insights on bride price and domestic violence have been explored in Ghana, very little is known about payment of bride price and the justification of sexual violence. We investigated the payment of bride price and justification of sexual violence among women (N = 4,222) in Ghana, dwelling on the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey. Two binary logistic regression models were fitted. We adjusted for significant sociodemographic variables. The findings revealed that women whose partners had paid their bride price had higher odds [ OR = 1.54; CI = 1.174, 2.00] of justifying sexual violence, compared to those whose partners had not paid. We found that women with primary [AOR = 0.55; CI = 0.44–0.71] and secondary/higher [AOR = 0.47; CI = 0.36–0.60] levels of education had lower odds of accepting sexual violence. Women in the rich wealth quintile [AOR = 0.32; CI = 0.22, 0.46] had lower odds of justifying sexual violence. Our study has illustrated the need for women to appreciate that payment of bride price does not imply that their fundamental human rights have been bought by men, but they rather become partners. This information can form part of premarriage counselling and human rights initiatives by the Ministry of Gender and Social Protection. That is, the content of marriage counselling may be expanded to include issues on IPV, its implications, and legal consequences. Such information can develop personal realization and urge women to report any violent advances to the police and appropriate authorities for the required legal action to be taken. This may deter others to desist from violence perpetration against women. At the community level, chiefs and other leaders of high repute can be made anti-IPV ambassadors. The Ministry of Health and other nongovernmental anti-violence organizations can also collaborate to strengthen education on anti-sexual violence programs by using the mass media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of African Journal of Reproductive Health is the property of Women's Health & Action Research Centre and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Ghana introduced capitation payment method in 2012 but was faced with resistance for its perceived poor quality of care. This paper assesses National Health Insurance Scheme subscribers and care providers’ perception of quality of care under the capitation payment method. Methods: This is a cross-sectional survey of subscribers and care providers perception of quality of care in three administrative regions of Ghana using a 5-point Likert scale for the assessment based on a set of quality of care measures. We performed descriptive analysis to determine average perception of quality of care scores for each of the measures used. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were also performed to examine relationships between respondent’s characteristics and their perception of quality of care. Results: In general, subscribers expressed positive perception about the quality of care though subscribers in Ashanti were less positive compared to those in the Central region. A chi-square analysis, however, showed significant differences in subscribers’ perception of quality of care by occupation (p = 0.002), region (p = 0.007) length of NHIS membership (p = 0.006), and age (p = 0.014). Multivariate logistic regression analysis also showed that different factors, other than region of residence, were significantly associated with perceived good quality of care. Analysis of health care providers’ responses also showed significant differences in their perception of quality of care by region (p = 0.001). Multivariate logistic model showed that health care providers in the Volta region (OR = 0.14, 95% CI: 0.03–0.58) were significantly less likely to perceive quality of care as good compared to those in the Ashanti region. Conclusion: Subscribers and care providers across the three regions have relatively good perception of the quality of health care in general though subscribers in Ashanti were less positive than those in the Central region. It is, therefore, plausible that capitation payment may have influenced the relatively low perception of quality of care in the Ashanti region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of mobile phone and factors influencing usage have least been explored in spite of its relevance in mHealth adoption. We conducted a descriptive exploratory study to evaluate the use of mobile phone alarm application, text messaging and voice call among HIV positive clients. We randomly selected 362 respondents who were 18–65 years and receive care from two health facilities in Accra, Ghana. Questionnaires were administered and data analysed to describe and predict mobile phone use. SPSS version 20 was used to process data for analysis. Findings revealed respondent (n = 338, 93%) did not share their mobile phones. Voice call was predominantly used (n = 227, 63%) while text messaging and mobile alarm functions were sparingly used. Majority (n = 285, 78.9%) did not use the mobile phone application to support adherence. Age and employment predicted the use of mobile phone alarm (OR ± 1.56, p < 0.05), test messaging (OR ± 1.48, p < 0.05) and voice calls (OR ± 1.25, p < 0.05). We observed that younger age and employment influence the use of mobile phones. Voice calls are more acceptable because it is simple and easy to use. Knowledge and persuasion are fundamental to mobile phone literacy skills development and should be integrated in mHealth interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual behavior among youths has been a focus of health programmes worldwide. Risky sexual behaviors among youth in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) predispose them to HIV infection. The current study determined the predictors of risky sexual behavior among students aged 15–24 years in the Suhum Municipality, Ghana guided by the Health Belief Model (HBM). The study employed a cross-sectional design, collecting data using a structured pretested questionnaire and analyzing them using SPSS version 20 software program at the level 0.05. The overall prevalence of risky sexual behavior was 59.1% among the participants. None of the constructs of the HBM was statistically associated with risky sexual behavior. However, participants who perceived that they were at risk of contracting HIV and who perceived HIV/AIDS to have severe consequences were more likely to practice safe sexual behavior. Health promotion programmes should aim at increasing youths' perception of the threat posed by HIV/AIDS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social work profession can be useful in addressing the transportation needs of older adults. However, there is a paucity of knowledge concerning this need in Ghana. The purpose of the study was to investigate the factors relating to transportation difficulty among older adults in Ghana, employing the World Health Organisation (WHO) Healthy Ageing framework. The implications of the findings on social work practice with older adults in Ghana are herein discussed. Data for 5,107 adults aged fifty years or more came from the WHO Study on global AGEing and adult health Ghana Wave 1. Transportation difficulty was assessed using the self-reported question. In the last thirty days, how much difficulty did you have with getting to where you want to go using private or public transport if needed?" Logistic regression tested associations between transportation difficulty and other independent variables. About 31 per cent of the participants, mostly women (54.7 per cent), experienced transportation difficulty. Associated factors included (not exhaustive) advanced age, lower household income, chronic diseases and lack of trust for others. A high prevalence of transportation difficulty exists among older adults in Ghana and is holistically related. Social work's intervention to address the transportation needs of older adults in Ghana should be holistic; incorporating the significant factors identified affecting older adults' well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dietary diversity is generally considered as a good indicator of nutrient adequacy and is influenced by various factors at the national, household, and individual levels. Objective: The present study sought to determine the relationships between household food insecurity, primary caregivers' nutrition knowledge, and dietary diversity of school-aged children in Ghana. Methods: This forms part of a longitudinal study conducted in the Ayawaso West Municipal district in Accra (urban setting) and the Upper Manya Krobo district (rural setting) in Ghana. Data were collected from a total of 116 caregiver-child dyads using 24-h dietary recall and a short version of the US 12-month Household Food Security Survey Module. Nutrition knowledge and sociodemographic data were obtained using a structured questionnaire. Multivariable logistic regression was used to check for factors associated with children's dietary diversity. Results: Majority of households reported food insecurity, with a higher percentage of insecure households located in the rural area (88.9% vs. 46.5%, P ≤ 0.0001), compared to the urban setting. Diet diversity among the study children was low, with a mean (standard deviation [SD]) of 5.8 (2.1) out of 14 food groups. Children living in food insecure households were three times more likely to have received low diverse diet compared to those from food secure households (adjusted odds ratio [OR] =3.3, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.4-8.0). Caregivers' nutrition knowledge was, however, not related to children's dietary diversity. Discussion and conclusion: Household food insecurity was a main predictor of dietary diversity among school-age children in this study. Thus, caregiver knowledge in nutrition may not be enough, particularly in the presence of food insecurity to guarantee adequate nutrition for school-aged children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Although the literature on housing and health is extensive, most research comes from developed countries. Relatively little work on the topic has been done in developing countries such as Ghana where socio-economic and cultural characteristics are generally different. This paper reports on primary research that investigates the relationship between housing and self reported general and mental health in Accra, Ghana. The study focused on how the social and economic dimensions of housing, specifically, demand, control and material attributes (affordability, dwelling type) influence individuals’ attachment to their home as a refuge for daily living. A cross-sectional survey was administered to a randomly selected sample (n = 562) in three contrasting neighbourhoods. Overall, housing conditions, demand and control residents have to where they live, emerged as significant predictors of self reported general and mental health status. The influence of these variables superseded well known correlates of health status, income and educational attainment, attesting to their importance in a worsening housing environment. The findings point to the need for policy that recognizes that housing is not only a physical shelter but also an important health resource. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Globally, malaria is a major public health concern and, as a result, most nations recognize the need to prevent malaria among women during pregnancy. Intermittent preventive treatment with sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine (IPTp-SP) is one of such interventions recommended for the prevention of malaria-related adverse outcomes. This study, therefore, sought to assess the factors influencing the uptake of IPTp-SP among pregnant women at Trauma and Orthopedic Hospital, Winneba, Ghana. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted among 391 pregnant women attending antenatal care (ANC) at Trauma and Orthopedic Hospital, Winneba. Questionnaires were used for the data collection. Statistical analysis was done with STATA version 14.2. Both bivariate and multivariable analyses were done and statistical significance was set at p-value less than 0.05. Results: Of the 391 women who participated in the study, 71% completed the recommended dose of three or more IPTp-SP uptake. The multivariable analysis showed that pregnant women who were single [Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.10, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.01–0.70], Christians (AOR = 0.21, 95% CI = 0.10–0.50), traditionalist (AOR = 0.08, 95% CI = 0.02–0.42), Mole-Dagbanis (AOR = 0.15, 95% CI = 0.02–0.91), those who were self-employed (AOR = 0.27, 95% CI = 0.09–0.82), those with parity 4 and above (AOR = 0.20, 95% CI = 0.11–0.82), and those without knowledge of malaria treatment were less likely to take optimal (3+) doses of IPTp-SP compared to those who were married, Muslims, Akans, government workers, those with parity 0, and those who had no knowledge of malaria treatment respectively. However, those who had tertiary level of education (AOR = 1.59, 95% CI = 1.05–2.45) and those who stated that there are no side effects associated with the use of IPTp-SP (AOR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.15–14.69) were, respectively, more likely to take optimal doses of IPTp-SP compared to those with no formal education and those who indicated that there are side effects associated with the uptake of IPTp-SP. Conclusion: The rate of uptake of optimal doses of IPTp-SP among pregnant women at Trauma and Orthopaedic Hospital, Winneba was relatively high. Marital status, religion, educational level, employment, parity, and knowledge of malaria treatment and side effects of IPTp-SP were statistically significantly associated with the uptake of IPTp-SP. In light of these findings, it is recommended that the Ministry of Health, National Malaria Control Programme, Ghana Health Service, and other stakeholders consider these factors when planning and carrying out programs geared towards improving the uptake of IPTp-SP among pregnant women in Winneba. It is also imperative for stakeholders to work to ensure an improvement in the basic knowledge of malaria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early sexual initiation is linked to an increased risk of HIV/AIDS and other STIs among teenagers, as well as having multiple partners, not using contraception, unintended pregnancy, and illegal abortions. Aim. To identify the correlates and psychological effects of early sexual debut among not-in-union women in Ghana. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was used for this study using data from Ghana Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) for the year 2017/2018. SPSS software was used for data analysis, bivariate analysis for association was done using chi-square, and the prediction was done using a binary logistic regression model. The national prevalence of nonmarital early sexual initiation this current study recorded was 56.9%. Predictors variables were age, 15-24/≥35 years (AOR = 1.51 , 1.28-1.78), ever educated (AOR = 0.50 , 0.43-0.60), urban address (AOR = 0.85 , 0.74-0.98), married/single (AOR = 1.23 , 1.07-1.42), cohabitation/single (AOR = 1.43 , 1.19-1.72), Greater Accra Region/Upper West Region (AOR = 0.67 , 0.49-0.92), and health insurance (AOR = 0.89 , 0.79-0.998). As the wealth indices of the woman decrease from the richest to poorest, the likelihood of early sexual debut inversely increases: fourth/richest (AOR = 1.23 , 1.04-1.45), middle/richest (AOR = 1.31 , 1.09-1.58), second/richest (AOR = 1.38 , 1.11-1.72), and poorest/richest (AOR = 1.44 , 1.12-1.86); use of the internet (AOR = 0.58 , 0.50-068); substance use and alcohol ever use (AOR = 1.32 , 1.17-1.49); cigarette ever use (AOR = 2.58 , 1.44-4.64); contraceptive use (AOR = 1.31 , 1.16-1.49); and ever heard of HIV (AOR = 59 , 0.42-0.82). In conclusion, the prevalence of early sexual debut is still high in Ghana, especially among the northern regions. Several factors predicted early sex debut, and low life satisfaction and happiness were related to early sexual debut. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]