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The study employed the binary logistic regression model, Chi-square, and likelihood ratio test to explore the nexus between socio-demographic characteristics and role assignment as well as Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) issues in artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) undertakings in the Amansie Central District of Ghana. Simple random sampling was employed to sample 250 respondents from three (3) different mining sites. The results revealed that socio-demographic variables such as age, gender, and work experience significantly impacted the type of role assumed by individuals in ASGM undertakings. For the socio-demographic effects on OHS issues, male respondents especially those in the age group between 18 and 35 with less work experience and education had a higher risk of recording injuries/accidents. Other risk factors such as types of role, reasons for ASGM, awareness of OHS hazards, awareness of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), usage of PPE, arrest for not using PPE, cost of PPE, and frequency of buying PPE had a statistically significant influence on the occurrence of injuries/accidents. It is recommended that the Government implement initiatives to ensure that workers in ASGM operations in Ghana are provided with training, education, resources, and support services to ensure their safety and well-being, taking into account their socio-demographic characteristics. Also, the government and related stakeholders create more jobs through sustainable mining with long-term potential in local districts to address goals 1 (No poverty) and 2 (zero hunger) of the sustainable development goals.

It is noted that most developing countries such as Ghana are still grappling with health and safety policies and practices as governments and corporations have made insignificant efforts. This study utilized a questionnaire since it is suitable for both illiterate and literate respondents and allows for the gathering of massive quantities of data in a short space of time. The descriptive statistics, chi-square, likelihood ratio test regression, and correlation were used to assess the occupational safety and health knowledge and practices of employees in the artisanal small-scale gold mine in Obuasi. Although majority of the respondents had less than 5 years of job experience, however about 36% and 19% of the respondents had between 4-10 years and 11–15 years of experience respectively. However, the study further observed that an increase in health and safety practices such as safety training, committee, education, facilities, etc. will increase the level of knowledge of respondents on health and safety policies. The study further revealed that the more health and safety practices, the higher the primary responsibility of site managers to ensure that workers are practicing safety. However, the general working conditions of respondents did not meet acceptable standards as revealed by the observation checklist. The study, therefore, recommends that prime Stakeholders in the ASGM need to consider investing in future research on ASGM safety issues to acquire accurate database on ASGM operations safety.

Abstract Background The Suboptimal Health Status Questionnaire-25 (SHS-Q-25) developed to measure Suboptimal Health Status has been used worldwide, but its construct validity has only been tested in the Chinese population. Applying Structural Equation Modelling, we investigate aspects of the construct validity of the SHS-Q-25 to determine the interactions between SHS subscales in a Ghanaian population. Methods The study involved healthy Ghanaian participants (n = 263; aged 20–80 years; 63% female), who responded to the SHSQ-25. In an exploratory factor and parallel analysis, the study extracted a new domain structure and compared to the established five-domain structure of SHSQ-25. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted and the fit of the model further discussed. Invariance analysis was carried out to establish the consistency of the instrument across multi-groups. Results The extracted domains were reliable with Cronbach’s $$\alpha$$ α of 0.846, 0.820 and 0.864 respectively, for fatigue, immune-cardiovascular and cognitive. The CFA revealed that the model fit indices were excellent $$\left( {{\text{RMSEA}} = 0.049~ < ~0.08,\,{\text{CFI}} = 0.903 > 0.9,\,{\text{GFI}} = 0.880 < 0.9,\,{\text{TLI}} = 0.907 > 0.9} \right)$$ RMSEA = 0.049 < 0.08 , CFI = 0.903 > 0.9 , GFI = 0.880 < 0.9 , TLI = 0.907 > 0.9 . The fit indices for the three-domain model were statistically superior to the five-domain model. There were, however, issues of insufficient discriminant validity as some average variance extracts were smaller than the corresponding maximum shared variance. The three-domain model was invariant for all constrained aspects of the structural model across age, which is an important risk factor for most chronic diseases. Conclusion The validity tests suggest that the SHS-Q25 can measure SHS in a Ghanaian population. It can be recommended as a screening tool to early detect chronic diseases especially in developing countries where access to facilities is diminished.

Climatic elements such as temperature and rainfall provide great and unquantifiable benefits to human health. However, rapid urban sprawl has the tendency to undermine these health consequences. The relationship between urban sprawl and microclimate in the Ga East Municipality has been assessed to present the extent of sprawl that inhibit temperature and rainfall in recent times. Methodologically, satellite imagery and meteorological data (minimum and maximum temperature and rainfall) from 1990 to 2020 were used. The results indicate that rapid urban sprawl in recent times has significantly undermined the local climate through land use and land cover changes. There was strong statistical relationships between temperature and built-up areas (p < 0.05), grass/shrub cover (p < 0.04) and all vegetation cover (p < 0.03). There was also strong statistical relationship between rainfall and built-up areas (p < 0.03), grass/shrub cover (p < 0.04) and all vegetation (p < 0.02). Thus, expansion in built up areas and reduced grass/shrub cover led to increases in temperature, rainfall and surface water run off while reduction in all vegetation led to increase in both temperature and rainfall. These changes in climate brought about by urban sprawl will affect crop production, increase cataclysmic floods as well as growth of some harmful insects. There is the need for the amalgamation of urban growth and climate change into spatial planning through an all-embracing approach.

Anthropometry is the study that takes human body measurements in a population. Patronised furniture that fails to utilize the users body measurements impact on their health negatively. Therefore, mismatch between anthropometric dimensions and consumer products may cause health problems in human body. Eight static anthropometric measures were considered. In the administrative block, mean age of the male and female populations were 39.97±8.87 years and 39.56±8.62 years respectively; mean±SD weight were 74.39±11.31kg and 72.57±11.17kg in males and females respectively; and mean±SD stature were 1729.20±64.01mm and 1628.90±56.48mm in males and females respectively. In the results, stature, popliteal height and knee height measured were significantly different between male and female administrative staff members in public institutions. Also, the study reported that lower back pain and neck pain had the highest prevalence among the male and female administrative staff respectively. The study is applicable to the design of furniture to cut down on workers’ absenteeism and increase productivity.

Across the tropical developing countries, smallholder farmers are confronted with various climate related risks that hinge on agricultural activities. Climate change is predicted to impact smallholder farmers and their livelihood, especially within and beyond this century. Several studies have examined the impact of drought and rainfall on smallholder farmers as climate change impact assessment. However, there is limited information on impacts and coping strategies of poor farmers to heat exposure at household and farm level in tropical developing countries. As global temperature is predicted to increase with robust impacts on farmers in African region due to poverty and low adaptive capacity, this study evaluates how farmers in Bawku East of Northern Ghana experience the impacts of heat stress and how they cope with it both at the household level and on the field of cultivation. Using household survey and focus group discussion, the authors elicited impacts and responses of heat exposure from 308 resident farmers in three selected farming communities in Bawku East to gauge their vulnerability to heat exposure. Even though farmers have various impacts and coping strategies to heat exposure, these are ineffective to prevent them from heat related morbidity and mortality at both household and farm level. The study recommends the need for government led intervention to assist farmers in their effort to cope with heat stress as global temperatures will exacerbate heat stress impacts on small holder farmers especially in African region.

Abstract Background Type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is complicated by multiple cardio-metabolic risk factors. Controlling these factors requires lifestyle modifications alongside utilisation of anti-diabetic medications. Different glucose lowering [(biguanides (BIGs), sulfonylureas (SUAs), thiazolidinediones (TNZ)], lipid lowering (statins), and anti-hypertensive medicines [angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs), calcium channel blockers (CCBs), angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) and central acting drugs (CADs)] have been approved for controlling hyperglycaemia, dyslipidaemia and hypertension respectively. Here, we examined factors that characterise T2DM and explored the response to medication therapy among T2DM patients. Methods This prospective cohort study recruited 241 T2DM patients reporting at a clinic in Ghana, from January through to August, 2016. Each patient’s demographic, medications and anthropometric data was obtained while information on medication adherence was captured using Morisky adherence scale-8 (MMAS-8). Fasting blood samples were collected for biochemical analysis. Results The mean age of participants was 57.82 years for baseline and six-month follow-up. Physical activity differed at baseline and follow up (p 0.05). Many participants using either ACEI or ARB were able to control their blood pressures. Among dyslipidaemia patients under statin treatment, there was an improved lipid profile at follow-up. Conclusions Statin medications are effective for reducing dyslipidaemia in T2DM patients. However, control of modifiable risk factors, particularly blood glucose and to a lesser degree blood pressure is suboptimal. Addressing these will require concomitant interventions including education on medication adherence and correct dietary plans, lifestyle modifications and physical activity.

The importance of waste management cannot be overemphasized. Improper waste management and disposal has rippling effect on the environment and human health. The aim of this study is to assess solid waste management among household in a large Ghanaians district. Multi-stage sampling technique comprising a cluster, simple random sampling, and systematic sampling techniques were used to select 600 respondents for the study. Data was analyzed using (SPSS) version 23.0. Results indicates that communal waste collection bins were far from households as confirmed by the majority (57.3%) of the respondents. The majority (56.5%) of the households walked a distance of 11–15 min before reaching the refuse site. The study found that the number of waste collection point in the community were few (1–3 collection bins) as confirmed by majority (92.2%) of the respondents. The distance from the center of the community to the final waste disposal site covered 1–2 h journey. There was a significant relationship between the number of waste disposal sites in the community and the average distance (in kilometers one way) from the city center to a disposing site. In conclusion, the study found that communal waste collection bins were far from households; number of waste collection point in the community were few. This indicates that the distance from the center of the community to the final waste disposal site covered 1–2 h journey. Based on the major findings of the study, we recommend that district assembly should provide waste collection bins to every household to ensure that residents do not dispose their housrhold waste indiscriminately. District by-laws should be strengthened to ensure proper household waste disposal at all districts in Ghana.

This article seeks to discuss how religion affects gender inequality in Ghana. Religious teachings and beliefs play an important role in either promoting or hindering gender equality. Defining ‘‘religion’’ with a common definition has become a major enterprise for theologians. From the biblical perspective, the impact of females is rarely felt, due to the socio-cultural injunctions purported to have come from the Graeco-Roman world. The subjugation of women is still common in all spheres of life including Ghana and religion has a role to play in this phenomenon. Using the works of various scholars, this article explored the extent of the influence of religion on gender inequality from the Christian perspective. It was observed that despite its influence on social development, Religion has not promoted the needed gender equality in Ghana. The church and society, therefore, need to confront the issue of gender inequality and sanction women’s equality with their male counterparts. This study adds to the existing literature on the need to break gender inequality in all spheres of life in this 21st century.