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Background: Diabetes is a major public health issue, and over half a billion people are estimated to be living with diabetes, with 6.7 million deaths reported in 2021. The global diabetes burden has been recognised and included in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to achieve a zero increase in diabetes cases and reduce one-third of premature diabetes deaths by 2030. However, local beliefs about the causes of diabetes have affected its prevention and management. This study examined community beliefs and practices about diabetes and how they affect the prevention and management of diabetes in the community. Methods: This study was carried out in the Ho Municipality of the Volta Region of Ghana. We conducted 33 in-depth interviews with 18 patients with diabetes, 5 carers (caretakers of patients with diabetes), 3 traditional healers, 2 religious leaders, 3 community elders, and 2 assembly members who were purposefully selected from urban and rural areas across the municipality. The interviews were recorded digitally and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was applied to analyse the data using QRS NVivo 20. Results: Diabetes was described locally as sukli dɔ (sugar disease), which affects humans. Diabetes is believed to be caused by spiritual forces (juju, bewitchment, and punishment from gods) and physical factors (unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, eating fruits and vegetables sprayed with pesticides and insecticides, sugary and starchy foods, smoking, and abuse of alcohol). In terms of the management of diabetes, participants said traditional remedies are performed for spiritual interpretation, deliverance, fortification, and cleansing before biomedical and physical remedies are sought. Diabetes was likened to HIV/AIDS, and the sufferers were described as bringing the condition upon themselves as a result of their bad deeds. They were stigmatised, coupled with delays at the hospital, and poverty has also affected the prevention and management of diabetes. Conclusion: The local belief that diabetes is caused by spiritual forces, likened to HIV/AIDS, delays at hospitals, and poverty, has affected the prevention and management of diabetes. Incorporating local beliefs and practices into the intervention design using culturally sensitive health education programmes and improving social determinants of health may help improve the prevention and management of diabetes in communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Routine health check-ups may improve adolescent health, but global guidelines are lacking. Phase 1 of the WHO-coordinated Y-Check Research Programme involved three African cities to co-produce a programme of adolescent health check-ups. We describe a systematic approach to developing a routine adolescent health check-ups and wellbeing programme (Y-Check) to contribute evidence on whether adolescent health check-ups should be part of routine health services in Ghana. Methods: Y-Check Phase 1 was conducted in four communities in Cape Coast Ghana, over two stages using a variety of methods: (a) needs assessment and landscape analysis on the health of adolescents (existing policies/programmes, school system, adolescent health conditions) was conducted through desk-review and interviews with key informants to identify the potential content, delivery strategy and settings for adolescent health check-ups in this context; (b) co-designing the Y-Check intervention framework through person-centred participatory workshops and a consensus-building workshop with multiple stakeholders, including adolescents (10–19 years) and their parents. The study was conducted between January 2020 and October 2020. Results: The Y-Check intervention consists of two check-ups with content that is tailored to the needs of younger adolescents and older adolescents; delivered at both school and community settings by a team of trained staff in multiple steps involving up to four stations. Y-Check includes a referral system for adolescents with any problems that cannot be investigated or treated on-the-spot. Conclusions: Our systematic approach to co-producing Y-Check has resulted in an intervention whose content and structure is determined by the local context, and which was adjudged by multiple stakeholders to be likely to be both useful and acceptable, and which builds on best practice. As a logical next step, the Y-Check will be subjected to pilot testing and implementation research to rigorously evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, coverage, yield of previously undiagnosed conditions and cost of these health check-ups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The two major causes of cancer-related deaths among women in Ghana are breast cancer (BC) and cervical cancer (CC). These types of cancers typically do not show any symptoms until they have progressed. Therefore, it is important to screen for early detection. This research aimed to investigate the rate of breast cancer and cervical cancer screening, as well as the factors associated with it, among women of reproductive age in Ghana. Methods: This study analysed data from the 2022 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey. A total of 15,014 women aged 15 to 49 years were included in the analysis. Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression were employed to analyse the data with the aid of STATA/SE, version 17. Results: It was found that 18.4% and 5.0% of the women had screened for BC and CC, respectively. Women aged 45–49 years were about three times more likely (aOR = 2.83, 95% CI: 1.88–4.24) to screen for BC compared to those aged 15–19 years. Women who had tested for HIV had increased odds (aOR = 1.88, 95% CI: 1.56–2.25) of screening for BC compared to their counterparts. Women within the richest wealth index (aOR = 1.95, 95% CI: 1.40–2.72) had increased odds of screening for BC compared to those in the poorest wealth index. Regarding CC screening, women with higher education (aOR = 2.56, 95% CI: 1.53–4.29) were two times more likely to screen for CC compared to those with no formal education. Women who did not use tobacco (aOR = 0.45, 95% CI: 0.21–0.96) had decreased odds of CC screening compared to their counterparts. Conclusions: This study showed that the uptake of BC and CC screening services among women in Ghana was very low. The drivers of BC and CC screening included enabling, predisposing, and need factors. Stakeholders can leverage the mass media to raise awareness and educate women in reproductive age about the importance of BC and CC screening. This study provides relevant information that can inform BC and CC policies and programmes in Ghana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]