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BackgroundVoluntary blood donation rates are low in sub-Saharan Africa. Sociobehavioral factors such as a belief that donated blood would be used for performing rituals deter people from donating blood. There is a need for culturally appropriate communication interventions to encourage individuals to donate blood. Health care interventions that use mobile phones have increased in developing countries, although many of them focus on SMS text messaging (short message service, SMS). A unique feature of mobile phones that has so far not been used for aiding blood donation is caller tunes. Caller tunes replace the ringing sound heard by a caller to a mobile phone before the called party answers the call. In African countries such as Ghana, instead of the typical ringing sound, a caller may hear a message or song. Despite the popularity of such caller tunes, there is a lack of empirical studies on their potential use for promoting blood donation. ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to use the technology acceptance model to explore the influence of the factors—perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, attitude, and free of cost—on intentions of blood or nonblood donors to download blood donation-themed caller tunes to promote blood donation, if available. MethodsA total of 478 blood donors and 477 nonblood donors were purposively sampled for an interviewer-administered questionnaire survey at blood donation sites in Accra, Ghana. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis, and confirmatory factory analysis or structural equation modeling, leading to hypothesis testing to examine factors that determine intention to use caller tunes for blood donation among blood or nonblood donors who use or do not use mobile phone caller tunes. ResultsPerceived usefulness had a significant effect on intention to use caller tunes among blood donors with caller tunes (beta=.293, P

Résumé : Il est généralement admis que les coutumes et pratiques traditionnelles sont menacées par la modernité et l’avancement en technologie (Mensah & Amissah, 2016). Il y a également ceux qui estiment que la modernité et la tradition ne sont pas diamétralement opposées et qu'il pourrait y avoir une symbiose positive des deux (Sibani, 2018). C'est dans ce cadre que cet article examine l'impact de la modernité sur l'organisation des funérailles, événement traditionnel clé, chez les Akan. Il cherche à explorer dans quelle mesure les rites funéraires du peuple akan ont été influencés négativement ou positivement par la civilisation étrangère et les progrès technologiques du 21ème siècle et leur impact direct sur les Akan. Pour ce faire, nous avons adopté l'approche multi-méthodes consistant à parcourir les sources documentaires disponibles, l'observation, l'interview ainsi que les tendances et analyses historiques de l'organisation funéraire d'hier et d'aujourd'hui chez les Akan. Après une analyse sociocritique, nos résultats indiquent que la modernité a eu des effets à la fois positifs et négatifs sur les rites funéraires akan, mais les impacts positifs prédominent sur les négatifs. Encore une fois, il est ressorti de nos analyses qu'une fusion saine de la culture akan et de la modernité pourrait rendre les organisations funéraires plus mémorables, traditionnellement impressionnantes, moins stressantes et plus rentables. Mots-clés : Modernité, coutume, tradition, organisation funéraire, les Akan

Background: The supply of blood in many low‐ and middle‐income nations in Sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA) does not meet the patient care needs. Lack and delay of blood transfusion cause harm to patients and slow the rate of progress in other parts of the health system. Recognizing the power of implementation science, the BLOODSAFE Program was initiated which supports three SSA research study teams and one data coordinating center (DCC) with the goal to improve access to safe blood transfusion in SSA. Study Design and Methods: The study team in Ghana is focusing on studying and decreasing iron deficiency in blood donors and evaluating social engagement of blood donors through different approaches. The study team in Kenya is building a "vein to vein" workflow model to elucidate and devise strategies to overcome barriers to blood donation and improve infrastructural components of blood product production and use. The Malawi team is studying the infectious disease ramifications of blood donation as well as blood donor retention strategies aimed at blood donors who commence their donation career in secondary schools. Results and Discussion: Together the project teams and the DCC work as a consortium to support each other through a shared study protocol that will study donor motivations, outcomes, and adverse events across all three countries. The BLOODSAFE Program has the potential to lead to generalizable improvement approaches for increasing access to safe blood in SSA as well as mentoring and building the research capacity and careers of many investigators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As several low- and middle-income countries roll out their COVID-19 vaccination programmes, COVID-19 vaccines hesitancy could threaten the success of such programmes. But pharmacists can play a leading role in addressing COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy by using a critical mobile phone-based technology. This technology, known as caller tunes or ringback tones, is flourishing in low- and middle-income countries such as those in Africa and Asia where it is used to promote popular songs and religious messages. With this technology, callers to mobile phones hear a message or a song instead of the typical ringing sound. There is a need for pharmacists associations to collaborate with the creative arts industry and telecommunication companies to have caller tunes on COVID-19 vaccines. As pharmacists and others download COVID-19 vaccine caller tunes onto their mobile phones, their callers will hear COVID-19 vaccines messages or songs. This could help combat disinformation and hesitancy, and promote widespread vaccination as availability increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 as a pandemic on 11 March 2020, and governments worldwide began to take serious actions towards prevention, the creative arts industry responded. Such words can be used to construct a story within the song to highlight issues such as the need for vaccination, how vaccines work and messaging that would counteract COVID-19 vaccines misinformation. Population-based surveys on COVID-19 vaccination knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and hesitancy can be conducted prior to nationwide promotion of COVID-19 vaccinations through songs and short drama. Promoting COVID-19 vaccination through music and drama - Lessons from early phase of the pandemic. [Extracted from the article]

Objective: This study seeks to identify factors that are predictive of intention to return to donate blood among first‐time blood donors. Methods: A cross‐sectional survey of 505 first‐time blood donors, selected from blood donation sessions across three regions in Ghana. Data were obtained on their intention to donate blood in the next four months, factors that would influence this decision. Logistic regression models were used to test factors that were predictive of intention to return. Results: First‐time donors were young with 87·4% below 35 years of age, male (72·5%), single (73·3%), Christian (93·7%), employed (58·8%), with at least a basic education (98%). Factors that positively predicted intention to return included: motivational incentives (OR = 1·67, 95%CI: 1·01–2·78; P = 0·045); ease of access to the donation site (OR = 2·65, 95%CI: 1·48–4·73; P = 0·001); SMS and email reminders (OR = 2·84, 95%CI: 1·60–5·06; P < 0·001); and television, radio or newspaper advertisements (OR = 2·97, 95%CI: 1·66–5·31; P < 0·001). Factors that negatively predicted intention included preferential access to transfusions (i.e. 'blood credits') (OR = 0·43, 95%CI: 0·23–0·83; P = 0·012); getting to know test results (OR = 0·40, 95%CI: 0·20–0·80; P = 0·010); and not knowing and/or trusting what happens to the blood after donating (OR = 0·50, 95%CI: 0·28–0·88; P = 0·016). Conclusion: Motivational incentives, convenient access to donation sessions, reminders and mass media advertisements appear to positively influence intention to return to donate. Conversely not knowing what happens to the blood after donation negatively influenced intention to return. Interventions to promote repeat blood donation should consider the identified factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess self‐reported financial strain and persistence in asking treatment‐ and medication‐related questions in relation to medication nonadherence. Method: Data were analysed from a cross‐sectional study of adults with diabetes, hypertension or both in central Texas in 2013. Measures of medication nonadherence in the past 12 months, financial strain and patients' persistence in asking treatment‐ and medication‐related questions were identified. Medication nonadherence resulting from cost, transportation or work was compared with medication nonadherence resulting from other reasons. Binary and multinomial regression models were fitted to identify factors associated with medication nonadherence among the respondents. Key findings: In the bivariate model, medication nonadherence from any cause was significantly associated with financial strain, not asking questions about treatments or medications, and all demographic characteristics. However, in the multinomial model, medication nonadherence resulting from cost, work or transportation was only associated with not asking medication‐related question about financial strain, lack of health insurance, age and gender. This was true for nonadherence resulting from other reasons except that ethnicity was significant while gender was not. Conclusions: While removing financial strain could aid medication adherence, clinicians should also encourage patients to be persistent in asking questions about their medications until they understand the purpose for taking them. Our findings have implications for empowering patients to be more proactive in enhancing their adherence to medications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Our main aim was to identify the factors that may influence consumers' acceptance of mobile phone caller tunes to increase awareness of consumer reporting of suspected adverse drug reactions (ADRs). Mobile phone caller tunes — the songs or messages callers hear — are popular in Africa and Asia but have not been used to aid reporting of adverse drug reactions (ADRs). We also aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of a survey instrument adapted for caller tunes and ADRs. Methods: A cross‐sectional survey based on the technology acceptance model (TAM) was conducted among 486 non‐ADR‐themed caller tune users and 470 mobile phone users with no caller tunes in Accra, Ghana. Participants were purposively recruited from voluntary blood donation sites. After testing the validity and reliability of TAM constructs, a structural equation modelling approach was used to evaluate the factors that could influence the acceptance of caller tunes for increasing awareness of consumer reporting of ADRs. Key findings: Perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use had significant positive effects on consumers' acceptance of caller tunes for increasing awareness of consumer reporting of ADRs. However, whereas free of cost had significant positive effects on the acceptance of caller tunes among those with non‐ADR‐themed caller tunes (β = 0.15, P = 0.006), it was not so for those lacking caller tunes (β = 0.05, P = 0.229). The survey instrument met acceptable validity and reliability criteria. Conclusions: Our findings show that consumers would generally accept caller tunes on ADRs — if created — to aid consumer reporting of suspected ADRs, but there are research and practice considerations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a major public health problem associated with distress. T2DM can affect health outcomes and adherence to medications. Little is however known about the association between diabetes distress and medication adherence among patients with T2DM in Ghana. Objective. The objective of the present study is twofold: to estimate distress associated with T2DM and to examine its association with medication adherence. Methods. A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 188 patients with T2DM recruited from a diabetes specialist outpatient clinic at the Pantang Hospital in Accra, Ghana. Data were obtained using the Problem Areas In Diabetes (PAID) scale and the Medication Adherence Report Scale. Results. The findings showed that about 44.7% of the patients showed high levels of diabetes-related distress. Poor adherence to medications was recorded in 66.5% of the patients. Patients who were highly distressed had 68% lower odds of adhering to their medications compared to those who were not (OR: 0.32, 95% CI: 0.15-0.65). A principal component analysis revealed four areas of T2DM distress which were conceptualized as negative emotions about diabetes, dietary concerns and diabetes care, dissatisfaction with external support, and diabetes management helplessness. Conclusion. Our findings suggest that diabetes distress is a significant determinant of medication adherence behaviour in patients with T2DM. Thus, incorporating routine screening for distress into the standard diabetes care within the Ghanaian health system and having health practitioners adopt holistic approaches to diabetes management will be important context-specific interventions to improve adherence and health outcomes of people living and coping with T2DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medication adherence is a key health outcome that reflects the health and general well-being of patients with hypertension. Challenges with adherence are common and associated with clinical, behavioural and psychosocial factors. This study sought to provide data on the extent of medication adherence among male patients with hypertension and their biopsychosocial predictors. Patient and clinical characteristics, psychological distress, insomnia and sexual dysfunction were hypothesized to predict outcomes of medication adherence. Utilizing quantitative data from a hospital-based cross-sectional study from 358 male out-patients with hypertension attending a tertiary hospital in Ghana, medication adherence was associated with age, marital status, educational level, income, duration of diagnosis, number of medications taken and sexual dysfunction. These findings support the need for biopsychosocial interventions aiming at promoting adherence while taking these factors into consideration for the benefit of improving the health and general well-being of male patients with hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Ghana, as in many other developing countries, most science reporting is done by general reporters. However, few studies have investigated science reporting in such a situation. To understand better the dynamics of science reporting in such context, we surveyed 151 general reporters in Ghana. Respondents’ demographic characteristics resembled those found in studies elsewhere. Respondents perceived health professionals and scientists as very important sources of information for reporting science. There was an inverse correlation between journalism experience and the number of science feature stories reported in the past 12 months (p = .017). Most respondents indicated that science journalism training would motivate them to report science more. Likewise, most reported that easier access to research findings would do so. We identify characteristics of reporters, media, scientific, and training institutions that are important influences of Ghanaian reporters’ coverage of science. We provide recommendations for advancing science reporting in Ghana. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study was conducted to determine the effect of a sandy and muddy substrate on the growth and survival of three size-classes of Galatea paradoxa (Born 1778). The experiment was conducted over a 6-month period in a 1000 m2 pond at the research farm of the Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources. Three size classes (shell length) of G. paradoxa categorized as small (20–30 mm), medium (31–40 mm) and large (>40 mm) were used to ascertain the effect of a sandy and muddy substrate on growth performance. Growth in general was very slow, between 1.4 and 2.4 mm over the 6-month experimental period. The lengths measured at the end of the experiment were also significantly different. However, the mean length gained and the specific growth rate for the three size classes in the two substrates (sandy and muddy) were not significantly different ( P>0.05). The results of this study indicate that the pond environment is not suitable for the culture G. paradoxa as the species is adapted to life in a river with its filter-feeding activity dependent on the water current. The effect of the substrate type on growth was not significant. However, the substrate type did affect survival, with sandy substrates yielding in better survival than muddy ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Materials and Methods Results Conclusion In sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA), an adequate supply of safe blood for transfusion is a major developmental challenge. In Ghana, deferral from blood donation for anemia accounts for nearly half of the ineligible blood donors. We conducted a longitudinal two‐arm parallel‐group non‐inferiority trial to test if iron supplementation among blood donors with iron deficiency (ID) or anemia could increase their hemoglobin levels to near those without ID or anemia.A structured questionnaire was used to collect participants' sociodemographic and medical information after written informed consent was obtained. Blood samples were analyzed for full blood count (FBC), serum ferritin, malaria rapid test, and a peripheral blood smear. The primary outcome was hemoglobin level after 4 months comparing anemic donors who received iron supplementation to the standard of care participants, nonanemic donors who did not receive iron supplementation. All donors received nutritional counseling.Adherence to low‐dose iron supplementation three times a week was poor. Hemoglobin levels in the iron supplementation arm were not close enough to those in the control group after 4 months of iron supplementation to declare non‐inferiority. However, non‐inferiority was met when the 4 month hemoglobin comparison was restricted to female donors.After 4 months of iron supplementation, hemoglobin levels in the iron supplementation group did not sufficiently match those in the control group to declare non‐inferiority. Data from this pilot trial informed and shaped the design of a larger randomized control type 1 pragmatic effectiveness implementation hybrid trial which is currently ongoing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]