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Introduction: Item response theory (IRT) has received much attention in validation of assessment instrument because it allows the estimation of students’ ability from any set of the items. Item response theory allows the difficulty and discrimination levels of each item on the test to be estimated. In the framework of IRT, item characteristics are independent of the sample and latent traits of the person are independent of the test on the account that the selected models perfectly fit the data. Therefore, scores that describe examinee performance are independent on test difficulty. The scores of the examinee may be lower on a difficult test and higher on easier tests, but the ability level of the examinee remains the same over any test at the time of testing. The IRT model allows the estimation of item parameters. The line of difference between the models and parameters of IRT is not clear to many students in assessment.

Factors influencing intrapersonal and interpersonal abuse, neglect, and quality of life have not received much attention from scholars. Few studies on intrapersonal and interpersonal abuse and neglect have focused on employees in organisations without addressing the problem from children or students' points of view. In light of this knowledge, the current study used a socio-ecological perspective to illustrate the factors that influence both intrapersonal and interpersonal abuse and neglect. These factors can be attributed to family structure, individual factors, macrosystem factors, contextual factors, quality of life, and emotional abuse.

While the provision of peer feedback has been widely recommended to enhance learning, many students are inexperienced in this area and would benefit from guidance. This study therefore examines the impact of instructions and examples on the quality of feedback provided by students on peer-developed learning resources produced via an online system, RiPPLE. A randomised controlled experiment with 195 students was conducted to investigate the efficacy of the approach. While the treatment group had access to instructions and examples to support their provision of feedback, the control group had no such assistance. Students' feedback comments were coded using an adaptation of the S.P.A.R.K. ("Specific", "Prescriptive", "Actionable", "Referenced", "Kind") model. The results indicate that the instructional guide and examples led to students writing more comprehensive comments. The intervention notably enhanced the presence of feedback traits matching the S.P.A.R.K. model and increased instances where multiple traits of quality were observed in a single comment. However, despite the guide's impact, the students' ability to provide actionable feedback was limited. These findings demonstrate the potential of developing and integrating structured guidance and examples into online peer feedback platforms.

Some research works have showed that Ghanaian teachers, teaching chemistry in the senior high school, have conceptual difficulties in organic chemistry. This research explored the factors contributing to teacher's conceptual difficulties on teaching organic chemistry to high school students. Through explanatory sequential mixed methods design quantitative data were collected using questionnaire and qualitative data, using semi-structured interviews. The questionnaire was responded to by 71 teachers teaching chemistry in 31 schools, and six teachers, purposively selected, interacted with researchers through interviews to triangulate any quantitative findings. From the quantitative data, four factors, tertiary exposure, professional collaboration, professional competence, and pre-tertiary exposure emerged. These factors were then used as themes to guide the analysis and presentation of results from the qualitative data. To inform further research, it is recommended that chemistry educators and researchers should examine the four factors that predict most of the teacher conceptual difficulties on organic chemistry.

This article reports on the relationship between becoming information literate and the body in the Kente-weaving landscape. A mixed approach of incorporative ethnographic participant observation and semi-structured interviews with 24 participants through their roles as either master weaver, junior weaver or novice weaver at the Bonwire Kente Centre. Thematic analysis through an embodied-practice approach to information literacy (IL) frames the analysis of this study. The findings show that the body facilitates IL or knowing by understanding and making meaning of the cues afforded it from interaction and participation in the Kente-weaving practices. The body facilitates or enables IL through identifying and understanding cues in an information landscape.

Abstract The coordinated biomechanical performance of maternal tissues facilitates healthy pregnancy. Quantifying uterine and cervical biomechanical function has been challenging due to minimal data on the anatomy’s shape, size, and material properties across gestation. Addressing this challenge, this study quantifies structural features of human pregnancy by assessing maternal reproductive tissues and estimated fetal weight in 47 low-risk pregnancies at four gestation times. Uterocervical size and estimated fetal weight were measured via ultrasound, and cervical stiffness was measured via mechanical aspiration. Patient-specific uterocervical solid models were built for each time point, and uterocervical dimensions and cervical stiffness rate changes were assessed between time points. We found that uterine growth rates are time- and direction-dependent, with cervical softening occurring fastest in early gestation and cervical shortening fastest in late gestation. In conclusion, this work enables computational modeling platforms (i.e., digital twins) to explore the structural performance of the uterus and cervix in pregnancy.

Abstract Purpose Understanding the technical efficiency of health facilities is essential for an optimal allocation of scarce resources to primary health sectors. The COVID-19 pandemic may have further undermined levels of efficiency in low-resource settings. This study takes advantage of 2019 and 2020 data on characteristics of health facilities, health services inputs and output to examine the levels and changes in efficiency of Ghanaian health facilities. The current study by using a panel dataset contributes to existing evidence, which is mostly based on pre-COVID-19 and single-period data. Methods The analysis is based on a panel dataset including 151 Ghanaian health facilities. Data Envelopement Analysis (DEA) technique was used to estimate the level and changes in efficiency of health facilities across two years.. Results The results show a net increase of 26% in inputs, influenced mostly by increases in temporary non-clinical staff (131%) and attrition of temporary clinical staff and permanent non-clinical staff, 40% and 54% respectively. There was also a net reduction in output of 34%, driven by a reduction in in-patient days (37%), immunization (11%), outpatients visits and laboratory test of 9%. Nowithstanding the COVID-19 pandemic, the results indicate that 59 (39%) of sampled health facilities in 2020 were efficient, compared to 48 (32%) in 2019. The results also indicate that smaller-sized health facilities were less likely to be efficient compared to relatively bigger health facilities. Conclusion Based on the findings, it will be essential to examine factors that accounted for efficiency improvements in some health facilities, to enable health facilities lagging behind to learn from those on the efficiency frontier. In addition, the findings emphasise the need for CHAG to work with health facility managers to optimise inputs allocation through a redistribution of staff. Most importantly, the findings are suggestive of the resilience of CHAG health facilities in responding to a health shock such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Abstract Background In many places in the world, workers in the meat processing industry report high incidence of injuries. Details of such injuries are not well known for Ghana or much of Africa. Methods A cross-sectional survey involving 300 workers from three major meat processing facilities in the Kumasi metropolis of Ghana was carried out using a structured questionnaire from April to June 2023. The prevalence, types and outcome of injuries among workers were assessed. Test of association was established by Chi square analysis. Results Over the prior 6 months, the prevalence of injury was 83.0%. Among the various injury types, lacerations had the highest prevalence (46.0%) followed by musculoskeletal pain (16.7%) bone fractures (14.0%), swelling (13.0%), burns and scalds (7.3%), and dislocations/sprains/strains (6.7%). More than half (58.9%) of injuries sustained were moderately severe (2–7 days of lost work) and nearly half (42.0%) required immediate medical attention. Gender, employment status, wages, availability and use of safety equipment were significantly associated with injuries among abattoir workers. Conclusions The incidence of injuries among abattoir workers in Kumasi, Ghana demonstrates a large public health burden requiring attention and improved enforcement through occupational safety interventions.

Millet, a vital and nutritionally dense cereal extensively cultivated in Sub-Saharan Africa, plays a key role in ensuring food security. This study investigates the starch synthase (SS) gene family, which is crucial for starch biosynthesis and influences various plant functions and stress responses. While the specific roles of SS genes in millet under drought conditions are not fully elucidated, this research provides a thorough analysis of the SS gene family in millet. A total of twelve millet SS genes (SiSSs) were identified and classified into four subfamilies (I–IV) through gene structure and phylogenetic analysis. The SiSS genes were unevenly distributed across millet chromosomes, with cis-acting elements associated with plant growth and stress defense being identified. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) revealed dynamic and varied expression patterns of SiSSs in different tissues under drought stress. Millet plants subjected to drought conditions showed higher tissue starch content and increased starch synthase activity compared to controls. Importantly, the expression levels of the twelve SiSSs were positively correlated with both starch content and synthase activity, suggesting their significant role in drought tolerance. This study enhances our understanding of the millet SS gene family and highlights the potential of these genes in breeding programs aimed at developing drought-resistant millet varieties. Further research is recommended to validate these findings and delve deeper into the mechanisms underlying drought tolerance.

Students' relations with postindependence Ghanaian military regimes have generally been portrayed as positive, yet comparative analysis of the relational dynamics across regime types--military and civilian--is inadequate. This article addresses this knowledge gap using a historical content analytic approach based on original archival and interview data. We argue that strategic and group interests ambiguously influenced students' entanglement with military and civilian governments, though revolutions initially attracted more support because of their populist political ideologies and development aspirations. This fluctuating pattern of relations, which birthed Ghana's Fourth Republic, implies that students were concerned mainly with national development beyond ideologically oriented regime leanings. The article thus modifies the predominant scholarly view of African youth, which holds that students have aided or been predisposed to nondemocratic governance and political instability., Introduction Soon after the achievement of independence, most African states that adopted semblances of Western democracies succumbed to military and authoritarian regimes (Cabal and Daloz 1999, 5). Besides Botswana and [...]

ABSTRACTObjectives Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) has been associated with several mental disorders including depression. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been suggested as a mediator between T2DM and depression. We investigated the association between BDNF and depression in T2DM patients in a primary health facility in Ghana.Methods In a case-control study design, depression was assessed using the Patient’s Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) in 200 T2DM patients and 160 non-diabetic controls. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data on lifestyle, socio-demography and medical history. Fasting blood samples were collected from each participant to measure plasma lipid profile and serum BDNF levels.Results T2DM patients had higher levels of depression (31.5% vs 10.6, p

Abstract Children’s access to and usage of the Internet has numerous benefits. However, their Internet access and use may pose risks to them, including cyberbullying, grooming, sexting, and exposure to dangerous materials. These risks may be exacerbated by inadequate supervision of children’s online activities. Therefore, this study examined the prevalence of Internet use, Internet access, and Internet use supervision among children aged 8–17 in Ghana. This study used secondary quantitative and qualitative data from the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26 was used to analyze the quantitative data. In contrast, the qualitative data was analyzed using the constant comparison method with the aid of NVivo software version 10. The results showed that 90.5% of children had ever used the Internet. Smartphones (45.7), café facilities (21.7), and laptops/computers (21.6) were the most popular sources of Internet access. More than half of children (56.7) indicated they received little or no supervision when using their smartphones to access the Internet, which could lead to engagement in fraudulent activities, exposure to violent scenes online, and Internet addiction. The study found that most children had never used the Internet and received little or no supervision when accessing the Internet. It is, therefore, recommended that children need to be educated on the benefits and potential risks of excessive Internet use. Also, parents need to supervise and monitor their children’s Internet usage at home.

Abstract Background ESBL-producing Escherichia coli pose a growing health risk in community and healthcare settings. We investigated the resistome, virulome, mobilome, and genetic relatedness of multidrug-resistant (MDR) E. coli isolates from patients and their environment in a Ghanaian teaching hospital. Materials and methods Twenty-three MDR ESBL-producing or carbapenem-resistant E. coli isolates from a collection of MDR Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) from patients and environments were selected for genomic analyses. Whole genome sequencing and bioinformatics tools were used to analyze genomic characteristics and phylogeny. Results The prevalence and incidence of rectal carriage of ESBL E. coli among patients were 13.65% and 11.32% respectively. The β-lactamase genes, bla TEM−1B (10 isolates) and bla CTX−M−15 (12 isolates) were commonly associated with IncFIB plasmid replicons and co-occurred with aminoglycoside, macrolide, and sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim resistance. Insertion sequences, transposons, and class I integrons were found with bla CTX−M−15. Carriage and environmental isolates carried multiple virulence genes, with terC being the most prevalent in 21 isolates. Seventeen sequence types (STs) were identified, including a novel ST (ST13846). Phylogenetic analysis grouped the isolates into four main clusters, with one outlier. High genetic relatedness was observed between two carriage isolates of ST940 and between a carriage isolate and an environmental isolate of ST648. Isolates with different STs, collected at different times and locations, also showed genetic similarities. Conclusion We identified ESBL-producing E. coli with diverse genomic characteristics circulating in different hospital directorates. Clonal relatedness was observed among isolates from patients and the environment, as well as between different patients, suggesting transmission within and between sources.

Abstract Introduction Tuberculosis is a global health problem that causes 1. 4 million deaths every year. It has been estimated that sputum smear-negative diagnosis but culture-positive pulmonary TB diagnosis contribute to 12.6% of pulmonary TB transmission. TB diagnosis by smear microscopy smear has a minimum detection limit (LOD) of 5,000 to 10,000 bacilli per milliliter (CFU/ml) of sputum result in missed cases and false positives. However, GeneXpert technology, with a LOD of 131–250 CFU/ml in sputum samples and its implementation is believe to facilitate early detection TB and drug-resistant TB case. Since 2013, Ghana health Service (GHS) introduce GeneXpert MTB/RIF diagnostic in all regional hospitals in Ghana, however no assessment of performance between microscopy and GeneXpert TB diagnosis cross the health facilities has been reported. The study compared the results of routine diagnoses of TB by microscopy and Xpert MTB from 2016 to 2020 at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital (CCTH). Methods The study compared routine microscopic and GeneXpert TB diagnosis results at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital (CCTH) from 2016 to 2020 retrospectively. Briefly, sputum specimens were collected into 20 mL sterile screw-capped containers for each case of suspected TB infection and processed within 24 h. The samples were decontaminated using the NALC-NaOH method with the final NaOH concentration of 1%. The supernatants were discarded after the centrifuge and the remaining pellets dissolved in 1–1.5 ml of phosphate buffer saline (PBS) and used for diagnosis. A fixed smears were Ziehl-Neelsen acid-fast stain and observed under microscope and the remainings were used for GeneXpert MTB/RIF diagnosis. The data were analyze using GraphPad Prism. Results 50.11% (48.48–51.38%) were females with an odd ratio (95% CI) of 1.004 (0.944–1.069) more likely to report to the TB clinic for suspected TB diagnosis. The smear-positive cases for the first sputum were 6.6% (5.98–7.25%), and the second sputum was 6.07% (5.45–6.73%). The Xpert MTB-RIF diagnosis detected 2.93% (10/341) (1.42–5.33%) in the first and 5.44% (16/294) (3.14–8.69%) in the second smear-negative TB samples. The prevalence of Xpert MTB-RIF across smear positive showed that males had 56.87% (178/313) and 56.15% (137/244) and females had 43.13% (135/313) and 43.85% (107/244) for the first and second sputum. Also, false negative smears were 0.18% (10/5607) for smear 1 and 0.31% (16/5126) for smear 2. Conclusion In conclusion, the study highlights the higher sensitivity of the GeneXpert assay compared to traditional smear microscopy for detecting MTB. The GeneXpert assay identified 10 and 16 positive MTB from smear 1 and smear 2 samples which were microscopic negative.

Since the pre-colonial period to the post-colonial era, public health administration has been intertwined with several issues ranging from the inadequacy of public health facilities and health workers, improper settlement planning, insanitary conditions, inadequate laws, their implementation and enforcement of same. Using a qualitative approach of research, the study focused on the historical interpretation of the challenges and effects of public health administration on health workers and patients in Ghana. This empirical study focused on responses from workers in the Accident and Emergency Department of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), Ghana. The study teased out information from expert informants to make useful generalizations to shape public health administration in relation to similar facilities in Ghana and elsewhere in Africa. Among other things, it also studies how reported sicknesses and or medical cases such as COVID-19 and the management of same at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in contemporary times. Again, based on the empirical responses, the study provided empirical prescriptions to help improve public health administration in health facilities in Ghana, which has wider ramifications for related facilities on the African continent. Attention and resources should not only be given to clinical care, to the neglect of public health. Efforts should cut across every sector of healthcare and fully equip the office of public health administration to do a more efficient work. There is also the need to make inferences from the various past challenges and effects of public health administration in the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital and Ghana at large to know how to deal with similar challenges emanating from the day to day running of Ghana’s health institutions including the required preparednes to deal with epidemics and pandemics at the local and national levels.

Abstract Background Loneliness affects individuals of all age groups, and mobile fishers are susceptible to loneliness due to the nature of their occupation. However, there is no study examining loneliness and risky behaviours among fishers in Ghana. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine fishers’ mobility history, prevalence of loneliness, predictors of loneliness, effects of loneliness on fishers, coping strategies to address loneliness, and prevalence of risky behaviour among fishers in Elmina, Ghana. Methods This is a convergent parallel mixed-method study involving 385 fishers in Elmina. A questionnaire and interview guides were used to collect data from respondents. Descriptive statistics, Pearson’s chi-square and Fisher exact tests, and binary logistic regression were used to analyse the quantitative data, while the qualitative data were analysed thematically. Results From the quantitative findings, most fishers were mobile (54.5%) and travelled alone (45.7%). Approximately 83% of the fishers experienced loneliness. Male fishers (AOR = 0.049; 95% CI = 0.003–0.741; p-value = 0.030), fishers affiliated with the African Traditionalist religion (AOR = 0.043; 95% CI = 0.002–0.846; p-value = 0.038), and fishers who travelled with their working colleagues (AOR = 0.002; 95% CI = 0.000-0.023; p-value = ≤ 0.001), were less likely to be experience loneliness. Feeling bored, isolated and worried/anxious were the main perceived effects of loneliness. Alcohol consumption and finding a companion to spend time with were the main strategies fishers used to cope with their loneliness. Most male fishers consumed alcohol (92.5%; p-value = ≤ 0.001) and spent time with companions (73.5%; p-value = ≤ 0.001) to cope with their loneliness. The quantitative and qualitative findings showed that fishers engaged in risky behaviours (excessive alcohol consumption, casual sex, and smoking marijuana and tobacco). From the quantitative findings, more male fishers engaged in excessive alcohol consumption (97.6% vs. 74.5%; p-value = ≤ 0.001), casual sex (88.2% vs. 61.7%, p-value = ≤ 0.001), smoking marijuana (43.0% vs. 13.0%, p-value = ≤ 0.001) and tobacco (49.4% vs. 19.1%; p-value = 0.001) than female fishers. Conclusions Loneliness and risky behaviours were common among fishers. Therefore, there is an urgent need to design interventions to help reduce loneliness and risky behaviour among fishers.

The electricity indebtedness of Ghanaian schools is increasing due to the high cost of electricity in the country. As a result, the utility companies frequently disconnect the schools from the grid to force them to settle their debts. Meanwhile, the school can reduce its bills from rooftop solar PV systems, yet little attention is given. The study uses the University of Environment and Sustainable Development (UESD) as a case to assess the technical feasibility, economic viability, and potential benefits of implementing rooftop solar PV electricity in Ghanaian schools. Google Earth software was used to estimate the structure's rooftop surface areas to determine the potential energy harvest from a PV plant.In contrast, the economic analysis uses the net present value (NPV), internal rate of returns (IRR), discounted payback period (DPP) and profitability index (IP) to appraise the intended project. The results show that using rooftops of school structures can provide the needed electricity for local consumption and export excess to the grid for sales. The NPV, IRR, IP, and DPP recorded from the study are million GHS 15.15, 21%, 1.6 and 8 years, respectively. The findings highlight the potential of rooftop solar PV systems to meet educational institutions' electricity demand, exploring the possibility of exporting excess to the national grid for revenue (income generator), reducing operational costs, and contributing to a sustainable energy transition.

Hand hygiene (HH) is the most effective way to curb the spread of healthcare-associated infections. Nonetheless, healthcare personnel encounter difficulties in adhering to WHO HH recommendations. This study aimed to investigate HH compliance and adherence after the implementation of an action plan in a municipal hospital in Moscow. An initial evaluation of HH compliance among clinical health workers was carried out in June 2022 according to the WHO HH guidelines followed by a 3-month re-audit of HH practices. The results were compared to the baseline to evaluate compliance and adherence to HH among healthcare personnel. From June to September 2022, there were 2,732 moments of contact with patients or their immediate surroundings. The HH total compliance rate significantly (p < 0.05) increased from 52.3% in June 2022 to 83.3% in September 2022 with a 75% overall total compliance rate. The profession-specific total compliance rate was highest among nurses (79.6%) and lowest among ancillary staff (69.7%). Staff were also more adherent to the before-moments compared to the after-moments of the HH guidelines. Monthly re-audits and providing feedback resulted in a significant improvement in compliance and adherence with HH guidelines after implementation of the action plan. HIGHLIGHTS After implementation of the action plan, the hand hygiene compliance rate increased from 52.3 to 83.3%.; Nurses were found to be more compliant with hand hygiene practices than doctors and ancillary workers.; Clinical staff were more adherent to hand hygiene before-moments than the after-months.; Providing feedback is essential to ensuring compliance and adherence to hand hygiene practices.;