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Objectives: To investigate the knowledge about physical activity, physical activity levels and waist-to-hip ratio among persons living with diabetes in the Ho Municipality. Design: Cross-sectional observation study. Setting: The researcher collected data from two diabetes clinics in the Ho Municipality of Ghana. Participants: Consenting persons living with diabetes who attended the diabetes clinics. Main outcome measures: Participants' waist-to-hip ratio, knowledge of the physical activity and level of activity according to the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Results: There were 106 participants, and the modal age was 60 years or older (50.94% (n= 54)). Of the total, 62.3% (n = 66) were women, and the mean knowledge level was 12.7±1.58 (range: 0-17). Mean waist-to-hip ratio was 0.92 ± 0.10) with 25.5% (n = 27) men and 48.1% (n = 51) women recording abnormally increased waist-to-hip ratios. Additionally, 44% of participants engaged in low physical activity levels, whereas 10% participated in high levels. There were no significant associations between physical activity levels and waist-to-hip ratios (r = 0.176, p=0.071). Conclusion: Persons with diabetes in the Ho Municipality mostly engaged in low and moderate physical activity levels and had abnormally increased waist-to-hip ratios suggesting abdominal obesity. Knowledge of physical activity may be associated with physical activity performance and waist-to-hip ratio, bearing an inverse association with physical activity levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Brachial plexus birth injury is one of the challenges associated with maternal delivery, with varying prevalence between countries. Brachial plexus birth injury poses negative health implications to children and also has socio-economic implications on families and the community as a whole. To treat brachial plexus birth injury, a multi-disciplinary treatment approach is recommended. Brachial plexus birth palsy (BPBP) is categorised into two-upper plexus injury (Erb's palsy) and lower plexus injury (Klumpke's palsy). These categories present with various degrees of injuries, with less severe injuries responding well to treatment and in most instances may resolve on their own, but serious and complicated injuries will require a multi-disciplinary treatment approach to treat and/or manage. Effective treatment and management depends on adequate knowledge of the disease condition. These include the risk factors and prevalence of brachial plexus birth palsy within a particular population at a specific period in time. The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors and the prevalence of a hospital based brachial plexus birth palsy within a five-year period (2013-2017). Methods: a five-year retrospective study design was used. The study involved selection of all clients' diagnosed with brachial plexus birth palsy, where their gender, birth weight, complications at birth, type of brachial plexus suffered, mothers' diabetes status, mother's age, birth attendant, side of affectation, presentation at birth and mode of delivery were recorded. Results: the prevalence rate of brachial plexus birth palsy was 14.7% out of a total of three hundred and twenty (320) cases reviewed over the study period in the Volta Regional Hospital. Erb's palsy was found to be the modal type of BPBP in this population (93.6%). Conclusion: there is the need to provide a nationwide education on the risk factors that predispose babies to brachial plexus birth palsy. There is also the need for frequent antenatal visit by pregnant women; this will help in the provision of best antenatal history, diagnostic investigation in determining the birth weight and safe mode of delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]