ABSTRACT Introduction: Lead poisoning has been a major public health problem for decades across the world and receiving a blood transfusion has been considered as a risk factor for lead exposure. Children and pregnant women are most vulnerable to the toxic effects of lead. However, over 40% of transfused blood in Ghana is given to children below the age of 5 years. Among adults, occupation is the leading cause of elevated blood lead levels (EBLL). Aim: This study compared blood lead levels a...
ABSTRACT Late diagnosis of HIV is a major hindrance in the campaign to control the spread of HIV/ AIDS. Late diagnosis, defined as the presence of CD4 lymphocyte count of less than 350/ul and or WHO stage 3 or 4 disease at diagnosis, leads to late entry into care. This subsequently results in a delay in ART initiation and poorer treatment outcomes. In sub-Saharan Africa, 45% - 72.8% of HIV positive patients are being diagnosed at a late stage of the disease. However the proportion of HIV pat...
ABSTRACT Background: T2D is progressive, and over time, there is a decline in beta cell activity of the pancreatic islets resulting in the lack of insulin, which is vital in glucose homeostasis. There is, therefore, the need to initiate insulin, the most potent glucose-lowering agent, in the management of T2D, which often is delayed. Delay of insulin therapy is often due to reluctance by patients, which is known as psychological insulin resistance or reluctance by the clinician known as clin...
ABSTRACT Background: Abossey Okai situates the central market for automobile spare parts in Accra, Ghana. The market lacks formal structures for work supervision thus exposing workers to various hazards. The most commonly encountered are mechanical hazards. Mechanical hazards could result in a high prevalence of various forms of occupational injuries and disorders. Objective: This study assessed the factors that influence work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) among the garage worke...
ABSTRACT Malaria and anaemia continues to be a burden in the Hohoe Municipality of the Volta region of Ghana. In 2006, two cross-sectional studies were carried out in thirty communities among children under five years in the municipality in June and November to determine the prevalence of malaria and anaemia. This formed the baseline malaria and anaemia prevalence in the municipality. After this study, insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) and Artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACTs) were intr...
ABSTRACT Ghana established the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) through the enactment of Act 650 in 2003 which was to secure the provision of basic healthcare services to a person resident in the country. Since the implementation of NHIS in 2004, the Fee-for-service (FFS) has been used for the payment of drugs and some other services until 2008 when the Ghana Diagnostic-Related Groups (G-DRGs) was introduced to pay providers on the basis of claims made by them to the District Mutual ...
ABSTRACT Background: Spontaneous reporting is the most efficient and cost effective method of monitoring the safety of registered drugs. The programme was launched in Ghana in June 2001. The spontaneous adverse drug reaction system is affected by underreporting by doctors and other healthcare professionals; there is however, limited knowledge about the factors that contribute to low reporting of adverse drug reactions and the reporting rate in Ghana. Objective: The general objective of this ...
Abstract The HIV/AIDS pandemic continue to spread in Sub Saharan Africa and Ghana is no exception, 2001 estimates of prevalence from sentinel centres across the country suggest between 3 to 4 percent. This study was conducted in Agogo, in the Ashanti Akim North District of Ghana. It is a qualitative descriptive study that set out to describe the youth and the environment they live in, document what safer sex and HIV/AIDS prevention information the youth have, describe what safer sex and HIV...
ABSTRACT Background: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are currently a major public health concern all over the world. A major risk factor for NCDs is obesity. Childhood obesity is a global health challenge with over 42 million children affected. One major factor that influences obesity in children is their diet. Marketing of foods affects the choice of foods children desire and demand from their parents. Food marketing occurs through multiple techniques including electronic media (e.g. inter...
ABSTRACT Background Information on the cost of management of malaria is important for improved financial management but is sparse. The objective of this study was to estimate the Institutional cost of irrational prescriptions for uncomplicated malaria. Methods A retrospective cross-sectional study approach was used to review 140 prescriptions issued for uncomplicated malaria at the Madina Polyclinic, Kekule. The prescriptions were judged to be rational or irrational according to the Standard...
ABSTRACT Background: Port related work is known to be one of the most dangerous occupations that contribute to increasing occupational injuries in the world. Numerous work-related injuries occur at different levels in the workplace but as a result of lack of thorough standards, or unfamiliarity with the existing guidelines, people are not normally aware of such events and their actual or potential consequences on human health. In The Gambia as in any other developing country, not much atten...
ABSTRACT The study was conducted to assess the factors influencing low contraceptive use among adolescents in the Kintampo north municipality. Cross-sectional study design was used for the study using a sample size of 100 adolescents in the municipality. A questionnaire was used for the data collection. Results of the study showed that, there was a high (79%) knowledge of contraceptives among respondents. Some health system factors that influenced the use of contraceptives among adolescents...
ABSTRACT The control of the spread of endemic malaria is incumbent on the prevention of many mortalities and morbidities that are associated with the disease in the Upper East Region of Ghana. The insecticide treated bed nets are the most reliable and cost effective tools to use in the prevention of malaria. This study explored the usage patterns and decision making processes, level of knowledge on the risk of the non-use of the Insecticide Treated Net (ITN), barriers to sustained usage and ...
ABSTRACT The trend of caesarean section (CS) rate continues to increase worldwide. This trend of increasing CS has raised a lot of concerns among health professionals and countries world over. The World Health Organisation in 2007 reached a consensus around the world with the recommendation of an acceptable Caesarean Section rate of 10---15% among countries. This study evaluated the trend of Caesarean Section in the KassenaNankana Municipal of the Upper East Region, Ghana. The study evaluated...
ABSTRACT The period of adolescence is a critical one where adolescents are vulnerable to many health risks including those related to their sexual and reproductive life. With the availability of adolescent friendly health services (AFHS), it is expected that adolescents will go through their developmental stages with minimal or no health challenges. However, health challenges of adolescents rather seem to be on the increase and this may be attributed to many factors. The purpose of this study...