ABSTRACT The study of age at first sexual intercourse and parity examined the relationship between age at first sexual intercourse and parity among women in three selected urban poor communities in Accra, Ghana. The study investigated the average age at first sexual intercourse among women aged 15-49 years and their implications on fertility. The unit of analysis was individual women aged 15-49 years and the data set that was used for the analysis was the EDULINK 2011 wave two. Statistical me...
ABSTRACT The study examines trends in the proximate determinants of fertility (sexual activity, contraception, and postpartuminfecundability) in Ghana over a decade (from 1998 to 2008) with a view to finding out their contributions to fertility decline and explaining the factors responsible for fertility decline in the country . The study was mainly based on data collected from the Ghana Demographic and Health Surveys carried out in 1998 2003 and 2008. Four thousand eight hundred and forty th...
ABSTRACT The study aimed at exploring the double burden of nutrition being underweight and overweight in Ghana. There have been changes towards increased consumption of processed foods, fast foods, sugary and oily foods, reduction of physical activity and increase in sedentary lifestyle. The associated negative implications are type II diabetes, hypertension and stroke, reduction in labour force, low productivity and increase in health budget. The purpose of the study is to provide informatio...
ABSTRACT Physical aggression, psychological mistreatment and sexual abuse against women in intimate unions are public health concerns globally. They constitute infringements on human rights, and are a huge economic burden to nations. Research suggests that individual level factors and women’s subordinate position to men predispose them to male-perpetrated intimate partner violence (IPV). In sub-Saharan Africa where marriages are near universal, little is known about the cultural context wit...
ABSTRACT The epidemiological and demographic transitions in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and the accompanying health and economic challenges have resulted into a high burden of disease particularly on households. Urbanisation and poverty are two major drivers of the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Drawing on the concepts of cost-of-illness and biographical disruption, this thesis investigates the burden of NCDs on urban households in the context of poverty. Cross secti...
ABSTRACT The right to food is one of the most consistently mentioned international human rights to date. Unfortunately it is also one of the most spectacularly violated in recent times. Little attention has been given to food security particularly among the urban poor. This study seeks to examine the relationship between the household demographic and socio-economic characteristics of urban low-income population and its implication for food utilization with an emphasis on dietary diversity. T...
ABSTRACT Body weight (especially overweight and obesity) are of global concern because of their health implications. Notwithstanding the health implications, the prevalence rates continue to increase in both developed and Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs). The rising prevalence of overweight/obesity is attributed to changing behavioural practices such as reduced physical activity and poor dietary behaviours. Being underweight is associated with high levels of malnutrition, starvation an...
ABSTRACT Background: Malnutrition and disability are inter-related, preventable global developmental and human right priorities (Groce et al., 2014). Globally, about 19% of people have a disability (UN, 2015). Studies have established a high malnutrition rate among the disabled (Hume-nixon & Kuper, 2018; Reinehr, Dobe, Winkel, Schaefer, & Hoffmann, 2010). Micronutrients deficiencies such as iodine, iron, and vitamin A deficiencies cause several disabilities including blindness and deafness wh...
ABSTRACT Obesity has been a pertinent issue worldwide as it constitutes one of the major public health challenges. It poses a significant challenge because of the continuous increase in its prevalence and diverse health, social and economic implications. Although the associated consequences are widespread, there is evidence of preference for larger body size in sub-Saharan Africa due to some socio-cultural standards and perceptions about body size. These have implications for weight manageme...
ABSTRACT Lifestyle behaviors are the major determinants of risk factors such as high blood pressure and also a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. These lifestyles include tobacco use, poor diet, physical inactivity and excessive alcohol consumption. Perception of health is an important and valid measure of people’s general wellbeing. Perceived health status does not replace or substitute actual health outcomes but rather complements it. Now more than ever, hypertension is the single ...
ABSTRACT Although provision of quality maternal healthcare has proven to be a critical strategy in reducing the high global maternal mortality level, studies on quality maternal healthcare have often been from provider’s perspective with limited research on service users, particularly in the context of health facilities. This study therefore assessed the quality of maternal healthcare in the Wa Municipality. The study was qualitative and guided by the Donabedian approach for measuring servi...
ABSTRACT The use of Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) has emerged as an alternative option to have children in Ghana. This study aimed at investigating the use of ART as a treatment option for infertility in Ghana. Specifically, the study investigated assisted reproductive technology services delivery, assessed the experiences of infertile individuals/couples undergoing assisted reproduction processes, explored the experiences of individuals/couples who have successfully delivered thro...
ABSTRACT The first sexual encounter of every individual and the circumstances under which it occurs plays a significant role in their future behaviour. The literature is replete with studies of the context of girls‘ first sexual encounters, including where they are forced and pressured. Consequently, the adverse implications on girls‘ futures are also widely appreciated. Despite this wealth of information, little effort has been made to understand whether and how similar power dynamics ...
ABSTRACT The study on attitude towards PLWHA was conducted as part of the effort at understanding some of the problems that face PLWHA in Ghana, with the general objective of examining the magnitude of the problem of attitude towards PLWHA. A total of 4916 women aged 15-49 years and 4568 men aged 15-59 years were interviewed in the 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS), however 5472 respondents consisting of 2816 women aged 15-49 years and 2656 men aged 15-59 years were used for the...
ABSTRACT This study assessed the effect of education on child survival in Ghana using the data from the 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey. The study involved a total of 2099 children born to mothers within the ages of 15-49 years in the last five years preceding the survey. The analysis was limited to the last child of each mother born within the study period. Univariate, bivariate and multivariate statistical tools were used to analyse the data. Of the 2099 children, 3.8 percent died ...