ABSTRACT Background: Adolescents constitute the majority of the world’s population and are faced with sexual and reproductive health (SRH) issues. The inability of young people to access /SRH services is attributed to challenges such as privacy and unconducive environment even at facilities that target them. As a result, the Ghana Health Service, the primary implementer of health activities in the country introduced the You Must Know (YMK) mobile application to provide young people privacy ...
ABSTRACT The widespread use of Insecticide Treated Nets (ITN) has contributed to the reduction in malaria cases highlighting its effectiveness in reducing malaria transmission. With the decline in donor funding in the supply of nets, the focus is being given to the question of how to sustain these successes, particularly the improvement in field durability in LongLasting Insecticidal Nets (LLIN).This study explored household’s perception of the end of useful life of ITNs and practices towar...
ABSTRACT Background: Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women in both high-resource and low-resource countries. According to WHO Global Burden of Disease, 2004, breast cancer accounts for 16% of all female cancers with majority (69%) of breast cancer deaths occurring in developing countries. Although breast cancer incidence rate is said to be increasing worldwide, little is known about the determinants of the disease in Africa and currently, there is no data available on br...
ABSTRACT Four hundred and twenty-four consecutive umbilical cords of babies delivered at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital were studied along side some birth variables. This research was to first of all, find whether there were any possible correlations between any pair of variables. Secondly, whether any variant of the cord could have any clinical significance. The umbilical cord measurements were made using a tape measure and the results statistically analysed using the Statistical Package for...
ABSTRACT Background The introduction of antiretroviral therapy (ART) has made HIV/AIDS a chronic disease rather than a deadly one and hence the need for Health Related Quality of Life Assessment (HRQoL). Due to the increase in the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the Greater Accra Region, there has been the need to carry out this study to assess health related quality of life and its determinants among infected persons in the region. Objectives The main objective of the study was to assess factors t...
ABSTRACT The purpose of the study is to explore and record experiences of mothers who lost their babies during delivery. Fourteen mothers in the Accra Metropolis were recruited, through purposive sampling, interviewed in English, Ga or Akan languages, using a semistructured interview guide and analysed through content analysis. News of stillbirth and observing the dead babies is a painful experience for mothers; they mourn in unique ways based on their faith and or beliefs. Mourning in excess...
ABSTRACT Objective: The study is aimed at determining the household treatment cost of breast cancer and the cost coping strategies of patients at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital. Methods: This study is a cross-sectional study involving use of the cost of -illness method to estimate the direct, indirect and intangible costs and the cost coping strategies used by patients and their households during breast cancer treatment at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital. Data was collected from the breast can...
ABSTRACT From the early 1980s utilization at outpatient services at government health facilities declined considerably, of which the Kintampo Health Centre was a typical example. The main focus of this study was therefore, to find out the factors that influence utilization at the Kintampo Health Centre. The study was descriptive. Questionnaire and available routinely collected data from health institutions were used. Sampling was purposive and adults above 19 years were interviewed. The findi...
ABSTRACT Background: The ethanolic extract of Synedrella nodiflora has demonstrated analgesic activity in acute and chemotherapy-induced neuropathic pain in rodents. The present study evaluates the analgesic effect in hyperalgesia and allodynia associated with streptozotocin–induced diabetic neuropathy in rats and also elucidates the antioxidant activity of the extract. Method: Diabetic neuropathy was induced by intraperitoneal injection with 55 mg/kg freshly prepared streptozotocin (STZ) d...
ABSTRACT This study aimed at exploring the socio-demographic characteristics associated with young adult smokers in the Tema Metropolitan Assembly. The study employed qualitative research approach through descriptive and exploratory means and employed questionnaires and semi-structured interviews as the main instruments for data collection. A total of 50 young adult who double as smokers formed the study population in the Tema Municipal Assembly. The study reveals that, socio demographic char...
ABSTRACT Older adulthood is a developmental stage accompanied by a number of existential challenges. Nonetheless, a conceptual shift towards successful and positive ageing has been proposed by researchers and stakeholders of health. It was the aim of this study to find out the relationship between successful ageing variables and positive mental health. Two hundred and fifty older adults (118 males and 132 females) with the mean age of 71 were conveniently sampled from HelpAge Associations in ...
ABSTRACT In spite of numerous interventions to improve male involvement in antenatal care, male involvement is still low in Ghana. At the same time, little research has focused on the factors that influence male involvement in antenatal care. This study therefore sought to examine the factors that influence male involvement in antenatal care using the Shai Osudoku as a case study. A total of 302 men, aged 20 and 60 years, who have children aged 5years or below at their last birthday were rand...
ABSTRACT Introduction: Plasmodium falciparum malaria remains a global public health threat especially for children under five years. Fetuses receive maternal immunoglobulins in utero by passive transfer and this is believed to protect infants at least for the first six months after delivery. IgG3 among the IgG subclasses is known to be more protective because of the long hinge region making the molecule flexible and easier to link antigens and Fc receptors for antigen elimination. However, th...
ABSTRACT Background: Injectable contraceptives are the most used form of contraception in Ghana. Its introduction was faced with misconceptions, doubt and disbelief. DMPA-IM is the first choice of injectable administered by service providers in health care centres in Ghana. DMPA-SC is a subcutaneous form of injectable that can be self-administered. Socio-cultural values and factors affect patient’s willingness to accept and access self-administered hormonal contraceptives. Objective: The ob...
ABSTRACT Background: Preterm births are the single greatest direct cause of neonatal deaths, responsible for 35% of the world's 3.1 million deaths a year. Preterm deliveries in Ghana is unacceptably higher than that of global estimates. An understanding of the placental morphological characteristics is essential for advancing our knowledge of the cause and mechanisms through which placental characteristics influence preterm births as well as identifying pregnancies at risk of these adverse pe...