ABSTRACT Background: Exclusive breastfeeding is essential for optimal survival, development and growth of infants. World Health Organization and United Nations Children’s Fund recommend that infants are exclusively breastfed from birth up to six months of age to achieve its benefits. However, exclusive breastfeeding rates across the world and in Ghana are below the recommended targets. This study’s aim was to investigate the socio-demographic factors, socio-cultural factors as well as ide...
ABSTRACT Background: Cardiovascular related diseases and its deaths have increased over the years with hypertension being a precursor to these diseases. Proper management of the condition has proven to increase the life expectancy of patients. Adherence appears to be one of the important factors that influence the outcome of therapy greatly. Poor medication adherence is associated with poor disease outcomes, waste of health care resources and contributes to reduced blood pressure control. Obj...
ABSTRACT Background: Unhealthy diet, smoking, physical inactivity, overweight/obesity, impaired glucose tr' ", "ce nGT) and/or impaired fasting glycaemia (JFG) result in diabetes mellitus. The hyperglycemic condition in diabetics leads to the development of some complications driven by both modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors. This study therefore seeks to determine the risk factors and associated complications in patients with diabetes mellitus at the Maamobi General l-! " " '~l 'r. ,...
ABSTRACT Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disease that occurs when the human body is not able to produce enough of the hormone insulin or because cells do not respond to the insulin that is produced. It is estimated that 6.3% Ghanaians are affected with diabetes of which 90 – 95% are with Type II diabetes. In Ghana however, there are limited trained staff as well as inadequate equipment to provide quality care to people living with diabetes. This study therefore explored the challenges of nu...
Abstract In a retrospective study in a small community in Ga District, Southern part o f Ghana it was discovered, that majority of women (94.1%) received antenatal care and that eighty three per cent o f them delivered under the supervision o f recognised-trained medical personnel. Supervised deliveries took place in Government health facilities as well as in the private sector. The majority of the women (86%) had more than four antenatal care visits. Cost, cultural factors or age seem...
ABSTRACT This study sought to explore the experiences of Community Psychiatric Nurses (CPNs) in the discharge of their duty. An exploratory descriptive qualitative design was used in this study. The study was conducted in the Accra Metropolis. Thirteen participants working in the six districts of the Community Psychiatric Units of Ayawaso, Osu-Koltey, Ablekuma, Okai-koi, LEKMA, and Ashiedu-Keteke in the Accra Metropolis were used. Purposive sampling method was used to select participants with...
ABSTRACT Background Many countries across Sub Saharan Africa are rapidly stepping up insecticide –treated nets (ITN) coverage to combat malaria and Ghana is not left out in this trail. Studies have been done in Ghana on ITN utilization but a few of such studies have been done in the Agona East District of the Central of Ghana. This study was conducted to assess factors influencing the utilisation of ITNs in the Agona East district in the Central Region of Ghana, an area with an in-between i...
ABSTRACT Background Access to essential medicines is a major component for an effective health service delivery system. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the availability and affordability of essential medicines used in the treatment of the top ten registered diseases in Builsa District in the year 2009. Method The survey was a cross sectional descriptive study, that employed both quantitative and qualitative approaches, following the standardized World Health Organization and Health ...
ABSTRACT The inaccessibility, high prices, and poor quality medicines in low and middle- income countries contribute considerably to the rate of mortalities yearly, including those resulting from communicable and non-communicable diseases, such as, malaria and hypertension which could be treated with existing medicines. One innovative way to effectively deal with the high prices and be able to have economies of scale is through ‘bulk buying’ from a number of procurers and to ensure the co...
ABSTRACT Background: There is considerable evidence that many patients concurrently take conventional drugs with dietary supplements or herbal products. One such supplement, with an amalgam of extracts, is Cellgevity®. There is, however, a dearth of information on the effect of this supplement on drug metabolizing enzymes, and on the pharmacokinetics of conventional drugs. Aim: To determine the effect of Cellgevity® on the activity of rat liver CYP1A1/2, CYP3A4, CYP2B1/2, CYP2C9 and CYP2D6 ...
ABSTRACT Background: Oral health is a key part of the general health of an individual and is crucial to quality of life. Several oral diseases can affect individuals' oral health and one of these diseases is dental caries. It occurs as a result of acids produced when sugars react with bacteria found in the plaque on the enamel of the tooth. Objectives: To assess the risk factors of dental caries among urban primary school children. Metbod: The study used a cross sectional design and 420...
ABSTRACT Cirrhosis of the liver is an endstage chronic liver disease which is generally irreversible. About 75% of patients with posthepatitic cirrhosis have progressive disease despite supportive therapy and die within one to five years from serious complications such as variceal haemorrhage, hepatic encephalopathy or superimposed hepatocellular carcinoma. Records from the Pathology Department of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra-Ghana indicates that cirrhosis is the commonest liver...
ABSTRACT Since the establishment of the Radiation Protection Institute’s Food and Environmental Laboratory in 1988, there has never been any thorough evaluation of the activities of the facility to provide assurance of the quality of analytical results produce by the laboratory. The objective of this study, therefore, was to assess the performance level of the Food and Environmental monitoring laboratory with respect to the requirements for a standard analytical laboratory (IAEA, 1989) and ...
ABSTRACT Background: The growing recognition of the critical importance of providing care to mothers and newborns and the substantial gaps in coverage that exists have prompted a paradigm shift in responding to maternal and new born health issues. Invariably, the health care that a mother receives during pregnancy, at the time of delivery, and soon after delivery is important for the survival and well-being of both the mother and her child. However, evidence suggests that maternal and neonata...
ABSTRACT Introduction Against the backdrop of the Sustainable Development Goals 1, 2 and 3, which aim to improve global health, food security, and reduce poverty, agriculture for most is crucial to achieving self-sustainability in Africa. However, the increased occurrence of adverse events including droughts and conflicts, with losses to farmers, threatens efforts to achieve the set goals. These losses can affect livestock farmers’ psychosocial wellbeing and productivity. Identifying, there...