ABSTRACT All over the world voluntary blood donation is hailed to be a safe source of blood supply and the window of hope for those who need blood transfusion. The main objective of this study was to examine the perceptions of voluntary blood donation among the youth in La Dadekotopon. The study also sought to determine the knowledge of the youth about voluntary blood donation, examine the attitude of the youth towards voluntary blood donation and to identify factors that influence the yout...
ABSTRACT Background: Addressing the reproductive health needs of adolescents remains one of the greatest public health issues confronting Ghana. Education and advocacy on reproductive health by parents, teachers and healthcare providers have the potential to improve their knowledge, ensure easy accessibility and utilization of services to prevent complication. The study aimed at investigating factors influencing accessibility and utilization of reproductive health services among adolescents ...
ABSTRACT Introduction: Prostate cancer is of increasing public health concern and often predisposed by some risk factors such as age, race, family history of cancer, and dietary. It is one of the leading causes of cancer death among men in Ghana. Men diagnosed with prostate cancer are affected sexually, psychologically, socially and in many forms. Objectives: The main objective of the study is to examine aggressive prostate cancer and associated factors among patients attending the oncology c...
ABSTRACT Background: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a common haemoglobinopathy that is acquired by inheriting the defective gene from both parents. In recent years, it has become an important public health issue among people of African descent especially those in Sub-Saharan Africa. In Ghana, SCD occurs in almost 1 in 50 (2%) of all births annually. The disease is characterised by chronic haemolytic anaemia, vaso-occlusion and inflammation. These events increase the resting energy expenditure ...
ABSTRACT Background: The HIV/AIDS epidemic remains a public health concern in Africa particularly Sub-Saharan Africa. As at the end of 2017, among the 36.9 million people living with HIV world-wide, 1.8 million were under 15years of age. HIV infection prevention, particularly mother-to-child transmissions are key models of reducing the infection. The purpose of this study was to assess the implementation of the National Guidelines for PMTCT of HIV in selected districts in the Eastern Region ...
ABSTRACT Background: Arsenic (As), mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb) are toxic heavy metals that occur naturally in the environment. However, their levels are on the rise due to anthropogenic activities posing threat to aquatic wildlife and humans. Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess As, Hg and Pb concentrations in sediment, water and fishes from the Ankobra and Tano River in the Western Region of Ghana, where human activities; especially the artisanal gold mining have been suspected of g...
ABSTRACT In the tropics, prevailing weather conditions exert a tremendous influence on fluid and electrolyte homeostasis of residents. For the tropical resident, who may have evolved an adaptive strategy to conserve sodium and water by renal and hormonal mechanisms, increases in sodium intake may cause changes that would, in the long term, lead to an increase in the arterial blood pressure. In this study, three serial protocols were followed to elucidate the significant role of sodium balance...
ABSTRACT Background: The use of biomass fuel for cooking leads to the production of air pollutants which could be deleterious to human health. Some studies have reported decreased pulmonary function and prevalence of certain respiratory symptoms among biomass fuel users. However, no study has been conducted to investigate the relationship between Ga-kenkey making, an activity heavily reliant on use of biomass fuel and respiratory health of Ga-kenkey makers. Objective: The primary objective ...
ABSTRACT Introduction: Severe malaria is a medical emergency that requires appropriate management to prevent death. Effective case management of severe malaria is expensive and requires appropriate clinical assessment, laboratory proof of the disease prior to treatment with an effective antimalarial. Despite Ghana’s adoption of treatment with Artemisinin based Combination Therapy (ACT), the mortality of children due to severe malaria still remains unacceptably high especially in the Norther...
ABSTRACT Background Cervical cancer is a Public Health threat. The disease imposes economic burden on resources in the form of medical and non-medical expenditure and loss of productivity. Cervical cancer cases are expected to increase in 2030 by 1.5-fold in view of the rising world population. A woman who develops cervical cancer in sub-Saharan Africa has at least 79 percent chance of dying from this malignancy. Cervical cancer risk can be reduced by 80 percent through regular screening. Gen...
ABSTRACT In 2003, Ghana Health Service (GHS) introduced an appraisal system with the aim of improving performance of its employees and also link both individual and organizational performances to achieving critical health targets. Using performance indicators, this thesis assessed the perception of selected health workers on performance appraisal in GHS and its implications for organizational commitment and achievement of the three health related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Data were...
iv ABSTRACT Background: Globally, adolescent period is a critical developmental phase where many preventable health problems are acquired. However, studies have shown that parent adolescent sexual communication is protective against risky sexual behaviours. Nationally, parent adolescent communication on Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) rarely occurs. Furthermore, anecdotal evidence along the coastal towns/suburbs shows a high prevalence of risky sexual behaviours and its associated consequenc...
ABSTRACT This study examined the determinants of seeking professional psychological help among contemporary Ghanaians. Specifically, the study investigated whether experience with mental health service, perceived social support (family, friends, and significant other), health locus of control (internal, chance, and powerful others), self-stigma, and cultural belief would uniquely and significantly account for attitudes toward seeking professional help after controlling for demographic charact...
ABSTRACT Background Rabies remain a public health threat although can be eliminated by vaccinating dogs which are major reservoirs of the disease and through pre and post-exposure prophylaxis in humans. Rabies is a fatal viral encephalitis disease which is untreatable when clinical symptoms develop. It is a neglected and old infectious zoonotic disease with fatality rate of 100%, worldwide distributed but more endemic area being in developing countries of Asia and Africa. In Ghana from 2000 t...
ABSTRACT Introduction: HIV/AIDS remains one of the world’s most important Public Health issue according to WHO (2014). The Ghana AIDS Commission (2014) reports a linear downward trend of HIV since the year 2008. Several studies report different prevalence of sexual risk behavior among PLWHA, but very few studies have been conducted in Ghana. The primary mode of HIV transmission is through sexual contact, which accounts for a greater number of new HIV cases (Ghana AIDS Commission, 2013). Hen...