ABSTRACT Background Surgery is vital, resolving much of the global burden of disease. In spite of improvements in surgical care there are still risks of harm to patients due to non- adherence to surgical safety standards. In Ghana, data on surgery related adverse events are scanty. Few studies done in Ghana estimates surgery related adverse events at 19% and prevalence of surgical site infections (SSIs) ranges from 9.6% to 40%. Successive peer review assessments in the Western reg...
ABSTRACT Introduction: Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection which is still a global public health concern. It affects both sexes and all ages but mostly prevalent among the sexually active age group (15-49 years). It results in diverse complications and also promote the contraction of other sexually transmitted infection including the potential of increasing the risk of contracting HIV / AIDs by two to five folds. Its prevalence in developed countries is far lower compared to d...
ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Malaria rapid diagnostic tests (MRDTs) are important for malaria disease management. However, performance of the RDTs is affected when the targeted antigens in the parasite have a variation or are altogether absent. The most common parasite target antigen in RDTs, Plasmodium falciparum histidine-rich protein 2 (HRP2), has been reported to be absent in some P. falciparum parasites. Loss of the pfhrp2 in P. falciparum parasites affects the accuracy of PfHRP2 based RDT ...
ABSTRACT In recent years, as the world is becoming a global economy with the influx of foreign companies into many developing countries like Ghana, managers face the challenge of having to address retention problems in the context of increasing competition in the global marketplace. It is against this background that this study aims at examining the effect of talent management on employees’ retention in the Ministry of Roads and Highways, Ghana. The study was quantitative and employed a cro...
ABSTRACT Background: Medication adherence directly influences the attainment of treatment goals. In spite of this, approximately 50% of patients do not adhere to prescribed medication regimen. Poor adherence to medicines is a global health challenge that needs attention as it leads to increased healthcare costs, poor clinical outcomes, increased morbidity and mortality. Text message reminders have been found to be a useful tool for improving adherence to medicines in several parts of the...
ABSTRACT This study explored the management of chronic non-communicable diseases (CNCDs) at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) and Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) in Ghana, using phenomenology as the study design. Using purposive and accidental sampling procedures, I interviewed 82 patients receiving care for CNCDs as well as 30 health professionals managing their conditions, using in-depth interview guides. Data collected were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. The study re...
ABSTRACT Background: Globally, breast cancer is a major public health problem in terms of morbidity and mortality. In Ghana, breast cancer constitutes 15% of all cancers and 40% of female cancers and is reported to be the second commonest cancer among women in Ghana. Over 60% of breast cancer patients present late with advanced stages of breast cancer despite the many awareness campaigns to promote early reporting and detection. This study therefore sought to find out and document reasons for...
ABSTRACT Background: Household and Community Care has increasingly been recognized by the Ghana Health Service and the mental health sector as a means of promoting mental health in Ghana. However, household and community attitudes and perceptions towards mental illness and mental health affect the effectiveness of community-based care. Objective: The main objective of this study was to assess household and community perceptions on the integration of persons with mental illness in the Te...
ABSTRACT Exposure to percutaneous injuries and blood/body fluids are serious occupational hazards that contribute to the transmission of a variety of blood borne pathogens. The study was conducted to determine the prevalence and risk factors associated with percutaneous injuries and exposure to patients’ blood and other body fluids among nurses in the Tamale metropolis. A cross-sectional design was adopted for the study. A total population of 572 was targeted with a sample size of 224 nurse...
ABSTRACT The first two years of a child’s life are particularly important, as optimal nutrition during this period lowers morbidity and mortality. Many factors account for the inability of children to receive adequate nutrition from caregivers. It is known that mothers play key roles in children’s nutrition. In Ghana, studies relating empowerment to feeding practices have emphasized decision-making and maternal dietary diversity. Earlier studies focused largely on nutritional knowledge, s...
ABSTRACT Introduction: Diabetes is a chronic illness with significant health consequences, especially for those who are unable to adhere to complex treatment regimen. Medication non-adherence leads to the development of cardiovascular diseases, chronic diseases, and other complications. Objective: The main objective of the study was to assess non-adherence to medication and associated factors among patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus attending Tema General Hospital. Methods: The...
ABSTRACT Spouses play significant roles in the care of their husbands. This comes with a lot of experiences in times of ill-health of the men and may have several effects on the spousal caregiver. It is likely to affect the woman’s physical, social, psychological and spiritual wellbeing. This study therefore explored the experiences of spouses of men with advanced prostate cancer in the Accra Metropolis using the Quality of Life Model Applied to Family Caregivers (Ferrell, 2001) as a...
ABSTRACT Comprehensive sex education is an important tool that enables adolescents to make informed choices concerning sex and sexual behavior and gives them the tools needed to grow up into sexually healthy adults. Sex education is non-existent in most Ghanaian schools and homes. Despite the silence that exists concerning sex and reproductive health issues a lot of adolescents are engaging in sexual behavior out of curiosity and the need to conform to peer norms. A school based cross-section...
ABSTRACT Nursing students suffer high levels of stress during their education experiences. Nursing research supports the argument that practicum experience of course work yields more stress than class experience. The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceived level of stress and sources of stress in undergraduate and diploma nursing students. In this study, a sample of 170 students, 104 undergraduate level 400 and 66 level 300 diploma nursing students completed a modified form of ...
ABSTRACT Introduction: Sewage and household effluents at Accra Technical University (A TU), Ghana have been discharged into the ocean for years. This degrades environmental media and is detrimental to ecological systems. The institution also lacks adequate water for non-edible purposes. The Biosand Filter (BSF) is an innovation on the slow sand filter which has found use in preventing the discharge of raw sewage into the environment. The study aimed to test the performance ofa BSF on s...