ABSTRACT Abstinence as a preventive method against HIV/ADDS has attracted the attention of demographers, planners and public health practitioners for some time now. Concern has been expressed that as yet there is no available evidence that adopts an analytical approach to the effectiveness of abstinence programmes based upon the evidence available. Rather, descriptions and discussion tend to be based on moral positions. This cross-sectional descriptive study sought to explore the phenomenon f...
ABSTRACT Background: Some Type 2 diabetic patients require insulin therapy to control their blood sugar levels in order to prevent complications. A proportion of patients who meet the criteria to be put on insulin are unwilling to start. Patients already on insulin are unwilling to intensify insulin therapy as a result of various factors. This study looked at patient factors determining the acceptance or refusal of insulin therapy at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital. Objective: fo assess pati...
ABSTRACT Background The referral system is an integral part of maternal health care and is particularly crucial to patients living in rural areas, where vast distances and bad road network, make access to district hospitals an expensive and time-consuming challenge. Ensuring skilled attendance at birth requires developing a responsive referral system which provides links between levels of health care. It is widely accepted that substantial reductions in maternal mortality and severe morbidity...
ABSTRACT In Ghana, cervical cancer constitutes about 57.8% of all gynaecological cancers. It is the second most common cancer in women with an estimated incidence of 26.4 per 100,000. HPVs are aetiological agents of cervical cancer. Genital HPV are the most common sexually transmitted viruses in human. The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence and genotypes distribution of HPV 6, 11, 16 and18 among women attending the Family Planning and Human Papilllomavirus screening centre...
ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION Recent studies have linked periodontal disease in pregnancy to poor pregnancy outcome such as low birth weight, pre-term delivery and still birth. These outcomes are of public health concern since low birth weight and pre-term infants stand the risk of feeding difficulty, thermal instability and delayed brain development. They may also suffer from chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart and kidney diseases later in their lives. Hormonal changes coupled with poor oral hy...
ABSTRACT Adequate, frequent and appropriately intensity physical activity is an effective means for the primary and secondary prevention of many of today's leading health outcome like overweight, obesity, depression and other chronic diseases. Adolescent overweight is on the increase worldwide. It is estimated that the proportion of overweight school-age children will almost double by 2010. Ghana’s National Health Policy (2007), notes that non communicable diseases are increasing in Ghana a...
ABSTRACT Background: Optimal gestational weight gain is an important factor linked with positive outcome for both mothers and their infants. Women who gain inadequate weight during pregnancy are at risk of bearing a baby with low birth weight whereas those who gain excessive weight are at increased risk of preeclampsia and gestational diabetes. In developing countries, data on gestational weight gain and its determinants are scarce as it is difficult to collect the information throughout the ...
TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 Introduction ............10-16 2 Review of literature .............17-26 3 Materials and methods ....................27-34 4 Results .......................35-57 5 Discussions ............................58-64 6 Summary /Abstract ..........................65-69 7 Conclusion .............................70-74 8 Contribution to knowledge ...............................75 9 Suggestion for future research .....................................76 10 References ...........
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 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 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 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 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...