ABSTRACT Background Hypertension, a notable risk factor for renal disease and stroke remains a significant public health problem. It is associated with fatality, morbidity and a huge financial burden. There is insufficient control of blood pressure despite advancements in hypertension management. Several factors influence blood pressure control. Prescribing trends among doctors and adherence to medication by the patient influence control of blood pressure. This study sought to assess the cont...
ABSTRACT Adolescence constitutes a transitional period between child psychism organization and the result of an adult, mature personality. During this evolutionary phase, the psychic balance is unsettled and the personality is characterized by fluidity. This study was conducted to assess sexual and reproductive health services (SRH) among adolescents: the role of Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG) in the West Mamprusi District in the northern region of Ghana. Three research object...
ABSTRACT Background: Although cervical cancer is preventable, thousands of women continue to be infected and thousands still die from the disease every year. Cervical cancer prevention can be achieved through comprehensive programs involving education or awareness creation, vaccination, screening and early treatment of pre-cancerous lesions. Health workers have a vital role to play in achieving this, hence they must be adequately equipped with the requisite knowledge on the condition since th...
ABSTRACT Background: Deployment of Frontline health workers (FHWs) has been shown to be an effective and powerful intervention for improving community health in rural settings in Ghana. However, several challenges still persist in the performance of FHWs. Mobile health interventions such as the Mobile Technology for Community Health (MOTECH) project are implemented to enhance health worker performance and reduce maternal and child mortality in these rural areas. MOTECH delivers health message...
ABSTRACT Obesity and elevated blood pressure are important risk factors associated with cardiovascular diseases, type II diabetes and some cancers. These risk factors were in the past associated with affluence and developed countries. However, recent studies have shown their increasing prevalence in developing countries. Health workers influence behaviour and people who work in health worker training environment are expected to know and practice ‗healthy‘ behaviours. The study therefore s...
ABSTRACT While most societies undergoing epidemiological and demographic transitions experience increase in number and proportion of the aged, we have unfortunately observed the reverse in the New Juaben Municipality between 2000 (13.2 per cent) and 2010 (7.3 per cent) (GSS, 2012). This coupled with high prevalence of some chronic diseases among the aged with poor access to professional or formal health care services in the study area (Britwum et al, 2013. This study was therefore designed to...
ABSTRACT Background: Childhood obesity or overweight has become a global public health problem with its associated morbidity manifesting in early childhood and progressing to adulthood if the alarming trend is not curbed. The fact is that obesity in childhood is associated with a wide range of serious health complications and an increased risk for premature onset of illnesses, including diabetes, hypertension, and other heart diseases. Objective: This study examined the factors associated wit...
ABSTRACT Background: Use of Long Lasting Insecticide Bed Net (LLIN) is one of the recommended interventions by WHO to reduce the rate of malaria transmission especially among the vulnerable which include pregnant women and children. In Africa, out of 45 countries where ITNs form part of the national malaria control strategy, 36 had a representative household surveys that measured usage of nets and/or ITNs at some point between 1999 and 2004. According to available surveys, only Eritrea, in 20...
ABSTRACT Background: Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy had become a huge economic (financial, social and psychological) burden on patients, families and the nation as a whole. Such economic burden on patients and their families cannot be underestimated. The objective of the study was to determine the economic burden of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy at Tema General Hospital. Methods: An exploratory, cross-sectional cost-of-illness study was conducted with 50 eligible women enrolled and...
ABSTRACT Background: Ghana including 20 other countries in 2009 were earmarked for rapid PMTCT interventions scale-up within their primary care system for maternal and child health. This intervention became operationalized in June 2015 with the introduction of the PMTCT option B+ where HIV-positive women are initiated on lifelong ARVs regardless of their CD4 count upon immediate diagnosis of HIV and infants born to HIV-positive women receive daily zidovudine (AZT) for the first 4–6 weeks of...
ABSTRACT Background: Malnutrition presents in many forms including undernutrition which remains a global public health problem. Anthropometric measurements are used to determine underweight, stunting and wasting which are important undernutrition conditions. There have been preventive and curative interventions in Ghana to improve on the nutrition of children under five years old. This notwithstanding, malnutrition continues to ascend in many parts of the country including the Eastern Region ...
ABSTRACT Introduction: Burns is a global public health problem and the eighth commonest cause of death in the world (Stokes, 2017). Severe burns mostly have long lasting effect on the quality of life of people with persisting problems associated with weakness, scarring, itching, and pain (Moi et al., 2016). Objective: The main objective of the study was to examine the quality of life and associated factors among post-severe burns patients at the Burns Center of the KorleBu Teaching Hospital, ...
ABSTRACT Factors Accounting For The Failure To Achieve Eradication O f Guinea Worm In The Tamale Municipality. The Guinea Worm Eradication Programme (GWEP) began in Tamale Municipality 1989 with the objective o f eradicating the disease in five years or by 1994. This could not be achieved. Further extension o f the program for 2 years was disrupted by an ethnic conflict. Even further extension to the end o f the millennium, year 2000, failed to yield the desired results. The problem of preval...
ABSTRACT Background – Malnutrition is evident in the Ghanaian community. Stunting and overweight conditions occurring independently within individuals are of public health interest. Children under five are most susceptible to this condition. Studies concerning the dual burden of malnutrition in children have indicated the simultaneous occurrence of overweight and stunting within individuals (especially children). Objective - This analysis was performed to assess the prevalence of overweight...
ABSTRACT Introduction: The low contraceptive uptake and high unmet need for contraception remain a public health concern in Ghana. Adolescents between the ages of 15 and 19 years have been identified to have low usage of modern contraceptives even though they are identified to have unprotected sex. Objective: The main objective of the study was to examine the determinants of modern contraceptives use among female adolescent between the ages 15 to 19 years in senior high school in Ellembelle d...