ABSTRACT Background: HIV/AIDS is a threat to global development and human security, and Sub-Saharan Africa remains the region worst affected. It is estimated that 23.5 million people in this region are living with HIV, with youth accounting for 40% of new HIV infections. However, HIV Testing Counselling uptake among the youth is low. Aim: The objective of this study was to assess the factors influencing uptake of HIV testing and counselling among the youth aged 15-24 years in Kintampo South D...
ABSTRACT Introduction An increase in industrial activities without a corresponding increase in management infrastructure has significantly resulted in growing environmental and occupational health concerns. The absence of appropriate regulatory mechanisms and the requisite expertise in environmental and occupational health have mainly been responsible for most health challenges in Ghana. Objectives An investigation was therefore conducted to assess the financial, institutional and human resou...
ABSTRACT Background The concept of decentralisation has become a catch word not only within health sector reform strategies, but also in the overall policy and theoretical debates underpinning development. Community participation is a crucial ingredient for the development of responsive health-care systems both in high and low income countries. Objective(s) The study explored the administrative effects of decentralisation on the Medical sub-Budget Management Centre of the Korle Bu Teaching Ho...
ABSTRACT Introduction: According to the American Optometric Association, Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) which is also termed digital eyestrain is defined as a group of eye or vision-related problems arising from prolonged exposure to and use of digital devices such as desktop or laptop computers, tablets, smart phones, etc. Some symptoms include burning sensation on the eyes, pain in the eyes, low back pain, headaches, etc. Globally, nearly sixty million people are suffering from CVS and appr...
ABSTRACT Background: Self-medication with antibiotics is practiced all over the world. However in developing nations, this practice is much more prevalent. Antibiotics self-medication is a precursor to the misuse of antibiotics which leads eventually to antimicrobial resistance which is now a global problem. In developing counties about 38% of the proportion self-medicate with antibiotics. Antibiotic self-medication is widespread in Ghana and there are several factors that have been identifie...
ABSTRACT Hypertension is a global public health problem that is ravaging the active adult workforce of nations especially in low- and middle-income countries such as Ghana. Health care professionals continue to roll out management interventions aimed at controlling blood pressures and improving patients’ well-being. Regular self-monitoring of blood pressure by hypertensive patients is one sure way of improving their health. The practice of self-monitoring in the general population or among ...
ABSTRACT Background: Globally, Hypertension is fast becoming the commonest cardiovascular disorder contributing a lot to the morbidity and mortality (WHO, 1996). Although hypertension is a risk factor for other cardiovascular diseases, it has its own risk factors which range from genetic/familial, sex, age, race/ethnicity, level of physical activity, dietary as well as smoking, alcohol intake and obesity/overweight (WHO, 2002). The general objective of this study is to determine the prevalenc...
ABSTRACT Adolescents represent the future leaders of every nation; therefore, their concerns should be given priority and handled as a public health issue. Adolescents are individuals between 10 – 19 years and constitute about 18% of the world population. However, one of the issues which threaten adolescent’s potential to attaining their future goals is risky sexual behaviours and its undesirable outcome. Risky sexual behaviours are those that expose an individual (adolescents) to the ris...
ABSTRACT Background: Postpartum depression (PPD) is one of the most common psychiatric complications of childbirth. Unfortunately, most PPD cases are undetected and untreated, with attendant significant effects on maternal and neonatal health outcomes. Methodology: A cross sectional study of 300 mothers aged 15 to 45 years was undertaken to examine the association between PPD, breastfeeding practices and nutritional status of their children (0-12 months) attending the Greater Accra Regional a...
ABSTRACT Background: Safety in the workplace is very important considering the physical, mental, and financial cost of an unsafe environment. A critical component of safety in the work environment is the adherence of workers to the safety protocols designed for their protection. Many factories report accidents in spite of the existence of safety protocols in those factories and one of the causes of accidents is known to be violations of safety procedures. This study, which was carried out in ...
ABSTRACT Introduction: Urinary Schistosomiasis and malaria are Neglected Tropical Diseases endemic in Sub-Saharan Africa. The overlapping distribution of these parasites may result in a high co-infection rate and hematologic abnormalities especially with hemoglobin concentration. Objective: The main aim of the study was to assess the association between monoinfection and co-infection status of the two parasites and the hemoglobin concentration in school children. Method: A cross-sectional epi...
ABSTRACT Background: Due to the importance of adolescents in the future of a nation, it has become necessary to consider the well-being of adolescents in order to drive national development. Ghana has developed, adopted and implemented initiatives and programmes to protect and promote the reproductive health needs of adolescents-the Adolescent Health Service Policy and Strategy (2016-2020). Objectives: To conduct a process evaluation on the implementation of the Adolescent Health Service Poli...
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...