ABSTRACT The prevalence of diabetes is on the increase in the world, however, the rate in sub-Saharan Africa requires urgent attention from health workers. This is because the complications associated with diabetes range from physical to mental health issues leading to shortage of human capital. One of the key issues in diabetes management is self-care practices and these practices are influenced by varied factors. This study examined the influence of diabetes attitude, knowledge and beliefs ...
ABSTRACT Introduction: There are several conflicting reports on the effect of antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) on birth outcomes in HIV positive women. Studies also suggest that different geographic locations present with varying birth outcomes with respect to specific antiretroviral drugs. Objective: This sought to examine birth outcomes in HIV positive women who received antiretroviral therapy (ART) at the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) from 2010 to 2015. Methods: As a result of sparse data on t...
ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION: Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD) are the class of diseases that involve the heart or blood vessels. Globally, CVDs are the largest killers, claiming 17.1million lives a year. Populations of Sub-Saharan African descent are at an increased risk of developing CVDs. In Ghana, there has been a documented increase in prevalence rates of hypertension and diabetes over the last fifty years. A study done in the University of Ghana in 2006 to screen all the workers, showed a prevale...
ABSTRACT Background: The high prevalence of overweight and obesity is reported to be a major contribution to the increased level of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in Ghana. It has been reported that 80% of premature deaths from NCDs can be prevented through known dietary and life style interventions. A recent survey indicates that 18% of Ghanaians have been diagnosed with at least one NCD, with 45% of this number receiving dietary and life style interventions. The effectiveness of these int...
ABSTRACT Background: Multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) has not been given the necessary attention in Africa and particularly Ghana where incidence of TB and risk factors are high. Nearly 600,000 new MDR/RR-TB clients with 240 000 deaths reported worldwide. Regionally, Africa accounted for 25% of the reported clients. However, Ghana reported a total of 528 MDR-TB with 63 (10.3%) deaths from 2012 to 2018. Of these cases, 44 (13.6%) were reported in Brong Ahafo Region over the same perio...
ABSTRACT The study aimed at assessing the sexual behavior of adolescents in selected Senior High Schools in the East Mamprusi District of Ghana. Cross-sectional descriptive study design was used with multistage sampling technique to sample 405 respondents from two randomly selected Senior High Schools in the East Mamprusi District. The study adopted an integrated mixed-methods approach to data gathering, using questionnaires to gather data from students. Sexual practices were seen as diverse...
ABSTRACT Infant and young child feeding practices have been identified as one of the major determinants of children's nutritional status and account to a large extent for the high rates of malnutrition among children in Ghana. This study is aimed at determining infant and young feeding practices in relation to nutritional status of children under two years in the Kumbungu District of Ghana. This was a cross-sectional study conducted on 274 pairs of children and their mothers who were randoml...
ABSTRACT Background: Cardiovascular complication accounts for greater number of deaths that occur in lupus patients who have chronic inflammation. However, arterial stiffness is used to predict diseases of the cardiovascular system, characterized by persistent inflammation which affects adipose tissues, dysregulation of adipokines and hyperinsulinemia, tend to quicken hardening of arteries in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Aim: This study investigated association existing b...
ABSTRACT Background: Hepatitis B virus and HIV infections are endemic in sub-Saharan Africa where 22.9 million individuals are estimated to be infected with HIV and nearly 50 million people are chronic HBV carriers. Due to similar routes of transmission, co-infections with the two viruses are common. Hepatitis B being severely infectious and found in HIV-positive patients, could pose more serious health problems. In Ghana, the prevalence of HBV infection is estimated at 15% of the adult popul...
ABSTRACT Background Intestinal helminths are very common in developing countries including Ghana. It is estimated in developing countries that one-third of all pregnant women are infected with helminths. Intestinal helminths infestation during pregnancy may be linked with adverse outcomes including prenatal mortality, maternal anaemia, low birth weight and growth restriction. This study’s objective was to determine the prevalence of intestinal helminths infestation among pregnant women att...
ABSTRACT The purpose of the study was to assess the perspectives of teachers and students in Senior High Schools in the Tamale Metropolis on school-based sex education. Provision of sexuality education in schools has been identified as a key strategy in promoting the sexual and reproductive health of adolescents as it equips them with the knowledge, skills and efficacy to make informed decisions about their sexuality and lifestyle in the mist of numerous and conflicting messages about their ...
ABSTRACT Adolescent sexual and reproductive health issues have become increasingly prominent and generated widespread international concern. This study was designed to investigate the level of knowledge of senior high school girls on reproductive health practices. This objective was achieved by exploring respondents’ knowledge on contraceptives and pregnancy prevention; exploring respondents’ level of knowledge on HIV/AIDS and finding out the challenges adolescents face in accessing knowl...
ABSTRACT Objective: To determine the prevalence of oral diseases among school going children and how their oral health behaviors relate with their oral health status. Method: Descriptive cross-sectional study design was used. Purposive and cluster sampling were used to select 279 school children from upper Primary and Junior High School in nine (9) basic schools in Assin North Municipal Area. Data were collected from the 279 students using the WHO Oral Health Questionnaire for Children and cl...
ABSTRACT Prenatal care provides the opportunity for early detection of pregnancy related problems for treatment to improve pregnancy outcomes. However, our knowledge is incomplete about the degree to which the content and delivery of prenatal care are associated with postpartum care practices such as infant feeding behaviors and newborn care. This study aimed at assessing the relationship between prenatal care and the adoption of newborn care practices including child feeding practices among...
ABSTRACT Introduction: Tuberculosis exacts heavy morbidity and economic tolls globally – more than ten million incident cases and $9.2 billion of tuberculosis (TB) expenditure accrued in 2017 alone. The World Health Organization introduced the Public-Private Mix (PPM) initiative in the late 1990s as part of measures to achieve TB control targets by strategically engaging all health providers. Ghana, one of the thirty high-burden TB nations implemented PPM in 2003 in urban areas of the cou...