ABSTRACT About 1.6 billion people in more than one hundred countries including Ghana suffer the consequences of micronutrient deficiencies, namely iron, iodine and Vitamin A. A thousand million people were estimated to be at risk of iodine deficiency alone in 1990. Two hundred million have goitres, 20 million are mentally retarded; six million of these being cretins. Iron deficiency anemia is the most widespread nutritional deficiency in the world today. Two billion people are affected by ane...
ABSTRACT Psychoactive and illicit drug use constitutes significant cause of morbidity and mortality but empirical laboratory data that complement epidemiological evidence are lacking. The study sought to examine the patterns of substance use among individuals who were investigated for evidence of psychoactive and illicit drug use at the Accra Psychiatric Hospital during the review period. All medical laboratory reports of investigations conducted on substance use at the facility over the fiv...
ABSTRACT Background: Needle stick and sharp injuries (NSSIs) or needle stick injuries (NSI) have been recognized as one of the most serious occupational health hazards among health care workers (HCWs) with a potentially high risk of transmitting blood borne pathogens. Such pathogens include hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The incidence of NSIs is highest in low income countries ostensibly due to lack of strict adherence to the use of pe...
ABSTRACT The study was intended to find out the knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and practices of dog owners on dogs, rabies and rabies control and make appropriate recommendations to the authorities concerned, in the design of effective awareness campaigns in the control of the disease in the Tamale Municipality. As research and information on rabies is limited in Ghana, it is hoped that this study will serve as the basis on which other research on rabies can be built. An exploratory study wa...
ABSTRACT The rising mortality rate of diabetes mellitus and the upsurge in diabetes complications is very alarming. This has been attributed to the poor knowledge patients living with diabetes have on diabetes and its management, especially the nutritional management. This study sought to explore the knowledge on nutritional management of diabetes mellitus among patients living with diabetes mellitus who attended clinic at the National Diabetes Management and Research Centre of the Korle-Bu T...
ABSTRACT This study was designed to elicit the factors that contributed to the high default rate of the DOTs system in the Yendi District. Questionnaires were administered to all patients who registered for DOTs in 1998. 1999 and 2000. Focus group discussions were also conducted to explore the underlying factors for the health-seeking behaviours of the people. In-depth interviews were conducted with service providers so as to elicit the service-related factors of default alongside the patien...
ABSTRACT Background: Synedrella nodiflora is a common weed in Ghana that is boiled to treat epilepsy and threatened abortion. The ethanolic whole plant extract has been demonstrated to have antiinflammatory, antioxidant, hypoglycemic, anticonvulsant, sedative, antidepressant and antipsychotic effects in murine models. The study presents the anti-oxidant and antihyperglycaemic effects of the ethanolic extract of the whole plant extract of Synedrella nodiflora (SNE) on a diabetic rat model. Met...
ABSTRACT Introduction Tuberculosis remains a major public health concern affecting one-third of the world’s population despite numerous interventions put in place to curb its occurrence by the national TB control programme. Early case detection and prompt treatment cures the patient’s breaks the transmission chain and improves the effort of control. The aim of this study was to determine the factors contributing to low TB case detection in Bawku west District in the Upper East Region. Met...
ABSTRACT Background: Internationally, STIs is found to be a key public health problem an estimation of 499 million new curable sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are detected each year with seventy five percent to eighty five percent in developing countries. STIs continue to present major economic, social, and health problems in the developing world, causing considerable mortality, morbidity and stigma. Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the factors associated with ST...
ABSTRACT Background: Obstetric Fistula is an abnormal opening between a woman‟s vagina and bladder (Vesico Vagina Fistula (VVF)) and or rectum (Recto Vagina Fistula (RVF)) through which her urine and or faeces continually leaks. This condition often leads to psychosocial, economic or medical care challenges and a potential threat to quality of life. Objective: The aim of the study was to explore the experiences of women living with Obstetric Fistula at the Mfantseman Municipal Area (MMA). M...
ABSTRACT Nurses encounter several challenges in managing patients with spinal cord injury. However, little is known about this area of nursing care. Thus the purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of nurses managing patients with spinal cord injury at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. An exploratory descriptive qualitative design was employed for this study. A purposive sampling method was used to recruit sixteen (16) nurses who were eligible for the study. The purpose, benefits and ...
ABSTRACT Background: Vegetarianism is a dietary lifestyle that involves the restriction of diet, disallowing some or all foods of animal origin, thereby consuming mainly foods of plant origin. Vegetarian diets are composed of only plant products which include fruits and vegetables, as well as grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. The plant products they consume are rich sources of vitamins such as Vitamins A, C and E which act directly as antioxidants, as well as protein and minerals such as zinc,...
ABSTRACT Maternal health is not a woman’s issue, but the integrity of communities, societies and nations, since the well-being of all humans depend upon healthy mothers. The MDGs adopted by world leaders in the year 2000 to make the world a better place for all, comprised eight goals. Goal five is improved maternal health which has two main targets. The study assessed maternal health targets in the Dangme West District. The study used a qualitative paradigm and a case study design. The qual...
ABSTRACT Cervical cancer is a global public health problem that has claimed the lives of several women. However, information on level of knowledge about the disease and the behaviors that predisposes to the infection is scarce especially among tertiary female students in south-south Nigeria. The objectives of the study were to assess cervical cancer knowledge, elicit the types of risk behaviors practiced among the students and to give recommendations based on findings. Descriptive compar...
ABSTRACT Sickle Cell Anemia, an inherited devastating genetic disorder requires wholistic and multi-disciplinary approach in its care, with full involvement of affected families. Children are the future generation of any ethnic group and their vulnerability nature calls for proper care. World Health Organization (WHO), declared sickle cell anemia public health priority according to Makani et al.,2010 as 2% of New Born Babies in Nigeria Alone are affected by sickle cell anemia given a tot...