ABSTRACT Background: Buruli ulcer (BU) is commonly found in waterlogged areas, and its prevalence is high among farmers, especially rice farmers, illegal miners (galamsey) and children who engage in fishing activities (Huygen et al., 2013). Public health interventions for all diseases including Buruli ulcer, seek to persuade cases to report to the health facility early, as this will potentially reduce the cost of treatment and prevent disabilities. Unfortunately, most BU affected individuals...
ABSTRACT Background: Research involving human participants presents a number of key ethical challenges. In the context of health-related research, it is globally recognized that there is the need to protect human participants from the risks that may be posed by various research activities. These risks may be social, psychological, emotional, and physical. One of the key safeguards to protecting human participants from research-related risks is the role of Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) o...
ABSTRACT Religious noise pollution is gradually becoming rampant and a nuisance in most residential areas in Ghana. This study set out to assess the levels of religious noise produced in some selected communities in the Ashaiman Municipality. A Geographical Positioning System (GPS) was used to obtain the coordinates of the churches and mosques and the distances of 50 m, 100 m, 150 m and 200 m away from the churches/mosques. Noise exposure zones were then mapped using ARCGIS 10.1 software an...
ABSTRACT The main aim of this study was to establish patients/family and healthcare practitioners’ perception on palliative care as alternative to dialysis in the treatment of End Stage Kidney Disease (ESKD) in Kumasi Metropolis. A descriptive qualitative with phenomenological overtone research design was used for this study. A purposive sampling technique was used to obtain 17 participants (8 health care practitioners, 6 patients and 3 family members) out of 30 healthcare practitioners and...
ABSTRACT Promoting Clinical Governance among health facilities is critical for healthcare quality improvement. It also ensures transparency, effective risk management and provides educational opportunities for health workers. The main aim of this study was to assess clinical governance and its effect(s) on perceived hospital performance among health workers in Psychiatric hospitals in Ghana. Both qualitative and quantitative research approaches and cross-sectional survey were adopted for the...
ABSTRACT Background: Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in adolescents is increasing in the wake of the obesity epidemic among children and adolescents. There is paucity of data on the prevalence of metabolic syndrome among adolescents in Ghana. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of predictors of metabolic syndrome in adolescents using cost effective noninvasive methods, and its associations with sociodemographic factors and physical activity. Method: A cross sectional stud...
ABSTRACT Introduction: Low back pain (LBP) is a clinical condition which is becoming common among working population worldwide, including, Ghana. However, the lack of data on its prevalence and associated risk factors among EMTs in Ghana limits efforts to mitigate the effects on these group of workers. Objective: This study therefore sought to determine the prevalence and factors associated with low back pain among EMTs in Greater Accra Region. Methods: The study was cross sectional in desig...
ABSTRACT Background: Good nutrition in the early years of life is very crucial for the growth and development of children. Most of the eating and health behaviours developed in the early years of life are likely to persist into adulthood. Food choice is a complex behaviour that is influenced by multiple factors such as environmental, personal and biological factors. Parents, particularly mothers have powerful influence over children’s early food experiences. However, no systematic research...
ABSTRACT Background: People have been and always will be the source of blood, and although they know the necessity of blood donation, there is low participation of blood donation and thus, shortage of blood is always the situation. Potential donors in the age range of 18 to 25 years are very scarce, which means it is important to sensitize this group of population for regular blood donation. So far, no such study was found in Ghana, which aimed at young individual's knowledge of, attitude to...
ABSTRACT Background: Vaccination is one of the most cost effective public health interventions. Real or perceived adverse events following immunization (AEFI) can however undermine the credibility of a vaccine and an immunization programme. Ghana rolled out a measles-rubella combined vaccine in a mass immunization campaign in September, 2013. We assessed the AEFI associated with the vaccine in Jirapa District to obtain baseline data and appropriately respond to public concerns on safety iss...
ABSTRACT Background Mental Health, mostly overlooked as a non-communicable disease, is becoming an issue of national concern. Though the Mental Health Act 846 of 2012 was passed into law in 2012, mental health services seem to be virtually invisible in many communities. Persons with mental health disorders are mostly stigmatized and discriminated, suffering low quality of life in their diverse communities. This study sought to identify the factors influencing mental health utilization at the...
ABSTRACT Tuberculosis continues to be an important public health problem worldwide. The World Health Organization estimated that human TB incidence and death for the 1990 to 1999 period would be 88 million and 30 million respectively, with most cases in developing countries. Zoonotic TB caused by M. bovis is present in animals in most developing countries (including Ghana) where surveillance and control activities are often inadequate or unavailable. Consequently, many epidemiological and pub...
ABSTRACT Turnover intention is the conceived idea by nurses to leave one hospital for another or to quit the nursing profession for another job. The shortage of nurses in healthcare organizations is a global concern. Retention of nurses can be ensured with effective leadership and managerial practices resulting in quality health care delivery. This study investigated the leadership styles of Nurse Managers and its influence on the turnover intention of nurses in Hospitals in the Brong Ahafo R...
ABSTRACT Background: Anaemia is a state in which the amount of red blood cells (RBCs) is insufficient to meet the body’s physiologic needs depending on age, gender and residential elevation. Blood transfusion may be indicated when there is anaemia. Blood for transfusion is obtained from a healthy person who gives consent for his/her blood to be drawn for the intention of transfusion. To ensure safe blood transfusion, adoption of stringent donor selection criteria is applied and potential b...
ABSTRACT Introduction Emergency contraceptive pills (ECP) are one amongst the thirteen essential commodities self-addressed by the United Nations Commission on Life-Saving Commodities for ladies and youngsters. Several studies have shown that inadequate provider knowledge is an important barrier to EC provision and use in a range of settings. This study therefore sought to examine the factors influencing emergency contraceptive prescription among health providers in the Accra Metropolis. Meth...