ABSTRACT It is very important to assess adherence to ARTs to understand why treatment fail. However, measurement of adherence especially in the clinic setting is very difficult as there is no single method that best measures it. The main objective of this study was to measure adherence to ART among HIV patients (PLWHA) at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) using, pill counts and Self-report and also to identify factors that contributes to optimal adherence. The design was a cross sectional...
ABSTRACT Background: Adolescents are experiencing early maturity and are therefore engaging in early sexual initiation; which exposes them to negative outcomes such as unintended pregnancy, unsafe abortions, STIs, among others. Identifying the drivers of early intercourse among adolescent is key in developing interventions targeting adolescent sexual and reproductive health. Objective: This study examined factors influencing early sexual initiation among adolescents aged 15 to 19 years in Gha...
ABSTRACT Background: Routine empiric antibiotic therapy is common in patients living with HIV/AIDS. Such routine antibiotic regimen could lead to selection of multidrug resistance especially ESBLs in hitherto drug sensitive intestinal colonizing flora. There is paucity of data to describe intestinal carriage of ESBL-producing enterobacteria in HIV/AIDS patients. Aim: This study was designed to examine HIV/AIDS patients for faecal carriage with extendedspectrum beta-lactamase producing enterob...
ABSTRACT Background: Studies have shown that motivation improves performance of health workers. However, when health workers are not motivated enough their performance and delivery of care is affected. Therefore, ensuring health worker motivation is important, if health workers are to perform their optimum best and effectively deliver health services. Objectives: The main objective of the study was to determine the influence of motivation on health worker performance. Methods: This st...
ABSTRACT Adherence to tuberculosis (TB) medication has a paramount significance to the management of patients with tuberculosis. Researchers have considerably developed an interest to explore various aspects that yielded information about TB medication adherence. Determinants of TB medication adherence are considered factors that could prevent or enable patients to either adhere or default to the treatment. This study, therefore, sought to explore the determinants among patients with TB at So...
ABSTRACT Current demand for soybean in Kenya is higher than production. The deficit which is over 95% is filled through importation from neighboring countries. Despite the high demand, adoption and production is low (0.56 to 1.1 t ha-1) against potential yield of 3.0 – 3.6 t ha-1. The low production is associated with low use of fertilizers. Farmers are using mineral fertilizers below recommended rates and they are not using organic fertilizers despite them being readily available. The obje...
ABSTRACT Microfinance has shown to be an effective tool for combating poverty and improving the wellbeing of the poor. Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) area community managed micro finance thathas been reported to attain outreach and impact to rural people better than formal, centralized microfinance institutions.However, the VSLA sector in Tanzania is rapidly changing in terms of its operations; these changes are introducing both innovations and new risks that are affecting the...
ABSTRACT Together with the excessive consumption of pre-packaged foods, insufficient awareness and use of nutrition labels have been linked to the rising epidemic of diet related chronic diseases. In Ghana, people are increasingly consuming pre-packaged foods, which are generally associated with high salt, sugar and fat contents, and other elements that can be harmful to health. This makes the use of the nutrition label very important. Therefore, this study sought to assess consumer level of ...
AOSTRACT Background: Significant increase in aged population in society has come with deteriorating health issues negating the effects of major inputs th eaged make to nation development Objectins: Thisstudyassessed factors influencing access to healtllcare among the aged in the Keta Municipality. Methods: A community-based cross-!>ectional study carried out among the aged. The Andersen's Healthcare Utilization Model was adapted for the study. A c luster and systematic random sampling approoc...
ABSTRACT Background: Occupational exposure to blood and body fluids (BBFs) is an everyday risk faced by HCWs as they come into contact with patients in their work activities. The most common pathogens of concern are HBV, HCV and HIV which are the most commonly transmitted. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the factors that expose HCWs to BBFs. It was also to determine the prevalence of exposure and to investigate behaviours of HCWs after exposure. Methods: Associations we...
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...
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: Cervical cancer is the commonest gynaecological cancer in women worldwide with more than 85% of the global burden occurring in developing countries where it accounts for 13% of all female cancers and a major cause of cancer-related deaths. It has a long latency period and it is one of the few cancers that are preventable through regular screening. Objective: This study aimed to assess the awareness of cervical cancer among young female adults and their willingness to scre...
ABSTRACT Late diagnosis of HIV is a major hindrance in the campaign to control the spread of HIV/ AIDS. Late diagnosis, defined as the presence of CD4 lymphocyte count of less than 350/ul and or WHO stage 3 or 4 disease at diagnosis, leads to late entry into care. This subsequently results in a delay in ART initiation and poorer treatment outcomes. In sub-Saharan Africa, 45% - 72.8% of HIV positive patients are being diagnosed at a late stage of the disease. However the proportion of HIV pat...
ABSTRACT Safe drinking water is a basic need for good health as well as for human and economic development. Diarrhoea kills more than HIV and AIDS, and malaria combined. Diarrhoea kills about two million people especially children under five each year. The study investigates the relationship between source of household drinking water and diarrhoea incidence among children under five years in Ghana. A sample of 2,728 women who had given birth in the last five years preceding the survey was dra...