ABSTRACT Antimicrobial properties of essential oils (EOs) from plants have historically been explored and traditionally used as antiseptics and medicines. Recent studies on EOs of selected edible plants have shown great potential for inhibition of spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms that occur in foods. Food applications of essential oils have however been limited due to solubility issues, unaffordable extraction technologies, low yield and strong flavours etc. Indigenous spices are common...
ABSTRACT Objective: To assess the strategic management practice for malaria control in the Dangme West district. Methods: Strategic management (SM) practice was assessed in all HCFs both in the public and private and some chemical shops within the Dangme West district using semistructured questionnaires and question guides. In-depth interviews were carried out with healthcare providers in their clinical setting. The status of key malaria control indicators was assessed by interviewing 385 hea...
ABSTRACT Adolescents’ sexual and reproductive health is a top priority of policy makers around the world. However, risks associated with their sexual behaviour continue to increase. Adolescents engage in sexual intercourse before finishing high school. In the era of HIV/AIDs and other STIs, it is found that either not using condom or having had multiple sexual partners is a significant problem among adolescents. Adolescents are increasingly learning about sexual issues from their peers but ...
ABSTRACT Underpinned by the Synthesis Theory of Implementation and Malhora et al. Multidimensional Empowerment Framework, this study sought to examine the prospects, successes and implementation challenges of women’s economic empowerment programmes and policies (LEAP and MASLOC) in the Chereponi District of Ghana. A qualitative research approach adopting a case study design was employed to carry out this research work. Fifty respondents were sampled from both MASLOC and LEAP programmes in t...
ABSTRACT Leprosy is a special public health problem because of its potential for social consequences and permanent disabilities. The multidrug therapy has been efficacious in the treatment of leprosy, including prevention of disability when initiated early. However, adherence rates to the MDT have been below expectations in Nigeria. The objective of this study was to determine the factors influencing MDT adherence in Qua Iboe Church leprosy Hospital, Southern Nigeria. This was a cross section...
ABSTRACT Introduction: Adolescent obesity and hypertension have reached alarming levels and their prevalence continues to rise to the extent that WHO has labeled them as epidemics. Adolescent obesity and hypertension are of importance because adolescents carry these diseases into adulthood and are likely to develop non-communicable diseases in their early years of adulthood. Despite this challenge, the burden of obesity among adolescents and its relationship with hypertension among adolescent...
ABSTRACT Background: Exposure to Household Air Pollution (HAP), produced from the use of the biomass fuel for cooking possesses a lot of health problems to its users. The most commonly used biomass fuel includes but not limited to; wood, straws, crop residues and animal dung. With over fifty percent of the world’s population relying on biomass fuel to generate energy for household purposes, mostly those in the developing countries, there is the need to study the health effect of the gases (...
ABSTRACTThough the threat of HIV/AIDS is universal, there appears to be a real threat of the disease to the young people of Hohoe District in the Volta Region. The district was selected in 1999 from the national level for HIV/AIDS control activities following progressively increasing results from Sentinel Surveillance Surveys conducted on antenatal clinic attendants at the Hohoe District Hospital (a sentinel site) where only 50% of pregnant women attend. The HIV prevalence in the district is ...
ABSTRACT Background: Female commercial sex workers are a group of people who are important in the transmission of sexually transmitted infections (STI‘s). Studies have shown that, both their commercial and non – commercial partners are sources of STI infections and other diseases. Regular health seeking behaviour to health facility has been proven to remarkably reduce the transmission of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and therefore its important for the success of any STI contr...
ABSTRACT Background: Uptake of skilled delivery is identified to be the best pointer of advancement concerning decreasing maternal mortality globally. Also 50% or more pregnant women deliver yearly without a skilled birth attendant worldwide .Maternal mortality Ratio (MMR) in Ghana is currently 319 per 100,000 live births. Majority of the women in the Ada-Foah sub-district do not utilize skilled delivery services according to the District Health Information Management System figures. Mater...
ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Food is susceptible to contamination taking the food chain into consideration. In Ghana, food products are mostly purchased in an open market where people can display their bargaining skills therefore meat and other animal products are hardly bought from well designed and state-of-the-art outlet. Meat is improperly handled and is exposed to all forms of hazards which may pose health threat to the consumer. Food safety practices is of great concern to public health. OBJECT...
ABSTRACT Background: Noncompliance to antihypertensive medication is a big public health problem to the management of high blood pressure and predisposes majority of the hypertension patients to cardiovascular complications. According to World Health Organization (WHO) report, the problem of uncontrolled blood pressure, which is estimated to be 52-74% of patients, is largely because of poor compliance to prescribed antihypertensive medication. The purpose of this study was to determine the...
ABSTRACTThe main objective of the study was to classify the Ghanaian female figure into body sizes. A proportionate sample of 313 Ghanaian female students from the University of Ghana, Legon selected from four age strata were the respondents. The Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS/PC) software was used to analyse the background information, perceived figure types, and figure preferences. The Combination Statistic was used to categorise body measurements to obtain the respondents bod...
ABSTRACT Background: Hawkers constitute mobile population who are at increasing risk of being infected with malaria. They move around the city to carry out their duties. Most of them have no accommodation. They sleep wherever they find themselves in the evening and do not benefit from most of the malaria intervention programs such as the use of long lasting insecticide net. Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine factors associated with malaria infection among hawkers in the ...
ABSTRACT This study was initiated to identify the dominant microbial species and investigate their activities during the fermentation of soybeans to dawadawa. The dominant microorganisms present in both the boiled and roasted soydawadawa, which were spontaneously fermented for 72 h, were isolated, characterized and identified using an API kit. The proteinase and a-am ylase activities of the microorganisms were determined. Quality indices such as pH, moisture, protein and fat contents of the s...