ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Hearing loss is often referred to as the invisible handicap and has been defined as debilitating, isolating and a frequently occurring abnormality present at birth. Early identification of hearing loss is important because early auditory deprivation owing to congenital or early-onset hearing loss interferes with the development of the neural structures necessary for hearing and subsequent speech and language acquisition. Data on neonatal hearing screening in Ghana is ver...
ABSTRACT Leadership is a critical determinant of success in any field of endeavour. Nursing is a peoplecentred profession and therefore the issue of leadership is crucial for success. Nurse Managers‘ leadership styles are believed to be important determinant of nurses‘ job satisfaction, retention and productivity. In the wake of a global nursing shortage, maldistribution, increasing healthcare cost and expanding workload, it has become imperative to examine the role of Nurse Managers‘ ...
ABSTRACT Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are a diverse range of medical conditions that can result in inflammatory and degenerative conditions of the bones, tissues, tendons, joints, blood vessels and surrounding peripheral nerves. Less than 10% of MSDs cases have an identifiable cause or can be directly attributed to a primary event. Commercial long distance bus drivers provide a critically important service in any society by transporting a large number of people across country. Unfortunate...
ABSTRACT Background: Commercial Long Distance Drivers (CLDDs) are professional drivers who travel a distance of 140km or more on a regular basis. The habit of leaving home early and also driving for hours may all impact on eating practices, stress and overall health. In Ghana, it has been documented that road accidents are on the rise and these have been attributed to over speeding and careless or reckless driving. In the developed world studies have shown that cardiovascular diseases also co...
ABSTRACT The study explored the attitudes, knowledge and experiences of the youth regarding HIV counseling and testing in the Jirapa district of the Upper West Region of Ghana. The study aimed at finding out the knowledge of the youth about HIV infection, transmission, the beliefs and attitudes toward undergoing HIV test and their experiences at the HIV counseling and testing centres. An exploratory qualitative design was used to explore the youth experiences. The sampling method employed w...
ABSTRACT The perception of nurses about the leadership behaviours of their Nurse Managers is essential in determining the kind of leadership behaviours Nurse Managers adopt, what influences these leader behaviours and their effectiveness. This study investigated the leadership behaviours of Nurse Managers as perceived by nurses in the 37 Military hospital Ghana. A quantitative crosssectional approach was used to collect data from 205 nurses who met the inclusion criteria took part in the stud...
ABSTRACT Background: The use of malaria rapid diagnostic test (RDT) kits is recommended in health facilities where there is so much pressure on microscopy to avoid delay of patients. However, the initiative has been bedevilled by many challenges. Not every suspected malaria case is pathologically confirmed and even among those tested, adherence to test result is often poor. Objective: The main objective of the study was to determine factors influencing the use of RDT in malaria diagnosis in t...
ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to investigate the psychosocial effects that partners of SCD patients experience as a result of their relationship with the patient. A convergent mixed methods approach was used to evaluate the experiences of 75 partners within the city of Accra, Ghana, in 8 psychosocial areas: caregiver burden, marital satisfaction, physical health, psychological wellbeing, social relationships, environmental wellbeing, quality of life, and stigma. Mechanisms of coping ...
ABSTRACT Childbirth which ought to be a joyful moment for families often turn sad and unforgettable experiences with millions of women develop life-long complications. This has been global issue, and has attracted global attention for more than two decades. Several interventions like Fee-exemption policy (FEP), Millennium Village project, safe motherhood programme have been instituted both at national and international level. Quality of childbirth services, delays in obstetric care services, ...
ABSTRACT Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) resulting from the misuse and overuse of antibiotics remains a serious public health concern, with majority of clinicians prescription of antibiotics related to reported cases of acute respiratory infections such as pharyngotonsillitis. Objective: The objective of the study is to assess the pattern of antibiotic prescription by clinicians for treatment of acute pharyngo-tonsillitis and factors associated with prescribing antibiotics for the ...
ABSTRACT Background: Preterm delivery which is delivery occurring less than 37 completed weeks of gestation is a major cause of neonatal mortality and childhood morbidity worldwide. Several factors influence the survival rate of premature babies making them vulnerable and prone to neonatal mortality. However, there is limited evidence on factors that contribute to mortality among preterm neonates in Ghana. The objective of this study was to determine factors influencing mortality among preter...
ABSTRACT The experiences of women who developed obstetric fistulae as a result of complication of labour at the Bawku District Hospital were investigated. An explorative descriptive research methodology was employed to conduct in-depth one -on -one interview with the ten participants between the ages of 20 and 70 years, recruited by purposive sampling. The interv iews were audio taped and transcribed verbatim, after which systematic content analysis was done to identify the themes and their c...
ABSTRACT This study examines the perceptions of the communities in Assin District with respect to exemption policy and its implementation. A combination o f interviews and discussion with community groups was used. A total o f 86 people were interviewed. This comprised mothers caring for children under 5 years, pregnant women, the Aged (70+years) and people not entitled to any exemptions. Three focus groups were organized. This study was necessitated by the fact that most patients in the dist...
ABSTRACT Introduction: Globally, Tuberculosis and Human immunodeficiency virus co-infection is a threat to the control of the Tuberculosis and Human immunodeficiency virus epidemics if measures are not put in place to manage the dual infection. In Ghana, the Health service in collaboration with the National Tuberculosis Control Program and the National AIDS Control Program in June 2007 adopted the World Health Organization policy for the clinical management of Tuberculosis and Human immunodef...
ABSTRACT A study into some factors contributing to the high level of malnutrition among children aged less than five years was carried out in the Assin district of the Central Region of Ghana. It was a cross sectional descriptive study involving a sample size of 326 children aged between three and five years . A questionnaire was administered to the mother/caregiver of each child selected for the survey. Anthropometric measurements of weight and height were taken for each child. The anthropom...