ABSTRACT Background: Arsenic (As), mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb) are toxic heavy metals that occur naturally in the environment. However, their levels are on the rise due to anthropogenic activities posing threat to aquatic wildlife and humans. Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess As, Hg and Pb concentrations in sediment, water and fishes from the Ankobra and Tano River in the Western Region of Ghana, where human activities; especially the artisanal gold mining have been suspected of g...
ABSTRACT Background: The use of biomass fuel for cooking leads to the production of air pollutants which could be deleterious to human health. Some studies have reported decreased pulmonary function and prevalence of certain respiratory symptoms among biomass fuel users. However, no study has been conducted to investigate the relationship between Ga-kenkey making, an activity heavily reliant on use of biomass fuel and respiratory health of Ga-kenkey makers. Objective: The primary objective ...
ABSTRACT Background Cervical cancer is a Public Health threat. The disease imposes economic burden on resources in the form of medical and non-medical expenditure and loss of productivity. Cervical cancer cases are expected to increase in 2030 by 1.5-fold in view of the rising world population. A woman who develops cervical cancer in sub-Saharan Africa has at least 79 percent chance of dying from this malignancy. Cervical cancer risk can be reduced by 80 percent through regular screening. Gen...
ABSTRACT In 2003, Ghana Health Service (GHS) introduced an appraisal system with the aim of improving performance of its employees and also link both individual and organizational performances to achieving critical health targets. Using performance indicators, this thesis assessed the perception of selected health workers on performance appraisal in GHS and its implications for organizational commitment and achievement of the three health related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Data were...
iv ABSTRACT Background: Globally, adolescent period is a critical developmental phase where many preventable health problems are acquired. However, studies have shown that parent adolescent sexual communication is protective against risky sexual behaviours. Nationally, parent adolescent communication on Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) rarely occurs. Furthermore, anecdotal evidence along the coastal towns/suburbs shows a high prevalence of risky sexual behaviours and its associated consequenc...
ABSTRACT Background Rabies remain a public health threat although can be eliminated by vaccinating dogs which are major reservoirs of the disease and through pre and post-exposure prophylaxis in humans. Rabies is a fatal viral encephalitis disease which is untreatable when clinical symptoms develop. It is a neglected and old infectious zoonotic disease with fatality rate of 100%, worldwide distributed but more endemic area being in developing countries of Asia and Africa. In Ghana from 2000 t...
ABSTRACT Introduction: HIV/AIDS remains one of the world’s most important Public Health issue according to WHO (2014). The Ghana AIDS Commission (2014) reports a linear downward trend of HIV since the year 2008. Several studies report different prevalence of sexual risk behavior among PLWHA, but very few studies have been conducted in Ghana. The primary mode of HIV transmission is through sexual contact, which accounts for a greater number of new HIV cases (Ghana AIDS Commission, 2013). Hen...
ABSTRACT Background: Youth sexuality is of paramount interest to many stakeholders, since potential negative consequences may occur. These include HIV/AIDS, other STIs, and unintended pregnancies. Studies elsewhere indicate that sexting increases risky sexual behaviour among the youth. In Ghana however, there is no empirical evidence about sexting behaviours among the youth and the extent to which sexting influences risky sexual behaviours. This study, sought to examine the influence of sexti...
ABSTRACT Purpose: In Ghana the available statistics on unsafe abortions could only be gathered from the hospitals and the clinics especially in the major cities, leaving out the numerous cases of self –induced abortions in the rural communities where the women privately indulged in induced abortion without it being recorded in any hospital records. The purpose of this study was to investigate methods of self –induced abortion, one of the causes of maternal mortality in Ghana. This study s...
ABSTRACT Background Malaria in pregnancy is a public health problem especially in sub-Saharan Africa. “Intermittent Preventive Treatment in pregnancy using Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine” (IPTp-SP) is one of the proven interventions for preventing malaria in pregnancy. The WHO policy on IPTp-SP recommends a universal coverage of four or more doses per pregnancy. However, in 2014, only 17% of eligible pregnant women received three or more doses of IPTp-SP in the Brong Ahafo region of Ghana. Mal...
ABSTRACT Introduction: Cancer of the cervix is said to be the commonest cancer second to breast cancer worldwide yet it causes the highest cancer deaths occurring among women. Cervical cancer prevalence rate remains very high in most developing countries including Ghana despite the introduction of its prevention as well as treatment options. The study therefore sought to assess the knowledge and awareness of cervical cancer and cervical cancer screening among these women in the Asante ...
ABSTRACT Introduction: Infertility is the inability of a couple to conceive after one year of regular unprotected sexual intercourse. In the Ghanaian society women bear the brunt for a couple’s inability to have children. Studies put male factors and female factors on the same level of causation. There seem to be little knowledge about male infertility in our communities. This study sought to assess knowledge about male infertility, identify some of the factors associated with knowledge abo...
ABSTRACT Background World Health Organisation Global malaria programme recommends three primary interventions that must be scaled up in countries to effectively respond to malaria control and management towards achieving the millennium development goals for malaria by 2015 and one of these is Indoor Residual Spraying. The Indoor Residual Spraying programme was started in the Obuasi Municipality in 2006 by the AngloGold Ashanti Mining Company as a measure to reduce the expenditure in...
ABSTRACT Introduction Ghana adopted a new Intermittent Preventive Treatment (IPT) of malaria in pregnancy policy in 2004, thus, from use of weekly Chloroquine chemoprophylaxis to use of Sulphadoxine-Pyrimethamine (SP) at intervals of four weeks as IPT for malaria in pregnancy. Despite its full implementation, the coverage still remains below the set target of 100% of at least IPT2. This study sought factors affecting IPT-SP uptake among pregnant women in the Sunyani Municipality Methodology T...
ABSTRACT Improving coverage of immunisation is a key component of programmes for reducing childhood morbidity and mortality. Despite several resources committed, Akinyele Local Government Area (LGA) had low immunisation coverage of 28% of OPV-3 as at October 2007 when the study was conducted. The factors contributing to these problems were yet to be fully explored. This study was therefore designed to assess the factors influencing utilisation of immunisation services in Akinyele LGA, Oyo St...