ABSTRACT Aedes-borne viral diseases mainly Dengue (DEN), Zika (ZIK) and Chikungunya (CHK) have contributed to mortality and morbidity in the world especially in Africa. There have been major outbreaks recorded in West Africa. Ghana has not recorded any outbreak of these diseases but the country is at risk of future outbreaks due to its proximity to West African countries where outbreaks have been recorded. This study assessed the risk of transmission of Dengue (DENV), Chikungunya (CHKV) and Z...
ABSTRACT Background: Ghana’s maternal mortality ratio is one of the highest in the world. To achieve significant reduction in maternal mortality there is a need to go beyond analyzing mortality and explore the risk factors of maternal morbidity. Studying severe maternal morbidity enables faster quantitative analysis and makes it possible to obtain in-depth information on the affected woman herself. The research was conducted therefore to determine factors contributing to severe maternal mor...
Abstract Background: Healthcare workers are exposed to myriads of occupational health and safety hazards in the course of work. These hazards arise from many sources and include; biological agents, chemical agents, ergonomic, physical and psychosocial factors in the health facilities. The impact of poor occupational health and safety is felt not just by affected healthcare workers, but also by the patients receiving care in their facilities. The main determinants of occupational health and sa...
ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: The global incidence of hypertension is fast rising and has become a challenge to both developed and developing countries; it is one of the most prevalent non– communicable diseases accounting for a greater burden of diseases in Ghana. Several factors have been noted in the literature to possibly account for low compliance especially for chronic diseases such as hypertension. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to determine the patient, health system, disease and ...
ABSTRACT Introduction: Malaria is a major cause of ill-health and death particularly among pregnant women and children under 5 years. Every year about 300 to 500 million cases of malaria and 1 to 3 million deaths are reported globally of which 90% occurs in sub-Saharan Africa. Prompt and accurate diagnosis is key in managing malaria. Drawbacks regarding microscopy use have made the introduction of malaria RDT key in the strategy for scaling up malaria control. Objectives: The objective of the...
ABSTRACT Introduction: Malaria and typhoid fever cause major health problems especially in low and middle income countries. People in endemic areas are at risk of developing both infections concomitantly. These study was conducted to provide an epidemiological data on co-infection of malaria and typhoid fever in Ga West Municipality Hospital. Methods: A cross-sectional study involving one hundred and fifty seven (157) febrile patients attending Ga West Municipal Hospital, Amasaman from Februa...
ABSTRACT Background: Prostate cancer is the number one cancer afflicting men in Africa and a leading cancer killer among Ghanaian men. Although there is scarcity of information on the disease in African men, higher awareness with related low levels on knowledge, attitudes and perception of self-risk to the disease is established among urban men in West Africa. Objective: This study seeks to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices of men in the Awutu-Senya East Municipality on prostate c...
ABSTRACT Introduction: Livestock production in northern Ghana is vital in the food security and economic development of the people. The development of this sector is hindered by preventable livestock diseases. Outbreaks of Anthrax and other diseases of public health importance have been reported in Northern Region and have become endemic. To date, no comprehensive study has been conducted to know the risk of Anthrax Outbreaks in the region and the region continues to experience persistent unp...
ABSTRACT Background: Ghana has made significant progress in maternal health over the past decades but failed to attain Millennium Development Goal 5 by the end of 2015 that sought to reduce the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) by three-quarters between 1990 and 2015, and achieve universal access to reproductive health by 2015. Consequently, nearly 358 Ghanaian women per 100,000 live births die annually from preventable (or at least reducible) maternal deaths in spite of massive investments by g...
ABSTRACT Background: The natural surroundings of every school is an area that is very important to understand as children spend a significant portion of their lives there and also because they are more susceptible to health implications due to their age and health status. The health implications resulting from some environmental factors like smoke, dust and noise can ultimately affect the academic progress of students. Objective: This study mainly examined the determinants (socio-demographic,...
ABSTRACT The study was conducted in Jirapa Municipality to assess the performance of CHPS zones on maternal and child nutrition indicators. The study was a mixed method descriptive cross sectional study. The study involved all CHPS compounds in the Jirapa Municipality. Convenience sampling was used to obtain registered mothers for child welfare services at the CHPS compound. Two sets of structured questionnaires were used to collect quantitative data, one set for CHPS compounds and the other...
ABSTRACT The World Health Organization in 2009 extrapolates that 10% of the world’s population representing 650 million people live with some form of disability. The Ghana Statistical Survey report in 2012 revealed that over 700 thousand people live with disability in Ghana. The findings of Groce in 2014 and the World Health Organization earlier in 2009 show that persons with disabilities in developing countries are plagued with limited access to sexual and reproductive health information ...
ABSTRACT Background: A summated score is a useful way to capture the different measuring constructs of cognitive functioning, physical functioning and quality of life in healthy ageing. Observational studies and randomized controlled trials have demonstrated that high quality diets improve general health and well-being. The NU-AGE diet quality index was developed with the aim of ensuring healthy ageing for European older adults. Objective: The primary aim of this study was to develop a summ...
ABSTRACT As a fast-growing District in Northern Ghana, Kumbungu has had expansion in female school population at the Basic level with persistent menstrual challenges. The phenomenal Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) and its accompanying management problems have had a profound effect on girl child education in the District. The study focused on the impact of menstrual hygiene management on the health and school attendance of adolescent girls in junior high Schools in the District. The main o...
ABSTRACT Introduction Smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB+) remains the main contributor of total TB burden in Ghana. One untreated PTB+ patient can transmit infection to up to 15 persons in a year. However, the average duration between onset of symptoms and the initiation of TB treatment is unknown in the region though necessary to be targeted and reduced in an effort to reduce transmission of TB in our health facilities and community. The study evaluated the timeliness and factors th...