ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Effects of work-life balance on job satisfaction and employee commitment: the moderating effect of gender

This research aims to examine the effects of work-life balance on job satisfaction and employee commitment: a moderating effect of gender. Primary data were gathered from the teaching staff of all University of Cape Coast (UCC) specifically, from five (5) colleges. The total number of teaching staff were 739 consisting of 583 males and 156 females, 400 questionnaires were distributed out of which 300 were retrieved for the data analysis. Quantitative research approach was used for the research The data gathered was analyzed using PLS-SEM (Smart PLS 3) and Statistical Package for Social sciences (SPSS version 23.0). Findings indicates that, gender does not statistically moderate the predictive relationship between work-life balance and job satisfaction at University of Cape Coast although gender had a negative insignificant association with job satisfaction. Again, gender has no moderating effect on work-life balance and commitment of employees in University of Cape Coast. All the various components of work-life balance have some statistically significant weak associations with both employee commitment and job satisfaction among staff at the University of Cape Coast. Based on the findings, it is recommended that the design and implementation of work-life balance policies should be tailored to all manner of workers without discrimination particularly on staff gender in the university as far as the quest to enhancing job satisfaction and employee commitment is concerned.

Source: UCC
Effects of Working Capital Management on Profitability of Banks: A Case Study of Some Selected Banks in Ghana

This study sought to examine the effects of working capital management on profitability of banks with a case study of some selected banks in Ghana. The selected banks included the GCB Bank, Agriculture Development Bank (ADB), National Investment Bank (NIB), Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) and ECOBANK. The study covered a period range of 2006 – 2015 that is a maximum of ten years. The audited annual reports from a sample of five selected banking firms in Ghana were employed for the study. Descriptive analysis as well as correlation and regression analysis were all used to analyze the data. The findings of the descriptive statistics showed that the selected commercial banks had an average of 138.283 days in lieu of collected cash from credit sales. Also, accounts payable period recorded a payment policy of 573.106 days, with a standard deviation of 186.659. The findings further indicated that the commercial banks used for the study needed an average to172.29 days to sell their inventory. Moreover, the inventory holdings period for the selected banks ranged from 0 to 163.23day. Based on the findings, cash conversion cycle took an average of 123.685 days to convert asset into cash. According to the findings of the study, there is a negative relationship between return on asset and cash collection cycle. The findings demonstrated that there was a negative coefficient between return on asset and account receivable. Based on the findings, some of the recommendations suggested included; banks in Ghana should try to come up with drastic reduction in the number of days’ accounts receivables are outstanding and cash conversion cycle. The reduction in the number of days resulted in high profit maximization for the banks. Hence it is also recommended that the banks should adopt effective working capital management practices which enable them to keep working capital at its optimal level.

Source: UCC
Effects of working capital management policies on shareholders’ value: Evidence from listed manufacturing firms in Ghana

Although working capital management decisions concern short-term assets and liabilities, they have both short-term and long-term implications on the profitability and shareholder value. The study sought to examine the effects of working capital management policies on shareholder value creation for six manufacturing firms listed at Ghana Stock Exchange for a period of 2000-2013. Data were gathered from the annual reports of the firms and the publication of Ghana Stock Exchange. Descriptive statistics, One-way ANOVA, panel fully modified ordinary least square and dynamic panel ARDL methodologies were used for analyzing the data. The results revealed that the firms were following moderate working capital management policies. The study found significant differences among the current asset investment policies across different firms. However, no significant differences were observed for financing policies. The grouped Fully Modified OLS and Panel ARDL regression results indicated that conservative current asset investment policies increase ROE and EVA while aggressive current asset investment policies enhance market-to-book ratio and Tobin’s Q in the long-run. On the other hand, aggressive current asset financing policies increase ROE while conservative current asset financing policies enhance market-to-book ratio, Tobin’s Q and EVA in the long-run. Thus, a firm pursuing aggressive current asset investment policy should balance it with conservative current asset financing policy and vice versa in order to enhance profitability and create value for their investors.

Source: UCC
The effects of working conditions on the health of the staff of Ghana Commercial Bank limited in Ashanti zone

The working conditions of the Ghana Commercial Bank Limited (GCB Ltd) has been regarded by its members of staff as unfavorable, as it has had negative repercussions on their health. By virtue of this problem, this study sought to ascertain the effect of the conditions of work on the health of the bank’s staff members in Kumasi Zone. Specifically, the research examined the elements that motivated workers to render their services with the bank, the nature of their conditions of work and the health problems that besotted them as a result of their working conditions. One hundred and fifteen (115) respondents were selected from a population of one hundred and twenty (120) respondents. The stratified sampling method was adopted to classify the respondents into seven categories to reflect their job descriptions. The simple random sampling technique was then employed to select the embarked 115 respondents. The descriptive survey was adopted as the research design, while questionnaire was used as the instrument for data collection to elicit primary data. Tables, pie charts and bar graphs were employed as the methods for data analysis. Finding from the study depicted that most workers bemoaned their late closure from work on a daily basis, which was obligatory. They saw this aspect of their job as undesirable, as it eventually caused stress, high blood pressure, obesity and other illnesses in their lives, as a remedy to the said problems, early closure from work and the enforcement of the division of labour in the bank were suggested mechanisms to pre-empt stress and its associated diseases

Source: UCC
Effects of Xenobiotics on the health of E-Waste workers in Agbogbloshie, Accra, Ghana

This thesis evaluated the self-reported health effects of xenobiotics on electronic waste workers in Agbogbloshie, Accra, Ghana. In this occupational setting, many workers do not wear personal protective equipment (PPE), which exposes them to xenobiotics through inhalation, ingestion and dermal contact. The study was mainly quantitative consisting of measurements of concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including formaldehyde and methane, and particulate matter of size 2.5 microns in the low, medium and high intensity zones of exposure. In addition, more than two hundred electronic waste workers were surveyed to ascertain linkages between E-waste activity, exposure and reported disease symptoms. There was a strong positive correlation between PM2.5 and concentrations of VOCs. However, there were no significant non-carcinogenic health risks to E waste workers in Agbogbloshie in either the central tendency exposure (CTE) or reasonable maximum exposure (RME) scenarios. The results also indicated a significant positive relationship between educational attainment and level of knowledge of the human health risks associated with exposure to E-waste related smoke. The level of knowledge regarding the environmental and health effects of E waste was a significant predictor of use of multiple PPE by E-waste workers. Moreover, there was a strong association of E-waste worker use of multiple PPE and reduced self-reported adverse human health outcomes. Based on the above, E-waste workers should be educated and encouraged to use PPE and embrace mechanical alternatives to removing valuable metals from E-waste instead of burning. Also, the government of Ghana and other non-governmental organisations working in the E waste sector should initiate programmes that subsidize the cost of PPE in order to eventually ensure widespread use by E-waste workers.

Source: UCC
Efficacies of Counselling Theories in Reducing Suicide Ideation Among Undergraduate Students of University Of Cape Coast, Ghana

The purpose of this study was to examine the relative efficacies of two counselling theories [Individual Psychology (IP) and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)] in reducing suicide ideation among regular undergraduate students of University of Cape Coast. A mixed methods approach was used in which a quasi-experimental research design, specifically, the pre-test, post-test and control group design was combined with a qualitative phase. Thirty (30) undergraduate students from four colleges in the University were non-randomly assigned to two treatment groups and one control group for the quantitative data using Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation, while eight were interviewed for the qualitative data. Descriptive statistics (frequency and percentage) and inferential statistics (dependent samples t-test, independent samples t-test and MANOVA) were used to analyse the quantitative data at the alpha level of .05. The qualitative data were analysed thematically. The results revealed that undergraduate students of the University of Cape Coast only rarely and intermittently experience suicide ideation. Also, gender, age, level of study and college of students influenced suicide ideation among undergraduate students of the University. Furthermore, the results revealed that both IP and CBT are effective in reducing suicide ideation among undergraduate students, with CBT being slightly more effective than IP. The study recommended that regular screening exercises in suicide ideation be made part of the University’s programme to be organised by the Counselling Center in order to create awareness and help students who are suicidally ideated to reduce or eliminate this problem. The findings of the study can also be shared with the appropriate authorities (the University, counsellors and other stakeholders) to alert and assure them of the availability of therapies that can be used to reduce suicide ideation

Source: UCC
Efficacies of Integrative Behavioural Couple Therapy (Ibct) and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (Cbt) in Reducing Marital Distress among Pentecostal Christian Couples in Central Region, Ghana

The level of marital distress in Ghana has become an issue of concern to stakeholders as distressed couples are resorting to separation or divorce. The purpose of this study was therefore to ascertain whether using Integrative Behavioural Couples Therapy (CBT) and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (IBCT) as intervention strategies could reduce marital distress of Christians in the Cape Coast Metropolis of Ghana. The study was carried out using the pre-test, post-test, control group design, a type of quasi-experimental research. The researcher selected 60 respondents who were severely distressed out of 215 married couples using a compendium of instruments on Conceptualising and Measuring “Healthy Marriages” for Empirical Research and Evaluation Studies (Task One Part II), developed by Carreno, Cleveland, Bronte-Tinkew and Moore (2003). Participants were put into three groups of 20 each, two for the treatment groups (CBT and EBCT) and the third one for the control group. A purposive sampling technique was used to select married couples while simple random sampling procedure was used to place the respondents into the three groups. Data was analyesd using descriptive and inferential statistics. The study revealed that IBCT and CBT therapies were found to be effective in reducing marital distress in the Cape Coast Metropolis. Also, it was found out that the level of marital distress of participants reduced further with Integrative Behavioural Couples Therapy (IBCT) as compared to using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). The study recommended that marriage counsellors should resort to the use of Integrative Behavioural Couples Therapy (IBCT) and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) in assisting married couples out of marital distress and other challenges confronting married couples. The Ghana Psychological Association, the Ghana Psychological Council, the Counsellors Association of Ghana and the Christian Council of Ghana should intensify the use of Integrative Behavioural Couples Therapy (IBCT) and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) in assisting clients out of challenges.

Source: UCC
Efficacite De L‟enseignement De La Comprehension Orale Du Fle Dans Les Lycées Du Ghana

The general objective of teaching and learning French in Ghana seeks to develop communicative competency to equip Ghanaian students with some skills to communicate with their francophone counterparts (CRDD, 2010). Over the years, these objectives have not been achieved. Using the descendant and ascendant listening comprehension models by Gremmo et Holec (1990) through observation and test, an evaluative study was conducted. It sets to evaluate listening lesson‟s techniques with regard to both learner‟s understanding and the objective. The study pointed out that, at the pre-listening stage, expository techniques were used but their content did not activate relevant previous knowledge on oral text neither were new elements from the topic tackled. During the listening stage, two types of techniques were identified. There were close- and open- questions type, initiated by descendant listening model but they were administered to students after listening, hence, learners did not interact with the oral content. Teachers also resorted to question/ answer, translation and repetition techniques with which they explained the oral text to learners in English. Again, listening interaction was absent, but rather, both written and verbal interactions were privileged. At post-listening stage, no reflective activity on listening experience, was noted. The results of the test show that 42.2% of learners passed in items based on linguistic, 35% passed in pragmatic while 64.3% passed in those based on socio cultural aspect. The study concluded that, the techniques adopted are not beneficial to both learner‟s understanding and the objective. Hence, the study has suggested remedies to synchronize teaching techniques for listening comprehension lesson with the objective.

Source: UCC
The efficacy of aqueous and ethanolic leaf extracts of Pistia stratiotes linn in the management of arthritis and fever

Arthritic pain and disability are at or near the top of the list of reasons adult patients seek medical attention. This study therefore attempts to establish the efficacy of an aqueous and ethanolic leaf extract of Pistia stratiotes Linn (Araceae) in a rodent experimental model of arthritis and fever to ascertain its importance in the traditional management of this inflammatory disorder. The aqueous and ethanolic extracts of P. stratiotes at doses of 30, 100, and 300 mg/kg as well as 0.3 mg/kg methotrexate, 0.46 mg/kg diclofenac and 1 mg/kg dexamethasone were administered to formalin- induced arthritic rats. The same doses of the extracts in comparison to 150 mg/kg acetaminophen were also administered to rats in which fever had been induced with lipopolysaccharides. Data ob- tained was analyzed using GraphPad Prism 5.0. The results obtained indicated significant reduc- tion (P ≤ 0.05-0.01) in paw thickness of formalin-induced arthritic animals treated with both aque- ous and ethanolic leaf extracts with effects comparable to that of methotrexate, diclofenac, and dexamethasone. Lipopolysacharride-induced fever in rats was also significantly reduced (P ≤ 0.05- 0.01) at all dose levels of aqueous and ethanolic treated animals in a manner similar to that of acet- aminophen. The aqueous and ethanolic leaf extracts of P. stratiotes have anti-arthritic and antipy- retic effect in formalin-induced arthritis and LPS-induced fever in Sprague-Dawley rats.

Source: UCC
Efficacy of Artemether-Lumefantrine on various Plasmodium falciparum Kelch 13 and Pfmdr1 genes isolated in Ghana

Artemether-Lumefantrine (A-L) remains the drug of choice for the treatment of uncomplicated malaria in Ghana. However, the pharmaco-activity of A-L has not been assessed on various Plasmodium falciparum Kelch 13 and Pfmdr1 genes. Therefore, this study sought to determine the therapeutic efficacy of A-L on P. falciparum parasites isolated from Ghana. Methods: The clinical study was done in Ga West Municipality, Ghana, where 78 uncomplicated malaria patients were recruited with prior consent. The patients were treated orally with A-L according to national treatment guidelines. Baseline parasitaemia was determined before treatment and 8-hourly parasitaemia posttreatment were determined till initial clearance of parasitaemia and at days 7, 14, 21, and 28. Kelch 13 and Pfmdr1 genes were genotyped by sequencing using baseline samples. Parasite clearance characteristics were determined using Parasite Clearance Estimator beta 0.9 application. Results: Five Kelch 13 (F446I, S466N, R539I, A578S, and A676S) and three Pfmdr1 mutations (N86Y, Y184F and D1246Y) were identified in 78 infected samples. About 8% of the samples contained two Pfmdr1 double mutations (N86Y & D1246Y and Y184F & N86Y). Additionally, three samples (3.8%) were found to contain both Kelch 13 mutations and Pfmdr1 wild type genes. In all patients, parasitaemia persisted within the first 24 h of A-L therapy. However, at hour 40, only two patients were parasitaemic while all patients were aparasitaemic at hour 48. The genotypic profiles of the two persistent parasites at hour 40 were F446I and D1246Y, and R539I, Y184F, and N86Y. The slope half-life of the former was 6.4 h while the latter was 6.9 h and their respective PCT99 were 47.9 h and 49.2 h as well as a clearance rate constants of 0.109 and 0.092 respectively. Conclusion: This study reports the effectiveness of A-L on various P. falciparum mutant alleles. However, continuous surveillance of Kelch 13 mutations and Pfmdr1 gene in Ghana and regular assessment of the therapeutic efficacy of A-L and other artemisinin derivatives is recommended.

Source: UCC
The Efficacy of Calotropis Procera Extracts on Plasmodium Berghei in Swiss Albino Mice

Malaria is one of the most prevalent human infections worldwide and treatment has been com-promised by drug resistance to the parasite. Calotropis procera, is known for its pharmacological importance for many years. This study sought to determine efficacy of Calotropis procera extracts on Plasmodium berghei in swiss mice. In vitro antimalarial activity was carried out. In vivo parasite growth inhibitory effect of crude extract was assessed in mice inoculated with Plasmodium berghei (ANKA strain). The in vivo antiplasmodial activity of the test extract was performed against early infection (4-day suppressive test), curative effect against established infection and prophylactic effect against residual infection. Acute toxicity was carried out according to OECD guidelines. Anti-inflammatory and anti-pyretic activities were carried out on the extract. The in vitro parasitaemia suppression was IC50= 83.91± 0.375μg/ml. In vivo parasite growth inhibition effect of crude extract of C. procera was evaluated at 200, 400 and 600 mg/kg dose levels. It suppressed parasitaemia by P˂ 0.0001 at 600 mg/kg dose level in the 4- day test. In curative and prophylactic potential tests, it suppressed parasitaemia by P˂ 0.001 and P< 0.0015 at 600 mg/kg dose level, respectively. In vivo toxicity tests revealed mild toxicity at high dose. All parasitaemia suppressions were statistically significant at P< 0.05 as compared to the vehicle-treated group. The antipyretic and anti-inflammatory activities showed P< 0.0002 and P< 0.0144 at dose 300 mg/kg. The crude extract also prolonged survival time in a dosedependent manner. The investigation results suggest that the leave extract of C. procera possesses antimalarial activity. It is therefore necessary for the government to create funds for research institutions to carry out a series of work on other plants to elucidate its potency in treating the malaria disease.

Source: UCC
The efficacy of rapid diagnostic test (rdt) in diagnosing Plasmodium Falciparum malaria in some selected health facilities in the cape coast metropolis of Ghana

Malaria remains the highest cause of morbidity and mortality in Ghana and the rest of sub-Saharan Africa. Early diagnosis is therefore essential to treatment and eradication of the disease. This study was therefore designed to find out the efficacy of the First Response PfHRP2 malaria antigen test kit which promises to give reliable test results in diagnosing P. falciparum malaria as microscopy, the gold standard, since most of the malaria cases in our part of the world is caused by Plasmodium falciparum. The survey was carried out on a total number of 354 patients on who clinicians had requested for malaria test in four selected health facilities within the Cape Coast metropolis of Ghana. For each of these patients, both thick and thin blood films for microscopy, and rapid diagnostic test (RDT) were done using blood obtained from a finger prick or venipuncture. Of the 354 patients, 66 (18.6%) positive malaria cases were recorded for both microscopy and RDT. Fifty two (52) patients were diagnosed as truly positive for P. falciparum malaria by the rapid diagnostic test and 278 (78.5%) were diagnosed as truly negative. Paired sample T-test showed a p-value of 0.85 at α= 0.05 indicating no significant difference between microscopy and the RDT in the diagnosis of Plasmodium falciparum malaria. A prevalence rate of 18.6% was recorded for malaria cases with 78.8% occurrence of Plasmodium falciparum. The RDT recorded sensitivity and specificity of 79% and 95% respectively. The study lends credence to the fact that the rapid diagnostic test kit has comparable level of accuracy with microscopy and hence can be used in rapid screening of malaria but not as a complete substitute for microscopy in malaria diagnosis.

Source: UCC