ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
The impact of Safety climate on safety performance in a gold mining company in Ghana.

The study investigated the influence of safety climate on safety performance among employees in a multi-national gold mining company in Ghana. Safety climate was conceptualized and measured in terms of employee perceptions of management value for safety, supervisor safety practices, safety communication, safety training and safety system. Safety performance was conceptualized and measured in terms of employee safety compliance and safety participation, that is, how they make suggestions to improve safety in the mining environment. Using a cross-sectional survey design, 235 workers in the mines completed questionnaires on safety climate and safety performance. Pearson correlations and multiple regression analysis of the data indicated positive relationship between safety climate and safety performance as predicted. Safety systems predicted both safety compliance and participation. Safety communication and supervisory practices predicted safety compliance and safety participation respectively. The results are discussed in the framework of the theories of reasoned action and planned behaviour.

Source: UG
The impact of safety climate on safety related driving behaviors.

This study explored the impact of safety climate, age and tenure as a driver on safety related driving behaviors among 290 company drivers in Ghana. The study found a negative relationship between safety climate and studied work-related behaviors: speeding, rule violation, inattention and driving whiles tired. The study also found that age significantly predicted the extent to which drivers engaged in safety related driving behaviors. The results showed that young drivers (aged 20–35 years) engage more in risky driving behaviors relative to adult drivers (aged 36–60 years). The study also found that the tenure of a driver did not significantly affect work-related driver behaviors. The findings from this study suggests that in the quest to reduce safety related traffic accidents and its resulting consequences such as injuries, absenteeism and deaths, a critical organizational variable that organizations can use to mitigate this canker is commitment to and strict adherence to safety practices and regulations. By extension, the findings suggest, Ghana’s commitment to safety practices and enforcement of safety regulations and policies among others can help the country win the battle against road accidents.

Source: UG
The impact of safety climate on safety related driving behaviors. Transportation research part F

This study explored the impact of safety climate, age and tenure as a driver on safetyrelated driving behaviors among 290 company drivers in Ghana. The study found anegative relationship between safety climate and studied work-related behaviors:speeding, rule violation, inattention and driving whiles tired. The study also found thatage significantly predicted the extent to which drivers engaged in safety related drivingbehaviors. The results showed that young drivers (aged 20–35 years) engage more in riskydriving behaviors relative to adult drivers (aged 36–60 years). The study also found that thetenure of a driver did not significantly affect work-related driver behaviors. The findingsfrom this study suggests that in the quest to reduce safety related traffic accidents andits resulting consequences such as injuries, absenteeism and deaths, a critical organiza-tional variable that organizations can use to mitigate this canker is commitment to andstrict adherence to safety practices and regulations. By extension, the findings suggest,Ghana’s commitment to safety practices and enforcement of safety regulations and policiesamong others can help the country win the battle against road accidents

Source: UG
The impact of self-help groups on pastoral women’s empowerment and agency: A study in Nigeria

While women in pastoralist communities are key stakeholders in the production of milk and dairy products for income generation, they are largely ignored in other areas of development such as health. The need to involve women self-help groups, in pastoralist areas in both animal health and human health development programmes, is essential, particularly given the high incidence of zoonotic diseases in these communities (Maudlin I, Eisler MC and Welburn SC, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 364(1530):2777-2787, 2009). Understanding the process and impact of social networks on livelihoods is essential for any development programme that aims to prevent and control zoonotic diseases. This study examines the roles and responsibilities of women self-help groups in Kachia Grazing Reserve and Bokkos, Jos Plateau, Nigeria. The findings show that groups promoting social, physical and psychological health strongly motivated women’s involvement in self-help groups. Self-help activities showed commitment to effect a change in their livelihoods, despite constraining environmental, cultural and social factors. Engagement of women’s self-help groups in livestock development programmes offers a powerful instrument for driving forward the One Health practice in pastoralist communities, promoting human, animal and environmental health and well-being. © 2017, The Author(s).

Source: UG
Impact of small quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements on infant and young child feeding practices at 18&nbsp;months of age: results from four randomized controlled trials in Africa

Optimal infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices can help ensure nutrient adequacy and support healthy growth and development. Small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements (SQ-LNS) have been proposed to help fill nutrient gaps, but little is known about the impact of provision of SQ-LNS on breastfeeding or complementary feeding practices. In the context of four coordinated randomized controlled nutrient supplementation trials in diverse sites in Africa, we compared IYCF practices at infant age 18 months (after 9–12 months of supplementation) between those receiving and not receiving SQ-LNS. Practices were assessed by caregiver recall. Continued breastfeeding ranged from 74% (Ghana site) to 97% (Burkina Faso site) and did not differ between groups in any site; prevalence of frequent breastfeeding also did not differ. In two sites (Burkina Faso and Malawi), infants receiving SQ-LNS were more likely to meet the World Health Organization recommendations for frequency of feeding (percentage point differences of 12–14%, P < 0.0001 and P = 0.005, respectively; the remaining two sites did not have data for this indicator). Most indicators of infant dietary diversity did not differ between groups in any site, but in the same two sites where frequency of feeding differed, infants receiving SQ-LNS were less likely to have low frequency of consumption of animal-source foods in the previous week (percentage point differences of 9–19% for lowest tertile, P =.02 and P = 0.04, respectively). We conclude that provision of SQ-LNS did not negatively impact self-reported IYCF practices and may have positively impacted frequency of feeding. © 2016 The Authors. Maternal & Child Nutrition published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Source: UG
The Impact of Social Media on Ghanaian Youth: A Case Study of the Nima and Maamobi Communities in Accra, Ghana

Social media has been widely adopted in the twenty-first century, with high enthusiasm among youth around the world. Research on new media practices in Ghana has been described as wide open, with very few studies focusing on youth social media use. The main objectives of this study were to investigate the extent of social media use and the purposes, access, and challenges of its use by the young people of Nima and Maamobi, two suburbs of Accra, Ghana. One hundred fifty youth ages 11–19 and five adult Internet café attendants participated in the study. The findings revealed patterns of young people’s social media use consistent with similar studies of youth in other countries, with high use among the youth in these two economically and educationally disadvantaged communities. The study revealed the need for young people to have a greater awareness of the risks of social media use. The conclusions include recommendations for nationwide education of youth in Ghana about responsible use of social media, with policy and educational interventions led by multiple stakeholders, including school and public libraries and government agencies, to maximize the benefits and minimize the risks of social media use among Ghanaian youth.

Source: UG
The impact of socio-economic status and sanitation levels on the prevalence of diarrhoeal diseases in the Akim Oda area of Ghana

A survey was conducted between August and October, 1998 in Akim Oda area of Ghana to relate socio-economic differences, as measured by income, education, occupation and housing, among residents in three communities to diarrhoea prevalence. There was clinical and laboratory diagnosis of cholera and administration of structured interview-administered questionnaires to find from residents their demographic, socio-economic, health practices and status, and to seek their opinions on cholera transmission, control and prevention. The survey revealed that residents from Old-town and Aduasa belong to low social class and was reflected in their high illiteracy, unemployment rates and associated poor sanitation. As such, they had the highest prevalence of diarrhoeal diseases. Contrarily, residents from Quarters residential area were found to belong to high social class, which was reflected in their high literacy, employment rates and good sanitation. As such, they had no case of diarrhoea. The underlying factors responsible for this epidemic are discussed.

Source: UG
Impact of socioeconomic status and medical conditions on health and healthcare utilization among aging Ghanaians

Background: This study attempts to examine the impact of socioeconomic and medical conditions in health and healthcare utilization among older adults in Ghana. Five separate models with varying input variables were estimated for each response variable. Methods: Data (Wave 1 data) were drawn from the World Health Organization Global Ageing and Adult Health (SAGE) conducted during 2007-2008 and included a total of 4770 respondents aged 50+ and 803 aged 18-49 in Ghana. Ordered logits was estimated for self-rated health, and binary logits for functional limitation and healthcare utilization. Results: Our results show that the study provides enough grounds for further research on the interplay between socioeconomic and medical conditions on one hand and the health of the aged on the other. Controlling for socioeconomic status substantially contributes significantly to utilization. Also, aged women experience worse health than men, as shown by functioning assessment, self-rated health, chronic conditions and functional limitations. Women have higher rates of healthcare utilization, as shown by significantly higher rates of hospitalization and outpatient encounters. Conclusion: Expansion of the national health insurance scheme to cover the entire older population- for those in both formal and informal employments- is likely to garner increased access and improved health states for the older population. © 2015 Saeed et al.; licensee BioMed Central.

Source: UG
Impact of Soil Compaction on Bulk Density and Root Biomass of Quercus petraea L. at Reclaimed Post-Lignite Mining Site in Lusatia, Germany

The impact of soil compaction on bulk density and root biomass of Quercus petraea L. was assessed after 85 years of reclamation of post-lignite mining soil at Welzow-South, in Lusatia, Germany. Bulk density of core soils sampled from 20 to 25 cm, 100 to 105 cm, and 200 to 205 cm depths and oven-dried biomass of Q. petraea roots sampled from 0 to 30 cm and at successive depths of 20 cm, up to 210 cm depth at compacted and uncompacted sites were determined. Bulk density was significantly higher at 20 to 25 cm (1.74±0.09 g cm-3) and 100 to 105 cm (1.65±0.06 g cm-3) depths of the compacted site. Likewise, compaction induced significant greater root biomass within the 0 to 70 cm depth with higher bulk density; root biomass at this depth was 2-fold greater compared to the uncompacted site. Root biomass decreased with soil depth and showed significant relationship with depth at both sites. The result indicates that, after 85 years of reclamation, the impact of soil compaction persisted as evident in higher bulk density and greater root biomass. © 2015 Eric K. A. Twum and Seth Nii-Annang.

Source: UG
The impact of stakeholder market orientation on sustainability performance at tourism destinations

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to establish the relationship between stakeholder market orientation (StMO) and sustainability performance (SP) at tourism destinations (TDs). Design/methodology/approach – Using a quantitative survey, data was collected from 313 tourism business managers, who are the owners or managers of the tourism businesses at the TDs, and was analysed using the partial least square structural equation model. Findings – Findings indicate that environmental performance is the highest sustainability management practice adhered to at the TDs. Also, community and visitor orientations predicted SP most, with all its hypotheses supported. Research limitations/implications – This study focuses on the impact of StMO dimensions on SP within the TDs, thereby limiting generalisation to other sectors. Practical implications – Tourism marketing managers are given the knowledge that StMO strategy is a precondition for effective implementation and adoption of SP strategy. Social implications – The results have key social implications, in that a sustainability marketing strategy that will assist in the increase acceptance of sustainability programs within the tourism sector has been noted. Originality/value – To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is believed to be the first empirical study to test the relationship between StMO dimensions and three SP dimensions. This study will improve the sustainability management of tourism resources in Ghana. It will further aid in meeting some of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Source: UG
Impact of stock market development on economic growth: Evidence from selected sub‑Saharan African countries

This paper examines the impact of stock market development on economic growth in Sub‑Saharan Africa using a balanced panel data of five selected countries over the period 1993 – 2013 and the system generalised method of moments dynamic panel estimation framework. The paper finds a positive impact of stock market development proxied by the turnover ratio of domestic shares and market capitalization on economic growth though minimal. Furthermore, investment, lagged gross domestic product and human capital were found to have a significantly positive impact on growth while trade and foreign direct investment negatively impacted on growth, even though the results for foreign direct investment is not significant in all the models and consequently, not very robust. There should be policy measures aimed at enhancing economic growth using the development of the stocks market as a channel. Such policies should focus on developing the appropriate mix of taxation of investors as well as the development of requisite technology, institutional and regulatory framework that will facilitate an increase in the size and liquidity of the market in the sub‑region.

Source: UG
Impact of structured education on glucose control and hypoglycaemia in Type-2 diabetes: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials

Evidence for the use of structured education in diabetes management is accumulating and has shown positive influence in the management of Type-2 diabetes. Objective To assess the impact of structured education on glucose control and hypoglycaemia in the management of Type-2 diabetes. Methods A systematic review was done using Medline via Ovid and EMBASE databases of published English literature between 1980 and 2014. Included studies were randomized control trials that assessed the impact of structured education on glucose control and hypoglycaemia. Results Out of the 12,086 full text articles were identified, 36 full text articles were finally considered for this review after applying both inclusion and exclusion criteria, of which 34 were exclusively on the effect of structured diabetes education on glucose control whilst 2 were studies on the effects of structured diabetes education on glucose control and hypoglycaemia. Majority of the studies included a predominant Caucasian population. There was heterogeneity in the included studies such as intervention methods and intensity as well as follow up periods. Group based education was preferred over individual education by most studies. Overall, most of the studies showed a significant positive effect on glycaemic control compared with control groups. One study showed a significant impact of structured education on hypoglycaemia. Conclusion Structured education has positive impact on glucose control and hypoglycaemia in Type-2 diabetes and must be incorporated in routine care.

Source: UG
Impact of Successful Weight Loss Maintenance on Serum Lipids and Glucose Concentrations of Previous Participants of a Weight Loss Programme in Accra, Ghana

Background and Aim There is a need to investigate the long-term impact of successful weight loss maintenance on blood lipids and glucose concentrations in populations within Africa, where obesity and cardiovascular disease (CVD) rates are increasingly becoming a public health threat. The aim of this study was to compare the serum lipid and glucose concentrations of successful and unsuccessful weight loss maintainers who previously participated in the Nutriline Weight Loss Programme (NWLP) in Accra, Ghana. Methods 112 participants were randomly selected to participate in this cross-sectional study. Baseline and end of weight loss programme anthropometric and programmatic data were accessed via the NWLP archival database. On follow-up, anthropometric data, physical activity, dietary behaviour, serum lipid, and glucose indices were taken. Successful weight loss maintainers (SWLM) were defined as those achieving at least 5% weight loss below the baseline weight at follow-up, otherwise unsuccessful (UWLM). Results The adjusted serum total cholesterol (TC) concentration was significantly lower for SWLM (5.17 ± 0.99 mmol/L) compared to UWLM (5.59 ± 1.06 mmol/L). Serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), fasting blood glucose (FBG), and glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) concentrations for SWLM versus UWLM did not differ significantly and were as follows: 3.58 ± 0.92 mmol/L versus 3.87 ± 0.99 mmol/L, 1.22 ± 0.38 mmol/L versus 1.17 ± 0.32 mmol/L, 4.48 ± 0.72 mmol/L versus 4.73 ± 1.00 mmol/L, and 5.52 ± 0.39% versus 5.59 ± 0.59%, respectively. Triglyceride (TG) concentration was significantly (P < 0.001) lower for SWLM (0.79 ± 0.28 mmol/L) compared to UWLM (1.17 ± 0.51 mmol/L). After adjusting for covariates, it was no longer significant. Additionally, there was no significant association between weight loss maintenance success and having a normal status for selected lipids and glucose parameters. Conclusion SWLM had a significantly lower serum TC compared to UWLM. In addition, a greater proportion of SWLM had normal values for TC, TG, HbA1c, and LDL out of the six parameters measured although not statistically significant.

Source: UG
Impact of sugarcane bagasse mulching boards on soil erosion and carrot productivity

Sustainable crop production depends primarily on water and nutrients among other inputs. Mulching improves soil moisture and nutrient conservation as well as ameliorates soil erosion. We conducted two different experiments to examine the impact of mulch on soil erosion and the productivity of carrot (Daucus carota L.). Mulch used were sugarcane bagasse boards (SBB) and sugarcane bagasse chips (SBC). Each experiment consisted of three treatments in a completely randomized design with three replications. The first experiment under rainfall simulation consisted of 2 SBB and 4 SBB representing 25 and 50% soil surface coverage and no sugarcane bagasse (NSB) represented the control. Treatments in the second experiment were SBB, SBC, and NSB. The 4 SBB and 2 SBB significantly decreased (p < 0.05) erosion by 1.74 Mg ha 1 and 1.57 Mg ha 1. However, there was no significant difference in mitigating erosion between the 4 SBB and 2 SBB. Compared to NSB, 4 SBB and 2 SBB again decreased runoff rate by 223 and 23%. There was no significant improvement in soil moisture retention, temperature, carrot yield, and water productivity under either mulch. Weed growth was significantly reduced at 104 and 72% by SBB and SBC. The yield gap between SBB and SBC was only 18.75%. Unlike the particulate SBC which is susceptible to erosion during runoff, the bulky SBB cannot easily be eroded by runoff. Hence the SBB was recommended for farmers due to its significant impact on ameliorating runoff and erosion, as well as curtailing weed growth under carrot production.

Source: UG
The Impact Of Technology On Postal Services In Ghana

The information technology (IT) available today is being leveraged in customer acquisitions, driving automation and process efficiency, delivering ease and efficiency to customers. The study investigated the impact of technology on postal services in Ghana. The population for the study consists of all staff members of Ghana Post at the Head office. The entire population was used in the research since the researcher wanted to generalize the findings. The main instrument used is the questionnaire. Two hundred copies of the questionnaire were received, representing a return rate of 53.7%. The findings revealed that technology has improved the data processing at Ghana Post and staff member are giving frequent IT training. Subjecting all the three hypotheses to a chi square statistical test turned out that, (1) the birth of the internet has a negative effect on postal services, (2) organizational efficiency and productivity have increased as a result of technology and (3) technology has given rise to innovative products and services in Ghana Post.

Source: UG
Impact of the baby friendly hospital initiative (BFHI) programme on breast-feeding knowledge, attitude and practices of mothers

This study investigated the impact of the baby friendly hospital initiative (BFHI) programme on the breast-feeding knowledge, attitude and practices of mothers attending Mother of Christ Specialist Hospital, Enugu. The study randomly sampled 146 breast-feeding mothers whose babies were between 0-23 months. A validated questionnaire was used to obtain useful information from the mothers. The data obtained was analyzed into frequency and percentages. The result showed that 12.3% of the mothers initiated breastfeeding within 30 min of delivery, 93.2% of them fed colostrum, 9.6% of the respondents perceived that colostrum should not be fed to infants and 31.5% exclusively breast-fed their babies for 6 months. The major factors that militated against exclusive breast-feeding were that it caused firm breast to fall (6.4%) and ties mother down (19.2%). It was obvious from the study that there was a wide gap between knowledge and practice of exclusive breast-feeding in the study area. There is urgent need to plan strategies to aggressively promote exclusive breast-feeding practice. Lactation support groups as well as opinion leaders and women group in the communities should provide complementary support to the already existing strategies. © Asian Network for Scientific Information, 2016.

Source: UG