ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Qualitative exploration of psychological reactions and coping strategies of breastfeeding mothers living with HIV in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana

Background: Exploring the psychological reactions of breastfeeding mothers living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is an important step which may improve guidelines for counselling. The purpose of this study was to explore the psychological reactions and coping strategies of breastfeeding mothers living with HIV in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. Methods: Qualitative descriptive exploratory design was used to explore the psychological experiences and coping strategies of 13 breastfeeding mothers living with HIV in a main referral public hospital, at the greater Accra Region of Ghana. An interview guide was designed and piloted before it was used to collect data between November, 2014 and February, 2015. Data was content analyzed for themes and subthemes to emerge. Results: The two major themes that emerged included psychological reactions and coping strategies. Some of the subthemes were fear, anxiety, blame, hope, denial, prayer and trust in positive situations of life. Conclusion: The women used denial, prayer and hope in ART, among others to cope with their emotions. This highlights the need for HIV counsellors to detect signs of denial since it can lead to non-adherence to ART as well as relapse. Health workers should therefore put the coping strategies in context during counselling of mothers in this category. © 2017 The Author(s).

Source: UG
A qualitative exploration of the role of NGOs in the recovery support for persons with substance use disorders in a low income African setting

Background: In sub-Saharan Africa, most government mental health facilities are under-resourced to cater for the mental health needs of the population, including the provision of treatment and recovery support services for persons with substance use disorders (SUDs). However, in other settings, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) play significant roles by complementing governments’ efforts in the provision of care for vulnerable groups. Presently, no study exists that examines the contributions of NGOs in the recovery support of individuals with SUDs in the Ghanaian context. This study sets out to explore the role of NGOs in the recovery of persons with SUDs in Ghana. Method: Using a descriptive qualitative design, eight staff (directors and senior recovery practitioners) from eight NGOs in southern Ghana were purposively selected and interviewed face-to-face using semi-structured interview guide. The interviews were audio-taped, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using the thematic analysis within an inductive approach. Results: The results showed that NGOs provide three main services: treatment of drug addiction (through psychotherapy and recovery capital), re-integration of recovered individuals into society, and advocacy and awareness creation in schools and communities. These efforts are thwarted by limited qualified professionals and inadequate government support. Conclusion: Our results underscore the need for government agencies to collaborate with NGOs involved in the recovery management of persons with SUDs and other mental disorders to complement their efforts in strategizing, designing, and implementing context-appropriate substance misuse prevention and intervention programs and policies in Ghana.

Source: UG
A qualitative insight into key determinants of knowledge sharing in a public sector institution in Ghana

The purpose of this study was to examine the factors influencing knowledge sharing in a public sector institution in Ghana. A case study of the factors influencing knowledge sharing among employees at Afigya Kwabre District Assembly in the Ashanti Region of Ghana was used as the research design. The purposive sampling technique was used to select the sample. A semi-structured interview guide was used for data collection. The data was analyzed using the thematic analysis technique. The study found mutual trust, respect and care for one another, the quest for organizational success, education and experience level of employees as the significant factors influencing knowledge sharing in the Afigya Kwabre District Assembly. © 2014, The Author(s) 2014.

Source: UG
Qualitative insights into market orientation in small Ghanaian businesses

Due to their importance to economic development, small businesses are the subject of multidisciplinary streams of business research. This current paper focuses on exploring the market orientation posture of small businesses operating in Ghana. Cast in a qualitative research mode, we utilize face to face interviews to gain insights into the market orientation opinions and postures of small business operators. Deductive analysis of the interview transcripts revealed that small businesses do not have a structured marketing plan. Most of the proprietors interviewed do not understand market orientation and do not see its importance to the success of their businesses. Their main focus is on the customer and the methods adopted are very informal but seem to have a positive effect on market share and customer retention. Following these findings, the paper provides some managerial implications, highlights the inherent limitations of the case study, and outlines some avenues for future studies.

Source: UG
A qualitative study exploring factors contributing to gender inequality in Rural Ghana

Gender inequality hinders the development efforts of countries worldwide, especially developing countries. Despite Ghana government's efforts to address gender inequality, the issue continues to prevail, and invariably retards development mostly in rural communities. This qualitative study, explored factors that perpetuated gender inequality in Kyebi, in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. Purposive and convenience sampling techniques were utilized to recruit twenty-five participants and in-depth interviews were conducted to gather data for the study. The findings of the study revealed that deep rooted patterns of culture and socialization continue to perpetuate gender inequality in rural communities denying women equal access to services as well as to physical and social capital. Based on the findings of our study, we draw attention to the need for research and policy interventions that would reduce gender inequalities and ensure women's active participation in social and economic development.

Source: UG
A qualitative study of attitudes towards suicide and suicide prevention among psychology students in Ghana

The purpose of the present study was to investigate attitudes toward suicide and suicide prevention among psychology students in Ghana by means of a qualitative analysis of open-ended questions about causes of suicide and how suicide best can be prevented. The students mainly saw the causes as intra-personal and almost all of them believed that suicide can be prevented. The results indicated a huge impact of religion on the attitudes toward suicide as well as some lack of distinction between their religious and professional roles and responsibilities.

Source: UG
A qualitative study of cervical cancer and cervical cancer screening awareness among nurses in Ghana

Despite the availability of cervical cancer screening tools, including those that are appropriate for low resource settings, the rates of preventive cervical cancer screening remain extremely low among women in LMICS. Nurse-led education interventions have been proven to be effective at increasing participation in healthcare recommendations. However, there is a need to determine nurses' knowledge of cervical cancer and cervical cancer prevention in order to develop effective health education interventions. Our goal was to assess Ghanaian nurses' knowledge of cervical cancer and cervical cancer prevention. Interviews and small focus groups were conducted with 42 nurses at two hospitals in Ghana. Awareness of cervical cancer was very high among the nurses. However, the majority of the participants held negative perceptions about cervical cancer and lacked knowledge about cervical cancer risk factors and prevention. The results can be used to inform the development of culturally-relevant cervical cancer education interventions targeted towards women and healthcare providers in LMICs. © 2018 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Source: UG
A qualitative study of Chieftaincy and Local Government in Ghana

It is widely argued that chiefs do not play any meaningful role in local government in Ghana as they used to; since there is an existing structure which is responsible for local governance in Ghana. In recent times, this debate has been raging on ferociously to the extent that people want the chieftaincy institution to be abolished. This qualitative study uses the institutional framework to assess the role of chiefs in local government. The article found that chiefs play a critical role in socio-economic and cultural development in Ghana and should be given a prominent role in local government administration in Ghana.

Source: UG
A qualitative study of infection prevention and control practices in the maternal units of two Ghanaian hospitals

Introduction Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) remain a common challenge in healthcare delivery, with a significant burden in low- and middle-income countries. Preventing HAIs has gained enormous attention from policy makers and healthcare managers and providers, especially in resource-limited settings. Despite policies to enforce infection prevention and control (IPC) measures to prevent HAIs, IPC compliance remains a challenge in hospital settings. In this study, we explore the experiences of healthcare providers and women in the post-natal phase and investigate factors influencing IPC practices in two hospitals in Ghana. Methods The study used a qualitative approach involving semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and observations among healthcare providers and women in the postnatal phase in two maternity units from January 2019 to June 2019. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim for thematic analysis. The data sets were uploaded into the qualitative software NVivo 12 to facilitate coding and analysis. Findings Healthcare providers were driven by the responsibility to provide medical care for their patients and at the same time, protect themselves from infections. IPC facilitators include leadership commitment and support, IPC training and education. Women were informed about IPC in educational talks during antenatal care visits, and their practices were also shaped by their background and their communities. IPC barriers include the poor documentation or ‘invisibility’ of HAIs, low prioritization of IPC tasks, lack of clear IPC goals and resources, discretionary use of guidelines, and communication-related challenges. The findings demonstrate the need for relevant power holders to position themselves as key drivers of IPC and develop clear goals for IPC. Hospital managers need to take up the responsibility of providing the needed resources and leadership support to facilitate IPC. Patient engagement should be more strategic both within the hospital and at the community level.

Source: UG
A qualitative study on rural women's experiences relating to the utilisation of birth care provided by skilled birth attendants in the rural areas of Bongo District in the Upper East Region of Ghana

Tropical reservoirs are important for numerous socioeconomic and ecological reasons, including water supply, fishing and flood control. These functions are easily compromised, however, when reservoirs undergo accelerated sedimentation with increased inputs of chemical contaminants. The present study applied the concept of sediment core analysis to evaluate the sedimentation rate in Owabi Reservoir, which has served as a source of drinking water supply in Kumasi, Ghana, for nearly a century. The temporal variation of contamination from heavy metals was also assessed over this period. The sedimentation rate for Owabi Reservoir was estimated to be 6.82 mm/year, suggesting a relatively low rate of sedimentation, which is ecologically healthy in preventing a rapid loss of reservoir water volume. Heavy metal concentrations in the sediment cores taken from the reservoir reflected varying degree of contamination from the 1930s to 2010s. The concentration of iron (Fe) (1,560–1,770 mg/kg) was found to be the highest among the metals in the sediment core, while mercury (Hg) concentration (0.01–0.04 mg/kg) was the lowest. Lead (Pb) contamination peaked in the 1980s. Arsenic (As) and mercury (Hg) contamination exhibited more recent peaks in the 2000s, coinciding with recent widespread issues of artisanal and small‐scale gold mining (ASGM) in Ghana. Thus, even though ASGM activities are known to occur in remote districts, releases from such activities might eventually contaminate reservoirs designated as urban drinking water supplies.

Source: UG
Qualitative study on the biological hazards associated with mortuary work: the Ghanaian perspective

Background: Workplace safety and health are significant public health concerns for maintaining a low-risk environment. In Africa and Ghana, most mortuaries are not well resourced, nor do they follow universal standard precautions for infection prevention. As a result, mortuary attendants are exposed to numerous biological hazards that threaten their health and well-being, and cause anxiety about contracting infectious diseases while attending to corpses. Objectives: To explore the biological hazards faced by mortuary attendants in Ghana in three selected regions. Methods: A qualitative research approach was used, together with an exploratory, descriptive design. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to investigate the biological hazards faced by mortuary attendants. Purposive sampling was used, and saturation was reached with 19 participants. Results: Most mortuary attendants reported exposure to infections through direct contact with bodily fluids. In addition, exposure to potentially contaminated syringes and needles, non-adherence to universal standard precautions for corpse handling, and the poor condition of storage systems and the work environment increase the risk of infection. Conclusion and recommendations: Mortuary attendants are exposed to biological hazards such as human immunodeficiency virus and other blood-borne diseases, making them hesitant to work and affecting their concentration. This study recommends the urgent provision of functioning cold rooms to preserve the integrity of corpses, personal protective equipment, and adequate training of mortuary attendants on universal standard precautions to improve working environments.

Source: UG
Qualitative study on the socio-cultural determinants of care of children orphaned by AIDS in the Ashanti and Eastern regions of Ghana

Background Almost three decades after the discovery of HIV and AIDS in Ghana, the most obvious impact of the disease is the growing orphan crisis affecting most families and communities, especially in areas that the prevalence of HIV has exceeded the epidemic’s threshold of 5%. Studies have indicated that these orphans usually experience a wide range of problems which include education, nutrition, physical and sexual abuse, emotional and psychological distress, stigma and discrimination, among others The aim of the study was to examine the social, cultural, and traditional norms and practices that influence the care of children orphaned by AIDS in Ghana. Methods The study employed focus group discussions, in-depth interviews and key informant interviews to generate information on the socio-cultural factors that impact orphan care in the Ashanti and Eastern regions of Ghana. Results The findings indicated that the cultural practices that influence how well an AIDS orphan is taken care of by their caregivers include traditional rituals, ceremonies, and norms like funeral rites, marriage and naming ceremonies, festivals, inheritance, polygyny, and puberty rites. The social factors mentioned to affect orphan care significantly were: excessive alcohol drinking, and tobacco and drug use, dressing with fashion, night club attendance, market days, stigma and discrimination, among others. Conclusion It is recommended that though some cultural and traditional practices are deeply rooted in communities and cannot be done away completely, orphan care policies on interventions should take into account these factors to mitigate their effects on the care of orphans.

Source: UG
Qualitative study on the socio-cultural determinants of care of children orphaned by AIDS in the Ashanti and Eastern regions of Ghana

Abstract Background Almost three decades after the discovery of HIV and AIDS in Ghana, the most obvious impact of the disease is the growing orphan crisis affecting most families and communities, especially in areas that the prevalence of HIV has exceeded the epidemic&#8217;s threshold of 5%. Studies have indicated that these orphans usually experience a wide range of problems which include education, nutrition, physical and sexual abuse, emotional and psychological distress, stigma and discrimination, among others The aim of the study was to examine the social, cultural, and traditional norms and practices that influence the care of children orphaned by AIDS in Ghana. Methods The study employed focus group discussions, in-depth interviews and key informant interviews to generate information on the socio-cultural factors that impact orphan care in the Ashanti and Eastern regions of Ghana. Results The findings indicated that the cultural practices that influence how well an AIDS orphan is taken care of by their caregivers include traditional rituals, ceremonies, and norms like funeral rites, marriage and naming ceremonies, festivals, inheritance, polygyny, and puberty rites. The social factors mentioned to affect orphan care significantly were: excessive alcohol drinking, and tobacco and drug use, dressing with fashion, night club attendance, market days, stigma and discrimination, among others. Conclusion It is recommended that though some cultural and traditional practices are deeply rooted in communities and cannot be done away completely, orphan care policies on interventions should take into account these factors to mitigate their effects on the care of orphans.

Source: UG
A qualitative study on women’s breast cancer diagnosis disclosure preferences and disclosure experiences in a middle-income country

With the increasing cancer incidence in Ghana especially breast cancer among women, its diagnosis and prog nosis present enormous fear and worry for women and their families. Thus, breaking the news of breast cancer diagnosis to patients presents enormous difficulty to healthcare professionals. Aim: This study sought to explore the preferences of people living with breast cancer regarding the disclosure of their diagnosis. Methods: The study used an exploratory-descriptive qualitative design to recruit and interviewed 17 women diagnosed with breast cancer and receiving treatment in a National Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine Center of a major Teaching Hospital in Ghana. Data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s 2006 thematic analysis approach. Findings: Two major themes, six subthemes, and five sub-subthemes were generated from the data. The study found that patients preferred detailed information on the stage of their cancer diagnosis, treatment options, and the lifestyle necessary to enhance their health. The participants preferred that the news of their diagnosis be broken to them gradually in the form of a conversation with consolatory gestures, without any hidden infor mation. From the study, clinicians do not follow any specific systematic method in the disclosure process, cli nicians used a conversation approach involving consolation, encouragement, comic words, and pampering mostly in disclosing cancer diagnosis which was found relieving. In conclusion, People living with breast cancer prefer full gradual disclosure of diagnosis in a conducive envi ronment in the presence of loved ones in a humane manner

Source: UG
Quality and health risk assessment of shallow groundwater aquifers within the Atankwidi basin of Ghana

This study has appraised groundwater suitability for drinking and irrigation, and its potential health risk to humans within the Atankwidi basin of Ghana. Twenty-six boreholes were sampled and their physicochemical and heavy metal constituents determined to evaluate the groundwater potability from water quality index computations. Chlorinity, salinity, permeability indices, sodium adsorption ratio, residual bicarbonate and magnesium hardness were also computed to assess the suitability of the groundwater for irrigation. More so, the hazard quotient, hazard index and cancer risk of analyzed heavy metals were estimated to assess their potential carcinogenic risk to human health. The results showed that four and nine samples had concentrations of As, Zn and Pb exceeding respective WHO recommended limits of 0.001 mg/L, 0.006 mg/L and 0.01 mg/L. Fluoride levels in four samples exceeded the maximum WHO limit of 1.5 mg/L whilst two samples were below the minimum limit of 0.5 mg/L. Water quality indices revealed that about 80% of groundwaters were potable. Compared to adults, children were more than twice vulnerable to potential carcinogenic effects over a life-time through dermal and ingestion exposures. The groundwater was generally found to be suitable for irrigation, especially for moderate salt-tolerant crops such as maize, millet, sorghum, pepper, tomatoes, cabbage, etc. To minimize potential exposure to carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks, there should be awareness creation to stop the use of agro-chemicals for farming be avoided. © 2019

Source: UG
Quality Assessment of Some Essential Children’s Medicines Sold in Licensed Outlets in Ashanti Region, Ghana

The quality of 68 samples of 15 different essential children’s medicines sold in licensed medicine outlets in the Ashanti Region, Ghana, was evaluated. Thirty-two (47.1%) of the medicines were imported, mainly from India (65.6%) and the United Kingdom (28.1%), while 36 (52.9%) were locally manufactured. The quality of the medicines was assessed using content of active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), pH, and microbial limit tests, and the results were compared with pharmacopoeial standards. Twenty-six (38.2%) of the samples studied passed the official content of API test while 42 (61.8%) failed. Forty-nine (72.1%) of the samples were compliant with official specifications for pH while 19 (27.9%) were noncompliant. Sixty-six (97.1%) samples passed the microbial load and content test while 2 (2.9%) failed. Eighteen (26.5%) samples passed all the three quality evaluation tests, while one (1.5%) sample (CFX1) failed all the tests. All the amoxicillin suspensions tested passed the three evaluation tests. All the ciprofloxacin, cotrimoxazole, flucloxacillin, artemether-lumefantrine, multivitamin, and folic acid samples failed the content of API test and are substandard. The overall API failure rate for imported products (59.4%) was comparable to locally manufactured (63.9%) samples. The results highlight the poor quality of the children’s medicines studied and underscore the need for regular pharmacovigilance and surveillance systems to fight this menace.

Source: UG