ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Malaria, sickle cell disease, HIV, and co-trimoxazole prophylaxis: An observational study

Objectives: This observational study recorded the malaria and sickle cell disease (SCD) profile of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) and determined whether prophylactic co-trimoxazole (CTX) and the haemoglobin S (Hb S) allele influenced malaria episodes. Methods: Sickling status, malaria episodes, and HIV type, as well as other data, were extracted retrospectively from the clinical records of 1001 patients attending the antiretroviral therapy clinic at Ridge Regional Hospital in Accra, Ghana between 2010 and 2015. Finger-prick capillary blood of returning patients (n = 501) was tested for the haemoglobin (Hb) level and malaria, after information on malaria prevention methods was obtained through the administration of a questionnaire. Results: The use of insecticide-treated mosquito nets was low (22.8%). CTX prophylaxis showed no significant influence on the overall number of malaria episodes from 2010 to 2015; however, it did show a statistically significant relationship (p = 0.026) with the time elapsed since the last malaria episode. Even though 19% of participants possessed Hb S, it had no influence on malaria episodes. Conclusions: Hb S did not influence malaria in PLHA. Further studies in Hb SS and Hb SC are needed, as there are suggestions of increased frequency and severity of malaria. The impact of CTX prophylaxis on this cohort will be insightful. © 2018 The Authors

Source: UG
Malaria, Urogenital Schistosomiasis, and Anaemia in Pregnant Ghanaian Women

The Department of Parasitology conducts research into parasitic diseases of public health importance with the overall goal of reducing their transmission and the heavy disease burden that they impose on affected populations. The Department maintains focus on parasitic diseases in general. These include major diseases such as malaria, and others listed under the Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) control initiative such as, lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiasis, trypanosomiasis and leishmaniasis.

Source: UG
Malaria-HIV co-infection: Adverse perinatal outcomes

This paper aims at examining the factors which influence the demand for health care services in selected Regions of Ghana. We use cross-sectional data covering 300 households in Ghana, and adopt a multinomial probit model with four health care options: self-care, drug stores, clinics, and hospitals with self-care as the base comparison group. Beside the relevant demographic, socio-economic, location, and facility-specific variables, we consider gender bias in households’ utilization of health care services. We find that married people tend to prefer care at drug stores, clinics, or hospitals to self-care. Also, urban dwellers tend to have easier access to drug stores compared to rural dwellers. Male-headed households tend to prefer self-care to any of the formal care options. We also find that, interestingly, households with more female children tend to use self-care compared to care at drug stores or hospitals while those with more adult males prefer to use drug stores during illness. This finding implies that policies aimed at promoting gender equity in health care need to consider not only the gender of the decision maker, but also the gender of individual household members.

Source: UG
Malaria-induced acquisition of antibodies to plasmodium falciparum variant surface antigens.

The Department of Immunology conducts research in the field of immunology of infectious and non-infectious diseases. The Department has the overall goal of contributing knowledge to better diagnosis, management, control and prevention of infectious and non-infectious diseases in Ghana and worldwide. This is consistent with the overall strategy of the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) and in line with the strategy of the College of Health Sciences of the University of Ghana.

Source: UG
Malaria-related beliefs and behaviour in southern Ghana: Implications for treatment, prevention and control.

A research infrastructure was established in two ecological zones in southern Ghana to study the variables of malaria transmission and provide information to support the country's Malaria Action Plan (MAP) launched in 1992. Residents' beliefs and practices about causes, recognition, treatment and prevention of malaria were explored in two ecological zones in southern Ghana using epidemiological and social research methods. In both communities females constituted more than 80% of caretakers of children 1-9 years and the illiteracy rate was high. Fever and malaria, which are locally called Asra or Atridi, were found to represent the same thing and are used interchangebly. Caretakers were well informed about the major symptoms of malaria, which correspond to the current clinical case definition of malaria. Knowledge about malaria transmission us, however, shrouded in many misconceptions. Though the human dwellings in the study communities conferred no real protection against mosquitoes, bednet usage was low while residents combatted the nuisance of mosquitoes with insecticide sprays, burning of coils and herbs, which they largely considered as temporary measures. Home treatment of malaria combining herbs and over-the-counter drugs and inadequate doses of chloroquine was widespread. There is a need for a strong educational component to be incorporated into the MAP to correct misconceptions about malaria transmission, appropriate treatment and protection of households. Malaria control policies should recognize the role of home treatment and drug shops in the management of malaria and incorporate them into existing control strategies.

Source: UG
Malaria: Current status of control, diagnosis, treatment, and a proposed agenda for research and development

Rolling back malaria is possible. Tools are available but they are not used. Several countries deploy, as their national malaria control treatment policy, drugs that are no longer effective. New and innovative methods of vector control, diagnosis, and treatment should be developed, and work towards development of new drugs and a vaccine should receive much greater support. But the pressing need, in the face of increasing global mortality and general lack of progress in malaria control, is research into the best methods of deploying and using existing approaches, particularly insecticide-treated mosquito nets, rapid methods of diagnosis, and artemisinin-based combination treatments. Evidence on these approaches should provide national governments and international donors with the cost-benefit information that would justify much-needed increases in global support for appropriate and effective malaria control.

Source: UG
Malatia e guargione. Mt. 8:1-17 Il vangelo interpolla la culture Krobo

Illness is a very important event in the culture of the Krobo of Ghana, because it becomes part of the life-death tension that permeates everything. They live in constant fear of agents of evil, and in an anxious search for protection from superior beings, so as to have a “good life” and then enter, through death, into the fullness of life represented in the world of the ancestors. In this situation, what good news can be presented by the encounter with Jesus of Nazareth? The authors answer by analyzing three cases of healing and the concluding summary in a passage of Matthew’s Gospel (8:1-17). From the comparison of the concept of salvation in the Krobo culture and that of the story in Matthew, they conclude that the proclamation of Jesus as “Emmanuel”, as “Healer” and as “Life” responds to a deep need of the Krobo: to change their system of beliefs and abandon a paralyzing ritual, putting their lives into the hands of the one who, with “the power of his weakness”, drives away all fear of the …

Source: UG
Male Allyship within the Context of Local Governance: A Case of Wenchi Municipality in Ghana

Despite significant efforts in promoting gender equality globally, gender disparities still exist in the political, social, and economic realms of both developed and developing countries. Women are still underrepresented in governance throughout the world. In the Ghanaian context, the beliefs and behaviors of men could be instrumental in facilitating and/or impeding women’s active participation in local governance. From a constructivist perspective, this study qualitatively explored men’s perspectives on women’s involvement in local governance in the Wenchi municipality of Ghana. The study interviewed respondents who are actively engaged in the local governance process in the municipality. The respondents’ experiences and thoughts about women’s involvement in local governance were analyzed. The study finds that there is a huge disparity in women’s participation in local governance in the municipality. It also finds that these disparities are fueled and institutionalized by the existing patriarchal system in Ghana. The study results imply that involving men in the efforts geared toward breaking barriers to women’s involvement in local governance and increasing the level of women’s participation requires the collective efforts of all stakeholder groups, especially men. The study therefore recommends that conscious efforts be made to integrate women in the local governance system because women have more to offer if given the opportunity

Source: UG
Male Undergraduate Students’ Knowledge of and Attitude Towards Emergency Contraceptives

Cette étude visait à explorer la relation entre les connaissances et l’attitude des étudiants masculins à l’égard des contraceptifs d’urgence. Des questionnaires auto – administrés ont été utilisés pour recueillir des données auprès de 941 hommes interrogés qui étaient en deuxième, troisième ou quatrième année à l’Université du Ghana. Ces répondants ont été commodément échantillonnés dans les quatre collèges de l’Université du Ghana. En utilisant la théorie de la connaissance, de l’attitude et de la pratique, cet article examine les connaissances et l’attitude des hommes envers les contraceptifs d’urgence. Bien que certains étudiants aient eu une attitude favorable et d’autres une attitude défavorable à l’égard des contraceptifs d’urgence, la plupart (82%) avaient une attitude mitigée envers les contraceptifs d’urgence. Les résultats de la régression logistique multinomiale ont montré que les étudiants qui appartenaient au College of Education étaient beaucoup plus susceptibles d’avoir une attitude favorable que défavorable envers les contraceptifs d’urgence. Étant donné que les hommes jouent un rôle actif dans les processus décisionnels en matière de santé génésique, il est important qu’ils soient impliqués dans tous les programmes de santé génésique. À long terme, cela contribuera à réduire les grossesses non désirées et non planifiées et, par la suite, les avortements provoqués à risque

Source: UG
Male-female differences in the genetic regulation of t-PA and PAI-1 levels in a Ghanaian population

Tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) directly influence thrombus formation and degradation, and have been identified as risk factors for thromboembolic disease. Prior studies investigated determinants of t-PA and PAI-1 expression, but mainly in Caucasian subjects. The aim of this study was to identify the contributions of genetic and other factors to inter-individual variation in plasma levels of t-PA and PAI-1 in a large-scale population-based sample from urban West Africa. t-PA, PAI-1 and several demographic, anthropometric, and metabolic parameters were measured in 992 residents of Sunyani, the capital of the Brong-Ahafo region of Ghana. In addition, nine gene polymorphisms associated with components of the renin-angiotensin and fibrinolytic systems were determined. We found that BMI, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, glucose, and triglycerides were all significant predictors of t-PA and PAI-1 in both females and males. In addition, a significant relationship was found between the PAI-1 4G/5G (rs1799768) polymorphism on PAI-1 levels in females, the TPA I/D (rs4646972) polymorphism on t-PA and PAI-1 in males, the renin (rs3730103) polymorphism on t-PA and PAI-1 in males, the ethanolamine kinase 2 (rs1917542) polymorphism on PAI-1 in males, and the renin (rs1464816) polymorphism on t-PA in females and on PAI-1 in males. This study of urban West Africans shows that t-PA and PAI-1 levels are determined by both genetic loci of the fibrinolytic and renin-angiotensin systems and other factors often associated with cardiovascular disease, and that genetic factors differ between males and females. © Springer-Verlag 2008.

Source: UG
Malignant lymphoma in Ghana. Part II: Hodgkin's disease

Reclassification of 45 cases of Hodgkin's disease according to the recommendations of the Rye Conference of 1965 has shown a marked preponderance of the mixed cellularity type (78%) in Ghana. This group does not occur more frequently in older patients as suggested by Lukes et al. (1966), but a study is required to correlate this histological distribution of the disease with length of survival, since the mixed cellularity group has been found by other workers to have a poorer prognosis.

Source: UG
Malignant lymphoma in Ghana: Part I: A review of surgical material at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital from 1966 to 1971

391 cases of histologically proven lymphoma were reviewed. The incidence rate was 17.5% of all malignant tumors in the series. Burkitt's lymphoma is the most common type of lymphoma in Ghana, followed by reticulum cell sarcoma. Unlike the situation in western countries, the incidence of Hodgkin's disease in Ghana is low, but the age distribution in all the types of lymphoma studied tended to show a higher occurrence in a slightly younger age group than in the U.S.A., Britain or Japan. Sex distribution was about the same as in other studies, but ethnic distribution showed no significant high occurrence in any of the 4 main groups considered.

Source: UG
Malnutrition: Missed Opportunities for Diagnosis

Introduction: Malnutrition is a serious public health problem particularly in developing countries where it is responsible for 54% of under 5s mortality. Anthropometric measurements are key tools for the assessment of nutritional status and diagnosis of malnutrition. Height and weight measurements are not routinely done in most clinics and hospitals in Ghana. Children therefore miss the opportunity for accurate nutritional assessment and detection of malnutrition. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of wasting among children <5 years and to document extent of under-diagnosis. Method: From June to August 2004, children aged >3 months to <5 years attending the outpatient clinic of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital were systematically assessed for wasting using weight-for-height standard deviation score (Z-score). Results: Of 1182 children (mean age 24.9 months), 251 (21.2%) were wasted, 48 (4.1%) of them severely. Only 15 (5.9%) of the 251 children with wasting were so identified by the attending physician. Conclusion: Malnutrition is widespread yet underdiagnosed. Anthropometric measurements should be promoted in all child health clinics.

Source: UG
Malting and brewing properties of selected cereals cultivated in Ghana

To promote the industrial use of local cereals in Ghana, studies were carried out on the suitability of malts from rice (WITA 1), sorghum (Kapala) and local late millet for the production of beer. The values obtained for mean diastatic power at the end of the malting period were rice (129.1o WK), millet (102.1o WK) and sorghum (84.0o WK). The saccharification time for each of the flour samples was less than 15 min using barley malt of diastatic power 340o WK. Significant differences (p<0.05) were observed in the wort pH, modification, attenuation limit and free amino nitrogen levels when these malts were compared with barley malt. Only sorghum malt had extract content which was significantly different (p<0.05) from that of barley malt. Saccharification time was less than 15 min for the non-barley malts when they were mashed using the three step optimized mashing scheme. Six types of non-carbonated beer (two from each cereal) were produced from the malt samples. The ratios of malted rice, sorghum and millet to barley malt used for the production of beer were 40:60 and 50:50 Results of sensory evaluation tests showed that the beer produced from a blend of 40:60 millet:barley was the most acceptable while that from 50:50 rice:barley was the least acceptable. Of the physical and chemical parameters analysed, beer pH appeared to influence acceptability more than all others with a correlation of 0.93. The findings of this study indicate that the varieties of cereals tested, particularly local late millet, are suitable for the production of distinctive beer types in Ghana.

Source: UG
Mammal fauna of the Muni-Pomadze Ramsar site, Ghana

A survey of the terrestrial mammal fauna of Muni-Pomadze Ramsar site along the Ghana coastline recorded 13 species, with 9 additional species reported by local villagers. Small mammal communities are most diverse in the grassland-thicket habitats surrounding the lagoons. Less diverse communities were present in and around managed Ecalyptus plantations or near villages. Duikers, antelope, bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus), and cane rats (Thryonomys swinderianus) are hunted (or trapped) for bushmeat. Bushbuck, in particular, play an important role in certain cultural ceremonies at Muni-Pomadze. Conservation efforts at these localities should focus on the management of bushmeat species and the establishment of a long-term monitoring program using small mammal communities as bioindicators of the health of the terrestrial habitats bordering Muni Lagoon.

Source: UG
&quot;The man comes to marry the woman&quot;: Exploring adolescent boys' gendered expectations for bridewealth and marriage among the akwapim of Southern Ghana

A qualitative analysis of 28 in-depth interviews with adolescent boys aged between 12 and 15 years in the Akwapim highlands of Ghana reveals that the traditional practice of bridewealth exchange-called the customary rites among the Akwapim-fuels adolescent boys' expectations of increased male authority in marriage. Although the available literature on bridewealth argues that the traditional marriage practice of bridewealth exchange in sub-Saharan Africa gives men rights over women's sexual and reproductive capacities, as well as their household labor (Fortes, 1962), the findings of this article suggest that bridewealth payments influence not only these areas but male expectations for broader control over, and obedience from, their wives. © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Source: UG
Man of God Prophesy Unto Me: The Prophetic Phenomenon in African Christianity

One of the features of African primal religions that has stood the test of time is the practice of seeking the cause of evil occurrences, power to deal with it or to avert any future reoccurrence and the search for one's destiny through divination which has been designated 'prophetism' in Christianity. The African Indigenous Churches were the first to build the bridge between primal religion and African Christianity by appropriating resources from the gospel to deal with this typical African religious practice. This essay looks at the phenomenon in primal religion, African Indigenous Churches (AICs), the older or Classical Pentecostalism, and contemporary Pentecostal movements. One can establish a continuum from primal religion to the current renewal movements with regards to prophetism, due to the deep-seated quest of the phenomenon in African worldview, which indeed was predicted by Professor C. G. Baëta, Ghana's foremost distinguished scholar who studied the phenomenon more than four decades ago

Source: UG
Management control and supply chain operational performance of public health emergency to pandemic control

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to first determine the implications of management control system (MCS) information characteristics for controlling the COVID-19 pandemic through four performance indicators (quality, speed of delivery, availability and cost-effectiveness) of the public health supply chain and second, the mediating effect of four dimensions (broad scope, timeliness, integration and aggregation) of the MCS on external integration, internal integration, customer integration and operational performance of public health institutions in Ghana. Design, methodology, and approach: using covariance-based structural equations modelling and based on contingency theory, a hypothesized model was developed and tested. The sample involves a survey of 214 . public health institutions in Ghana Findings: Both external and internal integration were found to have a significant positive effect on MCS information and, in turn, on the supply chain operational performance of public health institutions. Also, customer integration has a significant positive impact on the four dimensions, with a corresponding impact on supply chain's operational performance. Practical implications: The paper provides practitioners and policymakers with the usefulness of the contingency paradigm in enhancing the supply chain network of public health institutions during epidemics, hence, the need to adopt and develop the contingency approach in designing MCS within the public health sector. Effective public health management through a collaborative process between stakeholders (suppliers, customers and personnel) will mitigate stockouts of medical supplies and systematic disruptions in the public health supply chain. Originality/value: The MCSs-supply chain integration interaction on organizational performance is one of the areas that has received very little attention in the literature, particularly in service-oriented organizations. In this regard, this paper represents one of the few studies in Africa that examines performance implications of MCS supply chain nexus with respect to public health emergencies service-orientec organizations. The paper contributes to the literature by providing invaluable insights into the usefulness of the MCS in enhancing the supply chain performance of public health emergencies.

Source: UG
The management of chieftaincy records in Ghana: an overview

In many developing countries, like Ghana, the chieftaincy institution serves both administrative and advisory roles to the government in community affairs. Using data obtained through a survey, this study examined the management of chieftaincy records in Ghana. The study revealed that chieftaincy records serve as source material for both traditional administration and research. However, requests for records as research material tilt towards land administration and the history of the chieftaincy stools and land. The study concludes with recommendations on how to ensure effective management of chieftaincy records for both current and future use.

Source: UG