ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Addressing Psychosocial Hazards and Improving Employee Psychological Wellbeing in the Ghanaian Banking Industry: Application of Organization Development Intervention Using Action Research Model

Employee safety and wellbeing is significantly influenced by the working environment and the nature of work itself. In Ghana, working in the bank is beneficial in that it provides people with the means to satisfy social and economic needs. However, employees in the Ghanaian banking industry are faced with a wide range of psychosocial hazards, and they experience work-related stress which potentially affects their physical and mental health. Efforts made by banking institutions to minimize the problem of occupational health and safety tend to focus more on physical hazard to the neglect of psychosocial hazards. From an organisation development perspective using the Action Research Model, this paper provides a step-by-step approach to diagnosing the problem in relation to the poor psychosocial work environment in the Ghanaian banking sector. Further, it provides an intervention strategy that can be used to address the problem and improve employee psychological wellbeing in the banking industry.

Source: UG
Addressing the marketing and availability of unhealthy food and beverages in and around selected schools in Ghana: a community readiness appraisal

Objective This study assessed stakeholder readiness to address unhealthy food and beverage marketing and availability in/around Public Basic Schools (for children 4–15 years) in Greater Accra Region, the highly urbanized the administrative capital of Ghana. Design The community readiness model was used to conduct in-depth mixed methods interviews with stakeholders. Using predefined anchored rating statements, quantitative readiness scores ranging from 1 to 9 were generated. Thematic qualitative analysis was undertaken to understand barriers and facilitators that could influence the implementation of interventions. Setting Greater Accra Region, Ghana. Participants 18 key informants from various schools/ education/citizen sectors, which together represented the ‘school community’ of Greater Accra Region. Results The mean readiness scores indicated that the ‘school community’ was at the ‘preplanning’ stage of readiness (4.44±0.98) to address the marketing and availability of unhealthy food and beverages in and around schools. The mean readiness score for ‘leadership’ was the highest of all dimensions (5.36±1.60), corresponding to the ‘preparation’ stage. The lowest scores were found for ‘community knowledge of efforts’ (3.19±2.45) and ‘resources for efforts’ (3.64±0.87), both of which were at a ‘vague awareness’ stage. Conclusions The ‘school community’ recognized that the marketing and availability of unhealthy food and beverages was a problem. Additionally, the current leadership was actively supportive of continuing/improving efforts that create healthier children’s food environments. However, actions that aim to increase the ‘school community’s’ knowledge of existing interventions and securing resources to sustain those interventions are needed before introducing readiness-appropriate strategies.

Source: UG
Addressing the Problem of Political Vigilantism in Ghana through the Conceptual Lens of Wicked Problems

Ghana entered into the Fourth Republic in 1993 after experiencing political instability over two decades. A defining feature that has characterized the Fourth Republic of Ghana and marred Ghana’s democratic credentials is the emergence of political vigilantism. Political vigilantism has basically been perpetuated by the two leading political parties in Ghana: the New Patriotic Party and the National Democratic Party. The major political actors in the political system of Ghana continue to express the debilitating effects of political vigilantism on Ghana’s democratic advancement, nevertheless, it continues to persist in monumental proportion in our political dispensation. Using a qualitative research approach, the paper examines the factors responsible for the pervasiveness of political vigilantism under the Fourth Republic of Ghana and proffer some plausible solutions to address this political canker.

Source: UG
Addressing the Vepris verdoorniana complex (Rutaceae) in West Africa, with two new species

Summary. Vepris verdoorniana (Rutaceae) has long been regarded as a widespread and variable species occurring from Guinea to Gabon. Recent evidence has shown that the original material from the type locality in Cameroon consists of two different species, V. verdoorniana in the strict sense, endemic to Lower Guinea (Cameroon, Gabon and C.A.R. in W-C Africa) and V. letouzeyi Onana, which was thought to occur from Guinea to Cameroon. In this paper we show that the West African (Upper Guinea) material previously referred to as V. letouzeyi/V. verdoorniana is separate morphologically from that in Cameroon (Lower Guinea). In fact the West African material referred to comprises two distinct species, here described as V. occidentalis Cheek & Onana (Guinea to Ghana, but probably extending to Benin) a tree of lowland marginal dry evergreen and semi-deciduous forest, and V. fer Cheek, a species restricted to four mainly lower submontane forest locations on iron substrates in Liberia and Sierra Leone (also Upper Guinea). Vepris occidentalis is here assessed as Least Concern due to its wide range and high frequency, whilst V. fer is assessed as Endangered due to the low number of locations and threats from iron ore mining projects. Both new species are illustrated and mapped.

Source: UG
Adequacy of pre-service teacher education for teaching physical education curriculum in public primary schools: A study of teachers from six selected educational circuits

Pre-service teacher education programme should aim at adequate preparation of pre-service teachers to equip them with pedagogical and content knowledge relevant for full-time teaching career. However, a major obstacle to quality education is that several teachers are not well prepared to teach the school curriculum competently. Therefore, the study examined: 1) adequacy of pre-service teacher education for teaching the physical education (PE) programme, 2) relationship between adequacy of pre-service teacher education in PE and the frequency at which PE lessons were taught, and 3) relationship between adequacy of pre-service teacher education in PE and teacher-related barriers to teaching PE in public primary schools. The study design was cross-sectional survey. Multistage sampling technique yielded a sample of 172 subjects out of estimated population of 300. Validated and reliable self-structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Pre-data analyses were performed to clean data from errors. All data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS for Windows, Version 17). The study found that several teachers received inadequate knowledge in teaching physical education programme in public primary schools. From the study, positive correlation was found between pre service teacher education in PE and the frequency at which PE lessons were taught. The study also revealed a negative correlation between quality of pre-service teacher education in PE and teacher-related barriers that hindered effective teaching of PE programme in public primary schools of the six selected circuits involved in the study.

Source: UG
Adevu and Chiwara rituals in West Africa compared to hunting rituals and rock art in South Africa

In May 2013 in Accra, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Vice Chancellors of the University of Ghana (Professor Ernest Aryeetey) and the South African University of the Witwatersrand (Professor Loyiso Nongxa). Almost immediately, ethnographers and archaeologists from both countries met to discuss matters that related to anthropology in Ghana and South Africa. Of particular interest were accounts of hunting rituals, stimulated by discussion of research reported by Frobenius (1931) and Thackeray (1986,2005,2013). Here we report the results of our initial research, associated with the principle of 'sympathetic magic'

Source: UG
Adherence and uptake of artemisinin-based combination treatments for uncomplicated malaria: A qualitative study in northern Ghana

Background: Based on the recommendations of the World Health Organization in 2004, Ghana changed her antimalarial drug policy from mono-therapy to Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy (ACTs). The country is currently using three first line drugs artesunate-amodiaquine, artemetherlumefantrine and dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine for the treatment of uncomplicated malaria. Despite this policy, little or no qualitative studies have been conducted to establish the factors influencing adherence to the new treatment for malaria. This study explored factors influencing adherence to the use of ACTs in northern Ghana. Methods: This was a qualitative study comprising forty (40) in-depth interviews with patients with malaria who visited selected public and private health facilities and received ACTs. Systematic sampling technique was used to select participants who were given ACTs for the interviews. Nvivo 9 software was used to code the data into themes for further analysis. Results: The study revealed very important differences in knowledge about ACTs. As expected, the less or illiterates could not mention the type of ACT they would prefer to use for treating their malaria. The educated ones had a good knowledge on ACTs and preferred artemetherlumefantrinee in treating their malaria. The reason was that the drug was good and it had minimal or no side effects. Individual attitudes toward the use of medications and the side effects associated with the use of these ACTs were found to be the main factors affecting adherence to the use of ACTs. Perceived cure of illness after the initial dose greatly affected adherence. Other factors such as forgetfulness and lack of information also influenced patient adherence to ACTs use. Conclusion: Individual knowledge, attitudes and behaviors greatly influence patients' adherence to ACTs use. Since ACTs take a number of days to complete, continuous education by health professionals could improve on adherence to ACTs use by patients with malaria.

Source: UG
The adherence of five nursing schools in Africa to regional educational standards: An evaluation report

Background: Programme review has been used to evaluate and formulate conclusions about the strengths and effectiveness of programmes. This article presents findings of the internal and external programme reviews which were conducted in five nursing schools in the African region. These reviews were guided by educational standards developed by the three World Health Organisation Collaborating Centres for Nursing and Midwifery Development in Africa with the support of the World Health Organisation African Regional Office. Objectives: To establish the adherence of five nursing schools in Africa to regional educational standards. Methods: In-depth case analysis was conducted, with each school forming a case. Data sources were all stakeholders and data were collected through interviews, focus groups, document analysis and observations. Results: The results reflected diversity in educational programmes and adherence to some of the educational standards. The educational programmes were striving to address the needs of the respective societies; curricula were coherent, with significant clinical exposure; there were productive international partnerships from which schools benefited significantly; and stakeholders were involved in addressing problems related to education and training. Weaknesses included inadequate teaching resources, a limited pool of suitably qualified academic staff, a lack of adequately prepared mentors and role models in the clinical areas; as well as a lack of specialist training and limited options within programmes if graduates wanted to specialise in certain areas.

Source: UG
Adherence to Antidiabetic Medications among Women with Gestational Diabetes

Background. Optimal adherence to prescribed medications in women with gestational diabetes is relevant for perinatal outcomes. Objective. To summarize available information on the prevalence and factors contributing to medication adherence in women with gestational diabetes from the biological and psychosocial perspectives. Methods. A literature search on adherence in gestational diabetes was conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus, and the Directory of Open Access Journals for studies published on the topic. The Arksey and O’Malley framework for scoping reviews was used to explore and summarize the evidence. Results. A total of 2395 studies were retrieved of which 13 fully met the eligibility criteria. The studies were reported in Zimbabwe (n = 5), Iran (n = 1), Mexico (n = 1), South India (n = 1), the United States of America (n = 4), and one multinational study covering Australia, Europe, North and South America. The main types of antidiabetic medications used were insulin (n = 6), metformin (n = 4), and glyburide (n = 2). The prevalence of adherence ranged from 35.6% to 97%, with the assessment tool being self-report measures (n = 8). The main factors associated with nonadherence included worsening pregnancy symptoms, side effects of medications, perceived risks, mental health symptoms, poor social support, and socioeconomic status. Recommendations that evolved from the studies to improve adherence included education, counselling, improved support networks, and social interventions, while the main reported interventional study employed continuous education on the impact of adherence on perinatal outcomes. Conclusion. Medication nonadherence in gestational diabetes seems to be influenced by multiple factors with some educational interventions positively impacting adherence behaviours. Thus, future research in women with gestational diabetes could consider interventions from a multifactorial perspective to improve therapeutic outcomes.

Source: UG
Adherence to antiretroviral therapy among HIV patients in Ghana: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Maintaining a high level of adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) is critical to limiting rapid viral replication, drug resistance, and viral transmission. However, ART adherence remains a major challenge in HIV/AIDS treatment success. This systematic review and meta-analysis was aimed to synthesize available evidence on adherence to ART among HIV/AIDS patients in Ghana.This review followed the preferred reporting item for systematic review and meta-analysis (PRISMA) criteria. A comprehensive literature search was done using five online databases (PubMed, Google Scholar, Medline, Africa Index Medicus, and Willey Online Library) from 25th- 30th April 2023 to identify potential studies. In addition, references of related articles were manually searched to further identify relevant studies. Search records were managed in Endnote library where duplicates were removed prior to screening. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they were conducted in Ghana, designed as an observational or experimental study, and explicitly measured adherence to ART, either as a primary or secondary outcome. Studies were excluded if the proportion or prevalence of adherence to ART was not reported.A total number of 126 potential studies were identified from the literature search. Of these, 14 met the inclusion criteria and were included in the Meta-analysis. The studies involved a total number of 4,436 participants. The pooled estimate of adherence to ART was 70% (CI: 58–81%). In subgroup analysis, adolescents and young adults had a lower adherence rate (66%, CI: 46–84%) compared with adults (70%; CI: 58–81%). Publication bias was not observed among studies. The pooled estimate of optimal adherence to ART among HIV patients in Ghana was lower than is recommended (95%) to achieve viral suppression. Adherence was lower among young persons living with HIV/AIDS. To achieve the United Nation’s Sustainable development goals and the UNAIDS “95-95-95” targets, there is a need to focus on improving adherence interventions among persons living with HIV/AIDS, especially among the younger cohort.

Source: UG
Adherence to antiretroviral therapy among HIV patients in Ghana: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Maintaining a high level of adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) is critical to limiting rapid viral replication, drug resistance, and viral transmission. However, ART adherence remains a major challenge in HIV/AIDS treatment success. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed at synthesizing available evidence on adherence to ART among HIV/AIDS patients in Ghana. This review followed the preferred reporting item for systematic review and meta-analysis (PRISMA) criteria. A comprehensive literature search was done using five online databases (PubMed, Google Scholar, Medline, Africa Index Medicus, and Willey Online Library) from 25th- 30th April 2023 to identify potential studies. In addition, references to related articles were manually searched to further identify relevant studies. Search records were managed in the Endnote library where duplicates were removed before screening. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they were conducted in Ghana, designed as an observational or experimental study, and explicitly measured adherence to ART, either as a primary or secondary outcome. Studies were excluded if the proportion or prevalence of adherence to ART was not reported. A total number of 126 potential studies were identified from the literature search. Of these, 14 met the inclusion criteria and were included in the Meta-analysis. The studies involved a total number of 4,436 participants. The pooled estimate of adherence to ART was 70% (CI: 58–81%). In subgroup analysis, adolescents and young adults had a lower adherence rate (66%, CI: 46–84%) compared with adults (70%; CI: 58–81%). Publication bias was not observed among studies. The pooled estimate of optimal adherence to ART among HIV patients in Ghana was lower than is recommended (�95%) to achieve viral suppression. Adherence was lower among young persons living with HIV/AIDS. To achieve the United Nation’s Sustainable development goals and the UNAIDS “95-95-95” targets, there is a need to focus on improving adherence interventions among persons living with HIV/AIDS, especially among the younger cohort.

Source: UG
Adherence to Dihydroartemisinin-Piperaquine Treatment among Patients with Uncomplicated Malaria in Northern Ghana

Treatment adherence has been described as the process whereby patients take medications, follow diet, and effect other lifestyle changes that relate to agreed recommendations from healthcare providers. The determinants of such treatment adherence include patient, the health condition, therapy type, socioeconomic conditions, and the healthcare system. The study examined adherence in malaria patients treated with dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine in routine clinical care in northern Ghana. The study was conducted in Navrongo Health Research Centre in the Kassena-Nankana district of northern Ghana. Patients confirmed with uncomplicated malaria were prescribed dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine in blister packs to be taken daily for three days. Follow-up visits were made on days 3 and 28 after diagnosis to collect data on adherence, drug safety and therapeutic effectiveness. During follow-up visits, in-depth interviews were conducted and the blister packs directly observed for the number of tablets remaining. The in-depth interviews documented day-by-day account of doses taken, number of tablets taken during each dose, time of each dose, reasons for any leftover or missed dose, and whether or not there was vomiting. Treatment adherence was classified as definitely nonadherent, incomplete adherence, and completely adherent. A total of 405 patients were screened; 299 were positive by rapid diagnostic testing and 216 by microscopy. The average age was 12 years and females represented 54.0%. All participants completed day 3 follow-up but 12.7% had leftover pills. Treatment adherence was 50.9% (95% CI 44.1, 57.8), 36.1% (95% CI 29.7, 42.9), and 13.0% (95% CI 8.8, 18.2) for completely adherent, incomplete adherence, and definitely nonadherent, respectively. All completely adherent patients were free of parasitemia on day 28 of follow-up. A total of 49 adverse events related to malaria symptoms were documented. Effort to improve adherence should be individualized as it is dependent on a number of factors such as the patients' temperament, the disease, support at home, and complexity of treatment. © 2019 Abraham Rexford Oduro et al.

Source: UG
Adherence to Essential Newborn Care Practices Among Nurses and Midwives in the Tamale Metropolis of Ghana

Newborn mortality is a canker in society robbing couples off their happiness and dreaded situations which affects mothers globally for carrying a pregnancy to term only to lose your baby due to preventable conditions. This devastating situation has left many mothers worried about childbirth most especially in LMICs. To avert and decrease the newborn morbidity and mortality numbers, WHO has recommended essential newborn care practices (ENCP). However, adherence to protocols in Ghana is generally low. Nurses and midwives adherence to ENCP is essential in the delivery of care to mothers and their newborns. Hence, the study to investigate Nurses and Midwives' adherence to ENCP in the Tamale Metropolis using the decomposed theory of planned behaviour (DTPB) as an organising framework. A quantitative study using a descriptive cross-sectional design was employed, and a multistage method of sampling techniques was used to gather a sample size of 330 nurses and midwives. Simple random sampling techniques were employed in the recruitment of respondents. Descriptive and inferential statistics thus, correlation, regression and mediation analysis in the statistical package for social science (SPSS) version 21.0 software were used to analyse data. The study findings revealed that nurses and midwives had positive attitudes, good subjective norm, positive PBC, positive behavioural intention and good behaviour (adherence) towards ENCP. The results indicated a positive relationship between attitude, subjective norm, PBC, behavioural intention and their behaviour. Also, their PBC and behavioural intention predicted their behaviour (adherence).Therefore, to ensure high life expectancy of newborns and their mothers there should be conclusive response to ENCP thereby ensure adherence to these protocols at each stage of the care setting

Source: UG