ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
An expatiate review of neem, jatropha, rubber and karanja as multipurpose non-edible biodiesel resources and comparison of their fuel, engine and emission properties

The demand for petroleum has risen rapidly due to increasing industrialization and modernization of the world. The limited reserve of the fossil fuels is also dwindling alongside escalation in the prices. The threats from these and food insecurity are, however, drawing the attention of researchers for alternative fuel which can be produced from renewable feed stocks. Biodiesel as the most promising alternate is currently produced from conventionally grown edible plant oils such as rapeseed, soybean, sunﬂower and palm. The use of the edible oils is worsening the current competition of oil for food and for fuel. Focus on the use of non-edible resources is presently directed to jatropha, mahua, pongamia, calophyllum tobacco, cotton oil, etc. Discrepancies between the expectation and realities regarding these non-edible oils are necessitating efforts for diversiﬁcation of the feedstocks to resources that could guarantee energy production without affecting food security. Neem, karanja, rubber and jatropha are evergreen multipurpose non-edible plants that are widely available and can be grown in diverse socio-economic and environmental conditions. These plants are described as golden trees that have multiple uses such as for fuels, medicines, dyes, ornamentals, feeds, soil enrichment, afforestation, etc. This study was therefore undertaken to explore the multipurpose of these four non-edible tree plants. Among the highlights of this expatiate review include oil as feedstock for biodiesel, the need for non-edible feedstocks, neem, karanja, rubber, jatropha and their value chains, methods of modifying oil to biodiesel, factors affecting biodiesel production, application of the selected nonedible seed biodiesels to engines for performance and emission characteristics and the outlook

Source: UCC
Expectation – performance of internal auditors: Examining views from Ghana

The study examines the audit expectation-performance gap from the standpoint of the internal audit function from the perspective of a developing economy. It evaluates the audit expectation-performance gap from the perspective of internal audit with the view to providing useful insights, interesting dimensions and innovative perspectives to the Audit Expectation Gap (AEG) debate. A questionnaire survey method was used to elicit and analyze the views of four main stakeholders in the financial reporting supply chain. These were; (1) external auditors, (2) Senior Management, (3) Audit Committee Members and (4) Professional Bodies. The independent sample t-test technique was used. This technique compares the means of two independent groups, (the users of internal auditors reports group and the internal auditors group) so as to determine whether or not there was statistical evidence that their associated population means were significantly different, relative to questions of responsibility of internal auditors; proactiveness of internal auditors; and professionalism and quality of internal audit work. The results show that the views of stakeholders (that is, users of financial information) on the expectation-performance of internal auditors do not differ significantly from those of internal auditors on the issues of responsibility of internal auditors, proactiveness of internal auditors, the level of professionalism of internal auditors and the quality of internal audit work. As demostrated in the fidndings and discussions section of this paper, the paper evinces that the application of the agency theory to issues concerning internal auditing is practicable and supported in the context of the economic environment of developing countries. The paper provides some empirical evidence based on the survey on stakeholder perceptions on the expectation-performance of internal auditors from an AEG perspective. The study thus rekindles and adds to the myriad of discourses on the longstanding AEG phenomenon as it relates to the internal audit function from the viewpoint of different stakeholders

Source: UCC
Expectations, experiences and career intentions of hospitality and tourism interns in technical Universities of Ghana

Globally, internships play a critical role in hospitality and tourism education. The main objective of this study was to assess the pre-internship activities, expectations, experiences, career intentions of hospitality interns and also to develop a structural model to examine the casual relationship among these constructs. The Expectation-Disconfirmation Theory was adopted to guide study. 684 questionnaires were administered on hospitality interns in eight technical universities in Ghana who were sampled using the simple random technique. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed to analyse the data. AMOS v. 26 was used for the structural equation modelling. Results from the study show that technical universities organise orientation for students and allowed them to participate in on-campus practical training before the internship exercise. Further, it was observed that students mostly sourced for placements themselves. The study revealed that skills development, career path exploration and compensation constitute interns’ expectation. Also, experiences derived by interns from internship included skills development, career path and compensation. Five factors (individual factors, supervisor-task clarity, co-worker support, work environment and compensation) influenced internship experiences of interns. Majority of the interns intend pursuing hospitality and tourism careers. Results show that all nine hypotheses were significant. The study recommends that technical universities take steps to scout for placements for students. Management of facilities offering their premises for internship should provide a good working environment for interns and also provide financial support for interns.

Source: UCC
Experience of Registered Nurses of Postoperative Pain Assessment Using Objective Measures among Children at Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital in Ghana

People undergoing surgical operations experience some level of pain. Assessing pain intensity is one of the duties of the nurse and it involves subjective measures (self-report), and objective measures (behavioural and physiological). It has been observed by the researcher that nurses in clinical practice do not assess pain before management more so among children. Also, there is limited research in the area of pain assessment in children who cannot communicate. This study aimed to describe the experiences of registered nurses in assessing postoperative pain among children (0-3 years) using objective measures. Methods: Descriptive phenomenology was the chosen design. Maximum variation sampling was used to recruit nine registered nurses with experience in nursing children after surgery at Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital (ENRH) in Ghana. The researchers conducted audio-recorded in-depth interviews, transcribed verbatim and qualitatively analyzed following Colaizzi’s approach to descriptive phenomenology analysis. Results: The study revealed that the nurses have more experience with using behavioural measures with limited experience with the use of physiological measures. The behavioural measures mostly reported from their experience were changes in facial expression and unusual crying of the child. In general, the nurses do not formally use consistent approaches to assess pain among children. Conclusion: Given these results, opportunities should be made available for nurses to enhance their skills and utilize evidence-based approaches to formally assess pain among post-operative children.

Source: UCC
Experience of Registered Nurses of Postoperative Pain Assessment Using Objective Measures among Children at Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital in Ghana

Introduction: People undergoing surgical operations experience some level of pain. Assessing pain intensity is one of the duties of the nurse and it involves subjective measures (self-report), and objective measures (behavioural and physiological). It has been observed by the researcher that nurses in clinical practice do not assess pain before management more so among children. Also, there is limited research in the area of pain assessment in children who cannot communicate. This study aimed to describe the experiences of registered nurses in assessing postoperative pain among children (0-3 years) using objective measures. Methods: Descriptive phenomenology was the chosen design. Maximum variation sampling was used to recruit nine registered nurses with experience in nursing children after surgery at Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital (ENRH) in Ghana. The researchers conducted audio-recorded in-depth interviews, transcribed verbatim and qualitatively analyzed following Colaizzi’s approach to descriptive phenomenology analysis. Results: The study revealed that the nurses have more experience with using behavioural measures with limited experience with the use of physiological measures. The behavioural measures mostly reported from their experience were changes in facial expression and unusual crying of the child. In general, the nurses do not formally use consistent approaches to assess pain among children. Conclusion: Given these results, opportunities should be made available for nurses to enhance their skills and utilize evidence-based approaches to formally assess pain among post-operative children.

Source: UCC
Experienced and Beginning Basic School Teachers’ Perception of The Impact Of Instructional Supervision on Professional Development in Twifo-Ati Mokwa District

Effective supervision has been identified by many as one of the most vital ingredients for promoting effective teaching and learning. Beginning teachers serve as powerful workforce to support future development of a school yet the most critical problems facing the profession is how to improve the professional growth and development of beginning teachers. The main purpose of the study was to examine experienced and beginning teachers’ perceptions of the impact of instructional supervision in the Twifo-Ati Mokwa District basic schools. The study employed a descriptive survey method. The sample of the study consisted of 141 experienced and beginning teachers. Simple random and stratified sampling procedures were used to select the respondents. Four research questions were formulated to guide the study and questionnaire was the only instrument that was used to collect the data. The independent sample t-test as well as frequencies and percentages were used to analyse the data. The main finding of the study was that both experienced and beginning teachers have positive perceptions about the kind of instructional supervisory practices carried out in the schools. It is recommended among others that supervisory approaches such as peer coaching, mentoring and clinical supervision should be emphasized more in the schools as these practices help beginning teachers to improve upon their teaching skills and to grow professionally.

Source: UCC
The Experiences and Coping Strategies of Harassed and Abused Migrant Female Head Porters in the Kumasi Central Market

The influx of young women from northern Ghana to cities in the south to work as head porters has accounted for the continuous increase in internal migration. Although, this livelihood strategy contributes to an improvement in the living conditions of these young women and their families, they face multiple risk factors such as harassment and abuse. Using a qualitative research approach, the study explored the experiences and coping strategies of harassed and abused migrant female head porters in the Kumasi Central Market. The transactional model of stress, appraisal and coping provided the theoretical framework for the study. Further, purposive and snowball-sampling methods were used to sample 22 participants for the study. Face to face, interviews were used to collect data. The data was analysed by cohesively presenting themes related to the study objectives using thematic analysis. The study revealed that institutional failure and lack of decent accommodation made female head porters externally vulnerable to perpetrators who used their ignorance and helplessness to often harass and abuse them. In addition, participants had experienced various types of violence but insult was found to be the most common form of abuse porters experienced in their line of work and this greatly affected their psychological wellbeing. It was discovered that majority of female head porters in dealing with these abuse and harassment tend to rely much on what Lazarus and Folkman (1984) refer to as Emotional based coping. In particular, most of them draw on the strategies of self-control and positive reappraisal. It is recommended, among other things, that both governmental and non-governmental agencies help in spearheading the awareness creation on harassment and abuse and educating female head porters of their rights and privileges as citizens.

Source: UCC
Experiences and perceptions of the theory‐practice gap in nursing in a resource‐constrained setting: A qualitative description study

Aim: To describe experiences and perceptions of theory‐practice gap in nursing in a resource‐constrained setting. Theory‐practice gap is extensively discussed and studied in some parts of the world. Interventions to bridge the theory‐practice gap have been varied and depend on an understanding of the contextual healthcare environment. Experiences and perceptions of the theory‐practice gap in a resource‐con‐ strained setting have not been comprehensively described. Design: A qualitative description methodology was used. Methods: Maximum variation sampling based on role in the events of theory‐practice gap was used to recruit student nurses, nurse faculty and clinicians from two study sites for focus group discussions. Data were analysed using conventional con‐ tent analysis. Results: Five themes were identified: system inadequacies; resource constraints; challenges of the clinical learning environment; clinical placement and supervision; and nurse faculty factors. Systems inadequacy and resource constraints formed the spine of the challenges contributing to the theory‐practice gap in the research setting.

Source: UCC
Experiences and Perceptions of the Theory‐Practice Gap in Nursing in a Resource‐Constrained Setting: A Qualitative Description Study

To describe experiences and perceptions of theory‐practice gap in nursing in a resource‐constrained setting. Theory‐practice gap is extensively discussed and studied in some parts of the world. Interventions to bridge the theory‐practice gap have been varied and depend on an understanding of the contextual healthcare environment. Experiences and perceptions of the theory‐practice gap in a resource‐constrained setting have not been comprehensively described. Design: A qualitative description methodology was used. Methods: Maximum variation sampling based on role in the events of theory‐practice gap was used to recruit student nurses, nurse faculty and clinicians from two study sites for focus group discussions. Data were analysed using conventional content analysis. Results: Five themes were identified: system inadequacies; resource constraints; challenges of the clinical learning environment; clinical placement and supervision; and nurse faculty factors. Systems inadequacy and resource constraints formed the spine of the challenges contributing to the theory‐practice gap in the research setting.

Source: UCC
Experiences and training needs of healthcare providers involved in the care of Ghanaian adolescents living with HIV: an interventional study

Background: Caring for adolescents living with HIV/AIDS (ALHIV) can be overwhelming due to their unique needs. Ghana is currently among nine countries in West and Central Africa contributing to 90% of new paediatric infections in the sub-region with a growing population of ALHIV. Regardless, gaps in paediatric related care including healthcare providers (HCPs) capacity issues have been identified. This study sought to assess the competencies of adolescent oriented healthcare providers before, and after interventionist training to inform recommendation that would guide the psychosocial care they give to ALHIV. Methods: The study adopted a mixed methods approach with a non-randomized interventional study involving three phase multi-methods. The sample consisted of 28 adolescent-oriented and multi-disciplinary healthcare providers at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital (CCTH) in Ghana. Data were obtained in three phases, namely, a baseline survey, interventionist training, and post-training in-depth interviews. Quantitative data were analyzed using Stata version 13 for descriptive analysis while the qualitative data were analyzed thematically using NVivo version 11. Results: Although the majority of the HCPs claim to be knowledgeable about adolescent health issues (n = 21, 75.0%), only about a third (n = 10, 35.7%) could correctly define who an adolescent is. The majority (n = 18, 64.3%) had not received any training on how to work with the adolescent client. The main areas identified for improvement in the ALHIV care in phase 1 included issues with psychosocial assessment, communication and treatment adherence strategies, creating an adolescent-friendly work environment, and availability of job aids/protocols. During the post training interviews, participants reported an improved understanding of the characteristics of an adolescent-friendly site and basic principles for ALHIV care. They were also able to correctly describe the widely used adolescent health assessment tool; the HEEADSSS. Post intervention interviews also revealed HCPs perception on increased practice related confidence levels and readiness to implement new knowledge and skills gained. Conclusion: This study has shown that targeted training on routine ALHIV care is effective in increasing HCPs knowledge, skills and confidence. Addressing the healthcare system/facility related gaps serves as an impetus for improved ALHIV care among HCPs.

Source: UCC
Experiences and Training Needs of Healthcare Providers Involved in the Care of Ghanaian Adolescents Living with HIV: An Interventional Study

Caring for adolescents living with HIV/AIDS (ALHIV) can be overwhelming due to their unique needs. Ghana is currently among nine countries in West and Central Africa contributing to 90% of new paediatric infections in the sub-region with a growing population of ALHIV. Regardless, gaps in paediatric related care including healthcare providers (HCPs) capacity issues have been identified. This study sought to assess the competencies of adolescentoriented healthcare providers before, and after interventionist training to inform recommendation that would guide the psychosocial care they give to ALHIV. Methods: The study adopted a mixed methods approach with a non-randomized interventional study involving threephase multi-methods. The sample consisted of 28 adolescent-oriented and multi-disciplinary healthcare providers at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital (CCTH) in Ghana. Data were obtained in three phases, namely, a baseline survey, interventionist training, and post-training in-depth interviews. Quantitative data were analyzed using Stata version 13 for descriptive analysis while the qualitative data were analyzed thematically using NVivo version 11. Results: Although the majority of the HCPs claim to be knowledgeable about adolescent health issues (n = 21, 75.0%), only about a third (n = 10, 35.7%) could correctly define who an adolescent is. The majority (n = 18, 64.3%) had not received any training on how to work with the adolescent client. The main areas identified for improvement in the ALHIV care in phase 1 included issues with psychosocial assessment, communication and treatment adherence strategies, creating an adolescent-friendly work environment, and availability of job aids/protocols. During the posttraining interviews, participants reported an improved understanding of the characteristics of an adolescent-friendly site and basic principles for ALHIV care. They were also able to correctly describe the widely used adolescent health assessment tool; the HEEADSSS. Post intervention interviews also revealed HCPs perception on increased practice related confidence levels and readiness to implement new knowledge and skills gained. Conclusion: This study has shown that targeted training on routine ALHIV care is effective in increasing HCPs knowledge, skills and confidence. Addressing the healthcare system/facility related gaps serves as an impetus for improved ALHIV care among HCPs.

Source: UCC
Experiences of family caregivers of patients with stroke in the Cape Coast Metropolis: A descriptive qualitative design

This study explored the experiences of informal caregivers of stroke survivors in the Cape Coast Municipality of the Central Region of Ghana. In order to achieve this purpose, a purposive sampling technique was endorsed and used to select twelve caregivers who participated in the study. Data collection which was driven by a semi-structured interview guide was done by the use of tape-recorded interviews which lasted for 45 minutes. Thematic content analysis was used to analyze transcribed data. Three major themes with each having sub-themes were derived. These included challenges caregivers faced, strategies for managing disease-related tasks associated with stroke care and the support system available to caregivers. Findings from the study indicated that challenges that confronted informal caregivers mostly in the discharge of their duties included financial constraint, the health of the caregiver being affected and emotional challenges. It was further revealed that caregivers employed strategies for bathing the patient, strategies for medication, communication strategies and feeding strategies. It was finally revealed that support systems that were available for caregivers of stroke patients included support from families, communities, religious organizations and health professionals. It was, therefore, recommended that a well-designed program aimed at equipping the caregivers with requisite skills that will enable them effectively care for their patients should be organized. Also, there must be followup activities in which nurses and doctors who attended to the caregivers and their patients could visit caregivers in their home to ascertain their challenges as well as that of the patients. The study further recommended that there should be workshops or conferences on home care to enhance nurses’ interest and potentials. In addition, it was recommended that clinicians who have specialized in the care and treatment of stroke are brought to the hospital or if possible trained.

Source: UCC