ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
An assessment of the replicability of a standard and modified sanitary risk protocol for groundwater sources in Greater Accra

Sanitary risk inspection, the systematic observation of contamination hazards, is often used to manage safety of water sources such as wells and boreholes. However, the replicability of sanitary risk inspections undertaken by different observers has not been studied. This study aimed to assess the replicability of sanitary risk inspections by two different observers in urban and peri-urban neighbourhoods of Greater Accra, Ghana. Two observers independently used a standard protocol to record contamination hazards around 62 groundwater sources, additionally recording urban-specific hazards such as damaged sewage pipes via a modified protocol. We calculated risk scores as the proportion of hazards observed at each source, separately for each observer. Linn’s concordance correlation coefficient indicated very high agreement between the two observers’ risk scores (n = 62; c = 0.949, 95% confidence limits 0.917–0.968). However, risk scores from urban-specific observations were uncorrelated with those from the standard protocol (r = 0.11, p = 0.41 for observer 1; r = 0.16, p = 0.22 for observer 2). Ours is the first study of replicability of sanitary risk observations and suggests high inter-observer agreement. However, urban contamination hazards were not captured using the standard protocol. In the future, assessment of inter-observer agreement and observations of urban-specific hazards could be incorporated into nationwide or regional sanitary risk surveys.

Source: UG
Assessment of the reproductive performances of native sows in Southern Benin

Native sows contribute to a large extent to food security and poverty alleviation in Benin. However, their reproductive performance particularly under extensive systems is poorly characterized. The objective of this study was to fill this knowledge gap by selecting 284 multiparous sows based on hair color and some re productive parameters. The results showed that native sows of Southern Benin can be clustered into three groups with group 3 showing the best reproductive performances including highest average litter size (LS, 10.31 piglets), live-born piglets (LBP, 10.31 piglets), number of functional teats (10.94), and shorter average farrowing interval (6 mo). The analysis of sows’ performances based on their origin revealed that sows from agro-ecological zone 8 have the highest number of LBP and the lowest age at first mating and first farrowing. The analysis of sows’ performances based on the hair color showed that those with black hair have the largest LS and the highest number of LBP. This study showed that Benin’s native sows have good reproductive ability with enough variation to develop a sustainable pig industry for a better contribution to food security and wealth creation.

Source: UG
An assessment of the safety of street foods in the Ga district, of Ghana; Implications for the spread of zoonoses

Street food refers to food and beverages prepared and sold by vendors in streets and other public places for immediate consumption. In Ghana street foods are sold at small eating places popularly known as 'chop bars'. Food safety studies were conducted on the premises of 160 'chop bars' in the Ga District of Ghana in July 1998. Only three (1.8%) of the proprietors met all the requirements (based on a five-point checklist) for basic hygiene. Twenty-four (15%) out of the 160 proprietors had access to potable water while the other 136 (85%) proprietors purchased water from vendors and six used pond water. These two latter sources of water were of poor microbiological quality (as shown by faecal coliform values which ranged from 1.0x102-1.9x105 cfu/ml). One hundred and five proprietors (65.6%) did not obtain their meat supply from an approved source. Factors influencing the purchase of meat from an approved source included the proximity of a chop bar to a slaughter facility, the conduct of meat inspection personnel and affordable user fees. Copyright (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V.

Source: UG
Assessment of the Water Quality of the Oti River in Ghana

Oti river, an important tributary of the Volta lake in Ghana, was chosen as a case study to investigate the variations in the quality of its water at different locations. This was necessitated by the people’s reliance on the river for their domestic and agricultural water use. Composite water samples drawn from some sections of the Oti river were analysed in the laboratory for certain parameters to enable assessment of water quality. The observed results of the laboratory analyses are compared with the 2003 Ghana Raw Water Criteria and Guidelines for domestic use. The results indicated that turbidity, total iron, faecal coliforms and total coliforms were above the limits set out by the 2003 Ghana Raw Water Criteria and Guidelines for domestic use. Thus, the water from Oti river was considered unsuitable for direct human consumption at the sampled locations. Using the Water Quality Index (WQI) Calculator 1.0, the WQI for Oti river was calculated to be 39.3. The WQI indicates that water quality in the Oti river was poor. This implies that the water quality is almost always threatened or impaired; conditions usually depart from natural or desirable levels. Public awareness with respect to the need to boil and/or filter the water before drinking is called for. Sanitary facilities to control river pollution and appropriate water treatments techniques are required in the area to improve the welfare of the riparian dwellers.

Source: UG
Assessment of the Wellbeing of Stroke Survivors: A Study in the Accra Metropolis

This study was conducted to explore the psychological, social, physical and spiritual wellbeing of stroke survivors. An exploratory, descriptive qualitative design was employed and the Quality of life Model by Betty Ferrell, 1999 was used to guide the study. Participants were purposively sampled and saturation was achieved at the 9th participant. Face-to-face interviews were conducted in-depth and data were analyzed using the thematic content analysis approach. Stroke affected the physical function of stroke survivors, limiting their capability to even accomplish self-care undertakings leading to psychological symptoms of distress, depression, helplessness and low morale among the stroke survivors. Although the stroke survivors sometimes felt lonely, most of them had support from family, friends and church. They had to rely solely on family and friend for care, making them feel they overburdened their loved ones. They had hope for improvement and expressed faith in God for healing. It is recommended that clinical psychologists and experienced nurses be assigned to stroke survivors in discharge planning and to support them psychologically.

Source: UG
An Assessment of Tourism’s Environmental Impact on the Lake Bosomtwe Basin

Using information from interviews with key stakeholders and secondary sources, this article assessed whether Lake Bosomtwe tourism development has negatively impacted its ecology and, if so, what can be done to mitigate the impact. The evidence showed that despite the increase in awareness of the need to protect the lake environment, far greater abuses of the ecology are endemic for two reasons—the mismatch between knowledge and practice of ecologically sustainable tourism development, and the omission from the calculus of the influences that segments of the tourism supply chain have on one another to encourage more environmentally responsible tourism.

Source: UG
Assessment of Tuberculosis Infection Prevention and Control Practices Among Healthcare Workers in Tema General Hospital

This study investigates knowledge and practices of Tuberculosis infection prevention and control among health workers in Tema General Hospital. Two hundred and twenty nine (229) randomly selected (stratification) health workers were administered a 54-item questionnaire. The questionnaire comprised sections designed to provide relevant information of concern to the study such as knowledge of Tuberculosis infection prevention and control, practices and challenges. Results showed that health workers had fairly good knowledge of Tuberculosis infection prevention and control. This was significantly influenced by participants’ sex, current ward of work and job title but not age and number of years of work. Practices used by the health workers were generally good and appropriate especially regular hand washing hygiene, education of Tuberculosis patients and use of information, education and communication materials. What was lacking was wearing of a N95(Non oil close fitted mask with 95% filter efficiency that protects from inhaling infectious droplet nuclei) and FFP2 (an oil and non oil aerosol mask or respirator with 94% filter efficiency that protects from inhaling infectious droplet nuclei) when working in high risk Tuberculosis areas, offering of surgical mask to Tuberculosis suspects or cases when they are in the hospital and separation of group suspected or confirmed Tuberculosis patients from other patients. Identified challenges included inadequate education/training programmes for health workers about Tuberculosis infection, prevention and control, improper ventilation due to overcrowding at the out patients department, lack of protective equipment (FFP2 or N95 masks, gloves), non availability of Tuberculosis wards for infected patients, stigmatization of staff working on Tuberculosis patients and poor resourced laboratory for Tuberculosis testing. It was concluded that health workers need to improve their knowledge on Tuberculosis infection prevention control whilst stakeholders institute measures geared to wards improvement of facility and logistic deficit.

Source: UG
An Assessment of United Nations Peacekeeping Reforms and Its Implications on Peace Operations in Africa

As an influential international organization, the United Nations (UN) has the legal mandate to maintain international peace and security. It does this through various means including peace operations. The fluidity and exigencies of wars and violent conflicts; and the need for the use of appropriate strategies and fallouts of peace operations have led to various reforms. This dissertation examines the key factors and reports that necessitated UN’s peacekeeping reforms in the 21st century and its implications on the conduct of some peacekeeping operations particularly in Africa since 2000 till date. The study is hinge on the theory of collective security, which explains how UN peacekeeping operations evolved as a strategy for the maintenance of international peace and security. The study employs the qualitative method of research using semi-structured interviews to collect relevant primary data from the respondents who were selected through purposive sampling technique. The study revealed that, cotemporary security challenges, coupled with changing prevailing security dynamics as well as experiences and difficulties faced by UN peacekeepers during peacekeeping missions are the major factors that necessitated UN peacekeeping reforms in the 21st century. The study also found out that, although the UN had instituted many reforms on peacekeeping operations in the 21st century, the Brahimi Report in 2000 and the HIPPO report in 2015 are the most prominent peacekeeping reforms. These two reforms are the landmark reforms and currently cover every aspect of the UN peacekeeping architecture. The study proved that current peacekeeping reforms has help put the protection of civilians at the forefront of current peace operation in Africa, and has ushered in more robust and multidimensional peacekeeping operations on the continent, while improving cooperation between the UN and AU in tackling Africa’s security challenges. The dissertation concludes by recommending that, the UN should clearly define its POCdoctrine, and provide adequate resources for peace operations in Africa. Also, there is the need for more consultative and inclusive decision making between the UN and AU when drafting peacekeeping mandate.

Source: UG
Assessments of the transmission of Onchocerca volvulus by Simulium sanctipauli in the Upper Denkyira District, Ghana, and the intermittent disappearance of the vector

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
Asset quality in a crisis period: An empirical examination of Ghanaian banks

This paper examines the factors that account for the deterioration in the asset quality of Ghanaian banks during a period of financial crises usinga unique dataset on 25 banks from 2005 to 2010. Based on system Generalized Method of Moments estimations, we find that the persistence ofnon-performing loans in addition to loan growth, bank market structure, bank size, inflation, real exchange rate and GDP growth are the significantdeterminants of banks asset quality in Ghana. The findings have implications for both bank management and regulators in emerging economies.

Source: UG
Assets and Livelihoods of Male- and Female- Headed Households in Ghana

The consumption expenditure approach indicates that female-headed households are better-off than male-headed ones in Ghana. This approach has been criticized by scholars for being one-dimensional. Thus, this study adopts the livelihoods approach—a multidimensional perspective—to examine the human, social, financial, and economic assets and livelihoods of male- and female-headed households in Ghana utilizing in-depth interviews and a survey. The findings of the study demonstrate that male-headed households have greater assets endowment and better livelihood outcomes than female-headed ones indicating that they are better-off than their female counterparts. Thus, the consumption expenditure approach masks the deprivations of female-headed households in assets endowment and poor livelihood outcomes. The study recommends the need for national surveys to incorporate a household assets and livelihoods dimensions in order to capture a broad view of the living circumstances in these two types of households.

Source: UG
Assets and Shocks: A Gendered Analysis of Ecuador, Ghana and Karnataka, India

Drawing upon household surveys in Ecuador, Ghana and Karnataka, India, we analyse the relationship between assets and shocks, distinguishing between asset loss as the shock, and the use of assets as a coping strategy. A greater proportion of households experienced a direct loss of assets due to shocks than as a coping response. In Karnataka, but not in Ghana or Ecuador, women’s assets are more likely to be sold than men’s. Asset ownership and the decision to sell or pawn assets are fairly strongly related but do not completely overlap. Husbands and wives often differ in both the perception of shocks and the response to them.

Source: UG
An assets-based approach to promoting girls' financial literacy, savings, and education

Purpose This study examined whether micro-savings programs can improve young adolescent girls' financial knowledge, savings behaviors, and schooling outcomes in Ghana. Methods We evaluated the short- and medium-term effects of a randomized control trial in which a sub-sample of over 1400 girls living in the Eastern Region of Ghana received financial literacy training and a micro-savings account. Results Girls in the intervention arm of the study initially exhibited higher levels of financial knowledge, planning, and savings, but some of these effects disappeared within two years. Nonetheless, girls with micro-savings retained their greater knowledge of interest rates, had higher levels of savings, and were more likely to save for school. The effects on girls' educational enrollment was strongest in the second year. Conclusions Our results suggest that even relatively young girls can manage micro-savings accounts and that such programs, if sustained, can effectively build girls' financial and educational assets.

Source: UG
Associated factors of diet quality among people living with HIV/AIDS in Ghana

Introduction : Nutrition is a very important element of a comprehensive care for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV), especially in resource-constrained settings where malnutrition and food insecurity are common. Dietary diversity is a useful indication of nutritional adequacy (diet quality) in people of all ages. An optimally diverse diet strengthens the body’s immune system. Objective This study aimed to assess diet quality and its associated factors among PLHIV. Methods A facility-based cross-sectional study design was employed to select 440 PLHIV from two hospitals in the Eastern Region of Ghana. Dietary intakes were determined using 24-hour recall. A stadiometer and bioimpedance analysis machine were used to obtain anthropometric and body composition data. Diet quality was assessed using FAO’s individual dietary diversity score (IDDS) as a proxy. SPSS version 20 was used for analysis. Odds ratios and ordinal logistic regression were used to identify factors associated with diet quality among the PLHIV. P-value was set at 0.05. Results Most of the PLHIV (73%) consumed from ‘Starchy staple” food group. Less than 20% of the study sample consumed ‘Fruits’ and ‘Vegetables’ (17% and 14% respectively) a day before the survey. The mean IDDS was 4.11 (SD=1.29). Overall, most of the PLHIV (56%) had medium IDDS which is equivalent to “diet needing improvement’, 14% had higher IDDS (good diet), whiles about 31% of the participants actually had poor diet (lower IDDS). Associated factors of diet quality were age (AOR=0.966: 95%CI: 0.936–0.997: p=0.031), married (AOR=4.634: 95%CI: 1.329– 16.157: p=0.0016), separated (AOR=0.0203: 95%CI: .036–0.994: p=0.049), and daily meal frequency (AOR=0.441: 95%CI: .478–1.948: p=0.020). Overall, the model accounts for about 20% of the variation in diet quality of the participants (pseudo-R square=0.196). Conclusion This study demonstrates that most of the PLHIV did not consume good diet which may have an implication on their immune system, which is already under attack by HIV, and probably emerging infections. Age, marital status, and meal frequency were the variables that predicted diet quality among the study participants.

Source: UG
Association between adverse pregnancy outcome and imbalance in angiogenic regulators and oxidative stress biomarkers in gestational hypertension and preeclampsia

Background: Gestational hypertension (GH) and Preeclampsia, (PE) are the most complicated amongst hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. The mechanism that links hypertension in pregnancy to adverse maternal outcomes is not fully understood though some relate this to endothelial dysfunction originating from an imbalanced angiogenic regulators and oxidative stress biomarkers. This study assessed the correlation between angiogenic regulators and oxidative stress biomarker levels with adverse pregnancy outcomes among GH and PE participants. Methods: A cohort of pregnant women who received antenatal care at the Obstetrics and Gynaecology department of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) were followed. During their antenatal visits, 100 developed PE and 70 developed GE, of these, 50 PE and 50 GH gave informed consent. Their blood samples were taken at time of diagnosis and 48 h post-partum. 50 other aged-matched women who did not develop neither GH nor PE were selected as controls. Placental growth factor (PLGF), soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt-1) and 8-epi-prostaglandin F2alpha (8-epi-PGF2aα) levels were estimated by ELISA and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) was measured spectrophotometrically. Graphpad Prism was used for data analysis. Results: Median levels of sFlt-1, 8-epi-PGF2aα and sFlt-1/PLGF were elevated among participants with PE co-existing with intrauterine fetal death (IUFD), placental abruptio, placental previa, HELLP syndrome and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) compared to PE without adverse outcomes (p = 0.041, p = 0.005, p = 0.0002). Levels of PLGF, T-AOC and PLGF/sFlt-1 were significantly reduced among participants with PE co-existing with IUFD, placental abruptio, placental previa, HELLP syndrome and IUGR compared to PE without adverse outcomes (p = 0.0013, p = 0.006, p < 0.0001). A significant negative correlation of IUGR (p = 0.0030; p < 0.0001), placental abruptio (p < 0.0001; p < 0.0001), IUFD (p < 0.0001; p < 0.0001), stillbirth (p = 0.0183 and p < 0.000), and postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) (p = 0.0420; p = 0.0044) were associated with both PLGF and T-AOC whilst a significant positive correlation of IUGR, placental abruptio (p < 0.0001; p < 0.0001), IUFD (p < 0.0001; p < 0.0001), stillbirth (p < 0.0001; p < 0.0001), and PPH (p = 0.0043; p = 0.0039) were observed with both sFlt-1 and 8-epi-PGF2aα in PE. Conclusions: Imbalance in the levels of angiogenic regulators and oxidative stress biomarkers correlates with adverse pregnancy outcomes among PE participants. Early identification of these imbalance would alert health care givers in anticipation of adverse pregnancy outcome and thus increased surveillance during pregnancy and parturition and measures to ameliorate the adverse outcome.

Source: UG
Association between alpha-thalassaemia trait, Plasmodium falciparum asexual parasites and gametocyte carriage in a malaria endemic area in Southern Ghana

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
The Association between Diabetes-Related Distress and Medication Adherence in Adult Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a major public health problem associated with distress. T2DM can affect health outcomes and adherence to medications. Little is however known about the association between diabetes distress and medication adherence among patients with T2DM in Ghana. Objective. The objective of the present study is twofold: to estimate distress associated with T2DM and to examine its association with medication adherence. Methods. A hospital-based crosssectional study was conducted among 188 patients with T2DM recruited from a diabetes specialist outpatient clinic at the Pantang Hospital in Accra, Ghana. Data were obtained using the Problem Areas In Diabetes (PAID) scale and the Medication Adherence Report Scale. Results. The findings showed that about 44.7% of the patients showed high levels of diabetes-related distress. Poor adherence to medications was recorded in 66.5% of the patients. Patients who were highly distressed had 68% lower odds of adhering to their medications compared to those who were not (OR: 0.32, 95% CI: 0.15-0.65). A principal component analysis revealed four areas of T2DM distress which were conceptualized as negative emotions about diabetes, dietary concerns and diabetes care, dissatisfaction with external support, and diabetes management helplessness. Conclusion. Our findings suggest that diabetes distress is a significant determinant of medication adherence behaviour in patients with T2DM. Thus, incorporating routine screening for distress into the standard diabetes care within the Ghanaian health system and having health practitioners adopt holistic approaches to diabetes management will be important context-specific interventions to improve adherence and health outcomes of people living and coping with T2DM.

Source: UG