ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Needs assessment of community health workers to enhance efficient delivery of their services for community case management of malaria in Kenya

Background: Malaria continues to be the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Africa. Community Case Management of malaria (CCMm) which is undertaken by engaging Community Health Workers (CHWs) to effectively address management of malaria cases in some endemic communities was explored in this study. The aim was to assess the needs of CHWs that would help sustain and retain their services to enhance the efficient delivery of CCMm. Methods: Using semi-structured questionnaires, data on the needs of CHWs was gathered through a qualitative study consisting of in-depth interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs) conducted among study participants in five districts in western Kenya. The study participants comprised of 100 CHWs, 100 mothers of children under five years and 25 key informants made up of public health officers and clinicians involved in the CCMm. The interviews were conducted in English and Swahili or Dholuo, the local language. The recorded audio interviews were transcribed later. The analysis was done using NVivo version 7 software and transcripts were coded after which themes related to the objectives of the study were identified. Results: All the study participants recognized the need to train and update CHWs on their work as well as remunerating them for their services to enhance efficient delivery of services. The CHWs on their part perceived the provision of gloves, rapid diagnostic test kits (RDTs), lancets, cotton wool and ethanol, bins (to dispose of RDTs and lancets), together with drugs for treating clients as the essential needs to undertake CCMm in the communities. Other logistical needs and incentives mentioned by CHWs and key informants for the successful delivery of CCMm included: gumboots, raincoats, torch lights, mobile phones, means of transportation (bicycles and motorbikes), uniforms and ID cards for identification. Conclusions: CHWs would perform tasks better and their services retained for a sustainable CCMm if: properly incentivized; offered refresher trainings (and updates) on malaria; and equipped with the requisite tools identified in this study.

Source: UG
Negation in Akan: Linguistic Convention Versus Pragmatic Inference

The present paper considers how a narrow scope of negation can be encoded by linguistic (rather than inferential) means in Akan (Kwa, Niger Congo). The paper consequently argues against the originally Gricean position that the scope of negation is invariably wide in the encoded logical form of negative natural language sentences, and that any narrow-scope interpretation of negation is due to pragmatic strengthening, as proposed by Robyn Carston. Akan displays a variety of ways in which the scope of negation is fixed by linguistic means, and it is argued that this is wholly due to procedural encoding of information on the scope of negation. The argument is supported by the ways in which a marked syntactic position of a negation marker and negative ‘it’-cleft constructions impact on the truth-theoretic interpretation of Akan utterances, suggesting that similar patterns may be found in other unrelated languages. In particular, I examine the interaction between Akan quantifier words involving the morpheme bi and the scope of negation. The approach taken in this paper is strongly inspired by Burton-Roberts’ Representational Hypothesis (RH).

Source: UG
Negation in Dagaare

Negation in Dagaare is marked mainly by pre-verb particles. Of the almost two dozen pre-verb particles in Dagaare, only four – ba, kʊ̀ŋ, ta and tɔ́ɔ́ – are negation markers. The negation particles combine with different aspects of the verb to signal not only negation but also various other semantic relations. By some kind of negative focus however, the subject or any phrasal constituent of the predicate may be “negated” by naanɪ or its clitic version naa.

Source: UG
Negation in Dagaare is marked mainly by pre-verb particles

Of the almost two dozen pre-verb particles in Dagaare, only four – ba, kùŋ, ta and tɔ́ɔ́ – are negation markers. The negation particles combine with different aspects of the verb to signal not only negation but also various other semantic relations. By some kind of negative focus however, the subject or any phrasal constituent of the predicate may be “negated” by naanɪ or its clitic variant naa.

Source: UG
Negative life events and maternal mental illness: A study of elite pregnant women in Accra metropolis

The vulnerability of maternal mental illness (MMI) such as anxiety and depression among childbearing women is heightened during the periods of pregnancy mainly because of negative life events (NLEs). However, a major caveat in the literature relates to the overwhelming focus on women from disadvantaged socioeconomic back ground. Little is known about NLEs and MMI among women with relatively better socioeconomic background and high educational status, termed in this study as elite pregnant women. The study investigates the prevalence of NLEs and MMI (i.e., depression and anxiety) as well as the relationship between NLEs and MMI among elite pregnant women. A cross sectional survey design was used to collect data from 210 respondents recruited from three purposively selected health facilities in Greater Accra metropolis, namely Nyaho Medical Centre, Pentecost Hospital and Abokobi Health Centre. Self-report measures of NLEs, depression and anxiety were administered to the respondent. Data were analyzed using both descriptive statistics and inferential statistics, namely Pearson correlation and hierarchical linear regression. The study revealed that majority (n = 136, 64.8 %) of the re spondents experienced at least particular NLEs and rated these events as stressful. The prevalence of symptoms of anxiety and depression were 42.4 % and 51.0 %, respectively. NLEs significantly and positively correlated with symptoms of anxiety but not with depression. Elite pregnant women are at risk of NLEs which can significantly influence their mental health. It is recommended that midwives and other health professionals pay attention to the NLEs of elite pregnant women for necessary support and intervention

Source: UG
Negative life events and maternal mental illness: A study of elite pregnant women in Accra metropolis

The vulnerability of maternal mental illness (MMI) such as anxiety and depression among childbearing women is heightened during the periods of pregnancy mainly because of negative life events (NLEs). However, a major caveat in the literature relates to the overwhelming focus on women from disadvantaged socioeconomic back ground. Little is known about NLEs and MMI among women with relatively better socioeconomic background and high educational status, termed in this study as elite pregnant women. The study investigates the prevalence of NLEs and MMI (i.e., depression and anxiety) as well as the relationship between NLEs and MMI among elite pregnant women. A cross sectional survey design was used to collect data from 210 respondents recruited from three purposively selected health facilities in Greater Accra metropolis, namely Nyaho Medical Centre, Pentecost Hospital and Abokobi Health Centre. Self-report measures of NLEs, depression and anxiety were administered to the respondent. Data were analyzed using both descriptive statistics and inferential statistics, namely Pearson correlation and hierarchical linear regression. The study revealed that majority (n = 136, 64.8 %) of the re spondents experienced at least particular NLEs and rated these events as stressful. The prevalence of symptoms of anxiety and depression were 42.4 % and 51.0 %, respectively. NLEs significantly and positively correlated with symptoms of anxiety but not with depression. Elite pregnant women are at risk of NLEs which can significantly influence their mental health. It is recommended that midwives and other health professionals pay attention to the NLEs of elite pregnant women for necessary support and intervention.

Source: UG
The Negative Role of Silence in Akan Communication

This paper looks at the negative roles of silence in communication and argues that speech is needed for perfect communication. Silence does not augur well for good communicative social interaction. Silence is a conversational killer and must be avoided under certain contexts since it makes it difficult for participants to detect interlocutors’ intention. The paper uses a descriptive and analytical method to find out the negativity of silence in communicative interactions. We will look at various ethnographic contexts such as organisations, institutions, religious worship, and non-face-to-face communication (letters, e-mails etc.). The paper compares silence with talk and sees speech positively as a joint production and therapy, and silence as negative.

Source: UG
A Neglected Aspect of the Housing Market: The Caretakers of Peri-Urban Accra, Ghana

In housing markets in sub-Saharan Africa, construction is predominantly undertaken by individuals rather than by the state or private companies. Due to lack of housing finance, the construction process takes many years hence owners often engage live-in caretakers to protect their property. Based on fieldwork conducted in peri-urban Accra, this paper explores why the demand for caretakers arises, why there is a supply of caretakers, who the caretakers are and their living conditions. Although life as a caretaker is far from ideal, the demand for and supply of caretakers are likely to continue for the foreseeable future. Caretaking is a form of housing tenancy which is overlooked in housing and labour laws and practices, and hence demands more attention from both researchers and policy-makers.

Source: UG
Neglected vulnerabilities in a rapidly urbanizing city: reflections on earthquake risks in Accra

There is a critical need for awareness and urgent debate about the growing vulnerability of Accra to seismicity in the light of unregulated spatial growth and development. This has resulted from developers’ inability to adhere to the appropriate construction standards or city authorities’ failure to implement even the modest regulations. This study examines the vulnerability of Accra to earthquake risk using case studies in five seismic risk settlements. In an innovative methodology, the quality of building materials used in the research localities was analysed while the residents’ perception of earthquakes was examined through focus group discussions. The results show that most developers not only fail to comply with the requisite zoning practices, building codes and regulations but also use inferior building materials. Additionally, they hold misconceptions about their level of vulnerability. A proactive land use planning, strict compliance with existing regulations and the need to build the capacity of the National Disaster Management Organization are considered very prudent to help protect lives and properties

Source: UG
Negotiating Female Roles and Social Integration in the Church and Society: The Case of Ghanaian Women

ln the Ghanaian communities women turn to play roles with men in wh.it ever situations they find themselves. Ghanaian women as church lean' combine traditional and contemporary roles. Church women combine church duties with their various professional duties and in this context I term these church women especially female clergy in other professions as "Tent" workers. Many women are wives, mothers, reverend ministers, ministers in politics, Chief justices at the supreme court, speakers of parliament, doctors, lawyers; farmers, traders, judges, secretaries, nurses, architects, engineers, lecturers, military women, among others. The study examines the theory of intersection of female/male duties as a theoretical frame using cases and historical analysis method. The structures within both the church and society lay emphasis on men than on women in the various sectors of life. After the 1970's, Ghanaian women have been leaders in the society, attaining other professions, combining duties, embarking on developmental projects, and generally, participating fully in almost all aspects of the society and church's activities. The conclusion is that women leaders in the church and society are combining their professions perfectly and I recommend their recognition.

Source: UG
Negotiating Organizational Access as a Multifaceted Process: Comparative Research Experiences With Three Advocacy NGOs in Kenya

Although research with Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) has become an established practice, the process and politics of gaining access to such organizations often remains implicit in methodological literature on qualitative research. Drawing on a systematic comparison of research experiences with advocacy NGOs in Kenya, this article discusses organizational access as a multifaceted process. Based on three case studies that were comparable in set-up and context but yielded different outcomes, we argue that the process of obtaining and maintaining access to NGOs is influenced and shaped by researcher positionality, internal and external gatekeepers, organizational characteristics and research topic, and that these factors should be studied in interaction rather than in isolation. Taken together, these factors determine the process of obtaining and maintaining research access, and consequently the outcome of ethnographic fieldwork with NGOs.

Source: UG
Negotiating the Narrative Themes of Traditional Ghanaian Dance Forms within the Museum Context

As facilities for preserving tangible heritage, museums and galleries have partially opened up to the idea of merging intangible cultural heritage, such as dance, storytelling, and music, with their tangible collections. As lived heritage that serves as an emotional, spiritual and physical reflection of the people that created it, traditional dance can add to the socio-cultural understanding of tangible artefacts. This article discusses the possibilities and problems of using traditional dances from Ghana within the nouvelle musŽologie context (de Varine-Bohan, 1976), touching on the functionality of museum spaces, ownership, and interpretability of artefacts in relationship to the embedded narratives and contextual themes of the dances. It considers the practical implications of the thematic synergy between dance and artefacts and explores the potential uses of Ôneo-traditionalÕ dance genres in GhanaÕs museums.

Source: UG
Negotiating transnational identities and belongingness back home: The case of 'posted children' of Ghanaian emigrants

The desire for better standard of living has led to the migration of people, since the dawn of human history. Migrant parents, in host countries, are sending their children to their country of origin owing mostly to social and economic factors. Little attention has been paid to the integration challenges faced by these children in the areas of food, language and education. The paper examines the coping strategies of children sent home from abroad ("posted children") in selected schools in the Greater Accra Region. In-depth interviews and case studies were used to assess these challenges and coping strategies faced by the children. The findings show that the children initially had difficulties integrating into the educational system but settled in with time. In addition, they all had difficulties with disciplinary practices in school which they perceived as infringement on their human rights. They had no problem with food as they were used to Ghanaian dishes whilst abroad. Language was an issue initially but most posted children readily overcame this challenge.

Source: UG
Negotiation and management strategies of street vendors in developing countries: A narrative review

The existing literature on the relationship between regulators and street vendors remain fragmented and limited to specific countries and contexts. This article presents a narrative review of the existing literature on the relationship between regulators and street vendors, and through that creates a unified picture of an otherwise fragmented literature and knowledge base. The concepts of negotiation, power, social network, and perception are used to analyze the various strategies street vendors have used in gaining access to urban public spaces in different parts of the developing world. It is revealed that even though city regulators have access to formal power, street vendors possess a variety of negotiating strategies that gives them access to both formal and informal power. © The Author(s) 2017.

Source: UG
The Negro in Greek and Roman Civilization

No barbarian race held as continuous an interest for the Greek and Roman artist as the Ethiopian. Realistic portraits of other known races in the classical world are relatively few and belong usually to the Hellenistic and Roman eras. The negro, on the other hand, was rendered with the utmost fidelity to the racial type during the most restrained and idealistic period of Greek art. Attic vase painters who were content to indicate Orientals by their dress with scarcely any distinguishing marks of race, delineated with marked realism the woolly hair and thick lips of the Ethiopian. From its earliest appearance the popularity of the type never waned in any productive period of classical art.

Source: UG
Neighborhood urban environmental quality conditions are likely to drive malaria and diarrhea mortality in Accra, Ghana.

Background. Urbanization is a process which alters the structure and function of urban environments. The alteration in the quality of urban environmental conditions has significant implications for health. This applies both to the ecology of insect vectors that may transmit diseases and the burden of disease. Study Objectives. To investigate the relationship between malaria and infectious diarrhea mortality and spatially varied neighborhood environmental quality conditions in a low-income economy. Design. A one time point spatial analysis of cluster-level environmental conditions and mortality data using principal component analysis (PCA), one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and generalized linear models (GLMs). Methods. Environmental variables were extracted from the Ghana Census 2000 database while mortality data were obtained from the Ghana Births and Deaths Registry in Accra over the period 1998–2002. Results. Whereas there was a strong evidence of a difference in relative mortality of malaria across urban environmental zones of differing neighborhood environmental conditions, no such evidence of mortality differentials was observed for diarrhea. In addition, whereas bivariate analyses showed a weak to strong evidence of association between the environmental variables and malaria mortality, no evidence of association was found between diarrhea mortality and environmental variables. Conclusion. We conclude that environmental management initiatives intended for infectious disease control might substantially reduce the risk of urban malaria mortality and to a less extent that for urban diarrhea mortality in rapidly urbanizing areas in a low-income setting.

Source: UG
Neighbourhood, built environment and children’s outdoor play spaces in urban Ghana: Review of policies and challenges

Although a great deal of research has been done by social scientists on walkability and playability, the focus to a large extent, has been on the global north. Research work on the urban built environment and children’s play has not engaged Africa in general or Ghana in particular. More importantly, there is limited evidence of policies in terms of community-based practices and governmental policies and programmes for the promotion of play. The limited effort in promoting physical activities have to a large extent focused on walkability, yet evidence to date indicates that walking only constitutes a small proportion of the physical activities of children. This is against the backdrop of growing urbanization and the increasing reported incidence of sedentary lifestyles, less physical activity and obesity among children and youth. Our main objective in this paper is to contribute to the literature on Ghana, and by extension, Sub-Saharan Africa, by examining the extent to which playability features in city and national policies and strategies in urban Ghana. We conclude that there is dearth of public policies on children’s play, with the situation in communities compounded by weak city government capacity to plan, implement and enforce development control to protect open spaces for children’s play and recreational purposes. The paper recommends a change in policy and practice on creating spaces in urban built-environments for children’s play in urban Ghana.

Source: UG
Neighbourhoods and Fertility in Accra, Ghana: An AMOEBA-based Approach

Fertility levels remain high in most of sub-Saharan Africa, despite recent declines, and even in a large capital city such as Accra, Ghana, women are having children at a pace that is well above replacement level and this will contribute to significant levels of future population growth in the city. Our purpose in this article is to evaluate the way in which neighbourhood context might shape reproductive behavior in Accra. In the process, we introduce several important innovations to the understanding of intraurban fertility levels in a sub-Saharan African city: (1) Despite the near explosion of work on neighborhoods as a spatial unit of analysis, very little of this research has been conducted outside of the richer countries; (2) we characterize neighborhoods on the basis of local knowledge of what we call vernacular neighborhoods; (3) we then define what we call organic neighborhoods using a new clustering tool—the AMOEBA algorithm—to create these neighborhoods; and (4) we then we evaluate and explain which of the neighbourhood concepts has the largest measurable contextual effect on an individual woman’s reproductive behavior. Multilevel regression analysis suggests that vernacular neighbourhoods are more influential on a woman’s decision to delay marriage, whereas the organic neighborhoods based on socioeconomic status better capture the factors that shape fertility decisions after marriage.

Source: UG
Neighbours as keepers: Informal volunteering in Ghanaian society

The article discusses who is volunteering and what they are doing at the household level in Ghana. By all indications traditions of informal volunteerism continue to survive throughout the country, though this mode of volunteering has been overlooked by researchers. This is partly because Western conceptions of organized volunteerism do not capture adequately the dynamics of informal volunteering. The article is based on data drawn from the baseline of a panel household survey on living conditions in Ghana, conducted in 2010 on 5009 households. Descriptive statistics confirm that about 30% of the sample of 18,889 household members who were interviewed often volunteered to help others. Volunteering rates are higher among better educated and working men and women. But nearly all of them practice what is described as informal affinity-based volunteering, rather than unobligated civic volunteering. Given that Western research and publication on volunteering offers little insight into the persistence of informal volunteering outside industrialized societies, the study on Ghana brings vital contributions to knowledge in this field

Source: UG
Neisseria gonorrhoea, Chlamydia trachomatis, and Treponema pallidum infection in antenatal and gynecological patients at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Ghana

The Bacteriology Department aims to improve the quality of life first for Ghanaians and the world at large by conducting research into bacterial diseases of public health importance to Ghana and globally. In addition to working on enteric pathogens and sexually transmitted diseases, the department’s current main focus is on the two most important mycobacterial diseases of public health importance to Ghana, namely Buruli ulcer (BU) and tuberculosis (TB).

Source: UG