ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Factors associated with the use of a mobile phone-based health information system among caregivers of children under-five in rural Ghana

Introduction Although childhood mortality and morbidity continues to be one of the leading challenges in LMICs, the burden can significantly be prevented with simple and affordable interventions. The phenomenon of using mobile phone technology in healthcare (mHealth) has attracted a global attention because of increase access and use of mobile phones in both urban and rural areas. MHealth interventions therefore provide a promising vehicle to improving the health outcomes in developing countries where access to health continues to be a significant obstacle. Notwithstanding the potential benefits of mHealth, its adoption and use among the end users in developing countries, such as Ghana, have not been thoroughly explored. Objective This study assessed the factors that influence the use of a mobile phone-based health information system among caregivers of children under five years using the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model. Methodology A community-based cross-sectional study nested in the MOBCHILD project was conducted in Asante Akim North District, a rural area in Ghana. In all 354 caregivers of children under-five years were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Regression analysis was done to examine the strength of the relationship between the independent and dependent constructs (variables) within the UTAUT model. Results Most caregivers were females (86.44%). Mobile phones ownership was very high (86%). Male gender, age and socio-economic status were association phone ownership (p<0.05). A significant v 92.66% (324) of the all the respondents expressed intention to use to mHealth service in the future although a third (28.53%) reported actual use. The results also indicated that the relationship between PE and BI (β-0.278, 95% CI-0.207-0.349 p<0.001), EE and BI (β-0.242, 95% CI-0.159-0.326, p<0.001), SI and BI (β-0.081, 95% CI- 0.044-0.120, p<0.001), FC and UB (β-0.609, 95% CI-0.502-0.715, p<0.001), BI and UB (β- 0.426, 95% CI-0.255-0.597, p<0.001) were significant. Mobile phone experience and socio economic status significantly moderated the effect of performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating condition on behavioural intention and usage of mHealth service. Conclusion The perceived usefulness of mHealth system, ease associated with its use, social influences and existing facilitating condition are strong determinants of users’ attitude and actual use of mHealth services. In order to increase uptake of mHealth, barriers such as electricity and network challenges must also be considered.

Source: KNUST
Factors contributing to default among sickle cell patients Komfo Anokye Teaching hospital (Kath), Kumasi, Ghana

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is one of the commonest haemoglobin hereditary disorders in the world. In sub-Saharan Africa, about 200,000 children are born with this disease annually contributing significantly to the global burden of disease. The disease is most common in the Mediterranean regions where there appears to be significant hemoglobinopathies including those of SCD. Studies done in Ghana show a carrier rare of between 10% to 30%. Children living with sickle cell disease experience a myriad of complications. The complications can be acute or chronic resulting in morbidity, increased hospitalisations and mortality. Children with SCD are supposed to be enrolled in a clinic and reviewed regularly to prevent these complications. Unfortunately children living with sickle cell are unable to attend these scheduled visits religiously. In the meantime, reliable data on why they are not able to meet these obligations are lacking. This research was therefore carried out to pinpoint the factors that contribute to default for reviews among paediatric SCD patients. A descriptive cross sectional study was used in this research and it involved the administration of questionnaires to caregivers and children aged 0-14 years (150 in total) suffering from SCD at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital from April 2018 to June 2018. The questions focused on the demographic factors and barriers to health care experienced prior to receiving healthcare. Associations between demographic factors and reasons for not attending clinics on scheduled dates were tested with Stata software version 13. Educational and marital status were significant contributing factors to defaulting clinical reviews with p values of (0.045 and 0.022) respectively, while 50% of study participants had ever defaulted reviews.. There was a significant influence of family size to default to reviews. The larger the family size the more likely they were to default reviews (OR 1.40 p-value 0.039). vi There is a less likely for patients who have been admitted more than once to default (OR=0.281 with p-value= 0.122>0.050). High cost of healthcare contributed to default for reviews, (Chisquare= 28.959, p-value 0.000). The causes of admission were anaemic crisis followed by pain crisis. Health staff related issues such as rude staff, impatient providers and intimidating staff did not affect default for reviews. Children living with sickle cell disease need scheduled visits. Therefore caretakers must be educated continuously to ensure compliance. Sickle cell clinics should be set up in many hospitals across the country.

Source: KNUST
Factors causing the high rate of motorcycle crashes in the Bolgatanga Municipality

Motorcycles are considered very important and are the most patronised motorized transport modes in the Bolgatanga Municipality. Motorcycles are seen to contribute to the economic livelihoods of the people in the municipality. However, the most worrying situation is the high spate of motorcycle crashes in the municipality. This study sought to examine the factors causing motorcycle crashes in the Bolgatanga Municipality. Data were obtained through questionnaires administered to motorcyclists and officials of stakeholder organisations such as the National Road Safety Commission, Motor Traffic and Transport Unit of the Ghana Police Service and Motorcycle crash data obtained from Building and Road Research Institute. The study found that the use of motorcycles in the Municipality play very significant role in providing a cost-efficient means of transport, easy accessibility, increased productivity, source of employment and revenues. Generally, the factors causing high rate of motorcycle crashes in the Bolgatanga Municipality are over speeding, the use of alcohol and drugs whiles driving, malfunctioning of traffic signals, weak law enforcement, lack of formal motorcycle riding training, rampant violation of road traffic regulations, ignorance of road signs by road users and inexperience on the part of motorcyclists. Due to the adverse effects of motorcycle crashes which include loss of lives, serious injuries, disability, huge hospital bills, emotional trauma, loss of investment and revenue, the development of the Bolgatanga Municipality has been impeded. The recommendation is that the municipal authorities need to erect and maintain more road signs, road markings, crosswalk, speed humps and adequate and functioning traffic signals in regulating the speed of motorists. They also need to provide formal training skills on motorcycle riding for the motorcyclists and ensure that this is mandatory for all motorcyclists so as to improve on their riding experience and skills. The motorcyclists should be educated to avoid over-speeding, over-loading, alcohol use during riding, crossing and parking at unapproved locations.

Source: KNUST
Factors associated with the utilization of the services of traditional Bonesetters in Northern Region of Ghana

Since 1978, the WHO has been promoting cooperation between modern and Traditional medicine. However traditional medicine as well as traditional bone setting had received poor recognition in Ghana formal health system. In spite of this, traditional bonesetters in the Northern region still enjoyed strong community influence, popularity and a high degree of confidence and abound in almost every part of the region. The main objective of this study was to investigate factors associated with the utilization of the services of traditional bonesetters in Northern region of Ghana. The study adopted mixed qualitative and quantitative method, with In-depth interviews conducted to twenty- eight (28) traditional bone setters, (64) bonesetter clients and 3 Focus groups. The main reasons included mostly cheaper fees, 66 (26.29%); cultural beliefs, 45 (17.93%) and others while 22 (34.3%) out of 64 of the clients preferred orthodox treatment of bone injury and the main reasons cited included: the availability of X-ray facility, 42 (27.27%); Proper pain management, 39 (25.32%). Majority of TBS reported that their practice is family-based, and a gift from God handed over from one generation to another within the family. It is important for Health policy makers to consider training and retraining of TBS to minimize poor outcome of fracture treatment and also encourage collaborative understanding between orthodox practitioner and TBS in Ghana.

Source: KNUST
Factors contributing to low supervised delivery in the New Juaben Municipality, Ghana

One of the main aims of the safe motherhood programme, which was initiated in Ghana in 1987, is to increase the access to Ghanaian women to supervised delivery. The programme has been reported to be making more progress in the urban areas than in the rural settings. The New Juaben municipality is one of the areas in the country having a problem of low coverage of supervised delivery-23.7%, 26.7% and 26.1% for 2002, 2003 and 2004 respectively. This is inspite of the almost 100% (92%) of ANC attendance of the women in the municipality. The study was therefore undertaken to investigate the factors leading to the low coverage of supervised delivery in the municipality. The study was a descriptive cross sectional study using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Two RCH departments (located within two municipal health centres) and eleven communities were selected for the study. Hundred (100) mothers with children 2 years and below were simply randomly selected from each of the two health facilities and interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. In-depth interviews were conducted with health providers such as TBAs and midwives, and six focus group discussions were held with men and women who were randomly selected from the various communities in the municipality. Both the men and women in the focus discussion groups had poor knowledge of the complications of pregnancy and delivery. The TBAs and the midwives on the other hand were assessed to have satisfactory and good knowledge respectively of such complications. Majority of the women in the study (67.5%) had supervised delivery while 29% of them had their babies delivered by trained TBAs. The cost (50,000-300,000 cedis and more) of delivery at the various places of delivery in the municipality was identified as having an influence on the coverage of supervised delivery as the women said they spent more when they went for supervised delivery (including the cost of transport in the case of pregnant women who were referred to the regional hospital) as compared to delivering at the TBAs. The availability of transport especially for referred cases and the delivery skills of both midwives and TBAs did not have an influence on the coverage of supervised delivery. However the logistics which both the TBAs and midwives used in their work were inadequate and therefore contributed to the low coverage of supervised delivery in the municipality. It is recommended that the municipal health authority should organize health education programmes (especially in association with the local electronic media) to sensitize the residents on the danger signs and complications of pregnancy and childbirth and also provide the needed logistics to enhance the work of the TBAs and midwives. The municipal assembly should set up a transport scheme in collaboration with the local transport authorities to provide readily available and affordable transport especially for pregnant women who are referred to the regional hospital.

Source: KNUST
Factors contributing to default among sickle cell patients Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), Kumasi, Ghana

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is one of the commonest hemoglobin hereditary disorders in the world. In sub-Saharan Africa, about 200,000 children are born with this disease annually contributing significantly to the global burden of disease. The disease is most common in the Mediterranean regions where there appears to be significant hemoglobinopathies including those of SCD. Studies done in Ghana show a carrier rate of between 10% to 30%. Children living with sickle cell disease experience a myriad of complications. The complications can be acute or chronic resulting in morbidity, increased hospitalizations and mortality. Children with SCD are supposed to be enrolled in a clinic and reviewed regularly to prevent these complications. Unfortunately children living with sickle cell are unable to attend these scheduled visits religiously. In the meantime, reliable data on why they are not able to meet these obligations are lacking. This research was therefore carried out to access the factors that contribute to default for reviews among pediatric SCD patients. A descriptive cross sectional study was used in this research and it involved the administration of questionnaires to caregivers of children aged 0-14 years (150 in total) suffering from SCD at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital from April 2018 to June 2018. The questions focused on the demographic factors and barriers to health care experienced prior to receiving healthcare. Associations between demographic factors and reasons for not attending clinics on scheduled dates were tested with Stata software version 13. Educational and marital status of caregivers were significant contributing factors to defaulting clinical reviews with p values of (0.045 and 0.022) respectively, while 50% of study participants had ever defaulted reviews. There was a significant influence of family size to default to reviews. The larger the family size the more likely they were to default reviews (OR 1.40 p-value 0.039). There is a less likelihood for patients who have been admitted more than once to default (OR=0.281 with p-value= 0.122>0.050). High cost of healthcare contributed to default for reviews, (Chi-square= 28.959, p-value 0.000). The causes of admission were anaemic crisis followed by pain crisis. Health staff related issues such as rude staff, impatient providers and intimidating staff did not affect default for reviews. Children living with sickle cell disease need scheduled visits. Therefore caretakers must be educated continuously to ensure compliance. Sickle cell clinics should be set up in many hospitals across the country.

Source: KNUST
Factors contributing to low utilization of maternal health services in Kumasi

The primary means of preventing maternal deaths is to provide and increase access to supervised delivery. A greater portion of women attend antenatal clinic yet only a few get quality of care. Previous research in many developed countries showed that underlying causes of high maternal mortality was related to women not utilizing the existing health facilities. This research was conducted to determine the factors contributing to the utilization of maternal health services in Kumasi.The study was descriptive cross- sectional which was qualitative and quantitative in approach. The data were collected from pregnant women and women with children under one year. Tools for data collection include structured interview guide and questionnaires . Information was collected on knowledge of danger signs in pregnancy among community members. Categorical variables were analyzed using EPI INFO The findings of the study revealed that health services are available and that pregnant women are attended to satisfactorily as soon as they get to the hospital. Though cost of service is expensive, few people have registered with the national health insurance scheme. Mothers in the community have a fair idea about complications of pregnancy and labour .Also mothers with education are more likely to be convinced through health education on the need to utilize maternal health care facilities. Majority of the mothers do not believe in the existence of any traditional beliefs about place of delivery but few said beliefs exist. Education on national health insurance should intensified to reach all women in their reproductive ages wherever they are. Ministry of health and Ghana health services (MOH/GIS) should organize workshops on periodic bases to educate nurses and midwives on the need for attitudinal change towards pregnant women.

Source: KNUST
Factors Contributing to Maternal Mortality: The Case of Bawku West District in the Upper East Region Ghana

This is a cross-sectional study of 341 household on factors that accounts for high maternal mortality in Bawku East district, in Upper East region of Ghana. The objectives of the study were to: ascertain the incidence of non-institutional maternal deaths in the district; determine the differences in backgrounds of maternal deaths and non-maternal death; assess the health seeking behaviour of cases of maternal deaths; and identify and describe the socio-cultural influences that accounted for maternal deaths in the district. The methodology used was a multistage sampling for the administration of interview guide in Tilli /Widnaba, Zebilla and Zongoire sub-districts. In addition, the purposive sampling technique was used to conduct a focus group discussion with men, women and compound heads in the selected communities. The results showed that, a maternal death per household was 158 per 1000 households which occur mainly at home (58%). The trend of maternal death in the communities is increasing, recording seven in 2004 and 37 in 2007. Most (54.8%) of the maternal deaths occurred after the women had delivered. When characteristics of maternal death cases and non-maternal death cases were compared, it was evident that: maternal death cases were significantly occurring among the younger age mothers with (chi square = 21.6, p=0.00); being married reduced the risk of maternal death significantly (chi = 5.34, p = 0.02; OR = 0.35); It was also evident that the risk of maternal death among women with no formal education was 3.27, 2.29 and 8.02 folds compared with the event in mothers who had 1st cycle, 2nd cycle and tertiary educated women respectively. On health seeking behaviour it is demonstrated that maternal death cases (47.2%) did not use ANC services because they were prevented by their compound heads. There are embedded cultural and traditional barriers to accessing maternity services. They are the use of soothsaying, libation, consultation with ancestors and use of herbs for pregnant women before orthodox services is contacted. It is recommended that women and women groups should advocate through the chiefs, opinion leaders, compound heads, and by the facilitative efforts of the district assembly, the district health directorate and Mr. Abotzabire Azambarima William (Author of this document),to help enact by-laws and ensure its’ implementation in curtailing the cultural practices that prevents women for seeking prompt maternity care.

Source: KNUST
Factors for ensuring quality assurance of technical and vocational education (TVE) delivery in Ghana

Technical Vocational Education is vital in enhancing socio-economic growth as well as providing job opportunities and self-reliance. In realizing these objectives, quality assurance is a watch word. The study aimed at exploring factors for ensuring Quality Assurance in Technical Vocational Education (TVE) delivering in Ghana. The study discussed various quality assurance factors, challenges and possible practices for ensuring quality assurance in TVE delivery. In order to achieve the aim and the objective, the study used questionnaire survey in gathering data. The population of the study was made up of the teaching and supporting staff of the National Vocational Training Institute in Accra. The study adopted Stratified and purposive random sampling techniques to come out with a sample size of (151) out of which (130) questionnaires returned for the analysis. A set of (10) variable Factors; and Challenges were given to the respondents to answer using a five-point Likert scale of 1- Strongly disagreed to 5- Strongly agreed. Also a set of (11) Practice variables were ranked using the Likert scale of 1=Poor to 5=Excellent. Quantitative method was adopted. The findings were presented using Mean and Relative Important Index (RII) scores supported with in-depth descriptions. The findings were; Poor environment and inadequate infrastructure for TVE institutions, inadequate teaching / instructional materials, Inadequate Findings, Uses of obsolete tools, equipment and instruments for training as major challenges. The study recommended. The study recommended; Quality Assurance policy and Framework, Good Environment and adequate infrastructure, Modern tools and equipment, Instructional materials, adequate funding, Regular and Effective supervision, and monitoring of TVE programmes as key to Quality Assurance of TVE Delivery in Ghana

Source: KNUST
Factors Contributing To Low Utilization Of Skilled Delivery In Ahafo Ano South District Ashanti Region, Ghana

This was a cross-sectional design to examine the factors affecting utilisation of skilled attendants among women in Ahafo-Ano South district in Ashanti. Using a systematic sampling method, a total of 312 women were interviewed using interview guide in six communities in the district. In addition, six health workers were interviewed and also 10 antenatal clinic sessions were observed. The objective of the study was to assess the quality of prenatal services; estimate the extent of access to skilled delivery and identify potential barriers; assess the districts capacity in providing skilled delivery services; and to identify the socioeconomic and cultural barriers to utilization of skilled delivery services. The results showed that thirty seven percent (37%) of the women delivered outside a health facility. Health workers interaction with pregnant women was satisfactory however, most (75%) of the public health facilities lacked delivery beds. The barriers to use of skilled attendants among the women include: lack of access road (Chi- = 18.10 p=0.00); lack of vehicles (chi= 14.00, p=0.00); and perceived cost of transport (chi = 3.63 p=0.05). Women who used tarred roads to the nearest health facilities were three times (OR = 2.98) more likely to use skilled attendants, and fourteen times (OR = 13.61) than those who lived on farm paths (inaccessible road). Women who have access to vehicles to the nearest health facility are five times (OR = 4.60) more likely to use skilled attendants compared to those who use trucks. Socio-economically, educated women were three times (chi = 29.24, p = 0.00; OR = 3.15) more likely to use skilled attendant, also women with educated husbands were two times (chi = 8.09, p = 0.00; OR = 2.15) more likely to use skilled attendants than those without educated husband. The employment of the women or their partners did not influence the use of skilled attendants (chi = 0.20; p = 0.65) It is concluded that inaccessible roads to health facilities; lack of access to vehicles; low education of women and their husband; and inadequate equipment (delivery beds) at the health facilities accounts for the low utilization of skilled attendants in the Ahafo-Ano South district. It is recommended that the District Assembly, District Health Directorate and Opinion Leaders should collaborate to provide the feeder roads to link communities to the nearest health centre and also intensify education on the use of such services.

Source: KNUST