ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Predictors of ex-ante adoption of precision agriculture technologies by cocoa farmers in Ghana

The purpose of the study was to identify the best predictors of cocoa farmers’ willingness to adopt future precision agriculture technologies (PATs) in Ghana. The target population was all cocoa farmers who benefited from cocoa high technology programme (an initiative of distributing free fertilizer by the government to selected cocoa farmers) in Ghana. A total of 416 cocoa farmers who are beneficiaries of the programme were interviewed. Majority (83%) of the respondents were willing to adopt future PATs development in Ghana. The binary logistic regression model explained between 37.5% to 60.4% of the variances in cocoa farmers’ willingness to adopt any future PATs. The significant predictors of respondents’ willingness to adopt future PATs were: i. educational level of cocoa farmers; ii. cocoa farmers who plant in rows; iii. credit from financial institution; iv. relative advantage of PATs and v. farmers’ perceived ease of use of PATs. The strongest predictor of farmers’ willingness to adopt any future PATs was “row planting” indicating that farmers who had already planted in rows are more likely to adopt future PATs than those who had not yet done so. The study recommended, among others, the need to create awareness among farmers and other major stakeholders in cocoa industry of the potential benefits of PAT development in cocoa industry in Ghana

Source: UCC
Predictors of food security among vegetable farmers in South Ketu and North Ketu, Ghana

This study set out to find the predictors of food security for vegetable producing households in the Ketu Districts of the Volta Region of Ghana. In the study area, 226 heads of vegetable farming households were purposively interviewed. The data was subsequently analysed with both food security scale score and logistic regression analysis to determine each household's food security category. The study found eight variables as the major predictors of food security; they are: age, number of children, land ownership, access to change agent, access to financial services, number of vegetables produced, amount of credit received and vegetable produce markets. It is important that change agents focus on these factors among families to improve the availability of nutritious and adequate food in households. The other implication is that the improvement of elements such as amount of credit received and the location of vegetable markets can increase food security levels in the study site and extrapolation in other vegetable producing farm areas in the country

Source: UCC
Predictors of HIV Stigma among Health Workers in the Cape Coast Metropolis, Ghana

Stigma against people living with HIV (PLHIV) among health workers remains a barrier to the provision of needed care to HIV patients worldwide. We sought to investigate predictors of HIV stigma among health workers in Cape Coast, Ghana. This was a cross sectional study conducted in three hospitals from November 2016 to February 2017. The study made use of a pre-existing self-administered question naire. Multiple regression analysis and Pearson’s coefficient tests were performed to determine the relationship between the dependent variable, i.e. the stigmatized atti tudes of health workers, and some indepen dent variables, and to determine which of the independent variables predict stigma amongst health care workers. A total of 331 health workers of different categories par ticipated. Respondents’ personal opinions on HIV, fears/worries of getting infected and category of staff {F(3,327)= 23.934 P<0.00}, R2 = 0.180) significantly predict ed their stigmatizing behaviour. Compared to other health workers, nurses had higher scores for stigmatizing behaviour. The study found evidence of discriminatory and stigmatizing behaviour towards PLHIV by health workers. Stigma reduction pro grammes aimed at health workers should be strengthened at all health facilities that pro vide care to PLHIV.

Source: UCC
Predictors of HIV stigma among health workers in the Cape Coast metropolis, Ghana

Stigma against people living with HIV (PLHIV) among health workers remains a barrier to the provision of needed care to HIV patients worldwide. We sought to investigate predictors of HIV stigma among health workers in Cape Coast, Ghana. This was a cross sectional study conducted in three hospitals from November 2016 to February 2017. The study made use of a pre-existing self-administered questionnaire. Multiple regression analysis and Pearson’s coefficient tests were performed to determine the relationship between the dependent variable, i.e. the stigmatized attitudes of health workers, and some independent variables, and to determine which of the independent variables predict stigma amongst health care workers. A total of 331 health workers of different categories participated. Respondents’ personal opinions on HIV, fears/worries of getting infected and category of staff {F(3,327)= 23.934 P<0.00}, R2 = 0.180) significantly predicted their stigmatizing behaviour. Compared to other health workers, nurses had higher scores for stigmatizing behaviour. The study found evidence of discriminatory and stigmatizing behaviour towards PLHIV by health workers. Stigma reduction programmes aimed at health workers should be strengthened at all health facilities that provide care to PLHIV

Source: UCC
Predictors of Household Spending and Choice of Pre-Tertiary Education in Ghana under the Free Education Policy

This study examined the predictive variables of households’ choice and spending on pre-tertiary education in Ghana, irrespective of the free pre-tertiary education policy in Ghana in general and specifically in Accra Metropolis. Explanatory research design with a mixed method approach was used. Primary data from 832 household heads in the Accra Metropolis and 14009 households from the GLSS 7 secondary data source were used for the study. Descriptive and inferential analysis such as mean, ANOVA and regression were used for the quantitative analysis; and thematic content analyses were used for the qualitative analysis of the study. The study revealed that household characteristics such as sex, age, marital status, location and financial inclusion are significant drivers of frequency of pre-tertiary expenditure while only financial inclusion, level of education, location of household, household size and age of household head significantly predict the depth of household pre-tertiary expenditure in Ghana. The pull factors identified for private schools to attract more pre-tertiary enrolments are improved infrastructure, perceived quality and security of school environments; while the major pull factor of more parents to choose public schools over private school are the proximity and reduced charges. Significant extra costs were found to be hidden in the pre-tertiary education despite the fact that the level is considered to be free. The study recommended that the Ministry of Education through the Ghana Education Service needs to provide infrastructure in public schools to increase parents’ perception of security and quality for their wards. Parent also needs to make provision to absorb the hidden/extra cost associated with free pre-tertiary education.

Source: UCC
Predictors of Overweight and Obesity Among Women in Ghana

The global prevalence of overweight and obesity has more than doubled between 1980 and 2008. Using the 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey data, this study explored the association between biological, behavioural and socio-cultural factors and overweight and obesity among women in Ghana. The bivariate descriptive analysis and the binary logistic regression estimation technique were used to analyse the data. From the results, it was observed that there were significant associations between some of the factors and overweight and obesity. For instance, age was found to have a positive significant association with overweight and obesity for all categories while having four or more children was significant but negatively associated with overweight and obesity. The introduction of socio-cultural factors in the model did not affect the direction of association between age and overweight and obesity even though the strength of association reduced. Amongst the socio-cultural factors introduced in the model, all categories of education and wealth status had a positive significant association with overweight and obesity. The introduction of behavioural factors in the model did not change the nature of predictors of overweight and obesity. Alcohol consumption, contraceptive use and exposure to television were positively associated with overweight and obesity. The results underscore the relevance of biological, socio-cultural and behavioural factors in the planning and implementation of intervention strategies to address overweight and obesity among women in Ghana.

Source: UCC
Predictors of Overweight and Obesity Among Women in Ghana

Abstract: The global prevalence of overweight and obesity has more than doubled between 1980 and 2008. Using the 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey data, this study explored the association between biological, behavioural and socio-cultural factors and overweight and obesity among women in Ghana. The bivariate descriptive analysis and the binary logistic regression estimation technique were used to analyse the data. From the results, it was observed that there were significant associations between some of the factors and overweight and obesity. For instance, age was found to have a positive significant association with overweight and obesity for all categories while having four or more children was significant but negatively associated with overweight and obesity. The introduction of socio-cultural factors in the model did not affect the direction of association between age and overweight and obesity even though the strength of association reduced. Amongst the socio-cultural factors introduced in the model, all categories of education and wealth status had a positive significant association with overweight and obesity. The introduction of behavioural factors in the model did not change the nature of predictors of overweight and obesity. Alcohol consumption, contraceptive use and exposure to television were positively associated with overweight and obesity. The results underscore the relevance of biological, socio-cultural and behavioural factors in the planning and implementation of intervention strategies to address overweight and obesity among women in Ghana.

Source: UCC
Predictors of Superstitious Beliefs

This study investigated whether relationships exist among, personal control, coping mechanism, primary control, secondary control and superstitious beliefs. The participants were 375 Ghanaian student athletes (females =44%). They completed measures of self-reported superstitious beliefs, personal control, coping mechanisms, primary and secondary control strategies. The data were analyzed to evaluate the correlates of both positive and negative superstitious beliefs and how constructs of personal control, coping mechanisms and control strategies, predict positive and negative superstitious beliefs. The results indicated that personal control, coping mechanisms and control strategies were predictors of negative and positive superstitious beliefs. In the final model Exaggerated internal control, God-mediated control, emotional support, and substance use were predictors of negative superstitions. Exaggerated internal control, Substance use, Emotional support and Acceptance were predictors of positive superstitions. Athletes may activate different types of superstitious beliefs to cope and gain control in situations of uncertainty.

Source: UCC
Predonation testing of potential blood donors for hepatitis B virus infection: approach to blood safety in Cape Coast, Ghana

Blood transfusions carry risks of untoward reactions, including the transmission of infections, such as hepatitis B. But about 50% of these blood donors and blood recipients have had natural exposure to hepatitis B virus (HBV) and therefore perceived to have natural immunity against HBV. In view of this, the need for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) testing of blood donors before donation has often been over looked. This has resulted in about 50% of blood donors not going through screening for HBsAg in sub-Saharan Africa. This study examined the potential risk of acquiring transfusion-transmitted hepatitis B infection in the Cape Coast, Ghana. A total of three hundred and thirty nine potential blood donors were screened for HBsAg using a rapid test (1–2 IU ml -1sensitivity) (Determine, Abbott Laboratories). A total of 33 of the subjects were reactive, representing a prevalence of 9.7%. Prevalence among males and females were 10.5% and 8.9% respectively. Subjects who were between the ages of 22 and 25 years recorded the highest reactive cases of 48%. Prevalence of 7.7%, 20.6% and 3.7% were recorded for students, Artisans and Teachers respectively. The prevalence of prospective donors who were reactive to HBsAg was high and consistent with other similar studies reported in literature. Hence, screening for HBsAg should be performed on prospective blood donors before donation in the Cape Coast metropolis in Ghana and all other places with high prevalence

Source: UCC
Predonation testing of potential blood donors for hepatitis B virus infection: approach to blood safety in Cape Coast, Ghana

Blood transfusions carry risks of untoward reactions, including the transmission of infections, such as hepatitis B. But about 50% of these blood donors and blood recipients have had natural exposure to hepatitis B virus (HBV) and therefore perceived to have natural immunity against HBV. In view of this, the need for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) testing of blood donors before donation has often been over looked. This has resulted in about 50% of blood donors not going through screening for HBsAg in sub-Saharan Africa. This study examined the potential risk of acquiring transfusion-transmitted hepatitis B infection in the Cape Coast, Ghana. A total of three hundred and thirty nine potential blood donors were screened for HBsAg using a rapid test (1–2 IU ml-1sensitivity) (Determine, Abbott Laboratories). A total of 33 of the subjects were reactive, representing a prevalence of 9.7%. Prevalence among males and females were 10.5% and 8.9% respectively. Subjects who were between the ages of 22 and 25 years recorded the highest reactive cases of 48%. Prevalence of 7.7%, 20.6% and 3.7% were recorded for students, Artisans and Teachers respectively. The prevalence of prospective donors who were reactive to HBsAg was high and consistent with other similar studies reported in literature. Hence, screening for HBsAg should be performed on prospective blood donors before donation in the Cape Coast metropolis in Ghana and all other places with high prevalence.

Source: UCC
PREFERENCE AND REASONS FOR PEOPLE CHOOSING A PLACE OF FRACTURE CARE: A CASE STUDY IN SIX COMMUNITIES OF ASSIN NORTH DISTRICT, GHANA

Background: Studies in the African Sub-region have highlighted injuries and its associated morbidity and mortality as an emerging public health problem, making it necessary to develop a holistic approach to handle injury outcomes in Ghana. The study purposed to assess the preference and reasons for people choosing a place of fracture care among the general population in the Assin North District of the Central region of Ghana. Method: A prospective cross-sectional study was employed in which 237 participants were randomly selected from six communities in the Assin-North District of the Central Region. Structured questionnaires after verbal informed-consent were used to collect data. The data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square test. Results: A total of 237 participants were interviewed, 14.8% of them had a history of fracture for which 60% sought treatment with Traditional Bone Setters (TBS). About 27.8% of respondents preferred TBS treatment over orthodox fracture care. Most of them (69.6%) were females with more than half (56.1%) being young adults. Only gender (p=0.029) and religion (p=0.043) were associated with the study group’s preference of fracture care. Common reasons for choosing a particular place of fracture care included “perceived” healing methods (77.6%), past experience (20.7%), time to fracture healing (11.8%), and cost of treatment (9.3%). Generally, fear of complications such as mal-union (60.8%), stiff knee (62.1%), delayed union (69.6%), amputation (63.3%), and infection (76%) were some of the reasons why participants chose hospital care over TBS. Conclusion: People make decisions about where to seek fracture treatment (either at a hospital or with a traditional bonesetter) influenced by cost of treatment and knowledge of complications that may result from poorly handled fracture-care. The study showed the need to improve knowledge about the potential benefits of orthodox fracture-care using scientifically tested and reproducible methods which have been shown to consistently improve outcomes.

Source: UCC
The Preference of Cash for Transactions Among Mobile Money Users in Kenya: A Machine Learning Analysis

Digital finance platforms like Mobile Money have been a game changer in many African economies, gaining widespread uptake and improving the narrative of financial inclusion. Research shows that in Kenya, where the Mobile Money market is the largest in Africa, hundreds of thousands of lives have been improved through access to the service. At the same time, there exists evidence suggesting a rather broad preference of cash for retail transactions. Using open data from a field survey conducted in 2019, I empirically test the level of cash preference among Mobile Money users in Kenya and predict same with 11 user experience variables on 818 users in a simple classification model. Results indicate that cash preference is invariably high even among Mobile Money users, and that it is associated with negative user experiences. I recommend that the Kenyan government and service providers work together to improve infrastructural security, among other factors, to mitigate the rate of negative user sentiments that could lead to a decline in the usage of the service.

Source: UCC
Preferences and Use of Digital and/or Printed Copies of Learning Resources by Students of a Coastal University in Ghana

In recent times, there has been an upsurge in the use of softcopy (digital) materials for learning especially among students on university campuses because digital devices abound. This has raised concerns of whether students now prefer the softcopies of learning resources to using hardcopies. This exploratory study therefore investigated the preferences of students (between softcopy and hardcopy materials) for reading. A descriptive survey was employed as the research design and questionnaires were used to gather data from respondents. Students from the University of Cape Coast, Ghana specifically, in their second to final years of some selected programmes were used in the survey. Data was analysed with the use of descriptive statistics. Despite the fact that students were observed to have more taste for their academic materials in electronic formats, the findings revealed that students preferred hardcopies to softcopies though they agreed that they make use of both depending on the situation. It was thus recommended that instructors should make course materials available in both digital and print formats for students to access for the studies.

Source: UCC
Preferences for antiretroviral therapy services: Qualitative evidence from people living with HIV in Ghana

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is one of the interventions meant to prolong the progression from HIV to AIDS for People Living with HIV (PLHIVs). Although ART was introduced in Ghana in 2003, there is little or no information about the preferences of those on ART services. The main objective of the study therefore was to examine the preferences of PLHIVs concerning ART services. The data were extracted from a nationwide qualitative study conducted by the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) which covered 12 cities/towns sampled from the three ecological zones of Ghana. Focus Group Discussions (FGD) and In-Depth Interviews (IDI) were the methods used in the data collection. A total of 145 FGDs and 171 IDIs were conducted in all the study sites among a wide range of target groups. The data were transcribed and analysed using NUD*IST (Non-numerical Data* Indexing Searching and Theorizing) version 6. The results showed that the hospital was the most preferred place for ART medications and most PLHIVs preferred to receive ART drugs from health personnel, trained PLHIVs or ‘foreigners’. PLHIVs preferred to access ART services free of charge and abhorred delays at ART centres. The preferences of PLHIVs regarding ART services must be considered in policies and programmes aimed at increasing enrolment, retention and coverage of ART in the country.

Source: UCC
Preferences for antiretroviral therapy services: Qualitative evidence from people living with HIV in Ghana

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is one of the interventions meant to prolong the progression from HIV to AIDS for People Living with HIV (PLHIVs). Although ART was introduced in Ghana in 2003, there is little or no information about the preferences of those on ART services. The main objective of the study therefore was to examine the preferences of PLHIVs concerning ART services. The data were extracted from a nationwide qualitative study conducted by the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) which covered 12 cities/towns sampled from the three ecological zones of Ghana. Focus Group Discussions (FGD) and In-Depth Interviews (IDI) were the methods used in the data collection. A total of 145 FGDs and 171 IDIs were conducted in all the study sites among a wide range of target groups. The data were transcribed and analysed using NUD*IST (Non-numerical Data* Indexing Searching and Theorizing) version 6. The results showed that the hospital was the most preferred place for ART medications and most PLHIVs preferred to receive ART drugs from health personnel, trained PLHIVs or ‘foreigners’. PLHIVs preferred to access ART services free of charge and abhorred delays at ART centres. The preferences of PLHIVs regarding ART services must be considered in policies and programmes aimed at increasing enrolment, retention and coverage of ART in the country

Source: UCC
Preferences for Biodiversity and Habitat Protection in Kakum National Park in Ghana

This study investigated the preferences for biodiversity and habitat protection among tourists at the Kakum National Park (KNP) in Ghana using primary data collected from a total of 472 tourists of whom 202 were foreign tourists and 270 were Ghanaian tourists. The main objective of the study was to estimate the total economic value for the attributes associated with the KNP and to understand the role they play in ecotourism promotion. The choice experiment method was employed as a valuation method to elicit the associated marginal willingness to pay (MWTP) of these attributes. Using a mixed logit, the only significant MWTP for the Ghanaian model was access to information on biodiversity and cultural heritage which they were willing to pay GHS 1.29 more on entrance fees per trip. International tourists were willing to pay statistically significant amounts of GHS 1.37, 3.55, 82.88, 22.79 on improvements in human traffic, reducing encroachment, improving biodiversity and accessing information via printed materials whereas they were willing to pay GHS 5.29 and 51.08 to move away from options of higher canopy walkway and accessing information via QR codes. The study recommends that park management should focus on revamping biodiversity protection efforts as well as improve information on biodiversity in the form of printed materials to ensure that the lesser-known activities like animal viewing, hiking and camping are well advertised both locally and internationally to increase patronage and revenue generation.

Source: UCC