ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Household social spending and welfare: empirical evidence from Ghana

This study sought to examine the effect of household social spending on welfareinthelightofbothpresentandfuturepovertyanalysesusingthequantitative approach. Ghana Statistical Service’s Ghana Living Standard Survey (GLSS) fourth, ﬁfth and sixth waves were used in the study. Final sample sizes of 5,556, 7,759 and 15,568 for the fourth, ﬁfth and sixth rounds respectively were analysed. The study found in its ﬁrst objective that very poor households beneﬁted more in terms of welfare than non-poor households and that the difference in the effect of social spending widens between the poorest and other households, movingtowards higher levels of welfare. On the other hand, vulnerability to poverty estimates showed that, for all three rounds of the GLSS, all households suffer poverty in the future and it is severe for very poor households. Moreover, the study found that as households have higher inclination towards unilateral social support, the more it reduced welfare and thus resulted in rising vulnerability to expected poverty for all households. This was true for all objects of social support. Two key policy recommendations were made. First, informal sensitisation programmes by public agencies like the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE)andNGOsshouldbeorganisedtocampaignagainstrisingsocialspending and its effect on future poverty, since formal education was found to have rather increased social spending. Second, the traditional authorities may formulate policies to set guidelines for the indicative costs of organising and running social events aimed at combating the rising social spending as has been done by the governments of Tajikistan and India.

Source: UCC
Household waste management practices in Tain district

The purpose of the research was to investigate how households in the Tain district manage waste and to determine whether their waste management practices are appropriate to reducing environmental and sanitation related challenges. The population included all permanent residents in Tain District. The sample size for the study was 1,037. Female heads in each household were selected using the convenient sampling technique. A questionnaire and observation checklist, developed by the researcher was used to collect the data. Results indicated that the abundant type of waste generated in the district was food Scraps (41%). Moreover, majority (76.37%) used public dumpsite as waste disposal place. Also, majority (50.05%) of the participants were dissatisfied with waste management institutions in Tain District. Furthermore, majority of the participants have adequate knowledge on perceived health effects of indiscriminate waste management practices. Participants call for the provision of waste collection bins / containers to help properly manage the district waste. There is adequate knowledge on perceived health effects of indiscriminate waste disposal. The study concluded that waste generated at home was largely food scraps. Some community members practiced crude dumping in any available space, including gutters, streets and backyard. Some recommendations that were made included, there should be provision of enough dustbins/ public waste containers and employment of more Zommlion workers by the Tain District Assembly and Zoomlion

Source: UCC
Household's choice of water sources for domestic consumption in the Shai Osudoku district,Ghana

The availability of numerous sources of water for consumption makes it imperative to understand the factors that influences the choice of water sources. This study seeks to determine households’ choice of water sources for domestic consumption in Dodowa and Doryumu in Shai-Osudoku, District. The study adopted the systematic and stratified sapling procedures. A sample of 300 households, 4 series of six-member focus group discussion and 5 key informants were engaged in the study. The study employed logistic regression and multinomial regression models and Water Poverty Index in the analyses. The results revealed that for domestic water consumption, households focus on factors such as quality, availability, affordability and accessibility to water sources. The study found that age, educational level and households’ daily expenditure are significant and positively related to the choice of improved water sources. In addition, married couples are less likely to use boreholes and tanker services. However, dependency ratio is negatively related to tanker services and positively associated with the use of rain water. Upper Dodowa is the most water stressed community with the highest water poverty index (0.053 minsl-1). Pipe-borne water is the preferred domestic source. However, relatively large number of households cannot afford to pay for the cost of connection. The study recommends that the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources should collaborate with the Ghana Water Company Limited and the District Assembly to come out with some kind of subsidy package to enable households connect water directly to their homes. Further economic valuation of willingness to pay for water supply infrastructure will facilitate the estimation of realistic subsidies to improve access to water within the case study communities.

Source: UCC
Households’ Attitude and Strategies Towards Solid Waste Management in the Accra Metropolis

The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) is increasingly finding it difficult to grapple with managing municipal solid waste. Attempts to address this waste menace have rather been ad hoc instead of holistic approaches. With solid waste generation outstripping collection and disposal, it is not surprising to find parts of the city engulfed in filth. Low and middle income areas are at the peril of this problem. Waste collection and disposal options are generally inadequate. The study set out to investigate how attitudes, perceptions and waste disposal strategies affect municipal solid waste management. Data was primarily collected from 156 households from 16 selected localities in 6 Sub Metropolitan areas within the Accra Metropolis. Data collected centred on households’ perceptions, attitudes and strategies adopted in the management of household solid waste. The results show that roadside collection and communal dumping are most preferred strategies for waste disposal. Waste segregation at source is virtually non-existents. Households’ exhibition of poor environmental habits is a measure of perception on various issues bothering environmental consciousness. People who are positively aware of the need to keep the immediate and larger environment clean tend to litter less and adopt safer approaches to solid waste disposal. Based on the findings of this study, the institution of holistic measures that would address the immediate need of keeping clean the environment and in the long term, altering perceptions and attitudes is recommended.

Source: UCC
Households’ Participation Intentions To Recycle Waste In The Accra Metropolitan Area: A Reverse Logistics Perspective

This thesis addresses a critical research gap in the domain of municipal solid waste management, specifically focusing on household waste recycling in emerging economies. Despite the proven effectiveness of reverse logistics in waste management (Flygansvær, Samuelsen & Støyle, 2021), limited research exists on how adaptations in reverse logistics systems towards households can enhance recycling behaviour in emerging economies like Ghana—a context with significant potential for waste recovery (Oduro-Appiah, Afful & Osei-Tutu, 2022). To fill this gap, the research integrates contextual factors and behavioural tendencies, providing a comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing households' intentions to recycle waste. Through a quantitative approach and a survey involving 385 respondents, data were collected and analyzed using various statistical measures, including frequencies, means, standard deviations, and EQS structural equation modeling. The findings reveal that both contextual and behavioural factors positively influence households’intentions to recycle waste. Moreover, the study highlights the significant roles played by policy inducement as a moderator and individual attitudes as mediators in shaping household waste recycling intentions. This research emphasizes the importance of considering both contextual and behavioural factors in waste recycling and advocates for the implementation of integrated policies that comprehensively address these elements. The contribution of this study is not only practical but also enriches our understanding of the effectiveness of policies that holistically incorporate both contextual and behavioural aspects in the realm of waste management.

Source: UCC
Households’ solid waste separation practices in the Cape Coast Metropolitan area

Source separation of solid waste, though rarely practiced in Ghana and Africa, holds great promise to usher the country and continent into the realm of integrated and sustainable solid waste management option. The study investigated households’ solid waste separation practices in the Cape Coast Metropolis. Descriptive research design was employed and multi-stage sampling method was used to obtain data from 246 household respondents whereas 7 key informants were purposively selected. Data for the study were collected through the use of interviews, questionnaires, and observations across low, middle and high-income communities. The data process was done using the Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS, version 21.10) software programme. Emphasis was placed on the existing solid waste disposal practices, waste separation practices, willingness of households to separate waste and challenges associated with households’ separation of solid waste. The study found that most residents, regardless of their income status, rarely separate their waste. However, there were general indications of residents’ willingness to separate waste at source. Unavailable waste recycling plant and inability to purchase waste separation bins constitute major challenges of waste separation in the study area. For incentives towards future source separation programmes, the study recommends that the central government and Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly in conjunction with their development partners should assist in the provision of waste separation bins and waste recycling plant in the study area. The Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly within its entrusted authority should also promulgate and enforce bye-laws to regulate the process.

Source: UCC
Households’ willingness to adopt greywater treatment technologies in a developing country – Exploring a modifed theory of planned behavior (TPB) model including personal norm

This study explored willingness of households to adopt a greywater treatment and reuse system using the theory of planned behaviour in its original form and an extended model including personal norms. The study was conducted among 478 household heads in the central region of Ghana. The results indicate the original theory of planned behaviour (TPB) model explained about 54% of the variance in respondents’ intentions to adopt this system and the extended model which includes personal norms explained 59% of the intentions. The extended model turned out to be the better model to predict willingness to adopt this household greywater and treatment system. The findings of this study shed more light on the role of personal norms in households’ willingness to adopt a greywater treatment and reuse system and may inform interventions aimed at promoting such systems

Source: UCC
Households‟ Valuation Of Power Outages In Ga West Municipality Of Greater Accra Region: An Application Of A Choice Experiment

Contemporary energy sources are pivotal for socio-economic development in developing nations, offering a means to alleviate poverty. However, heavy reliance on wood poses health and socio-economic challenges. This study focuses on enhancing electricity services to address these issues, utilizing choice experiments (CE) to gauge preferences. The research surveyed 400 households in Ga West Municipality, Greater Accra, employing mixed logit estimation to assess attributes of power outages like planned and unplanned occurrences, duration, and scope. Findings reveal households are willing to invest Ghȼ 8.51, Ghȼ 7.21, and Ghȼ 1.54 annually to reduce planned outages, unplanned disruptions, and outage duration, respectively. Policy recommendations advocate for a comprehensive approach, prioritizing district-level improvements and allocating resources for infrastructure development and regular maintenance to mitigate disruptions. Prompt response mechanisms for unplanned outages are essential, given residents' willingness to invest Ghȼ 7.21 annually. Furthermore, prioritizing initiatives to shorten outage durations, supported by household willingness to pay Ghȼ 1.54 annually, is crucial. Investments in technology and procedures are advised to enhance service quality. Implementing these recommendations can significantly enhance electricity service reliability, affordability, and overall quality in Ga West Municipality, ultimately improving residents' lives in the Greater Accra region

Source: UCC
Housing Satisfaction Of Students In The Halls Of Residence -A Study Of The University Of Cape Coast

This study examined the housing satisfaction of students in the halls of residence at the University of Cape Coast. The study used a quantitative approach with a sample of 381 Level 100 students from the various halls of residence using a stratified sampling procedure. The data was gathered using a questionnaire. The study employed frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviation for the data analysis. The study‘s results indicate that the students were content with the conditions in their halls of residence to a satisfactory extent. Specifically, the students had favourable conditions such as the adequacy of study rooms in their halls and the adequacy of space available to them in their rooms. Further, it was revealed that the students were satisfied with the physical features of the halls of residence which influenced their contentment. Features such as recreational facilities, fire service systems, and relaxation facilities were key in reaching such satisfaction. Finally, it was revealed that the students were satisfied with the extent to which their housing environment influences their contentment. Students‘ relationship with their colleagues, the proximity of their halls of residence to the lecture halls and the serenity of the environment of the halls of residence all proved useful in aligning the students‘ contentment to such an extent. The study recommended that the management of the university in partnership with other relevant stakeholders such as private companies should construct more housing facilities with even better structures or features to mainly accommodate the continuing students who live in private residences outside the school‘s premises to enjoy such conditions.

Source: UCC
Housing Surroundings and Self-reported Cases of Malaria in two Communities in Central Region of Ghana

Malaria remains a major health problem in Ghana. Mosquito breeding sites play significant role in malaria infection and transmission, but studies in this area are scanty in Ghana. This study assesses the association between housing surroundings with mosquito breeding sites and self-reported cases of malaria in two communities in Central Region of Ghana. In a cross-sectional study, 319 representatives of households in two communities in Central Region of Ghana provided information on self-reported malaria cases, use of ITN and some demographic characteristics. The surroundings of houses were also inspected for presence of mosquito breeding sites. Using chi square test, variables were compared between the two communities and with logistic regression analyses, the factors associated with selfreported malaria was assessed. Prevalence of self-reported malaria was 23.2%. More than half (58.6%) of the houses had surroundings that could serve a breeding sties for mosquitoes. Educational level and community were independently associated with self-reported cases of malaria. By multivariate analyses the community in the forest belt (OR=2.894; 95% CI: 1.672 – 5,010; P=0.000) remained significantly associated with self-reported malaria. Prevalence of self–reported malaria was high in the region, with the community in the forest belt having higher malaria prevalence than the community in the coastal belt. The proportion of housing surroundings with potential breeding sites for mosquito was high. The fight against malaria could intensify efforts that improve behaviors for avoiding of mosquito bites and keeping housing surroundings clean.

Source: UCC
Housing Surroundings and Self-reported Cases of Malaria in two Communities in Central Region of Ghana

Malaria remains a major health problem in Ghana. Mosquito breeding sites play significant role in malaria infection and transmission, but studies in this area are scanty in Ghana. This study assesses the association between housing surroundings with mosquito breeding sites and self-reported cases of malaria in two communities in Central Region of Ghana. In a cross-sectional study, 319 representatives of households in two communities in Central Region of Ghana provided information on self-reported malaria cases, use of ITN and some demographic characteristics. The surroundings of houses were also inspected for presence of mosquito breeding sites. Using chi square test, variables were compared between the two communities and with logistic regression analyses, the factors associated with self- reported malaria was assessed. Prevalence of self-reported malaria was 23.2%. More than half (58.6%) of the houses had surroundings that could serve a breeding sties for mosquitoes. Educational level and community were independently associated with self-reported cases of malaria. By multivariate analyses the community in the forest belt (OR=2.894; 95% CI: 1.672 – 5,010; P=0.000) remained significantly associated with self-reported malaria. Prevalence of self–reported malaria was high in the region, with the community in the forest belt having higher malaria prevalence than the community in the coastal belt. The proportion of housing surroundings with potential breeding sites for mosquito was high. The fight against malaria could intensify efforts that improve behaviors for avoiding of mosquito bites and keeping housing surroundings clean

Source: UCC
How do climate change adaptation strategies result in unintended maladaptive outcomes? Perspectives of tomato farmers

Most studies on farmers’ adaptation strategies do not adequately treat the downside of such practices, and how practitioners can survive with the strategies in the wake of climate variability and change. Emphasis has always been on benefits of adaptation which includes showing resilience to increase food production, enhancing livelihood outcomes with less vulnerability, and reducing poverty. This project was undertaken to determine unintended maladaptive outcomes resulting from farmers’ adaptive strategies to climate variability. The project took place in rural southern Ghana with input from tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) growers from the Offinso North District. To mitigate adverse effects of climate variability on tomato productivity, adaptive strategies resulted in reduction in agro-biodiversity, release of greenhouse gas, pollution of nearby water, increasing soil acidity above the optimum requirement of tomato, adverse effects of household farm labor, increasing vulnerability of dependents, increasing pressure on social facilities, competition of crops for nutrients, moisture and sun light, and increase in spread of pests and diseases. Age, gender, formal education, farming experience, and access to extension services influenced farmers’ perceived maladaptive outcomes of adaptation strategies. Adaptation strategies to climate variability, if unchecked, can increase vulnerability, or erode, sustainable development opportunities for farmers in rural agroecological settings

Source: UCC
How drone technology impacts livelihoods: the case of Nsadwir farming community in Ghana

Smallholder farmers in Ghana’s Central Region face a range of challenges in producing prime varieties of pineapple. The University of Cape Coast is implementing a project using drones and precision agriculture to to assist farmers upscale pineapple production to a commercial level. Aerial views and advice based on index maps generated using drone technology, enabled them to be more effective and efficient in managing their crops and ensure improved plant growth and higher yields

Source: UCC
How Effective is the Treatment of Locally Advanced and Metastatic Breast Cancer in Developing Centres?: A Retrospective Review

BACKGROUND: The use of chemotherapy in advanced metastatic breast cancer remains a subject of controversy. The thought of MicKinnon et al (early 1950s) that the course of breast cancer was unaffected by chemotherapy has been refuted by results of treatment in the developed countries. The poor result of treatment in developing centres still compares with prechemotherapy era. Consequently, The McKinnon’s thought may still lurk. We compared the survival of chemotherapy treated with chemotherapy untreated cancer of breast patients. METHOD: Records of breast cancer patients who presented and died between January 2010 and May 2014 were reviewed. The primary outcome was overall survival. Records of patients that received chemotherapy with or without other tumor directed specific therapy were compared with records of patients who did not receive any tumor directed therapy. RESULT: Thirty-one patients received chemotherapy while 25 patients did not. All were females, more than 90% were of the patients had advanced or metastatic disease. Treatments were not biologically directed and treatment plans were largely compromised and suboptimal. The overall mean survival was 19.2 ±9.2 months, and the median duration was 17.5 months (range 6-44months). The overall survival was not statistically different between the two groups (p= 0.230, unequal variance assumed). The objective of using neoadjuvant chemotherapy for fungating lesions was not achieved. CONCLUSION: In advanced and metastatic breast cancer, outcomes of patients who receive suboptimal regimen of cytotoxic chemotherapy do not differ from chemotherapy untreated patients.

Source: UCC