ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Psychosocial Effects of Traumatic Injuries in Road Traffic Accident Victims in the Kumasi Metropolis

Mental health problems, especially depression, are major causes of disabilities globally. Among the causes of mental health problems, injuries, including those resulting from road traffic accidents (RTAs) are major contributors. Efforts are therefore made earnestly by every country globally, as well as Ghana over the years to control and reduce the incidence and mortality of RTA and its related injuries. However, mental health problems associated with RTA injuries are marginalized during the care of RTA injured victims, whilst focusing on their physical problems. Using the Lazarus and Folkman’s Transactional Stress model, this study sought to identify the psychosocial problems resulting from injuries sustained from RTAs, whilst assessing the impact of appraisals, coping styles and social support in the development of psychosocial problems. A cross-sectional survey was used to collect data from 382 accident victims with injuries in three hospitals within the Kumasi metropolis, using validated data collection tools. The statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21 was used to analyze the collected data, using descriptive, Pearson’s Chi square, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), Independent t-test, Correlational and Hierarchical Multiple Regression tests. The findings indicated that, a number of patients with RTA injuries developed psychosocial distress (40.6%) and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (22.0%). Most victims appraised their injuries as threat but controllable. The most common coping style adopted by respondents was the task oriented coping with most participants demonstrating moderate to high perceived social support. Significant associations were found between injury characteristics and psychosocial problems but not with demography. ANOVA and Independent t-test indicated significant variations in psychosocial problems on the various types, locations and post-injury duration of injuries. Hospitalized patients also demonstrated higher levels of psychosocial problems compared with non-hospitalized patients. Appraisal of threat, centrality, and uncontrollability significantly and negatively correlated with psychosocial problems. Appraisal of challenge and controllability as well as total perceived stressfulness of the injuries showed significant positive relationship with psychosocial problems. On coping styles, task oriented and avoidant coping styles were significantly and negatively related with psychosocial distress but not with PTSD. Emotion focused coping also showed significant positive relationship with psychosocial distress. Social support was a significant moderator of avoidant coping and psychosocial problems. In conclusion, RTA victims with injuries have increased risk for developing psychosocial problems. The findings therefore demonstrate the need for comprehensive psychosocial assessment of injured RTA victims for early recognition and treatment of psychosocial morbidities.

Source: UG
Psychosocial Effects Of Traumatic Injuries In Road Traffic Accident Victims In The Kumasi Metropolis

ABSTRACT Mental health problems, especially depression, are major causes of disabilities globally. Among the causes of mental health problems, injuries, including those resulting from road traffic accidents (RTAs) are major contributors. Efforts are therefore made earnestly by every country globally, as well as Ghana over the years to control and reduce the incidence and mortality of RTA and its related injuries. However, mental health problems associated with RTA injuries are marginalized during the care of RTA injured victims, whilst focusing on their physical problems. Using the Lazarus and Folkman’s Transactional Stress model, this study sought to identify the psychosocial problems resulting from injuries sustained from RTAs, whilst assessing the impact of appraisals, coping styles and social support in the development of psychosocial problems. A cross-sectional survey was used to collect data from 382 accident victims with injuries in three hospitals within the Kumasi metropolis, using validated data collection tools. The statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21 was used to analyze the collected data, using descriptive, Pearson’s Chi square, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), Independent t-test, Correlational and Hierarchical Multiple Regression tests. The findings indicated that, a number of patients with RTA injuries developed psychosocial distress (40.6%) and Post-traumatic stress disorder (22.0%). Most victims appraised their injuries as threat but controllable. The most common coping style adopted by respondents was the task-oriented coping with most participants demonstrating moderate to high perceived social support. Significant associations were found between injury characteristics and psychosocial problems but not with demography. ANOVA and Independent t-test indicated significant variations in psychosocial problems on the various types, locations and post-injury duration of injuries. Hospitalized patients also demonstrated higher levels of psychosocial problems compared with non-hospitalized patients. Appraisal of threat, centrality, and uncontrollability significantly and negatively correlated with psychosocial problems. Appraisal of challenge and controllability as well as total perceived stressfulness of the injuries showed significant positive relationship with psychosocial problems. On coping styles, task oriented and avoidant coping styles were significantly and negatively related with psychosocial distress but not with PTSD. Emotion focused coping also showed significant positive relationship with psychosocial distress. Social support was a significant moderator of avoidant coping and psychosocial problems. In conclusion, RTA victims with injuries have increased risk for developing psychosocial problems. The findings therefore demonstrate the need for comprehensive psychosocial assessment of injured RTA victims for early recognition and treatment of psychosocial morbidities.

Source: UG
Psychosocial Experiences of a Key Population with HIV

Men who have sex with men (MSM) suffer disproportionate burden of HIV which is often associated with stigma and discrimination. HIV stigma is believed to be associated with negative psychosocial consequences that affects treatment outcomes. This study sought to explore the psychosocial experiences of key population (MSM) living with HIV using the socio-ecological model. A qualitative interpretive descriptive -approach was employed. Snowballing sampling technique was used to select fifteen (15) participants who were interviewed face to face. The interview was audio- taped, transcribed verbatim and analysed deductively using thematic content analysis. Participants’ rights were protected through ensuring voluntary participation and signing of informed consent. Methodological rigor was ensured by selecting participants with psychosocial experiences, peer review and prolonged engagement. Findings revealed MSM living with HIV felt internal stigma, had depression and suicidal ideation. Family and peer relationships were broken, they felt discrimination, had challenges with status disclosure and lacked family and peer support. At the community level, MSM living with HIV suffered stigma, abuse and were denied community support. Institutionally, services were poor coupled with negative attitude of health workers. The lack of structural support, resources and knowledge about policy concerns affected the care of MSM living with HIV. Interventions for addressing HIV related stigma are required to promote psychosocial wellbeing of MSM living with HIV.

Source: UG
Psychosocial Experiences of Breastfeeding Hiv Positive Mothers in Tema Metropolis

Breastfeeding is one of the main modes through which HIV is transmitted from mothers to their infants. Although the rate of transmission is drastically reduced when the breastfeeding mother is managed on anti retroviral therapy, there is still a probability of transmission. This puts a considerable level of strain on breastfeeding HIV positive mothers. The purpose of this study was to explore the psychosocial experiences of breastfeeding HIV positive mothers in the Tema metropolis. The study was guided by the self efficacy theory by Albert Bandura. Thirteen breastfeeding HIV positive mothers were recruited from the Tema General Hospital to participate in the study. A semi- structured interview guide was used as the data collection tool. The five main themes which emerged after thematic content analysis of the transcribed data were; self motivating factors of breastfeeding HIV positive mothers, factors which influence initiation of breastfeeding among HIV positive mothers, the role of social persuasion in breastfeeding attitudes of HIV positive mothers, psychological emotions of breastfeeding HIV positive mothers and coping strategies used by breastfeeding HIV positive mothers. The findings of the study illustrated that, breastfeeding HIV positive mothers motivated themselves due to their own previous experiences, hope in anti-retroviral therapy, encouragement by other mothers in similar situations and counselors. Socially, the opinions of their spouses, counselors and members of their community had a role to play in their decision to breastfeed. Psychologically, the women had fear, anxiety, blame and guilt. Strategies such as support groups, prayer and denial were some of the coping mechanisms. Therefore, breastfeeding HIV positive mothers should be attended to in private at the clinic so that their unique needs are met adequately

Source: UG
Psychosocial Experiences of Men With Infertility in the Tamale Metropolis

Infertility is a public health concern and a life-threatening situation to men who experiences it. These men experience numerous psychosocial crisis in their daily lives. The literature on infertility was concentrated on women without considering men within the realm of reproduction. There is inadequate knowledge of the experiences of men with infertility in the Northern part of Ghana. This study, therefore, explored the psychosocial experiences of men with infertility. The study adopted a qualitative exploratory descriptive design with the biopsychosocial model as a guide to the study. Using a semi-structured interviewed guide, data were collected via a face-to-face in-depth interview with fourteen purposively selected men with self-reported infertility at the Natural Solution Herbal clinic. The interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. After thematic content analysis of the transcribed data, nine (9) major themes and thirty-three (33) sub-themes emerged. The findings from the study demonstrated that men with infertility experience numerous psychosocial problems; attribute the cause of their infertility to God and the work of supernatural forces; and financial constraints when seeking infertility treatment. These men need clinical psychologist /professionally trained counsellors in the various fertility clinics and hospitals to address the needs of these men. These men experiencing infertility desire assistance in seeking infertility treatment. Therefore, there is a need for policymakers to have an insurance package for these men to cope with their infertility. The findings of this study have implications for nursing practice, nursing research and policy formation.

Source: UG
Psychosocial Experiences Of Mothers Of Preterm Babies Admitted To The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Of The Upper East Regional Hospital, Bolgatanga: A Descriptive Phenomenological Study.

Introduction: The postnatal period often presents significant psychological and social distress for mothers, a burden that is potentially heightened by having a preterm baby. Mothers of preterm babies face various psychosocial challenges that need to be explored. While some studies have explored the experiences of mothers of preterm babies, there is a need for more context-specific research to inform targeted interventions, especially in resource-constrained settings like northern Ghana. This study aimed to explore the psychosocial experiences of mothers of preterm babies admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of the Upper East Regional Hospital, Ghana. Methods: This descriptive phenomenological study was conducted in the NICU of the Upper East Regional Hospital in Ghana. Thirteen mothers of preterm babies were purposively sampled and interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using Colaizzi’s descriptive phenomenological method. Results: Three themes emerged namely, mothers’ emotional experience, challenges encountered at the NICU and coping strategies. The mothers expressed a range of emotions, from indifference to profound sadness, disbelief, fear and worry, on realising their babies were preterm. Challenges within the NICU were financial constraints and poor NICU facilities while coping strategies included reliance on God, self-reliance and support from family and nurses. Conclusion: Mothers of preterm babies in the NICU experience significant emotional distress and face numerous challenges. Comprehensive support programmes that address financial, emotional and practical needs are essential to improve outcomes for both mothers and their preterm babies.

Source: UG
Psychosocial Experiences of Patients with Type -2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Study at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease resulting from the body’s inability to produce and utilize insulin effectively. Living with type -2 diabetes mellitus has been associated with several challenges. Identification of these challenges would help in holistic healthcare provision for persons living with type-2 diabetes mellitus. This study explored the lived experiences of persons living with type-2 diabetes mellitus in Accra by examining their psychosocial experiences as well as how they cope with their condition. A total of 12 persons living with type-2 diabetes mellitus were purposively sampled and semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with the patients. The study used the exploratory descriptive approach to qualitative research. Data collected in this study was analyzed using interpretative content analysis developed by Polit & Beck (2005). Results from the study showed that type-2 diabetes mellitus has severe negative physical consequences on the lives of the patients in the form of low physical energy, fatigue and weight loss. Living with type-2 diabetes mellitus has been found to result in severe negative psychological consequences for the patients and the most prevalent of all are depression and anxiety. However, some of the patients in the study did not report symptoms of psychological problems since they reported that they are able to handle their condition. It was also found that living with type-2 diabetes mellitus has severe negative consequence on the economic lives of the patients in the form of job loss and lack of employment opportunities. Additionally, results showed that patients experience some negative social consequences of their illness in the form of social restrictions, isolation and stigmatization from the community members due to the severe weight loss which is misconstrued to be HIV. Finally, it was observed from the analysis of the narratives that the respondents use several coping strategies including support from their social networks, religion and self-care practices. It is therefore noted that living with type-2 diabetes mellitus has severe negative Psychosocial Experiences of Patients with Type -2 Diabetes. psychosocial consequences for the patients and healthcare personnel should look out for these challenges of patients in order to offer the needed support and care. Predictive factors of the psychological problems among persons living with type -2 diabetes mellitus should be explored using a larger sample size in the future studies. Similarly, from the findings of this study, there may be the need to do further research to explore how spirituality or religiosity in particular is used to manage a chronic disease like diabetes mellitus.

Source: UG
Psychosocial Experiences of Pregrant Adolescents: A Study at the Tema Metropolis

The number of adolescents becoming pregnant is on the increase. They are physically and psychologically immature to withstand the stress of pregnancy yet, society does not give them the necessary support they need to go through this stressful situation. The pregnant adolescents often end up with complications which increase maternal morbidity and mortality in Ghana. The purpose of this qualitative inquiry was to explore the psychosocial experiences of pregnant adolescents in the Tema Metropolis. The study participants were made up of twelve (12), purposively sampled pregnant adolescents attending antenatal clinic at the Tema General Hospital. Individual semi-structured interviews were used to generate the data which was analyzed using content analysis. From the experiences narrated by the participants, ten main themes emerged, which were further categorized into sub-themes. The major themes were causes of pregnancy, conditions at home, reactions of parents towards pregnancy and reactions of partners towards pregnancy. Others included reactions of friends towards pregnancy, attitude of neighbours, economic challenges, reactions of adolescents towards pregnancy, disorders in pregnancy and attitudes of midwives. The findings indicated that pregnant adolescents faced psychological problems such as anxiety, sadness, rejection, thoughts of abortion and suicidal tendencies. Reactions from their parents, partners, peers and neighbours included beatings, anger, denial and gossiping. Some mothers were however supportive. The findings showed that pregnant adolescents were faced with an array of psychosocial problems which could hamper their overall development and wellbeing. It was recommended that the hospital management should identify a day and time to attend to only pregnant adolescents. Also, future research should focus on the coping strategies and quality of life of adolescents after delivery.

Source: UG
Psychosocial Experiences of Women with Infertility and their Coping Strategies in Zamfara State, Nigeria.

Globally, children are believed to have strong value especially among African societies. Therefore, the inability to bear children is a stressful situation that affects women socially, and psychologically, and puts them in a serious life crisis. Women with infertility have different experiences which vary from one country to the other including Nigeria, and that determine their psychosocial health. However, little is known about women`s experiences of infertility in Zamfara state. This calls for a major concern in exploring psychosocial experiences of women with infertility in Zamfara. The aim of this study was to explore the psychosocial experiences of women with infertility in Zamfara, Nigeria. Basic interpretive design of a qualitative approach was used to obtain information relevant to the research questions. Twelve (12) women who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were selected using a purposive sampling technique. Semi structured interview guide was administered to the women who fulfilled the inclusion criteria after filling out the consent form. The responses were elicited and analyzed using content analysis. The findings of this research revealed that, psychologically, majority of the women had experienced anxiety, stress and depression as a result of their inability to get pregnant. Socially, the women suffered social isolation, social stigma, social pressure and marital problems. The psychological experiences were linked to social experiences and were mostly from mother in-laws and husbands` relatives. Major coping strategies adopted by the women were spiritual, social support, informal child adoption and diversional coping strategies. The women in Zamfara sought help for their infertility from both traditional medicine and medical treatment. However, they frequently withdrew from treatment or changed the health facility due to perceived less benefit. Therefore, infertility needs to be seen as a public health problem rather than just a disease. The findings of this study have implications for nursing practice and nursing research.

Source: UG
Psychosocial factors and hypertension prevalence among Ghanaians in Ghana and Ghanaian migrants in Europe: The RODAM study

Despite progress made to prevent and control hypertension, its prevalence has persisted in many countries. This study examined the associations between psychosocial factors and hypertension among Ghanaian non-migrants and migrants. Data were drawn from the Research on Obesity and Diabetes among African Migrants (RODAM) project. Findings show that among migrant women, those who experienced periods of stress at home/work had higher odds of hypertension. Among non-migrants, women with depression symptoms were more likely to be hypertensive. Furthermore, there was a positive association between negative life events and hypertension among non-migrant men. The findings highlight the importance of psychosocial factors in addressing hypertension prevalence in Ghanaian populations.

Source: UG
Psychosocial health of infertile ghanaian women and their infertility beliefs

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe infertile women's psychosocial health problems and their infertility-related beliefs and examine the relationships between their beliefs about infertility and psychosocial health problems. Design: The study was a descriptive correlational cross-sectional survey. Women (N = 203) who were receiving treatment for fertility problems in two public hospitals in Ghana were recruited. Methods: Participants completed a Fertility Belief Questionnaire; measures of infertility-related stress, anxiety, social isolation, perceived stigma, and depressive symptoms; and sociodemographic and infertility-related health questions. Descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlations, and hierarchical regression analyses were performed. Findings: The women reported high levels of infertility-related stress, low levels of anxiety, some social isolation, low levels of perceived stigma, and high levels of depressive symptoms. Beliefs that infertility has negative consequences and that one has a poor understanding of infertility were significantly related to infertility-related stress, social isolation, and depressive symptoms. Belief that infertility could be managed by personal control was significantly related to lower levels of anxiety and perceived stigma. Beliefs about consequences, illness coherence, and personal control explained significant proportions of the variances in anxiety, stress, social isolation, perceived stigma, and depressive symptoms. Conclusions: Infertile women in Ghana have psychosocial health problems that are associated with their beliefs about infertility. Clinical Relevance: Findings have implications for nursing care of infertile women in Ghana. © 2013 Sigma Theta Tau International.

Source: UG