ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Sociocultural factors and bureaucratic practices in universities in Ghana

Max Weber, one of the pioneers in bureaucratic organisational studies believes in the ultimate triumph of bureaucracy over the collegial culture of universities. This paper argues that rather than ultimate triumph of bureaucracy over the collegial culture of universities (Weber 1947), the interests of universities would be better served when the bureaucratic culture is designed to accommodate some core socio-cultural expectations of organizational members, without compromising productivity. The research examined the implications of some selected sociocultural factors for bureaucratic practices in selected universities in Ghana through a mix method approach. The findings show that, the authority structures of the two universities typify the Weberian Ideal type bureaucracy with hierarchical culture and standardized rules and procedures for carrying out every task. This notwithstanding, the societal culture was found to be influential in shaping the bureaucratic behaviour and conducts of organizations’ members. The paper aims at bringing to the fore the strength of the informal structures in reshaping bureaucratic culture and work behaviour, and the need to consider socio-cultural contexts in designing bureaucratic organizations.

Source: UG
Sociocultural Implications of Infertility and Challenges in Accessing Assisted Reproductive Technology: Experiences of Couples from Two Health Facilities in Southern Ghana

Introduction: In most traditional societies in Ghana, infertility is unacceptable and every couple is expected to conceive children by any means. This study explores the sociocultural implications of infertility in Ghana and the challenges couples encounter in accessing assisted reproductive technology. Methods: The study used a qualitative descriptive design in two health facilities in an urban community in Southern Ghana. The study recruited 20 participants: 16 individuals who had accessed assisted reproductive technology, two nurses and two gynecologists. Participants were purposely selected and data were analyzed thematically. Results: Culturally, couples who are unable to give birth are considered witches, discriminated against in decision making and are believed to be rejected by the ancestral world when they die. It was found that these sociocultural implications of infertility compelled couples to access assisted reproductive technologies and were faced with social challenges, psychological implications, economic constraints, and medical complications. Conclusions: Children born through assisted reproductive technologies are not accepted by some sections of the society despite the challenges couples encounter in accessing these technologies. Public sensitization should be intensified in Ghana to accept the use of assisted reproductive technologies to limit stigmatization of couples with fertility problems and children born through assisted reproductive technology.

Source: UG
Sociodemographic and geophysical determinants of household vulnerability to coastal hazards in the Volta Delta, Ghana

Theoretical emphasis on combining geophysical and socioeconomic characteristics in assessing vulnerability is growing but with little empirical support. Similarly, there is increasing consideration of cumulative vulnerability to multiple stressors, yet empirical studies are scant. This study seeks to assess the geophysical and socioeconomic determinants of households’ vulnerability to the cumulative impacts of three coastal hazards—flooding, erosion and salinity—using evidence from the Volta Delta in Ghana. The study employed multiple linear regression and binary logistic regression functions to assess cumulative vulnerability and exposure to individual hazards, respectively. Results indicate that while exposure to hazards is determined largely by geophysical factors and the socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of households determine the extent of vulnerability to their impacts. In addition, socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of households, particularly higher wealth levels, non-agricultural occupation, and improved drinking water sources are associated with lower levels of vulnerability to the cumulative impacts of coastal hazards. In developing contexts, resilience to coastal hazards requires improved access to social amenities as well as alternative livelihood options.

Source: UG
Sociodemographic Characteristics, Dietary Practices, and Nutritional Status of Adults with Hypertension in a Semi-Rural Community in the Eastern Region of Ghana

Introduction. Hypertension is a major contributor to the global disease burden and mortality. Evidence suggests increasing hypertension prevalence in Ghana but there is limited public awareness and information on the characteristics of those with the disease. Objective. To describe the baseline characteristics of adults with hypertension who were randomized to receive either hypertension related nutrition education plus hospital-based standard of care or only the standard of care (control group) in Asesewa, a semi-rural community in the Eastern Region of Ghana. Only baseline data were used in the present analysis. Methods. A cross-sectional baseline survey was completed for 63 adults with confirmed hypertension diagnosis. Data on sociodemographic characteristics and diet were obtained through interviews and participants’ body mass index (BMI) was computed. Pearson chi-square statistic was used to assess differences between those with both elevated diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and systolic blood pressure (SBP) and those with only elevated SBP. Results. Mean ± SD age of participants was 54.5±13.8 years. Approximately 71% of participants had both elevated SBP (>140 mmHg) and DBP (>90 mmHg) while the remaining 29% had only elevated SBP. The median number of times the food groups beneficial to hypertension management were consumed in the preceding week to the interview was 1 for green leafy vegetables, 1 for dairy products, 2 for fruits, and 4 for legumes. The median number of times for consuming harmful food groups was 3 for salted fish and 7 times for fats and oils. Signifcantly more participants in the age group above 50 than the younger participants had elevated SBP (83.3 vs. 16.7:P=0.027) and those with BMI equal to or greater than 25 were more likely to have both elevated SBP and DBP (P=0.047). Conclusions. Findings from this study have implications for the prevention and management of hypertension in this semi-rural population.

Source: UG
Sociodemographic correlates of depressive symptoms: a cross-sectional analytic study among healthy urban Ghanaian women

Background Studies on healthy individuals that show minor signs of distress and depression—but that are not significant enough to be debilitating or to report to the hospital for treatment—are rare. Our primary objective was to measure the prevalence of depressive symptoms and sociodemographic correlates among healthy women 18 years and above in urban Accra, Ghana. Method We used secondary data from the Women’s Health Study of Accra, Wave 1 (WHSA-1), a large scale, analytic, cross-sectional study conducted in Accra, Ghana involving 3183 women. The presence or absence of depressive symptoms within the past 30 days was estimated from the average score on three common symptoms of depression: sleep, anxiety, and sadness. The explanatory variables were age-group, socioeconomic level, marital status, ethnicity, religion, education, employment, and parity. Frequencies and means were used to summarize categorical and continuous variables, respectively. Logistic regression analyses were employed to determine the predictors of depressive symptoms. Results The prevalence of depressive symptoms within the previous 30 days was 26.5% (95% CI: 25.0–28.1). Women 55 years and older were more likely than women between the ages of 18 and 24 to experience depressive symptoms (AOR 2.8, 95% CI: 2.0–4.0, p < 0.001), whilst women between the ages of 35 and 54 were 1.95 times more likely than women between the ages of 18 and 24 to experience depression (AOR 1.95, 95% CI: 1.40–2.70, p < 0.001). Self-employed women were less likely to report depressive symptoms compared to the unemployed (AOR 0.70, 95% CI: 0.56–0.87, p < 0.01). Akans were less likely to experience depressive symptoms compared to Ga women (AOR 0.75, 95% CI: 0.61–0.92, p < 0.01). Non-orthodox Christians were more likely to report depressive symptoms compared to Orthodox Christians (AOR 1.32, 95% CI: 1.09–1.60, p < 0.01). Conclusion The prevalence of symptoms of depression among healthy urban Ghanaian women is high. Older women, those with low education, and unemployed women appear to be at higher risk for depression and therefore should be targeted for interventions. Groups at risk for depression—especially older adults or individuals under economic strain—should be targeted for mood assessment as part of routine medical care.

Source: UG
Sociodemographic correlates of obesity among Ghanaian women

Objective To examine the sociodemographic correlates of obesity among Ghanaian women.Design The 2003 and 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey data sets were used to examine the sociodemographic characteristics and the BMI of women aged 15-49 years using descriptive statistics, bivariate and multivariate analyses.Setting Ghana is a West African country which is divided into ten administrative regions. The country is further divided into the northern and southern sectors. The northern sector includes the three northern regions (Northern, Upper East and Upper Westen regions) and the seven remaining regions form the southern sector.Subjects Women aged 15-49 years whose BMI values were available.Results The overall prevalence of obesity and overweight increased from 25·5 % in 2003 to 30·5 % in 2008. Obesity varied directly with age from 20 to 44 years. Women with higher education had the highest rate of obesity. Obesity was more common among women from wealthy households compared to women from poor households.Conclusions Obesity and overweight were found to be more common among older women, urban women, married women, women with higher education and women from rich households. Adoption of healthy lifestyles and the implementation of policies that promote healthy living can help reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity. © 2010 The Authors.

Source: UG
Sociodemographic determinants of health insurance enrolment and dropout in urban district of Ghana: a cross-sectional study

Background: Earlier studies have found significant associations between sociodemographic factors and enrolment in the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in Ghana. These studies were mainly household surveys in relatively rural areas with high incidence of poverty. To expand the scope of existing evidence, this paper examines policy design factors associated with enrolment and dropout of the scheme in an urban poor district using routine secondary data. Methods: This study is a cross-sectional quantitative analysis of 2014–2016 NHIS enrolment data of the Ashiedu Keteke district office. Descriptive and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to examine sociodemographic factors associated with NHIS enrolment and dropout. Results: A total of 215,724 individuals enrolled in the NHIS over the period under study, of which 98,232 (46%) were new members. About 41% of existing members in 2014 dropped out of the NHIS in 2015 and 53% of those in 2015 dropped out in 2016. The indigents (core poor) are significantly more likely to enrol and to drop out of the NHIS. However, the males, informal sector employees, social security and national insurance trust (SSNIT) contributors, and the aged (70+ years) are significantly less likely to enrol in the NHIS but more likely to retain coverage. Conclusions: A considerable number of members are dropping out of the NHIS. The indigents in particular, are increasingly enrolling in and dropping out of the NHIS whilst the males, informal sector employees, SSNIT contributors and the aged are not enrolling as expected but increasingly retaining coverage. Policy reforms to ensuring continued growth towards realization of universal health coverage should take these factors into consideration.

Source: UG
Sociodemographic variations in obesity among Ghanaian adults

Objectives: To determine the sociodemographic associations of obesity in Ghana. Design: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on a sample of 6300 adults aged 25 years and over who were selected by random cluster sampling. Setting: Two urban (high-class and low-class suburbs) and a rural community in Accra, Ghana. Subjects and methods: In total, 4731 (1857 males, 2874 females) subjects participated. Demographic data were obtained by a questionnaire and height and weight were determined with subjects in light clothing and without shoes. Results: The overall crude prevalence of overweight and obesity was 23.4 and 14.1%, respectively. The rates of overweight (27.1 vs. 17.5%) and obesity (20.2 vs. 4.6%) were higher in females than males. Obesity increased with age up to 64 years. There were more overweight and obesity in the urban high-class residents compared with the low-class residents and in urban than rural subjects. Overweight and obesity were highest among the Akan and Ga tribes and relatively low among Ewes. Subjects with tertiary education had the highest prevalence of obesity (18.8%) compared with less literate and illiterate subjects (12.5-13.8%). Subjects whose jobs were of a sedentary nature had higher levels of obesity (15%) than subjects whose jobs involved heavy physical activity (10%). Subjects who did not engage in leisure-time physical activity were more obese than those who had three or more sessions of leisure-time physical activity per week (15.3 vs. 13.5%). Conclusions: Overweight and obesity are common among residents in the Accra area. Older age, female gender, urban, high-class residence, sedentary occupation and tertiary education were associated with higher levels of obesity. Policies and programmes that promote healthy lifestyles may prove beneficial.

Source: UG
The Socioeconomic burden of Buruli Ulcer disease in the Ga West District of Ghana

Buruli ulcer (BU) is the third most common mycobacterial infection in humans after tuberculosis and leprosy. We highlight the social and economic burden of 86 BU patients studied in a Ghanaian district in 2008 which has the fifth highest BU prevalence rate in the country and is the most endemic in the Greater Accra Region. We traced patients who had received treatment for BU within the year preceding the study and interviewed them or the primary caretakers of minors mostly using a semi-structured interview guide. We found that against a background of living in abject poverty, the affected households spent on average over 80 per cent of their annual incomes on seeking health care for the disease despite the policy of free treatment for BU in government health care institutions. Beyond the direct financial costs, households incurred huge social and psychological burdens such as social stigma, isolation, and even divorce. Labor time lost due to care-seeking came close to one year for some affected patients. The extent of the burden from the disease had a relationship with care seeking patterns for the disease. We recommend that BU affected households be enrolled in the social protection programs of Ghana.

Source: UG
Socioeconomic determinants of use of reproductive health services in Ghana

Background: The study examines trends in the consumption of reproductive health services (use of modern contraceptives, health facility deliveries, assisted deliveries, first trimester antenatal visit and 4+ antenatal visits) and their determinants using four rounds of Ghana Demographic and Health Surveys (1993, 1998, 2003 and 2008) data. Methods: The study uses cross-sectional and pooled probit and negative bionomial regressions models to estimate the determinants of use of the above listed reproductive health services for the period from 1993 to 2008. Results: Summary statistics suggest that the above-listed reproductive health services have consistently improved from 1993 to 2008. However, use of traditional methods of contraception increased in urban centers between 2003 and 2008, although the reverse was the case in rural areas. Regression results suggest that place of residence, access to and availability of health services, religion, and birth order are significant correlates of use of reproductive health services. Additionally, the study suggests that the number of living children has the largest effect on use of modern contraception. The effect of a partner’s education on use of modern contraception is higher than that of the woman, and a much stronger correlation exists between household wealth and use of reproductive health inputs than expected. Conclusion: The study associates the increasing use of traditional contraceptives in urban centers and the much stronger effect of household wealth with urban poverty and the increasing indirect cost of health services, and argues for interventions to improve quality of service in public facilities and reduce inequities in the distribution of health facilities. Finally, the study advocates for family planning-related interventions that involve and target partners given the importance of partner education in the use of modern contraception.

Source: UG
Socioeconomic Status and Temporal Urban Environmental Change in Accra: a Comparative Analysis of Area-based Socioeconomic and Urban Environmental Quality Conditions Between Two Time Points

The influence of area-based socioeconomic (SE) conditions on environmental quality conditions has recently been reported showing the precise spatial relationship between area-based SE conditions and neighborhood environmental quality in an urban area in a low-income setting. Nonetheless, there is still a lack of understanding of the nature of the relationship on a temporal scale. This study aimed to investigate the dynamic temporal relationship between area-based SE conditions and urban environmental quality conditions over a decadal period in Accra, Ghana. The results showed that there were differences in environmental quality across the SE quintiles in space (with regard to per capita waste generation (p < 0.012), waste collection/clearing (p < 0.01), and waste deposition (p < 0.001) and that the urban environmental quality conditions had changed dramatically over the decade for most of the environmental variables (p < 0.001). Despite the enormous urban development initiatives, some of the environmental quality indicators (e.g., proportion of households without flush toilet/Water Closet, connection to central sewer p < 0.001) appeared to have worsened in the high class quintile, suggesting that a high proportion of households were without acceptable sanitation facilities. The study concludes that urban development in low-income countries will need to follow strictly international best practice by observing standardized building codes and guidelines, if progress should be made in meeting the Millennium Development Goals targets.

Source: UG
Socioeconomic status and the prevalence of fever in children under age five: Evidence from four sub-Saharan African countries

Background The burden of fevers remains enormous in sub-Saharan Africa. While several efforts at reducing the burden of fevers have been made at the macro level, the relationship between socioeconomic status and fever prevalence has been inconclusive at the household and individual levels. The purpose of this study was to examine how individual and household socioeconomic status influences the prevalence of fever among children under age five in four sub-Saharan African countries. Methods The study used data from the 2008 Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) from Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya and Sierra Leone with a total of 38,990 children below age five. A multi-level random effects logistic model was fitted to examine the socioeconomic factors that influence the prevalence of fever in the two weeks preceding the survey. Data from the four countries were also combined to estimate this relationship, after country-specific analysis. Results The results show that children from wealthier households reported lower prevalence of fever in Ghana, Nigeria and Kenya. Result from the combined dataset shows that children from wealthier households were less likely to report fever. In general, vaccination against fever-related diseases and the use of improved toilet facility reduces fever prevalence. The use of bed nets by children and mothers did not show consistent relationship across the countries. Conclusion Poverty does not only influence prevalence of fever at the macro level as shown in other studies but also the individual and household levels. Policies directed towards preventing childhood fevers should take a close account of issues of poverty alleviation. There is also the need to ensure that prevention and treatment mechanisms directed towards fever related diseases (such as malaria, pneumonia, measles, diarrhoea, polio, tuberculosis etc.) are accessible and effectively used.

Source: UG
Socioeconomic status and the prevalence of fever in children under age five: evidence from four sub-Saharan African countries

Abstract Background The burden of fevers remains enormous in sub-Saharan Africa. While several efforts at reducing the burden of fevers have been made at the macro level, the relationship between socioeconomic status and fever prevalence has been inconclusive at the household and individual levels. The purpose of this study was to examine how individual and household socioeconomic status influences the prevalence of fever among children under age five in four sub-Saharan African countries. Methods The study used data from the 2008 Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) from Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya and Sierra Leone with a total of 38,990 children below age five. A multi-level random effects logistic model was fitted to examine the socioeconomic factors that influence the prevalence of fever in the two weeks preceding the survey. Data from the four countries were also combined to estimate this relationship, after country-specific analysis. Results The results show that children from wealthier households reported lower prevalence of fever in Ghana, Nigeria and Kenya. Result from the combined dataset shows that children from wealthier households were less likely to report fever. In general, vaccination against fever-related diseases and the use of improved toilet facility reduces fever prevalence. The use of bed nets by children and mothers did not show consistent relationship across the countries. Conclusion Poverty does not only influence prevalence of fever at the macro level as shown in other studies but also the individual and household levels. Policies directed towards preventing childhood fevers should take a close account of issues of poverty alleviation. There is also the need to ensure that prevention and treatment mechanisms directed towards fever related diseases (such as malaria, pneumonia, measles, diarrhoea, polio, tuberculosis etc.) are accessible and effectively used.

Source: UG