ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Factors affecting the profitability of retail fuel outlets in urban areas: a case study of Accra

Many fuel stations in Ghana have explored alternative sources of income in order to remain profitable and it is a concern that there are too many fuel stations, resulting in an overtraded market. The retail fuel outlet businesses in the country incorporated the usage of various market mix elements to improve their profitability, price positioning, and competitive advantage to survive and grow (Johne & Davies, 2002). Achieving efficient and effective product marketing strategy by an organization is difficult. This is as a result of the ambiguity and instability of economic factors. Although some research efforts have been undertaken to explain issues pertaining to the impact of business structure and strategies on the performance of fuel prospecting industries in developing economies (Chukwu, 2002). Many of these research efforts do not provide answers to the variables that influences profitability in retail fuel outlets within urban settings. The study is a single case study of Shell Oil Company in Accra. The purpose of the study is to investigate whether shell site and location variables influence profitability or the average sales volume of fuel. The quantitative research approach adopted enabled the researcher to compute profitability ratios from secondary data

Source: UCC
Factors affecting the standard of female education: a case study of senior secondary schools in the Kassena-Nankana district

This study presents the current factors affecting the standard of female education in the Kassena-Nankana district in Upper East Region of Ghana. Poverty, long-held negative attitudes about women’s intellectual capabilities, teenage pregnancy, early marriage, examination failure in mathematics and science and the traditional division of household labour are among the many factors that continue to keep vast numbers of girls out of the classroom in the district and country as well

Source: UCC
Factors Affecting the Standard of Female Education: A Case Study of Senior Secondary Schools in the Kassena-Nankana District

This study presents the current factors affecting the standard of female education in the Kassena-Nankana district in Upper East Region of Ghana. Poverty, long-held negative attitudes about women’s intellectual capabilities, teenage pregnancy, early marriage, examination failure in mathematics and science and the traditional division of household labour are among the many factors that continue to keep vast numbers of girls out of the classroom in the district and country as well.

Source: UCC
Factors affecting utilization of contraceptives among married women in north Gonja district of Ghana: A qualitative study

In Ghana, fertility rates continue to vary widely; ranging from 2.5 children per woman in the Greater Accra region to 6.8 children in the Northern Region. Moreover, the use of any contraceptive method is highest among women in the Volta Region (32%) and lowest among women in the Northern Region (11%). Using a qualitative explorative descriptive design, this study explores the factors affecting contraceptive utilization among married women in the reproductive age group (15 – 49 years), through in-depth interviews in the North Gonja District. The data collected was analyzed by means of thematic analysis. This included the construction of a thematic framework, coding, editing and categorization of available data as well as the creation of sub-themes. The study revealed that there is limited knowledge and a general lack of understanding about contraceptives among married women who were interviewed. The result also suggested that male domination and social stigma are some of the factors affecting the utilization of contraceptives. In view of this, it is recommended that Ghana should develop some educational and counselling techniques to educate the public to help debunk the social stigma in the community. Besides, the study recommends an effective development and implementation of male-involvement contraceptive initiatives to address men's negative beliefs regarding contraceptive services.

Source: UCC
Factors affecting utilization of instructional time in Mfantsipim school

This study set out to investigate the utilization of teachers in Mfantsipim School in the Cape Coast Municipality of the Central Region of Ghana; considering such indicators as instructional time management and teaching load and its relation to the performance of the students at the end of the senior secondary school programme. A descriptive survey method was adopted for this research. All teachers in the school were used as the sample for the study. Copies of the Questionnaire were served to all the 80 teachers in Mfantsipim. In all 70 respondents (87.5%) returned their completed questionnaire. The study concluded that teachers in Mfantsipim were optimally utilised in terms of student-teacher ratios and work load. With regard to teaching load, the study revealed that majority of teachers in Mfantsipim School were optimally utilised in terms of Ghana Education Service norms. It revealed that announcements at morning assembly (85.7%) and teachers taking part of other teacher's time (75.7%) respectively took a chunk of the teachers teaching time. It also revealed that teachers spent between 15 and 75 minutes a week on teaching related activities. The study therefore recommended that the authorities of Mfantsipim School need to put in a lot of measures to maximize the contact time between teachers and students.

Source: UCC
Factors associated with low participation of females in University Sports in Ghana

The purpose of this study was to obtain information regarding factors associated with low female participation in university sports. The population of the study was made up of university sports ladies from University of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, University of Cape Coast, University of Education, Winneba and University of Development Studies. Two hundred and fifty respondents were used for the study. Sports ladies from the mentioned five public universities who took part in the Ghana University Sport Association (GUSA) games which took place in Tamale were used for the study. The questionnaire was developed by the researcher with a Crombach alpha reliability coefficient of 0.92. The methods employed for data analysis were frequencies, percentages and Chi square test, which were used to judge the relationships among the variables. The results of the study revealed that the factors associated with for low female participation in University sports in Ghana included: Coaches’ attitude toward female sportswomen, low skill level of females, low motivation of females, peer influence, the values placed on sports, lack of facilities and equipment, and administrative policies for sports. The need for more female coaches in the universities to take care of women sports and the need for the university authorities to make provision for more and modern sports facilities and equipment were all identified and recommended.

Source: UCC
Factors associated with perception of bad odor by users of ventilated improved pit latrines in Cape Coast, Ghana

Perception of bad odor in sanitation facilities is one of the causes of open defecation, which is a major cause of water pollution in developing countries. This study assessed how users of ventilated improved pit (VIP) latrines in Cape Coast, Ghana, perceive the level of odor in their latrines and identified the factors associated with perception of bad odor. A total of 211 users of 127 VIP latrines were purposively sampled from selected communities within the City. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to obtain information on the users’ perception of the odor level measured on an ordinal scale. The questionnaire also enquired the users’ characteristics and observations about the hygienic conditions of their toilets. An inspection checklist was used to assess the design and construction features of the latrines as well as the usage and maintenance practices. It was found that having a stake in a latrine’s ownership reduces the odds for perceiving bad odor in the latrine while attainment of higher education increases the odds. Furthermore, perception of bad odor was found to be more associated with the usage and maintenance practices (such as fouling of the squat hole or seat with excreta and mismanagement of used anal-cleansing materials) rather than the design and construction of the latrines. The findings of the study underscore the need to accompany the provision of sanitation facilities with user hygiene, as highlighted in the sanitation target of the sustainable development goals; else physical facilities alone cannot provide a guarantee against open defecation

Source: UCC
Factors Associated with Protective Eyewear use Among Cocoa Farmers in Ghana

To determine the factors that are associated with the use of protective eyewear (PEW) among cocoa farmers in Ghana, a multistage random sample of 556 cocoa farmers were recruited from four districts in the country. A questionnaire was used to elicit information on the use of PEW and barriers to its use among these farmers. Only 34 (6.1%) participants reported using PEW. Being female, old age and perception of good distance vision was associated with lower odds of PEW use. However, higher educational attainment, application of fertiliser and pesticides were associated with higher odds of PEW use. Participants cited non-availability, unaffordability and ignorance/lack of training as the main barriers to the use of PEW. The low use of PEW could be addressed through ocular health education and occupational health and safety policy initiatives.

Source: UCC
Factors associated with reproductive health care utilization among Ghanaian women

Background: This study investigates factors determining the timing of antenatal care (ANC) visit and the type of delivery assistant present during delivery among a national representative sample of Ghanaian women. Method: Data for the study was drawn from the women questionnaire (N=4,916) of the 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey among 15–49-years-old women. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to explore factors determining the type of delivery assistance and timing of ANC visit for live births within five years prior to the survey. Results: Majority of Ghanaian women attended ANC visit (96.5%) but many (42.7%) did so late (after the first trimester), while 36.5% had delivery without the assistance of a trained personnel (30.6%) or anyone (5.9%). Age (OR=1.5, CI=1.1-1.9, OR for 25-34-year-olds compared to 15-24-year-olds), religion (OR=1.8, CI=1.2-2.8, OR for Christians versus Traditional believers) wealth index (OR=2.6, CI=1.7-3.8, OR for the richest compared to the poorest) were independently associated with early ANC visit. Likewise, age, place of residence, education and partner’s education were associated with having a delivery assisted by a trained assistant. Also, Christians (OR=1.8, CI=1.1-3.0) and Moslems (OR=1.9, CI=1.1-3.3) were more likely to have trained delivery assistants compared to their counterparts who practised traditional belief. Furthermore, the richer a woman the more likely that she would have delivery assisted by a trained personnel (OR=8.2, CI= 4.2-16.0, OR for the richest in comparison to the poorest). Conclusions: Despite the relatively high antenatal care utilisation among Ghanaian women, significant variations exist across the socio-demographic spectrum. Furthermore, a large number of women failed to meet the WHO recommendation to attend antenatal care within the first trimester of pregnancy. These findings have important implications for reducing maternal mortality ratio by three-quarters by the year 2015.

Source: UCC
Factors Associated with Reproductive Health Care Utilization among Ghanaian Women

This study investigates factors determining the timing of antenatal care (ANC) visit and the type of delivery assistant present during delivery among a national representative sample of Ghanaian women. Method: Data for the study was drawn from the women questionnaire (N=4,916) of the 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey among 15–49-years-old women. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to explore factors determining the type of delivery assistance and timing of ANC visit for live births within five years prior to the survey. Results: Majority of Ghanaian women attended ANC visit (96.5%) but many (42.7%) did so late (after the first trimester), while 36.5% had delivery without the assistance of a trained personnel (30.6%) or anyone (5.9%). Age (OR=1.5, CI=1.1-1.9, OR for 25-34-year-olds compared to 15-24-year-olds), religion (OR=1.8, CI=1.2-2.8, OR for Christians versus Traditional believers) wealth index (OR=2.6, CI=1.7-3.8, OR for the richest compared to the poorest) were independently associated with early ANC visit. Likewise, age, place of residence, education and partner’s education were associated with having a delivery assisted by a trained assistant. Also, Christians (OR=1.8, CI=1.1-3.0) and Moslems (OR=1.9, CI=1.1-3.3) were more likely to have trained delivery assistants compared to their counterparts who practised traditional belief. Furthermore, the richer a woman the more likely that she would have delivery assisted by a trained personnel (OR=8.2, CI= 4.2-16.0, OR for the richest in comparison to the poorest). Conclusions: Despite the relatively high antenatal care utilisation among Ghanaian women, significant variations exist across the socio-demographic spectrum. Furthermore, a large number of women failed to meet the WHO recommendation to attend antenatal care within the first trimester of pregnancy. These findings have important implications for reducing maternal mortality ratio by three-quarters by the year 2015.

Source: UCC
Factors associated with the decline in HIV and AIDS prevalence rate in Volta Region of Ghana

The research aims at finding out the opinion of health and medical personnel in the Volta Region about the factors that contributed to the decline in HIV and AIDS prevalence rate in the region from 2006 to 2008. Three research questions were asked to guide the review of related literature on the above mentioned research topic.Simple random sampling was used to select 10 hospitals in the region for the study. Simple random sampling technique was used to select 250 respondents, thus 25 from each of the hospitals sampled. Questionnaire was the main instrument for data collection which consisted of 30 close ended items. Percentages and frequencies were used to analyze the data collected.The study revealed that in the opinion of 82.7% of health and medical personnel who responded to the questionnaire indicated that behaviour change contributed highly to the decline of HIV and AIDS prevalence rate in the Volta Region. Also, 84.4% and of 99.6% of the respondents agreed that specific HIV and AIDS interventions and HIV and AIDS education respectively contributed highly to the reduction in HIV prevalence rate in the Volta Region. The recommendations made were that the government and non-governmental organizations must intensify their strategies that are geared towards the behavior change of their members. They must also carry out specific intervention strategies to curb HIV and AIDS.

Source: UCC
Factors Associated with the Use of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy in Patients Newly Entering Care in an Urban Clinic

Ethnic minority, female, and drug-using patients may be less likely to receive highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), despite its proven benefits. We reviewed the medical records of a consecutive population of 354 patients entering care in 1998 at the Thomas Street Clinic, an academically affiliated, public, HIV-specialty clinic in Houston, to determine the factors associated with not receiving HAART as recorded in pharmacy records. Ninety-two patients (26.0%) did not receive HAART during at least 6 months of follow-up. Patients who did not receive HAART were more likely to be women and to have missed more than two physician appointments and were less likely to have a CD4 count <200 cells/mL or a viral load $105 copies/mL. In multivariate logistic analysis, missed appointments (OR 4 5.85, p < .0001), female sex (OR 4 2.53, p 4 .001), and CD4 count $200 cells/mL (OR 4 2.50, p 4 .001) were independent predictors of not receiving HAART. More than half the patients who never received HAART never returned to the clinic after their first appointment. Among patients new to care, women and those with poor appointment adherence were less likely to receive HAART. Efforts to improve clinic retention and further study of the barriers to HAART use in women are needed. Key Words: Highly active antiretroviral therapy—Women—Adherence—Naive patients—Appointments—HIV.

Source: UCC
Factors associated with the utilization of electronic medical records in the Eastern Region of Ghana

This study examined the factors associated with the use of Electronic Medical Records (EMR) in public hospitals in the Eastern Region of Ghana. Three hundred and ninety-six (396) healthcare professionals were surveyed from the various public hospitals in the Eastern Region of Ghana. The participants included physicians, physician assistants, nurses, laboratory technicians, radiologists, pharmacists, record managers, and ICT staff. Frequency and Chi-Square analyses were performed on the data. The results showed that approximately 59% (n = 212) of health professionals indicated low use of EMR services in their hospitals. Lack of computer competence (p < 0.001), poor communication between users (p = 0.050), cost of EMR resources and facilities (p < 0.001), lack of technical personnel to install and operate EMR technology resources (p < 0.001), and lack of EMR software packages (p < 0.001) had significant negative relationships with EMR utilization. Utilization of EMR services is low among the healthcare professionals in the Eastern Region. Therefore, the Ghana Health Service needs to provide training to their employees and supply the needed resources to encourage and support the hospitals and healthcare workers to increase the utilization of the EMR services that improve healthcare delivery in the Region. To enhance EMR utilization, it will be essential that government supports health facilities who have challenges using EMR. To better understand the issues, a mixed method approach is recommended to be used to study healthcare workers from both private and public healthcare facilities in the Eastern Region of Ghana.

Source: UCC
Factors Contributing to Alcoholism Among the Youth in New Edubiase of Adansi South District in Ashanti Region-Ghana

The future of every nation lies in the hands of the youth who are expected to be strong and healthy. Most youths put their future into jeopardy by indulging in risky health habits, particularly alcoholism. The purpose of this study was to find out the factors contributing to Alcoholism among the youth in New Edubiase. The study was quantitative with a descriptive cross-sectional design. The study population was a youth in New Edubiase. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select a sample size of 350. A questionnaire was used for collecting the data. The results were presented in frequencies, percentages and chi-square test. The study found out that the use of alcohol among the youth was low as most of them were uncertain of taking alcoholic beverages. Again, there was high knowledge about alcohol use and its implication on the health of abusers. Further, interventions for alcohol use include punishment of alcohol abusers, enforcement of laws on sales of alcoholic products and the prohibition of an advertisement on alcohol before 9:00 pm. In conclusion, the high knowledge of the youth about alcoholic products and the effect of the health of alcohol abusers could be due to the effort of a health care professional in educating the masses about the health implication. It was recommended that the Food and Drugs Authority must ensure that all media houses adhere to the new directive on the ban of advertisements on alcoholic beverages before 9:00 pm.

Source: UCC
Factors Contributing to Breakdown of Christian Marriages in the Accra Metropolis

The study looked into the factors that lead to the breakdown of Christian marriages in the Accra Metropolis. Seven objectives were used to guide the research, which were then translated into three research questions and four hypotheses. The study was conducted using a quantitative methodology with a descriptive survey design, namely a cross-sectional design. There were 250 divorced individuals from the churches in the Accra Metropolis who participated in the study. Copies of the questionnaire were distributed to 189 respondents using a multi-stage sampling technique. 160 respondents representing a response rate of 85% were able to complete and returned while Twenty-nine (29) representing 15% were not able to complete and return the copies of their questionnaire. As a result, all the analyses were based on the responses of 160 people. The various scales on the questionnaire were standardised scales adapted from authors in the area of marital challenges. The scales were pilot tested, and good internal consistency indicators (i.e., a =.70 and above) were obtained. Means and standard deviations, independent samples t-tests, and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to analyse the data. The study discovered that factors that contribute to marriage breakdown included commitment difficulties, communication difficulties, marital roles difficulties, financial management difficulties, sexual intimacy difficulties, marital conflict, as well as marital violence. It was concluded that commitment challenges and marital violence were the respective topmost and least factors that contribute to breakdown of Christian marriages in the Accra Metropolis. Christian couples are encouraged to exhibit utmost commitment in their marriages to avert marital breakdown.

Source: UCC
Factors Contributing to Substance Use Among Senior High School Students in the Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana

The study examined factors that contribute to substance use among senior high school students in the Kumasi Metropolis. The study was carried out employing the descriptive survey design. A sample of 385 SHS 2 students was used for the study. Stratified and simple random techniques were used to select the respondents. The data collected were analysed using frequencies, percentages, standard deviation, mean and simultaneous multiple linear regression. It was revealed that the substances used mostly by the students were coffee and alcohol with percentages of 21.9% and 6.3% respectively. It was further revealed that familial factors such as parental usage of drugs, ineffective monitoring by parents and poor parent-child relationship influenced the use of substance by the students. Peer pressure and influence of the media were identified as social factors. It was further found that personal factors such as poor school performance, self-esteem and stress influenced the use of drug by the students. It was concluded that the most abused substances (alcohol and coffee), are all legal substances. Also, in terms of relative contributions, familial factors contributed most, followed by personal and social factors. In view of this, it is recommended that the Guidance and Counselling unit of the various SHSs be encouraged to organize regular and comprehensive guidance programmes on drug use to sensititize students on dangers of substance use and abuse. Besides, the study recommends that parents desist from using alcohol and other illicit substances in the presence of their children.

Source: UCC