ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Factors influencing immunization coverage among children under five in the Jirapa District of the Upper West Region Ghana

Immunization is one of the most essential public health interventions to reduce child morbidity and mortality in Ghana and the world at large. However, many children still died from causes which could have been prevented through extensive immunization coverage. The main objective of this study was to identify factors influencing immunization coverage among children under-five years of age (0-59 months) in the Jirapa District of the Upper West Region. A total number of 370 mothers of children under-five were chosen for this study and structured questionnaires were administered by visiting the households of under-five nursing mothers. Twenty (20) out of 137 communities were selected by simple random sampling and 5% (was calculated as a ratio based on the 2010 total number of under five children in that community) of mothers of children 0-59 months were chosen as respondents from each of the twenty communities. Descriptive statistics were used to describe demographic characteristics and knowledge level of mothers/caregivers and other independent variables, while the associations between these factors were determined using logistic regression. The study found out that the immunization coverage in the Jirapa District was remarkable high with majority (87.03%) of the children being vaccinated and good client satisfaction. It was also realized that some maternal and community characteristics such as education, occupation and age of the mother contributed significantly to child‟s vaccination status. This study also found strong connection between mothers‟ knowledge in child immunization and their level of education. Mothers who had attained Senior high school (SHS) education and above were almost twice more likely to have good knowledge of vaccination and were also more likely to vaccinate their children up-to-date. This means that support for women education to SHS and above as a long term measure will increase immunization coverage. In the study, it was found out that many mothers had positive attitude towards immunization and positive perception on the attitudes and practices of health workers to immunization activities and those that had positive attitude toward immunization were 3 times more likely to vaccinate their children up-to-date. It is recommended that regular quality refresher training of health workers especially the volunteers to improve their knowledge and practice on immunization services should be organized. Vaccination of child should be made a compulsory requirement during enrollment of children to school.

Source: KNUST
Factors influencing immunization coverage among children under five in the Jirapa District of the Upper West Region Ghana

Immunization is one of the most essential public health interventions to reduce child morbidity and mortality in Ghana and the world at large. However, many children still died from causes which could have been prevented through extensive immunization coverage. The main objective of this study was to identify factors influencing immunization coverage among children under-five years of age (0-59 months) in the Jirapa District of the Upper West Region. A total number of 370 mothers of children under-five were chosen for this study and structured questionnaires were administered by visiting the households of under-five nursing mothers. Twenty (20) out of 137 communities were selected by simple random sampling and 5% (was calculated as a ratio based on the 2010 total number of under five children in that community) of mothers of children 0-59 months were chosen as respondents from each of the twenty communities. Descriptive statistics were used to describe demographic characteristics and knowledge level of mothers/caregivers and other independent variables, while the associations between these factors were determined using logistic regression. The study found out that the immunization coverage in the Jirapa District was remarkable high with majority (87.03%) of the children being vaccinated and good client satisfaction. It was also realized that some maternal and community characteristics such as education, occupation and age of the mother contributed significantly to child‟s vaccination status. This study also found strong connection between mothers‟ knowledge in child immunization and their level of education. Mothers who had attained Senior high school (SHS) education and above were almost twice more likely to have good knowledge of vaccination and were also more likely to vaccinate their children up-to-date. This means that support for women education to SHS and above as a long term measure will increase immunization coverage. In the study, it was found out that many mothers had positive attitude towards immunization and positive perception on the attitudes and practices of health workers to immunization activities and those that had positive attitude toward immunization were 3 times more likely to vaccinate their children up-to-date. It is recommended that regular quality refresher training of health workers especially the volunteers to improve their knowledge and practice on immunization services should be organized. Vaccination of child should be made a compulsory requirement during enrolment of children to school.

Source: KNUST
Factors Influencing Leadership and Teacher Performance in the Senior High Schools in the Ho Municipality of the Volta Region of Ghana

This study investigates factors influencing leadership and teacher performance in the Senior High Schools (SHS) in the Ho municipality of the Volta Region of Ghana. In particular, it examines heads’ perceptions of those issues that affect the effective leadership of their schools. There is an international literature focusing on this area that has contributed to the study. However, many of the research findings in western contexts are invalid in the context of a developing nation such as Ghana. The research data was gathered using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Specifically, an interview with heads and teachers were conducted using semi-structured interviews and was analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. The research fieldwork was carried out in the Ho municipality in April, 2012. A total sample of 312 teachers and 10 heads and assistant heads were selected as participants. They were selected from three schools representing SHS in the Ho municipality. The key findings of the study identify a range of factors that influence leadership in schools. These included interpersonal and communication factor, intellectual and work management factor, people and work management factor, purposeful, inclusion and values driven factor and gender factor. Based on the findings identified in the study, recommendations were made on how to improve effective leadership in schools throughout Ghana. Of particular importance is the establishment of professional development programmes for both newly appointed and serving heads. Such programmes should enhance the leadership capacity of the principals in the schools and create a more conducive learning environment.

Source: KNUST
Factors influencing loan delinquency in Small and Medium Enterprises’ in Ghana Commercial Bank Ltd.

The study investigated the determinants of loan defaults among SMEs in Abossey-Okai, Accra, using survey method. Structured questionnaires were administered to owners of SMEs in Abossey-Okai who accessed loans from the Ghana commercial bank from December 2005 to September 2009. The research is line with current efforts by bankers, regulators and international lending institutions to unravel the problem of persistent loan default among small business that has led to high non-performing loans in the banking sector. The findings from the study indicated that borrower screening mechanism employed by the GCB was defective and inefficient and credit need assessment conducted by the bank was flawed which increased the risk of default. Moreover, government policy intervention in the credit market tends to distort the efficiency and quality of term lending activities. Results from the study also depicted that high officer-application ratio tends to reduce efficiency in credit assessment which increases risks of loan default. The findings of the study supported the assertion that SME loan default is the outcome of flawed financial role of banks and flawed public policy regimes. The study therefore recommends a number of measures to deal with the problem. First, an efficient and transparent borrowers’ screening mechanism should be employed as a proactive measure to deter the entry of less creditworthy borrowers to term loan regimes. Second, loan repayment performance of the old firms should be assessed before loans are sanctioned to new firms. Finally, Loan repayment schedules should be tagged not with the hypothetical but with the real cash flow situations of the firms and be extended more than the present number of loan repayment installment.

Source: KNUST
Factors Influencing Male Participation in Antenatal Care in the Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana

Male partners play a critical role in Reproductive Health and are gradually being incorporated into family planning programs, maternal care and HIV/AID’S prevention programs. There is however rare participation of men in ANC, labour, post-natal care (PNC) and management of infertility in this setting. For the very few men who would want to be involved in maternal care, existing situations (congestion in hospitals, attitude of health workers, socioeconomic restraints) militate against their full participation. This study was conducted to assess factors influencing male participation in ANC in the Kumasi metropolis. The study was a cross-sectional study involving 410 men 18 years and above who are partners of women who attend or have ever attended ANC or post-natal in the Kumasi metropolis. A total of three metropolitan hospitals were randomly selected from the five metropolitan hospitals. Data was collected by questionnaire and analysed using STATA version 11. Logistic regression was ran to assess the predictors of male ANC attendance in the Kumasi metropolis. All statistical tests were two-sided and considered significant at p<0.05. Majority (65%) of the respondents had never accompanied their partners to antenatal clinic. Predictors of male participation in ANC in the multivariable analysis were age, level of education, marital status, distance to the facility, perception of programmes at ANC, having prior discussion on ANC with health worker, having prior discussion of ANC with friends and knowing another man who attends ANC with wife or partner. Personal recommendations to improve male participation in ANC included frequent advertisement on the TV or radio, reducing waiting time at ANC, giving men priority at the ANC and increasing male staff at the ANC. There should be improved efforts by stakeholders to ensure increased participation of men in their spousal participation in ANC.

Source: KNUST
Factors influencing out patient department (OPD) attendance in Ho-shia sub-district public health

The outpatient Department (OPD) is the eye of every health facility and the patients judge the standard of the health facility by the care they receive at the OPD. This could reflect in the utilization of the health facility. Past studies in Ghana have shown that outpatient attendance continues to increase proportionately with the increase in the population of Ghana. However, the contrary was observed by the DHMT of Ho District, which found out that the OPD attendance in the district has been declining for the past four years. The DHMT has attached importance to this falling OPD attendance, therefore requested that the factors influencing OPD attendance and their extent of influence be reviewed. This will enable them provide recommendations to improve attendance in public health facilities. The study was a descriptive cross-sectional study. The study units were selected purposively using extreme case strategy and the respondents were selected using simple random sampling. Structured Interview guide was used to interview the selected individuals. The data were coded and analyzed using SPSS. Part of the data was also analyzed manually. The study results revealed that public health facilities were geographically and financially accessible to the people. However, a reasonable proportion of the respondents live more than 1km from where they seek treatment. Socio-cultural values and beliefs had no influence on OPD attendance, as there were no social or cultural values/beliefs preventing respondents from using orthodox medicine. In addition, outreach services and drug peddlers’ activities had no influence. Although, there were different types of health providers in the communities studied, orthodox medicine was preferred. Majority of the respondents (88.4%) were satisfied with the services provided at the public health facilities. Meanwhile, a reasonable proportion (41.3%) was not issued with receipts covering their expenses at the health centre level. The users of the district hospital suggested that staff change their attitude towards patients by showing them respect and patience. Based on the results, the following conclusions were drawn. The main causes of falling OPD attendance are facility-related. These were poor attitude of health staff towards patients (14.4%), lack of valid receipts covering expenses (41.3%) and health staff not at post (26.5%). The recommendations among others provided to DHMT include close supervision to ensure that valid receipt are issued to patients, drugs as well as other materials are used for their purpose, management should encourage staff to show respect, patience and care for patients.

Source: KNUST
Factors influencing market segmentation in the hotel Industry; (the case of selected hotels).

Market segmentation has been widely employed to give hoteliers understanding, identify attractive target segments and develop a marketing offer customised to needs of clients. The study examines factors influencing market segmentation of the hotel industry in the Tamale Metropolis. Issues considered in the study are to; identify the criteria used by hotels in segmenting their markets; examine the relevant market segmentation variables in the hotel industry; determine the effects of the criteria identified on the performance of hotels; and establish the relevant consumer characteristics necessary for market segmentation of the hotel industry.The study uses descriptive survey as research design with purposive and accidental sampling techniques to select the respondents for the study. Questionnaire was used as research instrument. The data gathered was analysed using descriptive statistics whereby results were presented in tables, bar charts and pie charts. It was revealed that besides the use of market measurability as criterion, market segmentation was based on the market and not products or types of services rendered by hotels. The study revealed that the demographic and psychographic factors featured more prominently as variables for market segmentation than behavioural and geographic factors. It concludes that market segmentation enhances performance of hotels in the Tamale Metropolis. The study recommends that market segmentation as a marketing strategy is taken seriously by hotels since it promotes quality service delivery and competition among hotels.

Source: KNUST
Factors influencing market segmentation in the hotel Industry; (the case of selected hotels)

Market segmentation has been widely employed to give hoteliers understanding, identify attractive target segments and develop a marketing offer customised to needs of clients. The study examines factors influencing market segmentation of the hotel industry in the Tamale Metropolis. Issues considered in the study are to; identify the criteria used by hotels in segmenting their markets; examine the relevant market segmentation variables in the hotel industry; determine the effects of the criteria identified on the performance of hotels; and establish the relevant consumer characteristics necessary for market segmentation of the hotel industry.The study uses descriptive survey as research design with purposive and accidental sampling techniques to select the respondents for the study. Questionnaire was used as research instrument. The data gathered was analysed using descriptive statistics whereby results were presented in tables, bar charts and pie charts. It was revealed that besides the use of market measurability as criterion, market segmentation was based on the market and not products or types of services rendered by hotels. The study revealed that the demographic and psychographic factors featured more prominently as variables for market segmentation than behavioural and geographic factors. It concludes that market segmentation enhances performance of hotels in the Tamale Metropolis. The study recommends that market segmentation as a marketing strategy is taken seriously by hotels since it promotes quality service delivery and competition among hotels.

Source: KNUST
Factors Influencing Perinatal Outcomes Among Adolescent Pregnancies in Kassena Nankana Municipality, Upper East Region

Adolescent pregnancies are regarded as the risk factor for adverse perinatal outcomes. This may be probably due to biological immaturity, unintended pregnancies and the challenges they often face during pregnancy and the care. There has been research report of high early neonatal mortality rate from pregnancies of younger maternal age (15-19years) in the Kassena Nankana Municipality. This appears to be declining since 2009 probably because of improved health services such as the newborn care in the municipality. The purpose of the study was to explore the factors that influence perinatal outcomes in adolescent pregnancies. The sample size was 200 adolescent mothers. Multistage sampling method was used to select the facilities. Simple random sampling technique was used to select the participants at the facilities. The data were analysed using STATA version 11 software programme and results presented in tables. The findings were that prematurity, traditional beliefs and practices, and low family planning uptake appeared to be more linked to influencing poor perinatal outcomes among adolescent pregnancies in this study. A lot more advocacy and sensitisation need to be done by the MHD to discourage unhealthy cultural practices, low family planning uptake and consumption of alcoholic beverages among the adolescents. The study also recommends that the MHD intensify education on family planning uptake by the youth. Youth centres with adolescent reproductive facilities including sex education and preconception classes need to be increased by the municipal to optimise good perinatal outcomes among adolescent pregnancies.

Source: KNUST
Factors influencing project selection decisions of contractors in Ghana

This research investigates the factors which General Building, category Dl and D2 contractors in Ghana consider when making project selection decisions through the use of questionnaire survey supplemented by interviews. Literature was used to identify the factors thought by authors to be most influential and this was used as part of the questionnaire to guide the contractors. The information obtained were analysed by ranking techniques (i.e. the use of relative importance indices). The results obtained indicated the strengths of the factors identified. Spearman’s correlation coefficient and coefficient of variation were also used to compare the results. Ten factors namely project payments, location of project, value of project, identity and reputation of client, contract profitability, physical resources necessary to carry out project, type of work, work load, project’s ability to promote contractor’s image and financial resources necessary to execute project were identified as the major factors influencing project selection decisions in Ghana The highest ranked factor is the ability of client to pay for work done (project payments). The research also established that contractors use mental judgement in arriving at bid –no - bid decisions and that the two category of contractors (D 1 and D2) differ significantly in outlook from each other, in attaching weightings to these factors. A structured methodology based on the techniques of decision analysis for modeling the bid-no-bid decision problem is also presented. The method is demonstrated with the help of a hypothetical example.

Source: KNUST
Factors influencing Soyabean Production and Willingness to Pay for Inoculum Use in Northern Ghana

Aim: This study was aimed at providing empirical information on key drivers of soyabean production in northern Ghana and factors that determine farmers’ willingness to pay for inoculum use in the production of the crop. Research Design and Methodology: A total of 240 grain legume producers were sampled from the three northern Regions in Ghana, out of which 188 were soyabean producers. Farmers who were selected through a combination of stratified and simple random sampling techniques were interviewed with the use of standardized structured questionnaires to elicit primary information for analysis. The Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) estimation procedure was used to estimate a Cobb-Douglas Soyabean production function. In addition, a binary logistic regression model was used to examine factors that determine farmers’ willingness to pay for inoculum use in soyabean production. Results: Evidence from the study showed that area cultivated and farming experience significantly influenced soyabean output positively at the 5% level. However, quantity of labour employed in production and educational level had significant negative relationship with soyabean output, all things being equal. Farmers’ willingness to pay for inoculum was found to be positively influenced by experience in soyabean production, access to credit, percentage of produce sold and awareness about inoculum at the 5% significance level. Male farmers were found to be more willing to pay for inoculum than female farmers, and distance from home to farm was found to be negatively related to farmers’ willingness to pay for inoculum, ceteris paribus. Conclusion: In an attempt to step up soyabean production and increase the uptake of inoculum among farmers without subsidy, awareness creation about inoculum, credit access and commercial orientation of farmers should be targeted as the key variables in any strategy or policy formulation.

Source: KNUST