ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Cooking fuel choices and garbage burning practices as determinants of birth weight: a cross-sectional study in Accra, Ghana

Background Effect of indoor air pollution (IAP) on birth weight remains largely unexplored but yet purported as the most important environmental exposure for pregnant women in developing countries due to the effects of second-hand smoke. We investigated the associations between the determinants of indoor air quality in households and birth weight. Methods A cross-sectional study of 592 mothers and their newborns using postnatal services at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital located in Accra, Ghana was conducted in 2010 to collectinformation on characteristics of indoor environment and other potential determinants of fetal growth. Birth weight was recorded from hospital records. Results Household cooking fuel choices and garbage burning practices were determinants of birth weight. Multivariate linear regression analysis adjusting for age, social class, marital status and gravidity of mothers, and sex of neonate resulted in a 243g (95% CI: 496, 11) and 178g (95% CI: 421, 65) reduction in birth weight for use of charcoal, and garbage burning respectively compared with use of LPG only. The estimated reductions in birth weight was not statistically significant. Applying the ordinal scale exposure parameter nonetheless revealed a significant exposure-response relationship between maternal exposures from charcoal use and garbage burning, and birth weight. Generalized linear models adjusting for confounders resulted in a 41% (risk ratio [RR] = 1.41; 95% CI: 0.62, 3.23) and 195% (RR=2.95; 95% CI: 1.10, 7.92) increase in the risk of low birth weight (LBW) for use of charcoal, and garbage burning respectively compared with use of LPG only. A combination of charcoal use and household garbage burning during pregnancy on fetal growth resulted in a 429g (95% CI: 259, 599) reduction in birth weight and 316% (RR=4.16; 95% CI: 2.02, 8.59) excess risk of LBW. Sensitivity analysis performed by restricting the analysis to term births produced similar results. Conclusions Maternal use of charcoal as a cooking fuel during pregnancy and burning of garbage at home are strong determinants of average fetal growth and risk of LBW. Efforts to reduce maternal exposures to IAP are thus important to improve birth outcomes.

Source: UCC
Cooking Fuel Choices and Garbage Burning Practices as Determinants of Birth Weight: A Cross-Sectional Study in Accra, Ghana

Effect of indoor air pollution (IAP) on birth weight remains largely unexplored but yet purported as the most important environmental exposure for pregnant women in developing countries due to the effects of second-hand smoke. We investigated the associations between the determinants of indoor air quality in households and birth weight. Methods A cross-sectional study of 592 mothers and their newborns using postnatal services at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital located in Accra, Ghana was conducted in 2010 to collect information on characteristics of indoor environment and other potential determinants of fetal growth. Birth weight was recorded from hospital records. Results Household cooking fuel choices and garbage burning practices were determinants of birth weight. Multivariate linear regression analysis adjusting for age, social class, marital status and gravidity of mothers, and sex of neonate resulted in a 243g (95% CI: 496, 11) and 178g (95% CI: 421, 65) reduction in birth weight for use of charcoal, and garbage burning respectively compared with use of LPG only. The estimated reductions in birth weight was not statistically significant. Applying the ordinal scale exposure parameter nonetheless revealed a significant exposure-response relationship between maternal exposures from charcoal use and garbage burning, and birth weight. Generalized linear models adjusting for confounders resulted in a 41% (risk ratio [RR] = 1.41; 95% CI: 0.62, 3.23) and 195% (RR=2.95; 95% CI: 1.10, 7.92) increase in the risk of low birth weight (LBW) for use of charcoal, and garbage burning respectively compared with use of LPG only. A combination of charcoal use and household garbage burning during pregnancy on fetal growth resulted in a 429g (95% CI: 259, 599) reduction in birth weight and 316% (RR=4.16; 95% CI: 2.02, 8.59) excess risk of LBW. Sensitivity analysis performed by restricting the analysis to term births produced similar results. Conclusions Maternal use of charcoal as a cooking fuel during pregnancy and burning of garbage at home are strong determinants of average fetal growth and risk of LBW. Efforts to reduce maternal exposures to IAP are thus important to improve birth outcomes.

Source: UCC
Cooking with Shea Butter is Associated with Lower Blood Pressure in the Ghanaian Population

The cardiovascular health benefits of shea butter, an edible off-white or ivory-colored fat native to West Africans has never been investigated. This is in spite of anecdotal evidence, which suggests that shea butter may have medicinal properties and its bioactive constituents lower certain cardiovascular risk markers. We hypothesized that cooking with shea butter would be associated with lower blood pressure (BP) in the Ghanaian population. Data from the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey, a nationally representative populationbased survey was analyzed. A total of 9396 women aged 15-49 years and 4388 men aged 15-59 years selected from 12,831 sampled households were included in the study. Respondents with average systolic BP of 140 mmHg or average diastolic BP of 90 mmHg were classified as hypertensive. Multivariable linear and logistic regression adjusting for gender, age, area of residence, religion, ethnic group, marital status, education and wealth index was used to establish the association between shea butter consumption and BP. Overall prevalence of hypertension in the population was 15.1%. Shea butter consumption was associated with 2.43 mmHg (95% CI: 3.54, 1.31) and 1.78 mmHg (95% CI: 2.71, 0.86) decrease in systolic BP and diastolic BP, respectively, and 25% (AOR = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.55, 1.04) reduced odds of hypertension, compared to use of vegetable oils. Region of residence appeared to modify the relationship. We found an association of shea butter consumption with lower BP, which provides the rationale for investigation through rigorous study designs to evaluate the benefits of shea butter consumption for prevention of hypertension and improved cardiovascular health.

Source: UCC
Cooperation and conflict: a history of the judiciary in ghana, 1853-1966

This thesis situates the judiciary in Ghana in a historical perspective from 1853, when the first Supreme Court for the Gold Coast was established, signifying the establishment of British judicial system, to the end of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s reign in 1966 when he had, a little earlier, dismissed the first Ghanaian Chief Justice of independent Ghana. Using a qualitative approach, and utilizing both primary and secondary data, the study analyses the processes leading to the establishment and operations of British-styled courts in the Gold Coast and the relationship that existed between the judiciary and the executive arm of the colonial administration on the one hand, and between the British courts and the previously existing chiefs’ courts, on the other. The study highlights the fact that some chiefs and people of the colony negatively reacted to the British courts, largely because the powers of the chiefs were encroached upon and gradually eroded. Some chiefs were arrested, imprisoned, and even exiled for challenging the activities of the colonial administration and the rulings of the British courts. The study also discusses the passage of ordinances that set up courts run by Ghanaians which augmented the activities of the understaffed British courts and further regulated, almost to their extinction, the operations of the chiefs’ courts. The study argues that there existed a cordial relationship between the British-styled courts and the officials of the colonial administration while the relationship between the chiefs’ courts and the same administration remained frosty. The relationship between the Local Courts and the Convention People’s Party government that ruled the country from 1951 to 1966 deteriorated over the years as did the relationship between the executive and the judiciary.

Source: UCC
Copepod abundance and impact of selected human induced stressors on calanoid copepod in the coastal sea of Ghana

According to the UN, sea surface temperatures (SST) are increasing at alarming rates and the oceans are increasingly polluted by anthropogenic activities. This thesis sought to determine how two pollutants – cadmium (Cd) and pyrene (PY) interacting with sea surface warming affect copepod egg production (EP), mortality and recycling of ingested food through faecal pellet (FP) production. A field study was conducted on transects established on the Western, Central and Eastern Coast Transects of Ghana during the dry season to evaluate copepod taxonomic composition as well as the supportive environment of the animals. The copepods were dominated by the Order Calanoida (51-53 %), followed by Cyclopoida (18-30 %), Poecilostomatoida (10-22 %) and Harpacticoida (8-10 %). The abundance of these copepods was highest (16-1276 ind. l-1) on the Western Coast Transect. The combined effects of the pollutants and warming were assessed on Temora Stylifera, a dominant copepod found in Ghana, using a microcosm experiment involving different concentration levels of Cd (0.1- 100 µg/l), PY (1-100 nM) and warming (1-3 °C) above Ghana’s average dry season SST of 28 °C. Recorded EP (average: 1.73 ± 0.05 female-1.day-1) increased by ≈ 62 % with Cd concentration but had insignificant change with PY. FP (average: 54.14 ± 8.02 copepod-1.day-1) declined only under PY at concentration > 5.41 ± 0.61 nM. These effects worsened under warming. At the end, the Cd level at which 50 % mortality of the copepods were recorded (LC50) decreased by ≈ 117 µg. l-1 per every degree of warming. In contrast, LC50 for PY increased by ≈ 6 nM per every degree of warming. These observations agree with previous studies, suggesting that warming may alter the toxicity of Cd and PY with harmful effects on marine copepods

Source: UCC
Coping in silence: Challenges faced by pregnant-students at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana

Post Beijing Conference has seen tremendous efforts by governments especially in developing countries such as Ghana to improve access to education at all levels and most critically to females. Over the last two decades, Ghana has put in place various interventions tailored to increasing female school enrolment and reducing the gender gap in education. Commendable results have been achieved. For instance, there is gender parity at the basic education and an increasing enrolment figures at the tertiary level. What has over the years been overlooked is how female students cope on campus as a result of combining academic work with other roles. The study is situated within this context, and using the seven roles framework and the bio-psychosocial model, it assesses the challenges pregnant-students face and how they cope at University of Cape Coast campus. A combination of accidental and snowball sampling techniques were employed to contact 62 respondents as well as conduct 12 in-depth interviews. More than 90 percent of the respondents were married. Common among the roles played include individual, occupational, and conjugal roles. These contributed to various challenges including psychological, socio-economic and academic-related challenges. Emotion-based coping strategies were mostly adopted to deal with the challenges. In the short term, the University must develop interventions to assist pregnant-students to cope effectively on campus, while in the long term, develop a policy to that effect

Source: UCC
Coping Mechanisms, Stress And Life Satisfaction Of Primary Caregivers Of Children Living With Autism Spectrum Disorders In The Cape Coast Metropolis

The objective of the research was to investigate coping, stress and life satisfaction of primary caregivers of children living with autism spectrum disorders in Cape Coast Metropolis. The study was a qualitative phenomenological research study. The accessible population included all parents reporting to the Centre for Child Development Referral and Research (CCDR), University of Cape Coast and Aboom Special School, Cape Coast. A total of 12 participants (parents and caregivers) living with children with autism were purposively selected for the study. During the data gathering process, an interview guide that was self-designed was utilised. Semi-structured interviews were used in gathering data from participants. Responses were recorded, transcribed and analysed. Each research question was analysed using themes and categories from the data collected. Results on the parental stress revealed that participants were unable to control the important things in their lives and they were unable to control irritations in their life. Coping mechanisms participants often engaged in included looking for religious coping, reliance on family and personal strategies such as accepting their situation. It could be observed that although participants were stressed, they were satisfied with where they are in life right now. They are content with their lives and would not change many things. The study recommended that primary caregivers of children with autism should receive training on some strategies to manage their stress. Also, receiving assistance from government, NGOs and other wellmeaning individuals could help reduce their stress levels.

Source: UCC
Coping Strategies for Stress among Student Nurses: A Case of Sunyani Nurses’ Training College

This study sought to examine stress and coping strategies adopted by student nurses in the Sunyani Nurses’ Training College. A questionnaire made up of two sections was used in the collecting of data. The random sampling method was used, of which two hundred and fifty students partook in the study. The data was analysed using the independent t- test. The study revealed no significant difference between male and female student nurses with regards to the stress coping strategies. Based on the findings of the study, it is recommended that the general studying and equipment needed for successful clinical practical sessions for trainees must be improved by providing state of the art equipment by government and hospital management to help sustain the interest of the students in the nursing profession.

Source: UCC
Coping Strategies for Victims of Farmer–Herder Conflicts in Ghana

Farmer–herder conflicts occur in many agroecological areas in Ghana. These conflicts are often violent with devastating consequences. Interestingly, many victims of farmer–herder violence still live in conflict zones despite the dangers and threats to their lives. In order to survive in such situations, some coping strategies are needed. The study aims to provide a context-specific understanding of how conflict actors emotionally, cognitively, and behaviorally cope with the effects of violent conflicts in their own ways. The study is a qualitative inquiry that uses a phenomenology design, with farmer–herder conflicts in the Asante Akyem North District as a case study. The study purposively and by snowball techniques selected key informants and victims from both the farming and herding factions. The study found that religion, nonforced migration, working harder, sociocultural support, avoidance, and economic strategy were the six primary coping strategies utilized to manage the psychosocial stressors connected with farmer–herder conflicts. The importance of delving into this aspect of the conflict is to gain a nuanced understanding of coping abilities and capabilities of conflict victims. The study also revealed the resilience of the conflict actors and recommends psychosocial healing for the victims.

Source: UCC
Coping Strategies of Students with Disabilities in the Use of Physical Facilities in the University of Cape Coast

This qualitative research aims to delve into the coping strategies employed by students with disabilities when using physical facilities at the University of Cape Coast. The study adopts an exploratory research design and involves a purposive sample of 12 students with disabilities. Data collection methods include interview guides and observational guides, with data analysed using narrative themes through conceptual analysis of recorded and transcribed interviews. The study reveals that students with physical disabilities face significant difficulties in accessing various physical facilities on the university campus. The research provides concrete evidence of the experiences of these students, shedding light on the challenges they encounter when utilizing these facilities. Most buildings lack the necessary infrastructure, such as ramps, lifts, metallic guides, and easy access walkways, which hinder their accessibility. To navigate these challenges, students with disabilities have developed individual approaches to managing the difficulties. They also rely heavily on the support of their colleagues and friends to cope with the obstacles presented by the physical environment. The study highlights a discrepancy between the university's assurances of institutional support systems for students with disabilities and the actual experiences of these students. As recommendations, future construction or renovation projects should prioritize principles of universal design and accessibility from their inception. The university should foster a collaborative environment and establish adequate support systems for students with disabilities.

Source: UCC
Coping With Stress: Strategies Adopted by Students at the Winneba Campus of University of Education, Winneba, Ghana

The purpose of the study was to investigate if students of the Winneba Campus of UEW (University of Education, Winneba), have appropriate strategies to cope with stress. Four hundred students who were selected based on stratified random sampling technique from all the departments at the Winneba Campus of the university were involved in the study. The questionnaire which was adapted to suit the study environment was pre-tested at the University of Cape Coast. The results of the study showed that among the ten strategies used, “active coping” and “positive reinterpretation and growth” were the two most predominant for problem-focused and emotion-focused styles of coping respectively. The study also indicated that students of the Winneba Campus of UEW used more of emotion-focused strategies than problem-focused strategies in managing stress. Among the recommendations is that the Counseling Unit of UEW should strengthen its services by having social support groups that consist of lecturers and students, so that supportive skills, such as talking and sharing, can be developed and students may then become very comfortable to let out their feelings

Source: UCC
Copper levels in semi-finished and finished cocoa products in Ghana

Ghana is the world’s second largest producer of cocoa beans. In addition to exporting raw cocoa beans, the country also processes some of its beans into finished and semi-finished cocoa products for both the local and international markets. The levels of copper were determined in four batches of raw cocoa and semi-finished cocoa products sampled at various intermediate stages of the manufacturing process. The copper contents of four batches of ten different finished cocoa products in Ghanaian market were also determined. Analyses of the copper contents in cocoa containing samples were affected by atomic absorption spectrometry. An average recovery of 99.3% was obtained for the metal when the samples were spiked with known concentrations of copper. The variations in the copper contents of raw cocoa, semi-finished and finished products show that there were no effective contaminations of copper during the manufacturing process; the amount of copper in the finished products corresponded to the fraction of cocoa mass present. The copper content of locally manufactured cocoa products was lower than WHO acceptable levels

Source: UCC
Copper-paracetamol complexes: Promising lead antibacterial drug candidates

Antibiotic resistance by microorganisms has triggered the need to discover new antibiotics to replace the old ones. The study was designed to prepare copper-paracetamol complexes which will serve as lead compounds towards the discovery of novel antibiotics. Copper sulphate was reacted with paracetamol in the presence of sodium nitrate in borate buffer to give products which were separated into three layers when extracted with a set of organic solvents. The topmost, third layer was separated and further washed with 1:1:1 petroleum ether, ethanol and benzene to obtain a yellow extract. The first and second layers were also air dried to obtain products 1 and 2. The maximum wavelength of absorption of products 1, 2, yellow extract and paracetamol were 250, 350, 280 and 300 nm respectively. The infrared absorption peaks suggested that, the metal coordination products formed were different from the reactants (paracetamol and cupper). The atomic absorption spectra of the extracts further indicated the association of copper with paracetamol to form the coordination complexes. Products 1, 3 and the yellow extract inhibited E. coli and staphylococcus growth. In all four products were separated and their possible structures have been proposed in the text

Source: UCC
Copula-Based Assessment of Co-Movement and Tail Dependence Structure Among Major Trading Foreign Currencies in Ghana

This paper examines the joint movement and tail dependence structure between the pair of foreign exchange rates (EUR, USD and GBP) against the GHS, using daily exchange rates data expressed in GHS per unit of foreign currencies (EUR, USD and GBP) between the time range of 24 February 2009 and 19 December 2019. We use different sets of both static (time-invariant) and time-varying copulas with different levels of dependence and tail dependence measures, and the study results reveal positive dependence between all exchange rates pairs, though the dependencies for EUR-USD and GBP-USD pairs are not as strong as the EUR-GBP pair. The findings also reveal symmetric tail dependence, and dependence evolves over time. Notwithstanding this, the asymmetric tail dependence copulas provide evidence of upper tail dependence. We compare the copula results to DCC(1,1)-GARCH(1,1) model result and find the copula to be more sensitive to extreme co-movement between the currency pairs. The afore-mentioned findings, therefore, offer forex market players the opportunity to relax in hoarding a particular foreign currency in anticipation of domestic currency depreciation.

Source: UCC
Corn cob biochar improves aggregate characteristics of a tropical sandy loam

Most tropical soils are highly weathered and are vulnerable to soil erosion due to their poor aggregate characteristics. Soil aggregate characteristics are critical indicators of soil structural stability, and they have the propensity to influence soil physical behavior and functioning. In this study, we investigated the effect of corn cob biochar on the aggregate characteristics of a highly weathered tropical sandy loam. Biochar significantly increased soil organic carbon by 22-40% relative to the untreated soil with a surprising trend of increasing water dispersible clay as biochar rate increased. Amount of water stable aggregates was significantly improved by 15 – 34% in biochar treatments compared to control. Incorporation of biochar decreased the tensile strength of the large aggregates (4–8 mm and 8–16 mm), but increased same in the smaller aggregates (1–2 mm). Soil friability and workability were significantly improved in the BC-20 and BC-20+P treatments

Source: UCC