ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Family and community support systems for expectant mothers on birth preparedness in Northern Ghana

Background: While maternal mortality ratio in under-developed countries has declined significantly since 1990, much work still needs to be done in addressing inequities to accessing maternal health services by poor, vulnerable and marginalized women. In an effort to improve maternal and newborn health (MNH) services, Community Support System (CmSS) is an approach for community involvement and ownership. The objective of the study includes, this study specifically examined support systems on birth preparedness among expectant mothers attending antenatal clinic at Tamale Teaching Hospital. Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted from February, 2016 to April, 2016 among mothers who attended antenatal care at Tamale Teaching Hospital, Ghana. A systematic random sampling technique was used to select pregnant women for the study. Using structured questionnaires, the women were assessed on the availability of community support systems during pregnancy and childbirth. Data quality was ensured via crosschecks and double entry into the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 20.01 for analysis. Data were summarized and described using frequency tables. At the 95% confidence interval, a p-value less than 0.05 was statistically significant. Results: About 74.2% of respondents lacked husbands` company to antenatal clinic and 88.4% received no support from community leadership. Conclusions: Based on these findings, it is recommended that an emergency response system at the community level to provide emergency funds, transport, and blood donors be put in place and made known to the public.

Source: UCC
Family caregivers’ perceptions on mental illness and mental health care utilisation at the Ankaful Psychiatric Hospital

Family caregivers’ perceptions on mental illness play an important role in the recovery process of relatives with mental illness. The study examined how family caregivers’ perceptions on mental illness influenced their decisions and treatment-seeking behaviours towards the utilisation of mental health care (MHC) at the Ankaful Psychiatric Hospital in the Central Region of Ghana. Using the social construction theory and the health care utilisation model, the study explored the family caregivers’ perceptions on the causes and treatment of mental illness; their experiences with their relatives’ condition; and how those perceptions influenced the utilisation of MHC for their mentally ill relatives. Guided by the exploratory design, the study purposively selected and interviewed 14 family caregivers who had their mentally ill relatives at the facility. Family caregivers largely attributed mental illness to supernatural factors such as witchcraft and evil spirits. As a result of their relatives’ condition, family caregivers were often stigmatized and socially excluded. Although they believed the condition could be treated through spiritual consultations and healings, family caregivers utilised a combination of treatment options (herbal/traditional and orthodox treatment options) to seek wellness for their mentally ill relatives. The study recommended that the management of Ankaful Psychiatric Hospitals should form in-group support services to educate family caregivers on the possible causes and the treatment process of mental illness, and also to serve as a platform for them to share their experiences.

Source: UCC
Family Communication Patterns and Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health: Experiences from Coastal Communities in Ghana

A good understanding of human growth and development helps in the smooth transition of an individual from one stage to another. One of such stages is adolescence, which presents a lot of challenges as well as opportunities. There are differences in the extent to which families encourage conversation, the extent to which they demand conformity to family values as well as the extent to which families pass down strongly held family values from one generation to another, regarding changes that occur during adolescence. The study examines Parent-Child Communication Patterns between parents and adolescents in coastal communities in Ghana. Also, the study explored the effects of parent-child communication related to sexual and reproductive health in improving adolescent sexual reproductive health practices in Ghana. Data was collected from 300 adolescents in selected coastal communities within the Cape Coast Metropolis in Ghana. We found that many parents in the coastal communities within the Cape Coast Metropolis are unable to transmit SRH information to their children. The findings also revealed that level of formal education influenced parents’ ability to transmit SRH information to adolescents and exposes poor parent-adolescent relationship regarding SRH information in the communities studied. Aside from contributing to literature and informing policy directions on family communication patterns regarding adolescent SRH, the study brings more insight on how parents and their adolescents along coastal communities in Cape Coast, Ghana communicate SRH issues. Implications for counselling are outlined.

Source: UCC
A Family of Indoles Regulate Virulence and Shiga Toxin Production in Pathogenic E. coli

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC), enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) and enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) are intestinal pathogens that cause food and water-borne disease in humans. Using biochemical methods and NMR-based comparative metabolomics in conjunction with the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, we developed a bioassay to identify secreted small molecules produced by these pathogens. We identified indole, indole-3-carboxaldehyde (ICA), and indole-3- acetic acid (IAA), as factors that only in combination are sufficient to kill C. elegans. Importantly, although lethal to C. elegans, these molecules downregulate several bacterial processes important for pathogenesis in mammals. These include motility, biofilm formation and production of Shiga toxins. Some pathogenic E. coli strains are known to contain a Locus of Enterocyte Effacement (LEE), which encodes virulence factors that cause ‘‘attaching and effacing’’ (A/E) lesions in mammals, including formation of actin pedestals. We found that these indole derivatives also downregulate production of LEE virulence factors and inhibit pedestal formation on mammalian cells. Finally, upon oral administration, ICA inhibited virulence and promoted survival in a lethal mouse infection model. In summary, the C. elegans model in conjunction with metabolomics has facilitated identification of a family of indole derivatives that broadly regulate physiology in E. coli, and virulence in pathogenic strains. These molecules may enable development of new therapeutics that interfere with bacterial small-molecule signaling.

Source: UCC
Family Structure, Academic Performance and Self-Esteem of Adolescent Students in Bekwai Municipality

This study was conducted to examine family structure, academic performance and self-esteem of adolescent students in Bekwai Municipality. Descriptive survey was adopted as the research design for the study. A sample of 280 adolescents from intact and single parent families were selected from a population of 1,024 JHS students for the study using stratified random sampling technique. Rosenberg’s (1965) Self-Esteem Scale was adopted to collect data on the selfesteem of respondents. Their academic performance was measured with their test scores in the four core subjects which include English Language, Mathematics, Social Studies and Integrated Science. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and independent samples t-test. The findings revealed that there were high levels of self-esteem for adolescent students from single parent families and their counterparts from intact families. There was no statistically significant difference in the academic performance of adolescent students from single parent families and those from intact families. Similarly, there was no statistically significant difference in the self-esteem of adolescent students from single parent families and those from intact families. The study recommended that adolescent students should be helped by their parents to maintain their high levels of selfesteem without taking their type of family structure into consideration. Also, adolescent students should be helped by their teachers to achieve their academic goals without taking their gender into consideration. Again, adolescent students should be helped by their school counsellors to maintain their perception of their self-esteem without taking their age into consideration.

Source: UCC
Family System Theory as a Counselling Strategy for Improving Marital Satisfaction among Ghanaian Couples: Implications for Counselling

Marriage is contracted between two individuals. Their efforts to make the marriage work is supported by members of their families be it nuclear or extended. In assisting the spouses to achieve marital satisfaction, counsellors fall on theories. One of such theories is the family system theory. The theory sees the spouses as a unit and to achieve marital satisfaction counsellors should treat the unit not the individuals per se. The theory has been used many regards to assist married people to improve their marriages. It was concluded that the theory can effectively be used in the Ghanaian context.

Source: UCC
Family–Based Index Testing for HIV: a qualitative study of barriers and challenges among clients in Cape Coast, Ghana

Background Family-based Index HIV Testing, (FBIT) approach is known to be associated with a relatively higher testing yield compared to Provider-Initiated Testing and Counseling. The implementation of this strategy in several countries has exposed some barriers to optimal FBIT outcomes. With the scale up of FBIT in Ghana, stakeholders’ engagement is key in identifying and addressing all barrier to implementation. This study explored index clients’ perspective of barriers and challenges of FBIT. Methods Using an exploratory descriptive qualitative design, 17 individual in-depth interviews were conducted among seventeen purposively selected clients who had been offered FBIT at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital (CCTH) utilizing a semi-structured interview guide. Each interview lasted between 45–60 minutes and the transcripts were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using qualitative content analysis procedure. Themes and sub-themes from the transcripts were generated and supported with verbatim texts to provide a rich understanding of the barriers and challenges. Results Age of participants ranged between 24–71 years, majority of whom were females. Themes and subthemes emerged on barriers and challenges and these related to good understanding of the benefits of FBIT by index clients, challenge with getting family members to accept testing opportunities, fear and uncertainty of reaction of family members to a positive status, and issues of confidentiality and privacy related to health facility service provision. Key findings were: 1. Index clients perceived FBIT as a good approach to reach family members for testing. 2. Stigmatization, lack of confidentiality and privacy at service centers and 3. Inadequate information on FBIT were identified as barriers that can affect the uptake of FBIT. Getting listed family members to agree to be tested was perceived as a challenge. Conclusions Despite the acceptance of FBIT as a good strategy to reach family members of index clients for testing, there are barriers of stigmatization, fear and uncertainty of reaction of family members to a positive status, lack of confidentiality and privacy, and inadequate information on FBIT. Efforts should be made to address these barriers and challenges. Index clients and their families need tailored support to improve acceptance of this strategy.

Source: UCC
Family–Based Index Testing for HIV: a qualitative study of barriers and challenges among clients in Cape Coast, Ghana

Background Family-based Index HIV Testing, (FBIT) approach is known to be associated with a relatively higher testing yield compared to Provider-Initiated Testing and Counseling. The implementation of this strategy in several countries has exposed some barriers to optimal FBIT outcomes. With the scale up of FBIT in Ghana, stakeholders’ engagement is key in identifying and addressing all barrier to implementation. This study explored index clients’ perspective of barriers and challenges of FBIT. Methods Using an exploratory descriptive qualitative design, 17 individual in-depth interviews were conducted among seventeen purposively selected clients who had been offered FBIT at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital (CCTH) utilizing a semi-structured interview guide. Each interview lasted between 45–60 minutes and the transcripts were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using qualitative content analysis procedure. Themes and sub-themes from the transcripts were generated and supported with verbatim texts to provide a rich understanding of the barriers and challenges. Results Age of participants ranged between 24–71 years, majority of whom were females. Themes and subthemes emerged on barriers and challenges and these related to good understanding of the benefits of FBIT by index clients, challenge with getting family members to accept testing opportunities, fear and uncertainty of reaction of family members to a positive status, and issues of confidentiality and privacy related to health facility service provision. Key findings were: 1. Index clients perceived FBIT as a good approach to reach family members for testing. 2. Stigmatization, lack of congeniality and privacy at service centers and 3. Inadequate information on FBIT were identified as barriers that can affect the uptake of FBIT. Getting listed family members to agree to be tested was perceived as a challenge. Conclusions Despite the acceptance of FBIT as a good strategy to reach family members of index clients for testing, there are barriers of stigmatization, fear and uncertainty of reaction of family members to a positive status, lack of confidentiality and privacy, and inadequate information on FBIT. Efforts should be made to address these barriers and challenges. Index clients and their families need tailored support to improve acceptance of this strategy.

Source: UCC
Farmer associations’ perceived appropriateness and practicability of role playing games for maintenance of Chókwè irrigation scheme in Mozambique

Over the years, there has been a debate on the application of participatory tools in real life. Participatory tools such as role playing games have been developed and tested in different countries where, they have been discovered to influence people 's behaviour towards solving their problems.This study was a part of European Union and African Union cooperative research aimed to increase food production in irrigated farming systems in Africa (EAU4Food) project in Mozambique. The aim was to assess the perceived appropriateness and practicability of role playing game among farmers f association for maintaining the Chokwe irrigation scheme. A formative evaluation research was undertaken. Four farmers associations were purposively selected. The main solutions to the problems were to increase in maintenance capacity of the managers in terms of equipment and financial resources, a better transparency in the planning of annual maintenance, a strengthening of the mobilising capacity of water user associations and a better management of cattle in the scheme. The role playing game was appropriate in the cleaning of canals and actors of interaction on most associations. The players perceived it practicable and they were happy to participate. Hence, they expressed interest in organising more game sessions. More times farmers play the game, their perceived appropriateness of the game in solving the problems, increases. It is then recommended that the role playing game should be used with other Farmer Associations regardless of type of farmers. The solutions provided by the farmers should be evaluated to assess their effectiveness.

Source: UCC
Farmers agronomic practice in management of the tomato (solanum lycopersicon L.) yellow leaf curl virus in Central region of Ghana

The study assessed farmers’ awareness of tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) disease and their agronomic and disease management practices in the Efutu municipality, Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abirem (KEEA), and Mfantseman districts which are leading tomato producing centers in the Central Region of Ghana. The study also surveyed the incidence and severity of the TYLCV disease in tomato fields across the three districts. Household data were collected using structured questionnaire from 150 respondents using multi-stage procedure, and analysed using descriptive statistics. Incidence (DI) and severity index (SI) of TYLCV disease were determined from forty (40) tomato fields selected from each of the three districts. The field data was subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the means separated with least significant difference (LSD) method at 5% level of probability. The majority of the farmers (92.6%) were aware of the TYLCV disease and said it could cause yield losses ranging from less than 10% to over 41% but did not know the cause. The majority (60.4%) of the farmers managed the TYLCV disease in their farms mainly by applying insecticides (55.6%) and rogueing of diseased plants (43.1%). About 61% of the farmers practiced mixed cropping, and most of them cultivated tomato in both the major and minor cropping seasons, using mainly an improved form of Solanum pimpinellifolium. The highest mean disease incidence and mean disease severity indices were recorded at KEEA (52.9±2.7%, 26.89±1.2%), followed by Efutu (49.5±1.19%, 25.29±0.9%), and Mfantseman (42.1±2.7%, 21.41±0.8%) respectively. In conclusion, TYLCV was highly prevalent in the study area, but infection was moderate due to the use of improved tomato variety

Source: UCC
Farmers and agricultural extension officer’s perception of striga gesnerioides (Willd.) Vatke parasitism on cowpea in the Upper East region of Ghana

Cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp] is an important food security crop in Sub-Saharan Africa. However, cowpea production in some parts of this region is constrained by Striga gesnerioides (Willd.) Vatke infestation resulting in yield losses. Tis study assessed the farmers and agricultural extension officers (AEOs) perception of S. gesnerioides parasitism on cowpea in the Upper East Region of Ghana. In all, 200 respondents—179 cowpea farmers and 21 AEOs—in five cowpea growing districts were randomly sampled to answer closed- and opened-ended questions coupled with visit to cowpea farms. Majority of the farmer respondents were males between the ages of 21 and 60 with very little or no formal education. Almost all of the respondents could identify the parasitic weed, S. gesnerioides, but they lacked adequate knowledge of the parasitic effects on the host, cowpea plant. S. gesnerioides infestation was widespread and devastating in almost all the fields surveyed. Its effects on the host plants (cowpea) included stunted growth, leaf senescence, chlorosis, death of the crop, and reduced yield. Different management strategies employed by the farmers to contain the spread of the parasite include weeding (90%), application of manure (5.5%), and crop rotation and fallowing (4.0%). Both farmers and extension officers had very little knowledge on existence of S. gesnerioides resistant cowpea genotypes for cultivation. Farmers expressed the desire to cultivate Striga-resistant cowpea varieties when made accessible, since it is the most reliable and environmentally friendly method of controlling the parasitic weed

Source: UCC
Farmers perception and adaptation to climate change: a willingness to pay analysis

Climate change and weather patterns are already being experienced as is evident in severe negative impacts on food production, food security and natural resources all over the globe. Farmer adaption to climate change is crucial to combating food insecurity and related problems. This paper, therefore, assesses farmers’ perception and adaptation to climate change to enhance policy towards tackling the challenges climate change posses to the farmers in Ghana. With regards to farmers’ perception on climate change, majority of the farmers perceived increase in temperature and decrease in rainfall pattern. Farmers’ level of adaptation was found to be relatively high with majority of the farmers using changing planting dates, different crop varieties and soil conservation methods as the major adaptation measures. Logistic regression estimation finds age, years of farming experience, farm land owner, farm size and other income generating activity as significant predictors of the probability to pay for climate change policy

Source: UCC
Farmers' perception of the contribution of maize farming technologies to livelihoods in the Buea sub-division of Cameroon

The main objective of the study was to examine farmers’ perceptions of the contribution of maize farming technologies to livelihoods in the Buea Sub-Division of Cameroon. The specific objectives dealt with farmers’ demographic characteristics and their use of maize technologies, farmers’ views of other factors that influence their use of maize technologies, a comparison of the yields, incomes and livelihood perceptions of farmers who use traditional technologies and those who use improved technologies, and the roles played by extension officers in enabling farmers to adopt and diffuse maize technologies. The study covered 215 farmers who were selected using the simple random sampling technique, while all four extension officers in the sub-division were interviewed. Structured interview schedule and questionnaire for the farmers and extension officers respectively, were employed as the instruments for data collection. The chi square test of independence, mann-whitney u test, cross tabs, pie charts and bar graphs were the methods of data analysis used to analyse and present the results. Results from the study revealed that farmers who used improved maize technologies had higher yields, incomes and better perceptions of their livelihoods than their counterparts who used traditional maize technologies. Among the recommendations made were that farmers should press for the subsidisation of improved maize technologies and training sessions organised by extension officers. This would enable more farmers to have access to the services of the officers and adopt improved technologies to obtain higher yields, incomes and have better perceptions of their livelihoods.

Source: UCC