ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Community concepts of poverty: an application to premium exemptions in Ghana¿s National Health Insurance Scheme

Abstract Background Poverty is multi dimensional. Beyond the quantitative and tangible issues related to inadequate income it also has equally important social, more intangible and difficult if not impossible to quantify dimensions. In 2009, we explored these social and relativist dimension of poverty in five communities in the South of Ghana with differing socio economic characteristics to inform the development and implementation of policies and programs to identify and target the poor for premium exemptions under Ghana&#8217;s National Health Insurance Scheme. Methods We employed participatory wealth ranking (PWR) a qualitative tool for the exploration of community concepts, identification and ranking of households into socioeconomic groups. Key informants within the community ranked households into wealth categories after discussing in detail concepts and indicators of poverty. Results Community defined indicators of poverty covered themes related to type of employment, educational attainment of children, food availability, physical appearance, housing conditions, asset ownership, health seeking behavior, social exclusion and marginalization. The poverty indicators discussed shared commonalities but contrasted in the patterns of ranking per community. Conclusion The in-depth nature of the PWR process precludes it from being used for identification of the poor on a large national scale in a program such as the NHIS. However, PWR can provide valuable qualitative input to enrich discussions, development and implementation of policies, programs and tools for large scale interventions and targeting of the poor for social welfare programs such as premium exemption for health care.

Source: UG
Community engagement and feedback of results in the H3Africa AWI-Gen project: Experiences from the Navrongo Demographic and Health Surveillance site in Northern Ghana [version 1; peer review: 1 approved, 2 approved with reservations]

Community and Public engagement (CE) have gained traction as an ethical best practice for the conduct of genomics research, particularly in the context of Africa. In the past 10 years, there has been growing scholarship on the value and practice of engaging key stakeholders including communities involved in genomics research. However, not much has been documented on how research teams, particularly in international collaborative research projects, are navigating the complex process of engagement including the return of key research findings. This paper is part of a series of papers describing the CE processes used in the AWI-Gen study sites. We describe the key processes of engagement, challenges encountered and the major lessons learned. We pay particular attention to the experiences in returning research results to participants and communities within the Demographic and Health Surveillance site in northern Ghana.

Source: UG
Community engagement: The key to tackling Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) across a One Health context?

The Epidemiology Department contributes to the mission of the institute through basic and applied epidemiological research on, but not limited to, malaria and other diseases of public health importance. It is also home to the Social Science Unit of the Institute, including the Health Support Centre for HIV/AIDS and other communicable and noncommunicable health problems.

Source: UG
Community forestry in Cameroon: Insights on state institutional deficits

Community forestry (CF) was set-up in Cameroon about 20 years ago to enable better environmental, economic, and social benefits for communities. Since then, 430 community forests have been attributed, covering an area of almost 1.7 million ha. However, less than a quarter (10%) are in active management or enterprise. Weak institutions have been widely cited as a leading cause of poor performance in the community forestry process. This paper examines the current state of institutional deficits in Cameroon and identifies pathways for overcoming the deficits. Our analysis is based on a rigorous review of documented experiences so far. Results obtained revealed that emerging deficits revolve around form and function. Legal; power, authority and rights; and size and biophysical potential deficits grouped under the realm of form while resources; capacity; and governance deficits were grouped under the realm of functions. Proposed solutions to these deficits point to the need to recognize and manage inter-dependencies between challenges and corresponding potential solutions. Hence, a system or integrated approach is needed to tackle the problems identified.

Source: UG
Community leaders' attitudes towards and perceptions of suicide and suicide prevention in Ghana

Community leaders can play an important role in suicide prevention because they are potential gatekeepers in resource-poor settings. To investigate their attitudes towards suicide and the role they play when people are in suicidal crisis, 10 community leaders were interviewed in a rural community in Ghana. Thematic Analysis of the interviews showed that leaders held two conflicting views about suicide: health crisis and moral taboo. They also viewed the reasons for suicide as psychosocial strains more than psychiatric factors. Though they viewed suicide as a moral taboo, they maintained a more neutral position in their gatekeeping role: providing support for persons in suicidal crisis more often than exerting a condemnatory attitude. Implications for gatekeeper training are discussed.

Source: UG
“Community Members Question Me And Flaunt Their Children Before Me”: A Call For Psychosocial Support For Women With Infertility In Northern Ghana.

Infertility is a major health issue that poses threats to women’s lives, marriages, and health. Yet little is known about psychosocial support for women with infertility in Northern Ghana. This study aims to understand the psychosocial challenges faced by women with infertility and evaluate the availability and effectiveness of social support systems in East Mamprusi Municipality, Northern Ghana using a qualitative interpretive descriptive design. In-depth interviews were conducted using a semi-structured interview guide. Ethical approval was received from the Institutional Review Board of Ghana Health Service, Accra. Women who visited the health facility desiring to conceive were recruited and interviewed. Thirteen (13) women were interviewed, with each interview lasting 45 min to an hour. The interviews were audiotaped after obtaining permission from the par ticipants, which were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using content analysis. The findings revealed that women faced numerous mental and social problems. Some of these problems include emotional, behavioural, marital instability, the high cost of infertility treatment, and a strong desire to have children. Although the women reported some social support from the community, they lacked strategies to sustain this support. Women with infertility face numerous mental and social challenges. They lack support systems to improve their mental and social health. Health professionals are required to constitute peer support groups for these women and advocate for external assistance to sustain these support groups.

Source: UG
Community participation in enterprise development programmes for poverty reduction and sustainable development in Ghana

To trickle down poverty in rural areas, development partners and national governments have instituted enterprise development programs which call for the establishment of some participatory frameworks to enable rural entrepreneurs determine for themselves the exact Business Development Service (BDS) they desire to bring about economic improvement and social change. In ensuring that the concept of participation is not merely a wish list, the article modified Choguill’s ladder of community participation as a de facto lens to examine whether “participation” really exists in these programmes by drawing on evidence from the Rural Enterprises Programme (REP) in Ghana. Using qualitative, in-depth interviews grounded in a single case study design (REP), the study observed that despite the existence of structures that appear to involve entrepreneurs at all stages of the decision-making process, beneficiaries think otherwise. Notwithstanding, some context and power-induced factors were identified to have accounted for these discrepancies.

Source: UG
Community perceptions of a malaria vaccine in the Kintampo districts of Ghana

Abstract Background Malaria remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa despite tools currently available for its control. Making malaria vaccine available for routine use will be a major hallmark, but its acceptance by community members and health professionals within the health system could pose considerable challenge as has been found with the introduction of polio vaccinations in parts of West Africa. Some of these challenges may not be expected since decisions people make are many a time driven by a complex myriad of perceptions. This paper reports knowledge and perceptions of community members in the Kintampo area of Ghana where malaria vaccine trials have been ongoing as part of the drive for the first-ever licensed malaria vaccine in the near future. Methods Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used in the data collection processes. Women and men whose children were or were not involved in the malaria vaccine trial were invited to participate in focus group discussions (FGDs). Respondents, made up of heads of religious groupings in the study area, health care providers, traditional healers and traditional birth attendants, were also invited to participate in in-depth interviews (IDIs). A cross-sectional survey was conducted in communities where the malaria vaccine trial (Mal 047RTS,S) was carried out. In total, 12 FGDs, 15 IDIs and 466 household head interviews were conducted. Results Knowledge about vaccines was widespread among participants. Respondents would like their children to be vaccinated against all childhood illnesses including malaria. Knowledge of the long existing routine vaccines was relatively high among respondents compared to hepatitis B and Haemophilus influenza type B vaccines that were introduced more recently in 2002. There was no clear religious belief or sociocultural practice that will serve as a possible barrier to the acceptance of a malaria vaccine. Conclusion With the assumption that a malaria vaccine will be as efficacious as other EPI vaccines, community members in Central Ghana will accept and prefer malaria vaccine to malaria drugs as a malaria control tool. Beliefs and cultural practices as barriers to the acceptance of malaria vaccine were virtually unknown in the communities surveyed.

Source: UG
Community perceptions of enrolment of indigents into the National Health Insurance Scheme in Ghana: a case study of the Livelihood Empowerment against Poverty Programme

Background: The Livelihood Empowerment against Poverty (LEAP) programme in Ghana as part of its benefciary programme, identifes the poor/indigents for exemptions from premium payments in the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). This paper sought to understand community perceptions of enrolling the poor in the NHIS through LEAP in order to inform policy. Methods: The study adopted a descriptive cross-sectional study design by using a qualitative approach. The study was conducted in three geographical regions of Ghana: Greater Accra, Brong-Ahafo and Northern region represent ing the three ecological zones of Ghana between October 2017 and February 2018. The study population included community members, health workers, NHIS staf and social welfare ofcers/social development ofcers. Eighty-one in-depth interviews and 23 Focus Group Discussions were conducted across the three regions. Data were analysed thematically and verbatim quotes from participants were used to support the views of participants. Results: The study shows that participants were aware of the existence of LEAP and its benefts. There was, however, a general belief that the process of LEAP had been politicized and therefore favours only people who were sympa thizers of the ruling government as they got enrolled into the NHIS. Participants held the view that the process of selecting benefciaries lacked transparency, thus, they were not satisfed with the selection process. However, the study shows the ability of the community to identify the poor. The study reports varying concepts of poverty and its identifcation across the three ecological zones of Ghana. Conclusion: There is a general perception of politicization and lack of transparency of the selection of the poor into the NHIS through the LEAP programme in Ghana. Community-based approaches in the selection of the indigent are recommended to safeguard the NHIS-LEAP benefciary process.

Source: UG
Community perceptions of universal health coverage in eight districts of the Northern and Volta regions of Ghana

Background: Ever since Ghana embraced the 1978 Alma-Ata Declaration, it has consigned priority to achieving ‘Health for All.’ The Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) Initiative was established to close gaps in geographic access to services and health equity. CHPS is Ghana’s flagship Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Initiative and will soon completely cover the country with community-located services. Objectives: This paper aims to identify community perceptions of gaps in CHPS maternal and child health services that detract from its UHC goals and to elicit advice on how the contribution of CHPS to UHC can be improved. Method: Three dimensions of access to CHPS care were investigated: geographic, social, and financial. Focus group data were collected in 40 sessions conducted in eight communities located in two districts each of the Northern and Volta Regions. Groups were comprised of 327 participants representing four types of potential clientele: mothers and fathers of children under 5, young men and young women ages 15–24. Results: Posting trained primary health-care nurses to community locations as a means of improving primary health-care access is emphatically supported by focus group participants, even in localities where CHPS is not yet functioning. Despite this consensus, comments on CHPS activities suggest that CHPS services are often compromised by cultural, financial, and familial constraints to women’s health-seeking autonomy and by programmatic lapses constrain implementation of key components of care. Respondents seek improvements in the quality of care, community engagement activities, expansion of the range of services to include emergency referral services, and enhancement of clinical health insurance coverage to include preventive health services. Conclusion: Improving geographic and financial access to CHPS facilities is essential to UHC, but responding to community need for improved outreach, and service quality is equivalently critical to achieving this goal.

Source: UG
Community perceptions on the factors in the social food environment that influence dietary behaviour in cities of Kenya and Ghana: A Photovoice study

Objective To explore communities’ perspectives on the factors in the social food environment that influence dietary behaviours in African cities. Design A qualitative study using participatory photography (Photovoice). Participants took and discussed photographs representing factors in the social food environment that influence their dietary behaviours. Follow-up in-depth interviews allowed participants to tell the ‘stories’ of their photographs. Thematic analysis was conducted, using data-driven and theory-driven (based on the socio-ecological model) approaches. Setting Three low-income areas of Nairobi (n=48) in Kenya, and Accra (n=62) and Ho (n=32) in Ghana. Participants Adolescents and adults, male and female aged ≥13 years. Results The ‘people’ who were the most commonly reported as influencers of dietary behaviours within the social food environment included family members, friends, health workers and food vendors. They mainly influenced food purchase, preparation and consumption, through 1) considerations for family members’ food preferences, 2) considerations for family members’ health and nutrition needs, 3) social support by family and friends, 4) provision of nutritional advice and modelling food behaviour by parents and health professionals, 5) food vendors’ services and social qualities. Conclusions The family presents an opportunity for promoting healthy dietary behaviours between family members. Peer groups could be harnessed to promote healthy dietary behaviours among adolescents and youth. Empowering food vendors to provide healthier and safer food options could enhance healthier food sourcing, purchasing and consumption in African low-income urban communities.

Source: UG
Community perceptions, knowledge, and coping mechanisms concerning perennial climate change-related disasters along the Volta estuary of Ghana, West Africa

Communities along the Volta estuary of Ghana remain vulnerable to perennial tidal wave attacks, coastal erosion, and flooding because of increasing sea level rise from climate change. Using both qualitative and quantitative methods, community knowledge, and perceptions on disasters and disaster risks were explored. We also investigated perceived factors contributing to increase di sasters, how communities’ knowledge and perceptions informed their preparedness and response to the disasters. Focus group discussions, key informant interviews and households survey were conducted in nine selected communities from two adjoining districts located immediate east and west of the Volta estuary. Results indicated that communities were knowledgeable about the perennial climate change-related disasters occurring in their districts. A z-test conducted on the respondents’ knowledge of key environmental threats revealed significant variations between the two districts. With much experience, households were able to tell when a weather phenomenon could be disastrous. Households over the years have devised various strategies to predict, cope with and reduce the effects of disasters. Some strategies for predicting the occurrence of disasters included watching the size and position of the moon, watching for, and listening to the chirps of certain birds and observing the patterns presented by clouds in the sky. Other strategies for coping with disasters include reliance on social capital to support the vulnerable in society as well as migrating out of the study areas. Overall, 53.5 % of the households interviewed confirmed that between one (1) and four (4) members of their households had migrated to other places in Ghana and outside the country. The study concluded that communities in disaster-prone areas have good knowledge of their environment and should therefore be collaborated with to reduce the impact of disasters as stated in the Sendai Framework.

Source: UG
Community perspectives on persistent transmission of lymphatic filariasis in three hotspot districts in Ghana after 15 rounds of mass drug administration: a qualitative assessment

The Epidemiology Department contributes to the mission of the institute through basic and applied epidemiological research on, but not limited to, malaria and other diseases of public health importance. It is also home to the Social Science Unit of the Institute, including the Health Support Centre for HIV/AIDS and other communicable and noncommunicable health problems.

Source: UG
Community Psychology in Africa: Views from across the continent

This article presents the findings of a descriptive survey conducted for the purposes of exploring whether and how community psychology has developed in the African region. In particular, the focus was on identifying whether and how community psychology has developed in the country concerned; what the key characteristics of this approach in that context are; what meta-theoretical frameworks and theoretical approaches are adopted to inform the practice of community psychology, including exploring whether and how indigenous knowledges inform the theoretical and practical developments of community psychology in that context; identifying the key challenges facing community psychology; and exploring the future possibilities of the development of this approach in the country concerned. Using the Journal of Psychology network as a basis for inviting participation in this study, 77 participants from 14 countries responded to the emailed questionnaire. A qualitative ‘cross-country’ content analysis was performed to draw out common patterns and trends in the region, and a selected ‘in-country’ analysis, including six countries was conducted. The findings reveal many common threads with regards to the key characteristics of this approach in the African context, and highlight similar challenges. All respondents indicated that this approach was very relevant to the African context and needed to be pursued at all levels. © 2006 Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.

Source: UG
Community psychology in Ghana: Challenges, successes and prospects

Community psychology gained formal recognition in Ghana when a few students were admitted to Wilfrid Laurier University, in Canada, to pursue master's degree in the early 1990s. In Ghana, community psychology is enacted through the operations of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and professionals. The university classroom is also being used as the main context for introducing people to the field of community psychology. In comparison with the work of community psychologists in countries such as the United States of America and Canada, the field is still underdeveloped in Ghana. “Small wins” which refers to the process of achieving an intervention objective through gradual and incremental successes, are considered as examples of “best practice” in Ghana, where religion and superstition are at the heart of almost every activity. Despite the current challenges, community psychology has a promising future in Ghana. © 2006 Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.

Source: UG