ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Catalytic Pyrolysis of Waste Engine Oil over Y Zeolite Synthesized from Natural Clay

Cheap alumino-silicate materials such as clay materials and Y zeolite were selected for the catalytic pyrolysis of waste engine oil in a fxed bed reactor. A cheaper route of Y zeolite synthesis involving hydrothermal activation of the raw clay and hydrothermal synthesis was employed. X-ray difraction technique, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infra-red, and nitrogen desorption method were used to characterize the intermediate phases formed during the hydrothermal treatment of the clay and the synthesized Y zeolite during the hydrothermal processes. The chemical compositions of the liquid phase of catalytic pyrolysis were characterized by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectroscopy (GC–MS). The results revealed that the alkaline concentration strongly infuenced the activation of the raw clay to obtain a useful phase for the subsequent synthesis of the Y zeolite. The synthesis improved the surface area from 29 m2 /g for the clay to 745 m2 /g for the zeolite. The catalytic pyrolysis resulted in diesel fractions of 64.8 and 54.7%, respectively for the Y zeolite and the clay. It was observed that the gasoline fractions increased to 20.5 and 19.1%, respectively for the zeolite and the clay. In the diesel fraction, the zeolite selectively improved the yield of the cyclo-alkanes which are key constituents in terms of the quality of diesel. Y zeolite was successfully derived from a natural clay and tested in the pyrolysis of waste engine oil. The synthesis route provides the opportunity to improve the catalytic property of the natural clay.

Source: UG
Catalyzing the scale-up of community-based primary healthcare in a rural impoverished region of northern Ghana.

Ghana's Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) initiative develops accessible healthcare with participatory community support, using strategies developed and tested by a project of the Navrongo Health Research Centre. In 1996, the project was expanded to a district-wide four-celled trial. In response to evidence that strategies could reduce fertility and childhood mortality, a replication project was launched to develop methods for scale-up. Based on experience gained, CHPS scale-up was launched in 2000. Although CHPS now reaches all of Ghana's districts, the pace of scale-up within districts has been slow. In response, the Ministry of Health conducted a review of factors that constrain CHPS scale-up and problems that detract from its original evidence-based design. To resolve problems that were identified, a project was launched in 2010 to test means of accelerating CHPS scale-up and expand its range of care. Known as the Ghana Essential Health Interventions Program (GEHIP), the project provided catalytic revenue to four treatment district managers for 3 years, in conjunction with implementation of strategies for comprehensive leadership development and community partnership. Monitoring systems were developed to gauge CHPS coverage time trends in all nine study districts. GEHIP successfully accelerated CHPS implementation, producing 100% of its targeted community coverage within 5 years of implementation. Coverage in comparison districts also improved. However, the rate of coverage and per cent of the population reached by CHPS in comparison districts was only half that of GEHIP districts. GEHIP success in completing CHPS coverage represents the initial stage of a national program for strengthening community health systems in Ghana.

Source: UG
Catching up with peers: Investigating the long-run dynamics of an LPG promotion program in Ghana

Household energy transitions to cleaner fuels remain a major challenge in developing countries, which have low adoption rates of modern energy sources. This study investigated the long-run effects of a clean energy transition policy, focusing on a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) promotion program in Ghana. We conducted household surveys in Ghana during 2020 and 2023, corresponding to 3 and 6 years after the end of the program, and collected longitudinal data from 1632 households (905 in 2020 and 727 in 2023). Our analyses show a short- term boost in LPG adoption among intervention households that received LPG cylinders from the program. Using a household fixed-effects approach, we find that, 6 years later, non-intervention households in the program community with children aged under 5 years increased their LPG adoption by 34.5 % relative to households without children, despite not having received direct support from the program. Further analysis reveals that the extension of LPG usage was limited to households with at least one peer in their social network who was an LPG user as well as the perception of LPG as a safe energy source for health. The findings suggest that energy transition can be promoted cost-effectively by incorporating the roles of social networks and information sharing, provided that fundamental infrastructure for LPG provision has been established.

Source: UG
Catheter‑Related Bloodstream Infections among patients on maintenance haemodialysis: a cross‑sectional study at a tertiary hospital in Ghana

Background Catheter-Related Bloodstream Infections (CRBSIs) are notable complications among patients receiving maintenance haemodialysis. However, data on the prevalence of CRBSIs is lacking. This study was conducted to deter‑ mine the prevalence and factors associated with CRBSIs among patients receiving haemodialysis in the renal unit of the largest tertiary hospital in Ghana. Methods A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted on patients receiving maintenance haemodialy‑ sis via central venous catheters (CVC) between September 2021 and April 2022. Multivariate analysis using logistic regression was used to determine the risk factors that were predictive of CRBSI. Analysis was performed using SPSS version 23 and a p-value<0.05 was statistically signifcant. Results The prevalence of CRBSI was 34.2% (52/152). Of these, more than half of them (53.9%(28/52)) had Possible CRBSI while 11.5% (6/52) had Defnite CRBSI. Among the positive cultures, 62% (21/34) were from catheter sites whilst the rest were from peripheral blood. Gram-negative cultures made up 53% (18/34) of positive cultures with the rest being Gram positive cultures. Acinetobacter baumannii (33.3% (6/18)) was the commonest organism isolated among Gram-negative cultures whilst Coagulase negative Staphylococci (43.7% (7/16)) was the commonest organism isolated among Gram-positve cultures. Gram-negative bacilli were more predominant in this study making up 52.9% of the total bacteria cultured. Sex, duration of maintenance dialysis, underlying cause of End-stage kidney disease, mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), neutrophil count and lymphocyte count were signifcantly predictive of CRBSI status (p<0.05). Conclusion There was a high prevalence of CRBSI among patients undergoing haemodialysis. The commonest causative agent was Coagulase negative Staphylococci, however there was a predominance of Gram-negative bacilli as compared to Gram positive cocci. There is a need to set up infection surveillance unit in the renal unit to track CRBSI and put in place measures to reduce these CRBSI.

Source: UG
Causal relationships between African mahoganies exports and deforestation in Ghana: policy implications

When exploiting forest resources, the resource use must be sustainable if its use is to support its function in the natural ecosystem. The African mahogany, a prized timber species, is widely exploited, raising policy concerns about the management of forest resources to meet the social, economic, and ecological needs of present and future generations. This paper explores, for the purpose of policy implication, the relationship between the exportation and deforestation of African mahoganies. The analysis employed a Granger causality test within the error correction model to evaluate the direction of causality between African mahoganies exports and deforestation in Ghana. The results suggested that in the short run, there was significant (P\0.01) unidirectional causality from African mahoganies exports to deforestation. However, there was no directional causality from deforestation to mahogany exports. Thus, mahogany extraction and logging in general are among the major factors contributing to deforestation in Ghana. The general assessment of historical trends in the extraction levels of the two main genera of African mahoganies revealed that Entandrophragma cylindricum and Khaya ivorensis have been the most exploited species over the years. Improvements in, and the enforcement of, existing forest institutions and incentives, as well as related policies, could minimise the rate of deforestation not only of the African mahogany but also in timber logging, thus stemming forest degradation and deforestation in the country.

Source: UG
Cause of death among Ghanaian adolescents in Accra using autopsy dat

BACKGROUND: There is limited data on adolescent mortality particularly from developing countries with unreliable death registration systems. This calls for the use of other sources of data to ascertain cause of adolescent mortality. The objective of this study was to describe the causes of death among Ghanaian adolescents 10 to 19 years in Accra, Ghana utilizing data from autopsies conducted in Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH). FINDINGS: Out of the 14,034 autopsies carried out from 2001 to 2003 in KBTH, 7% were among adolescents. Of the 882 deaths among adolescents analyzed, 402 (45.6%) were females. There were 365 (41.4%) deaths from communicable disease, pregnancy related conditions and nutritional disorders. Non-communicable diseases accounted for 362 (41%) cases and the rest were attributable to injuries and external causes of morbidity and mortality. Intestinal infectious diseases and lower respiratory tract infections were the most common communicable causes of death collectively accounting for 20.5% of total deaths. Death from blood diseases was the largest (8.5%) among the non-communicable conditions followed by neoplasms (7%). Males were more susceptible to injuries than females (χ2 = 13.45, p = .000). At least five out of ten specific causes of death were as a result of infections with pneumonia and typhoid being the most common. Sickle cell disease was among the top three specific causes of death. Among the females, 27 deaths (6.7%) were pregnancy related with most of them being as a result of abortion. CONCLUSIONS: The autopsy data from the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital can serve as a useful source of information on adolescent mortality. Both communicable and non-communicable diseases accounted for most deaths highlighting the need for health care providers to avoid complacency in their management of adolescents presenting with these diseases.

Source: UG
Cause of death among Ghanaian adolescents in Accra using autopsy data

Abstract Background There is limited data on adolescent mortality particularly from developing countries with unreliable death registration systems. This calls for the use of other sources of data to ascertain cause of adolescent mortality. The objective of this study was to describe the causes of death among Ghanaian adolescents 10 to 19 years in Accra, Ghana utilizing data from autopsies conducted in Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH). Findings Out of the 14,034 autopsies carried out from 2001 to 2003 in KBTH, 7% were among adolescents. Of the 882 deaths among adolescents analyzed, 402 (45.6%) were females. There were 365 (41.4%) deaths from communicable disease, pregnancy related conditions and nutritional disorders. Non-communicable diseases accounted for 362 (41%) cases and the rest were attributable to injuries and external causes of morbidity and mortality. Intestinal infectious diseases and lower respiratory tract infections were the most common communicable causes of death collectively accounting for 20.5% of total deaths. Death from blood diseases was the largest (8.5%) among the non-communicable conditions followed by neoplasms (7%). Males were more susceptible to injuries than females (&#967;2 = 13.45, p = .000). At least five out of ten specific causes of death were as a result of infections with pneumonia and typhoid being the most common. Sickle cell disease was among the top three specific causes of death. Among the females, 27 deaths (6.7%) were pregnancy related with most of them being as a result of abortion. Conclusions The autopsy data from the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital can serve as a useful source of information on adolescent mortality. Both communicable and non-communicable diseases accounted for most deaths highlighting the need for health care providers to avoid complacency in their management of adolescents presenting with these diseases.

Source: UG
Causes of death and factors associated with early mortality of HIV-infected adults admitted to Korle-Bu teaching hospital

Introduction: This study sought to identify common causes of death as well as the factors associated with the high inpatient mortality rate of HIV-infected patients at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH). Methods: The retrospective study reviewed the medical records of 547 HIV-infected adults aged 18 years or older admitted to the KBTH between the months of January 2012 and October 2013. Using standardized abstraction forms, clinical and demographic data of eligible patients was collected. Data was summarized using descriptive statistics. Demographic and clinical characteristics of patients who died within 7 days (early) and after (late) admission were compared using Rank Sum tests or Chi-square tests. Results: Of 547 eligible patients during the period, 222 (40.6%) died during hospitalization, with 124 (55.9%) of them dying within a week of admission. Of the 222 patients who died, 190 (85.6%) were previously known HIV-positive. Yet, 141 (63.5%) of the 222 patients who died had no prior highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). The most common admitting diagnoses were anemia (34.2%), cerebral toxoplasmosis (29.3%), and pneumonia (25.7%); the most common causes of death were tuberculosis (34.7%), anemia (30.2%) and cerebral toxoplasmosis (27.5%). Tuberculosis was the only factor significantly associated with early death (P<0.05). Conclusion: The inpatient mortality rate among HIV-infected adults admitted to the KBTH is high. A majority of the patients were not receiving HAART despite known HIV diagnosis. Earlier initiation of HAART may lower the risk of opportunistic infections and HIV mortality rates. Additionally, a high index of suspicion and initiation of empiric treatment for TB may reduce early deaths. © Adriana Saavedra et al.

Source: UG
Causes of death at the University of Ghana Hospital in Accra-a 37-year review (1979-2015)

Background: An analysis of the causes of death in developing countries is needed to improve healthcare delivery. The aim of this study was to conduct a descriptive analysis of the causes of death at the University of Ghana Hospital from 1979 to 2015. Methods: Data were extracted from the electronic database of the University of Ghana Hospital. Diseases were grouped into three broad groups of causes of death as per the Global Burden of Disease cause list, with some diseases of epidemiological importance outlined and analysed by age, gender and time in years. Results: Of 3263 deaths, almost 60% were caused by non-communicable diseases (NCDs) that consisted of cancers, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases and other systemic conditions. Deaths by malaria, tuberculosis, diarrhoeal diseases and immunizable childhood diseases declined over the years while deaths from NCDs increased. The majority of cases of NCDs were due to cardiovascular disorders. Conclusions: The study suggests that Ghana has a double burden of disease with predominantly NCDs from cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders and cancers. Although malaria and other childhood-related illnesses have declined significantly, human immunodeficiency virus is fuelling the communicable disease mortalities. There is an urgent need to scale up NCD control interventions while strengthening communicable disease control.

Source: UG
Causes of Death in Hospitalized HIV Patients in the Early Anti-Retroviral Therapy Era

OBJECTIVE: To establish the cause(s) of death among persons with HIV and AIDS admitted to the Fevers Unit of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) in 2007 and to determine whether they were AIDS-related in the era of availability of HAART.METHOD: Retrospective chart review of all deaths that occurred in the year 2007 among inpatients with HIV infection. Cause of Death (COD) was established with post mortem diagnosis, where not available ICD-10 was reviewed independently by two physicians experienced in HIV medicine and a consensus reached as to the most likely COD.RESULTS: In the year under review, 215 (97%) of the 221 adult deaths studied were caused by AIDS and HIV-associated illnesses. Of these, 123 (55.7%) were due to an AIDS-defining illness as described in CDC Category 3 or WHO stage 4. Infections accounted for most of the deaths 158 (71.5%), many of them opportunistic 82 (51.8%). Tuberculosis was the commonest COD. Clinical diagnosis of TB was accurate in 54% of deaths, but was not validated by autopsy in 36% of deaths. There were few deaths (14.5%) in patients on HAART.CONCLUSION: In a developing country like Ghana where HAART was still not fully accessible, AIDS-related events remained the major causes of death in persons living with HIV. Total scale-up of the ART programme with continuous availability of antiretrovirals is therefore imperative to reduce deaths from AIDS and HIV associated illnesses. There is need for interventions for early diagnosis as well as reduction in late presentation and also better diagnostic tools for tuberculosis.

Source: UG
Causes of low productivity of cocoa in Ghana: Farmers' perspectives and insights from research and the socio-political establishment

Ghana is a major producer of cocoa in the world and relies heavily on the crop for foreign exchange revenue. However, production declined since the mid-1960s, reaching its lowest level in 1983, Although production has increased consistently since the mid-1980s, it still is less than the level attained in the mid-1960s. The decline is partly a result of decreasing areas under cultivation. Another problem in cocoa production in Ghana is low yields per ha, which is attributed to the incidence of pests and diseases, a low producer price, and non-adoption of research recommendations. Based on the idea that current research and extension messages might insufficiently address farmers' actual problems and context, a diagnostic study was carried out to better understand farmers' views on the problems of cocoa production. The study was conducted in three villages in the Suhum-Kraboa-Coalter District, Eastern Region, Ghana. An action research approach was followed to gather and analyse qualitative data with the objective of stimulating collective action in subsequent research activities with the farmers. Low productivity was identified as the main problem and the causes were classified into biological and socio-economic factors. The biological factors include the incidence of pests and diseases, most of which have received extensive research attention in Ghana, and of epiphytes, which have been neglected. The socio-economic causes were indirect and include the low producer price and the lack of amenities like electricity, which leads to migration, with as a result labour shortages and high labour costs. From the study it can be concluded that the biological and socio-economic causes of low productivity are inter-related in such a manner that tackling them separately will not overcome the problem unless the socio-technical nature of the causes are recognized and tackled in a holistic way. In this context, current interventions by research and extension seem to ignore important aspects of the problematic situation. Although the study shows the relevance of using a diagnostic approach, it is argued that outcomes may be affected by various contextual factors, including stakeholder selection and the relationship between the researcher and the participants. Hence, the outcomes of a diagnostic study should be approached with care.

Source: UG
Caustic soda ingestion in children under-5 years presenting for fluoroscopic examinations in an Academic Hospital in Ghana

Background Disastrous effects and lifelong complications, ranging from respiratory and gastrointestinal burns to death can result from caustic soda ingestion. Accidental and non-accidental ingestions occur in different age groups. However, it is very troubling to find ingestion of caustic soda a very common occurrence among children below 5 years since they do not have the developmental level required to independently weigh up risks and are also under parental and societal protections. This study was therefore planned to investigate the ingestions of caustic soda by these children for purposes of proposing measures to curb the problem. Methods Descriptive survey was employed for this study. A 14-item, semi-structure questionnaire was purposively issued to 57 parents/guardians whose wards had ingested caustic soda. Data was analysed with SPSS V.20. Results Twenty-seven (47.4 %) children got access to the soda at storage, 1 (1.86 %) was administered accidentally by a sibling while 29 (50.9 %) ingested during soap preparation. In respect of the former, the majority got access because it was stored in soft drink and water bottles in their parents/guardians rooms or kitchen. For the later, the children got access to the left-over soda because the soap-makers failed to adhere to good storage and disposal practices. Conclusion Storage of caustic soda in soft drink and water bottles in accessible places, and training of children to drink directly from bottles influence caustic soda ingestion in children under five. Non-compliance to good practices of storage and disposal of caustic soda during soap preparation increases exposure and access of children to caustic soda ingestion.

Source: UG
Caustic soda ingestion in children under-5 years presenting for fluoroscopic examinations in an Academic Hospital in Ghana

Background: Disastrous effects and lifelong complications, ranging from respiratory and gastrointestinal burns to death can result from caustic soda ingestion. Accidental and non-accidental ingestions occur in different age groups. However, it is very troubling to find ingestion of caustic soda a very common occurrence among children below 5 years since they do not have the developmental level required to independently weigh up risks and are also under parental and societal protections. This study was therefore planned to investigate the ingestions of caustic soda by these children for purposes of proposing measures to curb the problem. Methods: Descriptive survey was employed for this study. A 14-item, semi-structure questionnaire was purposively issued to 57 parents/guardians whose wards had ingested caustic soda. Data was analysed with SPSS V.20. Results: Twenty-seven (47.4 %) children got access to the soda at storage, 1 (1.86 %) was administered accidentally by a sibling while 29 (50.9 %) ingested during soap preparation. In respect of the former, the majority got access because it was stored in soft drink and water bottles in their parents/guardians rooms or kitchen. For the later, the children got access to the left-over soda because the soap-makers failed to adhere to good storage and disposal practices. Conclusion: Storage of caustic soda in soft drink and water bottles in accessible places, and training of children to drink directly from bottles influence caustic soda ingestion in children under five. Non-compliance to good practices of storage and disposal of caustic soda during soap preparation increases exposure and access of children to caustic soda ingestion.

Source: UG