ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Factors influencing uptake of voluntary pension scheme by urban informal sector workers: evidence from takoradi metropolis

This study examined the factors that influence the uptake of voluntary pension scheme by urban informal sector workers in Ghana. The study adopted the cross-sectional design which involves the collection of data once at a point in time, with a focus on the survey strategy. The study focused on 300 informal sector workers in Takoradi. The data was analysed descriptively as well as the binary logistic regression. The study found that respondents have high level of awareness on voluntary pension scheme in Ghana. It was also discovered that educational qualification and marital status do not have significant effect on uptake of voluntary pension scheme. However, gender, age and income level have significant positive effect on uptake of voluntary pension scheme. It was also found that lack of trust, low income, future uncertainty, and lack of awareness are the main barriers to enrolment on voluntary pension scheme. Additionally, it emerged that the major challenges faced contributors of voluntary pension scheme include high fees, irregular income, and poor customer service. Employers and Trade Associations should collaborate with pension scheme administrators and government bodies to facilitate enrolment in the voluntary pension scheme for informal workers. They should Promote the benefits of the scheme to employees and encourage participation through awareness campaigns and educational programs and provide support and guidance to employees during the enrolment process.

Source: KNUST
Factors influencing utilization of clinical services in Ahanta West District of Western Region, Ghana

The Ministry of Health (MOH) of Ghana is committed to the improvement in health status of all people living in the country. One of the options of the MOH in achieving this goal is infrastructure development to improve access to facility - based services. The improved access and coverage have not been matched by an increase in utilization of services especially in rural areas as the study area. The main objective of the study therefore was to determine the factors contributing to the utilization of clinical health services in the Ahanta West District and to make recommendations that would lead to improvement in utilization levels. It was a cross sectional study using both quantitative and qualitative research methods. The main techniques used for data collection were: review of records, household survey using structured interviews, individual interviews with selected health workers and a focus group discussion with community leaders. Cluster sampling method was used to select communities. The main findings of the study were that the OPD attendance per capita in 1993 was higher than that of 1997. The Bed Occupancy Rate at the District Hospital was better than only one out of twelve health facilities offering in-patient services in the region. Poverty accessibility - service, physical and financial - factors as well as poor perception of quality of care were identified as the main barriers to utilization. The study recommends the provision of laboratory services, the setting up of health posts and community participation in facility management to address these issues relevant for improvement in service utilization.

Source: KNUST
Factors influencing utilization of contraceptives among women in reproductive age (15-49 years) in the Ashanti-Mampong municipality of Ashanti region

Contraception is an important component of reproductive health due to its contribution to maternal health. Contraception helps to prevent unplanned pregnancy and unsafe abortion, and their related risks thus reducing the number of deaths related to pregnancy. Apart from this family planning which includes the use of contraceptives is said to contribute either directly or indirectly to realization of the millennium development goals as such contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) was set as one of the indicators for measuring the success of target 5B (achieving universal access to reproductive health by 2015) of the Millennium Development Goal 5 (MDG5). However, the CPR in some parts of the world, especially Sub-Saharan Africa where Ghana is found is still low. The main objective of this study was to determine factors that influence the utilization of contraceptives, and also determine the use of LTRC among women within the reproductive age group in the Ashanti-Mampong Municipality of Ashanti Region, Ghana. Methods A cross sectional study was carried out between August and October, 2014 atAshanti-Mampong Municipality. Pretested questionnaires were administered through interview to 420 postpartum women who were more than six month post-delivery and were accessing CWC services in the Ashanti-Mampong Municipality. These women were randomly selected from 20 CWC which were also selected randomly from the Ashanti-Mampong Municipality. Checklist was used to obtain information from the family planning centres in the municipality. Results The current use of a contraceptive method in the Ashanti-Mampong municipality was 38.6%.However, only 0.6% and 9.3% of the contraceptive userswere usingIUD and implant respectively. The only factor found statistically to be associated with the use of a contraceptive method was the level of awareness about contraceptive methods (p=0.001). Although not statistically significant, the commonest reasons why women do not use contraceptives were fear of side effect and refusal by partner. Provision of IUD services was limited to only one family planning centre. In general, providers were skillful with the inserting of implant. Conclusion Although, the current use of contraceptives in the area is higher than it is nationwide, educational programmes should be put in place to increase the awareness level and also address safety concerns about contraceptives

Source: KNUST
Factors influencing women's decision to adopt family planning methods,a case study of women aged 15-39 years in east akim district.

Introduction: The single most criti¬cal intervention for safe motherhood is to ensure a skilled attendant for every delivery. Effective dissemination of information and education is vital if women are to enjoy access to available services. Whenever there is suspicion and fear of medical interventions, such as facility delivery, Caesarean section or blood transfusion, introduction of appropriate information, education and communication (IE&C) activities is vital to explain and dispel misconceptions about procedures. Aim: The study aims at assessing the effectiveness of IE&C on prenatal care and skilled delivery in the district. Method: A descriptive cross-sectional survey using questionnaire was conducted among a sample of 400 mothers who have delivered in the Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai district within the last six months. The questionnaire asked for mothers’ view on how best IE&C activities have helped them in making informed choices during prenatal care and childbirth. Results: Although majority (98.5%) of the mothers attended ANC at least once during their last pregnancy, only 50.50% delivered in health facility. Most (66.7%) of the mothers feared health facility delivery, and 85.5% did not prepare adequately for health facility delivery. Mothers have good knowledge on danger signs of pregnancy, signs of labour and importance of skilled care during pregnancy. Statistically, level of education (OR=0.54(0.37-0.79)) distance to health facility (OR=3.86(.44-6.11)), birth plans (OR=9.44(3.80-23.42)), items required (OR=3.87(2.44-6.13)), transport available at labour (OR=4.81(1.73-13.33)), discussion with male partners on place of delivery (OR=0.33(0.19-0.54)), advice on place of delivery during ANC by health personnel (OR=0.29(0.12-0.69)), and initiating antenatal care within the first three months of pregnancy (OR=1.84(1.22-2.76)) showed significant association with the use of skilled care at delivery even after controlling for confounders. Conclusion: Antenatal care coverage is high but proportion of skilled delivery is far below the ICPD+5 target of 85% skilled delivery by 2010. Mothers in the district have good knowledge on danger signs of pregnancy, signs of labour and importance of prenatal care and skilled delivery. Ignorance and cost of accessing skilled care impede the use of maternal health services. To improve the service, individual counselling of women on health facility delivery, early initiation of antenatal care and individual birth preparedness should be intensify. Male partners and communities should be involved in IE&C on maternal health care

Source: KNUST
Factors inhibiting the implementation of occupational health and safety in the Ghanaian Construction Industry

Health and safety continues to be a priority issue for those working and managing the construction industry across the world due to the critical and aggravating menace of occupational hazards and accidents plaguing the industry. This research seeks to make contributions to the body of knowledge by identifying critical factors militating against occupational health and safety (OHS) in the Ghanaian Construction Industry. The study was limited to some selected (32) construction firms in Kumasi. A sample of 100 respondents was selected using non-probability sampling method. The findings of the study were analyzed and presented using both descriptive and inferential statistical methods. Inferential statistical method was mainly used to extract the critical factors, which were compared with the findings from descriptive statistical method. Conclusions and recommendations were made towards the accomplishment of the research objectives. This study revealed that, the critical factors inhibiting the implementation of occupational health and safety includes: disorganized and transient workforce, Temporary nature of construction projects, fixed cost of project, unavailability and insufficient OHS policy, little priority given to OHS and poor commitment of managers and workers to OHS. The study concluded that poor health and safety performance of the Ghanaian Construction Industry is due to behavioral issues of negligence and/ or carelessness on the part of construction managers and workers. It is recommended that construction managers should create an awareness on OHS; Make provision for regular health services; Ensure adherence to regulations and standards of OHS; Make provision for personal protective equipment and enforce the utilization of them and undertake a risk assessment on health and safety periodically. These measures will go a long way to promote Occupational health and safety in the Ghanaian construction industry.

Source: KNUST
Factors Influencing Women’s Decision to Adopt Family Planning Methods: a Case Study of Women Aged 15-39 Years in East Akim District.

Family planning helps save women's and children's lives and preserves their health by reducing women's exposure to the health risks of childbirth and abortion and giving women more time to care for their children and themselves. Also all couples and individuals had the right to decide on the number and spacing of their children and to have access to the information, education and means to do so (UNFPA, 1999). This study determines the factors that influenced the decision of women in their reproductive age between 15-39 years to adopt family planning. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in three sub districts of East Akim district from August to November 2008. Two hundred women practicing or had ever practiced family planning and 30 providers were used for the study. The purpose of the study was to assess clients’ satisfaction in FP method and services, to find out how client-provider interaction increase quality care, to find out the effectiveness in providers’ supervision, identify logistic availability and how to improve FP policy. Simple random sampling was used based on clinical attendance and home visit. The data techniques used were observation, check list, FGD among others. The result of the study showed that among the respondents, 76.0% were currently married or ever been married before and 23.0% were singles. About 89.5% had formal education. Knowledge of family planning was universal as 97% of respondents had an idea about family planning, 62.0% attended clinic continuously, 29.0% ever discontinued while 9.0% defaulted. Fear of side effect was the major reason attributed for FP method switched or discontinuation and was also confirmed in the focus group discussion. Injectable was the commonest current family planning method used which constituted 60% with 30.0% using pills and the remaining methods recorded less than 10.0%. About 55.5% of respondents were satisfied with family planning method used. Half of the respondents represented 51.5% received support from husbands to practice family planning while 6.0% practiced FP without the awareness of their husband. Statistically, alpha level of 0.05 at 95% confident interval, p=0.002, knowledge of family planning, age of the woman and husband support were all significant for a woman to adopt FP. Other factors such as client satisfaction of method, clinical accessibility and waiting time less than 30 minutes with visit to the clinic at any time were also statistically significant. It was found that supervision, information on side effect which was the main reason for stopping FP, logistics and FP policy needed to be improved. Recommendations were made to the DHMT, the and the community members and the Government of Ghana to improve the FP policy and its implementation.

Source: KNUST
Factors militating against the successful implementation of public procurement act 663 (2003) in national health insurance scheme (NHIS)

The Public Procurement Act of 2003 (Act ) was intended to harmonise public procurement processes, secure judicious, economic and efficient use of state resources and ensure that public procurement is fair, transparent and non-discriminatory. However, this Act has been disturbed by some negative factors in its implementation by most public entities. Ghana National Health Insurance Authority (Ashanti Region) was used as a case in point in this study to examine the factors that militate against the successful implementation of the Act and measures to improve its implementation. Sixty three (63) questionnaires were distributed to the staff of the District Offices of Ashanti Region National Health Insurance Authority. Data was collected using questionnaires, which was then coded and input into a statistical software package before analysis was made. Descriptive statistics and the development of severity index were employed in the analysis for easy understanding and reader comprehension. The study revealed that the Ashanti District offices of National Health Insurance Authority did not comply with the Public Procurement Act (2003) Act 663 . Despite the fact that all the staff were aware of the Act, there was non-adherence to it. There were no trained procurement practitioners of Ashanti District offices of National Health Insurance Authority to oversee their issues of procurement. The National Health Insurance Authority sees bureaucracy and rigidity in the use of the Public Procurement Act (2003) Act 663 of Ghana. Training of procurement practitioners to help with the procurement practices of the National Health Insurance Authority was recommended as well as strict adherence to the Act among others. This study also concluded with recommendations for further research.

Source: KNUST
FACTORS NECESSITATING THE MINIMAL ATTRACTION OF THE CHURCH OF PENTECOST TO INDIGENES: A STUDY OF THE MERRY VILLAS DISTRICT IN GA MASHIE

This study on the Church of Pentecost in the Merry Villas District was done with the aim to examine the factors compelling the minimal attraction of indigenes of Ga-Mashie to the Church and the effects thereof. The study is a qualitative one and, for that matter, an ethnographic approach is employed. Data was collected from both primary and secondary sources. Secondary materials such as books, journals and articles, while primary sources such as faceto-face interactions with 20 respondents (interviewees) and descriptive method of analysis was used. It was identified in the study that several factors account for the minimal attraction of the indigenes of Ga Mashie to the Merry Villas Church of Pentecost. For instance, the church’s choice of massive usage of the Twi or Akan language over the indigenes’ language is fatal to the church. The church’s open confrontation and denigration of the indigenes’ culture and traditions has made the church unpopular among the indigenes of Ga Mashie. CoP’s inability to provide suitable alternatives for certain cultural practices of the indigenes, which the church considers unchristian, and again, the indigenes think that the MVD and CoP are Akan churches, among others, have disadvantaged the church from winning many indigenous folks into their fold. The Analysis revealed that certain factors like giving credence to the word of God with its accompanied strong biblical foundation by the church, the central and all￾important role played by the Holy Spirit, the church’s evangelism prowess; and the committed, resilient leadership of the church make MVD strong and attractive. The study identified that indigenes who join the church participate in various ways, such as doing interpretation during sermons, Bible study and home cell leaders, and chorus, praise and worship leaders. The study, therefore, recommends that leaders of CoP in the Merry Villas District identify good grounds in the culture and traditions of the people of Ga Mashie to use as an opportunity to convert them.

Source: KNUST
Factors promoting and preventing the utilization and uptake of IPT among pregnant women in the Mampong Municipality.Ghana

Background: One of the interventions the MOH and the Ghana National Malaria Control Programme have adopted to control malaria in pregnancy is Intermittent Preventive Treatment (IPT) with sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP), which has several brand names including Fansidar and Malafan. . According to this policy, from the second trimester of pregnancy (after quickening), pregnant women attending antenatal clinics are expected to be given three doses of SP as directly observed therapy (DOT), at monthly intervals. The objective of this study is to assess the level of utilization of IPTp and the barriers and enabling factors of the uptake of IPT among pregnant women in the Mampong Municipality. Methods: The study was conducted in August 2014 in Mampong Municipality, Ghana. A multistage sampling technique was used. At the first stage 2 sub districts were selected out of the 5 sub districts, which is Mampong sub and Kofiase. Each is made up of 16 communities. At the second stage, 4 communities were randomly selected out of each sub district selected. Finally a sample size of 442 pregnant women were selected from the communities. For the health providers and the facilities, after the randomization of the sub districts all the health facilities in each sub district were visited which were a hospital in Mampong sub and 3 health centres. All health providers at post at the time of visit were selected. Data analysis involved the use of Chi-Square (χ2) for associations and multivariate analysis was performed using multinomial logistic regression. Results: The study found that the use of IPTp among pregnant women was high that is 78.6%, where most pregnant women have either used it for one to three times. The high rate of IPTp use among the pregnant women could be attributed to marital status, level of education, easy access to services, availability, low cost of ANC services and counselling on the dangers of malaria. Conclusion: From this study, the level of utilization of IPTp is high that is 78.6% as compared to the national target of 44.0% in the GDHS, 2008 and 65.0% in the MICS ,2011. Some of the barriers and enablers factors of the uptake of IPTp in the Mampong Municipality are increased in the level of education of the pregnant women, being counselled on the dangers of malaria in pregnancy, access to services, availability, cost of ANC services and time spent at the ANC. It is recommended that health education and counselling on the dangers of malaria in pregnancy during ANC attendance should be enhanced to promote the uptake of IPTp.

Source: KNUST
Factors related to induced abortion among women with abortion complications at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital

There are still high rates of death and injury as a result of unsafe abortion. It remains the second direct cause of maternal mortality in Ghana and the highest single cause of admissions to the Obstetrics and Gynaecology directorate of the KATH. However, there have not been many studies on decisions leading to induced abortion which ends with complications. The study was conducted to describe the factors that are related to decision-making on induced abortion with complications among women. Exit interviews, using questionnaires, were used to gather data from 160 women who had been admitted to the KATH due to complications from unsafe abortion. Most respondents from the study were young, single, nulliparous and employed. Most also had not attained SHS level education but few had no formal education and majority were Christians. The results suggest a low level of knowledge on the abortion law, as well as low contraceptive usage among respondents. Also, pharmacists were the most sought providers while misoprostol (cytotec) was the most used method of abortion. Men were found to be principal decision makers in regard to abortion. The age of women, previous abortion experience, employment status and age of pregnancy were found to be associated with decision to have an abortion. However, education, marital status, religion and number of children were not associated with the decision to have an abortion. Based on the findings, effective campaigns and education are recommended to raise the awareness on the legal status of abortion in Ghana and intensified programmes and policies intended to address unmet need for contraceptives and unsafe abortion. Medical abortion should be provided for under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to the extent stipulated by the law.

Source: KNUST