ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Determinants of low birth weight deliveries at five referral hospitals in Western Area Urban district, Sierra Leone

Background: Low birth weight (LBW) contributes significantly to infant and child mortality. Each year, about 20 1million deliveries are LBW with 96.5% occurring in developing countries. Whiles the incidence of LBW is reducing in other districts of Sierra Leone, it has been reported to be increasing in the Western Area Urban district. Determining the risk factors in a specific geographic area is important for identifying mothers at risk and thereby for planning and taking appropriate action. The current study sought to identify factors associated with LBW deliveries in the Western Area Urban district of Sierra Leone. Methods: A hospital-based unmatched 1:2 case-control study was conducted among mothers who delivered live singleton babies from November, 2019 to February, 2020 in five referral health facilities. Mothers were conveniently sampled and sequentially enrolled into the study after delivery. Their antenatal care cards were reviewed and a pretested questionnaire administered to the mothers. Data analysis was done using Stata 15.0 and association between maternal socio-demographic, socio-economic, obstetric and lifestyle factors and LBW assessed using bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses. Results: A total of 438 mothers (146 cases and 292 controls), mean age: 24.2 (±5.8) and 26.1 (±5.5) years for cases and controls respectively participated in the study. Multivariable analysis revealed that being unemployed (AoR = 2.52, 95% CI 1.16–5.49, p = 0.020), having anaemia during pregnancy (AoR = 3.88, 95% CI 1.90–7.90, p < 0.001), having less than 2 years inter-pregnancy interval (AoR = 2.53, 95% CI 1.11–5.73, p = 0.026), and smoking cigarettes during pregnancy (AoR = 4.36, 95% CI 1.94–9.80, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with having LBW babies. Conclusion: Factors associated with LBW identified were unemployment, anaemia during pregnancy, < 2 years inter-pregnancy interval and cigarette smoking during pregnancy. Health care providers should screen and sensitize mothers on the risk factors of LBW during antenatal sessions. Keywords: Low birth weight, Case-control, Referral hospitals, Western area urban, Sierra Leone

Source: UG
Determinants of low birth weight in neonates born in three hospitals in Brong Ahafo region, Ghana, 2016- an unmatched case-control study

Background: Each year, about 20 million Low Birth Weight (LBW) babies are born with very high proportion (96.5%) occurring in developing countries. In the last decade, the incidence of LBW in Ghana has not declined. Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana recorded a LBW prevalence of 11% which was higher than the national average of 10%. This study identified determinants of LBW delivery in the Brong Ahafo Region. Methods: We conducted a 1:2 unmatched case control study among mothers with singleton deliveries in 3 major health facilities in the Brong Ahafo Region. A case was defined as a mother who delivered a baby weighing less than 2500g in any of the three selected health facilities between 1st December, 2015 and 30th April, 2016. A control was defined as a mother who within 24 h of delivery by a case, delivered a baby weighing at least 2500g and not exceeding 3400g in the same health facility. Deliveries that met the inclusion criteria for cases were selected and two controls were randomly selected from the pool of deliveries that meet criteria for controls within 24 h of delivery of a case. A total of 120 cases and 240 control were recruited for the study. We computed odds ratios at 95% confidence level to determine the associations between low birth weight and the dependent factors. Results: After controlling for confounders such as planned pregnancy, mode of delivery, parity and previous LBW in stepwise backward logistic regression, first trimester haemoglobin < 11 g/dl (aOR 3.14; 95%CI: 1.50–6.58), delivery at 32-36 weeks gestation (aOR 13.70; 95%CI: 4.64–40.45), delivery below 32 weeks gestation (aOR 58.5; 95%CI 6.7–513.9), secondary education of mothers (aOR 4.19; 95%CI 1.45–12.07), living with extended family (aOR 2.43; 95%CI 1.15–5.10, living alone during pregnancy (aOR 3.9; 95%CI: 1.3–11.7), and not taking iron supplements during pregnancy (aOR 3.2; 95%CI: 1.1–9.5) were found to be significantly associated with LBW. Conclusion: Determinants of LBW were: preterm delivery, mothers with secondary education, living alone during pregnancy, not taking daily required iron supplementation and mothers with first trimester haemoglobin below 11 g/dl. Education during antenatal sessions should be tailored to address the identified risk factors in the mother and child health care services.

Source: UG
Determinants of maize farmers' performance in Benin, West Africa

Increased agricultural productivity is the primary aim of all agricultural policies undertaken in developing countries. Increased agricultural productivity involves not only the analysis of factors limiting productivity but also efficiency because improved efficiency leads to productivity improvement. This paper investigated the factors limiting maize productivity in Benin based on a survey of 354 maize farmers. The mean maize yield was 1,347 kg/ha. The low level of maize yield in Benin is due to the lack of access to inputs, capital, and the weak institutional environment in which farmers operate. Furthermore, the efficiency model revealed that an increase in maize output of about 25 percent can be achieved in the short run by adopting the best farming practices and by addressing socioeconomic and structural constraints. Policy should be encouraged that would facilitate access to inputs, capital, and training, and promote the development of infrastructure in farming areas.

Source: UG
Determinants of Male Involvement in Antenatal Care in the Bawku Municipality, Upper East Region Ghana

In our efforts to decrease maternal mortality and promote maternal health, male involvement has been identified as one of the factors that play a major role in places where the supremacy of decision-making in the family repose in the hands of men. Areas where male involvement in maternal health care is encouraged has observed an improvement such as family planning and exclusive breastfeeding. Maternal mortality in Ghana is still high and that led to the failure in the achievement of her millennium development goal five (5). One of the strategies that can be adopted to enhance the reduction of maternal mortality and to improve maternal health is male involvement in ANC. The study investigated the determinants of male involvement in ANC in the Bawku Municipality in the Upper East Region of Ghana using the theory of planned behaviour as a framework. A descriptive cross sectional quantitative study design was employed and data were gathered from four hundred and thirty nine (439) men who attended antenatal care clinic with their wives in four hospitals in the Bawku Municipality of Ghana. However, thirteen respondents were excluded in the data analysis due to missing data. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.0 software was used in the data analysis. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics such as Pearson r, Spearman Rho correlation analysis and multiple logistic regression analysis were the techniques employed in the data analysis. Finding indicates that the men in the study had good attitudes towards male involvement in antenatal care with a total mean (131.29, SD = 46.24), they had control over preforming antenatal care (95.34, SD = 37.47) and good intentions to involve in antenatal care (9.71, SD = 4.55). However, the men are influenced by the people they deemed important to them (low Determinants of Male Involvement in Antenatal Care

Source: UG
Determinants of marketing channel choice among smallholder beef cattle farmers in Ghana's forest-savannah transitional zone

This study sought to understand the determinants of market channel choice among smallholder beef cattle farmers in Ghana's forest-savannah transitional zone. Data was collected from 200 farmers through the administration of a structured questionnaire and analysed using a multinomial logit regression model. The results revealed that the producers' level of education, herd size, mode of payment and price for cattle sold positively influence the producers' choice of marketing channel, whereas the quantity beef cattle sold, the reason for production, farmer access to extension services, years of farming experience, membership of a producers association and marketing cost negatively influenced the choice of marketing channel. The role of farmer-based associations, standardisation of the beef cattle trade, provision of market information to the producers, and profiling of the producers based on the basis of their production capacity are critical for the improvement of the businesses of the beef cattle farmers.

Source: UG
Determinants of maternal mortality in Ghana: A Focus on neighbourhood characteristics and socio-demographic status,

The widening disparity in the risk of maternal mortality between developed and developing countries is of considerable concern. In Ghana, there are crucial disparities in the risk of maternal mortality across different regions and communities. This forms the focus of this study: to understand the influence of place of living on the risk of maternal mortality. The analysis showed that the level of deprivation of the neighbourhood within which women lived was very important in explaining the probability of maternal deaths after adjusting for individual factors. The level of deprivation of the neighbourhood had an engulfing effect on residents and suppressed the expected positive effect of educational attainment. The increasing effect of deprivation however reduces when the proportion of women with senior high school education in a neighbourhood increases. Policies that promote educational attainment up to at least the senior high school level for women would be influential in reducing the risk of maternal mortality. Further research on the effect of vulnerable locations on health status is recommended.

Source: UG
Determinants of Medication Adherence among Patients with Tuberculosis: A Study at Sokoto Metropolis, Nigeria

Adherence to tuberculosis (TB) medication has a paramount significance to the management of patients with tuberculosis. Researchers have considerably developed an interest to explore various aspects that yielded information about TB medication adherence. Determinants of TB medication adherence are considered factors that could prevent or enable patients to either adhere or default to the treatment. This study, therefore, sought to explore the determinants among patients with TB at Sokoto metropolis, Nigeria. The outcome measures include knowledge about TB, perception of TB treatment, level of adherence to TB medication, relationship among these variables and predictors of the medication adherence. A quantitative cross-sectional research method was employed to collect data by distributing structured questionnaires to 137 patients with TB. The data were analysed by means of Chi-square, Pearson‟s correlation test and Binary logistic regression analysis using STATA version 15. The result established that majority of the respondents had poor knowledge about TB; more than half of patients sampled wrongly perceived TB treatment, and more than one-third did not adhere to TB medication. The findings also identified positive significant relationship between patients‟ knowledge about TB and their perception of TB treatment. Being employed, acquiring information about TB from family and friends, poor perception of TB treatment and poor knowledge about TB were the predictors of the respondents‟ non-adherence to TB medication. Meanwhile, unemployment, media source of information about TB, good knowledge about TB and good perception of TB treatment were the enablers of TB medication adherence. In conclusion, it is important to intensify direct observed treatment strategy (DOTS) and comprehensive health education through the media to address the barriers and improve adherence to the medication. Key words: Determinants, Patients, Tuberculosis, Medication, Adherence, Perception, Knowledge, Direct observed treatment strategy (DOTS).

Source: UG
Determinants Of Mobile Health (M-Health) Application Adoption, Usage And Discontinuity Among Corporate Workers Diagnosed With Hypertension And Diabetes

Purpose: This study examined the determinants of mobile health (M-Health) application, adoption, and usage and discontinuation among corporate workers diagnosed with hypertension and diabetes in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach: The diffusion innovation and reasoned action theories were employed using an exploratory design. Three hundred corporate workers diagnosed with diabetes and hypertension from three health facilities for the past six months were sampled for the study using a multi-stage sampling technique and administered questionnaires. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression tools were employed in the analysis of data. Findings: The study found a significant number of factors influencing m-health applications adoption and usage and discontinuity. These factors include nature and demand of job, perceived advantage, compatibility, complexity, triability, aesthetics and trust. Aesthetics emerged as the strongest predictive factor for the adoption, usage and discontinuity of use among diabetic and hypertensive corporate workers. With the adoption of M-Health applications, compatibility, as well as nature and demand of job, were significant predictors. With the use of M-Health applications, complexity, triability, aesthetics and trust were significant predictors. Moreover, perceived advantage, compatibility, complexity and triability were significantly influenced. the choice to discontinue using M-Health applications. The study concluded that M-Health application functionalities play a valuable role in patients’ intention to adopt, use and discontinue the use of an M-Health application in Ghana.

Source: UG
Determinants of modern contraceptive use: A cross-sectional study among market women in the Ashiaman Municipality of Ghana

Background: In Ghana, the use of modern contraceptives has been shown to be consistently low among women in informal jobs. This study examined the awareness, knowledge and availability of modern contraceptives, prevalence and determinants of modern contraceptive use among market women in the Ashiaman Municipality of Ghana. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 290 market women of the reproductive age. Data were collected between May and July 2017 using a structured questionnaire. Pearson chi-square and Fischer exact tests, and logistic regression analysis were conducted to examine the determinants of modern contraceptives use. Results: The average age of respondents was 29 ± 5.96 years. There was a universal awareness and high knowledge (98.6%) about modern contraceptives; however the prevalence of their usage was 36.9%. Determinants of modern contraceptive use included negative thoughts about the use of contraceptives (p = 0.020), and husbands/partners deciding the use of contraceptive (p = 0.004). Multiple regression showed lower odds of modern contraceptive use among respondents that had negative thoughts about modern contraceptives use (OR = 0.39; 95% CI = 0.21–0.75) compared to those with positive thoughts about modern contraceptive use; and respondents whose husbands or partners decided for them to use contraceptives (OR = 0.34; 95% CI = 0.18–0.63) compared to women whose husbands or partners did not decide for them to use contraceptive. Conclusion: The key determinants identified underline the need for interventions that emphasize practical education of both men and women focusing on the benefits of modern contraceptive services to help demystify the misconceptions and negative thoughts about modern contraceptives, and decrease male’s disapproval of their use.

Source: UG
Determinants of modern family planning use among women of reproductive age in the Nkwanta district of Ghana: A case-control study

Background: Average contraceptive prevalence rate in the Nkwanta district of Ghana was estimated to be 6.2% relative to the national average at the time, of 19%. While several efforts had been made to improve family planning in the country, the district still had very low use of modern family planning methods. This study sought to determine the factors that influenced modern family planning use in general and specifically, the factors that determined the consistently low use of modern family planning methods in the district. Methods: A case-control study was conducted in the Nkwanta district of Ghana to determine socio-economic, socio-cultural and service delivery factors influencing family planning usage. One hundred and thirty cases and 260 controls made up of women aged 15-49 years were interviewed using structured questionnaires. A logistic regression was fitted. Results: Awareness and knowledge of modern family planning methods were high among cases and controls (over 90%). Lack of formal education among women, socio-cultural beliefs and spousal communication were found to influence modern family planning use. Furthermore, favourable opening hours of the facilities and distance to health facilities influenced the use of modern contraceptives. Conclusion: While modern family planning seemed to be common knowledge among these women, actual use of such contraceptives was limited. There is need to improve use of modern family planning methods in the district. In addition to providing health facilities and consolidating close-to-client service initiatives in the district, policies directed towards improving modern family planning method use need to consider the influence of formal education. Promoting basic education, especially among females, will be a crucial step as the district is faced with high levels of school dropout and illiteracy rates. © 2014 Eliason et al.

Source: UG
Determinants of modern family planning use among women of reproductive age in the Nkwanta district of Ghana: a case¿control study

Abstract Background Average contraceptive prevalence rate in the Nkwanta district of Ghana was estimated to be 6.2% relative to the national average at the time, of 19%. While several efforts had been made to improve family planning in the country, the district still had very low use of modern family planning methods. This study sought to determine the factors that influenced modern family planning use in general and specifically, the factors that determined the consistently low use of modern family planning methods in the district. Methods A case&#8211;control study was conducted in the Nkwanta district of Ghana to determine socio-economic, socio-cultural and service delivery factors influencing family planning usage. One hundred and thirty cases and 260 controls made up of women aged 15&#8211;49 years were interviewed using structured questionnaires. A logistic regression was fitted. Results Awareness and knowledge of modern family planning methods were high among cases and controls (over 90%). Lack of formal education among women, socio-cultural beliefs and spousal communication were found to influence modern family planning use. Furthermore, favourable opening hours of the facilities and distance to health facilities influenced the use of modern contraceptives. Conclusion While modern family planning seemed to be common knowledge among these women, actual use of such contraceptives was limited. There is need to improve use of modern family planning methods in the district. In addition to providing health facilities and consolidating close-to-client service initiatives in the district, policies directed towards improving modern family planning method use need to consider the influence of formal education. Promoting basic education, especially among females, will be a crucial step as the district is faced with high levels of school dropout and illiteracy rates.

Source: UG
Determinants of Natural Family Planning Use among Men in the Lawra Municipality

Family planning is a useful strategy to improve quality of life and help people to alleviate poverty. The need for partners to agree on the type of method to use, is critical in achieving this goal. A simple, cost-effective, low risk and easy to use method is the Standard Days Method (SDM) of Natural Family Planning. However, this method is least practised in the Lawra Municipality of the Upper West Region of Ghana. This study examined the determinants of the use of the Standard Days Method (SDM) of natural family planning by married men and their partners in the Lawra Municipality. The study used the cross-sectional design; four hundred and thirty-three (433) respondents were recruited and interviewed. This was followed by the collection of some qualitative data using three Focus Group Discussions from a sub-group of men and their wives. Data analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23.0. Pearson Product Moment Correlation and Binary logistic regression tests were performed. The qualitative data was analyzed using thematic and content analysis. The findings of the study indicated that, the majority of the men (74%, n = 294) had intentions to participate in SDM use and almost every man (98%, n = 374) who had coitus with his partner within the three months preceding data collection participated in the use of SDM. The study further revealed that, men‟s intentions to participate in SDM use with their partners, had significant positive relationship with their attitudes (r =0.55, p < 0.001), significant positive relationship with their subjective norms (r = 0.18, p < 0.001) and significant positive relationship with their perceived behavioural control (r = 0.23, p < 0.001). Factors that significantly predicted men‟s intentions to participate in SDM use with their partners included attitudes (OR = 1.07, 95%CI = 1.05 – 1.09, p < 0.001) and perceived behavioural control (OR= 1.02, 95%CI = 1.01 – 1.03, p = 0.006). Cultural beliefs and partners‟ role were found to influence men‟s intentions and participation. However, no factor had had a significant relationship with men‟s participation in SDM use with their partners. Not even the intention to participate in SDM use that was high among the respondents had any significant relationship. Family planning service providers should render appropriate SDM counselling services and make available, the requisite resources to men and their partners to choose and practise the method. Family planning policy framework proposal on including family planning services and supplies in the health insurance benefit package should be broadened to include SDM to make it available to clients who need them. Keywords: Standard Days Method, Men‟s Participation, Intention, Attitude, Subjective Norm, Perceived Behaviour Control.

Source: UG