ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Conceptualization of gender in published malaria and gender research: a systematic descriptive review

Background Malaria disproportionately affects vulnerable and marginalised population subgroups, including women and girls, migrants, and persons with disabilities. Gender roles expose men and women differently to malaria risks. Similarly, restrictive gender norms pose unique challenges to women and girls in accessing preventive treatment and care. Gender norms that perpetuate hegemonic masculinity also expose men and boys to malaria, resulting from occupational exposure and untimely access to malaria treatment and care. Unfortunately, the gender dimensions of malaria remain under-researched. This systematic descriptive review examines how gender has been conceptualised in published malaria and gender research over the last three decades. Methods The keywords “malaria AND gender” were used to search for articles published in English from 1995 to 2024 in four databases (PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, and Google Scholar). The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) was adopted for this review. The Rayyan intelligent systematic review software was used to collate, manage, and screen articles retrieved from the search engines. The gender analysis matrix advanced by Morgan and colleagues was used to analyse the conceptualisation of gender in published malaria and gender research. Results A total of 57 published articles that met the inclusion criteria were included in the final review. We found that the majority of the published papers on malaria and gender have been biomedical in nature, consequently reducing gender analysis to only sex-disaggregated data. Moreover, most of the studies employed a quantitative research approach, with the majority being laboratory-based research, focussing on sub-Saharan Africa. Conclusion There is a need for more social science research that employs qualitative, mixed-methods, and community-based approaches to malaria and gender research. These approaches extend gender analysis beyond sex and/or gender-disaggregated data, and includes other domains, such as access to resources; distribution of labour; practices and roles; norms, values and beliefs; and decision-making power

Source: UG
Conceptualization of Policy Challenges in Academic Records Management Strategies in Tertiary Institutions in Ghana

Academic records and final achievements of students in many higher Educational institutions in Africa are becoming subjects of empirical investigation due to several factors. For example, the fluidity of the technology environments, the ubiquitous technological platform for recordkeeping and management practices coupled with human interface and the exigencies associated with the educational service delivery systems. Every effort of practitioners to ensure quality of products and authentic academic records systems have proved futile. This study therefore explored the typology of records management practices in tertiary institutions in Ghana and also presents a conceptual framework to explain policy challenges in management of such records. A descriptive research paradigm was adopted with a cluster sampling technique to select a total of 1,990 study participants from ten tertiary institutions across five regions of the country. This consists of 2public universities, 800(40.2%), 5 professional training institutions such as Colleges of Education, Poly techniques and Nursing Training Colleges, 635(32.0%) and 3 private universities, 555(27.9%).The study used inferential statistical approach for the data analyss.The results indicates that there is no national policy directives for academic records keeping and management practices and as a results every institution adopts its own unique policy for its records keeping and management activities and handle their records security challenges as criminal issues. All these have not solved the problem.

Source: UG
Conceptualization of the attractive work environment and organizational activity for Humans in future deep mines.

The purpose of this paper is to conceptualize a futureoriented human work environment and organizational activity in deep mines that entails a vision of good and safe workplace. Futureoriented technological challenges and mental images required for modern work organization design were appraised. It is argued that an intelligent-deep-mine covering the entire value chain, including environmental issues and with work organization that supports good working and social conditions towards increased human productivity could be designed. With such intelligent system and work organization in place, the mining industry could be seen as a place where cooperation, skills development and gender equality are key components. By this perspective, both the youth and women might view mining activity as an attractive job and the work environment as a safe, and this could go a long way in breaking the unequal gender balance that exists in most mines today.

Source: UG
Conceptualization of the hydrogeological system of some sedimentary aquifers in Savelugu-Nanton and surrounding areas, Northern Ghana

Groundwater resources play a pivotal role in the rural water delivery system in Ghana. The hydrogeological system of Middle Voltaian terrain was simulated using available data on hydraulic heads and boundary conditions. The objective was to characterize the general groundwater flow pattern and provide local estimates of the distribution of hydraulic conductivity and recharge fields. The results suggest a predominant NE-SW flow direction, which ties in with the general regional structural trend and indicates that the hydrogeological conditions of the rocks are controlled by structural entities created in the wake of fracturing and/or weathering of the rocks whose primary permeabilities are considerably reduced because of high compaction and low-grade metamorphism. Calibrated hydraulic conductivities range between 1.90 and 10.81m/d. The spatial distribution appears to reflect the intensity of fracturing and/or weathering of the rock and the proportion of the clay fraction of the weathered zone. Vertical groundwater recharge has been estimated to range between 0.3% and 4.1% of the annual rainfall. This recharge rate is quite low and reflects the imperviousness of the thick overburden because of high clay content in some places and high compaction in others. Despite this apparently low recharge rate, groundwater resources potential in the area appear to be high, and increased abstraction from existing abstraction wells by up to 50% does not appear to register significant effects on groundwater budgets at the simulated recharge rates. This suggests that the well yields are much lower than the potential of the aquifer system. The apparently low yields might be associated with poor well development and the choice of inappropriate well completion materials. This study recommends a monitoring system to be developed for a much more regional groundwater flow simulation under transient conditions. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Source: UG
Conceptualizations of Effective Parenting: Perspectives of Religious Counselors in Ghana

Limited research on effective parenting and optimal child outcomes within an African, specifically Ghanaian context exists. This study examined conceptions of effective parenting from the perspective of religious counselors who are often sought by parents for parenting advice. Two research questions were addressed: (1) how do religious counselors conceptualize effective parenting; and (2) to what extent do their conceptualizations reflect current literature and research on effective parenting? 92 religious counselors, 19 Muslims and 73 Christians, were recruited from four urban areas in Ghana. Participants were asked about effective parenting during individual interviews. The findings revealed three major themes and several sub-themes. The three themes were socialization and structure, positive parent-child interaction, and autonomy support. Themes about what constitute effective parenting were both consistent and inconsistent with traditional views of parenting within a Ghanaian cultural context. Findings revealed some contemporary changes of parenting in Ghana with implications for effective parenting.

Source: UG
Conceptualizing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Corporate Social Investment (CSI) The South African Context

Purpose – With globalisation pressures and increasing burdens on governments to provide comprehensive social services, there is now a need to better understand how firms play their part in sharing these burdens. Views vary from those who believe that CSR and CSI are distractions from profit maximisation to those who argue that participation in such activities contributes to positive social transformation and also benefits participating firms themselves. This paper seeks to conceptualise these debates. Design/methodology/approach – The paper largely utilises a literature review to derive the research conclusions. Specifically, it examines how CSR, CSI and the socially responsible investment (SRI) index has been used to evaluate corporate behaviour in South Africa, as a novel way of addressing pressing development problems. Findings – CSI has emerged from the specificities of South African historical development, and it has arguably been driven primarily by legislation and industry charters. It is in this context that CSI, with its paraphernalia of the SRI Index and social capital market, promises to present a new and radical way of addressing developmental problems. Originality/value – This paper is one of the few studies examining the phenomenon of corporate social investment from a developing economy context.

Source: UG
Conceptualizing Maternal Mental Health In Rural Ghana: A Realist Qualitative Analysis.

In low- and middle-income countries, maternal mental health needs remain neglected, and common mental disorders during pregnancy and after birth are routinely associated with hormonal changes. The psycho-social and spiritual components of childbirth are often downplayed. A qualitative study was conducted as part of a wider realist evaluation on health systems responsiveness to examine the interrelationships between pregnant and postnatal women, their families, and their environment, and how these influence women’s interactions with healthcare providers in Ghana. Data collection methods combined six qualitative interviews (n = 6) and 18 focus group discussions (n = 121) with pregnant and postnatal women, their relatives, and healthcare providers (midwives, community mental health nurses) at the primary healthcare level. Data analysis was based on the context–mechanism–outcome heuristic of realist evaluation methodology. A programme theory was developed and iteratively refined, draw ing on Crowther’s ecology of birth theory to unpack how context shapes women’s interactions with public and alternative healthcare providers. We found that context interacts dynamically with embodiment, relationality, temporality, spatiality, and mystery of childbirth experiences, which in turn influence women’s wellbeing in three primary areas. There is an intricate intersection of pregnancy with mental health impacting women’s expectations of temporality, which does not always coincide with the timings provided by formal healthcare services. Societal deficiencies in social support structures for women facing economic challenges become particularly evident during the pregnancy and postnatal period, where women need heightened assistance. Socio-cultural beliefs associated with the mystery of childbirth, the supportive role of private providers and faith healing practices offered women a feeling of protection from uncertainty. Co-production of context-specific interventions, including the integration of maternal and mental health policies, with relevant stakeholders can help formal healthcare providers accommodate women’s perspectives on spirituality and mental health, which can subsequently help to make health systems responsive to maternal mental health conditions.

Source: UG
Conclusion

Review books or articles provide a critical and constructive analysis of existing published literature in a field, through summary, analysis, and comparison, often identifying specific gaps or problems and providing recommendations for future research. These are considered as secondary literature since they generally do not present new data from the author's experimental work. Review articles can be of three types, broadly speaking: literature reviews, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses. It also the researcher to stay abreast of new literature in the field.

Source: UG
Conclusion

Random or non-informative censoring is when each subject has a censoring time that is statistically independent of their failure times. The classical approach is considered for estimating the Weibull distribution parameters with non-informative censored samples which occur most often in medical and biological study. We have also considered the Bayesian methods via gamma priors with asymmetric (general entropy) loss function and symmetric (squared error) loss function. A simulation study is carried out to assess the performances of the methods using mean squared errors and absolute biases. Two sets of data have been analysed for the purpose of illustration.

Source: UG
Conclusion: The Future of Ghana’s Petroleum Industry

In recapping the central ethos of this book—which is about examining the lessons from ten years of oil and gas production in Ghana—it is pertinent to go back to the near-epiphanic statement made by Ghana’s Former President, John Agyekum Kufuor, at the formal announcement of the first commercial oil discovery in the country on 19 June 2007. President Kufuor famously remarked.

Source: UG
Concurrent administration of aqueous extract of Cryptolepis sanguinolenta reduces the effectiveness of Artesunate against Plasmodium berghei in rats

Concurrent administration of aqueous extract of C. sanguinolenta was earlier reported to alter the pharmacokinetics of artesunate consequently resulting in an increase in the clearance rate, which could cause sub-therapeutic levels of dihydroartemisinin of artesunate leading to reduced efficacy. In the present study, the effect of aqueous extract of C. sanguinolenta (Cryp) on the effectiveness of artesunate (Art) against Plasmodium berghei in male Sprague-Dawley rats was investigated. Twenty (20) female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four (4) treatment groups (1 to 4). Groups 2 (Cryp) and 3 (Cryp/Art) served as test groups, which were pretreated with aqueous extract of C. sanguinolenta for two weeks whilst groups 1 (no drug) and 4 (Art) served as negative and positive controls, respectively and were given water. The rats were inoculated with P. berghei after the two weeks pretreatment period and were either not treated (no drug) or treated with artesunate (Art) or C. sanguinolenta (Cryp and Cryp/Art) 2 days post-inoculation. Parasitemia and chemosuppression were then determined in 4 and 6-day suppressive tests. The parasitemia in group 3 rats (Cryp/Art) was significantly (p < 0.05) higher (270%) than in group 4 (Art) on day 8. Consequently, the chemosuppression of artesunate only group was significantly (p < 0.05) higher (133%) than that of the concurrently administered Cryp/Art group. The findings show that concurrent usage of C. sanguinolenta and artesunate reduces the effectiveness of artesunate as an antimalarial. Therefore, patients should be advised on the implication of the practice of taking C. sanguinolenta and artesunate concurrently. © 2014 Augustine Ocloo et al.

Source: UG
Concurrent Micronutrient Deficiencies Are Low and Micronutrient Status Is Not Related to Common Health Indicators in Ghanaian Women Expecting to Become Pregnant

Background Micronutrients are important for reproductive health and pregnancy, but the status of multiple vitamins and minerals is rarely measured in women before pregnancy. Objectives We aimed to assess the status and concurrent deficiencies of micronutrients among women before pregnancy and their relation with common health indicators. Methods This was a cross-sectional study that recruited women who expected to become pregnant within the next 6 mo in Asesewa, Ghana, a semi-urban community. Women self-reported demographics and health history. We measured blood pressure, height, and weight and conducted a blood draw and hemoglobin assessment (n = 98). We measured serum/plasma concentrations of ferritin, iron, total iron binding capacity, zinc, copper, retinol, and 25-hydroxyvitamin D, in addition to markers of inflammation. We used established cutoffs for deficiency and insufficiency/low status for each micronutrient after adjusting ferritin, zinc, and retinol for inflammation. We compared biomarker distributions by common health indicators. Results Forty percent of women had overweight/obesity, 33% were anemic, and 23% had elevated blood pressure. Overall, 27% had ≥1 deficiencies, whereas only 4% had 2 deficiencies. Fifty-eight percent of women had ≥1 insufficiencies and 18% had ≥2 insufficiencies. Prevalence of individual deficiencies was 12%, 7%, 7%, 4%, and 0% and prevalence of individual insufficiencies was 18%, 12%, 29%, 13%, and 13% for iron, copper, vitamin A, zinc, and vitamin D, respectively. Iron biomarkers and retinol concentrations differed by anemia status, and copper was higher in those with elevated blood pressure. Micronutrient concentrations were not associated with self-reported medical history (parity or history of anemia, malaria, or night blindness). Conclusions In Asesewa, Ghana, there was a relatively low prevalence of individual micronutrient deficiencies, but the majority of women were insufficient in ≥1 micronutrients. Iron and vitamin A status was lower in those with anemia, but otherwise, micronutrient status did not relate to common health markers.

Source: UG
Concurrent Schistosoma mansoni and Schistosoma haematobium infections in a peri-urban community along the Weija dam in Ghana: A wake up call for effective National Control Programme

The Department of Parasitology conducts research into parasitic diseases of public health importance with the overall goal of reducing their transmission and the heavy disease burden that they impose on affected populations. The Department maintains focus on parasitic diseases in general. These include major diseases such as malaria, and others listed under the Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) control initiative such as, lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiasis, trypanosomiasis and leishmaniasis.

Source: UG
Concurrently wasted and stunted 6-59 months children admitted to the outpatient therapeutic feeding programme in Karamoja, Uganda: Prevalence, characteristics, treatment outcomes and response

This study assessed the prevalence of concurrently wasted and stunted (WaSt) children, their characteristics, treatment outcomes and response; and factors associated with time to recovery among children aged 6–59 months admitted to Outpatient Therapeutic Care (OTC) in Karamoja, Uganda. We conducted a retrospective cohort study with data from January 2016 to October 2017 for children admitted to nine OTCs in Karamoja. We defined wasted, stunted and underweight as 2.0 Z-scores below the median per WHO growth standards and < 12.5 cm for low Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC). WaSt was defined as concurrently wasted and stunted. Out of 788 eligible children included in the analysis; 48.7% (95% CI; 45.2–52.2) had WaSt. WaSt was common among males; 56.3% (95% CI; 51.3–61.3). Median age was 18 months in WaSt versus 12 months in non-WaSt children (p < 0.001). All WaSt children were underweight; and more severely wasted than non-WaSt children. During recovery, WaSt children gained weight more rapidly than non-WaSt children (2.2g/kg/day vs. 1.7g/kg/day). WaSt children had lower recovery rate (58.0% vs. 65.4%; p = 0.037). The difference in median time of recovery between WaSt and non-WaSt children (63 days vs. 56 days; p = 0.465) was not significant. Factors associated with time to recovery were children aged 24–59 months (aHR = 1.30; 95% CI;1.07–1.57;), children with MUAC 10.5–11.4 cm (aHR = 2.03; 95% CI; 1.55–2.66), MUAC ≥ 11.5 cm at admission (aHR = 3.31; 95% CI; 2.17–5.02) and living in Moroto (aHR = 3.34; 95% CI; 2.60–4.30) and Nakapiripirit (aHR = 1.95; 95% CI; 1.51–2.53) districts. The magnitude of children with WaSt in OTC shows that existing therapeutic feeding protocols could be used to detect and treat WaSt children. Further research is needed to identify and address the factors associated with sub-optimal recovery in WaSt children for effective OTC programming in Karamoja.

Source: UG
Conditional dynamic forecast of electrical energy consumption requirements in Ghana by 2020: A comparison of ARDL and PAM

The frequent power outages which characterises Ghana's electricity sector have raised serious concerns among policy makers and stakeholders. The causes of this problem have been cited as growing demand and inadequate investment. The objective of this study, therefore, was to identify the factors that affect aggregate electricity demand in Ghana both in the short and long-run as a guide for demand-side management based on two econometric approaches-ARDL and PAM. Also predictions of aggregate electricity demand based on these econometric methods were obtained to guide investment decisions in the electricity sector. The result revealed that the positive output, urbanisation, and income effects more than offset the negative efficiency effects leading to growth in electricity consumption both in the short-run and long-run. The result further establishes the superiority of the ARDL approach to forecasting over the Partial adjustment approach to forecasting. For all three scenarios, future domestic consumption levels of electrical energy are predicted to increase ad infinitum from 2012 to 2020. Specifically electricity demand is estimated to fall within 20,453 and 34,867 GWh by the year 2020 for all three scenarios. This requires huge capital investments in additional plant capacity. © 2012.

Source: UG
The Conditionality of Norms: The Case of Bridewealth

Social norms are rules that prescribe and proscribe behavior. The application of norms is conditional. But scholars have little systematic understanding of the factors that affect conditionality. The authors argue that understanding norms requires assessing the costs and benefits of focal and nonfocal behaviors for norm targets, beneficiaries, and enforcers. The authors develop hypotheses about two combinations of these factors; they hypothesize that 1) costs to the norm target of complying with the norm, and 2) behavior by the norm beneficiary that hurts the norm target, weaken the norm. The authors use a vignette experiment to test these hypotheses in the context of bridewealth norms in Africa. The results are consistent with the predictions. The study contributes to the literature on norms by suggesting a systematic approach to understanding norm conditionality.

Source: UG