ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Quality of uncomplicated malaria case Management in Ghana among Insured and Uninsured Patients

Introduction The National Health Insurance Act, 2003 (Act 650) established the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in Ghana with the aim of increasing access to health care and improving the quality of basic health care services for all citizens. The main objective is to assess the effect of health insurance on the quality of case management for patients with uncomplicated malaria, ascertaining any significant differences in treatment between insured and non-insured patients. Method A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 523 respondents diagnosed with malaria and prescribed malaria drugs from public and private health facilities in 3 districts across Ghana’s three ecological zones. Collected information included initial examinations performed on patients (temperature, weight, age, blood pressure and pulse); observations of malaria symptoms by trained staff, laboratory tests conducted and type of drugs prescribed. Insurance status of patients, age, gender, education level and occupation were asked in the interviews. Results Of the 523 patients interviewed, only 40 (8%) were uninsured. Routine recording of the patients’ age, weight, and temperature was high in all the facilities. In general, assessments needed to identify suspected malaria were low in all the facilities with hot body/fever and headache ranking the highest and convulsion ranking the lowest. Parasitological assessments in all the facilities were also very low. All patients interviewed were prescribed ACTs which is in adherence to the drug of choice for malaria treatment in Ghana. However, there were no significant differences in the quality of malaria treatment given to the uninsured and insured patients. Conclusion Adherence to the standard protocol of malaria treatment is low. This is especially the case for parasitological confirmation of all suspected malaria patients before treatment with an antimalarial as currently recommended for the effective management of malaria in the country. The results show that about 16 percent of total sample were parasitologically tested. Effective management of the disease demands proper diagnosis and treatment and therefore facilities need to be adequately supplied with RDTs or be equipped with well functioning laboratories to provide adequate testing.

Source: UG
Quality of working life and commitment amongst employees in public organisations in Ghana: Does job involvement matter?

This study tested a mediation model of job involvement to predict organisational commitment from quality of work life A total of 137 workers employed in two public organisations participated in the study (males = 52 6%, females = 47 4%, junior staff = 67 9%, senior staff = 32 1%, age range 24 to 53 years) Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was computed on the data to model the effects of job involvement on organisational commitment taking into account quality of work life The results indicated job involvement partially mediated the relationship between quality of worklife and organisational commitment (β = 0 242, t(134) = 4 475, p = 0 05) Thus job involvement is important to employee commitment and should be targeted for intervention support in work organisations © 2015 Africa Scholarship Development Enterprize.

Source: UG
Quality versus quantity: The use of observation by early childhood educators in improving the performance of children enrolled in preschool programs in ghana

In the current study, the authors explored how early childhood educators used observation to support children in the learning environment. The objectives set were to find out the observation methods teachers used, ascertain their understanding of child observation, find out activities children undertook, and how teachers documented what children did and said during play activities. A qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual design, using in-depth interviews, focus group discussion and photography, was considered appropriate for this research. Three main themes emerged in this study: Teachers or Playmates?, Observation as in Supervision, and Observation or Resources? The results of the study revealed that supervision of activities that children engaged in was equated to observation. Lack of observational skills, resources, and poor record keeping emerged as areas of concern. Implications for child development are rooted in the need for teachers to recognize the educational needs of children via observation and to develop appropriate strategies to address identified needs.

Source: UG
Quantification of neonicotinoid insecticide residues in soils from cocoa plantations using a QuEChERS extraction procedure and LC-MS/MS

The use of neonicotinoids as an insecticide group in Ghana has been quite significant particularly in cocoa production. The high usage has been mainly as a result of a government policy of free insecticide spraying on cocoa farms, in an effort to curb declining yields caused by pests and diseases and to prevent the use of unapproved or banned insecticides on cocoa farms. However the scale of cocoa farming, the frequency and intensity of usage coupled with the mode of application may result in large physical volumes of insecticides in the environment. This makes the knowledge of the concentration and fate of neonicotinoids in the environment extremely important. The present study was aimed at assessing the levels of five major neonicotinoids in soils from cocoa farmlands in Ghana. Extraction and cleanup of analytes were performed by use of a method based on the original QuEChERS procedure after optimizing salts, sorbents and instrumental conditions. Analyte extraction with NaCl and MgSO4 in acidified acetonitrile followed by cleanup with primary secondary amine (PSA) presented the optimum conditions for extraction. Quantification was performed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) with electrospray ionization (ESI). Validation of the procedure showed average recoveries ranging from 72.0 to 104.8% for all analytes at all fortification levels with relative standard deviation (RSD)≤15.0. Limits of quantitation were&lt;10μgkg-1 for all neonicotinoids studied. The results obtained from the analysis of 52 samples from cocoa farms revealed imidacloprid as the predominant neonicotinoid with concentrations ranging from 4.3 to 251.4μgkg-1 in&gt;50% of samples analyzed. © 2014 Elsevier B.V.

Source: UG
Quantifying quality: The impact of measures of school quality on children’s academic achievement across diverse societies

Recent decades have seen a rapid acceleration in global participation in formal education, due to worldwide initiatives aimed at providing school access to all children. Research in high-income countries has shown that school quality indicators have a significant, positive impact on numeracy and literacy—skills required to participate in the increasingly globalized economy. Schools vary enormously in kind, resources, and teacher training around the world, however, and the validity of using diverse school quality measures in populations with diverse educational profiles remains unclear. First, we assessed whether children’s numeracy and literacy performance across populations improves with age as evidence of general school-related learning effects. Next, we examined whether several school quality measures related to classroom experience and composition and to educational resources were correlated with one another. Finally, we examined whether they were associated with children’s (4–12-year-olds, N = 889) numeracy and literacy performance in 10 culturally and geographically diverse populations, which vary in historical engagement with formal schooling. Across populations, age was a strong positive predictor of academic achievement. Measures related to classroom experience and composition were correlated with one another, as were measures of access to educational resources, classroom experience and composition. The number of teachers per class and access to writing materials were key predictors of numeracy and literacy, while the number of students per classroom, often linked to academic achievement, was not. We discuss these results in the context of maximising children’s learning environments and highlight study limitations to motivate future research.

Source: UG
Quantifying quality: The impact of measures of school quality on children’s academic achievement across diverse societies

Recent decades have seen a rapid acceleration in global participation in formal edu cation, due to worldwide initiatives aimed to provide school access to all children. Research in high income countries has shown that school quality indicators have a significant, positive impact on numeracy and literacy—skills required to participate in the increasingly globalized economy. Schools vary enormously in kind, resources, and teacher training around the world, however, and the validity of using diverse school quality measures in populations with diverse educational profiles remains unclear. First, we assessed whether children’s numeracy and literacy performance across popu lations improves with age, as evidence of general school-related learning effects. Next, we examined whether several school quality measures related to classroom experi ence and composition, and to educational resources, were correlated with one another. Finally, we examined whether they were associated with children’s (4–12-year-olds, N = 889) numeracy and literacy performance in 10 culturally and geographically diverse populations which vary in historical engagement with formal schooling. Across populations, age was a strong positive predictor of academic achievement. Measures related to classroom experience and composition were correlated with one another, as were measures of access to educational resources and classroom experience and composition. The number of teachers per class and access to writing materials were key predictors of numeracy and literacy, while the number of students per classroom, often linked to academic achievement, was not. We discuss these results in the con text of maximising children’s learning environments and highlight study limitations to motivate future research

Source: UG
Quantifying root-induced soil strength, measured as soil penetration resistance, from different crop plants and soil types

ABSTRACT A common soil mechanical property for assessing soil strength is soil penetration resistance (PR) or soil cone index (CI), which is related to the undrained shear strength of saturated and cohesive soil. Plant roots can in crease soil strength, but physical conditions may confound this. Pot experiments were conducted using 70 cm soil columns, three soil types (beach sand, erosion-prone soil, and two typical arable soils), and four crop plants (maize, sorghum, Napier, and vetiver grass). We tested the hypothesis that plant roots impact soil strength, measured as soil PR, and the induced soil strength differs based on plant species. The CI and root system ar chitecture (RSA) traits were measured. Napier grass grown in arable soils recorded higher total biomass. Together with maize, Napier grass had a more significant root length density, particularly at 25–40 cm depth. The CI increased with increasing depth, with a 57–99% increase in CI in the bottom layer compared to the top layer of the soil column. The overall CI of soils grown to Napier grass (2.0 and 2.3 MPa) and maize (1.7 and 2.2 MPa) were similar, but both were higher than the soils cultivated with the other crop plants and unplanted control. The overall CI of the SEA sand of ~2.0 MPa was 36%, higher than that for the arable soils. Soil moisture content did not significantly increase CI, but the interaction of soil bulk density and root system traits could be implicated in increased CI of root-permeated soils. It is concluded that (i) roots growing in arable soils can in crease CI and hence soil strength, possibly due to the binding effect of root systems, even when the transpiration effect of plants on soil moisture is low; (ii) crop plants contribute differently to soil strength, and (iii) Napier grass could offer a rapid growth and establishment option when considering plants for soil reinforcement and stability.

Source: UG
Quantifying the Dynamic Factors Influencing New-Age Users’ Adoption of 5G Using TAM and UTAUT Models in Emerging Country: A Multistage PLS-SEM Approach

Objectives. The 5G has ushered in a new age of life-changing breakthroughs and advancements due to faster speeds, greater bandwidth, and ultra-high expectancy. The study proposes a multistage approach for quantifying the dynamic factors affecting users’ adoption of 5G in emerging countries. Method. This study integrated the technology acceptance model (TAM) and unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) to recommend a comprehensive model that the industry–academia can adopt. In the proposed model, various core hypotheses and subhypotheses were tested by employing 510 5G users of the metro cities of India. An online questionnaire was used to collect the facts, and the data were framed in the conceptual model to test the validation using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Results. The findings suggest that users’ perceptions of adopting 5G are overwhelming in that perceived trust was discovered as a mediating enabler between behavioral intention (BI) and selected manifest. Performance expectancy (PE), effort expectancy (EE), social factors (SF), facilitating factors (FF), hedonic motivation (HM), perceived benefits (PB), price value (PV), and habit (HB). Contribution. By identifying key enablers in the suggested model, service providers may better evaluate these aspects, particularly in ensuring reliable infrastructure for 5G service stands. The study is undoubtedly a novel attempt to assist the telecom industry and policymakers in accelerating the adoption of 5G in emerging economies of Asian continents.

Source: UG
Quantifying the impacts of expanding social protection on efficiency and equity: Evidence from a behavioral microsimulation model for Ghana

A large informal sector is a challenge for developing countries building up social protection systems. Expanding social safety nets reduces poverty, but financing them can increase the tax burden, potentially reducing availability of formal sector jobs. This paper quantifies impacts on income distribution and efficiency of expanding developing countries’ social protection. Results from a new tax-benefit microsimulation model for Ghana are combined with the extensive margin elasticity of the share of formal work with respect to the tax wedge on formal labour. Estimated formality elasticity is modest but statistically significant; therefore the distributional gains of expanding cash-transfer programmes are considerable, even taking into account behavioural impacts.

Source: UG
Quantifying the impacts of expanding social protection on efficiency and equity: Evidence from a behavioural microsimulation model for Ghana

A large informal sector is a challenge for developing countries building up social protection systems. Expanding social safety nets reduces poverty, but financing them can increase the tax burden, potentially reducing availability of formal sector jobs. This paper quantifies impacts on income distribution and efficiency of expanding developing countries’ social protection. Results from a new tax-benefit microsimulation model for Ghana are combined with the extensive margin elasticity of the share of formal work with respect to the tax wedge on formal labour. Estimated formality elasticity is modest but statistically significant; therefore the distributional gains of expanding cash-transfer programmes are considerable, even taking into account behavioural impacts.

Source: UG
Quantifying the validity of routine neonatal healthcare data in the Greater Accra Region, Ghana

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

Source: UG
Quantile Dependence And Asymmetric Connectedness Between Global Financial Market Stress And REIT Returns: Evidence From The COVID-19 Pandemic

Using daily data for the financial stress index of the US and real estate investment trusts (REITs), returns from February 2, 2020, to January 20, 2022, we investigate the frequency-dependent and asymmetric connectedness between global financial market stress and REIT returns for the top 12 REIT regimes in America, Europe, and Asia. We use a novel asymmetric, noise-reducing-domain EEMD-based quantile connectedness and quantile-on-quantile regression techniques and the quantile vector autoregression (QVAR) connectedness approach. The findings reveal that at the upper-quantile financial market stress is a major risk transmitter, transmitting risk towards Germany, France, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the UK, and Canada. The findings of the study explicate the pivotal role of financial soundness in the housing market, which is one of the main drivers of the economy. Investors and market participants should observe the conditional state of market dynamics and its associated policies for risk management and diversification strategies in real estate investment.

Source: UG
Quantile risk spillovers between energy and agricultural commodity markets: Evidence from pre and during COVID-19 outbreak

The spillover effect is a significant factor impacting the volatility of commodity prices. Unlike earlier studies, this research uses the rolling window-based Quantile VAR (QVAR) model to describe conditional volatility spillover between energy, biofuel and agricultural commodity markets. Since the magnitude of connectedness and spillover effects may switch between bearish and bullish market states over time, a QVAR model is a relatively realistic and appropriate approach to capture connectedness as compared to the mean-based approaches of Diebold and Yilmaz (DY; 2009, 2012, & 2014), which are mostly used in the literature. To this end, we employ volatility estimates by using the realized variance advanced by Parkinson (1980). Specifically, we investigate the time-varying volatility spillovers and connectedness among agricultural markets (wheat, corn, sugar, soyabean, coffee, and cotton), energy markets (gasoline, crude oil, and natural gas) and biofuel (ethanol) markets from January 12, 2012, to May 10, 2021. By comparing our empirical analysis with results from the DY spillover model, we establish that connectedness is stronger in the left and right quantiles than those in the mean and median of the conditional distribution, emphasizing the importance of systematic risk spillovers during extreme market movements. Furthermore, results find that volatility spillovers and connectedness in the right tail is higher than in the left tail. In particular, we document significant volatility spillovers from agricultural markets to energy markets during extreme markets conditions and observe the dominance of agricultural markets over energy markets. To ascertain the impact of COVID-19 on the volatility of markets examined, we divide our sample into sub-samples and observe significant variation in the level of volatility spillovers and connectedness across the markets before and during the outbreak of COVID-19. Finally, some useful implications are summarized for investors’ portfolios and risk avoidance.

Source: UG
Quantile time–frequency price connectedness between green bond, green equity, sustainable investments and clean energy markets

In this study, we propose a novel quantile frequency connectedness approach that enables the investigation of propagation mechanisms by virtue of quantile and frequency. This approach allows for the analysis of connectedness measures considering either different frequencies for a given quantile or different quantiles for a given frequency. We investigate dynamic integration and return transmission among a set of four well-established environmental financial indices, namely the S&P Green Bond Index, MSCI Global Environment, Dow Jones Sustainability Index World and S&P Global Clean Energy over the period from November 28th, 2008 to January 12th, 2022. S&P Green Bond Index and S&P Global Clean Energy appear to be both short-term and long-term net receivers of shocks, while MSCI Global Environment and Dow Jones Sustainability Index The world is both a short-term and long-term transmitters of shocks. We also find that total connectedness indices (TCIs) are heterogeneous over time and economic event-dependent. Furthermore, while the time-domain TCI is rather symmetric across quantiles; this is not the case for either the short-run or the long-run TCI.

Source: UG
Quantitative Analysis of Shoreline Change Using Medium Resolution Satellite Imagery in Keta, Ghana

Shoreline change analysis provides important information upon which most coastal zone management and intervention policies rely. Such information is however mostly scarce for large and inaccessible shorelines largely due to expensive field work. This study investigated the reliability of medium resolution satellite imagery for mapping shoreline positions and for estimating historic rate of change. Both manual and semi-automatic shoreline extraction methods for multi-spectral satellite imageries were explored. Five shoreline positions were extracted for 1986, 1991, 2001, 2007 and 2011 covering a medium term of 25 years period. Rates of change statistics were calculated using the End Point Rate and Weighted Linear Regression methods. Approximately 283 transects were cast at simple right angles along the entire coast at 200m interval. Uncertainties were quantified for the shorelines ranging from ±4.1m to ±5.5m. The results show that the Keta shoreline is a highly dynamic feature with average rate of erosion estimated to be about 2m/year ±0.44m. Individual rates along some transect reach as high as 16m/year near the estuary and on the east of the Keta Sea Defence site. The study con-firms earlier rates of erosion calculated for the area and also reveal the influence of the Keta Sea Defence Project on erosion along the eastern coast of Ghana. The research shows that shoreline change can be estimated using medium resolution satellite imagery

Source: UG
Quantitative assessment of phytochemicals in chickpea beverages using NIR spectroscopy

The prospects of near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy combined with effective variable selection algorithms for quantifying phytochemical compounds in chickpea beverages were investigated in this study. As reference measurement analysis, the phytochemicals were extracted and identified via high-performance liquid chroma tography. Multivariate algorithms were then applied, analyzed, and evaluated using correlation coefficients of validation set (Rp), root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP), and residual predictive deviations (RPDs). Accordingly, the competitive adaptive reweighted sampling-partial least squares (CARS-PLS) model achieved superior performance for biochanin A (Rp = 0.933, RPD = 3.63), chlorogenic acid (Rp = 0.928, RPD = 3.52), p coumaric acid (Rp = 0.900, RPD = 2.37), and stigmasterol (Rp = 0.932, RPD = 3.15), respectively. Hence, this study demonstrated that NIR spectroscopy paired with CARS-PLS could be used for nondestructive quantitative prediction of phytochemicals in chickpea beverages during manufacture and storage.

Source: UG
Quantitative evaluation of integrated schistosomiasis control: The example of passive case finding in Ghana

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

Source: UG