ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Determinants of dividend payout ratios in Ghana

Purpose – This study seeks to examine the determinants of dividend payout ratios of listed companies in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach – The analyses are performed using data derived from the financial statements of firms listed on the Ghana Stock Exchange during a six-year period. Ordinary Least Squares model is used to estimate the regression equation. Institutional holding is used as a proxy for agency cost. Growth in sales and market-to-book value are also used as proxies for investment opportunities. Findings – The results show positive relationships between dividend payout ratios and profitability, cash flow, and tax. The results also show negative associations between dividend payout and risk, institutional holding, growth and market-to-book value. However, the significant variables in the results are profitability, cash flow, sale growth and market-to-book value. Originality/value – The main value of this study is the identification of the factors that influence the dividend payout policy decisions of listed firms in Ghana. © 2006, © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Source: UG
Determinants of e-learning adoption among students of developing countries

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the determinants of e-learning adoption (ELA) among students in the University of Ghana. Design/methodology/approach – A quantitative research approach comprising of a survey of 337 students was adopted. Data were collected using questionnaires designed in conjunction with 13 factors (computer self-efficacy (CSE), perceived ease of use (PEOU), perceived usefulness (PU) and attitude towards use (ATTU)) in the conceptual model of the study. Data analysis was conducted using structural equation modelling. Findings – The result revealed that PU and ATTU had a direct effect on ELA whilst, PU and PEOU also had a direct relationship on ATTU. Other variables such as CSE and PEOU had an indirect relationship on ELA though they were found to have an insignificant direct relationship on ELA. Practical implications – The level of significance of each construct identified in the study provide practical guidance to school administrators and instructors as to which factors to pay close attention to when implementing e-learning projects within their respective institutions. Originality/value – This study provides insight into ELA from the students’ perspective, through an extension of the TAM model in a developing country context given the existence of cultural differences and societal idiosyncrasies which exist in different contexts, particularly in Africa.

Source: UG
Determinants of enrolment in the NHIS for women in Ghana – a cross sectional study

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
Determinants of Essential Newborn Care Practices among Postnatal Women in Bawku Municipality

Globally, an estimated 2.7 million deaths, approximately 45% of under-five deaths occurred in the neonatal period in 2015. This trend led to the inability of many countries to achieve the Millennium Development Goal four (MDG 4) by 2015; hence the introduction of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Many studies have concluded that poor newborn care accounts for high levels of newborn deaths in low-middle income countries. This study therefore investigated the determinants of Essential Newborn Care (ENC) practices among postnatal women in Bawku Municipality. A cross sectional study design was employed using multistage sampling technique to select 407 participants. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), version 20 was used for data analysis. Generally, knowledge of postnatal women on ENC was high (Mean = 33.78, SD = 5.32) and had a statistically significant correlation with age (r = .306, p > .001) and parity (r = .582, p > .001). A greater proportion of the respondents practiced safe cord care (69.7%) and good breastfeeding practice (77.4%). However, the practice of good thermal care was exceptionally low (22.3%). Mothers‟ level of education and place of delivery were significantly associated with all recommended newborn care practices. Level of education, ethnicity and place of delivery significantly predicted safe cord care; whereas good breastfeeding was predicted by place of delivery and knowledge on good breastfeeding. On the other hand, the significant predictors of good thermal care were mothers‟ level of education, place of delivery, ethnicity and socioeconomic class. These findings suggest that a substantial number of newborns still receive harmful newborn care practices which are determined by several factors. Therefore, the Ministry of Health (MOH) should take meticulous efforts to improve the uptake of recommended newborn care practices among postnatal women at the community level.

Source: UG
Determinants of Farmland Tenure Security in Ghana

Applications of the neo-classical land tenure security hypotheses in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) have largely failed to establish meaningful links between land tenure security and the rather axiomatic outcomes of improved access to finance and farmland productivity. While some authors blame the phenomenon on structural and institutional bottlenecks, others stress the need for changes in methodological approaches. We argue that since farmlands under continuous cultivation are hardly appropriated under SSA’s predominantly customary land tenure regimes, a tenure insecure farmer would, instead of fallowing, continue to cultivate his land while secure right holders may decide to leave their lands idle without fear of appropriation. The main objective of this paper is to highlight alternative measures and indicators of land tenure security within the context of Ghana's diverse land holding and use arrangements. The convention has been to equate land tenure security to individualisation and formal land titling. Some have argued that individualisation and formal land titling may exclude other social and cultural factors that influence land tenure security. The paper has proposed a two-stage measure of tenure security based on the premise of non-loss of lands under cultivation and proceeded to test the hypothesis using data from four agro-ecological zones of Ghana. The results show that many factors often thought to improve land tenure security such as land titling, being native to an area, cultivating perennials, and boundary demarcation, among others had a positive significant effect on the decision to leave land idle and the period of time lands could be left without loss of rights. The paper concludes that narrow definitions of tenure security as formal documentation of land ignore s context specific factors such as ancestry and household wealth that affect tenure. Our paper recommends flags the need for innovative approaches in the operationalisation of land tenure security, especially in jurisdictions with pluralistic land tenure systems such as Ghana.

Source: UG
Determinants of financial governance practices: Evidence from NGOs in ghana

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore financial governance as practiced by NGOs in Ghana and further examines the determinants of the financial governance structures of the NGOs. The study specifically investigates which organizational-level characteristics exhibit any link whatsoever with governance as it relates to budget preparation, budget execution and internal controls and budget monitoring. Design/methodology/approach – Using a questionnaire to conduct the survey, a cross-sectional regression analysis was executed. Findings – The findings of the study indicate that the most positively influential factor in explaining an NGO’s adoption of a governance framework is its size. The other variables, organizational age and independence, are not significant across all three financial governance proxies and when they prove significant, the effect is negative. Originality/value – The findings hold important policy implications and especially so for countries that attract significant funding via relatively small-sized NGOs.

Source: UG
Determinants of Going Concern in the Banking Sector: Evidence from Ghana and Nigeria

Going concern of entity is of much concern to stakeholders, especially investors of financial institutions since the failure of financial institutions affects a wide range of sectors. The study sought to develop a model to predict going concern of financial institutions. The data were collected from the financial statements of selected banks in Ghana and Nigeria. The binary logistic regression model was employed as the data analysis technique. The model used financial ratios as predictors of going concern. The result revealed that working capital and earnings before interest and tax on total assets are crucial financial predictors for going concern in financial institutions. The implication is that management should maintain adequate working capital and improve upon its earning capacity to sustain the operations of financial institutions.

Source: UG
Determinants of health facility delivery among young mothers in Ghana; insights from the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey

Background: Globally, young women deliver at home, often under unhygienic conditions and without skilled birth attendants. This study identifed the determinants of health facility delivery among young mothers in Ghana. Methods: We analysed secondary data from the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey, which collected data across the former ten administrative regions of Ghana. This study analysed data from the ‘women fle’ by adjusting for the sample weight. STATA/SE version 16 was employed to analyse the data by computing descriptive statistics, Chi square, and Binary Logistic Regression. Results: Seven in ten young mothers gave birth in a health facility. Young mothers who had secondary school education were over three-fold more likely to deliver in a health facility (AOR=3.5, 95% CI: 1.33–9.23) compared with young mothers with no formal education. Young mothers who resided in rural areas had lower odds (73%) of deliver‑ ing in a health facility (AOR=0.27; 95% CI: 0.14–0.514) compared with those in urban areas. Young mothers within the richest wealth quintile also had higher odds (8 times) of delivering in a health facility (AOR=8.24; 95% CI: 0.95–71.77) compared with those within the poorest wealth quintile. Young mothers who obtained four to seven antenatal visits (AOR=0.53; 95% CI: 0.27–1.03) had lower odds of delivering in a health facility compared with those who obtained eight or more antenatal visits. Conclusion: The majority of young mothers in Ghana gave birth in a health facility. The likelihood of delivering in a health facility was infuenced by socio-demographic factors, economic factors and utilization of antenatal care ser‑ vices. Therefore, interventions aimed at increasing utilization of skilled delivery among young women should focus on promoting girl child education, economic status and antenatal care visits

Source: UG
Determinants of health insurance enrolment in Ghana: Evidence from three national household surveys

In 2003, Ghana implemented a National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to move towards Universal Health Coverage. NHIS enrolment is mandatory for all Ghanaians, but the most recent estimates show that coverage stands under 40%. The evidence on the relationship between socio-economic characteristics and NHIS enrolment is mixed, and comes mainly from studies conducted in a few areas. Therefore, in this study we investigate the socio-economic determinants of NHIS enrolment using three recent national household surveys. We used data from the Ghanaian Demographic and Health Survey conducted in 2014, the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey conducted in 2011 and the sixth wave of the Ghana Living Standard Survey conducted in 2012–13. Given the multilevel nature of the three databases, we use multilevel logistic regression models to estimate the probability of enrolment for women and men separately. We used three levels of analysis: geographical clusters, household and individual units. We found that education, wealth, marital status—and to some extent— age were positively associated with enrolment. Furthermore, we found that enrolment was correlated with the type of occupation. The analyses of three national household surveys highlight the challenges of understanding the complex dynamics of factors contributing to low NHIS enrolment rates. The results indicate that current policies aimed at identifying and subsidizing underprivileged population groups might insufficiently encourage health insurance enrolment

Source: UG
Determinants of health literacy among older adults in Saboba district in Ghana: a cross sectional study

Background Patient health literacy (HL) is increasingly recognized as a critical factor affecting healthcare outcomes. People with inadequate or limited health literacy are more likely to misunderstand their disease and treatment, which subsequently leads to incorrect use of medications or failure to follow prescribed treatment regimens, resulting in poor outcomes. Therefore, this study assessed the level of health literacy, and the factors associated with health literacy among older adults in Saboba District in the northern region of Ghana. Method An analytical quantitative cross-sectional design was used. The study participants (420) were selected through a multistage sampling technique. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed with Stata Version 16.0. An adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was reported to indicate the presence of statistically significant factors associated with older adults’ health literacy. Variables with p values less than 0.05 were considered significant. Results The overall health literacy (HL) score was 15.34 ± 4.88. Among the health literacy domains, the healthcare HL domain had the highest mean score (16.78 ± 2.17), whereas the disease prevention HL domain had the lowest mean score (14.45 ± 4.38). Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that age, religion, and educational attainment were significant predictors of health literacy among elderly participants. Compared with those aged 65–69 years, participants aged 70–79 years presented a reduction in the general HL score of -0.87 units (95% CI: -1.54; -0.20, p = 0.011). Similarly, traditionalists had a -0.79-unit reduction in the HL score (95% CI: -1.47; -0.10, p = 0.024) compared with Christian participants. In contrast, significantly higher HL scores were observed among older adults with education levels of J.H.S. (β = 4.08, 95% CI: 2.87; 5.29), S.H.S. (β = 7.72, 95% CI: 5.90; 9.54), and tertiary (β = 10.79, 95% CI: 8.75; 9.54) than among those with no formal education. Conclusions The study found that overall health literacy levels among older adults in the Saboba district were suboptimal. Age, religious affiliation, and educational attainment were significant predictors of higher health literacy scores. These findings underscore the need for sustained, targeted interventions aimed at improving health literacy among older populations, particularly in underserved rural settings.

Source: UG
Determinants of health-seeking behaviour for schistosomiasis-related symptoms in the context of integrating schistosomiasis control within the regular health services in Ghana

Morbidity control of schistosomiasis through integration within existing health care delivery systems is considered a potentially sustainable and cost-effective approach. We conducted a questionnaire-based field study in a Ghanaian village endemic for both urinary and intestinal schistosomiasis to determine whether infected individuals self-reported to health centres or clinics and to identify factors that influenced their decision to seek health care. A total of 317 subjects were interviewed about having signs and symptoms suggestive of schistosomiasis: blood in urine, painful urination, blood in stool/bloody diarrhoea, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, swollen abdomen and fatigue within 1 month of the day of the interview. Fever (for malaria) was included as a disease of high debility for comparison. Around 70% with blood in urine or painful urination did not seek health care, whilst diarrhoea, blood in stool, abdominal pain and fever usually led to action (mainly self-medication, with allopathic drugs being used four to five times more often than herbal treatment). On average 20% of schistosomiasis-related signs and symptoms were reported to health facilities either as the first option or second and third alternative by some of those that self-medicated. A few of those who visited a clinic or health centre as first option still self-medicated afterwards. Children under 10 years and adults were more likely to seek health care than teenagers. Also, females were more likely to visit a health facility than males of the same age groups. Socio-economic status and duration of symptoms did not appear to affect health-seeking behaviour. 'Do not have the money' (43%) and 'Not serious enough' (41%) were the commonest reasons for not visiting a clinic, reported more frequently by lower and higher socio-economic classes, respectively, for both urinary or intestinal schistosomiasis. The regular health service shows some potential in passive control of schistosomiasis as some, but far too few, people visit a health facility as first or second option.

Source: UG
Determinants of Higher-Risk Sexual Behavior in Some Selected African Countries

Background. Although higher-risk sexual behavior (H-RSB) is a major contributor to the rapid rising rate of new HIV infections, there exists paucity of comprehensive evidence across the sub-Saharan African region. (e purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of H-RSB and its determinants across sub-Saharan Africa to inform policy. Method. Data were obtained from the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) of ten sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries with their three most current DHS surveys from 2000 to 2016. Only participants who ever had sexual encounters in their lifetime were included in the study. Weighted adjusted Cox regression with robust variance and constant time was used to investigate disparities of H-RSB among the ten SSA countries. Relationships between sociodemographic, socioeconomic, knowledge, mass media, and H-RSB were investigated. Results. (e trend and prevalence of higher-risk sexual behavior show that Lesotho experienced a decreasing trend of the prevalence of H-RSB from 8.92 in period one to 6.42 in period three. Ghana experienced a marginal increase from 6.22 in period one to 6.76 in period two and then to 6.43 in the third period. However, Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe obtained a marginal increasing trend in the prevalence of H-RSB from period one to three: 2.75 to 3.74, 4.33 to 6.24, and 6.11 to 7.99, respectively. Meanwhile, the prevalence of H-RSB in Namibia and Uganda decreased in period two to 1.84 and 5.76 but increased in period three to 2.01 and 6.83, respectively. Generally, determinants of H-RSB among the countries include age, sex, religious affiliation, marital status, educational level, employment status, economic status, age at first sex, and status of circumcision. Conclusion. Trend of relatively high prevalence of H-RSB has been found across majority of the countries with key sociodemographic factors influencing H-RSB. (erefore, different targeted interventional approaches are needed in all the countries to help reduce H-RSB and the overall HIV incidence. If issues regarding sexual behavior and sexual health are not addressed adequately, H-RSB can negate all the appreciable efforts aimed at ending the HIV pandemic by 2030.

Source: UG
Determinants of household expenditure on children's education in Egypt

This paper primarily examines the determinants of household expenditure on children's education using data extracted from the 2010/2011 Egyptian Household Income, Expenditure and Consumption Survey. Specifically, the paper focuses on the income effect and the effect of other household characteristics on the patterns of educational expenditure allocation among school-age children. Applying the ordinary least squares and the generalised method of moment estimation techniques, the paper finds that expenditure on children's education significantly increases with increasing of levels household income. Furthermore, the paper finds that household head's level of education has an increasingly positive and significant effect on expenditure on children's education, with households in which the heads have received at least college education spending the most on children's education. Based on the findings, the paper strongly recommends that children from households, which are less endowed with financial resources and human capital be given educational subsidy or scholarship. © 2014 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.

Source: UG
Determinants of Household-Level Food Storage Practices and Outcomes on Food Safety and Security in Accra, Ghana

Household-level food storage can help families save money, minimize food waste, and enhance food safety and security. Storing food within households may, however, be affected by domestic routines like food shopping and cooking. Therefore, it is essential to evaluate how consumers’ attitudes and behaviors influence food storage at the household level. This study aimed to assess the determinants of household-level food storage, ascertain consumers’ behavior and perception towards food storage, and assess the effect of household-level food storage on food safety, wastage, food expenditure and security. Dzorwulu and Jamestown, both located in Accra, Ghana, served as the study’s primary sites. The study employed a survey and structural equation modeling to evaluate key determinants of household-level food storage practices and their impacts. A semi-structured questionnaire was administered to 400 food household heads, sampled using systematic sampling procedure. The results showed that food shopping drives food storage. There was, however, a significant negative association (p < 0.001) between food shopping and time of food storage. Although cooking impedes household-level food storage; there was significant positive association (p < 0.001) between frequency of cooking and storage period of food commodities. The findings also revealed that household-level food storage promotes food safety, reduces food expenditure and waste, and contributes to enhancing food security by 43%. To promote household-level food storage and ensure food safety and security, future study should concentrate on enhancing conventional household-level food storage practices that are efficient, cheaper and easily implementable.

Source: UG
Determinants of income diversification of farm households in the Western Region of Ghana

This study assesses the determinants of income diversification of farm households in the Western Region of Ghana. A censored Tobit regression model was used to find the determinants of the degree of income diversification measured by the Simpsons Index of Diversity (SID). The results indicate that a total of 65% of households engage in non-farm income sources. The estimated Share of Non-farm Income (SNFI) - 29.05% in total household income and SID-0.338 were found to be low. Age, number of years of education, female headed households, household income per capita, number of extension visits, productive assets owned and nature of road were found to be significant in determining income diversification of farm households in the Western Region. Farm households require government and private sector support to increase the gains made in participating in various diversification strategies through policy, provision of public goods, capacity building in order to raise their living standards.

Source: UG