ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Needs assessment of polytechnic students in Ghana: The case of Ho Polytechnic

The main purpose of the study was to explore the major problems faced and the support received by students studying in Ho Polytechnic in Ghana. The descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. Years 2 and 3 students ofHo Polytechnic formed the population of the study. The number of students used for the study was 300. The instrument used for the study was a questionnaire. In selecting the students the stratified sampling and the simple random sampling procedures were used. Means, standard deviation, frequencies, percentages and t-test were employed in the data analyses. The study revealed that practical and vocational-career problems were the greatest problems faced by Polytechnic students followed by personal-social problems and then educational problems. The study also found that support for students in times of difficulties came from the informal network like family members, friends and spouses and that little support was sought from the formal network like Polytechnic counsellors, chaplains and lecturers. It was, therefore, recommended among others that government enacts an Act that will recognize guidance and counselling as an essential part of activities in the polytechnics; polytechnic administration should have a good perception of guidance and counselling; the polytechnic should provide more residential and classroom accommodation; medical facilities in the polytechnic should be improved and better recreational facilities should be provided in the polytechnic to improve students interpersonal skills.

Source: UCC
Needs Assessment of Guidance Services in Schools as a Method for Achieving Quality Education in Nigeria: An Exploration Study

The researchers conducted this study in order to establish a case for the use of needs assessment of guidance services as a means of achieving quality education in Nigeria. They contacted 84 professional counsellors in Ilorin, a typical Nigerian metropolis, in order to gather data on their perception of the importance of certain guidance services in secondary schools. They also determined the actual level of services rendered in schools. The instrument used for collecting the necessary data was titled “Guidance Service Rendered to Students Questionnaire” GUSRESQ. The findings indicated a need to use needs assessment of guidance services for obtaining higher levels in the quality of education. The findings also indicated that practicing counsellors perceive counselling service and information service as the most important.

Source: UCC
A needs-based approach for exploring vulnerability and response to disaster risk in rural communities in low income countries

Vulnerability assessment and reduction are now central to developing a holistic and integrated approach to disaster risk reduction, including mitigating the effects of a disaster. Pre-existing frameworks for mapping vulnerability and planning response to disasters do not completely fit the realities of rural communities in low income countries where most people informally organize their own livelihoods, resources, space, security and response to disasters according to their needs and capacities. Livelihood activities are undertaken to satisfy needs. Hence, understanding needs of people and communities in this context can help unravel vulnerability and response capacity to disaster risks. This paper therefore applied a needs-based approach to explore and analyze the vulnerability of two rural communities in northern Ghana to flood risk. A survey was done, using a semi-structured questionnaire, to collect data immediately after the flood in 2007. Based on ranking of needs, the results show that survival and security needs (mainly food, housing, education and reliable income) were dominant before and after the flood. During the flood, however, survival and empathic needs were more important. The results also show the disconnection between institutional frameworks for disaster management and the needs of the communities and, therefore, show a scope for policy and research in disaster management. However, in the context of sustainability, economic needs (dominated by income) were slightly greater than environmental needs (dominated by drainage, water and sanitation and relocation) which, in turn, were higher than social needs (dominated by health and education). Interestingly, most respondents indicated that a reliable source of income was a prerequisite for satisfying social needs in the short term and environmental needs in the long-term. It is concluded that the approach used in this research is simple, intuitive and easy to apply to map vulnerabilities to disaster risk across multiple scales. It is also easy to integrate into policy and management decisions about disaster risk reduction

Source: UCC
A needs-based approach for exploring vulnerability and response to disaster risk in rural communities in low-income countries

Vulnerability assessment and reduction are now central to developing a holistic and integrated approach to disaster risk reduction, including mitigating the effects of a disaster. Pre-existing frameworks for mapping vulnerability and planning response to disasters do not completely fit the realities of rural communities in low income countries where most people informally organize their own livelihoods, resources, space, security and response to disasters according to their needs and capacities. Livelihood activities are undertaken to satisfy needs. Hence, understanding needs of people and communities in this context can help unravel vulnerability and response capacity to disaster risks. This paper therefore applied a needs-based approach to explore and analyse the vulnerability of two rural communities in northern Ghana to flood risk. A survey was done, using a semi-structured questionnaire, to collect data immediately after the flood in 2007. Based on ranking of needs, the results show that survival and security needs (mainly food, housing, education and reliable income) were dominant before and after the flood. During the flood, however, survival and empathic needs were more important. The results also show the disconnection between institutional frameworks for disaster management and the needs of the communities and, therefore, show a scope for policy and research in disaster management. However, in the context of sustainability, economic needs (dominated by income) were slightly greater than environmental needs (dominated by drainage, water and sanitation and relocation) which, in turn, were higher than social needs (dominated by health and education). Interestingly, most respondents indicated that a reliable source of income was a prerequisite for satisfying social needs in the short term and environmental needs in the long-term. It is concluded that the approach used in this research is simple, intuitive and easy to apply to map vulnerabilities to disaster risk across multiple scales. It is also easy to integrate into policy and management decisions about disaster risk reduction

Source: UCC
Negative differential conductivity in carbon nanotubes in the presence of an external electric field

We study theoretically the electron transport properties in carbon nanotubes under the influence of an external electric field () using Boltzmann’s equation. The current-density equation is derived. Negative differential conductivity is predicted when ≪ 1 (quasi-static case). We observed this in the neighbourhood where the constant electric field is equal to the amplitude of the AC electric field and the peak decreases with increasing . This phenomenon can also be used for the generation of terahertz radiation without electric current instability

Source: UCC
The negative differential effect in a semiconductor superlattice in the presence of an external electric field

Bollzmann's equation is solved for an clectmn m lhe lowest miniband of a superlattice semiconductor under the influence of an fxlemal electric field E(t). The currentdensity electric field characteristic shows a negalive differential mnductivity when WT a 1 (quasialalic case). This arum in lhe neighbourhood where lhe conslant electric field EO h qual to lhe amplitude of Ihe AC elec'ric field E1 and the peak decreases wilh increasing Et

Source: UCC
Negative high-harmonic differential conductivity in graphene nanoribbons

We theoretically study current dynamics of graphene nanoribbons subject to bias and ac driven fields. We showed that graphene nanoribbons exhibit negative high-harmonic differential conductivity. Negative differential conductivity appears when bias electric filed is in the neighborhood of applied ac filed amplitude. We also observe both even and odd high-harmonic negative differential conductivity at wave mixing of two commensurate frequencies. The even harmonics are more pronounced than the odd harmonics. A possible use of the present method for generating terahartz frequencies at even harmonics in graphene is suggested

Source: UCC
Neglected Case of C1/C2 Instabilty- How it can be Treated After 16 Years of Injury?

Even in the era of modern technology, odontoid fractures can be easily overlooked and undertreated due to the specific mechanism of injury and anatomical features. We present a case of odontoid fracture in young sportsman followed by atlanto-axial dislocation. The surgical treatment occurred 16 years after injury due to low compliance and lack of significant symptoms during 16 years. This case was challenging regarding proper classification, diagnosis and treatment options. However, final result was satisfactory.

Source: UCC
Negofeminism in the works of selected anglophone and francophone women novelists

The portrayal of women in fictional works is still a contentious ground. Women authors have often bemoaned the portrayal of women in male-authored novels. Various scholars (Chukukere 1995; Kolawole, 1997; Fonchingong, 2006; Ohale 2010) have all argued that male-authored novels do not indeed portray a realistic picture of the African woman. This study looks at the depiction of women by women authors. The study adopts the Negofeminism theory to analyse the protagonists in four woman authored novels-The Amputated Memory by Werewere Liking, Essential Encounters by Therese Kuoh-Moukoury, Efuru by Flora Nwapa and Changes; A Love Story by Ama Ata Aidoo. The study has revealed that contrary to popular depictions and Eurocentric notions of the African woman, she remains both an empowered and liberated being. It has also revealed that women-authored novels as counter-narratives pulsate with a new reality which is that of correcting the fractured image of the woman as well as unfolding the politics of oppression. Furthermore the study has exposed the fact that manipulative power rested in the hands of women. It validates Chukwuma’s (2006) and Ogunyemi (1996)’s claim about the complementary role of the woman as opposed to the perceived oppressive status. Lastly, the study has demonstrated that women writers are redefining new spaces in the margins of woman portraiture. This they have done by creating female characters that are as dynamic and mutable as their changing situations.

Source: UCC
Negotiating religious identity through dance in the Presbyterian church of Ghana: a case study of Immanuel congregation, Madina.

Dance as a complex cultural phenomenon contains elements that define people as belonging to a particular cultural group. As a form of self-expression and communication, dance has the power to bring people together in peaceful coexistence. This thesis examines dance as a tool for identity negotiation in the church. It focuses on the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, specifically the Immanuel congregation at Madina, Accra. The Presbyterian Church was the first Christian church to be institutionalized in Ghana and has survived continuously since its establishment in the 1820s. The thesis examines dance as an expressive medium to complement the worship style of the church in order to make the institution more attractive to its members. It adopts a qualitative mode of investigation using ethnographic fieldwork to explore the use of dance as a medium for identity negotiation in the church. The study conceptually draws on the work of Taylor (1994), to capture the dialogic aspects of identity negotiation and to affirm that identity is meaningless outside a system of representation in social space. The study combines perspectives from ethnomusicology, dance studies, psychology, history, theology, and anthropology to establish dance as an important medium for identity negotiation in the church.

Source: UCC
Negotiation for safer sex among married women in Cambodia: the role of women's autonomy

Negotiating safer sex among married women has been identiﬁed as an important determinant of vulnerability or resilience to new HIV infections. Using the Cambodia Demographic and Health Survey data of 2010, this paper examined negotiation for safer sex among 11,218 married women in the context of Cambodia’s highly touted reduction in HIV/AIDS prevalence. The results from a complementary log-log regression model indicate that wealthier and highly educated married women were more likely to report that they can refuse sexual intercourse and ask their husbands to use a condom. Interestingly, while women who were fully involved in decision-making on their own health care were 19% more likely to refuse sex, they were 14% less likely to be able to ask their husbands to use a condom, compared with their counterparts who were not involved in this decision-making. Women who were partially involved in decision-making on family visits were 17% less likely to be able to ask their husbands to use a condom compared with those who were not involved. In this context, involvement in decision-making may have translated into trust and risk compensation. Those who believed in HIV transmission myths were less likely to negotiate safer sex relative to their counterparts who did not hold such myths to be true. Women’s ability to negotiate for safer sex is, therefore, a function of their autonomy in terms of their full participation in decision-making in health care, household expenditure and mobility. Policy implications of the capacity of women to negotiate for safer sex are delineated

Source: UCC
Neighbourhood Built And Psychosocial Environment: Influence On Risk Of Cardiovascular Diseases Among Adults In Cape Coast Metropolis, Ghana

This study evaluated the influence of the built and psychosocial surroundings on the risk of CVDs among adults in the Cape Coast Metropolis (CCM). A questionnaire was employed in this quantitative cross-sectional survey to collect data from adults (30-79 years) in CCM. Also, 2329 participants were sampled using a multistage sampling strategy. Frequencies and percentages were used to estimate the level of social support, neighbourhood stress, overweight/obesity and hypertension. Chi-square and binary logistic regression were used to analyse the influence of demographic, built and psychosocial environments on BP level and overweight/obesity. A p-value of 0.05 was set as the significance level, with a 95% confidence interval. Results indicated that social support and neighbourhood stress were moderate and high, respectively. The prevalence of hypertension, overweight, and obesity were 20%, 28%, and 22%, respectively. The risk of hypertension was low in males, married/cohabiting partners, never married, Junior High School (JHS) graduates, former smokers, those with no family history of hypertension, high walkable neighbourhood residents, and those who received moderate social support. However, the risk of hypertension was high among those aged 40-49, 50-59 and ≤60 years, current smokers, employed, retired, those who lived in high stressful neighbourhood, and healthy food environment. Also, the risk of overweight or obesity was relatively low in adults aged ≤60 and high among those who received 1001-2000 Ghana cedis monthly. Policies to ensure high walkable, low stressful, and encourage social support for adults in the CCM are recommended.

Source: UCC
NEONATAL HYPOGLYCAEMIA AT CAPE COAST TEACHING HOSPITAL L'HYPOGLYCÉMIE DU NOUVEAU-NÉ À CAPE COAST TEACHING HOSPITAL

Background: Hypoglycaemia is an important metabolic condition in the neonate although there is no common consensus with regards to diagnosis, management and follow-up. It is common in preterm, small and large for gestational age and in birth asphyxia. Although the incidence of these predisposing factors is common among neonates in Ghana, the prevalence of neonatal hypoglycaemia (NH) has not been studied in this environment. Aim and Objectives: To determine the prevalence of neonatal hypoglycaemia at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, Ghana. Design: Cross sectional. Setting: Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, Ghana. Patients and Methods: Neonates between 3-24 hours of age delivered at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital were included in the study. The blood glucose concentration was measured using One touch® Select TM Blood Glucose Monitoring System for 434 consecutively delivered neonates within 3-24 hours of birth. In addition the birth and delivery characteristics of the neonates were recorded. Results: The overall prevalence of neonatal hypoglycaemia (NH) was 16 per 1000 births. The prevalence in appropriate weight for gestational age was 21 per 1000 births but none in small and large for gestational age group. The prevalence of NH in preterm, term and post-term neonates were 0, 18 and 15 per 1000 births respectively. Conclusion: The study showed that neonatal hypoglycaemia is common in Ghana although the expected result of high neonatal hypoglycaemia in preterm, small and large for gestational age groups was not recorded in this study.

Source: UCC
Neonatal mortality in the Kintampo North and South Districts: analysis of community, composition and spatial factors

Communities and their composition (individuals and households) coupled with spatial factors have impact on neonatal mortality. However, considering the smallest health administrative units as communities (sub-districts) and investigating the impact of these communities, their composition and spatial factors on neonatal mortality in Ghana has not been considered. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of communities, households, individuals and spatial factors on the risk of neonatal mortality in the Kintampo Districts of Ghana. Multilevel cox frailty model and Kulldorf methods were used to analyse longitudinal data (January 2005-December 2014) involving 30,132 neonatal singletons with 634 deaths. The study found that, the highest risk of neonatal mortality within the Kintampo Districts occurred in the first three days of life. In addition, risk of neonatal mortality was found to be higher in the early neonatal period (1-8 days) than in the late neonatal period (9-28 days). With regards to individual level factors, neonates whose mothers had previous adverse pregnancy had a higher risk of mortality compared to neonates whose mothers did not experience any previous adverse pregnancy. Also, neonates whose mothers did not receive tetanus toxoid injection during pregnancy had a higher risk of mortality compared to those whose mothers received tetanus toxoid injection. However, neonates whose mothers had secondary education or higher had a lower risk of mortality compared to those whose mothers had no formal education. Also, the neonates belonging to the third quintile households had a lower risk of mortality compared to neonates from poorest households. There was a significant clustering of deaths attributable to asphyxia and prematurity. The findings of the study suggest risk of neonatal deaths at the individual and household levels and also cause-specific neonatal mortality clustering in some parts of the Kintampo Districts. More women in the Kintampo Districts should be encouraged to attend antenatal clinics and visit health facilities for early postnatal care.

Source: UCC
Neonatal outcomes among obese parturients at the Korle- Bu Teaching Hospital

The primary purpose of this study was to determine factors that influence neonatal outcomes among obese parturients at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. It specifically set out to determine whether maternal obesity had an influence on neonatal outcomes and to assess the sociodemographic factors, obstetric characteristics, preexisting medical disorders and obstetric complications that influenced neonatal outcomes. This study was a cross sectional retrospective study which assessed the medical records of 748 mothers who delivered at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra. A data collection checklist was used to collect data. Chisquare tests and odds ratios were used to analyze the data. The main findings were that 28.3% of the parturients were obese. Birth outcome remained statistically associated with maternal BMI. Obese mothers were 40% less likely to have live births compared to those who were nonobese. All the obese mothers had neonates with low Apgar scores after birth. Maternal age, residence and antenatal visits were seen to be significantly associated with birth outcomes. Obese mothers who suffered obstetric complications were at a higher risk of being admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit. Maternal obesity is associated with higher risks of adverse neonatal outcomes. The results of this study highlight maternal obesity as an important public health concern in our country. More studies with larger sample sizes are required to further augment these results.

Source: UCC
Neonatal Sepsis in Rural Ghana: A Case Control Study of Risk Factors in a Birth Cohort

Neonatal sepsis poses a major challenge to achieving the MDG-4 due to lack of facilities to implement proposed management guidelines. Identifying risk factors of neonatal sepsis will help put strategies in place to prevent sepsis. This prospective case control study investigated risk factors of neonatal sepsis in the Asutifi District a typical rural setting of the Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana. A semi-structured check list was used to collect clinical and demographic data from 196 neonates (96 with sepsis as case and 100 without sepsis as control) and respective mothers. Maternal factors that were significantly associated with neonatal sepsis were foul smelling liquor (p=0.001), meconium stained amniotic fluid (p= 0.000), parity (p=0.000), history of UTI/STI (p=0.002) and maternal age (0.017). Neonatal factors that were significantly associated with sepsis include male sex (p=0.040), preterm (p=0.000), not crying immediately after birth (p=0.001), low birth weight <2500g (p=0.000), APGAR score less than 7 (p=0.000) and resuscitation at birth (p=0.004). Priority attention must be given to neonates and mothers with the aforementioned characteristics during antenatal and postnatal care to prevent sepsis.

Source: UCC