ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Perceived Stress at Work and Associated Factors among E-Waste Workers in French-Speaking West Africa

Perceived stress at work is an important risk factor that affects the mental and physical health of workers. This study aims to determine the prevalence and factors associated with perceived stress in the informal electronic and electrical equipment waste processing sector in French-speaking West Africa. From 14 to 21 November 2019, a cross-sectional survey was carried out among e-waste workers in five countries in the French-speaking West African region, and participants were selected by stratified random sampling. Participants were interviewed on socio-demographic variables and characteristics related to e-waste management activities using a questionnaire incorporating Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale (10-item version). Factors associated with perceived stress were determined by multivariate logistic regression. A total of 740 e-waste workers were interviewed. The mean age of the workers was 34.59 ± 11.65 years, with extremes of 14 and 74 years. Most of the interviewees were repairers (43.11%). The prevalence of perceived stress among the e-waste workers was 76.76%. Insufficient income, number of working days per week, perceived violence at work, and the interference of work with family responsibilities or leisure were the risk factors that were the most associated with perceived stress. The high prevalence of perceived stress and its associated factors call for consideration and improvement of the working conditions of e-waste workers.

Source: UG
Perceived Stressors Of Climate Vulnerability Across Scales In The Savannah Zone Of Ghana: A Articipatory Approach

Smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa are confronted with climatic and non-climatic stressors. Research attention has focused on climatic stressors, such as rainfall variability, with few empirical studies exploring non-climatic stressors and how these interact with climatic stressors at multiple scales to affect food security and livelihoods. This focus on climatic factors restricts understanding of the combinations of stressors that exacerbate the vulnerability of farming households and hampers the development of holistic climate change adaptation policies. This study addresses this particular research gap by adopting a multi-scale approach to understand how climatic and nonclimatic stressors vary, and interact, across three spatial scales (household, community and district levels) to influence livelihood vulnerability of smallholder farming households in the Savannah zone of northern Ghana. This study across three case study villages utilises a series of participatory tools including semi-structured interviews, key informant interviews and focus group discussions. The incidence, importance, severity and overall risk indices for stressors are calculated at the household, community, and district levels. Results show that climatic and non-climatic stressors were perceived differently; yet, there were a number of common stressors including lack of money, high cost of farm inputs, erratic rainfall, cattle destruction of crops, limited access to markets and lack of agricultural equipment that crossed all scales. Results indicate that the gender of respondents influenced the perception and severity assessment of stressors on rural livelihoods at the community level. Findings suggest a mismatch between local and district level priorities that have implications for policy and development of agricultural and related livelihoods in rural communities. Ghana’s climate change adaptation policies need to take a more holistic approach that integrates both climatic and nonclimatic factors to ensure policy coherence between national climate adaptation plans and District development plans.

Source: UG
Perceived stressors of climate vulnerability across scales in the Savannah zone of Ghana: a participatory approach

Smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa are confronted with climatic and non-climatic stressors. Research attention has focused on climatic stressors, such as rainfall variability, with few empirical studies exploring non-climatic stressors and how these interact with climatic stressors at multiple scales to affect food security and livelihoods. This focus on climatic factors restricts understanding of the combinations of stressors that exacerbate the vulnerability of farming households and hampers the development of holistic climate change adaptation policies. This study addresses this particular research gap by adopting a multi-scale approach to understand how climatic and non-climatic stressors vary, and interact, across three spatial scales (household, community and district levels) to influence livelihood vulnerability of smallholder farming households in the Savannah zone of northern Ghana. This study across three case study villages utilises a series of participatory tools including semi-structured interviews, key informant interviews and focus group discussions. The incidence, importance, severity and overall risk indices for stressors are calculated at the household, community, and district levels. Results show that climatic and non-climatic stressors were perceived differently; yet, there were a number of common stressors including lack of money, high cost of farm inputs, erratic rainfall, cattle destruction of crops, limited access to markets and lack of agricultural equipment that crossed all scales. Results indicate that the gender of respondents influenced the perception and severity assessment of stressors on rural livelihoods at the community level. Findings suggest a mismatch between local and district level priorities that have implications for policy and development of agricultural and related livelihoods in rural communities. Ghana’s climate change adaptation policies need to take a more holistic approach that integrates both climatic and non-climatic factors to ensure policy coherence between national climate adaptation plans and District development plans.

Source: UG
Perceived Stressors of Lecturers at the University of Ghana

This study examined the types of stressors lecturers at the University of Ghana encounter in their work. Four hundred and thirty two lecturers were drawn from the University of Ghana for the study. The data was collected using the Teacher Stress Inventory. ANOVA, Independent Sample t tests and Regression Analyses were used to analyze the data. Analyses of the data revealed that lecturers had moderate stress levels and their major stressors were related to the school environment whilst the least was the administrative role. The Junior Lecturers perceive more stressors than the senior ones and the Professors. However; it was found that all the faculties experience similar levels of stressors. The recommendations centred mainly on expanding on existing infrastructural facilities in the University and improving on the working conditions of lecturers.

Source: UG
Perceived Supportive Care Needs of Adolescents With Chronic Hepatitis B in a Resource-limited Setting

In Ghana, adolescents are disproportionately affected by hepatitis B. However, studies into adolescents’ supportive care needs are lacking. The purpose of this exploratory qualitative study was to explore the supportive care needs of 18 adolescents with chronic hepatitis B who were receiving care at a tertiary hospital in Ghana. The data were processed using QSR Nvivo version 11.0 and analyzed using the Braun and Clarke procedure for thematic data analysis. According to the findings, adolescents with chronic hepatitis B have unmet supportive care needs ranging from information to financial need, psychological support, and social support. Explicitly, participants reportedly had a dilemma as to whether to keep or terminate their pregnancy to prevent transmission of the virus to their newborns. Physicians and nurses were perceived to be preoccupied with medication prescription and laboratory request writing rather than giving pretest and posttest counseling following diagnosis. This study highlights the need to have tailor-made liver care for adolescents. Pretest and posttest counseling for adolescents with hepatitis B is also required.

Source: UG
Perceived work uncertainties and expectancy-value as predictors of postgraduate intentions

Current globalized labor market trends have been associated with protracted and uncertain work environments for youth and consequently, prolonged periods spent in education. To investigate this association, we assessed work demands which is the perception of growing work-related uncertainties, expectancies, subjective values and postgraduate intentions among final year Ghanaian tertiary students (N=504; females= 54.5%; mean age = 24; SD=4.43). We expected that expectancies and subjective values would mediate the relationship between the work uncertainties and postgraduate intentions. Regression results confirmed the mediation through the student's expectancies but not subjective values. Thus, work uncertainties affect student's assessments of their success expectations, which, in turn, are an indicator of whether or not a student intends to further their education. Copyright © 2013 Journal of Psychology in Africa.

Source: UG
Perception and determination of child maltreatment: Exploratory comparisons across three countries

Objective: Little is known about perception and determination of child maltreatment across countries. Although differences in perception and determination of maltreatment across regions of a single country are well documented, comparative knowledge across countries remains sparse. This internet survey examined perception of abusive behaviors and factors considered important in determining maltreatment in three countries (i.e., the United States, Ghana, and Nigeria). Method: Forty-five abusive behaviors comprising physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, child neglect, and child labor, as well as 13 factors considered important in determining maltreatment, were examined among a convenience sample of 327 respondents in the United States, Ghana, and Nigeria. Respondents were recruited within and outside universities in the three countries and links to the survey were sent to respondents who are nonstudents. Results: With all the countries combined, consensus was high for 15 of the 45 abusive behaviors, although levels of consensus and perceptions varied by country and race. Consensus was high for all of the abusive behaviors among respondents in the United States, 36 of the abusive behaviors among respondents in Ghana, and none of the abusive behaviors among respondents in Nigeria. Respondents who are White/Caucasian were significantly more likely to perceive 5 of the behaviors as abuse than respondents who are Black/non-Caucasian. Similarly, factors considered important in determining maltreatment differed by country and race. Respondents in the United States and Ghana were more likely to consider 9 of the 13 factors important in determining maltreatment compared to respondents in Nigeria. Also, Caucasians/Whites were more likely to consider 6 of the 13 factors important in determining maltreatment compared to Blacks/non-Caucasians. Conclusion: Despite racial and regional differences, there are indications that cross-cultural consensus on perception and determination of abusive behaviors is possible. Understanding differences in socio-cultural experiences may help bridge the current gaps in cross-cultural consensus on perception and determination of abusive behaviors. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.

Source: UG
Perception and practice of breastfeeding in public in an urban community in Accra, Ghana

Background: Reported stigmatization and confrontation (verbal and aggressive), of women when breastfeeding in public spaces constitutes a barrier to the recommendation to breastfeed infants on demand. While such stigma of breastfeeding in public has been reported more commonly in Western country media, there is no documented evidence of this stigma in developing country settings. The current study describes community perception and experience of breastfeeding in public in Accra, Ghana. A secondary objective is to explore factors associated with breastfeeding in public. Methods: A mixed methods design comprising a survey (n = 300), five Focus Group Discussions (FGD) with lactating women (n = 50), and nine In-Depth Interviews (IDI) with adult males (n = 5) and female health workers (n = 4) were also conducted. All data were collected between May and June, 2016 in the Ayawaso-West Sub-Metropolis, Accra. Data on sociodemographic characteristics; obstetric and breastfeeding history; and also perception, experience, and practice of breastfeeding in public, were collected. FGDs and IDI data were triangulated with survey data and presented using descriptive and analytical statistics and content analysis. Results: Majority of the survey respondents (92%) reported ever practicing breastfeeding in public. However, some reported feeling uncomfortable (52%), embarrassed (27%), or stigmatized (15%). Nevertheless, 72% of respondents felt they should be able to breastfeed anywhere. Almost all respondents (81%) reported covering their breasts when breastfeeding in public, and 70% felt private places should be used when they breastfed in public. Women in FGDs and IDI mentioned that they bottle feed their children in public places as a way to overcome the challenges of breastfeeding in public. Otherwise, they breastfeed in public because their children need to feed. Women were more likely to breastfeed in public if they reported support from a spouse (OR 3.99, 95% CI 1.50, 10.57) or other family members (OR 3.27, 95% CI 1.31, 8.18). Conclusions: Although women reported discomfort associated with breastfeeding in public, the practice is common. Awareness creation is needed to empower women to comfortably breastfeed and to sustain societal support of breastfeeding in public. © 2018 The Author(s).

Source: UG
The Perception and Usage of Weather Forecast Information by Residents of African Concrete Products (ACP) Estates and Farmers in Selected Communities Around Pokuase in the Ga West Municipality of Ghana

The study was undertaken with the purpose of finding out if people paid attention to weather forecast segment of television news and whether those who did so could interpret the information including temperature, rainfall, humidity and cloud cover figures provided in it. It was also to find out what other information people wanted in weather forecasts. Questionnaires were administered to 240 people including 120 farmers in the Pokuase area of the Ga West district of the Greater Accra Region and 120 residents of Africa Concrete Products (ACP) estates in Pokuase. Results showed that except for less than one-in-ten (6.7%), all respondents had watched TV weather forecast. Out of the number less than half (43.8%) paid attention to it while a similar proportion (42.5%) paid attention to it sometimes. For interpretation of forecast figures, temperature was those respondents understood the most. In all, 70.1% of the people who said they understood the temperature figures also had tertiary education, only seven people (8.0%) of those that had the first cycle education understood confirming the hypothesis that the level of education of the viewer was likely to influence viewers’ understanding of temperature figures.

Source: UG
The perception of and adaptation to climate variability/change in Ghana by small-scale and commercial farmers

Effective adaptation to climate change and variability is contingent on the perceptions of farmers and the ability of policy makers to merge these with scientific knowledge systems. The study examined the differentiated knowledge, experiences and perceptions of small traditional farmers and modern commercial farmers and their adaptation influences using qualitative interviews. Farmers generally have very clear ideas of the trends in the parameters of climate change as they relate to farm productivity and other livelihoods. Commercial farmers had a better understanding of the science of climate change, but small farmers presented a localised explanation of observed climate changes. Non-climate factors influenced adaptation of both groups of farmers. The capacities of small farmers are lower than their commercial counterparts, but the risks associated with commercial farming are much higher owing to higher investments in uncertain physical and economic conditions. Differentiated policies are needed at climate proofing the investments and efforts of farmers. © 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Source: UG
Perception of and Attitudes towards Plagiarism among Graduate Students in Ghana

This study investigated students’ perception of plagiarism, sources of information on plagiarism, attitude towards plagiarism, reasons for acts of plagiarism and knowledge of the consequences of plagiarism. A quantitative approach was used. Data was gathered using survey from a sample size of 319 graduate students of University of Ghana, selected using the stratified sampling technique. The main data collection instrument was the questionnaire and the data were analysed descriptively. Findings showed a universal awareness of plagiarism with lecturers as their major source of information. Students generally had a basic understanding of the concept of plagiarism but have broadened the concept of plagiarism to encompass other forms of academic dishonesty. Although they believed they have control over plagiarism, they still plagiarized. Reasons for plagiarising included poor academic writing skills, laziness, lack of time management skills, poor understanding of plagiarism, ease of downloading other people’s work from the Internet and pressure to succeed. The study creates awareness of plagiarism and its consequences, and facilitates increased knowledge, and understanding of the subject among students. It also adds to knowledge and serves as an additional source of reference to researchers and students in this area of study.

Source: UG
Perception of Care from Primary Caregivers, External Support and Psychosocial State of AIDS Orphans in High HIV Prevalence Regions of Ghana

Extended families of Africa in the past easily absorbed orphans, however, because of the increased numbers of orphans due to AIDS, and dwindling support from other sources, the extended family finds it difficult to cope with the AIDS orphan crisis. Empirical evidence indicates an elevated risk of psychosocial distress among AIDS orphans compared to non-orphans. The aim of the study was to determine adequacy of external support, to assess the psychosocial state of orphans, and to find out from orphans how they perceive and rate the care received from primary caregivers. Methods: Two hundred and ninety-two AIDS orphans were purposively selected, and mixed-method of data collection was used. The quantitative data consisted of responses from orphans with interview questionnaires, whilst the qualitative data consisted of responses from in-depth interviews with 20 orphans. Results: The majority of orphans-69.7% and 76.4% rated the support receive they from extended family and external sources respectively as poor. Only about21% rated care from primary caregiver as excellent. Although about 88% of orphans stay close to caregivers, almost 40% were unhappy or depressed. Conclusion: We recommend that orphan care management policies and interventions should look into the relationship of orphans with their primary caregivers and the extended family support systems, and draw up programmes to improve these relationships and foster sense of belongingness for orphans.

Source: UG
Perception of Dieners Regarding Social Acceptance and the Right toWork: A Qualitative Study

Globally, the right to work is a modest human right. It is a right acknowledged under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which delineates the various types of work. As such, each person is at liberty to take up any job granted that one has the capacity and skills. This decision must be free from stigma or discrimination. However, this is not the case with mortuary attendants in Ghana. This study explored the viewpoints of Ghanaian mortuary attendants and how society perceives their rights to work. The study used a qualitative research approach, with exploratory and descriptive designs, that sought an indepth understanding from sampled mortuary attendants on the perception of their community members toward their work. Saturation was attained with nineteen (19) participants from nine (9) health facilities located in the three regions. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and audio recorded with concurrent data transcription and analysis using content analysis. Purposive sampling was used. The study included male or female mortuary employees with at least 1 year of working experience. The themes that emerged were as follows; self-stigma, public stigma, stigma-by-association, and structural stigma. The results were structured according to a stigma model. The study reveals high levels of stigmatization and discrimination against mortuary attendants. Researchers recommend the need for public education, and policy changes to reverse the scornful stigmatization and discrimination against death care workers and those in related profiles.

Source: UG
Perception of farmers’ management strategies for termites control in Ghana

Objective: Termites are serious pests in West Africa affecting crop production, buildings, books and wood conservation. Intensive use of insecticides which is of great environmental and health concerns was the most frequently control option. To make termites management environmentally friendly, there is a need to integrate indigenous knowledge about pest management techniques into the scaling-up process in order to improve farmers’ pest management practices. This paper documents farmers’ knowledge, perceptions and management practices against termites in Greater Accra and Volta Regions of Ghana.Methodology and results: Traditional methods of controlling termites used by farmers, obtained from a survey include application of plant extracts (55.71% of the respondents), dead animals, toads and intestines of rat (42.86%), physical removal of the queen (64.29%), human urine (55.71%), wood ash (30%), and poultry (60%). These are mainly practiced by small-scale farmers and their efficiency needs to be studied, improved and promoted. Additionally, a total of thirteen plants traditionally used for termite control were identified from the survey. From the 70 farmers investigated, 44.29% depend on chemicals and other strategies, while 55.71% used plants as control strategy. About 67.67% combined plants with chemicals and other strategies. Conclusion and application: Indigenous termite’s taxonomic knowledge identified needs to be documented and promoted to facilitate communication between farmers, extension agents and scientists on specific pest problems. The efficiency of the various indigenous control practices reported by farmers in this study need to be verified, and the promising ones standardized and promoted with other IPM measures with the aim of reducing chemical pesticides application

Source: UG