ABSTRACT Adolescence constitutes a transitional period between child psychism organization and the result of an adult, mature personality. During this evolutionary phase, the psychic balance is unsettled and the personality is characterized by fluidity. This study was conducted to assess sexual and reproductive health services (SRH) among adolescents: the role of Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG) in the West Mamprusi District in the northern region of Ghana. Three research object...
ABSTRACT Background: There has been an increase in caesarean sections due to complications, which include malpresentation of foetus. Despite the good outcomes of present day caesarean sections, expectant mothers diagnosed with breech presentation still experience great turmoil. The risk factors provided by literature for the occurrence of breech presentation are many and varied. However, some factors such as maternal age and number of pregnancies are common to all. Aim: The aim of the researc...
ABSTRACT Background: Although cervical cancer is preventable, thousands of women continue to be infected and thousands still die from the disease every year. Cervical cancer prevention can be achieved through comprehensive programs involving education or awareness creation, vaccination, screening and early treatment of pre-cancerous lesions. Health workers have a vital role to play in achieving this, hence they must be adequately equipped with the requisite knowledge on the condition since th...
ABSTRACT Background: Deployment of Frontline health workers (FHWs) has been shown to be an effective and powerful intervention for improving community health in rural settings in Ghana. However, several challenges still persist in the performance of FHWs. Mobile health interventions such as the Mobile Technology for Community Health (MOTECH) project are implemented to enhance health worker performance and reduce maternal and child mortality in these rural areas. MOTECH delivers health message...
ABSTRACT Obesity and elevated blood pressure are important risk factors associated with cardiovascular diseases, type II diabetes and some cancers. These risk factors were in the past associated with affluence and developed countries. However, recent studies have shown their increasing prevalence in developing countries. Health workers influence behaviour and people who work in health worker training environment are expected to know and practice ‗healthy‘ behaviours. The study therefore s...
ABSTRACT While most societies undergoing epidemiological and demographic transitions experience increase in number and proportion of the aged, we have unfortunately observed the reverse in the New Juaben Municipality between 2000 (13.2 per cent) and 2010 (7.3 per cent) (GSS, 2012). This coupled with high prevalence of some chronic diseases among the aged with poor access to professional or formal health care services in the study area (Britwum et al, 2013. This study was therefore designed to...
ABSTRACT Background: Childhood obesity or overweight has become a global public health problem with its associated morbidity manifesting in early childhood and progressing to adulthood if the alarming trend is not curbed. The fact is that obesity in childhood is associated with a wide range of serious health complications and an increased risk for premature onset of illnesses, including diabetes, hypertension, and other heart diseases. Objective: This study examined the factors associated wit...
ABSTRACT Background: Use of Long Lasting Insecticide Bed Net (LLIN) is one of the recommended interventions by WHO to reduce the rate of malaria transmission especially among the vulnerable which include pregnant women and children. In Africa, out of 45 countries where ITNs form part of the national malaria control strategy, 36 had a representative household surveys that measured usage of nets and/or ITNs at some point between 1999 and 2004. According to available surveys, only Eritrea, in 20...
Abstract Iodine deficiency disorders are a major public health concern affecting an estimated 2 billion people worldwide. As part of efforts to achieve the Universal Salt Iodization goal, the Government of Ghana launched the Universal Salt Iodization program backed by an act of parliament to oversee the attainment of this goal. Notwithstanding these efforts, iodine consumption amongst households and individuals is generally low in the Northern region especially in the Gushegu district. We...
ABSTRACT Socio-economic inequalities in basic maternal health interventions exist in Ghana, yet little is known about health-seeking of poor households. Further understanding of issues surrounding availability, affordability and quality of maternal health services among the poor is crucial to eliminating inequalities in maternal health coverage in Ghana especially in rural communities. The study was carried out to assess the effects of socio-cultural factors on maternal health care delivery...
ABSTRACT Background: Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy had become a huge economic (financial, social and psychological) burden on patients, families and the nation as a whole. Such economic burden on patients and their families cannot be underestimated. The objective of the study was to determine the economic burden of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy at Tema General Hospital. Methods: An exploratory, cross-sectional cost-of-illness study was conducted with 50 eligible women enrolled and...
ABSTRACT Background: Ghana including 20 other countries in 2009 were earmarked for rapid PMTCT interventions scale-up within their primary care system for maternal and child health. This intervention became operationalized in June 2015 with the introduction of the PMTCT option B+ where HIV-positive women are initiated on lifelong ARVs regardless of their CD4 count upon immediate diagnosis of HIV and infants born to HIV-positive women receive daily zidovudine (AZT) for the first 4–6 weeks of...
ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: The financial burden of user fees on poor rural households negatively affects the uptake of health services, especially for childbirth. Only 40% of deliveries in Ghana and 27.5% in the UWR took place with the assistance of skilled attendant (GHS 2005; GHS/UWR, 2006). To guarantee financial protection and enhance utilization of healthcare services especially in deprived rural areas, a National‟ Health Insurance Scheme under which the Mutual Health Insurance Scheme operat...
ABSTRACT Spiritual care is care which recognizes and responds to the needs of the human spirit when faced with trauma, ill health or sadness, and can include the need for meaning, for self-worth, to express oneself, for faith, support and perhaps for rites, prayer, sacrament or simply for a sensitive listener. The study assessed the role of health care providers in providing the emotional and spiritual needs of the patients in the adult wards of the Tamale Central Hospital. The study adopted ...
Abstract Globally, 382 million people live with Diabetic Mellitus (DM). Diabetic foot ulcer is a major complication of diabetes characterized by the triad of neuropathy, infection and ischaemia. It affects 15-20% of the people diagnosed with diabetes in their live time. The disease accounts for up to 10% of non-traumatic limb amputation. Using an exploratory descriptive design, the purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of diabetic patients living with foot ulcers. Purposive sam...