Poisson Regression Modeling For Incidence of Maternal Deaths In Ghana

The death of a woman while performing her naturally mandated duty of childbirth remains sad and sensitive to every nation worldwide. This paper seeks to explore the application of Poisson models in the study of incidence of Maternal Deaths at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital – Kumasi, Ghana. Analyses were based on data available at the Obstetrics & Gynecology directorate of the Hospital for the period 2000-2010. We found that within the eleven (11) year period, a total of 1,223 maternal deaths occurred with the years 2008 and 2009 recording the highest deaths of 138 and 144 respectively. Also, the mean incidence of maternal deaths remained approximately the same over the period. The results also show that compared to year 2010, the incidence of maternal death was significantly high in 2004, 2005 as well as 2008. We conclude that management and government reevaluate all existing intervention programs for reducing maternal deaths since they seem not to have yielded the expected results over the past eleven years (2000 - 2010) reference to this teaching hospital. Key words: Poisson Regression Model, Bio-statistics, KAT

Why Do CSR Governance Institutions Fail in Developing Countries: A Case Study of The Ghana Business Code

The effect of globalization in the last few decades spearheaded by the transnational operations of businesses has driven the exercise of societal regulation and control beyond state authority into a sphere of global governance. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has been seen to hold the key to effective global governance through its institutions. As a concept with diverse characterization and practice across nations, CSR has become a global concept that development seeking and sustainability oriented businesses cannot overlook. Relying on two theories, institutional and governance theories, this dissertation examines the challenges CSR institutions face that most often have resulted in the dysfunction and failures of these institutions in developing countries. The findings show that CSR has not been conceptualized in a Ghanaian context, basically because CSR institutions in Ghana have unconsciously overlooked the institutional environment within which they operate, hence the inability to situate CSR in a context that will make it relevant to businesses and society. It was also found that businesses have not prioritized CSR issues because they have not as yet come to appreciate and understand the benefits businesses stand to gain when they indulge in strategic CSR. The study concludes that CSR in Ghana will need to be institutionalized through an understanding of the institutional environment in which businesses operate, thereby acknowledging the social, economic, cultural and political conditions prevailing in the country. This will then bring to the fore the inherent challenges posed by these institutions such as the lack of political will to push for regulations, and the financial challenges that confront the Ghanaian business society and such other factors that have always led to the failure of CSR governance institutions

Attitudes towards persons with mental health conditions and psychosocial disabilities as rights holders in Ghana: a World Health Organization study

Background: There are currently major efforts underway in Ghana to address stigma and discrimination, and promote the human rights of those with mental health conditions, within mental health services and the community, working with the World Health Organization’s QualityRights initiative. The present study aims to investigate attitudes towards people with lived experience of mental health conditions and psychosocial disabilities as rights holders. Methods: Stakeholders within the Ghanaian mental health system and community, including health professionals, policy makers, and persons with lived experience, completed the QualityRights pre-training questionnaire. The items examined attitudes towards coercion, legal capacity, service environment, and community inclusion. Additional analyses explored how far participant factors may link to attitudes. Results: Overall, attitudes towards the rights of persons with lived experience were not well aligned with a human rights approach to mental health. Most people supported the use of coercive practices and often thought that health practitioners and family members were in the best position to make treatment decisions. Health/mental health professionals were less likely to endorse coercive measures compared to other groups. Conclusion: This was the first in-depth study assessing attitudes towards persons with lived experience as rights holders in Ghana, and frequently attitudes did not comply with human rights standards, demonstrating a need for training initiatives to combat stigma and discrimination and promote human rights

Prognostic model to predict postoperative acute kidney injury in patients undergoing major gastrointestinal surgery based on a national prospective observational cohort study.

Background: Acute illness, existing co-morbidities and surgical stress response can all contribute to postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients undergoing major gastrointestinal surgery. The aim of this study was prospectively to develop a pragmatic prognostic model to stratify patients according to risk of developing AKI after major gastrointestinal surgery. Methods: This prospective multicentre cohort study included consecutive adults undergoing elective or emergency gastrointestinal resection, liver resection or stoma reversal in 2-week blocks over a continuous 3-month period. The primary outcome was the rate of AKI within 7 days of surgery. Bootstrap stability was used to select clinically plausible risk factors into the model. Internal model validation was carried out by bootstrap validation. Results: A total of 4544 patients were included across 173 centres in the UK and Ireland. The overall rate of AKI was 14·2 per cent (646 of 4544) and the 30-day mortality rate was 1·8 per cent (84 of 4544). Stage 1 AKI was significantly associated with 30-day mortality (unadjusted odds ratio 7·61, 95 per cent c.i. 4·49 to 12·90; P < 0·001), with increasing odds of death with each AKI stage. Six variables were selected for inclusion in the prognostic model: age, sex, ASA grade, preoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate, planned open surgery and preoperative use of either an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or an angiotensin receptor blocker. Internal validation demonstrated good model discrimination (c-statistic 0·65). Discussion: Following major gastrointestinal surgery, AKI occurred in one in seven patients. This preoperative prognostic model identified patients at high risk of postoperative AKI. Validation in an independent data set is required to ensure generalizability

Why Do CSR Governance Institutions Fail in Developing Countries: A Case Study of The Ghana Business Code

The effect of globalization in the last few decades spearheaded by the transnational operations of businesses has driven the exercise of societal regulation and control beyond state authority into a sphere of global governance. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has been seen to hold the key to effective global governance through its institutions. As a concept with diverse characterization and practice across nations, CSR has become a global concept that development seeking and sustainability oriented businesses cannot overlook. Relying on two theories, institutional and governance theories, this dissertation examines the challenges CSR institutions face that most often have resulted in the dysfunction and failures of these institutions in developing countries. The findings show that CSR has not been conceptualized in a Ghanaian context, basically because CSR institutions in Ghana have unconsciously overlooked the institutional environment within which they operate, hence the inability to situate CSR in a context that will make it relevant to businesses and society. It was also found that businesses have not prioritized CSR issues because they have not as yet come to appreciate and understand the benefits businesses stand to gain when they indulge in strategic CSR. The study concludes that CSR in Ghana will need to be institutionalized through an understanding of the institutional environment in which businesses operate, thereby acknowledging the social, economic, cultural and political conditions prevailing in the country. This will then bring to the fore the inherent challenges posed by these institutions such as the lack of political will to push for regulations, and the financial challenges that confront the Ghanaian business society and such other factors that have always led to the failure of CSR governance institutions

Service delivery process in the luxury hotel industry in Dubai: a hotelier\u27s perspective

Service delivery process in the face of ever changing customer expectations could not have been more important in glamorous Dubai luxury hotel service sector. Based on in-depth discussions with Dubai luxury hotel service pioneers, customer expectations, service processes, customer complaining behavior, and service recovery strategies in the luxury hotel industry are evaluated from the perspectives of service providers. Findings are in agreement with the statement that in the service industry the customer is not always right, and that hotel service providers have acknowledged the need to take extra measures towards individualized and personal service experience delivery. Ultimately, hoteliers set highest standards at all stages of the service delivery process in order to achieve positive and high customer ratings in all customer evaluation areas

Emerging trends influencing marketing

The impact of changing technological trends on marketing is imperative. Lack of insight by marketers has resulted in the down fall of well-known brands. As insighful marketers adapt to key trends, others either ignore new advancements until their strategies run obsolete. The time used to bail firms out of such archaic circumstances might have placed competitors ahead. The traditional marketing elements that have been used previously to root brands have totally changed in the last decade with the rise of internet access, social media, and technological advancements. Contemporary marketing strategies are driven by some key trends which cannot be ignored anymore. Identifying such salient trends and their contribution to marketing strategy development is critical to success of modern-day firms. This study assesses literature on 14 trends based on discussions with industry experts and data from a global perspective