Assessment of Adolescent Risk Behaviours in Junior High Schools in the Cape Coast Metropolis of Ghana

The study investigated adolescent risk behaviours in public junior high schools of the OLA circuit in the Cape Coast Metropolis using the descriptive survey design. Five research questions and two hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The target population of the study was all students in the OLA Circuit of the Cape Coast Metropolis. The accessible population was all students from the three selected schools in the OLA Circuit. The Multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select 155 students for the study. Proportional stratified sampling and simple random sampling techniques were employed.  The data were analysed using means, standard deviations and independent samples t-test. The study revealed that students’ engagement in any of the adolescents risk behaviours thus violence-related behaviour, alcoholism, smoking, risky sexual behaviours and suicidal tendencies were very minimal. There was a significant difference between male and female risky sexual behaviours. However, there was no significant difference between male and female on the basis of suicidal tendencies. Based on these findings, it was recommended that the Ministries of Health, Education, Youth and Sports, National population Council (NPC), among others continue to intensify their campaigns against adolescents risk behaviours. Keywords: assessment, adolescence; adolescent; risk behaviours; junior high school students DOI: 10.7176/JEP/10-25-05 Publication date:September 30th 201

Polycythemia vera disease profile in an African population—experience from a tertiary facility in Ghana

Objectives: The study describes the clinical and laboratory profile of the patients with polycythemia vera at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi, Ghana. Methods and design: This was a retrospective hospital-based cohort study conducted from September 2020 to August 2022. Hematology clinic entry book was used to identify the patient’s unique hospital code. Using these unique codes, retrospective data were collected using an Excel spreadsheet from the Hospital Lightwave health information management system (LHIMS) database. Results: A total of 20 participants were recruited over the period of 2 years. The overall mean age was 51.53 ± 16.39 years. The hematological profile of the male participants revealed a mean hemoglobin of 18.25 ± 1.373 g/dl, mean hematocrit of 52 ± 3.47%, and a mean platelet of 345.5 ± 180.82. Comparatively, the mean hemoglobin, hematocrit, and platelet for the female participants were higher with figures of 19.26 ± 1.43 g/dl, 53 ± 3.61%, and 816 ± 935.32, respectively. Headache, tiredness, numbness, splenomegaly, and abnormal labs were the most common reasons why participants sought medical attention. Majority (60%) of the study participants had Janus Kinase 2 mutation. New-onset hypertension was identified in 45% of the study participants during follow-up. Thromboembolism was seen in 10% of the study population. Conclusion: Polycythemia vera is an uncommon disease in Ghana mostly found in older males above 50 years. It is important to recognize it early to initiate therapy aimed at preventing common complications such as hypertension and thromboembolism. Polycythemia vera should be considered a differential diagnosis for patients with secondary hypertension