Using Quality Improvement Process to Enhance Health Staff Confidence and Competence in Health Information System Tasks in the Ejisu Juaben Municipal Health Directorate, Ghana

Routine Health Information is faced with huge challenges which reduce its decision making and planning yields. The objective of the study was 1) to undertake competency gap analysis of health staff’s performance in routine health information tasks, 2) implement quality improvement process training module, 3) to measure the improvement in the competency level of health staff in performing RHIS tasks after application of Quality Improvement Process principles. A quasi-experimental, uncontrolled before and after study was conducted in 18 health facilities in the Ejisu Juaben Municipal Health Directorate, Ghana. The study involved assessment of competency level and training of 141 staff using Data Quality Improvement Process (DQIP) training module over a twelve-month period. RHIS task competence was measured by a pencil and paper test that measured the ability of respondents to perform calculations, and to interpret and use RHIS results, based on the same indicators as used dimension of confidence level. The study found huge competency gaps among staff amidst high confidence in undertaking RHIS tasks while their performance of these tasks scored objectively, yielded low average scores of improvements in competency gaps; data analysis (-36.9%: +3.6%), data interpretation (-42.2%: +9.8%) and use of data (-44.6%: +2.6%) in the baseline and endline evaluations respectively. The study concludes that Quality Improvement Process (QIP) centred training drives the effectiveness of staff competency in performing RHIS tasks, but not necessarily their confidence level

Expectations of and Challenges in Marriage among People with Disabilities in the Yendi Municipality of Ghana

The importance of marriage cannot be underestimated as it provides social, economic and emotional benefits to partners. This study was conducted to ascertain the challenges disabled people encounter in their marriage within the Yendi Municipality of Ghana. An exploratory design with qualitative approach was conducted in which 16 participants were selected through snowballing technique. Face-to-face in-depth interview was used to collect the data through audio recordings. Data-led thematic analysis was used to categorize the transcribed data into themes which have been presented as main findings. Their expectations have not been met as they are confronted with several challenges in their marriages from society, economic and domestic fields. People with disabilities within the Yendi Municipality who are married and facing challenges should form self-help groups to manage and deal with their challenges collectively. Keywords: Expectations and challenges in marriage, people with disabilities, Yendi Municipality, Ghan

“We are Seen but not Recognized”; Disability Stigma and Disabled People’s Exclusion from Community Activities: The Case of Disabled People in a Traditional Community in Ghana

Society has a way of categorising and assigning expectations to its members. There are also rules regarding the norms and processes of dealing with problems of daily life. If a rule is broken during interactions between individuals in society resulting in abnormal situation, it can be labelled as stigma. When people perceive individuals as possessing socially unacceptable attributes, they assign negative qualities to the person and results in devaluation of the individual. Data was collected from disabled people and their leaders in the Kumasi Metro who were registered with the Department of Social Welfare. A qualitative study was conducted in which Interview and Focus Group Discussions were employed to collect data from respondents.  Purposive sampling technique was adopted to select 35 respondents for the study. After each data collection activity the recorded audio tapes and field notes taken during the interview were translated into English and later word processed. Data editing and categorisation was done manually based on the research objective. The study found that disability is stigmatised as a result of the reaction of society towards individuals who have impairments, disabled people have been given names based on their disability, disabled people have also lost the opportunity to inherit family wealth and to be installed as chiefs, and are unable to represent their communities and families at social functions. It is recommended that there should be effective public education on disability and the scientific causes of the condition.  Keywords: Stigma, Community-exclusion, Ghana, Disability, Society, Culture and Labelin

Assessing the Impact and Uses of the Disability Common Fund Among Persons with Disabilities in Kumasi Metropolis in Ghana

The Disability Common Fund (DCF) is a social protection program aimed at alleviating poverty among persons with disabilities in Ghana. Since its introduction, little has been done to examine if beneficiaries use the fund for its intended purposes. The study was conducted to assess beneficiaries’ perception of the sufficiency of the fund, what the fund was used for and the possible impact on the lives of beneficiaries in the Kumasi Metropolis, and make recommendation for improvement. This cross-sectional quantitative study obtained survey data from120 beneficiaries of the fund in the Kumasi Metropolis. Findings indicated that the DCF was used for a variety of purposes, which could be beneficial to the recipients of the fund. These included procurement of assistive devices, awareness creation, enabling the environment, payment of school fees of dependents and assisting beneficiaries to access healthcare. Although respondents complained of the insufficiency of the fund and delays in releasing of funds to the beneficiaries, the fund has had some positive impacts on their lives. It is recommended that the fund be increased and disbursed in a timely manner in order for the DCF to serve its intended purpose

Prevalence of Hypertension and Obesity among Women in Reproductive Age in the Ashaiman Municipality in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana

Ghana like many other developing countries is faced with a double burden of infectious and chronic non-communicable diseases. It is increasingly being recognised that unhealthy behavioural patterns such as poor dietary habits, physical inactivity, smoking, and excessive alcohol consumption significantly contribute to the development of many chronic non-communicable diseases such as hypertension, obesity, stroke, type II diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. This study sought to determine the prevalence of hypertension and obesity among women in reproductive age (? 20 ? 45); describe the dietary habits of the women; and ascertain how this may contribute to hypertension and obesity among the respondents. A descriptive cross-sectional study using interviewer-administered questionnaires was carried out among 254 women in reproductive age in the Ashiaman municipality. Study participants were selected through systematic sampling. The weight (kg) of the participants was taken using Salter scale and the height was also measured in cm using a stadiometer. Both weight and height measurements were used to calculate participants’ body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure (BP) readings were performed using a sphygmomanometer. The results showed that the prevalence rate of hypertension and obesity among the respondents was 20.1% and 9.8% respectively. The daily dietary choices of respondents revealed that all the respondents (254) consumed carbohydrates/fats & oils  food daily with  less than a third of the respondents (80) including vitamins and mineral rich food which are mainly fruits and vegetables into daily diet. The results also indicated that 20.5% women who consumed carbohydrates, fats & oils daily were hypertensive whereas the rest (79.5%) were normotensive. Effective and targeted health education and behaviour change interventions directed towards this segment of the population should be developed and implemented urgently. Key Words: Hypertension, obesity, prevalence, dietary habi

Antibiotics Availability and Usage in Health Facilities: A Case of the Offinso-South Municipality of Ghana

The use of antibiotics has received increased public health attention in recent times because their irrational use could pose a global health problem. Since the introduction of antimicrobial agents, there has been an association between antibiotic use and the development of antimicrobial resistance. The emergence of antibiotic resistance is primarily due to excessive and often unnecessary use of antibiotics in humans. This study therefore sought to assess antibiotics availability and usage in a municipal area of Ghana. The study was retrospective and descriptive in nature. Folders of 300 patients were sampled from a municipal hospital and three health centres. Simple random sampling technique was used in the recruitment of patients’ folders. The study revealed a high antibiotics usage in the municipality. Overall, respiratory tract infections rated the highest so far as conditions for which antibiotics were prescribed were concerned. The penicillins which were the frequently prescribed antibiotics formed 50% of prescriptions for the treatment of gastroenteritis, which was in violation of the existing standard treatment guidelines to be adhered to by prescribers. Regular training and refresher courses could be organized for prescribers towards ensuring the adherence to the existing treatment guidelines. Key words: antibiotics, availability, usage, health facilitie

Prevalence of Anemia and Undernutrition of Adolescent Females in Selected Schools in Ghana

Anemia among adolescent females is a major worldwide public health problem which should be given appropriate attention. Half of all anemic cases are caused by iron deficiency. In addition to anemia, poor nutrition is also a challenge in sub-Saharan Africa. This study determined the prevalence of anemia and undernutrition among adolescent females in school. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 151 adolescent females in four basic schools in the Ahafo region of Ghana. The hemoglobin level and anthropometry measures of participants were taken to determine their anemic and nutritional status. The prevalence of anemia among adolescent females in school was 50.3%. Out of the 151 participants, 6.6%, 19.9%, and 23.8% were severely anemic, moderately anemic, or mildly anemic, respectively. Only 2% of the participants were underweight, but the rate of stunting was 26.5%. The notable high prevalence of anemia that was found among adolescent females was correlated with other health and wellness concerns. Anemia and under nutrition negatively affect academic performance, productivity, and general wellbeing of adolescents; therefore, effective measures should be put in place to correct and eradicate these nutritional problems

Socio-demographic determinants of childhood immunization incompletion in Koforidua, Ghana

Abstract Objective Immunization saves more than 3 million lives worldwide each year, and it saves millions from suffering illness and lifelong disability. The study sought to assess the socio-demographic factors that influence childhood immunization incompletion. A cross-sectional descriptive design was employed for the study conducted at the Child Welfare Clinic in the Regional Hospital, Koforidua. A total of 280 caregivers/mothers who have children aged between 0 and 59 months were included in this study. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS. Results The study found that being divorced (p = 0.048) and working part-time (p = 0.049) has a significant and positive association with immunization incompletion. Women who were divorced [AOR (95% CI) 3.01 (1.59–58.2)] were 3 times less likely to complete immunization than those who were cohabiting, married and widowed taken into account the effect due to all the additional confounder variables included in the analysis. Women who were working part-time were 2.28 times less likely to complete immunization schedule than those working full-time; [AOR (95% CI) 2.28 (1.031–9.11)]. This study has documented socio-demographic factors influencing childhood immunization incompletion in the Regional Hospital, Koforidua. The Ministry of Health should, therefore, put in measures like public education to encourage mothers to complete each immunization schedule

Reporting in the abstracts presented at the 5th AfriNEAD (African Network for Evidence-to-Action in Disability) Conference in Ghana

Abstract Introduction The abstracts of a conference are important for informing the participants about the results that are communicated. However, there is poor reporting in conference abstracts in disability research. This paper aims to assess the reporting in the abstracts presented at the 5th African Network for Evidence-to-Action in Disability (AfriNEAD) Conference in Ghana. Methods This descriptive study extracted information from the abstracts presented at the 5th AfriNEAD Conference. Three reviewers independently reviewed all the included abstracts using a predefined data extraction form. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the extracted information, using Stata version 15. Results Of the 76 abstracts assessed, 54 met the inclusion criteria, while 22 were excluded. More than half of all the included abstracts (32/54; 59.26%) were studies conducted in Ghana. Some of the included abstracts did not report on the study design (37/54; 68.5%), the type of analysis performed (30/54; 55.56%), the sampling (27/54; 50%), and the sample size (18/54; 33.33%). Almost all the included abstracts did not report the age distribution and the gender of the participants. Conclusion The study findings confirm that there is poor reporting of methods and findings in conference abstracts. Future conference organizers should critically examine abstracts to ensure that these issues are adequately addressed, so that findings are effectively communicated to participants

Household Willingness-to-Pay for Improved Solid Waste Management Services in Four Major Metropolitan Cities in Ghana

Introduction. Waste management is an important developmental issue globally, especially in developing countries like Ghana. A key challenge of waste management in developing countries is sustainable financing. This study assesses the willingness-to-pay, an integral attribute of sustainable financing mechanism for improved solid waste management (SWM) services in Ghana. Methods. A cross-sectional multicenter study was conducted in Ghana from January to August 2017 among 1560 households in four regional capitals in Ghana; Accra, Takoradi, Kumasi, and Tamale. Data were collected by using a structured interview questionnaire. Logistic regression models were used to determine the predictors of willingness-to-pay for SWM services in Ghana. Results. Overall, 53.7% of the households were willing to make additional payment for improved services, with difference across study sites: 54.5%, 53.1%, 61.7%, and 46.6% in Takoradi, Tamale, Accra, and Kumasi, respectively. Willingness-to-pay for improved SWM was predicted by educational level, marital status, type of employment, and region of residence. Compared to women who had no formal education, those having senior high school (aOR (adjusted odds ratio): 2.53; 95% CI: 1.48, 4.30), postsecondary (aOR: 1.97; 95% CI: 1.08, 3.60), and tertiary education (aOR: 3.30; 95% CI: 1.91, 5.69) were associated with higher odds of willingness-to-pay for improved SWM services. Conclusion. This study provides important evidence on important attribute of financing mechanism, willingness-to-pay for improved SWM services. Findings would contribute to efforts at finding sustainable financing mechanism for waste management services in Ghana