Perception of Track and Field Athletes on the Use of Cryotherapy in Injury Management in Ashanti Region of Ghana

The use of cryotherapy in injury management (IM) has been widely studied but report on track and field athletes’ (TFAs) perception in Ghana remains scarce. TFAs in Ashanti region of Ghana habitually sustained acute injuries due to competition stressors that typically affect peak performance like in other contact games. Despite been observed that sustained injuries accomplished cryotherapy treatment, TFAs’ visit to non-clinical therapy nonetheless remain prominent. This cross-sectional study therefore documents the perceptions of TFAs on the use cryotherapy in IM. Ninety five [mean age = 22.26±1.10years, 59 (62.1%) males, 36(37.9%) females] TFAs camped at the Babayara Sports stadium Kumasi in preparation for 11th African Games were purposively sampled. Self-structured and validated instrument on the use of cryotherapy in IM was administered to elicit TFAs perceptions. TFAs perceived the use of cryotherapy in IM as significant [F = 788.884, X2 = 404.192, df = 94, p = .000].Gender influence on TFAs perception of use of cryotherapy in IM was not significantly different. Mainstream significantly professed at least a good feeling (79.0%, X2 = 37.000, p = 000) after receiving cryotherapy treatment. As such, attachement of Physical Therapists to the TFAs training sessions in Ashanti region, provision of enabling environment and equipment to enhance effective IM processes through cryotherapy are strategic approaches advocated.

Lipid profile, cardiorespiratory function and quality of life of postmenopausal women improves with aerobic exercise

Objective: Menopause is characterized by physiological changes with increased risk of obesity, dyslipidemia and decreased quality of life (QoL). Despite the plethora of reports on the alleviating effect of exercise on climacteric symptoms, there is little documentation of this lifestyle intervention among Ghanaian menopausal women. This study examined the effect of aerobic exercise on lipid profile, cardiorespiratory function and QoL among menopausal women. Methods: Eighteen sedentary postmenopausal women between 45 to 75 years were randomly assigned to experimental (EG, n=8) and control (CG, n=10) groups. The EG received moderate intensity aerobic exercise training for eight weeks, three times a week while the CG observed normal daily activities. Blood pressure, resting heart rate, BMI, and lipid profile were measured and QoL assessed using the Utian QoL questionnaire at weeks 0 and 9. Results: After 8 weeks, the EG demonstrated significant decrease in cardiovascular risk ratio by 6.5L% and a non-significant decrease in LDL by 11.9L%. The CG showed significant increase in systolic BP by 3.2%L and a non-significant increase in LDL and cardiovascular risk by 14.9L% and 9.4L% respectively. QoL significantly improved in the EG group compared to CG after the 8 weeks. Conclusion: The health and QoL of participants in EG was significantly better than the CG at the end of the experiment. Aerobic exercise decreases cardiovascular disease risk in postmenopausal women and shows potential impact on lipid profile and health QoL. Proactively sponsored aerobic exercise programmes geared towards healthy living of postmenopausal women in Kumasi, Ghana are recommended

The Effect of Foreign Aid on Economic Growth in Ghana

This paper uses time series data from 1972 to 2012 on Ghana to test the hypothesis that foreign aid can promote growth in developing countries. The ARDL approach to cointegration (bounds test) was employed to examine both the long run and short run relationships between aid and economic growth. The results of the bounds test showed that there is cointegration between foreign aid and economic growth in Ghana. This was further confirmed by the error correction term which was very significant and correctly signed. The error correction term showed that the speed of convergence to long run equilibrium is moderate. From the results, labour, capital and government expenditure have positive impact on economic growth in Ghana in both the long run and the short run whereas foreign aid and interest payment on external debt have negative impact on growth. In order to derive a positive benefit of foreign aid, we recommend the provision of economic aid which is geared towards capital formation and skills development of labour through education and training rather than political aid since the results show that capital and labour have positive impact on economic growth. We also recommend the provision of more grants and less loans as aid to Ghana because interest payment on external debt has been found in the study to have negative effect on economic growth because most foreign aid are not invested in projects with direct future cash flows

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients with paediatric cancer in low-income, middle-income and high-income countries: a multicentre, international, observational cohort study

OBJECTIVES: Paediatric cancer is a leading cause of death for children. Children in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) were four times more likely to die than children in high-income countries (HICs). This study aimed to test the hypothesis that the COVID-19 pandemic had affected the delivery of healthcare services worldwide, and exacerbated the disparity in paediatric cancer outcomes between LMICs and HICs. DESIGN: A multicentre, international, collaborative cohort study. SETTING: 91 hospitals and cancer centres in 39 countries providing cancer treatment to paediatric patients between March and December 2020. PARTICIPANTS: Patients were included if they were under the age of 18 years, and newly diagnosed with or undergoing active cancer treatment for Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma, Wilms' tumour, sarcoma, retinoblastoma, gliomas, medulloblastomas or neuroblastomas, in keeping with the WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: All-cause mortality at 30 days and 90 days. RESULTS: 1660 patients were recruited. 219 children had changes to their treatment due to the pandemic. Patients in LMICs were primarily affected (n=182/219, 83.1%). Relative to patients with paediatric cancer in HICs, patients with paediatric cancer in LMICs had 12.1 (95% CI 2.93 to 50.3) and 7.9 (95% CI 3.2 to 19.7) times the odds of death at 30 days and 90 days, respectively, after presentation during the COVID-19 pandemic (p<0.001). After adjusting for confounders, patients with paediatric cancer in LMICs had 15.6 (95% CI 3.7 to 65.8) times the odds of death at 30 days (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected paediatric oncology service provision. It has disproportionately affected patients in LMICs, highlighting and compounding existing disparities in healthcare systems globally that need addressing urgently. However, many patients with paediatric cancer continued to receive their normal standard of care. This speaks to the adaptability and resilience of healthcare systems and healthcare workers globally

Adaptation of the Wound Healing Questionnaire universal-reporter outcome measure for use in global surgery trials (TALON-1 study): mixed-methods study and Rasch analysis

BackgroundThe Bluebelle Wound Healing Questionnaire (WHQ) is a universal-reporter outcome measure developed in the UK for remote detection of surgical-site infection after abdominal surgery. This study aimed to explore cross-cultural equivalence, acceptability, and content validity of the WHQ for use across low- and middle-income countries, and to make recommendations for its adaptation.MethodsThis was a mixed-methods study within a trial (SWAT) embedded in an international randomized trial, conducted according to best practice guidelines, and co-produced with community and patient partners (TALON-1). Structured interviews and focus groups were used to gather data regarding cross-cultural, cross-contextual equivalence of the individual items and scale, and conduct a translatability assessment. Translation was completed into five languages in accordance with Mapi recommendations. Next, data from a prospective cohort (SWAT) were interpreted using Rasch analysis to explore scaling and measurement properties of the WHQ. Finally, qualitative and quantitative data were triangulated using a modified, exploratory, instrumental design model.ResultsIn the qualitative phase, 10 structured interviews and six focus groups took place with a total of 47 investigators across six countries. Themes related to comprehension, response mapping, retrieval, and judgement were identified with rich cross-cultural insights. In the quantitative phase, an exploratory Rasch model was fitted to data from 537 patients (369 excluding extremes). Owing to the number of extreme (floor) values, the overall level of power was low. The single WHQ scale satisfied tests of unidimensionality, indicating validity of the ordinal total WHQ score. There was significant overall model misfit of five items (5, 9, 14, 15, 16) and local dependency in 11 item pairs. The person separation index was estimated as 0.48 suggesting weak discrimination between classes, whereas Cronbach's α was high at 0.86. Triangulation of qualitative data with the Rasch analysis supported recommendations for cross-cultural adaptation of the WHQ items 1 (redness), 3 (clear fluid), 7 (deep wound opening), 10 (pain), 11 (fever), 15 (antibiotics), 16 (debridement), 18 (drainage), and 19 (reoperation). Changes to three item response categories (1, not at all; 2, a little; 3, a lot) were adopted for symptom items 1 to 10, and two categories (0, no; 1, yes) for item 11 (fever).ConclusionThis study made recommendations for cross-cultural adaptation of the WHQ for use in global surgical research and practice, using co-produced mixed-methods data from three continents. Translations are now available for implementation into remote wound assessment pathways

Twelve-month observational study of children with cancer in 41 countries during the COVID-19 pandemic

Childhood cancer is a leading cause of death. It is unclear whether the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted childhood cancer mortality. In this study, we aimed to establish all-cause mortality rates for childhood cancers during the COVID-19 pandemic and determine the factors associated with mortality