Strategies to facilitate the utilisation of child healthcare services in the Nkwanta South Municipality, Ghana

Child health outcomes in Ghana and Sub-Saharan Africa have remained poor compared to other regions of the world. More than half of the global deaths among children under five years of age occur in sub-Saharan Africa. Neonatal and under five child death rates continue to remain high in Ghana, mainly because of the high death rates recorded in the rural areas. Adequate and prompt utilisation of child healthcare services contributes to improved child health outcomes. Despite all the efforts to improve child health, the utilisation of child healthcare services in rural areas in Ghana such as the Nkwanta South Municipality has remained poor. The purpose of this study was therefore to develop strategies that could facilitate the utilisation of child healthcare services by caregivers for their children in need in the Nkwanta South Municipality, Ghana. A qualitative approach, using an exploratory, descriptive and contextual design was implemented for this study. The research comprised the following three phases. Phase One comprised the empirical phase which explored and described the experiences of three groups of participants namely, nurses who rendered child healthcare services in both hospitals and clinics; caregivers of children under five years of age who utilised the available child healthcare services and caregivers of child under five years of age who did not utilise the available child healthcare services. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews conducted with these participants and analysed qualitatively according to the six steps outlined in Creswell (2014:197). Four main themes and 10 sub-themes emerged from the data analysis and were presented and discussed. Phase Two consisted of the compilation of the conceptual framework using the survey list by Dickoff, James and Wiendenbach (1968:423). The conceptual framework was compiled based on the findings of the empirical phase and the WHO Health for All model which was the theoretical framework that underpinned this study. The conceptual framework was also later used as the lens for the development and description of the strategies to facilitate the utilisation of child healthcare services by caregivers for their children in need in Phase Three. Phase Three of the study was the final phase of the research and it involved the development and description of the strategies that could be used by nurses to facilitate the use of child healthcare services by caregivers for their children in need in Nkwanta South Municipality, Ghana. Five strategies were developed and described in this phase. The five strategies were: training and deployment of nurses; capacity building for nurses to support quality child healthcare delivery; resourcing healthcare facilities; community engagement and participation and stakeholder collaboration. The evaluation criteria of Chinn and Kramer (2011:197) were used by six experts to evaluate the strategies. The strategies were evaluated and found to be understandable, clear, simple, applicable and significant to nursing practice. It can thus be concluded that the purpose of the study was achieved since strategies were developed to facilitate the utilisation of child healthcare services by caregivers for their children in need in the Nkwanta South Municipality, Ghana.Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Health Sciences, 202

Strategies to facilitate the utilisation of child healthcare services in the Nkwanta South Municipality, Ghana

Child health outcomes in Ghana and Sub-Saharan Africa have remained poor compared to other regions of the world. More than half of the global deaths among children under five years of age occur in sub-Saharan Africa. Neonatal and under five child death rates continue to remain high in Ghana, mainly because of the high death rates recorded in the rural areas. Adequate and prompt utilisation of child healthcare services contributes to improved child health outcomes. Despite all the efforts to improve child health, the utilisation of child healthcare services in rural areas in Ghana such as the Nkwanta South Municipality has remained poor. The purpose of this study was therefore to develop strategies that could facilitate the utilisation of child healthcare services by caregivers for their children in need in the Nkwanta South Municipality, Ghana. A qualitative approach, using an exploratory, descriptive and contextual design was implemented for this study. The research comprised the following three phases. Phase One comprised the empirical phase which explored and described the experiences of three groups of participants namely, nurses who rendered child healthcare services in both hospitals and clinics; caregivers of children under five years of age who utilised the available child healthcare services and caregivers of child under five years of age who did not utilise the available child healthcare services. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews conducted with these participants and analysed qualitatively according to the six steps outlined in Creswell (2014:197). Four main themes and 10 sub-themes emerged from the data analysis and were presented and discussed. Phase Two consisted of the compilation of the conceptual framework using the survey list by Dickoff, James and Wiendenbach (1968:423). The conceptual framework was compiled based on the findings of the empirical phase and the WHO Health for All model which was the theoretical framework that underpinned this study. The conceptual framework was also later used as the lens for the development and description of the strategies to facilitate the utilisation of child healthcare services by caregivers for their children in need in Phase Three. Phase Three of the study was the final phase of the research and it involved the development and description of the strategies that could be used by nurses to facilitate the use of child healthcare services by caregivers for their children in need in Nkwanta South Municipality, Ghana. Five strategies were developed and described in this phase. The five strategies were: training and deployment of nurses; capacity building for nurses to support quality child healthcare delivery; resourcing healthcare facilities; community engagement and participation and stakeholder collaboration. The evaluation criteria of Chinn and Kramer (2011:197) were used by six experts to evaluate the strategies. The strategies were evaluated and found to be understandable, clear, simple, applicable and significant to nursing practice. It can thus be concluded that the purpose of the study was achieved since strategies were developed to facilitate the utilisation of child healthcare services by caregivers for their children in need in the Nkwanta South Municipality, Ghana.Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Health Sciences, 202

Perception of Dieners Regarding Social Acceptance and the Right to Work: A Qualitative Study

Globally, the right to work is a modest human right. It is a right acknowledged under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which delineates the various types of work. As such, each person is at liberty to take up any job granted that one has the capacity and skills. This decision must be free from stigma or discrimination. However, this is not the case with mortuary attendants in Ghana. This study explored the viewpoints of Ghanaian mortuary attendants and how society perceives their rights to work. The study used a qualitative research approach, with exploratory and descriptive designs, that sought an in-depth understanding from sampled mortuary attendants on the perception of their community members toward their work. Saturation was attained with nineteen (19) participants from nine (9) health facilities located in the three regions. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and audio recorded with concurrent data transcription and analysis using content analysis. Purposive sampling was used. The study included male or female mortuary employees with at least 1 year of working experience. The themes that emerged were as follows; self-stigma, public stigma, stigma-by-association, and structural stigma. The results were structured according to a stigma model. The study reveals high levels of stigmatization and discrimination against mortuary attendants. Researchers recommend the need for public education, and policy changes to reverse the scornful stigmatization and discrimination against death care workers and those in related profiles