Pregnant Women's experiences of Birth Preparedness and Complication Readiness in Ghana

Background & aim: Most of the maternal mortalities are preventable when safe maternal healthcare practices adhere to antenatal care. Lack of birth and emergency preparedness is one of several factors contributing to maternal mortalities. Adequate birth preparedness (BP), as well as emergency, and complication readiness (CR) planning can determine the survival rate of a pregnant woman and her unborn neonate. The present study aimed to describe the experiences of pregnant women at Jachie Health Center regarding BP and CR. Methods: In this qualitative study, a phenomenological approach was used for data collection. In-depth interviewing was conducted with a total of 15 pregnant women from Jachie Health Center. The interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim, reviewed several times, and thematic analysis was performed. NVivo software (version 11) was utilized to manage the data and help with thematic analysis. Results: The pregnant women practiced preparations towards the place of delivery, support person, layette, and warning signs of pregnancy. The majority of the cases were not aware of obligatory preparations in terms of transportation and the need for emergency compatible blood donor prior to delivery. Most of the respondents were not sufficiently prepared for delivery due to poverty and low educational status. Conclusion: The role of community members could include the instruction of pregnant women to attend antenatal clinic to receive education regarding birth preparedness and complications readiness. The district health directorate and public health nurses should train community leaders for the benefits of birth preparedness and complications readiness

The use of emergency contraception among female senior high students in the Ho municipality of the Volta Region, Ghana

Background: Emergency contraception (EC) is one option for preventing unplanned pregnancy when it is available and properly used. Unsafe abortions are responsible for nearly one third of maternal deaths in sub-Saharan Africa and about quarter of unsafe abortions are among teenagers.Methods: A quantitative descriptive cross-sectional study. Data was collected using a pretested questionnaire. 260 senior high students were selected using a systematic sampling method in the Volta Region, Ghana. Data were cleaned and entered into SPSS version 22 and analysed into descriptive statistics.Results: Respondents acquired awareness about EC from friends (36.9%), family members (5.6%) and the mass media (41.6%). The required time for EC to be taken were stated as immediately after sex (57.9%), 24 hours after sex (1.2%) and (30.6%) did not know. 28.4% of participants indicated they would not use EC in the future as their faith was against it, 18.0% believed EC is ineffective and 24.9% consider it dangerous to their health. Reasons for use of EC included condom slipped (35.7%), inability to be on daily pill (33.7%), forced unprotected sex (8.2%) and miscalculation of the safe menstrual period (22.4%). There was a significant relationship between age and history of use of EC (p=0.000, c2=8.128, n=260).Conclusions: Strengthening education in Senior High Schools on sexual and reproductive health, with special emphasis on emergency contraceptives as a pregnancy preventive procedure will remain imperative to reducing the canker of maternal mortality attributed to adolescent abortions while improving understanding of the appropriate use of EC

Knowledge of pregnant women on the factors that influence anaemia in pregnancy in a rural farming district of the Western Region of Ghana

Background: The presence of anaemia in pregnancy is one of the serious public health concerns across the globe especially in developing countries like Ghana. This study assessed pregnant women's knowledge on factors influencing aneamia in pregnancy in a low-income district of Ghana.Methods: A quantitative descriptive cross-sectional study. Data was collected using a pretested questionnaire. 112 pregnant women seeking antenatal care were recruited using systematic sampling technique in the Wassa East district of Ghana. Data were cleaned and entered into SPSS version 22 and analysed into descriptive statistics.Results: Majority of participants; 72.3% did not know the causes of anaemia in pregnancy. Pregnant women (27.7%) indicated nutritional deficiency as a common cause of anaemia; 18.7% of them could identify appropriately at least one sign of anaemia in pregnancy with 28% asserting that pregnancy-related anaemia can affect labour, despite 72% indicating that anaemia could cause maternal mortality. The reasons for irregular ANC attendance included; perceived non importance of ANC (18.8%), financial difficulties (17.9%), health facility inaccessibility (18.8%) and time constraints (44.5%). There was a strong association between knowledge level on the cause of anaemia in pregnancy and the educational level of pregnant women (p=0.005 chi square = 50.289).Conclusions: Lack of knowledge on the importance of antenatal care and financial constraints were among the reasons leading to a surge in anaemia amongst pregnant women in the district. Health providers should incorporate services which enable pregnant women to access valuable information on anaemia prevention in pregnancy

Exploring social media adoption by nurses for nursing practice in rural Volta, Ghana

Abstract Aim The purpose of the study was to inquire into social media adoption by nurses for nursing practice. Design An exploratory descriptive qualitative design was employed in understanding social media adoption for nursing care among nurses. Method A purposive sampling technique was employed to recruit 12 participants for the study. A semi‐structured interview guide was used to conduct in‐depth interviews which were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, coded and analysed. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data with NVivo 12. Results The findings revealed nurses found social media to be useful for the dissemination, and reception of information, professional development and enhanced referral networks. Apart from its usefulness, participants believe that it is easy to navigate its apps, clear and understandable to use and does not involve much mental effort hence their favourable attitude towards use. Some participants also believe that inaccurate information, privacy and confidentiality concerns, distraction and addiction were some potential risks that are associated with its usage in nursing practice. Due to this, some participants developed a negative attitude towards its usage. Patient or Public Contribution Twelve nurses actively participated in the study

Utilization of Insecticide Treated Bed Nets (ITNs) among Caregivers of Children under Five Years in the Ho Municipality

Background. In Ghana, attempts to control malaria through antimalarial medications are currently threatened by the emergence and spread of drug resistant malaria parasites. This, together with the increasing incidence of malaria, has heightened the need for a more effective method of controlling the spread. The use of Insecticide Treated Bed Net (ITN) has been recognised as an effective measure in the prevention of malaria. Objective/Purpose. In this study, we examined the utilisation of ITN among caregivers of children under five years in Ho municipality of Ghana. Methods. This descriptive cross-sectional study recruited 283 household representatives through a multistage sampling method. A questionnaire was used to collect the data and was analyzed using STATA version 14. Descriptive and inferential statistics were adopted in presenting the data. Results. Ownership of ITN was higher (80.7%) than its utilisation (41.7%). The age of caregiver was strongly associated with the utilisation of ITN (AOR=2.00, 95% CI=0.00, 0.02, p<0.001) among children less than five years. Caregivers aged 26-35 were 49% times less likely to use an ITN as compared to those aged between 17 and 25 and the difference was statistically significant. Conclusion. In order to ensure a high ITN coverage and utilisation, there is the need for continuous distribution of ITNs to households. Households should be sensitized to use the nets to prevent the continuous spread of malaria

Challenges and coping strategies of nurses and midwives after maternity leave: A cross‐sectional study in a human resource‐constrained setting in Ghana

Abstract Aim This study examined the challenges and coping strategies adopted by nurses and midwives after child birth when they return to work. Design A cross‐sectional design was used. Method Two hundred nurses and midwives with history of maternity leave were recruited from the Korle‐Bu Teaching Hospital to take part in this study. Data were collected using a pre‐tested self‐administered questionnaire. The data were analysed with the aid of Stata 13.0. Results Most of the respondents claimed that they received support from relatives, day care centres and paid house helps while they resumed work. Seventy percent of the respondents indicated that they were given off day when they needed to send their child for postnatal care. Nurses and midwives depend on family members, paid house helps and day care centres to help them cater for their babies. It is recommended that hospitals set‐up day care centres and breastfeeding bays attached to the institutions

Psychological wellbeing and coping strategies of unmarried men with prostate cancer in urban Ghana

Background: The stereotype of having prostate cancer (PCa) and possible impairment in sexuality may lead to a deterioration of the mental health of patients with PCa. However, there is paucity of data on the psychological wellbeing and coping strategies of unmarried men with PCa in Ghana. We explored the psychological wellbeing and coping strategies of unmarried men with PCA in the Accra Metropolis of Ghana. Methods: In this qualitative study, we recruited ten (10) unmarried men as participants and interviewed them using a semi-structured interview guide. Data collection and analysis were done concurrently using thematic content analysis techniques with the aid of Nvivo 10. Ethics approval was obtained from the Ethics Review Committee of the 37 Military Hospital. Results: The findings revealed psychological symptoms of anxiety, depression, distress and suicidal ideation were exhibited by participants. Worries about treatment and recurrence of symptom as well as erectile dysfunction caused anxiety among participants. Some participants were depressed as a result of frequent urinary retention, severe pains and having to deal with an indwelling catheter whereas others associated their depression with cost of treatment and erectile dysfunction. The participants employed diverse strategies of coping with their condition. Subsequently, three sub-themes of coping were identified; lifestyle modification, social contact, and acceptance. Conclusion: Unmarried men with PCa have devastating effect on their psychological wellbeing and harbor suicidal ideations. We recommend psychological management of unmarried men with PCa

Prevalence and Pattern of Road Traffic Accidents among Commercial Motorcyclists in the Central Tongu District, Ghana

Background. The World Health Organisation estimates that 1.35 million people die as a result of road traffic crashes. Motorcycles as a means of transport are increasingly becoming the preferred and easiest means of transportation for most people in developing countries despite the associated risk. This study determined the prevalence and pattern of motorcycle crashes in Adidome among commercial motorcyclists. Methods. A descriptive, cross-sectional study design was used as 114 commercial motorcyclists were recruited to respond to a pretested research questionnaire in the Adidome district of the Volta Region. Data were analyzed using SPSS, version 22.0. Data were presented as simple descriptive statistics. A chi-square relationship was determined using the demographic variables, and the history of accident at a 95% confidence interval with 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results. The prevalence of road traffic crashes at Adidome was 64.0%. Motorcyclists (74.0%) were reported to have been involved in crashes in the past one year prior to the study. Motorcyclists attributed the last accident to excessive speeding (31.5%) and bad roads (23.3%), this accident as a result of colliding with another motorcycle (50.7%), and slippery surfaces (24.7%). The majority (63.0%) of the respondents had an accident once. The consumption of alcohol was associated with the occurrence of an accident as 34.2% occurred among cyclists who drank alcohol, compared with 29.8% who did not (p<0.05). Conclusion. There should be strict implementation of current road traffic regulations of Ghana by the MTTD of the Ghana Police Service, and penalties should be awarded against anybody caught riding a motorcycle under the influence of alcohol. Helmet and other protective devices must be made compulsory for motorcycle riders to prevent injuries, especially head injuries, if an accident occurs

Expectation and Satisfaction with Nursing Care among Hypertensives Receiving Care at a Resource-Constrained Hospital in Ghana

Background. Hypertension accounts for a third of the global preventable premature deaths. In Sub-Saharan Africa, hypertension is the most rapidly increasing cardiovascular disease (CVD) and the second leading cause of death. Proper management of hypertension requires adherence to management by patients and this is partly possible if patients feel satisfied with the nursing care they receive. Satisfaction with nursing care is only possible if there is a congruence between the expectations of care and the actual care received from nurses. Aim. We explored the expectations and satisfaction of Ghanaian hypertensives with nursing care received at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH). Methods. In this qualitative study, a phenomenological approach was used to gather data about the lived experiences of patients with hypertension about nursing care. In-depth interviews (IDIs) were conducted among sixteen (16) patients with hypertension from the hypertensive Out-Patient Department (OPD) Clinics of the Medical Department at the KBTH. Only patients with history of previous admission(s) at the KBTH during the immediate past six months were purposively recruited. The respondents were interviewed about the nursing care received during their immediate past admission(s) at the KBTH using an IDI-guide. The IDIs were recorded digitally, transcribed verbatim, and reviewed severally and thematic analysis was done. Nvivo 11 software was used to manage the data and aid with the thematic analysis. Results. The results of this study showed that Ghanaian hypertensive patients perceived nurses as key players in the management of patients. On the respondents’ expectations from nurses prior to their immediate past admissions at the KBTH, the data revealed the responsiveness of nurses to patient needs, prompt pain management, high confidentiality level of nurses, rendering of efficient health education, maintenance of therapeutic work environment, and ensuring effective communication as well as professional/ethical practice from the nurses. On the question of what made nursing care satisfying, it was observed from the respondents that they considered the competence of nurses, maintenance of therapeutic environment, and also effective handling of confidential information as determinants of their satisfaction with nursing care. Further, the respondents identified some key areas of dissatisfaction and these included the responsiveness of nurses to patient needs, prompt pain management, effectiveness of health education, and provision of culturally sensitive communication. Disproportionate distribution of nursing staff across the three nursing shifts, unethical practice among some nurses, inadequate resources for work, and low work morale of some nurses were identified as factors responsible for the gaps between patient expectations and actual care received. Conclusion. Our study concludes that continuous professional development programs for nurses should focus on the areas of dissatisfaction so as to improve care for hypertensives. We also recommend that nursing staff distribution across the various shifts should be of keen interest to nurse managers if hypertension care in particular and overall patient care in general are to improve