Determinants of preterm survival in a tertiary hospital in Ghana: a ten-year review

Background Prematurity (gestational age <37 completed weeks) accounts for the majority of neonatal deaths worldwide and most of these occur in the low-resource countries. Understanding factors that determine the best chances of preterm survival is imperative in order to enhance the care of neonates and reduce adverse outcomes in such complicated births. Aim This was to find out the proportions of preterm babies who survived at the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) in the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital (CCTH) and the factors which influenced their survival. Method This was a retrospective review of data on all the live preterm babies seen at the SCBU of CCTH from 2010 to 2019. Data on 2,254 babies that met the inclusion criteria were extracted. Descriptive statistics were generated and tests of association done with chi-square and multivariable logistic regression. Outcome The main outcome measure was the proportion of live preterm neonates who were discharged after SCBU admissions. Results The CCTH had a total of 27,320 deliveries from 2010 to 2019. Of these, 1,282 were live preterm births, giving a prevalence of live preterm babies over the ten-year period of 4.7% (1,282/27,320). An increasing trend in prevalence was observed with 2019 recording the highest at 9% (271/3027). Most (48.8%) of the deliveries were vaginal, 39.2% were by caesarean section (CS); the mode of birth for 12% of the women were not documented. The mean gestational age was 31.8 (±2.77) weeks. Of the birth weights documented, 2500g made up only 3.7%. The average length of hospital stay was 8.3 (±9.88) days. Regarding the main outcome variable, 67.6% were discharged alive, 27.6% died and 4.9% were unaccounted for due to incomplete documentation. Factors which influenced survival were: birth weight (p <0.001); gestational age (p <0.001); mode and place of delivery (p <0.001 for both); APGAR scores at 1st and 5th minutes (p <0.001); and length of stay at the SCBU (p <0.001). No association was found for sex of the baby, maternal age and parity. Conclusion This study shows the possibility of achieving good preterm survival rates through the provision of specialised neonatal care, even in resource-constrained countries. This provides an updated benchmark for clinical decision-making and antenatal counselling. It also highlights the problem of inadequate data capture in our part of the world, which needs considerable improvement

The burden and predictors of late antenatal booking in a rural setting in Ghana

Abstract Aim The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence and key predictors of late booking among pregnant women accessing antenatal care services in a rural district of Ghana. Design Cross‐sectional study. Methods Data on demographic characteristics, knowledge of accessing antenatal care services and booking gestation were collected from 163 randomly selected pregnant women accessing accessing antenatal care in rural Ghana from 1 March 2022 to 30 April 2022 using a structured questionnaire. The chi‐square and logistic regression were used to explore associations between exposure and dependent variables. Results The prevalence of late accessing antenatal care booking among study participants was 44.8% (73/163). About 79.1% (129/163) of them had adequate knowledge of accessing antenatal care services. Maternal age of 35–49 years (AOR: 8.53, 95% CI: 2.41–30.12), participants whose partners had no formal education (AOR: 3.43, 95% CI: 1.03–11.39) and participants with adequate knowledge about accessing antenatal care services (AOR: 0.21, 95% CI: 0.07–0.62) were associated with late booking for accessing antenatal care services among study participants

Prevalence and correlates of depression among students in a senior high school in Ghana: A school-based cross-sectional study

Objectives: Depression is one of the most widely reported mental health issues that affect adolescents globally. However, there is a dearth of data on its prevalence and associated factors among senior high school students in Ghana, since previous studies have focused more on adult populations. This can hinder policies needed to champion mental health and mental health care in senior high schools. Hence, this study sought to assess the prevalence of depression and associated factors among senior high school students in Ghana. Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study involving 289 students at the Manya Krobo Senior High School was conducted from December 2022 to February 2023. The students were selected using a two-stage random sampling method. A questionnaire was used to collect data on sociodemographics and individual characteristics. The primary outcome was depression, and this was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. Summary statistics were presented as means, frequencies, and percentages. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with depression and odds ratios presented with 95% confidence intervals. Statistical significance was considered at p -value < 0.05. Results: The mean age of the students was 16.6 (±1.2) with a range of 14–20 years. Over a quarter (26.3%) of the students reported financial difficulties. The prevalence of depression among the students was 68.9%. The factors associated with depression in this study were female sex (adjusted odds ratio: 1.74, 95% confidence interval: 1.01–2.97), age (adjusted odds ratio: 1.41, 95% confidence interval: 1.10–1.81), history of chronic health condition (adjusted odds ratio: 3.74, 95% confidence interval: 1.36–10.25), and financial difficulties (adjusted odds ratio: 2.31, 95% confidence interval: 1.15–4.63). Conclusion: This study shows that depression is rife among students at the Manya Krobo Senior High School, Manya Krobo District, Ghana. These findings call for pragmatic interventions such as strengthening counseling units and professional mental health services to ameliorate the impact of depression on the lives of students

Demographic characteristics of study participants.

Demographic characteristics of study participants.</p

Factors influencing occupational injuries among study participants.

Factors influencing occupational injuries among study participants.</p

Occupational injury, type, causes and PPE use among study participants.

Occupational injury, type, causes and PPE use among study participants.</p

S1 Dataset -

BackgroundEmergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) are the primary providers of prehospital emergency medical services. The operations of EMTs increase their risks of being exposed to occupational injuries. However, there is a paucity of data on the prevalence of occupational injuries among EMTs in sub-Saharan Africa. This study, therefore, sought to estimate the prevalence and determinants of occupational injuries among EMTs in the northern part of Ghana.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among 154 randomly recruited EMTs in the northern part of Ghana. A pre-tested structured questionnaire was used to collect data on participants’ demographic characteristics, facility-related factors, personal protective equipment use, and occupational injuries. Binary and multivariate logistic regression analyses with a backward stepwise approach were used to examine the determinants of occupational injuries among EMTs.ResultsIn the 12 months preceding data collection, the prevalence of occupational injuries among EMTs was 38.6%. Bruises (51.8%), and sprains/strains (14.3%) were the major types of injuries reported among the EMTs. The key determinants of occupational injury among EMTs were male sex (AOR: 3.39, 95%CI: 1.41–8.17), an absence of a health and safety committee at the workplace (AOR: 3.92, 95%CI: 1.63–9.43), absence of health and safety policy at the workplace (AOR: 2.76, 95%CI: 1.26–6.04) and dissatisfaction with health and safety measures at the workplace (AOR: 2.51, 95%CI: 1.10–5.71).ConclusionIn the twelve months before to the data collection for this study, the prevalence of occupational injuries among EMTs of the Ghana National Ambulance Service was high. The creation of health and safety committees, the creation of health and safety rules, and the strengthening of current health and safety procedures for EMTs are all possible ways to lessen this.</div