Health-seeking behaviour among migrant female head porters in the City of Accra, Ghana

Migration is an important feature of human development and a significant driver of societal change and well-being across populations. One key aspect of contemporary migration is the rise in female migration, contributing to the debate on urbanization with implications for the health of migrants. This study examined the health behaviour of migrant female head porters in Accra. The study design was cross-sectional with an interview-administered survey. A multistage sampling technique was employed to select communities and 213 respondents. Data were analysed using the SPSS software. From the results, 41.1% were within ages 15-19 years, 41.7% were Mamprusis, and 59.1% were not married. About 65.5% knew the existence of a health facility around their residence, with 75.5% seeking healthcare outside orthodox health facilities. A significant association was established between marital status and education and where healthcare was sought. Respondents who saved money, had Health Insurance cards, and receive support from others were more likely to visit health facilities. The study concludes that the predictors of health-seeking behaviour among the respondents are the possession of health insurance; level of saving, social support they receive from others including marital status and education. Respondents should be encouraged to possess health insurance and save money.Keywords: Health-Seeking, Behaviour, Migrants, Female, Head-Porters, Behaviou

Descriptive epidemiology of anaemia among pregnant women initiating antenatal care in rural Northern Ghana

Anaemia in pregnancy is associated with adverse obstetric outcomes. When detected early in pregnancy, it can be treated; however, information on its prevalence and associated factors is limited in rural Ghana.; The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and maternal factors associated with anaemia in pregnancy at first antenatal care (ANC) visits.; The study was conducted in the Navrongo War Memorial Hospital, a secondary referral facility in the Kassena-Nankana district in rural northern Ghana.; A retrospective analysis of antenatal clinic records of pregnant women collected from January to December 2014. All pregnant women initiating antenatal clinic, who had initial haemoglobin (Hb) levels measured, were included in the study. Logistic regression analyses were carried out to determine factors associated with anaemia at the initiation of ANC.; We analysed data from 506 women with median Hb of 11.1 g/dL (IQR 7.31-13.8). The median gestational age at booking was 14 weeks (5-36 weeks). The prevalence of anaemia was 42.7%, with 95% confidence interval (CI) [38.4-47.1], and was high among teenage mothers (52% [34.9-67.8]), mothers who booked in the third trimester (55% [33.6-74.7]) and grand multiparous women (58% [30.7-81.6]). Factors associated with anaemia included grand multiparity (odds ratio [OR] = 1.94 with 95% CI [1.58-2.46]), booking during the third trimester (OR = 2.06 [1.78-2.21]) and mother who were underweight compared to those with normal weight (OR = 3.17 [1.19-8.32]).; Burden of anaemia in pregnancy is still high in rural northern Ghana. We advocate further strengthening of the primary health care system to improve early access to ANC delivery

Determinants of Antenatal Care Utilization among Adolescent Mothers in the Yendi Municipality of Northern Region, Ghana

Adolescent pregnancy is a high-risk situation because of the mothers’ physical and psychological immaturity for reproduction. In rural Ghana, especially in the northern part of the country, adolescent women are reluctant to access antenatal care. This study therefore examines the determinants of antenatal care attendance among pregnant adolescents in the Yendi Municipality. A cross sectional descriptive study design was employed with both quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection. The tools used for the data collection were questionnaires and interview guides. Data was collected from 126 adolescent mothers using the purposive sampling technique. Results indicate that distance to health facilities, mother’s and partner’s level of education, unfriendly attitude of health workers, cultural beliefs and income are the main determinants for the utilization of antenatal care services among pregnant adolescents. A significant association with the utilization of antenatal care services include place of residence, ethnicity, religion, marital status, partner’s education level and distance to health facility. The study recommended comprehensive action-based approaches needed in rural communities, including providing public transportation and increasing availability of different types of health facilities by government. Also, there is a need for community-based interventions that can create awareness and change these social groups, cultural norms and behaviours

Predictive signs and symptoms of bacterial meningitis isolates in Northern Ghana

Abstract Cerebrospinal meningitis (CSM) is a public health burden in Ghana that causes up to 10% mortality in confirmed cases annually. About 20% of those who survive the infection suffer permanent sequelae. The study sought to understand the predictive signs and symptoms of bacterial meningitis implicated in its outcomes. Retrospective data from the Public Health Division, Ghana Health Service on bacterial meningitis from 2015 to 2019 was used for this study. A pre-tested data extraction form was used to collect patients’ information from case-based forms kept at the Disease Control Unit from 2015 to 2019. Data were transcribed from the case-based forms into a pre-designed Microsoft Excel template. The data was cleaned and imported into SPSS version 26 for analysis. Between 2015 and 2019, a total of 2446 suspected bacterial meningitis cases were included in the study. Out of these, 842 (34.4%) were confirmed. Among the confirmed cases, males constituted majority with 55.3% of the cases. Children below 14 years of age were most affected (51.4%). The pathogens commonly responsible for bacterial meningitis were Neisseria meningitidis (43.7%) and Streptococcus pneumoniae (53.0%) with their respective strains Nm W135 (36.7%), Nm X (5.1%), Spn St. 1 (26.2%), and Spn St. 12F/12A/12B/44/4 (5.3%) accounting for more than 70.0% of the confirmed cases. The presence of neck stiffness (AOR = 1.244; C.I 1.026–1.508), convulsion (AOR = 1.338; C.I 1.083–1.652), altered consciousness (AOR = 1.516; C.I 1.225–1.876), and abdominal pains (AOR = 1.404; C.I 1.011–1.949) or any of these signs and symptoms poses a higher risk for testing positive for bacterial meningitis adjusting for age. Patients presenting one and/or more of these signs and symptoms (neck stiffness, convulsion, altered consciousness, and abdominal pain) have a higher risk of testing positive for bacterial meningitis after statistically adjusting for age