Blood haemoglobin measurement as a predictive indicator for the progression of HIV/AIDS in resource-limited setting

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Anaemia is a frequent complication of infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and may have multiple causes. The objective of this study was to find out if blood haemoglobin measurement could be used as an indicator for the progression of HIV/AIDS in resource-limited setting.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Two hundred and twenty-eight (228) consented People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs) who were placed in three groups according to their CD4 counts were used in the study. The three groups were those with CD4 counts (1) ≥ 500 mm-³; (2) 200-499 mm-³; and (3) <it><</it>200 mm-³. One hundred (100) sex, age-matched and healthy HIV-seronegative individuals were used as control subjects. Blood haemoglobin, blood haematocrit, Red cell indices which included Mean Cell Volume, Mean Cell Haemoglobin Concentration and Mean Cell Haemoglobin and CD4 count were analysed in all subjects.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The mean blood haemoglobin concentrations in those with CD4 counts <it><</it>200 mm-³, 200-499 mm-³and ≥ 500 mm-³(8.83 ± 0.22 g/dl, 10.03 ± 0.31 g/dl and 11.3 ± 0.44 g/dl respectively) were significantly lower when compared with the control group (14.29 ± 0.77 g/dl) (<it>p </it>< 0.0001). The mean blood haematocrit levels in those with CD4 counts <it><</it>200 mm-³, 200-499 mm-³and ≥ 500 mm-³(23.53 ± 0.85%, 28.28 ± 0.77% and 33.54 ± 1.35% respectively) were also significantly lower when compared with the control group (41.15 ± 2.15%) (<it>p </it>< 0.0001). The red cell indices were also lower in the subjects when compared with the control group. Using the Pearson's correlation, there was a significant and positive correlation between the blood haemoglobin level and their CD4 counts <it>(</it>r²= 0.1755; <it>p < 0.0001)</it>.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Anaemia in People Living with HIV/AIDS, if persistent, is associated with substantially decreased survival. From our analysis, there was a decrease in the blood haemoglobin, levels as the HIV infection progressed and our findings are consistent with those of other studies of anaemia as a prognostic factor in HIV infection. Haemoglobin levels could be measured easily where resources for more sophisticated laboratory markers such as viral load or even CD4 lymphocyte count are not available given that measurement of the CD4 lymphocyte count requires flow cytometry, an expensive technique unavailable in many developing countries. Regular measurements could help to determine which patients are at greatest risk of disease progression, allowing these patients to be identified for closer monitoring or therapeutic intervention.</p

The relevance of knowledge, perception, and factors that influence contraceptive use among married women living in Uaddara Barracks, Ghana

Background: Contraceptive use has many advantages for personal growth and societal advancement, but there is still the problem of unmet needs for women, which highlights the gap between women\u27s reproductive intentions and contraceptive use. This study investigated knowledge, perceptions, and factors that influence contraceptive use among married women living in a military base in Ghana. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 350 married women between the ages of 20 and 58 years at the Uaddara Barracks, Kumasi. A structured questionnaire was used to collect information on the background, knowledge, perceptions on contraceptive use, and contraceptive methods used by participants. Data was entered into an Excel sheet and analysed using R version 4.2.1. Results: Most of the participants were between the age range of 36 and 40 years (25.5%). Almost all study participants (97.4%), had heard about contraceptives with 80.6% showing a high level of knowledge on contraceptives. The majority of the women (84.6%) had previously used some form of contraceptives and 53.1% presently do. More than half of the participants (69.4%) had a positive perception of contraceptive use; 80.6% responded it was their own decision to use contraceptives, and 80.3% had the support of their husbands. Husbands\u27 support of contraception resulted in a 5 times higher usage of contraceptives among women (aOR = 5.35; p \u3c 0.001) while women who were married to military men were 45% (aOR = 0.45; p = 0.007) less likely to use contraceptive when compared to civilian wives. Demographic characteristics like being above 40 years (aOR = 0.25; p = 0.014), being a housewife (aOR = 0.42; p = 0.043) and working in the private sector (aOR = 0.33; p = 0.015) were significantly linked with less contraceptive use. Conclusion: The study showed that women used contraceptives at a rate that was much higher than the national norm at the Uaddara Barracks, demonstrating the beneficial influence men had on women\u27s contraceptive use. This thereby underscores the need for interventional policies that prioritized the male as much as women, while emphasizing the benefits of contraceptive use to the family and not just as an awareness program only

Association of wrist circumference and waist-to-height ratio with cardiometabolic risk factors among type II diabetics in a Ghanaian population

The study determined the association of wrist circumference (WrC) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) with cardiometabolic risk factors among diabetics in a Ghanaian population. This cross-sectional study involved 384 diabetic patients at Begoro District Hospital, Ghana. Blood pressure, anthropometrics, and biochemical indices were measured. The overall prevalence of dyslipidaemia, metabolic syndrome (MetS), and hypertension was 42.4%, 76.3%, and 39.8%, respectively. The optimum cut-off range of WrC to identify individuals at increased cardiometabolic risk was 17.5 to –17.8 cm for men and 16.0 to 16.7 cm for women while that of WHtR was 0.52 to 0.61 for men and 0.53 to 0.59 for women. WrC for women was a significant independent predictor for MetS [aOR = 3.0 (1.39–6.72), ] and systolic blood pressure [aOR = 2.08 (1.17–3.68), ]. WHtR was a significant positive predictor for triglycerides [aOR = 3.23 (0.10–3.82), ] for women. Using Framingham risk scores, 61% of the subjects had elevated 10-year risk of developing cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), with no significant difference in gender prevalence. WrC [aOR = 6.13 (0.34–111.4), ] and WHtR [aOR = 2.52 (0.42–15.02), ] were associated with statistically insignificant increased odds of moderate-to-high risk of developing CVDs in 10 years. The use of gender-specific cut-offs for WrC and WHtR may offer putative markers for early identification of CRFs

Effects of dietary inclusions of oilseed meals on physical characteristics and feed intake of diets for the Nile Tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus

The present study investigated the effects of the inclusion of three oilseed by-products (soybean, copra and palm kernel meals) on some physical characteristics of pelletized feeds as well as on voluntary feed intake and faecal matter production by the Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus. The dietary inclusion of soybean meal resulted in a significantly higher feed bulk density relative to the fishmeal control diet. The inclusions of copra and palm kernel meals, however, resulted in lower feed bulk densities. Sinking rates, water stabilities and nutrient retention efficiencies of feed pellets were directly related to feed bulk densities. The soybean meal diet had the fastest sinking velocities, greatest water stability and highest nutrient retention rates. The dietary inclusion of soybean meal, however, significantly impaired feed intake compared to the other three diets. Mean daily feed intakes of the control, palm kernel meal and copra meal diets corresponded to 28.88, 27.01 and 28.31 g during the experimental period and varied significantly from the mean daily intake of the soybean meal diet which corresponded to 20.01 g. Faecal matter production (g dry mass kg−1 ingested feed) was significantly higher in the tilapia groups fed the copra and palm kernel meals. The results obtained from this study show that 30% inclusions of unrefined forms of copra and palm kernel meal in Nile tilapia diets is possible, without adversely affecting feed intake or pellet nutrient losses prior to ingestion

Putative factors influencing knowledge and behavioural practices of health science undergraduate students towards COVID-19 infection ahead of re-opening universities in Ghana

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) virus is a global pandemic affecting daily activities and delaying the reopening of several institutions such as universities. As a result, precautionary and preventive measures are being implemented to curtail the spread of the virus. However, knowledge and compliance measures are essential for adequate preparedness to reopen the universities amidst the pandemic. Methods: This cross-sectional study evaluated knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) along with factors influencing Health Science undergraduate students toward the COVID-19 infection pandemic in Ghana. A total of 606 students provided information regarding KAP of COVID-19 infection using an online questionnaire designed via Google forms. Results: Majority of the students \u27mostly\u27 obtained information on COVID-19 infection from social media (69.4%) followed by Television/radio/newspaper (60.4%). Majority of the students\u27 population had adequate knowledge (92.7%), showed a good attitude (90.9%) and positive cues (90.8%) towards COVID-19 infection. Students that more often obtained information about COVID-19 infection from the news media were 2.86 and 4.01 increased odds of having a positive attitude and good practices towards COVID-19 infection, respectively. Those who obtained information from social media were significantly more likely to have adequate knowledge [OR=2.32 (1.10-7.19] but non-significantly less likely to have good practices [OR=0.57 (0.22-1.51)]. Male students had 0.53 decreased odds of having adequate knowledge of COVID-19 infection compared with female students. When compared with the sixth year students, students in the first year [OR =0.25 (95% CI: 0.10-0.62)] and second year [OR =0.33 (95% CI: 0.14-0.81)] were significantly less knowledgeable about COVID-19 infection. Students from urban settings were significantly associated with higher positive attitude towards COVID-19 infection [OR =2.04 (1.29-3.23)]. Conclusions: Increasing public health education on COVID-19 infection would increase knowledge and awareness, and create an opportunity for compliance with precautionary measures, thereby ensuring continuity of university education amidst the pandemic

The relevance of knowledge, perception, and factors that influence contraceptive use among married women living in Uaddara Barracks, Ghana

BackgroundContraceptive use has many advantages for personal growth and societal advancement, but there is still the problem of unmet needs for women, which highlights the gap between women's reproductive intentions and contraceptive use. This study investigated knowledge, perceptions, and factors that influence contraceptive use among married women living in a military base in Ghana.MethodsThis cross-sectional study involved 350 married women between the ages of 20 and 58 years at the Uaddara Barracks, Kumasi. A structured questionnaire was used to collect information on the background, knowledge, perceptions on contraceptive use, and contraceptive methods used by participants. Data was entered into an Excel sheet and analysed using R version 4.2.1.ResultsMost of the participants were between the age range of 36 and 40 years (25.5%). Almost all study participants (97.4%), had heard about contraceptives with 80.6% showing a high level of knowledge on contraceptives. The majority of the women (84.6%) had previously used some form of contraceptives and 53.1% presently do. More than half of the participants (69.4%) had a positive perception of contraceptive use; 80.6% responded it was their own decision to use contraceptives, and 80.3% had the support of their husbands. Husbands' support of contraception resulted in a 5 times higher usage of contraceptives among women (aOR =  5.35; p &lt; 0.001) while women who were married to military men were 45% (aOR = 0.45; p = 0.007) less likely to use contraceptive when compared to civilian wives. Demographic characteristics like being above 40 years (aOR = 0.25; p = 0.014), being a housewife (aOR = 0.42; p = 0.043) and working in the private sector (aOR = 0.33; p = 0.015) were significantly linked with less contraceptive use.ConclusionThe study showed that women used contraceptives at a rate that was much higher than the national norm at the Uaddara Barracks, demonstrating the beneficial influence men had on women's contraceptive use. This thereby underscores the need for interventional policies that prioritized the male as much as women, while emphasizing the benefits of contraceptive use to the family and not just as an awareness program only

Quality of life of colorectal cancer survivors in a Ghanaian population

Objective: We collected data to evaluate the quality of life of patients who have survived between one and 8 years from the diagnosis of colorectal cancer. Data description: We collected quality of life (QoL) data from colorectal patients who were diagnosed between 2009 and 2015 at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) and have survived until January 2017. The dataset consists of patients\u27 demographic data, clinicopathological characteristics, and QoL data. The validated QoL instruments for data curation was an adopted version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-C30 and the EORTC QLQ-CR29. The QLQ-C30 was a 30-item general cancer instrument with 5 functional subscales, and 9 symptom subscales, whereas the QLQ-CR29 was a 29-item scale that consisted of 3 functional QOL subscales and 14 symptom subscales, that are associated with colorectal cancer and its treatment. The QoL instrument was coded such that higher scores indicated increased function and better QoL, and higher symptom scores represent worse symptoms

Predictors of noncompliance to antihypertensive therapy among hypertensive patients Ghana: Application of health belief model

This study determined noncompliance to antihypertensive therapy (AHT) and its associated factors in a Ghanaian population by using the health belief model (HBM). This descriptive cross-sectional study conducted at Kintampo Municipality in Ghana recruited a total of 678 hypertensive patients. The questionnaire constituted information regarding sociodemographics, a five-Likert type HBM questionnaire, and lifestyle-related factors. The rate of noncompliance to AHT in this study was 58.6%. The mean age (SD) of the participants was 43.5 (±5.2) years and median duration of hypertension was 2 years. Overall, the five HBM constructs explained 31.7% of the variance in noncompliance to AHT with a prediction accuracy of 77.5%, after adjusting for age, gender, and duration of condition. Higher levels of perceived benefits of using medicine [aOR=0.55(0.36-0.82),p=0.0001] and cue to actions [aOR=0.59(0.38-0.90),p=0.0008] were significantly associated with reduced noncompliance while perceived susceptibility [aOR=3.05(2.20-6.25),