Background: Skilled birth care during childbirth is reported in the literature as one critical st... more Background: Skilled birth care during childbirth is reported in the literature as one critical strategy for reducing maternal morbidity and mortality. Despite the importance of birth care provided by skilled birth attendants, women in rural areas of northern Ghana still give birth utilising the birth services provided by Traditional Birth Attendants. The aim of this study,therefore, was to explore and describe the reasons why a small group of rural women chose homebirth in rural northern Ghana. Methods: A qualitative approach was adopted to explore the reasons why women prefer to deliver at home in rural areas of northern Ghana. Individual interviews were used to obtain a full description of factors and experiences of women associated with home births in rural areas in Ghana. The research population consisted of 10 women who utilised birth care services provided by Traditional Birth Attendants in a rural community of northern Ghana. Data collected from the interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed to identify themes. Results: This study, which was conducted among a small group of women, yielded interesting results on why these women still give birth at home in rural northern Ghana. It was found out that perceived poor quality of care and conduct of skilled birth attendants; the perception that women received better care from Traditional Birth Attendants; financial constraints and lack of access to healthcare facilities in the rural areas by these women accounted for majority of the reasons why women in rural northern Ghana still give birth at home. Conclusion: The study highlighted some barriers experienced by participants to the utilisation of birth care services provided by skilled birth attendants in rural northern Ghana. Management of healthcare facilities should facilitate the implementation of supportive supervision in the maternity units to improve the quality of care and attitude delivered by skilled birth attendants in maternity care in rural communities.
Journal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development
Women from Kordorwukope and Gbegbevia had to travel about 2 km to access safe water, until 2018 w... more Women from Kordorwukope and Gbegbevia had to travel about 2 km to access safe water, until 2018 when International Needs Ghana, a Non-Governmental Organisation, extended piped water to each of the two communities. Since the extension of water to the communities, no study had been carried out to ascertain the effects of access to safe water on the well-being of women living in those communities. This study therefore aimed at exploring the effects of physical access to safe water on the well-being of women living in the Gbegbevia and Kordorwukope Communities. A qualitative research design was used. The study population included seven women who had lived in the study communities for at least 2 years before the water project was implemented. Five key themes were apparent in the data: challenges women encountered before gaining access to safe water; physical well-being; mental well-being; social well-being; and career and financial well-being. The results of this study show that the exte...
Background: Little is known about the economic burden of snakebites to households in Ghana. This ... more Background: Little is known about the economic burden of snakebites to households in Ghana. This study examined the economic burden of snakebites to victims of households in 2 snakebite endemic districts in the Oti Region of Ghana. Methods: STATA version 14 was used for the data analysis and the cost of treating snakebite was estimated from the patient perspective. In the study, we first present descriptive statistics of the variables used and then use the Kruskal-Wallis test to assess significant difference in the mean cost of snakebite across groups. We also used the Generalized Linear Model to establish the relationship between cost of treating snakebite versus potential risk factors associated with the cost. Results: A total of 373 respondents were involved in the study and the majority were males (68.36%). The mean non-medical cost incurred during treatment was USD 26.57 with feeding accounting for the largest non-medical cost (USD 17.97). The mean medical cost incurred was USD 70.60 with largest expenditures on medications (USD 49.70). The average indirect cost relating to productivity loss due to snakebite was USD 60.57 and the average number of days unable to work due to the snakebite was 39 days. The overall direct and indirect mean cost incurred by victims was USD 155.56. Of the total cost, direct medical cost accounted for 44.90%, indirect cost accounted for 38.52%, and non-medical cost accounted for 16.58%. The average cost incurred by the insured under the national insurance scheme (USD 154.07) was statistically lower (P-value = 0.017) than those uninsured under the scheme (USD 158.78). Conclusion: To assist reduce the economic burden of treating snakebites, antivenom should be included in the National Health Insurance Scheme benefit package and should be made readily available at health facilities.
Information and communication technology (ICT) is a veritable tool for sustainable agricultural d... more Information and communication technology (ICT) is a veritable tool for sustainable agricultural development in Nigeria. This paper analyzed the factors that influenced ICT use by women research scientists in the Universities of Agriculture in Nigeria. Simple random sampling technique was used to select 40 respondents per university from a population of 300 women research scientists across the three universities. This gave a total of 120 women scientists for the study. Data were generated using questionnaire and presented with descriptive statistics and Logit regression. Major findings show that the mean age of the respondents was 40 years 77% were married with mean household size of 4 persons, while a good number (46%) possessed MSc degree. The respondents spent between 1-4 hours in accessing ICT while, Global System of Mobile Communication (x̅ =3.49) and use of modem (x ̅ =3.27) were most preferred channels of ICTs used. Respondents' educational level (0.190), primary assignment (0.151), year of working experience (0.097) and training on ICT (0.315) were significant and positively related to ICT uptake, at 1% level of probability. Respondents' major challenges in accessing ICT were time (x ̅ =3.27), Network error (x ̅ = 3.08) and too many family problems (x ̅ = 3.08) respectively. The study recommends that researchers should restructure their work schedule to accommodate ICT practice and use in order to enhance ICT use.
AimsThis scoping review examined the factors affecting access to dialysis for patients with end‐s... more AimsThis scoping review examined the factors affecting access to dialysis for patients with end‐stage kidney disease in Sub‐Saharan Africa.DesignScoping review.MethodsThe scoping review is conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for scoping reviews and modelled by Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐analyses extension for scoping review.ResultsA descriptive content analysis of 30 included articles revealed three main findings affecting access and use of dialysis: Health system–related factors, health provider–related factors and patient factors.Patient or Public ContributionEquity in renal replacement therapy access and use will require concerted advocacy for good public policy, healthcare delivery, workforce capacity and education.
Background: Acceptance of contraceptive use by men and women in developing countries is believed ... more Background: Acceptance of contraceptive use by men and women in developing countries is believed to be influenced by people's awareness, attitudes, and beliefs about contraceptive. Objective: The study investigated the knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about contraceptive use among women and men among residents of the Ho Municipality in the Volta Region, Ghana. Materials and Methods: This study was a cross-sectional survey. A total of 340 respondents, men and women were randomly selected from the sub-municipalities in Ho for the study. The tool for data collection included structured questionnaires and an interview guide. Quantitative data was analyzed at the univariate and bivariate level using SPSS version 15.0 software, while qualitative data was analyzed thematically. Findings: The average age of the men was 28.06 years (SD=7.28) while that of the women was 30.41 years (SD=8.12). Knowledge of contraceptive methods was high: (151/161) 96.3% of men and (153/169) 90.5% of women were aware of contraceptive; however, this did not translate into high usage. Only 67 (41.6%) of men and 59 (34.9%) of women were current users of modern contraceptive. The major perceptions and beliefs regarding family planning contraceptive use from the perspectives of men and women in this study included contraceptives were harmful to the womb, contraceptives use will make you increase in weight, contraceptives use can make you infertile, contraceptives are meant for only married people, and contraceptives should only be used by women because they become pregnant Conclusion: In conclusion, the findings of this study showed that the awareness of contraceptives use among community members were high, however, the high level of awareness of contraceptives use did not translate into high usage among men and women in the study area as there was still low contraceptive use.
Background. To help improve the standards and quality of nursing practice, newly graduated nurses... more Background. To help improve the standards and quality of nursing practice, newly graduated nurses and midwives are required after passing the Nursing and Midwifery Council's Licensing Examination to undertake a one-year mandatory clinical rotation at health facilities before registration. However, there is a lack of scientific studies to explore new graduate nurses' experiences and challenges during the one-year mandatory clinical rotation programme. Aim. This study is aimed at exploring newly qualified nurses' experiences and challenges during the one-year mandatory clinical rotation in health facilities in the Volta Region of Ghana. Methods. This qualitative exploratory study used a combination of focus group discussions (FGDs) and individual interviews. Thirty (30) newly qualified nurses were selected from two secondary and one tertiary health facilities, where newly qualified nurses are posted for a clinical rotation programmes to participate in the study. A total of two focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted, comprising five (5) members in each group. Moreover, twenty (20) newly qualified nurses were interviewed individually, and their data were added to what was obtained from the focus group discussions. This study adopted the thematic analysis approach to analyze the data. Results. The results of this study showed that newly qualified nurses experienced the following during the one-year clinical rotation programme: acquisition of more knowledge and competencies to assume professional nursing roles; lack of knowledge of the objectives of the clinical rotation programme by hospital staff; experience of frustration during the clinical rotation programme; inadequate supervision and support; accommodation and financial challenges. Conclusion. The study revealed important challenges experienced by new graduate nurses during the clinical rotation programme, including hospital staff's lack of knowledge regarding the objectives of the rotation programme, inadequate supervision and support, and accommodation and financial challenges. There is a need for the Nursing and Midwifery Council to develop guidelines for the one-year mandatory clinical rotation for newly graduated nurses and midwives to make the programme more effective.
Improving undergraduate nurses' perceptions of and preferences for gerontological nursing in Ghan... more Improving undergraduate nurses' perceptions of and preferences for gerontological nursing in Ghana. The Lancet Healthy Longevity, 2(6), e312-e313.
Background The increase in the number of elderly persons in developing countries has not had a co... more Background The increase in the number of elderly persons in developing countries has not had a corresponding increase in social and health care support systems for the elderly. There is a substantial difference in the quality of healthcare received by older people in developing and developed countries. Elderly persons in developing countries including Ghana are increasingly becoming marginalised and isolated. There is, however, limited evidence of healthcare challenges and expectations by elderly persons in Ghana. This study explored healthcare challenges and expectations of elderly persons to inform policy that could lead to improved quality of life for elderly persons in Ghana. Materials and methods Qualitative exploratory descriptive study design was used in conducting this study. Semistructured interviews were used in collecting data from 30 participants from three regions in Ghana (10 from each region). Data analysis was carried out through content analysis. Results Four themes were extracted from data. These themes were: 1. Inadequate information from health workers regarding care of the older person. 2. Queuing frustrations. 3. Financial burden. 4. Focused elderly care demand. Conclusion The elderly in Ghana experience challenges of healthcare which include inadequate information, queuing frustrations and financial burdens. Elderly persons also have expectations of healthcare which include having dedicated professionals and units that will attend to them during their hospital visits. Academic and clinical gerontology experts could collaborate and help improve gerontology knowledge of health workers through workshops and
International Journal of Women's Health, Jun 1, 2019
Background: One of the maternal health care strategies identified by the World Health Organizatio... more Background: One of the maternal health care strategies identified by the World Health Organization as being crucial for saving lives of pregnant women, which also serves as an indicator for progress in reducing maternal mortality, is the provision and utilization of skilled birth care. Despite the importance of skilled birth care in preventing maternal morbidity and mortality, many women continue to give birth at home without the assistance of skilled birth attendants in rural communities of Ghana. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the cultural beliefs that potentially influenced the choice of home births among rural women in Ghana. Methods: A qualitative approach was utilized to conduct this study. Twenty participants who delivered at home were purposefully selected and interviewed individually. Semi structured interviews were used to explore the cultural belief patterns that potentially influenced the choice of home births among women in rural Ghana. Thematic analysis approach was used to analyze the data. Results: Four major themes emerging from the data analysis which influenced rural women's decision to give birth at home are namely: opportunity to access psychological support through family members, opportunity to access culturally acceptable food, opportunity to adopt a birthing position of choice, and opportunity for safe and culturally accepted disposal of placenta. Conclusion: This study concluded that the cultural beliefs held by these women greatly affected their decision to deliver at home. Hence, there is a need for health care managers to facilitate collaborative practices between the skilled birth attendants and traditional birth attendants. This is because this approach could enhance the integration of the cultural beliefs and practices of women in the orthodox health care delivery system to facilitate the utilization of skilled birth care.
Asian journal of medicine and health, Nov 14, 2018
Aims: The study was structured to determine socio-demographic characteristics that influence clie... more Aims: The study was structured to determine socio-demographic characteristics that influence clients' satisfaction with waiting time for health service delivery at the Outpatient Department. Methods: The study was conducted using a cross-sectional descriptive approach among clients who attended OutPatient Departments for health services during the study period; November 2015 to October 2016. A total of one thousand (1000) clients made of 404 males and 596 females participated in the study. The data was collected using a questionnaire. The literates were given the questionnaire to fill while it was translated to the illiterates and responses written into the questionnaire. Questionnaires were collected the same day. Cross-tabulation of satisfaction with time spent and socio-demographic characteristics with chi-square test was performed.
Background: Skilled birth care during childbirth is reported in the literature as one critical st... more Background: Skilled birth care during childbirth is reported in the literature as one critical strategy for reducing maternal morbidity and mortality. Despite the importance of birth care provided by skilled birth attendants, women in rural areas of northern Ghana still give birth utilising the birth services provided by Traditional Birth Attendants. The aim of this study, therefore, was to explore and describe the factors and experiences of a small group of rural women choosing homebirth in rural northern Ghana. Methods: A qualitative approach was adopted to explore the reasons why women prefer to deliver at home in rural areas of northern Ghana. Individual interviews were used to obtain a full description of
Background: Increasing skilled attendance during childbirth is well established in literature to ... more Background: Increasing skilled attendance during childbirth is well established in literature to play a significant role in averting the many preventable maternal deaths that occur in developing countries such as Ghana. Inadequate utilisation of skilled birth care services in Ghana is believed to be a major hindrance to efforts aimed at improving the health of women, especially during delivery. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the experiences of rural women regarding the utilisation of skilled birth care provided in the rural areas of Northern Ghana. Methods: The study adopted a qualitative, exploratory, descriptive research approach, whereby individual interviews, observations and field notes were used to obtain a thick description of women's experiences regarding the utilisation of skilled birth care services in the rural areas in Ghana. A purposive sampling approach was used to select 20 women who utilised skilled birth care in the rural areas of Bongo District of Ghana. Data collected from the interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed to identify themes. Results: The study identified three themes: The women had negative interactions with skilled birth attendants during delivery; women lacked confidence in skilled birth attendants' abilities; skilled birth attendants disrespected the traditional beliefs of the women. Conclusion: Most of the participants had negative experiences regarding the utilisation of skilled birth care. There is thus a need to develop strategies that could help address the above concerns of women to facilitate utilisation of skilled birth services in the rural areas in Ghana where there is low utilisation of skilled birth care.
International Journal of Health Sciences and Research, 2016
Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate factors influencing contraceptive use among m... more Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate factors influencing contraceptive use among men and women in the Ho Municipality in the Volta Region, Ghana. Materials and Methods: This study was a cross-sectional survey. A total of 340 respondents, men and women were randomly selected from the sub-municipalities in Ho for the study. The tool for data collection included structured questionnaires. Data were collected on socio-demographics and barriers to contraceptives use. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 15.0 software. The Chi-square test was used to determine the statistical association (P
Background: Out-of-Pocket (OOP) payment is one mechanism for funding health care in low-and middl... more Background: Out-of-Pocket (OOP) payment is one mechanism for funding health care in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). The wider implications mean OOP payments have the potential to increase, with catastrophic effects for a vulnerable population group such as older adults. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of informal patient payments (IPPs) and willingness and ability to pay informally, and its associated factors among older adults in Ghana. Methods: We conducted a community-based cross-sectional study to collect data among 462 older adults (60+ years) across three municipal areas in the Volta Region of Ghana. Data were collected using an interviewer-administered semi-structured questionnaire. Binary logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with IPP. The significance level was set at P < 0.05. Results: The prevalence of IPP was 21.2%. About 64.5% of respondents were willing to make IPP if they had good financial standing. Factors significantly associated with IPP were age (75 years and above) (odds ratios [OR], 1.76; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.37-2.26), being uninsured (OR, 1.68; 95% CI, 1.48-1.91), having a urinary health problem (OR, 2.49; 95% CI, 1.56-3.97), and having a stronger preference for private healthcare facilities (OR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.26-1.44). Not having a chronic condition (OR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.41-0.83) and unwillingness to make IPP (OR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.26-0.87) were associated with lower odds of IPP. Conclusion: The existence IPP reflects important inequity gaps within the formal healthcare system and requires urgent sustainable policy actions to protect economically vulnerable older adults from financial catastrophe. We recommend measures of informal payments
Introduction In recent times, there has been an increasing burden in traumatic, medical, and surg... more Introduction In recent times, there has been an increasing burden in traumatic, medical, and surgical emergency conditions, placing more emphasis on the need for quality emergency care. This study aimed to explore the challenges experienced by nurses working in the emergency unit of a secondary referral hospital. Methods The study used an exploratory qualitative research design with a constructivist approach and a grounded theory method. Data were collected through in-depth interviews lasting between 30 to 45 minutes using a semi-structured interview guide. Inductive content analysis was used to analyse data. Results Eleven (11) participants were interviewed. The majority were female (9), aged between 31–40 years. From the inductive content analysis, four themes emerged. These were; 1) overcrowding in the emergency unit, 2) understaffing at the emergency unit, 3) lack of emergency equipment, 4) inadequate managerial support. Conclusion The study identified several major challenges c...
Parents have the responsibility to teach their adolescent children how to deal with sexual proble... more Parents have the responsibility to teach their adolescent children how to deal with sexual problems confronting them by educating them on what they need to do to avoid risky sexual behaviours. This study explored the socio-cultural factors affecting parents’ role in educating their young children on sex and sexuality. The study used an exploratory descriptive qualitative design and employed focus group discussions (FGD) and in-depth interviews to explore the socio-cultural factors that affect parents’ presentation on sexuality to adolescents. Thirty-four parents made up of two mothers’ groups, one fathers’ group and a mixed group (mothers and fathers) took part in the FGDs. In-depth interviews were conducted with ten parents who were not part of the FGDs. The data was transcribed and analysed manually. The findings of this study indicated that parents blamed cultural taboos for preventing them from discussing sexuality with adolescents. Parents however supported school sex education...
Background: Skilled birth care during childbirth is reported in the literature as one critical st... more Background: Skilled birth care during childbirth is reported in the literature as one critical strategy for reducing maternal morbidity and mortality. Despite the importance of birth care provided by skilled birth attendants, women in rural areas of northern Ghana still give birth utilising the birth services provided by Traditional Birth Attendants. The aim of this study,therefore, was to explore and describe the reasons why a small group of rural women chose homebirth in rural northern Ghana. Methods: A qualitative approach was adopted to explore the reasons why women prefer to deliver at home in rural areas of northern Ghana. Individual interviews were used to obtain a full description of factors and experiences of women associated with home births in rural areas in Ghana. The research population consisted of 10 women who utilised birth care services provided by Traditional Birth Attendants in a rural community of northern Ghana. Data collected from the interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed to identify themes. Results: This study, which was conducted among a small group of women, yielded interesting results on why these women still give birth at home in rural northern Ghana. It was found out that perceived poor quality of care and conduct of skilled birth attendants; the perception that women received better care from Traditional Birth Attendants; financial constraints and lack of access to healthcare facilities in the rural areas by these women accounted for majority of the reasons why women in rural northern Ghana still give birth at home. Conclusion: The study highlighted some barriers experienced by participants to the utilisation of birth care services provided by skilled birth attendants in rural northern Ghana. Management of healthcare facilities should facilitate the implementation of supportive supervision in the maternity units to improve the quality of care and attitude delivered by skilled birth attendants in maternity care in rural communities.
Journal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development
Women from Kordorwukope and Gbegbevia had to travel about 2 km to access safe water, until 2018 w... more Women from Kordorwukope and Gbegbevia had to travel about 2 km to access safe water, until 2018 when International Needs Ghana, a Non-Governmental Organisation, extended piped water to each of the two communities. Since the extension of water to the communities, no study had been carried out to ascertain the effects of access to safe water on the well-being of women living in those communities. This study therefore aimed at exploring the effects of physical access to safe water on the well-being of women living in the Gbegbevia and Kordorwukope Communities. A qualitative research design was used. The study population included seven women who had lived in the study communities for at least 2 years before the water project was implemented. Five key themes were apparent in the data: challenges women encountered before gaining access to safe water; physical well-being; mental well-being; social well-being; and career and financial well-being. The results of this study show that the exte...
Background: Little is known about the economic burden of snakebites to households in Ghana. This ... more Background: Little is known about the economic burden of snakebites to households in Ghana. This study examined the economic burden of snakebites to victims of households in 2 snakebite endemic districts in the Oti Region of Ghana. Methods: STATA version 14 was used for the data analysis and the cost of treating snakebite was estimated from the patient perspective. In the study, we first present descriptive statistics of the variables used and then use the Kruskal-Wallis test to assess significant difference in the mean cost of snakebite across groups. We also used the Generalized Linear Model to establish the relationship between cost of treating snakebite versus potential risk factors associated with the cost. Results: A total of 373 respondents were involved in the study and the majority were males (68.36%). The mean non-medical cost incurred during treatment was USD 26.57 with feeding accounting for the largest non-medical cost (USD 17.97). The mean medical cost incurred was USD 70.60 with largest expenditures on medications (USD 49.70). The average indirect cost relating to productivity loss due to snakebite was USD 60.57 and the average number of days unable to work due to the snakebite was 39 days. The overall direct and indirect mean cost incurred by victims was USD 155.56. Of the total cost, direct medical cost accounted for 44.90%, indirect cost accounted for 38.52%, and non-medical cost accounted for 16.58%. The average cost incurred by the insured under the national insurance scheme (USD 154.07) was statistically lower (P-value = 0.017) than those uninsured under the scheme (USD 158.78). Conclusion: To assist reduce the economic burden of treating snakebites, antivenom should be included in the National Health Insurance Scheme benefit package and should be made readily available at health facilities.
Information and communication technology (ICT) is a veritable tool for sustainable agricultural d... more Information and communication technology (ICT) is a veritable tool for sustainable agricultural development in Nigeria. This paper analyzed the factors that influenced ICT use by women research scientists in the Universities of Agriculture in Nigeria. Simple random sampling technique was used to select 40 respondents per university from a population of 300 women research scientists across the three universities. This gave a total of 120 women scientists for the study. Data were generated using questionnaire and presented with descriptive statistics and Logit regression. Major findings show that the mean age of the respondents was 40 years 77% were married with mean household size of 4 persons, while a good number (46%) possessed MSc degree. The respondents spent between 1-4 hours in accessing ICT while, Global System of Mobile Communication (x̅ =3.49) and use of modem (x ̅ =3.27) were most preferred channels of ICTs used. Respondents' educational level (0.190), primary assignment (0.151), year of working experience (0.097) and training on ICT (0.315) were significant and positively related to ICT uptake, at 1% level of probability. Respondents' major challenges in accessing ICT were time (x ̅ =3.27), Network error (x ̅ = 3.08) and too many family problems (x ̅ = 3.08) respectively. The study recommends that researchers should restructure their work schedule to accommodate ICT practice and use in order to enhance ICT use.
AimsThis scoping review examined the factors affecting access to dialysis for patients with end‐s... more AimsThis scoping review examined the factors affecting access to dialysis for patients with end‐stage kidney disease in Sub‐Saharan Africa.DesignScoping review.MethodsThe scoping review is conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for scoping reviews and modelled by Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐analyses extension for scoping review.ResultsA descriptive content analysis of 30 included articles revealed three main findings affecting access and use of dialysis: Health system–related factors, health provider–related factors and patient factors.Patient or Public ContributionEquity in renal replacement therapy access and use will require concerted advocacy for good public policy, healthcare delivery, workforce capacity and education.
Background: Acceptance of contraceptive use by men and women in developing countries is believed ... more Background: Acceptance of contraceptive use by men and women in developing countries is believed to be influenced by people's awareness, attitudes, and beliefs about contraceptive. Objective: The study investigated the knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about contraceptive use among women and men among residents of the Ho Municipality in the Volta Region, Ghana. Materials and Methods: This study was a cross-sectional survey. A total of 340 respondents, men and women were randomly selected from the sub-municipalities in Ho for the study. The tool for data collection included structured questionnaires and an interview guide. Quantitative data was analyzed at the univariate and bivariate level using SPSS version 15.0 software, while qualitative data was analyzed thematically. Findings: The average age of the men was 28.06 years (SD=7.28) while that of the women was 30.41 years (SD=8.12). Knowledge of contraceptive methods was high: (151/161) 96.3% of men and (153/169) 90.5% of women were aware of contraceptive; however, this did not translate into high usage. Only 67 (41.6%) of men and 59 (34.9%) of women were current users of modern contraceptive. The major perceptions and beliefs regarding family planning contraceptive use from the perspectives of men and women in this study included contraceptives were harmful to the womb, contraceptives use will make you increase in weight, contraceptives use can make you infertile, contraceptives are meant for only married people, and contraceptives should only be used by women because they become pregnant Conclusion: In conclusion, the findings of this study showed that the awareness of contraceptives use among community members were high, however, the high level of awareness of contraceptives use did not translate into high usage among men and women in the study area as there was still low contraceptive use.
Background. To help improve the standards and quality of nursing practice, newly graduated nurses... more Background. To help improve the standards and quality of nursing practice, newly graduated nurses and midwives are required after passing the Nursing and Midwifery Council's Licensing Examination to undertake a one-year mandatory clinical rotation at health facilities before registration. However, there is a lack of scientific studies to explore new graduate nurses' experiences and challenges during the one-year mandatory clinical rotation programme. Aim. This study is aimed at exploring newly qualified nurses' experiences and challenges during the one-year mandatory clinical rotation in health facilities in the Volta Region of Ghana. Methods. This qualitative exploratory study used a combination of focus group discussions (FGDs) and individual interviews. Thirty (30) newly qualified nurses were selected from two secondary and one tertiary health facilities, where newly qualified nurses are posted for a clinical rotation programmes to participate in the study. A total of two focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted, comprising five (5) members in each group. Moreover, twenty (20) newly qualified nurses were interviewed individually, and their data were added to what was obtained from the focus group discussions. This study adopted the thematic analysis approach to analyze the data. Results. The results of this study showed that newly qualified nurses experienced the following during the one-year clinical rotation programme: acquisition of more knowledge and competencies to assume professional nursing roles; lack of knowledge of the objectives of the clinical rotation programme by hospital staff; experience of frustration during the clinical rotation programme; inadequate supervision and support; accommodation and financial challenges. Conclusion. The study revealed important challenges experienced by new graduate nurses during the clinical rotation programme, including hospital staff's lack of knowledge regarding the objectives of the rotation programme, inadequate supervision and support, and accommodation and financial challenges. There is a need for the Nursing and Midwifery Council to develop guidelines for the one-year mandatory clinical rotation for newly graduated nurses and midwives to make the programme more effective.
Improving undergraduate nurses' perceptions of and preferences for gerontological nursing in Ghan... more Improving undergraduate nurses' perceptions of and preferences for gerontological nursing in Ghana. The Lancet Healthy Longevity, 2(6), e312-e313.
Background The increase in the number of elderly persons in developing countries has not had a co... more Background The increase in the number of elderly persons in developing countries has not had a corresponding increase in social and health care support systems for the elderly. There is a substantial difference in the quality of healthcare received by older people in developing and developed countries. Elderly persons in developing countries including Ghana are increasingly becoming marginalised and isolated. There is, however, limited evidence of healthcare challenges and expectations by elderly persons in Ghana. This study explored healthcare challenges and expectations of elderly persons to inform policy that could lead to improved quality of life for elderly persons in Ghana. Materials and methods Qualitative exploratory descriptive study design was used in conducting this study. Semistructured interviews were used in collecting data from 30 participants from three regions in Ghana (10 from each region). Data analysis was carried out through content analysis. Results Four themes were extracted from data. These themes were: 1. Inadequate information from health workers regarding care of the older person. 2. Queuing frustrations. 3. Financial burden. 4. Focused elderly care demand. Conclusion The elderly in Ghana experience challenges of healthcare which include inadequate information, queuing frustrations and financial burdens. Elderly persons also have expectations of healthcare which include having dedicated professionals and units that will attend to them during their hospital visits. Academic and clinical gerontology experts could collaborate and help improve gerontology knowledge of health workers through workshops and
International Journal of Women's Health, Jun 1, 2019
Background: One of the maternal health care strategies identified by the World Health Organizatio... more Background: One of the maternal health care strategies identified by the World Health Organization as being crucial for saving lives of pregnant women, which also serves as an indicator for progress in reducing maternal mortality, is the provision and utilization of skilled birth care. Despite the importance of skilled birth care in preventing maternal morbidity and mortality, many women continue to give birth at home without the assistance of skilled birth attendants in rural communities of Ghana. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the cultural beliefs that potentially influenced the choice of home births among rural women in Ghana. Methods: A qualitative approach was utilized to conduct this study. Twenty participants who delivered at home were purposefully selected and interviewed individually. Semi structured interviews were used to explore the cultural belief patterns that potentially influenced the choice of home births among women in rural Ghana. Thematic analysis approach was used to analyze the data. Results: Four major themes emerging from the data analysis which influenced rural women's decision to give birth at home are namely: opportunity to access psychological support through family members, opportunity to access culturally acceptable food, opportunity to adopt a birthing position of choice, and opportunity for safe and culturally accepted disposal of placenta. Conclusion: This study concluded that the cultural beliefs held by these women greatly affected their decision to deliver at home. Hence, there is a need for health care managers to facilitate collaborative practices between the skilled birth attendants and traditional birth attendants. This is because this approach could enhance the integration of the cultural beliefs and practices of women in the orthodox health care delivery system to facilitate the utilization of skilled birth care.
Asian journal of medicine and health, Nov 14, 2018
Aims: The study was structured to determine socio-demographic characteristics that influence clie... more Aims: The study was structured to determine socio-demographic characteristics that influence clients' satisfaction with waiting time for health service delivery at the Outpatient Department. Methods: The study was conducted using a cross-sectional descriptive approach among clients who attended OutPatient Departments for health services during the study period; November 2015 to October 2016. A total of one thousand (1000) clients made of 404 males and 596 females participated in the study. The data was collected using a questionnaire. The literates were given the questionnaire to fill while it was translated to the illiterates and responses written into the questionnaire. Questionnaires were collected the same day. Cross-tabulation of satisfaction with time spent and socio-demographic characteristics with chi-square test was performed.
Background: Skilled birth care during childbirth is reported in the literature as one critical st... more Background: Skilled birth care during childbirth is reported in the literature as one critical strategy for reducing maternal morbidity and mortality. Despite the importance of birth care provided by skilled birth attendants, women in rural areas of northern Ghana still give birth utilising the birth services provided by Traditional Birth Attendants. The aim of this study, therefore, was to explore and describe the factors and experiences of a small group of rural women choosing homebirth in rural northern Ghana. Methods: A qualitative approach was adopted to explore the reasons why women prefer to deliver at home in rural areas of northern Ghana. Individual interviews were used to obtain a full description of
Background: Increasing skilled attendance during childbirth is well established in literature to ... more Background: Increasing skilled attendance during childbirth is well established in literature to play a significant role in averting the many preventable maternal deaths that occur in developing countries such as Ghana. Inadequate utilisation of skilled birth care services in Ghana is believed to be a major hindrance to efforts aimed at improving the health of women, especially during delivery. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the experiences of rural women regarding the utilisation of skilled birth care provided in the rural areas of Northern Ghana. Methods: The study adopted a qualitative, exploratory, descriptive research approach, whereby individual interviews, observations and field notes were used to obtain a thick description of women's experiences regarding the utilisation of skilled birth care services in the rural areas in Ghana. A purposive sampling approach was used to select 20 women who utilised skilled birth care in the rural areas of Bongo District of Ghana. Data collected from the interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed to identify themes. Results: The study identified three themes: The women had negative interactions with skilled birth attendants during delivery; women lacked confidence in skilled birth attendants' abilities; skilled birth attendants disrespected the traditional beliefs of the women. Conclusion: Most of the participants had negative experiences regarding the utilisation of skilled birth care. There is thus a need to develop strategies that could help address the above concerns of women to facilitate utilisation of skilled birth services in the rural areas in Ghana where there is low utilisation of skilled birth care.
International Journal of Health Sciences and Research, 2016
Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate factors influencing contraceptive use among m... more Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate factors influencing contraceptive use among men and women in the Ho Municipality in the Volta Region, Ghana. Materials and Methods: This study was a cross-sectional survey. A total of 340 respondents, men and women were randomly selected from the sub-municipalities in Ho for the study. The tool for data collection included structured questionnaires. Data were collected on socio-demographics and barriers to contraceptives use. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 15.0 software. The Chi-square test was used to determine the statistical association (P
Background: Out-of-Pocket (OOP) payment is one mechanism for funding health care in low-and middl... more Background: Out-of-Pocket (OOP) payment is one mechanism for funding health care in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). The wider implications mean OOP payments have the potential to increase, with catastrophic effects for a vulnerable population group such as older adults. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of informal patient payments (IPPs) and willingness and ability to pay informally, and its associated factors among older adults in Ghana. Methods: We conducted a community-based cross-sectional study to collect data among 462 older adults (60+ years) across three municipal areas in the Volta Region of Ghana. Data were collected using an interviewer-administered semi-structured questionnaire. Binary logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with IPP. The significance level was set at P < 0.05. Results: The prevalence of IPP was 21.2%. About 64.5% of respondents were willing to make IPP if they had good financial standing. Factors significantly associated with IPP were age (75 years and above) (odds ratios [OR], 1.76; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.37-2.26), being uninsured (OR, 1.68; 95% CI, 1.48-1.91), having a urinary health problem (OR, 2.49; 95% CI, 1.56-3.97), and having a stronger preference for private healthcare facilities (OR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.26-1.44). Not having a chronic condition (OR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.41-0.83) and unwillingness to make IPP (OR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.26-0.87) were associated with lower odds of IPP. Conclusion: The existence IPP reflects important inequity gaps within the formal healthcare system and requires urgent sustainable policy actions to protect economically vulnerable older adults from financial catastrophe. We recommend measures of informal payments
Introduction In recent times, there has been an increasing burden in traumatic, medical, and surg... more Introduction In recent times, there has been an increasing burden in traumatic, medical, and surgical emergency conditions, placing more emphasis on the need for quality emergency care. This study aimed to explore the challenges experienced by nurses working in the emergency unit of a secondary referral hospital. Methods The study used an exploratory qualitative research design with a constructivist approach and a grounded theory method. Data were collected through in-depth interviews lasting between 30 to 45 minutes using a semi-structured interview guide. Inductive content analysis was used to analyse data. Results Eleven (11) participants were interviewed. The majority were female (9), aged between 31–40 years. From the inductive content analysis, four themes emerged. These were; 1) overcrowding in the emergency unit, 2) understaffing at the emergency unit, 3) lack of emergency equipment, 4) inadequate managerial support. Conclusion The study identified several major challenges c...
Parents have the responsibility to teach their adolescent children how to deal with sexual proble... more Parents have the responsibility to teach their adolescent children how to deal with sexual problems confronting them by educating them on what they need to do to avoid risky sexual behaviours. This study explored the socio-cultural factors affecting parents’ role in educating their young children on sex and sexuality. The study used an exploratory descriptive qualitative design and employed focus group discussions (FGD) and in-depth interviews to explore the socio-cultural factors that affect parents’ presentation on sexuality to adolescents. Thirty-four parents made up of two mothers’ groups, one fathers’ group and a mixed group (mothers and fathers) took part in the FGDs. In-depth interviews were conducted with ten parents who were not part of the FGDs. The data was transcribed and analysed manually. The findings of this study indicated that parents blamed cultural taboos for preventing them from discussing sexuality with adolescents. Parents however supported school sex education...
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Papers by Peter Adatara