Public Health Policy and Practice

This paper aimed at providing evidence on the variations in HIV prevalence in mining communities in Ghana. Purposive sampling was used for collection of data. Five years records (2011)(2012)(2013)(2014)(2015) were reviewed and data on age, sex, date of HIV screening, results and location were extracted from hospital registers and entered electronically for analysis. Findings emerging from this study suggest high HIV prevalence in mining communities in Ghana. This study also identified a decline in routine HIV testing. The study suggests means to tailor public health efforts to improve HIV testing in mining communities. Transactional sexual activities among women and the younger generations may account for the high HIV prevalence according to findings from this study.

Background In sub-Saharan African context, effect of system, institutional and client-level factors on formal healthcare utilisation among older adults with low income, especially those under a social protection scheme (called Livelihood Empowerment against Poverty [LEAP] programme) is least explored in the literature. However, an adequate understanding of how these factors contribute to formal healthcare utilisation among older adults who are classified as poor (in terms of low income) is important to inform health policy decisions. The aim of this study, therefore, was to examine the contributions of system, institutional and client-level factors in formal healthcare utilisation among older adults with low income under the LEAP programme in Ghana. Methods Data associated with this study were obtained from an Ageing, Health, Lifestyle and Health Services survey conducted between 1 and 20 June 2018 (N = 200) in the Atwima Nwabiagya Municipal and Atwima Nwabiagya North District of Gh...

This paper aimed at providing evidence on the variations in HIV prevalence in mining communities in Ghana. Purposive sampling was used for collection of data. Five years records (2011-2015) were reviewed and data on age, sex, date of HIV screening, results and location were extracted from hospital registers and entered electronically for analysis. Findings emerging from this study suggest high HIV prevalence in mining communities in Ghana. This study also identified a decline in routine HIV testing. The study suggests means to tailor public health efforts to improve HIV testing in mining communities. Transactional sexual activities among women and the younger generations may account for the high HIV prevalence according to findings from this study.

Effective and skillful communication is a crucial and an important element when it comes to the quality of care. The aim of the study was to examine the perceived barriers to effective therapeutic communication among nurses and patients at Kumasi South Hospital. The study employed a descriptive study design using a quantitative approach to collect data. The study population was made up of registered general nurses and patients at the emergency, medical, surgical and recovery units of Kumasi South Hospital who were conveniently sampled. A sample of 72 registered general nurses and 40 patients were used for the study and data was collected by administering structured closed-ended questionnaires. The findings revealed that workload on the part of nurses and anxiety, pain and physical discomfort of the patient were the main perceived barriers to therapeutic communication. No significant difference was found in perceived barriers between the male and female groups (t = −1.382, p = .149) and perceived barriers among different age groups of respondents (F = 1.132, df = 3, p = .171). The hospital authorities should ensure that nursing workload is reduced in order to facilitate effective therapeutic communication.

Background In sub-Saharan African context, effect of system, institutional and client-level factors on formal healthcare utilisation among older adults with low income, especially those under a social protection scheme (called Livelihood Empowerment against Poverty [LEAP] programme) is least explored in the literature. However, an adequate understanding of how these factors contribute to formal healthcare utilisation among older adults who are classified as poor (in terms of low income) is important to inform health policy decisions. The aim of this study, therefore, was to examine the contributions of system, institutional and client-level factors in formal healthcare utilisation among older adults with low income under the LEAP programme in Ghana. Methods Data associated with this study were obtained from an Ageing, Health, Lifestyle and Health Services survey conducted between 1 and 20 June 2018 (N = 200) in the Atwima Nwabiagya Municipal and Atwima Nwabiagya North District of Gh...

Background There is an expected increase in heatwaves globally. As such, it is imperative to have sufficient levels of heatwave-protective knowledge and behaviour in areas regularly affected by heatwaves. Our study assessed this among urban populations in Tunisia, Georgia and Israel. Methods We undertook a cross-sectional population survey in the three countries. The questionnaire focused on obtaining information on respondents’ knowledge level regarding 1) symptoms due to overheating, 2) risk groups for heatwaves, 3) actions to take when someone is overheated, and 4) heatwave-protective measures. Furthermore, we asked respondents about protective measures they applied during the last heatwave. We compared the results between the countries. Results Heatwave-protective knowledge was highest in Israel, and lowest in Georgia, for all indicators except for heatwave-protective measures, for which knowledge was highest in Tunisia. Most respondents who named certain protective measures had...

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The incidence of occupational injuries and diseases among informal welders demands an understanding of a wider perspective that goes beyond the identification of hazards and preventive measures to minimize their effects. The literature on economic cost at the workplace has mainly focused on the formal sector with very little attention to the informal work environment. This paper fills this gap by estimating lost man-days and the economic cost among informal welders. The cross-sectional survey design employing a quantitative approach was used for the study. The data were collected from 220 informal master welders and their apprentices. Musculoskeletal injuries, malaria, hypertension and respiratory diseases were the major injuries and diseases leading to the highest days (35 days and above) lost for masters and apprentices. The master welders spent more days off work than the apprentices because they performed most of the technical work and were exposed to hazards for a longer period. These occupational-related injuries and diseases led to a total economic cost of 7.7% and 9.4% of masters and apprentices' total earnings, respectively. Environmentally safe working conditions of informal welders would reduce the occurrence of injuries and diseases and give them an opportunity to sustain themselves and their dependents and contribute to national development.

Little research has been conducted to explore the functional status of communitydwelling older adults in sub-Saharan Africa, including Ghana, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study investigated the functional status and the healthseeking behaviour of older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana. Utilising a descriptive qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from 12 eligible older adults from southern Ghana. With the use of NVivo (v12), descriptive and focused coding techniques were employed to analyse the data. The following five themes were identified after the data analysis: (a) older adults' health status during COVID-19 pandemic, (b) feeling limited, (c) feeling of unhappiness for being inactive, (d) striving to be active and (e) seeking healthcare during COVID-19 pandemic. This study revealed the unique health and social-related needs of Ghanaian older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study's findings draw attention to the urgent need for the state to devise practical health and social-related initiatives to support older adults during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background Interest in mHealth interventions, defined as the use of mobile phones to access healthcare is increasingly becoming popular globally. Given its technology-based applications, university students may be key clients of the mHealth adoption but studies are rare in sub-Saharan Africa. This study provides a snapshot and baseline evidence on knowledge, attitude and use of mHealth among university students in Ghana. Methods Using a self-administered questionnaire, we collected data between April and June 2017 from 963 randomly sampled undergraduate students at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). Pearson’s Chi-square (χ2) test assessed the differences between variables whilst  logistic regression models estimated the independent predictors of use of mHealth with p < 0.05 as significant. Results Knowledge on mHealth was moderately high. Specifically, more than half of the sample reported awareness of mHealth although the prevalence of use of mHealth...

Extreme heat is associated with an increased mortality and morbidity. National heat plans have been implemented to minimize the effect of extreme heat. The population's awareness and knowledge of national heat plans and extreme heat is essential to improve the community's behavior and adaptation. A general population survey was conducted in Lisbon and in Madrid to assess this knowledge. We used a questionnaire to interview passers-by. Results were compared between Lisbon and Madrid and between locals and foreigners, using Pearson Chi-square tests and Fisherʹs exact test. We conducted 260 interviews in six locations of different socioeconomic backgrounds in each city. The most frequently mentioned extreme heat-related risk groups were the elderly (79.2%), children (49.6%) and babies (21.5%). The most frequently reported protective measures were increased fluid intake (73.1%) and avoiding exposure to the sun (50.8%). Knowledge about the heat plan was higher in Lisbon (37.2%) than in Madrid (25.2%) (p-value = 0.03). Foreigners had less knowledge of risk groups compared to locals. Heat plans were not widely known in Madrid and Lisbon. Nonetheless, knowledge of practical concepts to face extreme heat, such as certain risk groups and protective measures, was found. Our results were similar to comparable surveys where specific respondents' groups were identified as less knowledgeable. This highlighted the importance of addressing these groups when communicating public health messages on heat. Foreigners should be specifically targeted to increase their awareness.

This paper uses risk assessment of socio-economic and environmental indicators to develop criteria for apportionment (AP) of funds to communities impacted by mining activities within a Forest Reserve environment in Ghana. A t-test statistic of assessment data shows that factors such as; cost of living, health conditions, air pollution, water contamination, land degradation and distance (D km) are significant. Ratings of the factors using a 1-5 intensity scale to determine risk values (RV) for communities indicate that RV of 25 requires no remediation, while (25-RV) is remediation factor. A long-term AP criterion using the ranked risk (RR) values is defined by the equation APRR%=7.45-0.233(RR) with R2 of 0.961. Based on this criterion, communities D and S which are located at 1.5 and 16.1km from the mining focus have APRR values of 7.23% and 2.26%, respectively. APRR% in relation to distance is defined by the equation APRR%=7.22-0.281(D) with R2 of 0.647. RR-dependent distance equati...

This qualitative research brings out the findings of a case study on the concerns and commitments of the Royal Highnesses in Zambia, through provincial meetings with respect to how effectively they could be engaged in the Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) campaign season for 2020. Two hundred and eighty-five (285) Royal Highnesses from the ten provinces and 116 districts were engaged through centrally held meetings in each district. The objective of this paper is to highlight the enablers learnt from the Royal Highnesses prior to the implementation of Indoor Residual Spraying for 2020 campaign season. The study further provides the vector control professionals with evidence-based guiding principles to the implementation of IRS through effective community engagement approaches. The Royal Highnesses were reported to be effective in engaging communities, resulting into people-centered IRS campaign decisions being made. The meetings took place on days and the traditional leaders presided over the discussions that dealt with matters of real concerns to grassroot communities. Besides, the study clarifies the approaches to achieving ownership, acceptability and responsiveness of the IRS campaign. The ideas brought forward were appropriate mechanisms for implementing effective IRS community engagement for impact.

Background Interest in mHealth interventions, defined as the use of mobile phones to access healthcare is increasingly becoming popular globally. Given its technology-based applications, university students may be key clients of the mHealth adoption but studies are rare in sub-Saharan Africa. This study provides a snapshot and baseline evidence on knowledge, attitude and use of mHealth among university students in Ghana. Methods Using a self-administered questionnaire, we collected data between April and June 2017 from 963 randomly sampled undergraduate students at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). Pearson’s Chi-square (χ2) test assessed the differences between variables whilst  logistic regression models estimated the independent predictors of use of mHealth with p 

Background: Zambia has engaged itself and communities towards malaria elimination that is feasible but very challenging. Community engagement and collaborating are cornerstones of the efforts to improve IRS for impact. The study assessed factors that lead to low levels of IRS coverages in the hot spot areas of the two districts. Methodology: This was an operational study conducted during IRS implementation with cluster sampling technique used for selected groups of the clusters. The two districts were purposely selected while applying sampling techniques. The clusters were listed and the numbers of households in the districts were determined. Results: Out of the 201 population interviewed 56.3% had between 3-5 roomed houses and 67% indicated having their houses sprayed. Thirty-seven percent (37%) attested that the spray teams did not visit their households for spraying and 88.1% attested that IRS controls malaria. Fifty-eight percent (58%) associated IRS to killing of mosquitoes, 25% indicated that IRS helps reduce malaria. Thirteen percent (13%) indicated negative reaction and 80% had not experienced bad or negative reaction to IRS and 75.6% did not know the chemicals used for IRS. Further, 82% associated spraying to reducing mosquito bites inside houses. Sixty-six percent (66%) indicated attending meetings organized by traditional leaders. Forty-three percent (43%) rejected IRS as an effective intervention due to bad smell and 4.5% suffocation and 3.5% getting skin irritation and inconveniences by IRS processes. Forty-one percent (41%) believed that sensitization and community ownership through decentralization of the intervention and community education about IRS were very important. Ninety-two percent (92%) indicated mosquitoes as the main vector for malaria. Sleeping under mosquito nets became a major intervention known (84.1%) and 63.7 % (IRS) and a few (26.4%) use repellents and 7.5% cleaning the surrounding. Conclusion: The outstanding method of approach to IRS remains good social mobilization, massive community sensitization and education. Community engagement and sensitization prior to IRS addresses knowledge gaps and poor perceptions about IRS. Lack of knowledge has been one of the factors leading to low coverages on IRS. Community involvement and decentralized IRS model including the use of community action cycle empowers the community for universal coverage of targeted households.

Background Many governments in sub-Saharan Africa have recently sought to improve their health systems by increasing investment in healthcare facilities and introducing social insurance programmes. However, little is known about the impact of these intended improvements on public perceptions about the healthcare systems. This article examines whether and why people of different socioeconomic and ideological backgrounds are satisfied (or not) with the current healthcare system in Ghana from a social ecological perspective. Method Data were elicited from a cross-sectional mixed-method study conducted in four regions in Ghana in 2018. We used ordinal logistic regression and thematic analysis techniques to analyse the data. Results Satisfaction with the healthcare system was generally low. From our quantitative study, intrapersonal factors (e.g., being older and having good health and well-being status); interpersonal factors (e.g., linking social capital); community factors (e.g., livi...

Background Many governments in sub-Saharan Africa have recently sought to improve their health systems by increasing investment in healthcare facilities and introducing social insurance programmes. However, little is known about the impact of these intended improvements on public perceptions about the healthcare systems. This article examines whether and why people of different socioeconomic and ideological backgrounds are satisfied (or not) with the current healthcare system in Ghana from a social ecological perspective. Method Data were elicited from a cross-sectional mixed-method study conducted in four regions in Ghana in 2018. We used ordinal logistic regression and thematic analysis techniques to analyse the data. Results Satisfaction with the healthcare system was generally low. From our quantitative study, intrapersonal factors (e.g., being older and having good health and well-being status); interpersonal factors (e.g., linking social capital); community factors (e.g., livi...

Introduction: Poor perceptions and attitudes about prostate cancer screening are some reasons for late reporting for PC screening and treatment. Understanding perceptions of PC and how it translates to screening and treatment is important for physicians and public health practitioners as this information clarifies existing knowledge and provides valuable information for the design of public health programmes to reduce the disease burden of PC. Objective: This study examined perceptions and knowledge about PC and attitudes towards screening among male teachers in the Sunyani Municipality. Subjects and methods: This is a cross-sectional study involving 160 teachers aged 45-60 years randomly sampled from primary, junior and senior high schools in the municipality. A structured questionnaire on background characteristics of respondents, perceptions about PC and attitudes towards early screening was used to elicit responses. Preliminary analysis summarised data on socio-demographic characteristics of respondents, perceptions and attitudes about PC screening. The Pearson's chi square (χ2) and Fisher's exact tests, and logistic regression analysis were later used to examine the association between socio-demographic variables, knowledge, perceptions and attitudes about PC screening.

Superior supervisor support (SSVS) through field IRS Commanders has greater influence on spray teams` affective commitment. The purpose of the present study is to address impacts of commandeering (Superior Supervisor support) on affective commitment of the spray teams. Variables such as motivation, job satisfaction, logistical support, enhanced adequate supervision, data quality audit, quality of IRS performance and performance improvement were proposed to enhance spray teams` affective commitment of their spraying implementation campaigns. SSVS, motivation, job satisfaction and affective commitment were proposed as independent, intervening and outcome variables respectively. The data for this study have been collected from different field reports by the field IRS Commanders. Further, the data was shared at different levels as discussed and recommendations were given. The field findings revealed that SSVS through commandeering has significant relationship with job satisfaction and affective commitment. Likewise, this study suggested that commandeering (SSVS) can improve the spray teams` affective commitment by presenting a significant relationship between SSVS and affective commitment through the mediation of motivation and job satisfaction. It has to be well recognized that commitment is a multi-faceted construct which can promote quality of IRS performance and universal coverage of the intervention.

Background: In the wake of increasing malaria cases in Zambia, IRS has been coming under increasing accountable pressurefromthe publicfor quality IRS performance and its decentralized approach. In response, anew IRS approach Community-BasedIndoor Residual Spraying (IRS)Delivery model has been introduced in the country and institutionalized in the community health care system.The objective of this study was to introduce quality assurance approach methods to the model in terms of structure, process and outcomes for quality performance. Materials and Methods: We reviewed both published and unpublished documents, articles, papers on quality service delivery and explored field experiences and the understanding of IRS service delivery. The Donabedian model has been found to lead to improvements of quality that in turn could improve the health outcome of the community. Equally, dimensions of quality were analyzed under effectiveness, efficacy, acceptability, equity and relevance to IRS del...

Back ground: There has been an assumption that in developing countries people in need of eye care services will seek them if they are made available. This study was conducted to determine the eye health seeking behavior among members of staff of Kwame Nkrumah

Welfare policies are fundamental to the well-being of every individual and more importantly for the protection of the most vulnerable in society. This review article gives an outlook of the elderly health care in Ghana by exploring some literature related to the subject and highlighting some of the health care gaps associated to the older population for the realization of the Universal Health Coverage target. A comprehensive review of relevant literature was done to identify the health care organization of the country. There is a need to revise health care programs and policies related to the elderly population in the country to work towards achieving the goal of a Universal Health Coverage.

Background Exploration of health information-seeking behaviour among older adults with very low incomes is critical in shaping our understanding of how health information is sought in later life. Although studies have focused on health information-seeking behaviour among older people worldwide, subjective views of older adults, especially those with very low incomes in Ghana remain scant. Thus, this study aimed to fill this significant knowledge gap by exploring health information-seeking behaviour among older adults with very low incomes in Ghana. Methods In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were conducted with 30 older adults with very low incomes, 15 caregivers and 15 formal healthcare providers in the Atwima Nwabiagya District of Ghana. A thematic analytical framework was used to analyse the data. Results The study revealed multiple sources of health information to include healthcare providers, family members, media and friends. The kind of health information sought b...

Background Like many other low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), the Ghanaian healthcare system remains poor which is likely to affect the utilisation of healthcare services, especially among poor older people who are faced with multiple health problems. Yet, factors that explain healthcare use among poor older people in LMICs, particularly Ghana remain largely unexplored. Understanding the predictors of healthcare use among poor older people could have a huge impact on health policies in LMICs including Ghana. This study, therefore, examined factors associated with healthcare use among poor older people under the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme in the Atwima Nwabiagya District of Ghana. Methods Cross-sectional data were obtained from an Ageing, Health, Lifestyle and Health Services (AHLHS) study conducted between 1 and 20 June 2018 (N = 200) in Atwima Nwabiagya District, Ghana. Sequential logistic regression models were performed to estimate the variable...

Investment in technical facilities by government alone is not enough to meeting the challenge of providing adequate sanitation services in communities. This study aimed at examining the effectiveness and challenges of the National Sanitation Day (NSD) as a community participatory module towards environmental sanitation in Aboabo, Ghana. Adopting a descriptive and inferential mixed method design, 10 key informants were interviewed using purposive sampling and 180 study participants using systematic sampling techniques. Result indicates an encouraging number of participation during the NSD. Statistically, higher educational attainment was a predictor of respondents' participation in the exercise. Using respondents' perception about the extent of environmental sanitation before the NSD exercise and their perception about the current environmental sanitation as benchmarks for assessing the programme's effectiveness, the exercise was found to be ineffective. In recommendation, if needs be that prominent people are invited to intermittently grace the NSD exercise, their invitations should be to empower the local people to

This paper uses risk assessment of socio-economic and environmental indicators to develop criteria for apportionment (AP) of funds to communities impacted by mining activities within a Forest Reserve environment in Ghana. A t-test statistic of assessment data shows that factors such as; cost of living, health conditions, air pollution, water contamination, land degradation and distance (D km) are significant. Ratings of the factors using a 1-5 intensity scale to determine risk values (RV) for communities indicate that RV of 25 requires no remediation, while (25-RV) is remediation factor. A long-term AP criterion using the ranked risk (RR) values is defined by the equation APRR%=7.45-0.233(RR) with R2 of 0.961. Based on this criterion, communities D and S which are located at 1.5 and 16.1km from the mining focus have APRR values of 7.23% and 2.26%, respectively. APRR% in relation to distance is defined by the equation APRR%=7.22-0.281(D) with R2 of 0.647. RR-dependent distance equati...

Background Various governments in Ghana have tried to improve healthcare in the country. Despite these efforts, meeting health care needs is a growing concern to government and their citizens. Short term medical missions from other countries are one of the responses to meet the challenges of healthcare delivery in Ghana. This research aimed to understand Ghanaian perceptions of short-term missions from the narratives of host country staff involved. The study from which this paper is developed used a qualitative design, which combined a case study approach and political economy analysis involving in-depth interviews with 28 participants. Result Findings show short term medical mission programs in Ghana were largely undertaken in rural communities to address shortfalls in healthcare provision to these areas. The programs were often delivered free and were highly appreciated by communities and host institutions. While the contributions of STMM to health service provision have been note...

Background Various governments in Ghana have tried to improve healthcare in the country. Despite these efforts, meeting health care needs is a growing concern to government and their citizens. Short term medical missions from other countries are one of the responses to meet the challenges of healthcare delivery in Ghana. This research aimed to understand Ghanaian perceptions of short-term missions from the narratives of host country staff involved. The study from which this paper is developed used a qualitative design, which combined a case study approach and political economy analysis involving in-depth interviews with 28 participants. Result Findings show short term medical mission programs in Ghana were largely undertaken in rural communities to address shortfalls in healthcare provision to these areas. The programs were often delivered free and were highly appreciated by communities and host institutions. While the contributions of STMM to health service provision have been note...

Investment in technical facilities by government alone is not enough to meeting the challenge of providing adequate sanitation services in communities. This study aimed at examining the effectiveness and challenges of the National Sanitation Day (NSD) as a community participatory module towards environmental sanitation in Aboabo, Ghana. Adopting a descriptive and inferential mixed method design, 10 key informants were interviewed using purposive sampling and 180 study participants using systematic sampling techniques. Result indicates an encouraging number of participation during the NSD. Statistically, higher educational attainment was a predictor of respondents' participation in the exercise. Using respondents' perception about the extent of environmental sanitation before the NSD exercise and their perception about the current environmental sanitation as benchmarks for assessing the programme's effectiveness, the exercise was found to be ineffective. In recommendation, if needs be that prominent people are invited to intermittently grace the NSD exercise, their invitations should be to empower the local people to

Investment in technical facilities by government alone is not enough to meeting the challenge of providing adequate sanitation services in communities. This study aimed at examining the effectiveness and challenges of the National Sanitation Day (NSD) as a community participatory module towards environmental sanitation in Aboabo, Ghana. Adopting a descriptive and inferential mixed method design, 10 key informants were interviewed using purposive sampling and 180 study participants using systematic sampling techniques. Result indicates an encouraging number of participation during the NSD. Statistically, higher educational attainment was a predictor of respondents' participation in the exercise. Using respondents' perception about the extent of environmental sanitation before the NSD exercise and their perception about the current environmental sanitation as benchmarks for assessing the programme's effectiveness, the exercise was found to be ineffective. In recommendation, if needs be that prominent people are invited to intermittently grace the NSD exercise, their invitations should be to empower the local people to

Background Various governments in Ghana have tried to improve healthcare in the country. Despite these efforts, meeting health care needs is a growing concern to government and their citizens. Short term medical missions from other countries are one of the responses to meet the challenges of healthcare delivery in Ghana. This research aimed to understand Ghanaian perceptions of short-term missions from the narratives of host country staff involved. The study from which this paper is developed used a qualitative design, which combined a case study approach and political economy analysis involving in-depth interviews with 28 participants. Result Findings show short term medical mission programs in Ghana were largely undertaken in rural communities to address shortfalls in healthcare provision to these areas. The programs were often delivered free and were highly appreciated by communities and host institutions. While the contributions of STMM to health service provision have been note...

This paper uses risk assessment of socio-economic and environmental indicators to develop criteria for apportionment (AP) of funds to communities impacted by mining activities within a Forest Reserve environment in Ghana. A t-test statistic of assessment data shows that factors such as; cost of living, health conditions, air pollution, water contamination, land degradation and distance (D km) are significant. Ratings of the factors using a 1-5 intensity scale to determine risk values (RV) for communities indicate that RV of 25 requires no remediation, while (25-RV) is remediation factor. A long-term AP criterion using the ranked risk (RR) values is defined by the equation APRR%=7.45-0.233(RR) with R2 of 0.961. Based on this criterion, communities D and S which are located at 1.5 and 16.1km from the mining focus have APRR values of 7.23% and 2.26%, respectively. APRR% in relation to distance is defined by the equation APRR%=7.22-0.281(D) with R2 of 0.647. RR-dependent distance equati...

HIV/AIDS has claimed millions of lives in the global workforce and continues to remain a threat to many businesses. An estimated 36.5 million of working people are living with HIV; the global workforce has lost 28 million people from AIDS since the beginning of the epidemic. In the absence of access to treatment, this number could grow to 74 million by 2015. The epidemic continues to affect the working population through absenteeism, sickness and death. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is an obligation that corporates have toward their employees, community and society. A review and documentation of one such CSR by Johnson & Johnson (a multinational company) for HIV/AIDS in Africa is presented here. Johnson & Johnson Company is involved in numerous projects around the world to combat the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The company is working to fight the spread of the disease and improve the quality of life for those living with the illness through various donations of its products and spons...

as soon as possible after acceptance. Copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof will be undertaken on this manuscript before final publication of the Version of Record (VoR). Please note that during production and pre-press, errors may be discovered which could affect the content.

This paper uses risk assessment of socioeconomic and environmental indicators to develop criteria for apportionment (AP) of funds to communities impacted by mining activities within a Forest Reserve environment in Ghana. A t-test statistic of assessment data shows that factors such as; cost of living, health conditions, air pollution, water contamination, land degradation and distance (D km) are significant. Ratings of the factors using a 1-5 intensity scale to determine risk values (RV) for communities indicate that RV of 25 requires no remediation, while (25-RV) is remediation factor. A long-term AP criterion using the ranked risk (RR) values is defined by the equation AP RR %=7.45-0.233(RR) with R 2 of 0.961. Based on this criterion, communities D and S which are located at 1.5 and 16.1km from the mining focus have AP RR values of 7.23% and 2.26%, respectively. AP RR % in relation to distance is defined by the equation AP RR %=7.22-0.281(D) with R 2 of 0.647. RR-dependent distance equation (AP D %) is used to deduce a short-term criterion defined by K*AP D %=4.13-0.097(RR), where K is a constant. The expression of (AP RR-K*AP D) represents the residual apportionment required after a long-term assessment. The findings in this research demonstrate well-defined patterns that can be replicated for similar future projects.

as soon as possible after acceptance. Copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof will be undertaken on this manuscript before final publication of the Version of Record (VoR). Please note that during production and pre-press, errors may be discovered which could affect the content.

The world has been ravaged by the deadly Coronavirus disease. This public health issue which has to some extend turned into an economic problem is having deleterious effects on the global population. Amid the high demand for healthcare services during pandemics like COVID-19, people across the globe are encouraged to stay home to reduce the rate of infection. In Ghana, pre-COVID-19 evidence points to high self-medication practices among older adults. This is underscored by the high demand for health services among the aged. The psychological distress among the various health challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic could have high implications for self-medication among older adults in Ghana. Evidence exists on the higher predisposition of older adults to self-medicate, and for the time being, this commentary draws the attention of health actors in the country to this pertinent subject matter. Among other things, the authors recommend that awareness should be augmented with regulation enforcement to promote judicious and safe self-medication practices. Dear Editor, Access to and the utilization of healthcare services is imperative towards ensuring the wellbeing of global populations. Accessibility to health services and its judicious utilization positively impacts on life expectancy, since the improvement in healthcare reduces susceptibility to diseases whereas the robustness of the system combat preventable deaths. The issue of removing barriers to healthcare services to increase access is a worth mentioning subject

as soon as possible after acceptance. Copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof will be undertaken on this manuscript before final publication of the Version of Record (VoR). Please note that during production and pre-press, errors may be discovered which could affect the content.

Vector control practitioners` failure to innovate stays in the inability or reluctance to adopt major frontiers of knowledge, as this may be attributed to the legacy content of "we know it all," believing there has been continued success within the "thinking box" and not "thinking outside the box". As a result, vector control practitioners fail to seek new innovations and opportunities, hampering continued success. This paper shows that the role of innovation for vector control improvements has been by commitment (Buy-in and collaboration), empathy (Passion and assessment), defining problems and ideation (Team work & planning), prototype (Implementation & availability of resources; human, material and financial), Pilot testing (Evaluation of the innovation), good financial allocation (Resource mobilization & allocation), outcomes (Behaviour change, status of disease rates, community empowerment & impact). In this respect, three known paradoxes of innovations have been identified; first, that some innovations diffuse rapidly, yet are of un proven value or limited value or pose risks, while other innovations could deliver benefits to the public but remain slow to achieve uptake. Second, community participation including collaboration with stakeholders and partners may be the best way of achieving sustainable positive innovation. Third, innovations clearly depend upon change that generates new challenges. In this regard, vector control improvements of systems may struggle to keep up with the pace of innovation, narrowly focused on new system-wide practices and technologies. In summary, a new recognition of challenges of innovation have been proposed and arguably that there is a need to address new approaches along with "thinking outside the box".

It is such a pleasure to find high-quality haiku in this new collection, Afriku: Haiku & Senryu from Ghana by Adjei Agyei-Baah, cofounder of Poetry Foundation Ghana and Africa Haiku Network. Published as a dual-language edition in Twi and English, most of the haiku are based on Adjei’s cultural perspectives from Ghana. For example, he writes, "all that remain / of a lost tribe’s story — /scratches and scars". In another he writes, "dawn rivalry — / a muezzin / and a rooster". This is an exciting collection by one of the new leaders of contemporary haiku in Africa. I look forward to seeing the growth of haiku across Africa and this book is a preview of that anticipated growth.

                                                                                    --Pofessor Randy Brooks
                                                                                      Frogpond Journal

Investment in technical facilities by government alone is not enough to meeting the challenge of providing adequate sanitation services in communities. This study aimed at examining the effectiveness and challenges of the National Sanitation Day (NSD) as a community participatory module towards environmental sanitation in Aboabo, Ghana. Adopting a descriptive and inferential mixed method design, 10 key informants were interviewed using purposive sampling and 180 study participants using systematic sampling techniques. Result indicates an encouraging number of participation during the NSD. Statistically, higher educational attainment was a predictor of respondents' participation in the exercise. Using respondents' perception about the extent of environmental sanitation before the NSD exercise and their perception about the current environmental sanitation as benchmarks for assessing the programme's effectiveness, the exercise was found to be ineffective. In recommendation, if needs be that prominent people are invited to intermittently grace the NSD exercise, their invitations should be to empower the local people to

Objective: The use of skin toning products has a deep historical background in low and middle-income countries. Yet, there is no empirical evidence on the prevalence, and patterns of skin toning practices among university students in Ghana. This study sought to examine the prevalence, patterns and socio-demographic factors associated with skin toning practices among female university students in Ghana using a sample of 389 undergraduate female students. Results: 40.9% of respondents had practised skin toning within the last 12 months. Also, 51.3% used skin toning products such as creams (38.9%) and soap or gel (35.5%) to treat a skin disorder. Respondents aged 21 years were more likely to use skin toning products (AOR = 0.400, CI 0.121-1.320), those who had dark skin (AOR = 3.287, CI 1.503-7.187), attended public school (AOR = 1.9, CI 1.1-3.56) and those who attended girls school were more likely to use skin toning products (AOR = 10.764, CI 4.2-27.3). Furthermore, those who were in level 400 (AOR = 49.327, CI 8.48-286.9) and those receiving more than 500 cedis were also more likely to use skin toning products (AOR = 2.118, CI 0.419-10.703). Policy interventions that seek to reduce skin toning practices among university students should consider micro and broader socio-demographic factors.

HIV/AIDS has claimed millions of lives in the global workforce and continues to remain a threat to many businesses. An estimated 36.5 million of working people are living with HIV; the global workforce has lost 28 million people from AIDS since the beginning of the epidemic. In the absence of access to treatment, this number could grow to 74 million by 2015. The epidemic continues to affect the working population through absenteeism, sickness and death. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is an obligation that corporates have toward their employees, community and society. A review and documentation of one such CSR by Johnson & Johnson (a multinational company) for HIV/AIDS in Africa is presented here. Johnson & Johnson Company is involved in numerous projects around the world to combat the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The company is working to fight the spread of the disease and improve the quality of life for those living with the illness through various donations of its products and spons...

This qualitative research brings out the findings of a case study on the concerns and commitments of the Royal Highnesses in Zambia, through provincial meetings with respect to how effectively they could be engaged in the Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) campaign season for 2020. Two hundred and eighty-five (285) Royal Highnesses from the ten provinces and 116 districts were engaged through centrally held meetings in each district. The objective of this paper is to highlight the enablers learnt from the Royal Highnesses prior to the implementation of Indoor Residual Spraying for 2020 campaign season. The study further provides the vector control professionals with evidence-based guiding principles to the implementation of IRS through effective community engagement approaches. The Royal Highnesses were reported to be effective in engaging communities, resulting into people-centered IRS campaign decisions being made. The meetings took place on days and the traditional leaders presided over the discussions that dealt with matters of real concerns to grassroot communities. Besides, the study clarifies the approaches to achieving ownership, acceptability and responsiveness of the IRS campaign. The ideas brought forward were appropriate mechanisms for implementing effective IRS community engagement for impact.

Background: Zambia has engaged itself and communities towards malaria elimination that is feasible but very challenging. Community engagement and collaborating are cornerstones of the efforts to improve IRS for impact. The study assessed factors that lead to low levels of IRS coverages in the hot spot areas of the two districts. Methodology: This was an operational study conducted during IRS implementation with cluster sampling technique used for selected groups of the clusters. The two districts were purposely selected while applying sampling techniques. The clusters were listed and the numbers of households in the districts were determined. Results: Out of the 201 population interviewed 56.3% had between 3-5 roomed houses and 67% indicated having their houses sprayed. Thirty-seven percent (37%) attested that the spray teams did not visit their households for spraying and 88.1% attested that IRS controls malaria. Fifty-eight percent (58%) associated IRS to killing of mosquitoes, 25% indicated that IRS helps reduce malaria. Thirteen percent (13%) indicated negative reaction and 80% had not experienced bad or negative reaction to IRS and 75.6% did not know the chemicals used for IRS. Further, 82% associated spraying to reducing mosquito bites inside houses. Sixty-six percent (66%) indicated attending meetings organized by traditional leaders. Forty-three percent (43%) rejected IRS as an effective intervention due to bad smell and 4.5% suffocation and 3.5% getting skin irritation and inconveniences by IRS processes. Forty-one percent (41%) believed that sensitization and community ownership through decentralization of the intervention and community education about IRS were very important. Ninety-two percent (92%) indicated mosquitoes as the main vector for malaria. Sleeping under mosquito nets became a major intervention known (84.1%) and 63.7 % (IRS) and a few (26.4%) use repellents and 7.5% cleaning the surrounding. Conclusion: The outstanding method of approach to IRS remains good social mobilization, massive community sensitization and education. Community engagement and sensitization prior to IRS addresses knowledge gaps and poor perceptions about IRS. Lack of knowledge has been one of the factors leading to low coverages on IRS. Community involvement and decentralized IRS model including the use of community action cycle empowers the community for universal coverage of targeted households.