<strong>Background: </strong>Hepatitis-B (Hep-B) infection is a global public health problem of great concern which affects more than 5% of the local population in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study assessed s...<strong>Background: </strong>Hepatitis-B (Hep-B) infection is a global public health problem of great concern which affects more than 5% of the local population in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study assessed students’ knowledge, attitude and practices towards Hepatitis B infection and vaccination at the University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ghana. <strong>Methods:</strong> A cross-sectional quantitative descriptive survey was conducted among 262 Public Health students of the University of Health and Allied Science of the Volta region of Ghana, using a multi-stage sampling technique in selecting participants. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from the participants. Data was analyzed using SPSS Version 20.1. <strong>Results: </strong>Study respondents were mostly males, forming 69.8% as against 30.2% of their female counterparts. All (262) respondents had knowledge on Hep-B infection and the availability of a vaccine for preventing Hepatitis infection. However, despite their knowledge of existence, the majority (56.9%) of the respondents felt they did not need to be protected from Hep-B infection. Majority (58.8%) of the total respondents have been vaccinated against Hep-B infection. The study identified the cost of vaccines as a major setback to non-vaccination. However, out of the 41.2% respondents who were not vaccinated against Hep B infection, majority (50.9%) of them were not willing to be vaccinated even if it was offered to them at no cost. <strong>Conclusion:</strong> There was a significantly high level of knowledge on Hep-B infection and the availability of vaccine for Hep-B infection among students. However, the majority of the respondents felt they did not need to be protected from Hep-B infection. More education is needed on the importance of vaccination as an effective measure for controlling Hepatitis infection.展开更多
Background: Adolescent pregnancy is a public health problem of concern in developed, developing and underdeveloped countries. Trends in developing and underdeveloped countries are higher and account for most adverse p...Background: Adolescent pregnancy is a public health problem of concern in developed, developing and underdeveloped countries. Trends in developing and underdeveloped countries are higher and account for most adverse pregnancy outcomes. Adolescence is a period of transition between childhood and adulthood. The burden of coping with changes with this transition and at the same time preparing for childbirth puts pregnant adolescent girls on edge. Childbirth and childrearing are critical moments that require support and specialized skills to nurture healthy infants. Aim: This study aims to assess the readiness of adolescent expectant mothers towards childbirth and childrearing in the Komenda/Edina/Eguafo/Abirem (KEEA) district of the central region of Ghana. Methods: This study utilized the total population sampling technique to collect data from three sites that offer specialized adolescent antenatal services within the KEEA district of the central region of Ghana. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 22.0 and results presented as descriptive statistics. Results: This study assessed maternal readiness for childbirth and childrearing among 98 pregnant adolescent girls. The study was dominated by late adolescents who made up 86.7% of study participants. Regarding readiness for childrearing, the majority (74.5%) said they could not independently cater for their children and will require some support. The majority (52.0%) have had some form of counseling with a greater number (41.2%) coming from parents. Regarding readiness to embrace childbirth, the majority (82.4%) of respondents said they had companions who were willing to support them during childbirth. The majority (57.1%) of respondents have packed their delivery items although only 13.3% of them knew their expected dates of delivery. About 37.8% of respondents had knowledge of the possibility of having blood transfusion during delivery. <span style="font-family:Verdana;">Conclusion: <span style="font-family:Verdana;">Adolescent <span style="font-family:Verdana;">pregnancy is pervasive, and adolescent mothers require optimal support to ensure safe motherhood.<span style="font-family:Verdana;"> Health promotion activities must be streamlined to meet their specific needs. <span style="font-family:Verdana;">Their significant others must actively be involved in their perinatal counseling to enhance compliance with health and wellbeing programs.展开更多
Background:<span> </span><span>Intermittent prevention of malaria is a key strategy adopted globally to ensure the wellbeing of pregnant women. By extension, these strategies enhance the healthy...Background:<span> </span><span>Intermittent prevention of malaria is a key strategy adopted globally to ensure the wellbeing of pregnant women. By extension, these strategies enhance the healthy development of the fetus. This study assesses the knowledge and practices of pregnant women towards intermittent malaria </span><span>prevention strategies in the Juaben Government Hospital of Ghana.</span><span> </span><span>Methods: A cross-sectional</span><span>,</span><span> quantitative</span><span>,</span><span> descriptive survey was conducted among 1</span><span>20 pregnant women at the antenatal clinic of the Juaben Government hospital in the Ashanti region of Ghana using a simple random sampling technique in selecting the study participants. The participant response rate was 94.5%. Data w</span><span>ere</span><span> analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.0.</span><span> </span><span>Results:</span><span> </span><span>Majority (54.2%) of respondents were between 20</span><span> </span><span>-</span><span> </span><span>29 years of age. Majority of study respondents attended Antenatal visits in their first trimester of pregnancy. Majority (69.2%) have knowledge of malaria preventive strategies in pregnancy, with about 70% of respondents stating these strategies were designed only for pregnant women. Only 37.5% of study respondents could rightly identify the chemoprophylaxis indicated for malaria prevention in pregnancy. Whereas majority (93.3%) of respondents owned insecticide-treated mosquito nets, only 63.3% utilized these nets for their purpose. Barriers to utilization of insecticide-treated nets include difficulty in setting up the nets (26.7%), using mosquito coils (10.8%), and feeling uncomfortable sleeping in the nets (36.7%). Barriers to taking malaria prophylaxis include distance to health facilities (28.3%), thoughts of not being sick with malaria (55.8%), using herbs (10.0%), and not being aware of the essence </span><span>of prophylaxis (7.5%). Conclusion:</span><span> </span><span>Knowledge of malaria preventive strategies in pregnancy is high. However, utilization of these strategies is low </span><span>due to perceived human and institutional barriers. A comprehensive community-wide approach is required to improve the utilization of these services among pregnant women.</span>展开更多
文摘<strong>Background: </strong>Hepatitis-B (Hep-B) infection is a global public health problem of great concern which affects more than 5% of the local population in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study assessed students’ knowledge, attitude and practices towards Hepatitis B infection and vaccination at the University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ghana. <strong>Methods:</strong> A cross-sectional quantitative descriptive survey was conducted among 262 Public Health students of the University of Health and Allied Science of the Volta region of Ghana, using a multi-stage sampling technique in selecting participants. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from the participants. Data was analyzed using SPSS Version 20.1. <strong>Results: </strong>Study respondents were mostly males, forming 69.8% as against 30.2% of their female counterparts. All (262) respondents had knowledge on Hep-B infection and the availability of a vaccine for preventing Hepatitis infection. However, despite their knowledge of existence, the majority (56.9%) of the respondents felt they did not need to be protected from Hep-B infection. Majority (58.8%) of the total respondents have been vaccinated against Hep-B infection. The study identified the cost of vaccines as a major setback to non-vaccination. However, out of the 41.2% respondents who were not vaccinated against Hep B infection, majority (50.9%) of them were not willing to be vaccinated even if it was offered to them at no cost. <strong>Conclusion:</strong> There was a significantly high level of knowledge on Hep-B infection and the availability of vaccine for Hep-B infection among students. However, the majority of the respondents felt they did not need to be protected from Hep-B infection. More education is needed on the importance of vaccination as an effective measure for controlling Hepatitis infection.
文摘Background: Adolescent pregnancy is a public health problem of concern in developed, developing and underdeveloped countries. Trends in developing and underdeveloped countries are higher and account for most adverse pregnancy outcomes. Adolescence is a period of transition between childhood and adulthood. The burden of coping with changes with this transition and at the same time preparing for childbirth puts pregnant adolescent girls on edge. Childbirth and childrearing are critical moments that require support and specialized skills to nurture healthy infants. Aim: This study aims to assess the readiness of adolescent expectant mothers towards childbirth and childrearing in the Komenda/Edina/Eguafo/Abirem (KEEA) district of the central region of Ghana. Methods: This study utilized the total population sampling technique to collect data from three sites that offer specialized adolescent antenatal services within the KEEA district of the central region of Ghana. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 22.0 and results presented as descriptive statistics. Results: This study assessed maternal readiness for childbirth and childrearing among 98 pregnant adolescent girls. The study was dominated by late adolescents who made up 86.7% of study participants. Regarding readiness for childrearing, the majority (74.5%) said they could not independently cater for their children and will require some support. The majority (52.0%) have had some form of counseling with a greater number (41.2%) coming from parents. Regarding readiness to embrace childbirth, the majority (82.4%) of respondents said they had companions who were willing to support them during childbirth. The majority (57.1%) of respondents have packed their delivery items although only 13.3% of them knew their expected dates of delivery. About 37.8% of respondents had knowledge of the possibility of having blood transfusion during delivery. <span style="font-family:Verdana;">Conclusion: <span style="font-family:Verdana;">Adolescent <span style="font-family:Verdana;">pregnancy is pervasive, and adolescent mothers require optimal support to ensure safe motherhood.<span style="font-family:Verdana;"> Health promotion activities must be streamlined to meet their specific needs. <span style="font-family:Verdana;">Their significant others must actively be involved in their perinatal counseling to enhance compliance with health and wellbeing programs.
文摘Background:<span> </span><span>Intermittent prevention of malaria is a key strategy adopted globally to ensure the wellbeing of pregnant women. By extension, these strategies enhance the healthy development of the fetus. This study assesses the knowledge and practices of pregnant women towards intermittent malaria </span><span>prevention strategies in the Juaben Government Hospital of Ghana.</span><span> </span><span>Methods: A cross-sectional</span><span>,</span><span> quantitative</span><span>,</span><span> descriptive survey was conducted among 1</span><span>20 pregnant women at the antenatal clinic of the Juaben Government hospital in the Ashanti region of Ghana using a simple random sampling technique in selecting the study participants. The participant response rate was 94.5%. Data w</span><span>ere</span><span> analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.0.</span><span> </span><span>Results:</span><span> </span><span>Majority (54.2%) of respondents were between 20</span><span> </span><span>-</span><span> </span><span>29 years of age. Majority of study respondents attended Antenatal visits in their first trimester of pregnancy. Majority (69.2%) have knowledge of malaria preventive strategies in pregnancy, with about 70% of respondents stating these strategies were designed only for pregnant women. Only 37.5% of study respondents could rightly identify the chemoprophylaxis indicated for malaria prevention in pregnancy. Whereas majority (93.3%) of respondents owned insecticide-treated mosquito nets, only 63.3% utilized these nets for their purpose. Barriers to utilization of insecticide-treated nets include difficulty in setting up the nets (26.7%), using mosquito coils (10.8%), and feeling uncomfortable sleeping in the nets (36.7%). Barriers to taking malaria prophylaxis include distance to health facilities (28.3%), thoughts of not being sick with malaria (55.8%), using herbs (10.0%), and not being aware of the essence </span><span>of prophylaxis (7.5%). Conclusion:</span><span> </span><span>Knowledge of malaria preventive strategies in pregnancy is high. However, utilization of these strategies is low </span><span>due to perceived human and institutional barriers. A comprehensive community-wide approach is required to improve the utilization of these services among pregnant women.</span>
