Browsing by Author "Ansah, K.O."
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Item The association between polygyny statuses of currently married and in-union women and attitude towards intimate partner violence against women in Ghana(Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 2021) Adewale, D.; Dey, N.E.Y.; Ansah, K.O.; Duah, H.O.; Agbadi, P.Polygyny is a common family structure in sub-Saharan African countries. Previous studies have documented that women in this family structure have favourable attitudes towards intimate partner violence (IPV). Nevertheless, there is limited recent research concerning this association in Ghana. This study sought to investigate the as sociation between polygynous statuses and endorsement of IPV among Ghanaian reproductive-aged married and in-union women while controlling for covariates. The study used the nationally representative data from the 2017/2018 Ghana Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey. The sample comprised 7800 married/in-union women aged 15–49. Data analyses included tests of association and multivariable modelling using binary logistic regression. Compared to women in monogamous relations, their counterparts in polygynous relationships were more likely to support the justification for wife-beating if: wife goes out without telling husband (AOR = 1.44, 95% CI: 1.16, 1.80), neglects the children (AOR = 1.29, 95% CI: 1.07, 1.56) argues with husband (AOR = 1.56, 95% CI: 1.28, 1.90), refuses sex with husband (AOR = 1.54, 95% CI: 1.26, 1.90) and burns the food (AOR = 1.52, 95% CI: 1.14, 2.03). No significant relationship was found between women who have ever been in more than one union or marriage and justifications for IPV under any of the five circumstances. Some significant associations were found between other covariates and justifications for IPV under any of the five circumstances. The study revealed that women in polygynous relationships were more likely to support IPV. These findings extend the literature on the relationship between polygyny and endorsement of IPV among reproductive-age women in Ghana. It also con tributes evidence towards strengthening interventions and policies geared towards changing attitudes of women in polygynous unions towards intimate partner violence.Item Association between remembering difficulty and anxiety and depression among children in Ghana(Journal of Affective Disorders Reports, 2022) Dziwornu, E.; Dey, N.E.Y.; Ansah, K.O.; Arthur-Holmes, F.; Duah, H.O.; Amoah, P.A.; Agbadi, P.Item Association between remembering difficulty and anxiety and depression among children in Ghana(Journal of Affective Disorders Reports, 2021) Dziwornu, E.; Dey, N.E.Y.; Ansah, K.O.; et al.Item Determinants of life satisfaction among Ghanaians aged 15 to 49 years: A further analysis of the 2017/2018 Multiple Cluster Indicator Survey(PLOS ONE, 2022) Ansah, K.O.; Dey, N.E.Y.; Adade, A.E.; Agbadi, P.The inclusion of life satisfaction in government policies as a tracker of the social and economic progress of citizens has been recommended. This has encouraged the scientific investigation of life satisfaction levels of people in tandem with factors responsible for these levels. Only a few studies have attempted to do this in Ghana with mixed findings. This study, therefore, extends previous literature by examining the determinants of life satisfaction among Ghanaians in two ways: a full sample and a gender-stratified sample. We analysed cross-sectional data from the 2017/2018 Ghana Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey Six (MICS 6). A sample of 20,059 women and men of ages ranging from 15 to 49 years participated in this study. The Cantril’s Self-Anchoring Ladder Life Satisfaction scale was used to capture the life satisfaction of participants alongside relevant sociodemographic questions. About 35% of participants reported they were satisfied in life with males reporting more suffering levels [39.59%; 95% CI:36.38, 42.88] and females more thriving levels [36.41%; 95% CI:35.01, 37.84]. In the full sample multivariable model, gender, age, parity, education, marital status, wealth index, and region of residence were significantly associated with life satisfaction. Gender variations were also found across these associations. These findings collectively provide useful information for policymakers and practitioners to optimize interventions for the Ghanaian population aimed at improving life satisfaction. Evidence from this study also calls on the government of Ghana to begin tracking the life satisfaction of her citizens.Item An exploration of litigants’ interactions with court actors in Ghanaian courts(Forensic Science International: Mind and Law, 2023) Kwakye-Nuako, C.O.; Ansah, K.O.; Adade, A.; et al.Studies have sought to understand the experiences of litigants who use the court system. However, very few have looked at their specific interactions with court actors in Sub-Saharan African countries. In this study, we sought to explore the interactions that litigants have with lawyers, judges, and court workers during the process of civil litigation in Ghana. The study used a qualitative phenomenological design and a criterion sampling technique to select seventeen litigants involved in civil litigation in a Ghanaian court. Using thematic analysis, we found that litigants had confidence in the judicial system. In terms of lawyers and court actors, the participants were ambivalent about their interactions with them. Whereas some had been supportive, others drained their resources and were not altogether altruistic. We discuss these findings and make recommendations for improving litigant experiences.Item An exploration of litigants’ interactions with court actors in Ghanaian courts(Forensic Science International: Mind and Law, 2023) Kwakye-Nuako, C.O.; Feikoab, P.; Ansah, K.O.; et alStudies have sought to understand the experiences of litigants who use the court system. However, very few have looked at their specific interactions with court actors in Sub-Saharan African countries. In this study, we sought to explore the interactions that litigants have with lawyers, judges, and court workers during the process of civil litigation in Ghana. The study used a qualitative phenomenological design and a criterion sampling technique to select seventeen litigants involved in civil litigation in a Ghanaian court. Using thematic analysis, we found that litigants had confidence in the judicial system. In terms of lawyers and court actors, the participants were ambivalent about their interactions with them. Whereas some had been supportive, others drained their resources and were not altogether altruistic. We discuss these findings and make recommendations for improving litigant experiences.Item Exposure to substance and current substance among school-going adolescents in Timor-Leste(PLOS Global Public Health, 2022) Adade, A.E.; Ansah, K.O.; Dey, N.E.Y.; Arthur-Holmes, F.; Duah, H.O.; Pascal, A.Few studies have examined how exposure to substance influences adolescent’s use of substance in Timor-Leste. We assessed this relationship using nationally representative data from Timor-Leste to address this gap. Data was pulled from the 2015 Timor-Leste Global school-based student health survey. Data of students aged 13-17years (N = 3700) from class 7–11 across schools in Timor-Leste were analyzed for this study. Second-hand smoking exposure (AOR = 1.57 [1.31, 1.89] and parental tobacco use, AOR = 1.94 [1.54, 2.44]) was significantly related to in-school adolescent’s current use of substance after adjusting for covariates. Current substance use was also positively associated with being male, being in class 10–12, and being food insecure and negatively associated with having at least three close friends and benefiting from parental supervision. To reduce substance use among inschool adolescents, policymakers must consider the inclusion of all models in the social learning environment of adolescents in Timor-Leste.Item Fear of COVID-19, perceived academic stress, future anxiety, and psychological distress of Ghanaian university students: A serial mediation examination(Journal of Psychology in Africa, 2022) Dey, N.E.Y.; Oti-Boadi, M.; Malm, E.; Selormey, R.K.; Ansah, K.O.The study examined the direct and indirect relationships between fear of COVID-19 (FC), perceived academic stress (PAS), future anxiety (FA), and psychological distress (PD) among students in Ghana. Students (n = 241; female = 64.1%; mean age = 21.54 years, SD = 2.04 years) completed online surveys on fear of COVID-19, perceived academic stress, future anxiety, and psychological distress. Following mediation analysis performed in PROCESS, results revealed that academic stress and future anxiety independently and serially mediated the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and psychological distress. Independently, PAS mediated the relationship between FC and PD, and FA similarly mediated this relationship. Considered together, the effect of FC on PD initially occurred through PAS, and then FA. We conclude that high psychological distress is associated with increased fear of COVID-19, perceived academic stress, and future anxiety of Ghanaian university students.Item Patterns of victimization in Ghana’s Senior Correctional Center: The experiences of juvenile offenders(International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, 2022) Ansah, K.O.; Atindanbila, S.; Owusu, J.O.; Duah, C.A.Victimization is considered a serious issue which affects children across the globe and this is particularly accentuated in the prison environment Research on prison victimization and psychological health, however, has primarily focused on adult prisoners. There is little documentation on how victimization impacts the psychological health of juvenile offenders in correctional facilities. This article, therefore, explores the experiences of victimization among juvenile offenders in the Senior Correctional Center, Ghana. A total of 20 juvenile offenders were purposively sampled from Ghana’s Senior Correction Center. Using thematic analysis, three themes were generated and discussed: forms of victimization, causes of victimization and impacts of victimization. It was revealed that, besides taking the form of either direct or indirect physical assault, victimization also manifested in the form of verbal assault. Moreover, victimization was found to usually occur when young offenders direct their built-up frustrations at others or when victims possess specific attributes that make them targets. The various forms of victimization experienced by these young offenders impacts their well-being physically and psychologically and socially. It is recommended that stakeholders practice stress management exercises and establish a buddy system for juvenile offenders in the correctional facilityItem Prevalence and determinants of breast self-examination practices among women in their reproductive age in Namibia: an analysis of the 2013 Namibia demographic and Health Survey(BMC Public Health, 2023) Okyere, J.; Dey, N.E.Y.; Ansah, K.O.; Thywill, S.E.; Duodu, P.A.Background In resource-constrained settings like Namibia, breast self-examination (BSE) is considered an important cost-effective intervention that is critical to the early detection of breast cancer, and better prognosis. Even though BSE is a simple, quick, and cost-free procedure, its practice varies across different contexts. Knowing the determinants of BSE is necessary to inform the implementation of policies and targeted interventions to improve the practice across the population. In Namibia, estimating the magnitude of BSE practice and its determinants using nationally representative data has received limited scholarly attention. Hence, the present study sought to examine the prevalence and determinants of BSE practices among women of reproductive age in Namibia. Methods This study relied on the 2013 Namibia Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), analysing data from women aged 15–49 years. Statistical analyses including bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were done using Stata version 14. Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) and confidence interval (CI) are presented. We followed the ‘Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology’ (STROBE) statement. Results Only 30.67% of the respondents practiced BSE. The odds of performing BSE were higher among those with health insurance coverage [AOR=1.59, 95% CI: 1.34, 1.89], those who were separated from their spouses [AOR=1.36, 95% CI: 1.03, 1.80], those within the richest wealth index [AOR=1.69, 95% CI: 1.23, 2.33, p≤0.001], and among Catholics [AOR=0.84, 95% CI: 0.71, 0.98]. Women with secondary [AOR=2.44, 95% CI:1.78, 3.35, p≤0.001] or higher education [AOR=3.39, 95%CI:2.24, 5.14] had higher odds of performing BSE. Women aged between 20–49 years had a significantly higher likelihood to practice BSE. Compared to women who live in Khomas, those living in Erongo, Karas, and Omaheke, were more likely to practice BSE than those in Kavango, Ohangwena, Omusati, Oshana, and Oshikoto. Conclusion We conclude that the determinants of BSE practice are age, educational level, marital status, health insurance coverage, religion, mobility in the last 12 months, early sexual debut, parity, household wealth index, and region of residence. Any policy or intervention to improve BSE practice among Namibian women of reproductive age must target adolescent girls, those with no formal education, those without health insurance coverage, multiparous women, and those in the poorest wealth index.Item Relationship between mothers’/caregivers’ reported learning difficulty and internalizing symptoms (anxiety and depression) of children aged 5–17 years in Ghana(Research in Developmental Disabilities, 2021) Norman, Q.A.; Dey, N.E.Y.; Ansah, K.O.; Arthur-Holmes, F.; Duah, H.O.; Agbadi, P.Background: Children with learning difficulties are vulnerable to internalizing symptoms, particularly anxiety and depression. However, only few studies have examined this relationship in low-and-middle-income countries using a nationally representative data. Aims: This study aimed to examine the relationship between learning difficulty and internalizing symptoms of children aged 5− 17 years in Ghana while controlling for covariates. Methods and procedures: We analyzed children’s data using mothers’/caregivers’ reports from the 2017/2018 Ghana Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey Six (MICS 6). Data of 8,958 children aged 5− 17 years were used for the analysis. Outcomes and results: About 20% of the children had some learning difficulties whereas 5% could not learn at all. Learning difficulty was associated with symptoms of anxiety and depression of children. Specifically, children who had some learning difficulties had higher odds of feeling anxious [APOR = 1.28, 95% CI:1.11, 1.49, p = 0.001] while those with some difficulties [APOR=1.24, 95% CI:1.07, 1.44, p = 0.004] and a lot of difficulties or could not learn at all [APOR=1.74, 95% CI:1.28, 2.37, p < 0.01] had higher odds of feeling depressed. Conclusion and implications: The findings call on stakeholders in education and health to prioritize the mental health of all school-going children, particularly those with learning difficulties in Ghana.