Browsing by Author "Asiedua, E."
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Item Experiences and training needs of healthcare providers involved in the care of Ghanaian adolescents living with HIV: an interventional study(BMC Pediatrics, 2020-05-04) Asiedua, E.; Bockarie, Y.M.; Obiri-Yeboah, D.; Hayfron-Benjamin, A.; Baidoo, I.; Akorsu, A.D.; Ayisi-Addo, S.Background: Caring for adolescents living with HIV/AIDS (ALHIV) can be overwhelming due to their unique needs. Ghana is currently among nine countries in West and Central Africa contributing to 90% of new paediatric infections in the sub-region with a growing population of ALHIV. Regardless, gaps in paediatric related care including healthcare providers (HCPs) capacity issues have been identified. This study sought to assess the competencies of adolescentoriented healthcare providers before, and after interventionist training to inform recommendation that would guide the psychosocial care they give to ALHIV. Methods: The study adopted a mixed methods approach with a non-randomized interventional study involving threephase multi-methods. The sample consisted of 28 adolescent-oriented and multi-disciplinary healthcare providers at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital (CCTH) in Ghana. Data were obtained in three phases, namely, a baseline survey, interventionist training, and post-training in-depth interviews. Quantitative data were analyzed using Stata version 13 for descriptive analysis while the qualitative data were analyzed thematically using NVivo version 11. Results: Although the majority of the HCPs claim to be knowledgeable about adolescent health issues (n = 21, 75.0%), only about a third (n = 10, 35.7%) could correctly define who an adolescent is. The majority (n = 18, 64.3%) had not received any training on how to work with the adolescent client. The main areas identified for improvement in the ALHIV care in phase 1 included issues with psychosocial assessment, communication and treatment adherence strategies, creating an adolescent-friendly work environment, and availability of job aids/protocols. During the posttraining interviews, participants reported an improved understanding of the characteristics of an adolescent-friendly site and basic principles for ALHIV care. They were also able to correctly describe the widely used adolescent health assessment tool; the HEEADSSS. Post intervention interviews also revealed HCPs perception on increased practice related confidence levels and readiness to implement new knowledge and skills gained.Conclusion: This study has shown that targeted training on routine ALHIV care is effective in increasing HCPs knowledge, skills and confidence. Addressing the healthcare system/facility related gaps serves as an impetus for improved ALHIV care among HCPs.Item Health-seeking experiences of women with obstetric fistula: a qualitative study at two fistula centres in Ghana(BMJ Open, 2023) Asiedua, E.; Maya, E.; Ganle, J.K.; Eliason, S.; Ansah-Ofei, A.M.; Senkyire, E.K.; Adanu, R.Objectives The study explored the health-seeking experiences of women with obstetric fistula from the onset of the condition until surgical treatment was obtained. It also describes their interactions with health staff and traditional healers. Design Exploratory, descriptive qualitative study. Setting Two secondary-level health facilities in the northern and central regions of Ghana; data collection took place in 2018–2019. Participants A purposive sample of 37women who had experienced fistula resulting from childbirth and were awaiting fistula repair at the two fistula centres in Ghana was obtained. Data analysis Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Results Health-seeking experiences and behaviours of women with obstetric fistula were identified. Six major themes were generated: attribution and perceptions of fistula; competing alternatives/multiple sources of care; limited awareness and access to care; financial barriers; psychosocial challenges, and abuse by healers. The results indicate that the health-seeking experiences of women with obstetric fistula were characterised by long delays in care-seeking. The major themes and subthemes are presented with quotes from participants. Conclusion The women experienced winding pathways of treatment-seeking due to lack of awareness and incorrect attribution. The major barriers to health-seeking included poverty, challenges with transportation and inadequate repair centres. Increased awareness of obstetric fistula and access to repair centres could shorten the suffering women go through while awaiting fistula treatment. Improved awareness of obstetric fistula and establishment of more fistula centres would be beneficial.Item An integrative literature review on the impact of COVID-19 on maternal and child health in Africa(BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 2023) Senkyire, E.K.; Ewetan, O.; Azuh, D.; Asiedua, E.; White, R.; Dunlea, M.; Barger, M.; Ohaja, M.Africa has the highest rates of maternal deaths globally which have been linked to poorly functioning health care systems. The pandemic revealed already known weaknesses in the health systems in Africa, such as workforce short ages, lack of equipment and resources. The aim of this paper is to review the published literature on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on maternal and child health in Africa. The integrative review process delineated by Whittemore and Knaf (2005) was used to meet the study aims. The literature search of Ovid Medline, CINAHL, PubMed, WHO, Google and Google scholar, Africa journals online, MIDIRS was limited to publications between March 2020 and May 2022. All the studies went through the PRISMA stages, and 179 full text papers screened for eligibility, 36 papers met inclusion criteria. Of the studies, 6 were qualitative, 25 quantitative studies, and 5 mixed methods. Thematic analysis according to the methods of Braun and Clark (2006) were used to synthesize the data. From the search the six themes that emerged include: effects of lockdown measures, COVID concerns and psychological stress, reduced attendance at antenatal care, childhood vaccination, reduced facility-based births, and increase maternal and child mortality. A review of the literature revealed the following policy issues: The need for government to develop robust response mechanism to public health emergencies that negatively affect maternal and child health issues and devise health policies to mitigate negative effects of lockdown. In times of pandemic there is need to maintain special access for both antenatal care and child delivery services and limit a shift to use of untrained birth attendants to reduce maternal and neonatal deaths. These could be achieved by soliciting investments from various sectors to provide high-quality care that ensures sustainability to all layers of the population.Item Knowledge, practices and challenges of intermittent malaria preventive (IPT) treatment during pregnancy in Ghana.(Africa Journal of Nursing and Midwifery, 2011) Donkor, E. S.; Asiedua, E.Malaria contributes significantly to maternal morbidity and mortality rates in Ghana. The aim of the study was to investigate the knowledge, practices and challenges encountered in the implementation of sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) as a measure to prevent malaria occurrences among pregnant women. A quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted. Convenience and purposive sampling techniques were utilised to select 88 women attending antenata / postnatal clinics and 22 midwives working in these clinics in New Juabeng district in the Eastern Region of Ghana. Questionnaires were used to collect data and analysis was performed using the SPSS program. The findings indicated that the majority of women and midwives knew how malaria is acquired. Most women (92%) knew about SP. The majority learnt about it at the antenatal clinic and some through radio and television programmes. While most women took SP under directly observed therapy, a few were allowed to take their drugs home. Midwives identified challenges such as women's failure to complete the SP regimen; some women receiving the first dose during advanced stages of their pregnancies whilst others received the first dose and never returned for subsequent doses. The findings indicate that nurses' and midwives' education on malaria prevention during pregnancy should be enhanced.