Browsing by Author "Gyimah, F.T."
Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
Results Per Page
Sort Options
Item Descriptive Analysis Of Changes In Ghana's Food Availability And Food Safety Information Between 2010 And 2020(ajfand, 2022) Boadi, P.; Gyimah, F.T.; Aryeetey, R.Access to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food is essential to ensure food and nutrition security and healthy lives for all. Secure access to nutritious food ensures healthy eating habits, economic growth, and stability in an economy. However, food insecurity and malnutrition persist globally. In Ghana, more than half of food-insecure people reside in the Northern ecological zones of the country. Moreover, Ghana lacks a systematic food security monitoring system to track food insecurity among vulnerable populations. This study reviewed existing evidence on the current situation and changes related to food production, trade, safety, and consumption in Ghana, as part of the process to develop food-based dietary guidelines for the country. The literature review included peer-reviewed articles published from 2010 – 2020 in Ghana to document household-level food production, consumption, and safety issues. In addition, food disappearance data (from 2010 to 2018) from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations was analysed. Means and compound annual growth rates were calculated for each food item included. The results showed that per capita food production was higher than per capita consumption in all the food categories studied, except for vegetables, and fish and fishery products. Food consumption was centred on a few priority staple crops such as cassava, maize, rice, and yams, with less consideration given to underutilised foods such as akokono (palm weevil larvae). Food imports exceeded food exports in all food categories except 1) cocoa beans and products, 2) root crops and tubers, 3) oil-bearing crops and nuts, and 4) fruits and products. Fruit and vegetable consumption in Ghana has been declining since 2013. There was also a rise in the import and consumption of processed foods, especially tomato paste, sugars, and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Food safety issues included microbial contamination, aflatoxin contamination, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in smoked fish, mercury in fish, pesticide and heavy metal residues in vegetables and fruits, and food adulteration. The evidence synthesized from this study will be useful to inform the development of food-based dietary guidelines for Ghana.Item Perspectives on TB patients' care and support: A qualitative study conducted in Accra Metropolis, Ghana 11 Medical and Health Sciences 1117 Public Health and Health Services(Globalization and Health, 2019-02-18) Dako-Gyeke, P.; Gyimah, F.T.Background: Tuberculosis (TB) was declared a global emergency in 1993 by the World Health Organization (WHO). Despite available interventions initiated by the WHO and some countries, the disease remains a key public health problem. The rates of TB infection and its associated burden is unevenly distributed across the globe with greater severity in low-to-middle income countries. This paper therefore explored the experiences of TB patients and health care providers pertaining to patients’ care and support during treatment, in the Accra Metropolis of Ghana. Methods: A qualitative approach using phenomenology was employed to explore participants’ experiences. Maximum variation sampling, a type of purposive sampling was employed in selecting participants who exhibit a wide range of behaviours and experiences. Thirty (30) In-depth Interviews and three (3) Key Informant Interviews were conducted in selected facilities within a period of three months in 2018. The data was audio-recorded, transcribed, and transported into Nvivo version 11, for data management and coding. Content analysis of data was carried out for the generation of themes. Results: The findings revealed that good knowledge of TB treatment practices did not spontaneously shape perceptions towards treatment. Factors including prevailing cultural beliefs, physical and psychological stress, consequences of patient’s interrupted labour and health system challenges were hindrances in caring for TB patients. Physical, mental and spiritual mechanisms were adopted to cope with challenges. Conclusion: Personal patient-related challenges and health system bottlenecks were major influencing factors in providing care and support to TB clients. The National Tuberculosis control Program (NTP) of Ghana should adopt measures and provide the required financial, infrastructural and human resources for the augmentation of patients’ treatment.Item Perspectives on TB patients’ care and support: a qualitative study conducted in Accra Metropolis, Ghana(Globalization and Health, 2019-03) Gyimah, F.T.; Dako-Gyeke, P.Background:Tuberculosis (TB) was declared a global emergency in 1993 by the World Health Organization (WHO).Despite available interventions initiated by the WHO and some countries, the disease remains a key public healthproblem. The rates of TB infection and its associated burden is unevenly distributed across the globe with greaterseverity in low-to-middle income countries. This paper therefore explored the experiences of TB patients and healthcare providers pertaining to patients’care and support during treatment, in the Accra Metropolis of Ghana.Methods:A qualitative approach using phenomenology was employed to explore participants’experiences. Maximumvariation sampling, a type of purposive sampling was employed in selecting participants who exhibit a wide range ofbehaviours and experiences.Thirty (30) In-depth Interviews and three (3) Key Informant Interviews were conducted inselected facilities within a period of three months in 2018. The data was audio-recorded, transcribed, and transportedinto Nvivo version 11, for data management and coding. Content analysis of data was carried out for thegeneration of themes.Results:The findings revealed that good knowledge of TB treatment practices did not spontaneously shapeperceptions towards treatment. Factors including prevailing cultural beliefs, physical and psychological stress,consequences of patient’s interrupted labour and health system challenges were hindrances in caring for TBpatients. Physical, mental and spiritual mechanisms were adopted to cope with challenges.Conclusion:Personal patient-related challenges and health system bottlenecks were major influencing factors in providingcare and support to TB clients. The National Tuberculosis control Program (NTP) of Ghana should adopt measuresand provide the required financial, infrastructural and human resources for the augmentation of patients’treatment.Item Perspectives on TB patients’ care and support: a qualitative study conducted in Accra Metropolis, Ghana(Globalization and Health, 2019-03) Gyimah, F.T.; Dako-Gyeke, P.Background Tuberculosis (TB) was declared a global emergency in 1993 by the World Health Organization (WHO). Despite available interventions initiated by the WHO and some countries, the disease remains a key public health problem. The rates of TB infection and its associated burden is unevenly distributed across the globe with greater severity in low-to-middle income countries. This paper therefore explored the experiences of TB patients and health care providers pertaining to patients’ care and support during treatment, in the Accra Metropolis of Ghana. Methods A qualitative approach using phenomenology was employed to explore participants’ experiences. Maximum variation sampling, a type of purposive sampling was employed in selecting participants who exhibit a wide range of behaviours and experiences. Thirty (30) In-depth Interviews and three (3) Key Informant Interviews were conducted in selected facilities within a period of three months in 2018. The data was audio-recorded, transcribed, and transported into Nvivo version 11, for data management and coding. Content analysis of data was carried out for the generation of themes. Results The findings revealed that good knowledge of TB treatment practices did not spontaneously shape perceptions towards treatment. Factors including prevailing cultural beliefs, physical and psychological stress, consequences of patient’s interrupted labour and health system challenges were hindrances in caring for TB patients. Physical, mental and spiritual mechanisms were adopted to cope with challenges. Conclusion Personal patient-related challenges and health system bottlenecks were major influencing factors in providing care and support to TB clients. The National Tuberculosis control Program (NTP) of Ghana should adopt measures and provide the required financial, infrastructural and human resources for the augmentation of patients’ treatment.