Browsing by Author "Larbi, R.T."
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Item Climate change/variability and schistosomiasis transmission in Ga district, Ghana(2016) Codjoe, S.N.A.; Larbi, R.T.Most studies on climate change and schistosomiasis transmission have mainly been on the development of models to understand the nature of the relationship. Globally, no attempt has been made to understand the relationship from the point of view of community members through public perception studies. In addition, there is no study on the nexus between climate change and schistosomiasis transmission in Ghana, albeit the disease is endemic in some parts of the country. This article attempts to fill both knowledge gaps. It uses four climate variables, hospital reported schistosomiasis cases, and data from focus group discussions undertaken in Ga District. Results show an increasing trend in total annual rainfall, maximum and minimum temperatures, and a decline in the number of rainy days between 1970 and 2010, during which time there was an increase in reported schistosomiasis cases. A Pearson correlation analysis shows negative and positive significant associations, respectively, between temperature and total rainfall and schistosomiasis cases. However, maximum temperature granger causes reported schistosomiasis cases. Community members perceive that extreme warm temperatures in recent times encourage people to swim in rivers, which increases infection rates. Rainfall is associated with water-based activities including swimming, washing, and bathing. Some control and prevention interventions and treatment-seeking behaviours are discussed, and some recommendations provided.Item Exploring the Influence of Climate Variability/Change on the Prevalence of Schistosomiasis in Ghana: A Study of the GA Districts(University of Ghana, 2013-07) Larbi, R.T.; Codjoe, S.N.A.; Owusu, G.Climate change is projected to have an impact on disease abundance and a geographic shift in the prevalence of many vector borne diseases like schistosomiasis and malaria. Schistosomiasis is one of the 13 diseases that the WHO has classified as Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) which currently affects some 200 million people and another 600 million people are at risk globally. Despite the high prevalence and its associated effects like anaemia and bladder cancer, it receives less attention and little is currently known about the pattern of spread and the potential links to climate change. This study examined the influence of climate variability/change on schistosomiasis prevalence in endemic communities. Also, community knowledge and perceptions of schistosomiasis infection, as well as coping strategies were examined. The study employed a mixed method involving qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Schistosomiasis epidemiological data from the Centre for Health Information Management (CHIM) and climatic data the Ghana Meteorological Agency were used. The primary data collection involved focus group discussion, in- depth interviews and participant observation in two communities. The results of the quantitative data analysis showed a significant positive correlation between total rainfall and schistosomiasis (r=0.410, p<0.05). The correlation between rainy days and schistosomiasis is not significant (r=0.263, p>0.138). Minimum and maximum temperatures correlated negatively with schistosomiasis (r=-0.717, p<0.05) and (r=-0.631, p<0.05) respectively. Moreover, there was no significant difference between the effect of moderate rainfall and high rainfall on schistosomiasis prevalence (X 2 =2.098, df=3, p>0.5). It was also found that the maximum temperature Granger- causes a reduction in schistosomiasis. Also, the knowledge and perceptions of climate change was consistent with the empirical data and that for schistosomiasis was similar to biomedical explanations. There had been control and prevention interventions such as school-based education, screening and treatment which were mainly targeted towards school children to the neglect of the other vulnerable groups. The study recommends that community members be involved in prevention and control programmes, so that their knowledge and perceptions can be integrated into the implementation strategies.Item Exposure to and Impacts of Flooding In Selected Urban Communities in Accra, Ghana: Examining the Implications for Building Resilience(University of Ghana, 2017-12) Larbi, R.T.There is increased exposure of people and critical livelihood assets to flooding globally due to climate change and modification of the biophysical system through human activities. Flooding has become an annual phenomenon in Accra in recent decades and has severe impacts on the poor and vulnerable. Using transdisciplinary techniques across the social and biophysical sciences, this study examined the extent of exposure of urban population to flooding, and the assets and structures that are necessary for building resilience in two communities of differing characteristics in the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) and Adentan Municipal Assembly (AdMA). The data encompassed participatory learning approaches using focus group discussing, transect walk, community workshops, and key informant interviews, as well as Remote Sensing/Geographical Information Systems (GIS) using Landsat imagery. Supervised land use/ land cover (LULC) classification of Landsat imagery, followed by post classification change detection in land cover was undertaken. An exponential projection model was fitted for the defined periods 2030 and 2060 towards evaluation of flood exposure. A digital elevation model was overlaid on the land use maps to examine the influence of elevation on the flood hazard. The Community-based Risk Screen Tool-Adaptation and Livelihoods (CRiSTAL) was adapted from development oriented project management (with few modifications to suit the context) in analyzing the sex and age differentials in access and relevance to livelihoods assets, and the impacts of floods in the two communities. The study sites were Ogbojo and Glefe in the Adentan Municipal (AdMA) and Accra Metropolitan (AMA) Assembles respectively. The results showed increased occupation of previously unoccupied landscapes such as forests and wetlands in low elevation areas, evident in the increasing proportion of the built up urban space between 1991 and 2017. The projections show that close to a quarter of natural land cover in AMA and more than half in AdMA could be lost by 2030 with increased flood hazards. Furthermore, higher proportions of natural landscapes will be lost by 2060. Aside the increase in concretised surfaces, other factors including poor waste management, poor drainage system, poor spatial planning, and the land use in adjoining districts/ communities tend to exacerbate the flood hazard in the study sites. Thus, both external human and environmental/topographical factors influenced the extent of the flood hazard at the study communities. There was nuanced age and sex differential in the access and relevance of livelihood assets, but generally physical assets such as buildings and vehicles were the most relevant, followed by human assets. Glefe’s location as coastal community created exposure to multiple sources of the flood hazard, but also enhanced its socioeconomic resilience due to the availability of additional livelihood options from the sea and lagoon. Flooding had economic, social, and health effects. The economic impacts were the most prominent, as a disruption of all livelihood assets had some economic implications. The communities’ ability to respond to flooding was positively related to the robustness of community assets, adaptive capacity as well as engineering and socioeconomic resilience. Fundamental to the socioeconomic resilience was the capacity to access resources outside the community, engagement of community assets, and participation of diverse groups in responding to flooding. The study therefore recommends the enforcement of laws and regulations on land use practices, cross-regional planning, inter-regional and inter-district planning, and community involvement in planning in the quest to building resilient cities. Finally, the CRiSTAL tool should be amended to increase the number of assets under each asset category in order to enhance its usefulness in the highly heterogeneous urban settings.Item Facilitators and barriers to COVID-19 vaccine uptake among women in two regions of Ghana: A qualitative study(PLOS ONE, 2022) Afrifa-Anane, G.F.; Larbi, R.T.; Addo, B.; Agyekum, M.W.; Kyei-Arthur, F.; Appiah, M.; et al.Abstract Although COVID-19 vaccines are available, evidence suggests that several factors hinder or facilitate their use. Several studies have found gender differences in COVID-19 vaccine uptake, with women less likely to vaccinate than men in many countries, including Ghana. These studies, however, have primarily been quantitative. This study used a qualitative approach to examine the facilitators and barriers to vaccine uptake among women in Ghana. Using a cross-sectional descriptive qualitative research design, 30 women in the Greater Accra and Ashanti regions of Ghana were conveniently sampled and interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide. Fifteen (15) interviews were conducted in each region. The data were transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically using QSR NVivo version 10 software. Among the key factors that facilitate COVID-19 vaccination are the desire to protect oneself and family against COVID-19, education about COVID-19 vaccines, seeing others receive the COVID-19 vaccine, and vaccine being cost-free. On the other hand, long queues at the vaccination centres, fear of side effects, misconceptions about the vaccines, and shortage of vaccines were the main barriers against COVID-19 vaccination. The study results show that individual, institutional, and vaccine-related factors facilitate or hinder COVID-19 vaccination among women. Addressing these factors need continuous comprehensive health education, and ensuring vaccine availability at vaccination sites will improve women’s uptake of the COVID-19 vaccines.Item Household food sources and diarrhoea incidence in poor urban communities, Accra Ghana(PLOS, 2021) Larbi, R.T.; Atiglo, D.Y.; Peterson, M.B.; Biney, A.A.E.; Dodoo, N.D.; Dodoo, F.N.Diarrhoeal diseases remain a significant cause of morbidity and mortality, particularly in poor urban communities in the Global South. Studies on food access and safety have however not considered the sources of discrete food categories and their propensity to harbour and transmit diarrhoeal disease pathogens in poor urban settings. We sought to contribute to knowledge on urban food environment and enteric infections by interrogating the sources and categories of common foods and their tendency to transmit diarrhoea in low-income communities in Accra. We modelled the likelihood of diarrhoea transmission through specific food categories sourced from home or out of home after controlling for alternate transmission pathways and barriers. We used structured interviews where households that participated in the study were selected through a multi-stage systematic sampling approach. We utilized data on 506 households from 3 low-income settlements in Accra. These settlements have socio-economic characteristics mimicking typical low-income communities in the Global South. The results showed that the incidence of diarrhoea in a household is explained by type and source of food, source of drinking water, wealth and the presence of children below five years in the household. Rice-based staples which were consumed by 94.5% of respondents in the week preceding the survey had a higher likelihood of transmitting diarrhoeal diseases when consumed out of home than when eaten at home. Sources of hand-served dumpling-type foods categorized as “staple balls” had a nuanced relationship with incidence of diarrhoea. These findings reinforce the need for due diligence in addressing peculiar needs of people in vulnerable conditions of food environment in poor urban settlements in order to reap a co-benefit of reduced incidence of diarrhoea while striving to achieve the global development goal on ending hunger.Item Perceptions about COVID-19 preventive measures among Ghanaian women(PLOS ONE, 2023) Kyei-ArthurI, F.; Agyekum, M.W.; Afrifa-Anane, D.F.; Larbi, R.T.; Kisaakye, P.Though the advent of COVID-19 vaccines has significantly reduced severe morbidity and mortality, infection rates continue to rise. Therefore, adhering to COVID-19 preventive mea sures remains essential in the fight against the pandemic, particularly in Africa, where vacci nation rates remain low. However, the perceived risk associated with COVID-19 and public education and awareness campaigns has waned over time. COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy is consistently high among women globally. This study, therefore, assessed the facilitators, and barriers to adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures. A qualitative descriptive study was conducted among Ghanaian women. Twenty-seven in-depth interviews were conducted with women in the Greater Accra and Ashanti regions. All interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim into English. The data were analysed using NVivo 10 software. While some participants found the use of face masks as the easiest, others found it as the most difficult. In addition, institutional and policy decisions such as access to water and the use of public transport impacted individual level adherence to preventive measures. In conclusion, the fight against COVID-19 is not over; hence public education and the provi sion of facilities that would enhance compliance with preventive measures should continue to be prioritised.Item Perceptions about COVID-19 preventive measures among Ghanaian women(PLOS ONE, 2023) Kyei-Arthur, F.; Agyekum, M.W.; Larbi, R.T.; et al.Though the advent of COVID-19 vaccines has significantly reduced severe morbidity and mortality, infection rates continue to rise. Therefore, adhering to COVID-19 preventive mea sures remains essential in the fight against the pandemic, particularly in Africa, where vacci nation rates remain low. However, the perceived risk associated with COVID-19 and public education and awareness campaigns has waned over time. COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy is consistently high among women globally. This study, therefore, assessed the facilitators, and barriers to adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures. A qualitative descriptive study was conducted among Ghanaian women. Twenty-seven in-depth interviews were conducted with women in the Greater Accra and Ashanti regions. All interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim into English. The data were analysed using NVivo 10 software. While some participants found the use of face masks as the easiest, others found it as the most difficult. In addition, institutional and policy decisions such as access to water and the use of public transport impacted individual level adherence to preventive measures. In conclusion, the fight against COVID-19 is not over; hence public education and the provi sion of facilities that would enhance compliance with preventive measures should continue to be prioritised.Item Sense of community and willingness to support malaria intervention programme in urban poor Accra, Ghana(Malaria Journal, 2018-08) Atiglo, D.Y.; Larbi, R.T.; Kushitor, M.K.; Biney, A.A.E.; Asante, P.Y.; Dodoo, N.D.; Dodoo, F.N.A.Background The extensive research on community members’ willingness to support malaria interventions ignores the role of psychosocial determinants. This study assesses the impact of individuals’ sense of community (perceptions of community cohesion, altruism, seeking help from neighbours and migrant status) on their willingness to participate in a mosquito control programme using data on 768 individuals from the 2013 RIPS Urban Health and Poverty Survey in poor coastal communities in Accra, Ghana. A contingent valuation experiment was employed to elicit individuals’ willingness to support the programme by contributing nothing, labour time/money only or both. Results Findings show that different dimensions of sense of community related differently with willingness to support the programme. Perceived community cohesion was associated with lower odds while help-seeking from neighbours and being a migrant were associated with higher odds of supporting the programme. Altruism was the only dimension not linked to willingness to participate. Conclusions Different dimensions of sense of community are associated with community members’ willingness to provide labour, time or both to support the malaria eradication programme. The findings of this study have implications for targeting social relational aspects, in addition to geographical aspects, of communities with malaria-resilient policy and intervention. They also warrant further research on psychosocial factors that predict willingness to support health programmes in urban poor settings.