Browsing by Author "Mattah, P.A.D."
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Item Assessment of social factors that promote the vulnerability of communities to coastal hazards in the Volta estuary in Ghana(International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 2023) Mattah, M.M.; Mattah, P.A.D.; Mensah, A.; et al.Although vulnerability assessments have been widely conducted along the coast of Ghana, they have not focused on the factors contributing to social vulnerability of households and communi ties to disaster risks. Using an indicator-based approach, this study examines the social factors that affect the exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity of households and communities in the Volta estuary, Ghana. Results indicate that all the communities within the study area were ex posed to climate change related hazards. However, two communities, Azizanya in Ada East Dis trict and Fuveme in Anloga District, were highly exposed with unweighted indexes of 0.50 and 0.76, respectively. Sensitivity among communities was generally high ranging from 0.00 to 0.87 due to several social factors including low household income, high number of children and aged at home, and lack of social amenities such as roads, health facilities, markets, and schools. The communities recorded high adaptive capacity and were able to withstand the ravages of the ocean and the river system. Households and communities developed various adaptation measures such as relocation to nearby communities or higher grounds, open spaces and packing of their be longings on higher objects such as tables, whiles government actions included occasional dredg ing and constructions of sea defense structures. An integrated, multi-stakeholder approach in volving government, non-governmental community-based organisations, communities, house holds, and other stakeholders is proposed to design and implement a comprehensive disaster management plan to combat climate change related coastal disasters.Item Awareness of Environmental Change, Climate Variability, and Their Role in Prevalence of Mosquitoes among Urban Dwellers in Southern Ghana(Journal of Environmental and Public Health, 2018-05) Mattah, P.A.D.; Futagbi, G.; Mattah, M.M.This study evaluates the extent to which urban residents of Accra and Sekondi-Takoradi (all of southern Ghana) were aware of environment and climate-related variability. A total of 150 questionnaires were given to adults of 40 years and above who lived in the cities for at least 35 years. SPSS version 16 was used to process the data. Results show that all respondents in Accra Metropolitan Area (AMA) and 96% of them in Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Area (STMA) noted the deteriorating vegetation cover over the cities. Similarly, 93% and 83% of them in AMA and STMA, respectively, observed that land use pattern of the two cities has changed considerably. There was positive and statistically significant correlation between respondents’ educational attainment and their awareness of changes in land use/land cover ( r=0.18 , n=140 , p=0.03 ). Also, 71% in AMA and 89% in STMA stated that temperature of the cities had been increasing over the years. In all, 82.9% of the respondents mentioned that they had problem with the increasing population of mosquitoes. Respondents demonstrated ample knowledge of environment and climate variability and should be engaged in preventing further environmental degradation. The top-down approach to environmental issues has failed; the bottom-up approach to environmental maintenance is needed.Item Microbial carriage and contamination of mangoes by the oriental fruit fly(Open Public Health Journal, 2017-11) Futagbi, G.; Koduah, N.A.G.; Ampah, B.R.; Mattah, P.A.D.; Billah, M.; Futse, J.E.; Sampane-Donkor, E.Background: Fruit flies, especially of the Family Terphritidae, are economically important pests for the horticulture industry because many species cause serious mechanical damage to a number of crops of different plant families. Studies have shown that some species of fruit flies have the potential to contaminate fruits and vegetables with enteric bacterial pathogens. However, this has not been conclusively demonstrated. Methods: In this study, we investigated enteric bacteria carriage by Bactrocera dorsalis and its possible role in transmission of microbes into internal tissues of fruits. Fruit flies trapped using liquid protein bait, ripe mango fruits exposed to the fruit flies and controls, as well as mangoes obtained from farms with and without fly-control traps, were analyzed for microbes, such as total aerobic bacteria, total coliforms, yeast and molds, Escherichia coli and Salmonella/Shigella spp. using direct culture methods. Results and Discussion: The results revealed that a high percentage of these insects carries pathogenic bacteria. This finding shows that, like B. cacuminata and B. tryoni, B. dorsalis also carries pathogenic microbes. It was also observed that mangoes sampled from fly-control farms had significantly lower microbial loads and proportions of fruits contaminated compared to those from farms without fly-control. Additionally, all microbial counts of internal tissues were significantly higher for exposed mangoes compared to unexposed mangoes. These data indicate that B. dorsalis contaminates not only the external but also internal tissues of mangoes. Conclusion: These findings show that B. dorsalis carries pathogenic bacteria and plays a direct role in internalization of microbes in mangoesItem Pesticide Application among Farmers in the Catchment of Ashaiman Irrigation Scheme of Ghana: Health Implications(Journal of Environmental and Public Health, 2015-12) Mattah, M.M.; Mattah, P.A.D.; Futagbi, G.Pesticide use in modern day agriculture has increased tremendously. Pesticides are used to control pests and weeds, as well as protect crops from postharvest losses; however, their effects on humans and the environment cannot be overstated. This study examined pesticide acquisition, handling, and use among 120 farmers within the catchment of a small urban irrigation scheme. Also, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions were conducted among selected farmers through which further data was collected to augment that of the survey. Twelve types of pesticides, including herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides, were found in use in the study areas. Three main sources of information about pesticides were identified, 43.3% from extension officers, 39.2% from agrochemical dealers, and 10% from colleague farmers. Seventy-five percent (75%) of the respondents purchased the pesticides from agrochemical shops. Out of 74 farmers who were observed spraying pesticides on their farms, only 25.7% wore dresses that covered their whole body but without goggles. About sixty-seven percent (66.7%) of the farmers whose chemical got finished left the containers on their farms or threw them into the bushes around. The frequency of application was influenced by affordability and size of farm, among others. The study recommended that training of farmers on pesticide handling and use should be intensified. © 2015 Memuna M. Mattah et al.Item Studies on the Impact of Environment and Climate Variabilities on Anopheles Species Population in Accra and Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Areas of Ghana(University Of Ghana, 2015-05) Mattah, P.A.D.; Wilson, M.D.; Amekudzi, L.K.; Bimi, L.; University Of Ghana, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, Institute for Environment and Sanitation Studies, Item submissionMalaria transmission in urban areas of sub-Saharan Africa, though currently negligible (scarcely above 10%), is an increasing phenomenon. Factors which support the prevalence of malaria in urban areas are mainly anthropogenic activities that promote continuous presence and breeding of Anopheles mosquitoes. Although increasing surface water pollution caused by rapid urbanization was believed to have hampered the development of Anopheles larvae in general; eliminated certain species like Anopheles funestus; other species such as Anopheles gambiae complex have become well adapted to organically polluted water bodies. This study examined environmental factors that influenced the presence and population of Anopheles mosquito larvae in Accra Metropolitan Area (AMA) and Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Area (STMA) of Ghana. It also sought to examine how climate variability may influence the presence of Anopheles mosquitoes in the future under climate change scenarios. Using geographic information science-based techniques, 21 randomly selected points were studied between March 2013 and February 2014. Aquatic habitats of Anopheles mosquito larvae were identified and from selected points in each habitat, larvae and water were sampled. The larvae were reared to maturity, identified morphologically and further characterized using molecular methods. Thirty (30) physical, chemical and biological variables of water sampled were also measured and their association with Anopheles larval presence and population were determined. Thirty-three (33) years of rainfall and temperature data for the two cities were acquired from Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMET) from which projections for rainfall and temperature were predicted for the next 35 years (2050). The results showed that almost all (>99%) of the larvae sampled were from the Anopheles gambiae complex. Results revealed that 62% of the Anopheles gambiae complex were An. coluzzii and 29% were An. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh xxiii gambiae s.s. Sixty-six percent of the Anopheles breeding habitats in both cities were classified as permanent and 74.5% were man-made. Logistic regression and negative binomial models applied revealed that various environmental factors had statistically significant influence on the presence and population of Anopheles mosquitoes. Some of these variables included depth of water [OR= 0.9868, SE= 0.0053; p= 0.014], substratum (Others) [OR= 0.0993, SE= 0.1062; p= 0.031], water temperature [OR= 1.1278, SE= 0.0614; p= 0.027], atmospheric temperature [OR= 1.2196, SE= 0.1139; p= 0.033], EC [OR=0.9999, SE= 0.0001; p= 0.033], sodium [OR= 1.0042, SE= 0.0021; p= 0.044], water beetle [OR= 2.4211, SE= 1.0600; p= 0.043], dragonfly [OR= 6.5602, SE= 5.1498; p=0.017] and tadpole [OR= 2.6364, SE= 0.9668; p= 0.008] for logistic regression. In hierarchical models, other variables had statistically significant association with the presence and population of Anopheles mosquitoes. When projected, the duration of the minor rainy season will be extended from August to December instead of the current September and October. Increase in atmospheric temperature will most likely lead to Anopheles larval density hence an increase in the population of the malaria vectors in the two cities. Put together the data showed that degradation of the environment through human activities and environment variability will increasingly favour the presence and propagation of Anopheles mosquitoes, and increase in malaria transmission rates in the cities, if no intervention strategies are adopted.