Browsing by Author "Mensah, N.K."
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Item Challenges and experiences in linking community level reported out-of-pocket health expenditures to health provider recorded health expenditures: Experience from the iHOPE project in Northern Ghana(PLOS ONE, 2021) Agorinya, I.A.; Dalaba, M.; Mensah, N.K.; Chatio, S.T.; Le, L.M.; Bacha, Y.D.; Sumboh, J.; Flores, G.; Edejer, T.T-T.; Ross, A.; Tediosi, F.; Akazil, J.Out of pocket health payment (OOPs) has been identified by the System of Health Accounts (SHA) as the largest source of health care financing in most low and middle-income countries. This means that most low and middle-income countries will rely on user fees and copayments to generate revenue, rationalize the use of services, contain health systems costs or improve health system efficiency and service quality. However, the accurate measurement of OOPs has been challenged by several limitations which are attributed to both sampling and non-sampling errors when OOPs are estimated from household surveys, the primary source of information in LICs and LMICs. The incorrect measurement of OOP health payments can undermine the credibility of current health spending estimates, an otherwise important indicator for tracking UHC, hence there is the need to address these limitations and improve the measurement of OOPs. In an attempt to improve the measurement of OOPs in surveys, the INDEPTH-Network Household out-of-pocket expenditure project (iHOPE) developed new modules on household health utilization and expenditure by repurposing the existing Ghana Living Standards Survey instrument and validating these new tools with a ‘gold standard’ (provider data) with the aim of proposing alternative approaches capable of producing reliable data for estimating OOPs in the context of National Health Accounts and for the purpose of monitoring financial protection in health. This paper reports on the challenges and opportunities in using and linking household reported out-of-pocket health expenditures to their corresponding provider records for the purpose of validating household reported out-of-pocket health expenditure in the iHOPE project.Item Effects of Processing Methods on the Quality of Palm Oil in Ghana(University of Ghana, 1999-12) Mensah, N.K.; Ayernor, G.S.; University of Ghana, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Department of Nutrition and Food SciencePalm oil samples from GOPDC, TOPP and two traditional methods (Kyembe and Bedo) were analysed using the following quality indices: moisture content, refractive index, percentage FFA, peroxide value and TBA value. They were examined with regards to the determination of the effect of industrial processing methods on the quality of palm oil; the effect of traditional processing methods on the quality of palm oil; the relative efficacy of the processes in the production of good quality crude palm oil. Processing altered significantly better the physical indices o f quality (moisture content, refractive index) in all the processes (GOPDC, TOPP, Kyembe and Bedo). There was no significant alterations in the chemical indices o f quality in all the processes except in FFA for TOPP, which produced significant differences in the percent FFA which ranged from 2.34 percent to 2.66 percent. Using their final stages of processing (storage tank stage for industrial processes; and "frying" stage for Kyembe and boiling stage for Bedo) the industrial methods produced significantly better quality palm oil than the traditional methods with regards to moisture content (industrial processes 2.40 percent; traditional processes, 5.32 percent PO.V. (industrial processes 2.94m Eq/Kg, traditional processes, 3.05m Eq/Kg) TBA values (industrial processes, 0.14; traditional processes 0.16). It was recommended that traditional processors be informed as to the effect of certain practices they engage in on the quality of their oil; traditional methods of processing palm oil in the palm oil producing zones be researched into; and the refined, bleached and deodorised method be included in a future study to bring the whole study to its logical conclusion.Item Highly active antiretroviral therapy adherence among perinatally infected HIV adolescents at a teaching hospital in Ghana(AIDS Care - Psychological and Socio-Medical Aspects of AIDS/HIV, 2018-07) Anokye-Kumatia, A.B.; Enimil, A.; Afriyie, D.K.; Tetteh, R.; Mensah, N.K.; Amo, A.A.; Gariba, B.B.; Amponsah, S.Increased accessibility to Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) has resulted in the decline of deaths among children with Perinatally Infected Human Immunodeficiency Virus (PIHIV). Their adherence to Highly Active ART (HAART) is vital for their survival and quality of life. This study aimed at determining HAART medication adherence among adolescents with PIHIV. The study was cross-sectional conducted from September 2015 to January 2016 at a teaching hospital in Ghana. It involved 106 adolescents aged 10-20 years. Morisky's eight-item medication adherence scale was adapted and used to determine the adherence level. Factors influencing adherence were also determined by interviewing the adolescents. EpiData 3.1 and Stata version 12 were used for data entry and analysis respectively. There was low adherence in 76.4% of the adolescents, and the HAART regimen associated with high medication adherence was tenofovir, lamivudine and efavirenz combinations (p = .011). Forgetfulness (p = .001) and inability to come for refill (p = .013) were the main factors associated with low adherence. However adherence was not significantly associated with a lack of medication supply or stigmatization. Addressing the modifiable factors found in this study to be associated with low adherence are essential interventions for their long-term quality of life.