Browsing by Author "Nguah, S.B."
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Item Impact of socioeconomic status and medical conditions on health and healthcare utilization among aging Ghanaians(BioMed Central Ltd., 2015) Saeed, B.I.; Xicang, Z.; YawsonA, A.E.; Nguah, S.B.; Nsowah-Nuamah, N.N.N.Background: This study attempts to examine the impact of socioeconomic and medical conditions in health and healthcare utilization among older adults in Ghana. Five separate models with varying input variables were estimated for each response variable. Methods: Data (Wave 1 data) were drawn from the World Health Organization Global Ageing and Adult Health (SAGE) conducted during 2007-2008 and included a total of 4770 respondents aged 50+ and 803 aged 18-49 in Ghana. Ordered logits was estimated for self-rated health, and binary logits for functional limitation and healthcare utilization. Results: Our results show that the study provides enough grounds for further research on the interplay between socioeconomic and medical conditions on one hand and the health of the aged on the other. Controlling for socioeconomic status substantially contributes significantly to utilization. Also, aged women experience worse health than men, as shown by functioning assessment, self-rated health, chronic conditions and functional limitations. Women have higher rates of healthcare utilization, as shown by significantly higher rates of hospitalization and outpatient encounters. Conclusion: Expansion of the national health insurance scheme to cover the entire older population- for those in both formal and informal employments- is likely to garner increased access and improved health states for the older population. © 2015 Saeed et al.; licensee BioMed Central.Item Iron-deficiency anaemia in children with congenital heart diseases at a teaching hospital in Ghana(Heliyon, 2020-02-19) Duwiejua, M.; Ossei, I.; Buabeng, K.O.; Ossei, P.P.S.; Nguah, S.B.; Ayibor, W.G.; Anto, B.P.; Agyemang-Duah, E.Background: Uncorrected congenital heart lesions in children keep them in a state of constant hypoxia with compromised quality of life and reduced life expectancy. This requires early diagnosis and interventions including prevention and treatment of the resultant anaemia. Unfortunately, congenital heart disease (CHD) often goes unrecognized and thus untreated. Objectives: We determined the occurrence of CHD in children below 15 years at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), assessed the prevalence of relative iron deficiency anaemia in that cohort and the use of iron supplementation in these patients. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study, using a structured data collection tool, by retrospectively reviewing patient records from December 2015 to January 2010. Data was also obtained prospectively from January 2016 to March 2016. Results: Eighty cases (44 females and 36 males) of CHD were encountered. Tetralogy of Fallot was the most common (48.8%) CHD. Cases of cyanotic congenital heart disease were reported at autopsy. Of the 80 cases, 48 (72.7%) had signs of relative iron deficiency. Thirty (62.5%) of the 48 patients did not receive iron supplementation. In 14 cases, full blood count was not determined and yet 10 patients received iron at sub-optimal doses (<3 mg/kg/day) and one was given iron at 6 mg/kg/day. Conclusion: CHD is a common phenomenon among newborns at KATH. Use of iron supplementation was suboptimal. Compliance with guidelines on the use of iron as well as structures for early detection of CHD for definitive interventions are advocated.