Browsing by Author "Quarshie, E.N-B."
Now showing 1 - 12 of 12
Results Per Page
Sort Options
Item Adolescent self-harm in Ghana: a qualitative interview-based study of firsthand accounts(BMC Psychiatry, 2020-06-01) Quarshie, E.N-B.; Waterman, M.G.; House, A.O.Background: Recent prevalence studies suggest that self-harm among adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa is as common as it is in high income countries. However, very few qualitative studies exploring first-person accounts of adolescent self-harm are available from sub-Saharan Africa. We sought to explore the experiences and first-person perspectives of Ghanaian adolescents reporting self-harm - for deeper reflections on the interpretive repertoires available in their cultural context for making sense of self-harm in adolescents. Methods: Guided by a semi-structured interview protocol, we interviewed one-to-one 36 adolescents (24 in-school adolescents and 12 street-connected adolescents) on their experiences of self-harm. We applied experiential thematic analysis to the data. Results: Adolescents’ description of the background to their self-harm identified powerlessness in the family context and unwanted adultification in the family as key factors leading up to self-harm among both in-school and streetconnected adolescents. Adolescents’ explanatory accounts identified the contradictory role of adultification as a protective factor against self-harm among street-connected adolescents. Self-harm among in-school adolescents was identified as a means of “enactment of tabooed emotions and contestations”, as a “selfish act and social injury”, as “religious transgression”, while it was also seen as improving social relations. Conclusions: The first-person accounts of adolescents in this study implicate familial relational problems and interpersonal difficulties as proximally leading to self-harm in adolescents. Self-harm in adolescents is interpreted as an understandable response, and as a strong communicative signal in response to powerlessness and family relationship difficulties. These findings need to be taken into consideration in the planning of services in Ghana and are likely to be generalisable to many other countries in sub-Saharan Africa.Item Adolescent suicidal behaviour in Namibia: a cross-sectional study of prevalence and correlates among 3,152 school learners aged 12–17 years(BMC Psychiatry, 2023) Quarshie, E.N-B.; Dey, N.E.Y.; Asante, K.O.Background While adolescent suicidal behaviour (ideation, planning, and attempt) remains a global public health concern, available county-specific evidence on the phenomenon from African countries is relatively less than enough. The present study was conducted to estimate the 12-month prevalence and describe some of the associated factors of suicide behaviour among school-going adolescents aged 12–17 years old in Namibia. Methods Participants (n=4531) answered a self-administered anonymous questionnaire developed and validated for the nationally representative Namibia World Health Organization Global School-based Student Health Survey conducted in 2013. We applied univariate, bivariable, and multivariable statistical approaches to the data. Results Of the 3,152 analytical sample, 20.2% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 18.3–22.2%) reported suicidal ideation, 25.2% (95% CI: 22.3–28.4%) engaged in suicide planning, and 24.5% (95% CI: 20.9–28.6%) attempted suicide during the previous 12 months. Of those who attempted suicide, 14.6% (95% CI: 12.5–16.9%) reported one-time suicide attempt, and 9.9% (95% CI: 8.1–12.1%) attempted suicide at least twice in the previous 12 months. The final adjusted multivariable models showed physical attack victimisation, bullying victimisation, loneliness, and parental intrusion of privacy as key factors associated with increased likelihood of suicidal ideation, planning, one-time suicide attempt, and repeated attempted suicide. Cannabis use showed the strongest association with increased relative risk of repeated attempted suicide. Conclusion The evidence highlights the importance of paying more attention to addressing the mental health needs (including those related to psychological and social wellness) of school-going adolescents in Namibia. While the current study suggests that further research is warranted to explicate the pathways to adolescent suicide in Namibia, identifying and understanding the correlates (at the individual-level, family-level, interpersonal-level, school context and the broader community context) of adolescent suicidal ideations and non-fatal suicidal behaviours are useful for intervention and prevention programmes.Item Boys should not be overlooked: Sexual violence victimization and associated factors among school-going adolescents in urban Ghana(Child Abuse & Neglect, 2021) Quarshie, E.N-B.Background: Adolescent sexual violence victimization is still less researched in countries within sub-Saharan Africa, including Ghana. Objectives: To estimate the 12-month prevalence of sexual violence victimization and describe the differences and commonalities in the associated factors between school-going boys and girls in urban Ghana. Participants and setting: Students (n = 1692) aged 13–19 years attending Second Cycle Schools in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana participated in this study. Methods: This is a cross-sectional survey involving the use of a self-report anonymous questionnaire. Items measuring sexual violence victimization and correlates were adopted from the 2012 WHO–Global School-based Student Health Survey. Data analysis involved bivariable and multivariable approaches. Results: Overall, 17.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 15.7, 19.4) adolescents (males = 10.4% [95% CI 8.3, 13.6]; females = 24.3% [95% CI 21.5, 27.3]) reported sexual violence victimization during the previous 12 months. Girls (compared to boys) were nearly three times more likely to report sexual violence victimization (aOR = 2.74, 95% CI 2.01, 3.74, p < 0.001). Breakup, sexual minority status, and conflict with parents were uniquely associated with sexual violence victimization among females. Regardless of gender, adolescents who were in a romantic relationship (aOR = 1.63, 95% CI 1.19, 2.24, p = 0.002) and reported physical abuse victimization (aOR = 1.84, 95% CI 1.36, 2.49, p < 0.001) were more likely to report sexual violence victimization. Conclusions: The prevalence of sexual violence victimization among school-going adolescents in urban Ghana compares with estimates from sub-Saharan Africa, but also warrants the need for universal and targeted prevention regimes against the offence in both boys and girls.Item Commentary: Letter to the Editor regarding Tetteh & Markwei (2018)(Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 2023) Quarshie, E.N-B.Item Epidemiology of suicidal behaviours amongst school-going adolescents in post-conflict Sierra Leone(Journal of Affective Disorders, 2021) Asante, K.O.; Quarshie, E.N-B.; Onyeaka, H.K.Background: Children and young people living in post-conflict contexts are at an increased risk of suicidal behaviours (ideations and attempts). Not much is known about the extent of suicidal behaviours amongst adolescents in most notable post-conflict countries in sub-Saharan Africa, including Sierra Leone. Methods: We performed a secondary analysis of data from the 2017 Sierra Leone World Health Organisation Global School-based Student Health Survey conducted amongst students in secondary schools nationwide. We estimated the 12-month prevalence and performed bivariable and multivariable analyses to assess the correlates of suicidal behaviours. Results: Of the 2,798 analytic sample, 14.6% (males = 15.1%, females = 14.0%) reported suicidal ideation, and the 12-month prevalence estimate of suicide attempt was 19.6% (male = 20.9%, females =17.8%). The factors associated with suicidal behaviours were multi-layered. While no statistically significant gender association with suicide ideation or attempt was observed at the personal level, being aged 18 or older, loneliness, and health risk behaviours (cannabis use, and leisure time sedentary behaviour) were associated with increased odds of suicidal behaviours. Within the family context, parental monitoring was associated with increased odds of suicidal ideation, but parental supervision was associated with reduced odds of suicide ideation. Limitations: The cross-sectional nature of the data did not support causal inferences. Conclusions: Taken together, professional mental healthcare would be helpful in treating adolescent emotional problems (e.g., depression and loneliness) related to suicidal behaviours; but prevention and intervention programmes targeted at addressing adolescent health risk behaviours, and familial and interpersonal problems may yield more favourable outcomes.Item Misleading estimates of suicidal behaviours among junior and high school adolescents in Ghana(Psychiatry Research, 2023) Quarshie, E.N-B.; Asante, K.O.Item Prevalence of alcohol use and associated factors since COVID-19 among school going adolescents within the Southern African Development Community: a systematic review protocol(BMJ Open, 2024) Ntho, T.A.; Themane, M.J.; Quarshie, E.N-B.; et al.ntroduction The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly shaped the global landscape and impacted various aspects of individuals’ lives, especially the behaviour of school-going adolescents regarding substance use. Among these substances, alcohol is the most predominant substance, particularly among school going adolescents, who also are highly susceptible to harmful alcohol use, such as poor academic performance, psychiatric disorders and disrupted social lives. This review will synthesise the known prevalence estimates and associated factors of alcohol use among school-going adolescents in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) since the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods and analysis We will perform a systematic review in line with the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews. We will systematically search for selected global databases (ScienceDirect, EbscoHost, PsycINFO and PubMed) and regional electronic databases (African Index Medicus, Sabinet and African Journals OnLine). Peer-reviewed literature published between 11 March 2020 and 10 March 2024 will be considered for eligibility without language restriction. All 16 countries of the SADC region will be included in the review. The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool checklist for quality appraisal will be used to appraise the methodological quality of the included studies. Depending on the level of heterogeneity, prevalence estimates will be pooled in a meta-analysis; narrative synthesis will be applied to describe the reported associated factors of alcohol use. Ethics and dissemination We will not seek ethical approval from an institutional review board since the study will not involve gathering data directly from individual school-going adolescents, nor will it violate their privacy. When completed, the full report of this review will be submitted to a journal for peer-reviewed publication; the key findings will be presented at local and international conferences with a partial or full focus on (adolescent) alcohol (mis)useItem Self-harm and suicidal behaviours among pregnant adolescent girls and young women could be doubly compounded in sub-Saharan Africa: A call for further research(eClinicalMedicine, 2022) Quarshie, E.N-B.; Asante, K.O.Item To Keep the Law or to Repeal It: Views of Parliamentarians On the Call to Decriminalise Attempted Suicide in Ghana(OMEGA—Journal of Death and Dying, 2021) Quarshie, E.N-B.; Asante, K.O.; Andoh-Arthur, J.; Akotia, C.S.; Osafo, J.We explored the views of members of parliament (MPs) in Ghana on the call to decriminalise attempted suicide. We applied reflexive thematic analysis to Parlia mentary Hansards (2017–2020) on calls to decriminalise attempted suicide in Ghana. 11 MPs shared their stance for or against the call. We developed three major themes that entailed, often, opposing views: (1) deterrent effect of the law (against: the law punishes and deters to protect life; for: the law is insensitive and has ironic effects), (2) enforcement of the law (against: leave things as they are, the law is not enforced, anyway; for: crime is not self-inflicted) and (3) prioritisation of suicide prevention (against: focus on more pressing issues, but resource support systems; for: the law and legitimate support systems cannot co-exist). The findings indicate two needs: to extend suicide literacy to Ghanaian MPs, and to initiate a public/private member’s bill on attempted suicide decriminalisation.Item Vigilantism in Ghana: Trends, Victim Characteristics, and Reported Reasons(The Howard Journal of Crime and Justice, 2020-05-04) Annor, F.; Adzimah‐Alade, M.; Akotia, C.S.; Quarshie, E.N-B.Vigilantism is gaining popularity in Africa as a means of self-defence, enacting justice, policing morality, and sanctioning (perceived) wrongdoings. Drawing on content analysis of 172 media reports from 2001 to 2018, this study examined the trends and patterns of vigilantism, characteristics of victims, and reported reasons for recourse to vigilantism within the Ghanaian context. Results showed a considerable increase in reported cases of vigilantism within the 18-year period, with most of the cases reported in urban settings. Theft and robbery emerged as the most frequently suspected crimes for which victims were attacked and, in many cases, killed. The study underscores the implications of vigilantism in terms of disdaining human life and dignity. It calls for the need to revisit the justice administration systems and punishment procedures, as well as resourcing and empowering law enforcers to fight crime, including vigilantismItem “We Now Have a Patient and Not a Criminal”: An Exploratory Study of Judges and Lawyers’ Views on Suicide Attempters and the Law in Ghana(International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 2018) Osafo, J.; Akotia, C.S.; Andoh-Arthur, J.; Boakye, K.E.; Quarshie, E.N-B.This study explored the views of judges and lawyers of the superior courts of Ghana on the law criminalizing attempted suicide. Qualitative data were collected from 12 experienced legal practitioners of the superior courts (five judges and seven lawyers) using a semi-structured interview schedule. Thematic analysis of the data yielded three main perspectives: In defence of the Law, Advocating a Repeal, and Pro-Health Orientation. Although exploratory, the findings of this study offer cues for stepping up suicide literacy and advocacy programmes toward either a repeal of the law or a reform.Item “We now have a patient and not a criminal”: An Exploratory Study of Judges and Lawyers’ Views on Suicide Attempters and the Law in Ghana.(NCBI, 2017) Osafo, J.; Akotia, C.S.; Ando-Arthur, J.; Boakye, K.E.; Quarshie, E.N-B.This study explored the views of judges and lawyers of the superior courts of Ghana on the law criminalizing attempted suicide. Qualitative data were collected from 12 experienced legal practitioners of the superior courts (five judges and seven lawyers) using a semi-structured interview schedule. Thematic analysis of the data yielded three main perspectives: In defence of the Law, Advocating a Repeal, and Pro-Health Orientation. Although exploratory, the findings of this study offer cues for stepping up suicide literacy and advocacy programmes toward either a repeal of the law or a reform.