Browsing by Author "Takramah, W.K."

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The efficacy of pharmacological interventions to improve cognitive and behavior symptoms in people with dementia: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
(Health Science Report, 2022) Takramah, W.K.; Asem, L.
background and Aims: Dementia is becoming a major global public health menace in the aging population affecting 47 million people globally. Dementia has no cure and effective interventions. Treatment of dementia is a big problem. The most common symptomatic medications for cognition, behavior, and global functioning among patients with dementia currently are cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine. However, Information on the effectiveness of cholinesterase inhibitors for dementia is conflicting and controversial. Thus, this makes it difficult for decision‐makers, healthcare providers, patients, and caregivers to decide on the most effective intervention. The current meta‐ analysis sought to investigate the efficacy of pharmacologic interventions to improve cognitive and behavioral symptoms in people with living dementia. Methods: This current systematic review and meta‐analysis used the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta‐analyses to ensure accuracy and comprehensiveness. The Cochrane MEDLINE, Database of Systematic Reviews, and other databases were thoroughly searched for relevant studies. We selected Studies such as randomized controlled trials published in English with a sample size of at least 20 subjects. We selected and applied the random‐effects meta‐analysis as the most preferred model because of the heterogeneity across studies. The computation of the weighted effect size was based on the result from the test of heterogeneity. Results: Twenty‐two studies were finally used in the meta‐analysis. The study subjects who received donepezil 5 mg/day, donepezil 10 mg/day, and galantamine 24 mg/day had improved cognition symptoms (ADAS‐cog) score of −1.46 (95% CI = −2.24, −0.68, z = 3.67, p < 0.001), −2.31 (95% CI = −3.30, −1.31, z = 5.45, p < 0.001) and −3.04 (95% CI = −4.16, −1.92, z = 5.31, p < 0.001) respectively. Conclusion: The current meta‐analysis suggests significant benefits of cholinesterase inhibitors such as donepezil (5 and 10 mg/day) and galantamine on cognitive symptoms.
Multilevel modelling of neonatal mortality in Ghana: Does household and community levels matter?
(Heliyon, 2023) Takramah, W.K.; Aheto, J.M.K.
Background: Neonatal mortality accounts for an increasing share of under-five deaths, and they are declining at a slower rate than postnatal deaths. Apparently, neonatal mortality is increasingly becoming a major public health problem in Ghana and the world over. The current study sought to analyze neonatal mortality as a function of predictor variables and to estimate and understand unobserved household and community-level residual effects on neonatal mortality to provide data driven evidence to shape informed policies and interventions aimed at reducing the neonatal mortality burden. Methods: The current study extracted three-level complex data on 5884 children born in the five years preceding the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey. A two-level and three-level multilevel logistic models were applied to estimate unobserved household and community level variations in neonatal mortality in the presence of set of predictor variables. Sampling weights were incorporated in both the descriptive and inferential analysis since the data used emanated from a complex survey. Model fit statistics such as AIC scores for a weighted two-level and three-level random intercept logistic models were compared. The model with the lowest AIC score was considered the most preferred model. Results: The household-level random intercept model suggested that the odds of neonatal mortality was higher among multiple births [OR = 3.15 (95% CI: 1.17, 8.50)], babies born to mothers who received prenatal care from non-skilled worker [OR = 5.88 (95% CI: 2.90, 11.91)], babies delivered through caesarian section [OR = 2.47 (95% CI: 1.06, 5.79)], a household with 1–4 members [OR = 10.23 (95% CI: 4.17, 25.50)], a short preceding birth interval (<24 months) [OR = 3.05 (95% CI: 1.18, 7.88)], and preceding birth interval between 24 and 47 months [OR = 2.88 (95% CI: 1.41, 5.91)]. Substantial unobserved household-level residual variations in neonatal mortality were observed. Conclusion: The findings of the current study provide an actionable information to be used by government and other stakeholders in the health sector to renew commitment to reduce neonatal mortality to an acceptable level. There is the need to intensify maternal health education by health providers to encourage pregnant women to visit antenatal clinics at least four times so they could benefit substantially from ANC services.
Trends for Diarrhea Morbidity in the Jasikan District of Ghana: Estimates from District Level Diarrhea Surveillance Data, 2012-2016
(Journal of Tropical Medicine, 2018-10) Tetteh, J.; Takramah, W.K.; Ayanore, M.A.; Adoliba Ayanore, A.; Bisung, E.; Alamu, J.
About 22% of childhood deaths in developing countries are attributable to diarrhea. In poor resource settings, diarrhea morbidities are correlated with poverty and socio-contextual factors. Diarrhea rates in Ghana are reported to be high, with cases estimated at 113,786 among children under-five years in 2011. This study analyzed the trends of diarrhea morbidity outcomes in the Jasikan District of Ghana. A retrospective analysis of records on diarrhea data for a five years’ period (January 2012 to December 2016) was undertaken. There was a total of 17740 diarrhea case reports extracted from District Health Information Management System (DHIMS) II database in an Excel format which was then exported to Stata version 14 for data cleaning, verification, and analysis. Excel version 2016 was used to plot the actual observed cases by years to assess trends and seasonality. There was a period incidence rate of 272.02 per 1000 persons with a decreasing annual growth rate of 1.85%. Declines for diarrhea generally occurred from November to December and increased from January upwards, evidence that most cases of diarrhea in this study were reported in the harmattan season. High incidence of diarrhea was found to be common among under-five children and among females. Decreasing trend of diarrhea incidence which was identified in this research within the five years’ period understudied shows that, by the year 2020, there will be a sharp decline in the incidence rate of diarrhea reported cases in Jasikan District, given improvements in the external environmental conditions in the district, all things being equal.