Regional Institute for Population Studies

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    Women's educational level and quality of antenatal care utilization
    (University of Ghana, 2015-04-17) Agyekum; Wiredu, M.
    Provision and access to quality antenatal care for women have been a problem in Sub-Saharan Africa and developing countries. Quality antenatal care is critical in enabling women and health workers identify risks and danger signs during pregnancy. The extent to which women's educational level affects their uptake and quality of antenatal care is uncertain. The study seeks to measure the influence of women's educational attainment on quality of antenatal care using the clinical component proposed by Donabedian. Data used in the study were from the 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey. Factor analysis was used to compute a variable for quality of antenatal care. The main independent variable was women's educational level. Multiple linear regression was used to examine the effect of women's education on quality of antenatal care. The results of the study showed that education had no influence on quality of antenatal care utilization. However, other utilization and demographic factors such as age and ethnicity were found to be significant predictors of quality of antenatal care. Therefore, all women irrespective of their level of education should be encouraged not just to attend antenatal care clinics but utilize the required services provided. Attention should focus on health providers to increase supply-side factors in improving levels of utilization and service quality. Emphasis on policy should also be on ethnicity as there are cultural dimensions that affect quality of antenatal care utilization.
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    Studying HIV / AIDS and related issues of prostitution and death
    (University of Ghana, 2015-04-17) Anarfi, J.; Ohemeng, F.
    The African AIDS epidemic gave rise to a need for new methods of research and for modifications to existing methods because of the great sensitivity of the subject. The sensitivity stemmed from the fact that in sub-Saharan Africa, the main mode of transmission of the disease is heterosexual relations. Meanwhile, traditional society attempted to ensure that betrothed girls went to their husbands as virgins and that wives remained sexually faithful. Thus, a woman infected with AIDS was, and is still taken to be an accusation of prostitution and a man infected was regard ed as promiscuous. The triad of AIDS, prostitution and promiscuity made the issue even more sensitive and raised many ethical, political and legal concerns when studying them. Thankfully, the AIDS epidemic led to apprehension of infection, and, on the part of many people who feel they may be in danger, to a desire to discuss modes of trans mission and risks even if it does mean divulging why they feel they are at risk and the nature of that risk. It has thus become possible to research the social context of AIDS and the related issues of prostitution and even death. The challenges, ethical and methodological issues involved in studying such sensitive topics have been explored. We further explore what it means to investigate Ghanaian women engaged in prostitution, the experiences of HIV / AIDS patients, their carers and how they perceive their deaths. We argue that in order to achieve the aim of the study, the processes and the methods involved in collecting the data are critical and must be undertaken by experienced researchers. Strict anonymity and confidentiality must be observed and community interest and excitement must be kept to a minimum by not taking the whole community into confidence. In addition, the authors reflect on the emotions involved when researching into the issues. The authors make suggestions for reducing the emotions inherent in studying sensitive issues.
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    Understanding the reasons behind pregnancy terminations and the link with method safety
    (University of Ghana, 2015-04-17) Biney, A.A.E.; Atiglo, Y.D.
    Studies allude to induced abortion as a contributor to Ghana's fertility decline, especially since contraceptive use levels have not proportionally increased, other proximate determinants do not fully exp la in the discrepancy. If induced abortions are a means through which Ghanaian women control their births, it behoves us to understand the reasons behind their pregnancy terminations and the link to the abortion methods they ultimately use. This paper uses data from the 2007 Ghana Maternal Health Survey and qualitative interviews conducted in 2008 with patients at Korle Bu and Tema Hospitals. Women who had ever terminated a pregnancy were purposively selected and interviewed at the two major hospitals. Additionally women who had aborted a pregnancy five years preceding the nationally representative survey were also administered questionnaires about their abortion experiences. The results showed that women underwent abortions for five reasons namely, financial constraints, and to space/limit births, .... Most women who underwent abortions for the latter did so using safe methods. The findings also suggested that women terminated pregnancies mainly to space/limit births and for financial and health reasons. However those who had abortions for health and non- readiness reasons were significantly more likely to use safe methods compared to those who lacked the finances to keep their pregnancies. The paper proposes that strategies to reduce unplanned pregnancies that result in pregnancy terminations must be intensified
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    Knowledge of HIV prevention and casual sex among sexually active persons in Ghana
    (University of Ghana, 2015-04-17) Kwankye, S.O.; Badasu, D.M.; Sanuade, O.A.
    This study examined the effects of knowledge of HIV prevention and other factors associated with casual sex among sexually active persons in Ghana in the fight against HIV and AIDS. There is a cross-sectional study based on 6,027 individuals; 12-59 years randomly surveyed in all ten regions of Ghana. The question on casual sexual partner focused on whether the respondents had casual sex or not in the last four weeks preceding the survey. Descriptive statistics were used to examine the characteristics of the respondents and a binary logistic regression was employed to analyse the predictors of having a casual sexual partner. The mean age of the respondents was 31.6± 8.8. About 70% were females and more than one-third had Middle/JHS education. The results showed that sex, religion, and marital status were significantly related with casual sex. Males and those who were never married, living together, separated or divorced had higher odds of engaging in casual sex compared to the currently married
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    Factors associated with disability in Ghana
    (University of Ghana, 2015-04-17) Obeng-Dwamena, A.; Dodoo, F.
    In 2010, about 15% of the world's population was estimated to be living with disability. Eighty percent of this number was reported to be living in low income countries (WHO, 2011). This proportion has been predicted to increase further as a result of aging of the population, increased prevalence of chronic diseases and other causes of disability such as HIV / AIDS, alcohol, drug abuse, and injury from accidents. In Ghana, rapid urbanization and social change makes disability a problem. This study therefore sought to identify risk factors which make persons susceptible to disability. The WHO Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health (SAGE) Wave 1 2007-2010 dataset was used. The mean age was 60 ±13.9 years. About 19%, 74% and 6% reported none, mild and severe disability respectively. Also, 11.6%, 11.3%, 3.3%, and 2.1 %, were living with arthritis, hypertension, diabetes and stroke respectively. The multinomial logistic regression results showed age, sex, marital status, place of residence, level of education, employment status and arthritis as predictors of mild disability. Apart from arthritis, all the aforementioned, including injury from road accidents, stroke, diabetes and hypertension were predictors of severe disability. Adoption of healthy lifestyles and establishment of rehabilitation centres can help reduce disability prevalence in Ghana.
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    Coastal vulnerability and migration in Ghana
    (University of Ghana, 2015-04-17) Atiglo, D.Y.; Quashigah, J.; Neri, P.; Appeaning, A.K.; Codjoe, S.N.A.
    Coastal vulnerability to sea level rise and other hazards is expected to push migration due to loss of land, habitat and livelihood security. The migration literature on Ghana rarely links coastal environmental systems with migration. This study aimed (i) to assess the vulnerability of Ghana's coasts to inundation and erosion (ii) to explore the relation between coastal vulnerability and population change through migration. We used data from Ghana's 2000 and 2010 Population and Housing Censuses and remotely sensed data to develop a coastal vulnerability index (CVI) comprising physical and socioeconomic vulnerability. The physical vulnerability index (PVI) was based on coastal elevation, geomorphology, geology, local subsidence,. shoreline change, tidal range and wave height. The socioeconomic vulnerability index (SVI) was based on economic activity, socio-demographic characteristics and housing conditions. Due to unavailability of explicit out-migration data at the district level, we estimated net migration using the Census Survival Ratio method. The results of the PVI revealed that districts in the farthest western and eastern coasts are highly vulnerable. The SVI showed the eastern coastal districts as the most vulnerable. Consequently, three districts in the eastern coast of Ghana with the highest combined CVI also tend to have very high deficit migration. Simple linear regression models show a negative correlation between coastal vulnerability and net migration. The technique employed in this study provides an improved assessment of coastal vulnerability and contributes to evaluating the environment-migration nexus
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    Antenatal Care During Covid 19 Era In Sub – Saharan Africa
    (University of Ghana, 2022-09) Kwabiah, A.A.; Kwankye, S.O.
    Introduction: Corona virus pandemic has brought several challenges to countries and the world at large. After its insurgence in Wuhan, China, it has since spread to almost all regions of the world. COVID 19 has had an impact on some essential healthcare services in sub–Saharan Africa (SSA). These essential healthcare services include antenatal care service, which is critical in addressing maternal health related challenges in many countries in SSA. Objective: To assess antenatal care service during COVID 19 pandemic in SSA. Methods: A bibliography search was done using Google scholar, PubMed, BMC, Science direct and Scopus to obtain relevant literature and studies on the main subject of the review. A comprehensive review was carried and 33 articles met the inclusion criteria. Results: It was found that there was high level of knowledge about COVID 19 symptoms and preventive measures among pregnant women, but there were also misconceptions that were documented about the disease. Pregnant women were reported to have poorly practiced the preventive measures although they knew these measures. Three major challenges were identified in ANC service during the era of COVID 19: delay in decision making, delay in reaching the health facility and delay in receiving ANC service. Conclusion: ANC service delivery during the pandemic faced important challenges with dire consequences. It is recommended that telemedicine be introduced into mainstream health service delivery while enhancing house- to-house ANC and support groups formation to support the COVID 19 campaign to ensure that while efforts are being made to address COVID 19 in SSA, it will not affect women and children’s health in SSA.