Regional Institute for Population Studies
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Item Body size estimation and weight management practices in urban poor communities in Ghana: A cross-sectional study(Journal of Health and Social Sciences, 2020) Frempong, G.A.; Anarfi, J.K.; Badasu, D.M.; Codjoe, S.N.A.Body size perception is a pertinent issue globally due to its implications for weight management. This study examined the influence of body size estimation on weight management behaviors in urban poor areas of Ghana. Methods: A cross-sectional design was used to collect data among a sample of 395 adults aged 18-70 years. A semi-structured questionnaire was designed for the collection of data on socio-demographic characteristics, weight perceptions, and weight management strategies. Anthropometric measurements were also taken, using standard procedures. Logistic regression models were used to examine relationships among the va variables. Results: More than half (57%) of the total sample was overweight or obese and 56.7% of the participants accurately estimated their body size. Nearly a third (37%) of the participants intended to stay about the same weight, while 29.6% and 11.9% wanted to lose or gain weight, respectively. To achieve their weight management goals, 60.3% of the participants engaged in healthy weight management practices. Body size estimation had no statistically significant relationship with weight management practices. However, the likelihood of engaging in healthy practices increased as age increased (OR = 1.021; 95% CI: 1.000 to 1.042). Individuals who belonged to households of the upper wealth category were less likely than those in lower wealth households to engage in healthy practices (OR = 0.548; CI: 0.330 to 0.911). Community of residence, a community conducive to physical activity and social support also significantly predicted weight management practices. Conclusion: The findings of this study highlight the importance of age and some socio-environmental factors in public health strategies for weight management.Item Deliberation for Development: Ghana ’s First Deliberative Poll(Journal of Deliberative Democracy, 2019) Chirawurah, D.; Bawah, A.; Fishkin, J.; et al.This article poses the problem of public consultation in developing countries and applies a solution in Ghana as a test case. It describes the theoretical rationale for deliberative consultation with random samples, describes specific criteria for success, and then assesses an application under the challenging conditions of a developing country. It builds on notions of “deliberative democracy,” and shows how they can be practically realized in an African context through “Deliberative Polling” (DP). The challenge is that the context is one of the poorest parts of one of the poorest countries in Africa. Rather than consulting just stakeholders, or self-selected populations, or using conventional surveys, DP’s have the advantage of consulting random samples with deliberation in depth in confidential surveys so that the opinion changes can be evaluated at the individual level, free of social pressures for consensus. Is this practical in this context? A DP was conducted in Tamale, Ghana on issues of water, sanitation, hygiene, and food security. Criteria for success for DPs that have been applied in highly developed countries are discussed and then applied in Ghana under challenging conditions.Item Livestock ownership, household food security and childhood anaemia in rural Ghana(Plos One, 2019) Christian, A.K.; Wilson, M.L.; Aryeetey, R.N.O.; Jones, A.D.The mechanisms through which livestock ownership is associated with childhood anaemia are contested. Using a cross-sectional, community-based survey of 300 households in southern Ghana, we determined the associations of household livestock ownership with anaemia among children aged 2–5 years. Potential mediating effects of animal-source food (ASF) consumption, microbial infections, and household food security were investigated. Data on each child’s anaemia, malaria, and intestinal infections were collected for a subset of 221 households. Anaemia was defined as a haemoglobin (Hb) concentration <110 g/L. ASF consumption was measured as a count of the number of different ASF types consumed by each child in the week before the interview. Household food security was measured with a 15-item, pre-tested tool adapted from the USDA Household Food Security Core Module. The number of sheep and goats in aggregate was associated with higher odds of a child being anaemic (aOR (95% CI) = 1.10 (1.03, 1.17)). Households owning more free-range poultry had a greater diversity of consumed ASFs among children (Coef. (95% C) = 0.02 (0.01, 0.03)). Owning more pigs was associated with higher odds that a household was food secure (1.05 (0.99, 1.12). We found no evidence that the child’s ASF consumption mediated the association of livestock ownership with child anaemia, however, household food security mediated the association between household pig ownership and child anaemia. Overall, household ownership of livestock was associated with higher ASF consumption among children and improved household-level food security, yet also higher odds of anaemia among those young children. The mechanisms leading to these seemingly counterintuitive relationships require further investigation.Item Determinants Of Under-Five Mortality In Upper East Region Of Ghana: Evidence From Ghana Essential Health Intervention Program(University Of Ghana, 2021-12) Agula, M.Generally, the world has experienced a reduction in deaths below the age five in the past three decades. However, under-five mortality in low-income countries, including Ghana, is still very high. In Ghana, several programs, interventions and policies have been implemented which have led to a reduction in under-five mortality rates in the country. However, the rate of reduction will not meet Sustainable Development Goal 3.2, come 2030. The goal of this study is to examine the consistent drivers of children dying before age five over a period in the Upper East region of Ghana, using longitudinal data from the Ghana Essential Health Intervention Program (GEHIP). This longitudinal study compared baseline and end-line datasets collected in 2011 and 2015, respectively. Only data of children below five years were analysed for both the baseline and end-line surveys. Analytic data came from 3,422 and 2215 children below age five in the baseline and end-line surveys, respectively, all from mothers aged 15-49 years. Univariate, bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted at different levels. At the univariate stage, descriptive statistics were generated to analyse the background characteristics of the sample. At the bivariate level, cross-tabulations were carried to determine the correlation between the independent variables and dying below the age five. Lastly, a multiple binary logistic regression model was fitted to determine the factors that consistently affect under-five child survival over time. Overall, results from the multivariate regression analysis suggest that breastfeeding and the number of vaccinations received by children were stable and significant determinants of under-five mortality over a period in the Upper East region, regardless of health system interventions. Baseline results show that breastfeeding, the number of vaccinations received at a particular stage of life of the child and the educational level of the mother were significantly associated with under-five mortality. For the end-line, the sex of the child, breastfeeding, sleeping under a treated bed net and the number of vaccinations received at a particular stage of life were significant determinants of under-five mortality. Findings suggest that parents of children should be educated on the benefits of adequate breastfeeding and urged to practice exclusive breastfeeding for improved health outcomes, including reducing under-five mortality. Also, postpartum care models by Ghana Health Service should pay particular attention to improving child immunization against childhood killer diseases.Item Women’s Parity And Contraceptive Use In Ghana.(University Of Ghana, 2021-12) Obeng, K.O.The use of contraceptives by women has increased globally from 42% in 1990 to 49% in 2019. However, the contraceptive prevalence rate remains low at 36% in Sub-Saharan Africa. In, Ghana, several interventions including the integration of family planning services into the National Health Insurance Scheme in certain selected districts, yet data from the recent Maternal Health Survey (2017), indicate about 25% of women were using contraceptives. The purpose of the study is to examine the relationship between women’s parity level and contraceptive use in Ghana. The study used secondary data from the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey. Women who were pregnant, infecund, abstaining, and sexually inactive were excluded from this study, so the sample size was reduced from 9396 to 5227. Based on the women’s dataset, the background description of the women’s characteristics was presented at the univariate level of analysis whereas the relationship between individual characteristics, socio-economic factors, and parity and contraceptive use was examined at the bivariate and multivariate levels of analysis. The results from the study indicated that 39.4% of the women had 2 to 4 children; while about 17% had 5 or more children. Moreover, the findings also revealed that 36% of the 5227 sampled women in Ghana were using contraceptives. Results from the bivariate level of the analysis indicated that the type of place of residence and household wealth index had no significant association with the use of contraceptives, while parity, age, marital status, education, ethnicity, religion, region of residence, and working status were significantly related to the use of contraceptives among women in Ghana. Also, about 27% of women with zero parity were using contraceptives while 38% of the women with parity five and above used contraceptives. At the multivariate level, results from the binary logistic regression model indicated that parity, age, education, ethnicity, marital status, and region of residence had a significant relationship with the xiii use of contraceptives. Moreover, women with some children were more likely to be using contraceptives than women with zero parity. This study makes recommendations on the education of women according to parity especially women with 5 or more children on contraceptive use. Moreover, efforts must be strengthened to increase contraceptive use across all age groups, especially adults (20 - 49), and across all education levels (especially among highly educated women).Item Rural-Urban Differentials In Induced Abortion Among Women In Ghana(University Of Ghana, 2021-12) Ananya, G.Introduction: Globally, there are disparities in maternal health outcomes as well as the factors that influence maternal health outcomes. Some of these disparities stem from the differences in place of residence (rural or urban). These rural-urban disparities affect access to services such as safe induced abortion. In order to improve maternal health outcomes in developing countries such as Ghana, these disparities need to be addressed. Against the foregoing, this study seeks to examine the differentials in induced abortion among women in urban and rural areas in Ghana. Methods: This study used data from the 2017 Ghana Maternal Health Survey. The analytical sample includes a total of 13,176 women (weighted) who have been pregnant in the five years preceding the survey. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson chi-square tests and binary logistic regression analysis. Results: The results show that 18.5% of urban women had induced abortion while 10.0% of rural women had induced abortion. Among rural women 33.9 % were using contraceptives while 32.6% of urban women were using contraceptives. Among urban women who were not married 35.2% induced abortion while 20.9% of rural women who were not married induced abortion. At the multivariate level, while age, level of educational attainment and ethnicity were significant predictors of induced abortion in urban areas these variables were not significant in rural areas. Also, whereas exposure to media was a significant predictor of induced abortion in rural areas it was not a significant predictor in urban areas. Conclusion: The factors that influence induced abortion in urban and rural areas differ, therefore policies promulgated to address induced abortion must be distinctive and peculiar to each area (urban/rural) in order to reap maximum results.Item Determinants Of Overweight And Obesity Among The Youth In Ghana(University Of Ghana, 2020-11) Yin, D.K.Overweight and obesity, and associated conditions such as hypertension and diabetes, are global health issues that have an enormous financial burden on individuals and families at large. The prevalence of obesity and overweight is growing at an alarming rate in Ghana. The rising prevalence of these conditions affects the quality of life, increases mortality, and reduces productivity in the country. Unhealthy lifestyle behaviours, such as poor dietary habits and sedentary activities, are some of the factors that influence overweight and obesity. This study examined the socio-demographic factors associated with obesity and overweight among Ghanaian youth and how these factors could be addressed. The study analysed data on 12856 youth aged 15–34 years who were interviewed in the seventh round of the Ghana Living Standard Survey. Obesity and overweight were measured using body mass index as the primary indicator. Univariate, bivariate, and multivariate techniques were employed in analysing the data. The overall prevalence of overweight and obesity was 16.1% and 9.4%, respectively. Obesity and overweight were more common among females (22.9% and 15.9%) compared to males (17.0% and 10.1%). Also, older, educated, rich, and urban-dwelling youth were found to be at a higher risk of being overweight or obese. At the multivariate level, females were 2.56 (p = 0.000) times more likely to be obese as compared to males, while youth in the richest wealth quintile were 1.76 (p = 0.000) more likely to be obese as compared to youth in the poorest wealth quintile. Policymakers should help increase educational campaigns on the causes and health consequences of obesity and overweight among youth and the general population to create the needed awareness about these conditions. This can help the youth adopt healthy lifestyles such as exercising and eating healthy foods to prevent overweight and obesity.Item Women’s Educational Attainment And Health-Seeking Behaviour For Childhood Illnesses In Ghana(University Of Ghana, 2020-10) Amofa, A.A.A.Childhood illnesses are among the main health problems globally and predominantly in Asian and African subcontinents. About 6.0 million under-five children died in 2018 worldwide, which could be prevented with simple and inexpensive interventions. Educating women empowers them by increasing their autonomy. Women with greater power are able to influence health care decisions for their children compared to women with less education. Mothers’ ability to act appropriately and promptly to illness symptoms will reduce childhood morbidity and mortality. Assessing the health-seeking behaviour of mothers and identifying specific factors influencing health-seeking are essential to advance strategies and interventions for child survival strategies in the country. The study examines the relationship between mothers’ education and health-seeking behaviour during childhood morbidities in Ghana, using the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS) data. A sample of 638 and 1,189 children with diarrhoea and fever/cough symptoms were used in the study. Univariate, bivariate and multivariate statistical tools were used to analyse the data. Findings reveal that 30.1% and 25.8% of mothers sought no treatment, while 47.1% and 52.8% sought medical treatment and 22.8% and 21.4% sought non-medical treatment for children exhibiting diarrhoea and fever/cough symptoms respectively. In the multivariate analysis, mothers with no education were significantly more likely to seek non-medical treatment compared to mothers with secondary/higher education. Results also show that mother’s age, ethnicity, religion, region, place of residence, wealth index, working status and age of child were significant predictors for health-seeking behaviour for childhood illnesses in Ghana. Less educated mothers are more likely to use other forms of treatments such as pharmacy, drug peddlers and traditional practitioners instead of visits to medical facilities when children show fever/cough symptoms. The study suggests that improving the educational status of women will improve better health-seeking practices as mothers will seek appropriate treatment to increase the chances of child survival during ill-health.Item Nuptiality and Fertility Patterns in Ghana, 2008(University of Ghana, 2011-02) Agomavi, B.L.The study was aimed at examining nuptiality and fertility patterns, as well as examining the relationship between nuptiality and fertility in Ghana. The study was based on secondary data using the 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey data. The nuptiality variables examined are age at first marriage, marital status and marital duration. Selected socio-economic and demographic variables were also considered as control variables as they affect these nuptiality variables and fertility. Univariate and cross tabulations were used to examine the patterns and how these variables affect fertility. Rates and means were used for the study. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between nuptiality and fertility while controlling for socio-economic and demographic variables in the model. Marriage was observed to be early and universal in Ghana. The study reveals that mean age at first marriage for the female respondents under this investigation is 19.19. It was found that there are 454 marriages per every 1000 female populations aged 15 to 49 years in Ghana. The study revealed 69 divorces per every 1000 marriages in Ghana. The marriage patterns found in the study are that, 45.5 percent of the women were married whilst there were 3.2 percent divorcees. 32.4 percent were not married and 13 .1 percent were in consensual union. Also, 2.1 percent were widowed whilst 3.9 percent were separated. Married and widowed women were found to have more children than the other marital status with 3.66 and 4.52 mean children ever born respectively. It was also found that longer duration of marriage is associated with high fertility relative to short duration. Age at first marriage was found to be inversely related to children ever born in Ghana. Also married women were found to be more likely to have more children than the never married. The study recommends female education, women empowerment and reproductive health education targeting specific nuptiality categories which have fertility tendencies and integrated approach at regulating fertility in Ghana.Item Women’s Educational Attainment and Health-Seeking Behaviour for Childhood Illnesses in Ghana(University of Ghana, 2020-10) Amofa, A.A.A.Childhood illnesses are among the main health problems globally and predominantly in Asian and African subcontinents. About 6.0 million under-five children died in 2018 worldwide, which could be prevented with simple and inexpensive interventions. Educating women empowers them by increasing their autonomy. Women with greater power are able to influence health care decisions for their children compared to women with less education. Mothers’ ability to act appropriately and promptly to illness symptoms will reduce childhood morbidity and mortality. Assessing the health-seeking behaviour of mothers and identifying specific factors influencing health-seeking are essential to advance strategies and interventions for child survival strategies in the country. The study examines the relationship between mothers’ education and health-seeking behaviour during childhood morbidities in Ghana, using the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS) data. A sample of 638 and 1,189 children with diarrhoea and fever/cough symptoms were used in the study. Univariate, bivariate and multivariate statistical tools were used to analyse the data. Findings reveal that 30.1% and 25.8% of mothers sought no treatment, while 47.1% and 52.8% sought medical treatment and 22.8% and 21.4% sought non-medical treatment for children exhibiting diarrhoea and fever/cough symptoms respectively. In the multivariate analysis, mothers with no education were significantly more likely to seek non-medical treatment compared to mothers with secondary/higher education. Results also show that mother’s age, ethnicity, religion, region, place of residence, wealth index, working status and age of child were significant predictors for health-seeking behaviour for childhood illnesses in Ghana. Less educated mothers are more likely to use other forms of treatments such as pharmacy, drug peddlers and traditional practitioners instead of visits to medical facilities when children show fever/cough symptoms. The study suggests that improving the educational status of women will improve better health-seeking practices as mothers will seek appropriate treatment to increase the chances of child survival during ill-health.