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A long essay or dissertation or thesis involving personal research, written by postgraduates of University of Ghana for a university degree.
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Item Hand hygiene compliance among healthcare workers in Ghana’s health care institutions: an observational study(Journal of Patient Safety and Risk Management, 2020) Abuosi, A.A.; Daniels, A.A.; Akoriyea, S.K.; et al.Objective To assess hand hygiene compliance in selected primary hospitals in Ghana. Design A cross-sectional health facility-based observational study. Setting Primary health care facilities in five regions in Ghana. Participants A total of 546 healthcare workers including doctors, nurses, midwives and laboratory personnel from 106 health facilities participated in the study. Main outcome measures The main outcome measures included the availability of hand hygiene materials and alcohol job aids; compliance with moments of hand hygiene; and compliance with steps in hygienic hand washing. These were assessed using descriptive statistics. Results The mean availability of hand hygiene material and alcohol job aids was 75% and 71% respectively. This was described as moderately high, but less desirable. The mean hand hygiene compliance with moments of hand hygiene was 51%, which was also described as moderately high, but less desirable. It was observed that, generally, hand hygiene was performed after procedures than before. However, the mean compliance with steps in hygienic hand washing was 86%, which was described as high and desirable. Conclusion Healthcare workers are generally competent in the performance of hygienic hand washing. However, this does not seem to influence compliance with moments of hand hygiene. Efforts must therefore be made to translate the competence of healthcare workers in hygienic hand washing into willingness to comply with moments of hand hygiene, especially contact with patients.Item The ECOWAS Free Movement Protocol and Diversity of Experiences of Different Categories of Migrants: A Qualitative Study(International Migration, 2021) Yeboah, T.; Kandilige, L.; Teye, J.K.; et al.While studies have drawn attention to the operationalization, and implementation challenges associated with the ECOWAS free movement protocol, our understanding of how different categories of migrants experience the protocol is far more limited. Drawing on data from interviews conducted with 23 ECOWAS migrants living or traveling to Ghana, immigration officials, and a trade union representative, this paper examines the diversity of experiences of ECOWAS migrants about the free movement protocol. The findings suggest that the experiences of ECOWAS nationals in areas such as awareness and knowledge of provisions in the protocol, border crossing, processes of acquiring residence and work permits and renewing permits, and rights of establishment differ remarkably by dimensions of social difference. The gender, social class, and nationality of migrants are fundamental and shape the experiences of ECOWAS migrants in divergent ways. These findings have important implications for policies seeking to promote free movement in West Africa.Item Participatory approaches, local stakeholders and cultural relevance facilitate an impactful community-based project in Uganda(Health Promotion International, 2020) Donovan, J.O.; Opintan, J.A.; Thompson, A.; et al.Sanitation is a major global challenge often addressed at national and international levels, while community opinions and beliefs are neglected. To promote water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) we organized a cross-cultural knowledge exchange workshop to assess participatory methods for engaging local stakeholders. The workshop included 22 participants from all sectors of society. Practical solutions to sanitation challenges were identified and later shared with the local community. Qualitative and quantitative analyses were used to assess impact. They showed participatory methods were highly valued to encourage information sharing among widely varied stakeholders, and that video was a particularly successful approach when engaging with local communities. An 8-month follow-up survey of village members revealed excellent information recall, positive behavior changes, and a desire for future visits. Our evidence suggests that community-based participa tion helped identify solutions to WASH issues affecting rural communities in resource-poor settings. Engaging in a multicultural knowledge-share was particularly valuable as it enabled participants to recognize they have common challenges and allowed them to share low-cost solutions from their different communities. Our use of video was widely viewed as an ideal means of circulating findings, as it communicated information to people with a wide variety of community roles and all age groups. Its relevance was increased by adopting a culturally appropriate context by involving local communities in workshop activities. We recommend that research in low- and middle-income countries should be mindful of the environmental context in which WASH is implemented, and encourage acceptance by engaging with communities through the use of varied participatory methods.Item Photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine dyes using zinc oxide nanoparticles(Materials Today: Proceedings, 2020) Dodoo-Arhin, D.; Asiedu, T.; Agyei-Tuffour, B.; et al.This paper presents the synthesis of nanocrystalline zinc oxide (ZnO) particles via the sol-gel method using zinc acetate as a precursor. The calcination temperature of the ZnO was varied to determine its effect on particle size. The resultant samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), UltraViolet–visible Spectroscopy (UV–Vis) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Nanocrystalline wurtzite ZnO particles with crystallite sizes ranging from 16 nm to 30 nm were produced. The Energy Band gap of the synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles decreased with increasing calcination temperature and crystallite size. SEM Micrographs showed rice-like microstructure morphology of ZnO nanoparticles. The usage of the ZnO nanoparticles as a photocatalyst was also explored in the degradation of Rhodamine B dye using UV light, with particular attention paid to the effect of particle size and catalyst load on the degradation efficiency of the dyes. The nanoparticles calcined at 400 C with a crystallite size of 16 nm resulted in the highest degradation efficiency of 95.41% when 0.2 g catalyst loading was applied. 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Selection and peer review under the responsibility of the scientific committee of the International Symposium on Nanostructured, Nanoengineered, and Advanced MaterialsItem Hydroxyapatite ceramics prepared from two natural sources by direct thermal conversion: From material processing to mechanical measurements(Materials Today: Proceedings, 2020) Akpan, E.S.; Dodoo-Arhin, D.; Dauda, M.; et al.In this study, hydroxyapatite (HAp) was extracted from catfish bones (CB) and non-separated animal bones (NB). The bioceramic samples were prepared by a facile synthesis route and the representative scaffolds were prepared by cold compaction and sintered at 900 C, 1000 C, and 1100 C. To evaluate the properties of the produced HAp, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (FT IR) analyses were carried out. The evaluation of the hardness of the representative bio-derived scaffolds was experimentally conducted while the fracture toughness and brittleness index were obtained by calculation using the hardness test parameters. The experimental data showed that as temperature increased up to 1000 C for CB, there was a consequential increase in hardness, while for NB, hardness values reduced throughout the sintering regimes. These gradients in mechanical measurements are ascribed to phase changes during heat treatment. 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open-access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by nc-nd/4.0). Selection and Review under the responsibility of the scientific committee of the International Conference & Exposition on Mechanical, Material and Manufacturing TechnologyItem Modified nanostructured titania photocatalysts for aquatic disinfection applications(Materials Today: Proceedings, 2020) Dodoo-Arhin, D.; Bowen-Dodoo, E.; Agyei-Tuffour, B.; et al.According to SDG 6, everyone on earth should have access to safe and affordable drinking water. In sharing water-treatment technologies that lead to accomplishing this goal, it is imperative to devise ways of removing microbial contaminants such as E. coli from drinking water, especially in resource-limited settings that lack centralized water supply systems. One of the approaches is bacterial disinfection of water at the point of use. In this study, the bactericidal effects of the photocatalysis of titanium dioxide-based nanoparticles under UV and visible light are explored. Pristine and silver doped nanostructured mesoporous titanium dioxide (Ag-TiO2, TiO2) particles with high specific surface area and average crystallite domain size of 7.0–7.5 nm were prepared using the simple and cost-effective sol-gel technique followed by thermal treatment. The addition of Ag+ ions during the hydrolysis/condensation of the Ti(IV) molecular precursor led to the homogeneous dispersion of the Ag+ cations on the titania matrix. The As-prepared nanoparticles were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area analysis, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetry, Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR), and Raman Spectroscopy. X-ray diffraction, FTIR, and Raman spectroscopy confirmed that the crystalline structure of the TiO2 matrix corresponds to the anatase polymorph; however, the presence of the dopant led to an increase in the system disorder due to the rise in the concentration of oxygen vacancies. The As-prepared nanoparticles were used for Escherichia coli (E. coli) inactivation under dark and UV–visible light conditions. Under dark conditions, Ag-doped titania and pristine titania resulted in 95% and 64% E. coli population inactivity while under light conditions, 99% and 97% degradation respectively were observed. Taken together, these results demonstrate that, the synthesized TiO2 nanoparticles have promising applications in the light-mediated point-of-use inactivation of bacterial contaminants in water. 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Selection and peer review under the responsibility of the scientific committee of the International Symposium on Nanostructured, Nanoengineered, and Advanced Materials.Item Effects of substrates on the performance of optoelectronic devices: A review(Cogent Engineering, 2020) Asare, J.; Agyei-Tuffour, B.; Dodoo-Arhin, D.; et al.This review discusses the effects of substrates on devices fabricated for optoelectronic applications. It includes the types and characteristics of substrates, synthesis, and fabrication of substrates, and the influence of substrates on the optical properties, surface morphology, and current-voltage behavior of optoelectronic devices. The study showed that two main types of substrates: planar and textured are commonly used in the industry. Flexibility, semi-rigidity, and rigidity are characteristics of the substrates and they vary in modulus, transparency, and texture. Whereas glass and metal substrates can be produced via melt casting, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), etc are produced by crosslinking polymer base materials with curing agents. The mechanical and current-voltage characteristics are also shown for planar and textured substrate-based devices. The textured substrates showed ridges, wrinkles, and buckled surface morphology whereas the planar showed uniform and largely flat morphology. Textured substrates also recorded higher optical absorbance and improved device efficiencies than planar substrates. The molecular configuration of the polymer chains is edged-on for planar substrates and edge-on and face-on for textured substrates. The findings and their implications have been discussed to highlight the importance of substrates in the fabrication and performance of optoelectronic devices.Item Exploratory study of the electrochemical properties of local cassava starch as a potential green and sustainable polymer binder for energy storage application(MRS Advances, 2023) Mohammed, L.; Doodo‑Arhin, D.; Agyei‑Tufour, B.; et al.The need to develop an aqueous-based binder has dominated research publications for some time now. The application of this man-made aqueous-based binder in LIBs has the potential to reduce the environmental impact of LIB. In this preliminary study, local cassava starch is treated and prepared as a polymer binder for LIBs application. The binder is applied in lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide electrodes as a cathode in LIBs. The electrodes displayed a discharge capacity of 142 mAh/g and 73 mAh/g for LiNMCO-442/Cassava starch and 139 and 28 mAh/g for LiNMCO-442/PVDF at 0.1 C-rate and 10 C-rate respectively. After 100 cycles, the LiNMCO-442 cells retained about 80.2 and 65.5% of the cells with cassava starch binder and PVDF binder, respectively, at room temperature. The fairly electrochemical performance of the local cassava starch makes it a potential alternative to the petroleum-based binder, PVDF.Item Internet Usage and its effect on Senior High School Students in Bantama Sub-Metro in Kumasi Metropolis of Ghana(2021) Kwaah, C.O.; Ankrah, E.; Frimpong, A.D.; et al.The internet has become the fountain of information access for senior high school students and academics. Poor telecommunication infrastructure, difficulties in accessing relevant information, inadequate computers, high cost of bundles, system failure, low internet bandwidth, and power fluctuation are some challenges Senior High students face in their quest to access information on the internet. The study sought to determine internet usage and its effect on students of three Senior High schools in the Bantama Sub-Metro in the Kumasi Metropolis. The study adopted the survey research design, and the quantitative research approach was used; hence questionnaires were the main instrument employed for data collection. A total of 360 students were conveniently sampled from three selected Senior High schools. From the results, it was found that students accessed information on the internet prominently for communication, recreation, and learning. The public internet café was the highest point of internet access followed by the home and availability of computer laboratories in the schools. However, confirming the effects on students regarding the use of the internet, the students were given limited hours to access information and different internet infrastructure in the schools. The majority of the students rated the internet access in their school computer laboratories as poor. By implication, Administrators and parents should adopt safety measures to monitor the internet content used by students, educating students on how to access and use information from the internet, provision of more computers in the school's laboratories, and high bandwidth to access the internet.Item Associations Of Blood Glucose Levels With Some Diabetes Risk Factors (Body Mass Index, Blood Pressure And Total Body Fat) In Inhabitants Of Ho Municipality, Ghana: A Cross-Sectional Survey(African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development, 2021) Kortei, N.K.; Koryo-Dabrah, A.; Akonor, P.T.; et al.One complex metabolic disorder that can unenviably affect normal human physiology is diabetes mellitus (DM). It is indeed one of the most common noncommunicable diseases that have heightened to an epidemic level worldwide. For diseases like DM, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, type II DM, and other chronic diseases, body mass index (BMI) is identified as a positive and independent risk factor associated with morbidity and mortality. The study's objective was to determine the relationships between BMI, blood pressure, and total body fat among inhabitants of peri-urban Ho, Ghana. A cross-sectional survey was carried out between May and June 2018, among 132 inhabitants of Ho to determine the prevalence and associations among DM risk factors. The participants were selected by systematic random sampling. Standardized international protocols measured BMI, blood pressure, blood glucose, and total body fat. Out of 132 respondents, 96 (72.7%) were female and the most common age group was 54-60 (31.1%). From the BMI classifications, 65 (49.2%) people were of normal weight while 6 (4.5%) were underweight. Total body fat (%) and blood pressure, likewise total body fat and BMI recorded significant associations of values (0.299, p<0.001-systolic; 0.298, p=0.001-diastolic), and 0.585 (p<0.001), respectively. On the contrary, there were insignificant associations found between blood glucose and diastolic blood pressure and also blood glucose and systolic blood pressure (0.100, p=0.253) and (0.057. p=0.514), respectively using Spearman’s correlation analysis. Lastly, the test of association of socio-demographics and anthropometrics revealed there was a significant (p<0.001) correlation between total body fat and BMI using Pearson’s correlation analysis. BMI is closely related to total body fat and blood pressure; hence, education on lifestyle modification needs to be intensified to create awareness among the inhabitants of Ho municipality of Ghana. It is imperative to educate Ghanaians and beyond about the risk factor associations that predispose an individual to DM.
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