School of Social Sciences

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    Moral Reasoning, Cost of Helping, and Human Relationships to Altruistic Orientation
    (University of Ghana, 1997-03) Wiafe-Akenteng, C.B.
    This study examined how one's level of moral reasoning, the cost of helping, and human relationships influence one's altruistic orientation. Two hundred and fourteen subjects (123 males and 91 females) aged between 16 and 22 years with an average age of 18 years from three mixed Sixth Form secondary schools in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana participated in the study. materials were the short form of Rest James (1979) Defining Issue Test (DIT) and the Self report Altruism Scale (SRAS). Results indicated significant main effects between each of the three independent variables and altruistic orientation. In addition, there were significant differences in the amount of help offered at each level of moral reasoning. at each level of cost as well as the amount of help offered to the three different victims. Furthermore, there were interaction effects of any two combinations of the three independent variables on altruistic orientation. However, there was no interaction among all the three independent variables combined. These findings suggest that all three variables influence altruistic orientation in one way or the other. It is therefore recommended that measures should be taken to improve children's level of moral reasoning: and that in situations where cost of helping is high, request for assistance must be presented in piecemeal where possible, and that education should be mounted to impress upon individuals and groups to look beyond helping only kin and/or friends so as ensure equitable treatment for all.
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    Demand for Housing in Ghana
    (University of Ghana, 1993-12) Dogbey, G.Y.
    This study seeks to illuminate in a modest way the housing market in Ghana through an analysis of the demand behavior. Housing demand has been approached from a macro-economic standpoint using a simple stock-adjustment model. The Ghanaian housing market, like those of most developing countries is imperfect. Households in income categories other than the highest income do accept housing which does not meet their expectations. supply of housing lags beyond their capacity. Rural housing problems are identified as qualitative. Mortgage finance in respect of housing has not been very effective and, in most cases, therefore private acquisition of a house has been on cumulative basis through personal savings. Empirically the demand for housing in Ghana has been found to be elastic with respect to income. Thus, income increases will generate housing expenditures increasing as a proportion of income. In the light of the above, the study suggests that efforts must be made to step up investment in housing in order to close the gap between the desired and actual stocks of housing. Constraints that impair supply expansion require identification. Many government policies such as land policy, rent control, housing standards and building codes and need overhaul if ever housing supply is to be responsive to demand.
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    Bureaucracy and Politicization: the structural reorganization of the central Civil Service of Ghana, 1982-1991
    (University of Ghana, 1994-08) Lamptey, P.L.
    An attempt at reform was made by the P.N.D.C government from 1982 to 1991, to politicize the bureaucratic Ghana civil service which it recognized as a necessary instrument of action and hence achievement in development. The effort was to have the top echelon of the civil service to be politically committed to the government through the Chief Director approach to the ministerial reorganization. concomitant with this was the Workshop approach which, indeed, enhanced the bureaucratic character of the Ghana civil service. This study establishes what actually happened and what lessons there are for any such attempt in the future. The problems of implementation led to the abandonment of the philosophy behind the position of the Chief Director. The outcome of the effort was the single line adviser position of the Acting Chief Jirector. This was largely reminiscent of the abolished Principal Secretary's position. The Ghana civil service thus remained bureaucratic with the same laws, rules and regulations governing it since the attainment of independence. It seems to be a resilient bureaucracy with the capacity to smother any drastic changes in its traditions and set ways of organization and management. The study found that without the proper strategic approach and the necessary resources required for implementation of the reorganization, nothing worthwhile would be achieved.
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    The Impact of the SSNIT Pension Scheme on Retired Workers In Accra
    (University of Ghana., 1999-08) Nagetey, M.
    The SSNIT Pension scheme was Instituted (coverted from Provident Fund ) In 1991 with the promulgation of PNDC Law 247 to pay benefits in the event of some specified contingencies namely: old age, death and Invalidity The study focused on the old age benefits paid to retired workers (contributors) which is deemed as a replacement of their lost Income Benefits paid range between fifty and eighty percent of ones best three years' salary Though the system has been in operation for sometime now, Its Impact has not been well felt due to the low levels of pension Income paid to majority of Its beneficiaries The main cause of these low pension levels has been the general poverty level In the country To make matters worse, economy-wide factors such as high Inflationary rates, high cost of living erode the real Incomes of the pensioners Hence, post-retirement life is extremely difficult for the vast majority. The objective of the study was therefore to find out other supplementary benefits that pensioners might require from the scheme to ease the effect of inflation on their real incomes Perhaps it is expedient for Management of the scheme to review the scheme to respond to the demands of its retired workers by offering some supplementary benefits. In addition, there is the need for the Institution of other complementary schemes to ensure adequate Income to enable retired workers live a meaningful post-retirement life.
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    The impact of SSNIT pension scheme on retired workers in Accra
    (University of Ghana, 1999-08) Nagetey, M.
    The SSNIT Pension scheme was instituted (coverted from Provident Fund) in 1991 with the promulgation of PNDC Law 247 to pay benefits in the event of some specified contingencies namely: old age, death and invalidity. The study focused on the old age benefits paid to retired workers (contributors) which is deemed as a replacement of their lost income. Benefits paid range between fifty and eighty percent of ones best three years' salary. Though the system has been in operation for some time now, its impact has not been well felt due to the low levels of pension income paid to majority of its beneficiaries. The main cause of these low pension levels has been the general poverty level in the country to make matters worse, economy-wide factors such as high inflationary rates, high cost of living erode the real incomes of the pensioners. Hence, post-retirement life is extremely difficult for the vast majority. The objective of the study was therefore to find out other supplementary benefits that pensioners might require from the scheme to ease the effect of inflation on their real incomes. Perhaps it is expedient for Management of the scheme to review the scheme to respond to the demands of its retired workers by offering some supplementary benefits. In addition, there is the need for the institution of other complementary schemes to ensure adequate income to enable retired workers live a meaningful post-retirement life
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    Deforestation in Ghana The Role of Incentives
    (University of Ghana, 1995-03) Afriyie, F. K.; Tutu, K. A.; Jackson, H. E.; University of Ghana, College of Humanities, School of Social Sciences, Department of Economics
    The fast rate at which the nation's forests are being depleted as a result of unsustainable land-use practices adopted by economic agents, has become a serious concern to policy-makers. Even though several afforestation and reforestation schemes are being undertaking by the government and private individuals, they seem inadequate compared to the rate of destruction. A combination of econometric analysis, a survey, and tabular representation and analyses have been used to analyse the motivation of such economic agents for causing deforestation. In spite of the paucity of data, the approach adopted in this study helps to confirm the claim that; inefficient agricultural practices, indiscriminate logging, woodfuel consumption, bushfires and mining, fuelled by the perverse incentive mechanisms within these sectors, are the major contributory factors to deforestation in Ghana. Such incentives among others include; lack of subsidies, higher input costs, rent-seeking activity and lack of manpower in the Forestry Sector. The study gives recommendations to encourage the processing of timber as well as the restoration of subsidies as means of checking deforestation. It also recommends that since poverty encourages high patronage of firewood and charcoal as against energy forms such as gas and electricity, the government should subsidise the fixed cost components of the latter. Even though deforestation is a multi-faceted issue with a hydra of causes, it is hoped that if the policy directives contained in this study, are critically considered, and adhered to by policy-makers, posterity stands the chance of enjoying a better environment
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    The Study of Psychological Treatment of Hypertension: Gender, Locus of Control, and Type a Personality
    (University of Ghana, 1999) Baah-Odoom, D.; Sefah-Dedeh A.; Dankuah S.A.; University of Ghana, College of Humanities, School of Social Sciences, Department of Psychology
    One hundred patients (fifty males and fifty females) with essential hypertension participated in the study, but eighty-two, (forty-six in the treatment group and thirtysix in the delayed treatment groups), completed. All the patients were on medication. The treatment group received cognitive behaviour intervention and progressive muscle relaxation / biofeedback for 12 weeks. The gender, locus o f control and Type A and B behaviour patterns were also examined in relation to the psychological treatment. Treatment yielded a short-term success rate of 87 % defined as decrease in mean systolic blood pressure and 83% mean diastolic blood pressure to within the normal range, that is, study criteria. Other significant variables that were observed to influence therapy were marital status, level of education and duration of illness. Three months post treatment follow-up revealed that the blood pressure of patients were still within the normal range. This suggests that cognitive behaviour therapy and progressive muscle relaxation/biofeedback could be beneficial for short and long term adjunctive treatment o f essential hypertension.
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    Selective Indices of Health Seeking Behaviour among Ghanaians. A Study of Herbal and Orthodox Medical Regimens
    (University of Ghana, 1992-09) Arhinful, K.D.; Senah, K.A.; University of Ghana, College of Humanities, School of Social Sciences, Department of Sociology
    This study concerns the determinants of the differential use of health care regimens. The focus is on herbal and orthodox medical regimens. Its central theme is that socio-cultural determinants constitute important factors that influence the sick in the selection of a health care regimen in developing African countries. The study pursues this theme by examining the complaint patterns of the two medical regimens, ascertaining the motivations that account for the basis of preference, the criteria upon which a therapeutic choice is made and the underlying motivations upon which the outcome is evaluated. The importance of the task is to gain a better understanding of health seeking behaviour of the sick in times of illness. Significant findings reflecting motivational and socio-cultural factors are made that tend to offer an explanation to the differential use of alternate health care resources. Knowledge of nature of illness (in terms of type and severity) predisposes one to choose a therapy which he considers appropriate from experience. The choice is usually organized in a "hierarchy of resorts". Herbal regimens appear to be used as "last" resorts in the hierarchy. The most important finding is that choice appears to be a function of the nature of illness and the perceived coverage capacity of a facility in terms of availability, accessibility, acceptability, contact and effective coverage. Overall, clients perceive service capacity of herbal treatment to be wider and better than orthodox treatment. Such a finding, it is suggested, has significant implications for public health in terms of the promotion of herbal medicine. By way of theoretical implication the study lends support to previous findings on the importance of efficacy testing in the differential use of health care resource (Colson 1971).
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    Community Health Workers In The Primary Health Care (PHC) Programme In Rural Ghana. A Study at Nkoranza
    (University of Ghana, 1996-08) Opoku-Tuffour, S.; Botei-Doku, E.; Assimeng, M.; University of Ghana, College of Humanities, School of Social Sciences, Department of Sociology
    Community Health Workers In The Primary Health Care (PHC) Programme In Rural Ghana. A Study at Nkoranza The search for a more equitable health care delivery system to cover the majority of the people, more especially the vulnerable groups (women and children) has led many developing countries including Ghana to adopt the Primary Health Care (PHC) programme. Primary Health Care as envisaged, is to make health care available, accessible and affordable to the underprivileged an also to enable the people and the system is to serve to participate in its planning and implementation. Community Health Workers (CHWs) have been identified as the corner-stone of such a programme. Ghana has thus found it appropriate to use such community-trained health care providers. Using a sample of 32 CHWS, some leaders of the communities of the 32 CHWs and some health personnel in the h Nkoranza area in the Brong-Ahafo Region of Ghana, an attempt has been made to examine factors affecting the performance of CHWs in the implementation of the CHW programme in rural Ghana (chapter 1). The thesis as demonstrated in Chapter Two, has shown that the programme took off with the participation of the communities concerned, the government of Ghana (through the Ministry of Health) and the various non-governmental organisations UNICEF, WHO, World Vision International and Catholic Secretariat. The research has however revealed that the institutionalization of the programme has not recorded much success (as shown in chapters 4, 5 and 6). The state of affairs in the organization of community clinics is attributed to among other things, the lack of community education on the programme and improper planning and development of the necessary support systems. These factors which are interrelated and interconnected have damped the enthusiasm of the community members and most of the trained CHWs, The end result is that, about 80% of the CHWs have abandoned the programme. While some measures such as the organization of fund raising activities and the training of community leaders in management skills could be adopted locally to deal with the problems of remuneration, supervision and drug supplies, more comprehensive measures will be needed at the national level to reshape the programme to meet the needs of the rural majority (Chapter 7).
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    Trade-Off between Price and Improvement in Quality of Service on Utilisation of Public Health Facilities in the Ashanti Region of Ghana
    (University of Ghana, 1998-09) Osei-Akoto, I.; Akoena, S.K.K.; Jackson, H.E.; University of Ghana, College of Humanities, School of Social Sciences, Department of Economics
    This thesis assessed quantitatively, the improvement of drug availability at two district hospitals, two urban and two rural health centers in the Ashanti Region of Ghana after the introduction of “Cash and Carry” policy in the country. The supply situation of these public institutions in both periods was compared to the coverage of the facilities by using panel data analysis. As an input to the debate on the design of the national health insurance scheme, the work also used contingent valuation methods to assess the willingness of patients to change their current out of pocket payment system for drugs. On average the percentages of desired drug quantities and drug types that were supplied increased remarkably. The findings on coverage trends were mixed. One of each of the two facilities in the rural, urban and district communities had its coverage reduced in the post period while the other ones in the same community types had theirs improved. The study re-emphasizes the importance of drugs in the delivery of health care in the public health institutions in Ghana. The relative negative responsiveness of coverage to price changes in the pre-period was greater than the post-period, implying that patients are more likely to pay higher fees in improved quality periods. There was also high acceptance of prepayment scheme for drugs in these communities. The improvement in quality of care like drug availability has a big role to play in the delivery of health care in Ghana. There is the need to minimise the effects of the noticeable bottlenecks in the improvement of quality of care like management inefficiencies, under staffing in remote areas and the unfunctional credit facilities set up for the needy in society. It is also recommended that there should be a simple and selective, but affordable health insurance package for drugs to at least serve as a start for the implementation of the national health insurance policy that has remained a dream for more than a decade.