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  1. Article ; Online: COVID-19 and its impact on the profit of mango value chain actors.

    Onumah, Edward Ebo / Ketadzo, Bright / Adaku, Abigail Ampomah / Onumah, Justina Adwoa / Addey Owusu, Prince

    PloS one

    2024  Volume 19, Issue 4, Page(s) e0299572

    Abstract: The unprecedented impact of the pandemic on both activities and profit of actors draws out the various areas of the value chain that need to be strengthened to ensure resilience in the face of global shock. This study fills the gap by assessing the ... ...

    Abstract The unprecedented impact of the pandemic on both activities and profit of actors draws out the various areas of the value chain that need to be strengthened to ensure resilience in the face of global shock. This study fills the gap by assessing the extent at which COVID-19 impacted the profit of mango value chain actors in southern Ghana. It also analyzed the governance structure and the existing linkages in the dissemination of market information in relation to the profit of the actors. A two-year panel survey on 240 respondents was conducted in 2020 through a multi-stage sampling technique in Greater Accra, Eastern and Volta regions of Ghana. Net Farm Income, Social Network Analysis and Difference-in-Difference models were used in analyzing the data. Findings revealed that mango processors have more bargaining power and make the most profit while producers receive more information than other actors. Farmer-based organizations were found to be the prominent node and influential in the dissemination of market information within the value chain. The outbreak of COVID-19 negatively impacted the profit of mango producers and distributors; however, processors had a positive impact on their profit. The study therefore demonstrated that producers and distributors were vulnerable to the effect of the COVID-19 shock, whilst processors were robust to the shocks. Thus, reformed policies by all stakeholders for emergency preparedness should be targeted especially at those vulnerable actors in the chain. Additionally, FBOs, retailers and other key stakeholders should be considered in policy development to enhance market information dissemination.
    MeSH term(s) Humans ; Mangifera ; COVID-19/epidemiology ; Organizations ; Farmers ; Farms
    Language English
    Publishing date 2024-04-03
    Publishing country United States
    Document type Journal Article
    ZDB-ID 2267670-3
    ISSN 1932-6203 ; 1932-6203
    ISSN (online) 1932-6203
    ISSN 1932-6203
    DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0299572
    Database MEDical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System OnLINE

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  2. Article ; Online: Towards equitable representation in long-term residential care: widening the circle to ensure "essential voices" in research teams.

    Hande, Mary Jean / Owusu, Prince / Aubrecht, Katie / Cloutier, Denise / Estabrooks, Carole / Keefe, Janice

    Research involvement and engagement

    2024  Volume 10, Issue 1, Page(s) 34

    Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic exposed long-standing inequities in Canada's long-term residential care (LTRC) sector with life-threatening consequences. People from marginalized groups are overrepresented among those who live in, and work in LTRC facilities, yet ... ...

    Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic exposed long-standing inequities in Canada's long-term residential care (LTRC) sector with life-threatening consequences. People from marginalized groups are overrepresented among those who live in, and work in LTRC facilities, yet their voices are generally silenced in LTRC research. Concerns about these silenced voices have sparked debate around ways to change LTRC policy to better address long-standing inequities and enhance the conditions that foster dignity for those who live and work in LTRC. Weaving an analysis of historical and cultural attitudes about LTRC, and promising strategies for engaging people with lived experience, we argue that the voices of people with lived experience of life and work (paid and unpaid) in LTRC are essential for ethically and effectively shifting long-standing inequities. Lessons from a 4-year, national, multi-disciplinary research study, known as the Seniors Adding Life to Years (SALTY) project, suggest that resident-determined quality of life can be prioritized by centring the perspectives of residents, their family/friends, direct care workers, volunteers, and people living with dementia in the research process. Accordingly, we highlight strategies to include these voices so that meaningful and impactful system change can be realized.
    Language English
    Publishing date 2024-03-25
    Publishing country England
    Document type Letter
    ZDB-ID 2834246-X
    ISSN 2056-7529 ; 2056-7529
    ISSN (online) 2056-7529
    ISSN 2056-7529
    DOI 10.1186/s40900-024-00562-6
    Database MEDical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System OnLINE

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  3. Article: A review of parabolic solar cookers with thermal energy storage

    Lentswe, Katlego / Mawire, Ashmore / Owusu, Prince / Shobo, Adedamola

    Heliyon. 2021 Oct., v. 7, no. 10

    2021  

    Abstract: Biomass and fossil fuels are mostly used in rural areas of developing countries for cooking. These energy resources have negative impacts on the environment and human health mainly due to deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions. A cleaner and ... ...

    Abstract Biomass and fossil fuels are mostly used in rural areas of developing countries for cooking. These energy resources have negative impacts on the environment and human health mainly due to deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions. A cleaner and environmentally-friendly form of cooking is solar cooking using the sun's energy. Parabolic solar cookers perform better than other solar cookers such as box solar cookers since higher temperatures are achieved in a shorter duration. These higher temperatures allow most types of cooking processes such as; boiling, frying, roasting, and baking to be possible. The major problem with most conventional solar cookers is that cooking is not possible during off-sunshine periods. Integrating solar cookers with thermal energy storage (TES) makes cooking during off-sunshine periods possible. This paper presents a comprehensive review of parabolic solar cookers with TES which is a sustainable cooking solution for developing countries. Previous work on both parabolic trough and parabolic dish solar cookers with TES is presented. Solar cookers with storage are classified according to the two main types of TES technologies which are; sensible heat thermal energy storage (SHTES) and latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES). The main conclusions of the review are that; parabolic dish solar cookers with TES are more common than parabolic trough cookers, more studies have been done using latent heat storage as compared to sensible heat storage, limited modelling work has been presented, most of the parabolic cookers used aluminum sheets as the reflecting material, large scale experimental studies are limited and fewer studies tackled the techno-economic and socio-economic aspects. The review also highlights research gaps on parabolic solar cookers with TES in terms of the modelling, combined TES (sensible and latent heat), different reflector materials, large-scale experimental setups, and techno-economic and socio-economic analyses. Other important aspects to consider for parabolic solar cookers with TES include; the choice of sensible or latent heat storage materials, environmental impact, types of food to be cooked, and social acceptance.
    Keywords aluminum ; biomass ; deforestation ; environmental impact ; greenhouse gases ; heat ; human health ; latent heat ; socioeconomics ; solar collectors ; thermal energy
    Language English
    Dates of publication 2021-10
    Publishing place Elsevier Ltd
    Document type Article
    ZDB-ID 2835763-2
    ISSN 2405-8440
    ISSN 2405-8440
    DOI 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e08226
    Database NAL-Catalogue (AGRICOLA)

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  4. Article ; Online: Measuring quality of facility-based ITN distribution in Ghana.

    Nuñez, Luigi / Skjefte, Malia / Asamoah, Obed E / Owusu, Prince / Malm, Keziah L / Miller, Jane E

    Malaria journal

    2023  Volume 22, Issue 1, Page(s) 222

    Abstract: Background: Continuous distribution channels are effective methods to deliver malaria interventions such as insecticide treated nets (ITNs) to pregnant women attending antenatal care clinics and children under five attending immunization visits. ... ...

    Abstract Background: Continuous distribution channels are effective methods to deliver malaria interventions such as insecticide treated nets (ITNs) to pregnant women attending antenatal care clinics and children under five attending immunization visits. Facility-based and provider-based checklists were used during supportive supervision visits to measure the quality of facility-based services and interventions. This study looks at ITN distributions at health facilities in Ghana, with the aim of providing insights on how quality can be measured and monitored.
    Methods: Various quality improvement approaches for malaria services occur in Ghana. Selected indicators were analysed to highlight the similarities and differences of how the approaches measured how well the channel was doing. Generally, the approaches assessed (1) service data management, (2) logistics data management, and (3) observation of service provision (ITN issuance, malaria education, ITN use and care education). Two approaches used a binary (Yes/No) scale, and one used a Likert scale.
    Results: Results showed that most data reported to the national HMIS is accurate. Logistics data management remained an issue at health facilities, as results showed scores below average across facility stores, antenatal care, and immunization. Though the supervision approaches differed, overall results indicated that almost all eligible clients received ITNs, data were recorded accurately and reported on-time, and logistics was the largest challenge to optimal distribution through health facilities.
    Conclusion: The supervision approaches provided valuable insights into the quality of facility-based ITN distribution. Ghana should continue to implement supportive supervision in their malaria agenda, with additional steps needed to improve reporting of collected data and increase the number of facilities visited for supportive supervision and the frequency. There were various supervision approaches used with no clear guidance on how to measure quality of facility-based ITN distribution, so there is also need for the global community to agree on standardized indicators and approaches to measuring quality of facility-based ITN distribution. Additionally, future studies can review the effect of multiple rounds of supervision visits on the quality of ITN distribution as well as understand the facilitators and barriers to scaling up supervision of facility-based ITN distribution.
    MeSH term(s) Child ; Humans ; Female ; Pregnancy ; Ghana ; Insecticide-Treated Bednets ; Malaria/prevention & control ; Pregnant Women ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Insecticides
    Chemical Substances Insecticides
    Language English
    Publishing date 2023-08-02
    Publishing country England
    Document type Journal Article
    ZDB-ID 2091229-8
    ISSN 1475-2875 ; 1475-2875
    ISSN (online) 1475-2875
    ISSN 1475-2875
    DOI 10.1186/s12936-023-04626-y
    Database MEDical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System OnLINE

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  5. Article ; Online: Successful implementation of ITN distribution through health facilities in Ghana.

    Nuñez, Luigi / Skjefte, Malia / Asamoah, Obed E / Owusu, Prince / Malm, Keziah / Miller, Jane E

    Malaria journal

    2023  Volume 22, Issue 1, Page(s) 224

    Abstract: Background: Global efforts to reduce malaria burden include distribution of insecticide-treated mosquito nets through mass campaigns and routine channels. Ghana's National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) distributes insecticide-treated bed nets ( ... ...

    Abstract Background: Global efforts to reduce malaria burden include distribution of insecticide-treated mosquito nets through mass campaigns and routine channels. Ghana's National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) distributes insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs) through various channels, including to pregnant women at antenatal care (ANC) visits and children at vaccination visits through child welfare clinics (CWC). This study assessed historical ITN distribution throughout ANCs and CWCs across Ghana and the characteristics of high performing facilities.
    Methods: Monthly data on routine ITN distribution was provided from Ghana's national health information management system for the years 2016-2021. Analyses were conducted to assess the performance of ITN distribution at ANC and CWC across time, ecological zone, regions, districts, facility ownership, and facility type. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were performed to predict the odds of ANC and CWC issuing rates greater or equal to 80% for a given facility type or ownership.
    Results: In 2021, 93% of women who attended their first antenatal care visit and 92% of children under five who received their second dose of the measles-rubella vaccine (MR2) had received an ITN. At the regional level, 94% of regions (n = 15/16) maintained the NSP target issuing rate of 80% throughout 2020 and 2021. While there were no clear differences in issuing rates between ecological zones, district-level differences were present across the six years. All health facility types performed at or above 80% in 2021 for both ANC and CWC. Odds ratios demonstrated differences in the likelihood of meeting the 80% issuing rate goal among different facility types as well as private versus public ownership when comparing ANC and CWC.
    Conclusion: By 2021, Ghana had improved its ITN issuing rates since the initial year of analysis, surpassing the 80% target by issuing nets to over 90% of pregnant women and young children attending ANC and CWC. Future work can explore the reasons for national and subnational differences in issuing rates as well as help understand additional characteristics of high performing facilities. Additionally, it is necessary to identify and expand on the drivers for improved performance over the time period.
    MeSH term(s) Child ; Humans ; Female ; Pregnancy ; Child, Preschool ; Ghana ; Malaria/prevention & control ; Ownership ; Prenatal Care ; Insecticide-Treated Bednets ; Health Facilities ; Mosquito Control
    Language English
    Publishing date 2023-08-02
    Publishing country England
    Document type Journal Article
    ZDB-ID 2091229-8
    ISSN 1475-2875 ; 1475-2875
    ISSN (online) 1475-2875
    ISSN 1475-2875
    DOI 10.1186/s12936-023-04592-5
    Database MEDical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System OnLINE

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  6. Article ; Online: Over forty percent of women living with HIV report interruption in antiretroviral therapy during intrapartum and early postpartum inpatient stay: findings from five hospitals in Ghana.

    Sakyi, Kwame S / Hurley, Emily A / Kanyangarara, Mufaro / Owusu, Prince G / Sowah, Leonie-Akofio / Lartey, Margaret / Jackson, Frederica / Sacks, Emma

    AIDS care

    2024  Volume 36, Issue 1, Page(s) 139–145

    Abstract: Antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence during and after pregnancy is essential to reduce perinatal transmission of HIV. However, little is known about adherence during the intrapartum and early postpartum inpatient hospital stay. Using secondary data ... ...

    Abstract Antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence during and after pregnancy is essential to reduce perinatal transmission of HIV. However, little is known about adherence during the intrapartum and early postpartum inpatient hospital stay. Using secondary data from a hospital-based cohort study focused on the relationship between birthweight and engagement in HIV care, we examined the magnitude of, reasons for, and factors associated with incomplete intrapartum and early postpartum ART adherence among adult women (18 years or older) living with HIV who delivered within the previous two weeks at one of five hospitals in Accra, Ghana. Of the 142 enrolled participants who had complete adherence data and reported being on ART at the time of hospital admission, 43% (61/142) reported missing at least one ART dose during labor, delivery, and postpartum, including almost 20% (28/142) missing 2 or more consecutive doses. Women who reported frequently missing ART doses during pregnancy had higher odds of reporting missed doses during their intrapartum and postpartum hospital stays. Among those with inpatient ART interruption, the most frequently cited reasons were: forgetting medication at home (42%) and challenges of being in or recovering from labor (29%). Maternal perception of infant health at birth, hospital level of care, and frequency of missing HIV medications during pregnancy were associated with incomplete ART adherence during the intrapartum and early postpartum inpatient stay. An enabling clinical environment to facilitate access to ART during inpatient stays may have positive implications for ART adherence.
    MeSH term(s) Pregnancy ; Adult ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant ; Female ; Humans ; HIV Infections/complications ; Cohort Studies ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/drug therapy ; Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical ; Ghana ; Inpatients ; Postpartum Period ; Anti-Retroviral Agents/therapeutic use ; Medication Adherence ; Hospitals ; Anti-HIV Agents/therapeutic use
    Chemical Substances Anti-Retroviral Agents ; Anti-HIV Agents
    Language English
    Publishing date 2024-01-30
    Publishing country England
    Document type Journal Article
    ZDB-ID 1012651-x
    ISSN 1360-0451 ; 0954-0121
    ISSN (online) 1360-0451
    ISSN 0954-0121
    DOI 10.1080/09540121.2023.2254546
    Database MEDical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System OnLINE

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  7. Article: A review of parabolic solar cookers with thermal energy storage.

    Lentswe, Katlego / Mawire, Ashmore / Owusu, Prince / Shobo, Adedamola

    Heliyon

    2021  Volume 7, Issue 10, Page(s) e08226

    Abstract: Biomass and fossil fuels are mostly used in rural areas of developing countries for cooking. These energy resources have negative impacts on the environment and human health mainly due to deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions. A cleaner and ... ...

    Abstract Biomass and fossil fuels are mostly used in rural areas of developing countries for cooking. These energy resources have negative impacts on the environment and human health mainly due to deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions. A cleaner and environmentally-friendly form of cooking is solar cooking using the sun's energy. Parabolic solar cookers perform better than other solar cookers such as box solar cookers since higher temperatures are achieved in a shorter duration. These higher temperatures allow most types of cooking processes such as; boiling, frying, roasting, and baking to be possible. The major problem with most conventional solar cookers is that cooking is not possible during off-sunshine periods. Integrating solar cookers with thermal energy storage (TES) makes cooking during off-sunshine periods possible. This paper presents a comprehensive review of parabolic solar cookers with TES which is a sustainable cooking solution for developing countries. Previous work on both parabolic trough and parabolic dish solar cookers with TES is presented. Solar cookers with storage are classified according to the two main types of TES technologies which are; sensible heat thermal energy storage (SHTES) and latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES). The main conclusions of the review are that; parabolic dish solar cookers with TES are more common than parabolic trough cookers, more studies have been done using latent heat storage as compared to sensible heat storage, limited modelling work has been presented, most of the parabolic cookers used aluminum sheets as the reflecting material, large scale experimental studies are limited and fewer studies tackled the techno-economic and socio-economic aspects. The review also highlights research gaps on parabolic solar cookers with TES in terms of the modelling, combined TES (sensible and latent heat), different reflector materials, large-scale experimental setups, and techno-economic and socio-economic analyses. Other important aspects to consider for parabolic solar cookers with TES include; the choice of sensible or latent heat storage materials, environmental impact, types of food to be cooked, and social acceptance.
    Language English
    Publishing date 2021-10-20
    Publishing country England
    Document type Journal Article ; Review
    ZDB-ID 2835763-2
    ISSN 2405-8440
    ISSN 2405-8440
    DOI 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e08226
    Database MEDical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System OnLINE

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  8. Article ; Online: Barriers to providing healthcare to children living with cerebral palsy in Ghana: A qualitative study of healthcare provider perspectives.

    Oguntade, Habibat A / Nishath, Thamanna / Owusu, Prince G / Papadimitriou, Christina / Sakyi, Kwame S

    PLOS global public health

    2022  Volume 2, Issue 12, Page(s) e0001331

    Abstract: Children with neurodevelopmental disabilities in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) experience profound health and social inequities. While challenges faced by children living with disabilities and their caregivers have been widely documented, ... ...

    Abstract Children with neurodevelopmental disabilities in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) experience profound health and social inequities. While challenges faced by children living with disabilities and their caregivers have been widely documented, little is known about barriers faced by healthcare providers (HCPs) who serve these children. This study seeks to understand the barriers to testing, diagnosing, referral, and treatment of children living with cerebral palsy (CLWCP) from the perspectives of HCPs in Ghana. This qualitative study was conducted in the Greater Accra region of Ghana. A snowball sampling strategy was used to recruit HCPs from major hospitals, education centers, and health facilities. Data were collected through 11 semi-structured in-depth interviews (IDIs) with HCPs. Using an adapted version of the Sweat & Denison socio-ecological framework (SDSF), barriers to providing healthcare to CLWCPs were organized into superstructural, structural, environmental, relational, individual, and technological levels. We found that barriers to providing healthcare to CLWCPs exist at all levels of the adapted framework. The most salient barriers were identified at the superstructural, structural, and environmental levels. All HCPs expressed frustration with Ghana's health insurance policies and inadequacies of the health systems infrastructures, such as patient assessment rooms, health information systems, and pharmaceutical products for CP care. HCPs also reported that disability-related stigma often discourages providers in training from specializing in the area of developmental disabilities. HCPs emphasized critical challenges related to local perceptions of disability, gender norms and ideologies, and health system policies and infrastructure. Findings highlight the importance of identifying multi-level factors that can influence testing, diagnosing, referral, treatment, and provision of care for CLWCPs in Ghana. Addressing identified challenges from each level of influence may improve CLWCP's experiences throughout the care continuum.
    Language English
    Publishing date 2022-12-09
    Publishing country United States
    Document type Journal Article
    ISSN 2767-3375
    ISSN (online) 2767-3375
    DOI 10.1371/journal.pgph.0001331
    Database MEDical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System OnLINE

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  9. Article ; Online: The Effect of Social Determinants of Health on Psychological Health Among Older Adults in Ghana.

    Addai-Dansoh, Stephen / Dai, Baozhen / Larnyo, Ebenezer / Aseye Nutakor, Jonathan / Osei-Kwakye, Jeremiah / Arboh, Francisca / Owusu, Prince / Yeboah Boahemaa, Priscilla / Boadu, Bright

    Journal of gerontological social work

    2024  , Page(s) 1–20

    Abstract: This study examines the effects of various factors, including socioeconomic status, built environment, access to healthcare, educational level, social participation, and economic stability, on older adults' psychological health. The current study ... ...

    Abstract This study examines the effects of various factors, including socioeconomic status, built environment, access to healthcare, educational level, social participation, and economic stability, on older adults' psychological health. The current study analyzed a nationally representative sub-sample of 2,577 respondents aged 50 and above from the World Health Organization's Study on Global AGEing and Adult Health (WHO SAGE) Wave 2. WHO SAGE Wave 2 is cross-sectional data collected via in-person structured interviews. Ordinal least square (OLS) was used to measure the average effect of social determinants of health (SDoH), and quantile regression analysis was used to determine the effects of SDoH on older adults' psychological health at different quantiles, specifically 10
    Language English
    Publishing date 2024-04-10
    Publishing country United States
    Document type Journal Article
    ZDB-ID 779365-0
    ISSN 1540-4048 ; 0163-4372
    ISSN (online) 1540-4048
    ISSN 0163-4372
    DOI 10.1080/01634372.2024.2340732
    Database MEDical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System OnLINE

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  10. Article ; Online: Knowledge of developmental disabilities and referral sources among health workers in two Ghanaian hospitals.

    Sheriff, Blessed / Sakyi, Kwame / Malm, Esther K / Zabel, Celeste / Owusu, Prince G / Sowah, Leonie-Akofio / Anum, Adote

    International journal of developmental disabilities

    2022  Volume 70, Issue 3, Page(s) 458–468

    Abstract: Proper treatment of developmental disabilities requires health workers to have adequate knowledge of etiology and referral procedures. There is a dearth of research on knowledge of developmental disabilities among health workers in Ghana. The purpose of ... ...

    Abstract Proper treatment of developmental disabilities requires health workers to have adequate knowledge of etiology and referral procedures. There is a dearth of research on knowledge of developmental disabilities among health workers in Ghana. The purpose of this study was to document knowledge about developmental disorders, causes, and referral procedures among health workers. Researchers used a successive free-listing method to interview 37 health workers. Developmental disabilities which present with physical symptoms were the most salient disorders identified among health workers, while learning disabilities and attention deficit disorder were largely overlooked. The most commonly listed developmental disabilities were cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and autism spectrum disorder. Respondents had limited knowledge about the causes of and referral resources for developmental disabilities. Results show the need for continuing medical education, public awareness, and enhanced resources to support the identification and care of children with developmental disabilities in Ghana.
    Language English
    Publishing date 2022-07-15
    Publishing country England
    Document type Journal Article
    ZDB-ID 2625980-1
    ISSN 2047-3877 ; 2047-3869
    ISSN (online) 2047-3877
    ISSN 2047-3869
    DOI 10.1080/20473869.2022.2097413
    Database MEDical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System OnLINE

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