HIV Stigma and Status Disclosure in Three Municipalities in Ghana.

Background: HIV-related stigma and HIV status disclosure are important elements in the continuous fight against HIV as these impact the prevention efforts and antiretroviral treatment adherence among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in many communities.

Objectives: The objectives of the study were to examine the prevalence and experience of various types of HIV-related stigma and HIV status disclosure among PLWHA in Volta region.

Methods: A cross-sectional design was used to collect quantitative data from 301 PLWHA.

Prevalence of geriatric depression in a community sample in Ghana: Analysis of associated risk and protective factors.

Background: Ageing comes with its own associated physical and psychosocial challenges. Depression is reported as one of the most prevalent psychopathology found among elderly people. However, there is dearth of literature in Ghana regarding mental health and its associated risk and protective factors among Ghanaians who are aged 65years and above.

The gender gap in relation to happiness and preferences in married couples after childbirth: evidence from a field experiment in rural Ghana.

Background: How does the gap in preferences between married couples affect their happiness after childbirth? Are couples that share similar preferences happier? In recent years, gender, marriage, and happiness have been considered to be key issues in public health research. Although much research has examined the happiness status of married couples, practically no study has explored the gender gap in relation to happiness and the preferences of married couples after childbirth. Therefore, our study was conducted to assess the association between the preference gap and the happiness status among married couples in the afterbirth period.

Prevalence and risk factors for Active Convulsive Epilepsy in Kintampo, Ghana.

Introduction: Epilepsy is common in sub-Saharan Africa, but there is little data in West Africa, to develop public health measures for epilepsy in this region.

Methods: We conducted a three-stage cross-sectional survey to determine the prevalence and risk factors for active convulsive epilepsy (ACE), and estimated the treatment gap in Kintampo situated in the middle of Ghana.

Results: 249 people with ACE were identified in a study population of 113,796 individuals.

Incidence, Remission and Mortality of Convulsive Epilepsy in Rural Northeast South Africa.

Background: Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological conditions globally, estimated to constitute 0.75% of the global burden of disease, with the majority of this burden found in low- and middle- income countries (LMICs). Few studies from LMICs, including much of sub-Saharan Africa, have described the incidence, remission or mortality rates due to epilepsy, which are needed to quantify the burden and inform policy.

Implementation of the integrated management of childhood illness with parasitological diagnosis of malaria in rural Ghana: health worker perceptions.

Background: Timely and appropriate management of febrile illness among children under five years of age will contribute to achieving Millennium Development Goal-4. The revised World Health Organization-Global Malaria Programme's policy on test-based management of malaria must integrate effectively into the Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI). This study reports on perceptions of health workers on the health system factors influencing effective delivery of test-based diagnosis of malaria with IMCI.

Clinical features, proximate causes, and consequences of active convulsive epilepsy in Africa.

Purpose: Epilepsy is common in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), but the clinical features and consequences are poorly characterized. Most studies are hospital-based, and few studies have compared different ecological sites in SSA. We described active convulsive epilepsy (ACE) identified in cross-sectional community-based surveys in SSA, to understand the proximate causes, features, and consequences.

Common understandings of women's mental illness in Ghana: results from a qualitative study.

Despite the high rates of depression and anxiety disorders amongst women, the mental health of women is a neglected area, particularly in Africa. This study sought to explore what key stakeholders perceive as the main causes of mental illness in women in Ghana. Using qualitative methods, 81 semi-structured interviews and seven focus group discussions were conducted with 120 key stakeholders drawn from 5 of the 10 regions in Ghana.

The comparative validity of screening scales for postnatal common mental disorder in Kintampo, Ghana.

Background: There have been few attempts formally to validate screening measures for postnatal common mental disorder in low income country settings. We have investigated the comparative validity of three different screening approaches in a community-based study in Kintampo, Ghana.

Method: 160 women aged 15-45 years, and 5-11 weeks postpartum were first screened using the Self-Report Questionnaire (SRQ-20), with oversampling of higher scorers.