Skilled antenatal care services utilisation in sub-Saharan Africa: a pooled analysis of demographic and health surveys from 32 countries.

Background: Each day, an estimated 800 women die from preventable pregnancy and childbirth related complications, where 99% of these avoidable deaths happen in low-and middle-income countries. Skilled attendance during antenatal care (ANC) plays a role in reducing maternal and child mortality. However, the factors that predict the utilisation of skilled ANC services in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) remains sparsely investigated.

Validity and Reliability of Cultural Mix Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations among Healthcare Professionals in Ghana Amidst COVID-19.

The Cultural Mix Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations is one of the recent coping measures developed to overcome the weaknesses of existing coping scales. Since its development and validation, the inventory has been used by previous studies to measure coping among teachers and students in stressful situations. Health professionals are workers who typically encounter stressful situations due to their work demands.

Prevalence and factors associated with health insurance coverage in urban sub-Saharan Africa: Multilevel analyses of demographic and health survey data.

Introduction: With the vision of achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by the year 2030, many sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries have implemented health insurance schemes that seek to improve access to healthcare for their populace. In this study, we examined the prevalence and factors associated with health insurance coverage in urban sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

Materials And Methods: We used the most recent Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data from 23 countries in SSA.

Factors influencing the uptake of intermittent preventive treatment among pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa: a multilevel analysis.

Background: Intermittent Preventive Treatment (IPT) of malaria in pregnancy is a full therapeutic course of antimalarial sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) medicine given to pregnant women in their second trimester at routine antenatal care visits, regardless of whether the recipient is infected with malaria. Given the negative consequences of malaria in pregnancy, studies on Intermittent Preventive Therapy with Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine (IPTp-SP) are important benchmarks for understanding the extent of malaria control and prevention during pregnancy. We, therefore, examined the factors associated with the uptake of IPTp-SP among pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa.

Is quality maternal healthcare all about successful childbirth? Views of mothers in the Wa Municipality, Ghana.

Introduction: In spite of the countless initiatives of the Ghana government to improve the quality of maternal healthcare, Upper West Region still records poor childbirth outcomes. This study, therefore, explored women's perception of the quality of maternal healthcare they receive in the Wa Municipality of the Upper West Region of Ghana.

Materials And Methods: This is a qualitative cross-sectional study of 62 women who accessed maternal healthcare in the Wa Municipality of Ghana.

Knowledge and determinants of women's knowledge on vertical transmission of HIV and AIDS in South Africa.

Background: HIV/AIDS is still one of the major public health concerns globally. It is one of the major contributory causes of deaths among women in the reproductive age (15-49 years) and has resulted in about 14 million orphaned children globally. Knowledge of Mother-to Child transmission is one of the strategies to fight against HIV.

Management of chronic non-communicable diseases in Ghana: a qualitative study using the chronic care model.

Background: While the burden and mortality from chronic non-communicable diseases (CNCDs) have reached epidemic proportions in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), decision-makers and individuals still consider CNCDs to be infrequent and, therefore, do not pay the needed attention to their management. We, therefore, explored the practices and challenges associated with the management of CNCDs by patients and health professionals.

Methods: This was a qualitative study among 82 CNCD patients and 30 health professionals.

Experiences of women seeking post-abortion care services in a Regional Hospital in Ghana.

Introduction: Abortions remain one of the highest contributors to maternal deaths in Ghana. In 2003, a policy on post-abortion care was introduced to help reduce abortion-related mortality and morbidity. However, depending on the method of pregnancy termination; women encounter varying experiences.

Barriers to accessing healthcare among women in Ghana: a multilevel modelling.

Background: Women's health remains a global public health concern, as enshrined in the Sustainable Development Goals. This study, therefore, sought to assess the individual and contextual factors associated with barriers to accessing healthcare among women in Ghana.

Methods: The study was conducted among 9370 women aged 15-49, using data from the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey.

Undernutrition, polygynous context and family structure: a multilevel analysis of cross-sectional surveys of 350 000 mother-child pairs from 32 countries.

Background: Contextual factors, especially where people live, has been linked to various health outcomes, therefore, there is an increasing focus on its implication for policies and implementation of health interventions. Polygyny is a widespread practice in sub-Saharan Africa that also reflects socioeconomic and sociocultural features. This study investigated the association between polygynous context and risk of undernutrition.

Trend and determinants of complete vaccination coverage among children aged 12-23 months in Ghana: Analysis of data from the 1998 to 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Surveys.

Background: Vaccination is proven to be one of the most cost-effective measures adopted to improve the health of children globally. Adhering to vaccines for children has the propensity to prevent about 1.5 million annual child deaths globally.

Paid sex among men in sub-Saharan Africa: Analysis of the demographic and health survey.

Background: Paying for sex is regarded as a risky sexual behavior (RSB) among heterosexual men. Men paying for sex are considered to be a bridging population for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Despite the link between paid sex and sexual and reproductive health outcomes such as STIs, little is known about the prevalence and factors associated with paid sex among men in sub-Saharan Africa.

Proximate and socio-economic determinants of under-five mortality in Benin, 2017/2018.

Background: Globally, under-five mortality has declined significantly, but still remains a critical public health problem in sub-Saharan African countries such as Benin. Yet, there is no empirical information in the country using a nationally representative data to explain this phenomenon. The aim of this study was to examine how proximate and socio-economic factors are associated with mortality in under-five children in Benin.

Are senior high school students in Ghana meeting WHO's recommended level of physical activity? Evidence from the 2012 Global School-based Student Health Survey Data.

Introduction: Physical activity (PA) has both short- and long-term importance. In this study we sought to assess the prevalence and correlates of PA among 1,542 Senior High School (SHS) students.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Ghana among SHS students using the 2012 version of the Ghana Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS) data, which utilised two-stage cluster sampling technique.

Understanding the endorsement of wife beating in Ghana: evidence of the 2014 Ghana demographic and health survey.

Background: Domestic violence (DV) has become a global burden. The high occurrence of intimate partner violence (IPV) across the globe has implications for the socioeconomic wellbeing and health of children and women.

Methods: Data for the study was from the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS).

Understanding the Socio-demographic Factors Surrounding Young Peoples' Risky Sexual Behaviour in Ghana and Kenya.

Globally, young people in sub-Saharan Africa continue to be the population at the greatest risk for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as HIV and AIDS, Syphilis, and Gonorrhoea. Research has shown significant relationship between young peoples risky sexual behaviours and their vulnerability to these STIs. The study examined risky sexual behaviours among the youth in Ghana and Kenya in relation to socio-demographic characteristics.

Prevalence and determinants of Acute Lower Respiratory Infections among children under-five years in sub-Saharan Africa: Evidence from demographic and health surveys.

Acute Lower Respiratory Infections (ALRIs) account for 5.8 million deaths globally and 50% of these deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa. In this paper, we examined the prevalence and determinants of ALRIs among children under-five years in 28 sub-Saharan African countries.

Prevalence and correlates of truancy among in-school adolescents in Ghana: evidence from the 2012 Global School-based Student Health Survey.

This study examined the prevalence and correlates of truancy among adolescents in Ghana using the 2012 Global School-based Health Survey. A sample of 1 430 adolescents was used for the study. The prevalence of truancy was 31%.

Women's reproductive health decision-making: A multi-country analysis of demographic and health surveys in sub-Saharan Africa.

Introduction: Women's ability to make decisions regarding their reproductive health has important implications for their health and well-being. We studied the socio-demographic factors affecting reproductive health decision-making among women in 27 sub-Sahara African countries.

Materials And Methods: The study made use of pooled data from current Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) conducted from January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2016 in 27 countries in sub-Sahara African.

Understanding variations in health insurance coverage in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and Tanzania: Evidence from demographic and health surveys.

Background: Realisation of universal health coverage is not possible without health financing systems that ensure financial risk protection. To ensure this, some African countries have instituted health insurance schemes as venues for ensuring universal access to health care for their populace. In this paper, we examined variations in health insurance coverage in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and Tanzania.

Determinants of choice of skilled antenatal care service providers in Ghana: analysis of demographic and health survey.

Background: The International Safe Motherhood initiative provides a focus for programmes and research to improve maternal health in low - income countries. Antenatal care is one of the key pillars of the initiative. This study sought to examine the association between background characteristics and choice of skilled providers of antenatal care services in Ghana.

Responsiveness of Health Professionals to Postabortion Care at a Regional Level Hospital in Ghana: A Qualitative Study of Patients' Self-Reports.

Background: The responsiveness of health professionals to patients in the provision of abortion services is essential to influencing patients' perceptions and expectations regarding the quality of medical care to be received and their general satisfaction. This, in turn, determines if patients will revisit a particular health facility to access abortion services. In this study, we examine the responsiveness of health professionals in providing postabortion care at a regional level health facility in Ghana.

Why are our children wasting: Determinants of wasting among under 5s in Ghana.

Background: Wasting is one of the indicators of malnutrition known to contribute to the deaths occurring from childhood malnutrition. It is the measure of body mass in relation to body length used to explain recent nutritional status.

Aim: This paper examines the determinants of wasting among under 5s in Ghana.

Barriers and motivations for health insurance subscription in Cape Coast, Ghana: a qualitative study.

Background: One of the main objectives of the Ghana National Health Insurance Scheme, at its establishment in 2003, was to ease financial burden of the full cost recovery policy, particularly on the poor. However, currently, majority of the scheme's subscribers are individuals in the upper wealth quintile, as the poor in society rather have not subscribed. We explored the motivational factors as well as the barriers to health insurance subscription in the Cape Coast Metropolis of Ghana.