The influence of social capital in the utilisation of sexual reproductive health services among the youth in Ghana. A community-based cross-sectional study.

Social capital, often seen as the resources accessed through social connections, is currently gaining much attention in public health. However, limited studies have focused on the relationship between social capital and reproductive health services. Besides, while the factors associated with the use of reproductive health services among the youth are well documented in the literature, most studies have focused on narrowed perspective failing to take cognisance of the role of social capital.

Child maltreatment mediates the relationship between HIV/AIDS family dysfunction trajectories and psychosocial problems among adolescents.

The relationship between parental HIV/AIDS status or death and child mental health is well known, although the role of child maltreatment as a confounder or mediator in this relationship remains uncertain. This study examined the potential path mechanism through child maltreatment mediating the link between HIV/AIDS family dysfunction trajectories and psychosocial problems. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in the Lower Manya Municipal Assembly of Ghana.

Peer victimization, prison climate, resilience and psychological distress of incarcerated juvenile offenders in Ghana: A serial mediation examination.

Most Ghanaian research in the area of victimization among children has focused on the school setting. Little research has been done in an attempt to understand inmate-on-inmate victimization within the juvenile correctional facilities in Ghana. This study, therefore, investigated the extent to which peer victimization influences psychological distress among juvenile offenders in the Senior Correctional Center of Ghana.

Child maltreatment and associated sociodemographic factors among children affected by HIV/AIDS in Ghana: a multi-informant perspective.

Child maltreatment is considered a major public health concern among children because they can cause significant physical and psychological problems. Child maltreatment is widespread but often underestimated. Surprisingly, there is hardly any data on child maltreatment and any associated sociodemographic factors children affected by HIV/AIDS in low-income countries.

An evaluation of a community-based food supplementation for people living with HIV in Ghana: implications for community-based interventions in Ghana.

Background: Community-based care and support services are limited in sub-Saharan Africa and as a result a high number of people living with HIV (PLHIV) are not getting the required care and support services. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of food supplementation services for PLHIV in Ghana on weight gained and factors associated with weight gained.

Methods: The study employed mixed methods study design involving quantitative and qualitative techniques.

The Role of Condom Use Self-Efficacy on Intended and Actual Condom Use Among University Students in Ghana.

Little attention has been paid to the dimensions that help to predict and understand condom use among university students within an African context. A cross-sectional study involving 518 university students in Accra, Ghana was conducted to determine how the Condom Use self-Efficacy Scale-Ghana (CUSES-G) can predict both actual condom use and future condom use. Of all the participants, 84% were sexually active but less than half of the sample (48%) reported to have used condom during their last sexual intercourse.

Perceived social support disparities among children affected by HIV/AIDS in Ghana: a cross-sectional survey.

Background: The study investigated whether perceived social support varied among children who have lost their parents to AIDS, those who have lost their parents to other causes, those who are living with HIV/AIDS-infected caregivers and children from intact families (comparison group).

Method: This study employed cross-sectional, quantitative survey that involved 291 children aged 10-18 years in the Lower Manya Krobo District of Ghana and examined their social support disparities.

Results: Multivariate linear regressions indicate that children living with HIV/AIDS-infected caregivers reported significantly lower levels of social support compared with AIDS-orphaned children, other-orphaned children and non-orphaned children independent of socio-demographic covariates.

Factors associated with reproductive health care utilization among Ghanaian women.

Background: This study investigates factors determining the timing of antenatal care (ANC) visit and the type of delivery assistant present during delivery among a national representative sample of Ghanaian women.

Method: Data for the study was drawn from the women questionnaire (N=4,916) of the 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey among 15-49-years-old women. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to explore factors determining the type of delivery assistance and timing of ANC visit for live births within five years prior to the survey.

Psychosocial adjustment of children affected by HIV/AIDS in Ghana.

Objective: The study was conducted to assess the psychosocial adjustment of children affected by HIV/ AIDS in the eastern part of Ghana.

Method: Four groups of children (children who lost their parents to AIDS, children who lost their parents through other causes, children living with HIV infected, alive parents and the comparison children who were from the same community but did not have HIV/AIDS-related illness or death in their families) were interviewed on depressive symptoms, prosocial behaviours, hyperactivity, conduct and peer problems using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ).

Results: Orphans in general and children living with HIV-infected parents consistently demonstrated poorer psychosocial adjustment than comparison children in the same community.

Cultural adaptation of the condom use self efficacy scale (CUSES) in Ghana.

Background: Accurate assessment of self-reports of sexual behaviours is vital to the evaluation of HIV prevention and family planning interventions. This investigation was to determine the cross-cultural suitability of the Condom Use Self Efficacy Scale (CUSES) originally developed for American adolescents and young adults by examining the structure and psychometric properties.

Method: A self-administered cross-sectional survey of a convenient sample of 511 participants from a private university in Ghana with mean age 21.

Parental HIV/AIDS status and death, and children's psychological wellbeing.

Background: Ghana has an estimated one million orphans, 250,000 are due to AIDS parental deaths. This is the first study that examined the impact of parental HIV/AIDS status and death on the mental health of children in Ghana.

Methods: In a cross-sectional survey, 4 groups of 200 children (children whose parents died of AIDS, children whose parents died of causes other than AIDS, children living with parents infected with HIV/AIDS, and non-orphaned children whose parents are not known to be infected with HIV/AIDS) aged between 10 and 19 were interviewed on their hyperactivity, emotional, conduct, and peer problems using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire.