Awakening from the listeriosis crisis: Food safety challenges, practices and governance in the food retail sector in South Africa.

Background: The recent listeriosis outbreak in South Africa brought food safety concerns to the fore in terms of both policy and practice. These concerns encompass both health and nutrition aspects, as well as the economy, because the food system in South Africa contributes significantly to economic growth and food security. However, the food sector is challenged with food safety risks, such as foodborne diseases, food fraud and a general lack of effective enforcement of regulation.

Hypertension prevalence, awareness, treatment and control in Ghanaian population: Evidence from the Ghana demographic and health survey.

Hypertension is a major cause of cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality in Ghana. This study examines the prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of hypertension among Ghanaian aged 15-49 years. This cross-sectional study retrieved data from the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS).

Community and individual sense of trust and psychological distress among the urban poor in Accra, Ghana.

Background: Mental health disorders present significant health challenges in populations in sub Saharan Africa especially in deprived urban poor contexts. Some studies have suggested that in collectivistic societies such as most African societies people can draw on social capital to attenuate the effect of community stressors on their mental health. Global studies suggest the effect of social capital on mental disorders such as psychological distress is mixed, and emerging studies on the psychosocial characteristics of collectivistic societies suggest that mistrust and suspicion sometimes deprive people of the benefit of social capital.

Food beliefs and practices in urban poor communities in Accra: implications for health interventions.

Background: Poor communities in low and middle income countries are reported to experience a higher burden of chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and nutrition-related NCDs. Interventions that build on lay perspectives of risk are recommended. The objective of this study was to examine lay understanding of healthy and unhealthy food practices, factors that influence food choices and the implications for developing population health interventions in three urban poor communities in Accra, Ghana.

Livestock ownership is associated with higher odds of anaemia among preschool-aged children, but not women of reproductive age in Ghana.

Livestock ownership may influence anaemia through complex and possibly contradictory mechanisms. In this study, we aimed to determine the association of household livestock ownership with anaemia among women aged 15-49 years and children aged 6-59 months in Ghana and to examine the contribution of animal source foods (ASFs) to consumption patterns as a potential mechanism mediating this association. We analysed data on 4,441 women and 2,735 children from the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey and 16,772 households from the Ghana Living Standards Survey Round 6.

The double burden of disease and the challenge of health access: Evidence from Access, Bottlenecks, Cost and Equity facility survey in Ghana.

Despite the double burden of infectious and chronic non-communicable diseases in Africa, health care expenditure disproportionately favours infectious diseases. In this paper, we examine quantitatively the extent of this disproportionate access to diagnoses and treatment of diabetes, hypertension and malaria in Ghana. A total of 220 health facilities was surveyed across the country in 2011.

Migrant youth's emerging dietary patterns in Haiti: the role of peer social engagement.

Objective: The present study examines whether rural-to-urban migrant youth consume a greater diversity of high-sugar beverages and fried snacks (HSBFS) compared with their peers who remain in rural areas. It also tests whether the association between migration and HSBFS diversity is moderated by migrant youth's social engagement with their peers.

Design: Participants were recruited in August and September 2011 following the completion of primary school (6th grade) and shortly before many rural youth migrate to urban areas.