Clinicians knowledge of cancer: A study in Ghana's Bono region.

Background: Cancer is a growing public health concern in Ghana, with rising prevalence, incidence, and mortality rates. Clinicians play a crucial role in cancer prevention and control by providing accurate information and early detection services. This study assessed the level of cancer knowledge among a cross-section of clinicians in the Bono region of Ghana, focusing on their knowledge of cancer, signs, symptoms, and risk factors.

Determinants of physical function, as measured using PROMIS PF-10a, in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: results from the international COVID-19 Vaccination in Autoimmune Diseases (COVAD) study.

Objectives: Physical function in RA is largely influenced by multiple clinical factors, however, there is a growing body of evidence that psychological state and other comorbidities also play an essential role. Using data obtained in the COVID-19 Vaccination in Autoimmune Diseases study, an international self-reported e-survey, we aimed to explore the predictive ability of sociodemographic and clinical variables on Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Physical Function Short Form 10a (PROMIS PF-10a) in RA and to investigate variation in disease activity and functional outcomes based on country-level socio-economic parameters.

Methods: Patient demographics, disease characteristics including current symptom status, functional status and treatment variables, as well as income level of the country of residence, were extracted from survey responses.

The burden of hepatitis E virus infection among Ghanaian pregnant women.

Introduction: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection poses a significant burden on pregnant women, with associated negative outcomes. Although well-described in many developed countries, the epidemiology of the disease and its impact on maternal and fetal health in Ghana is not fully understood.

Materials And Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in the antenatal clinics of 10 district hospitals in five regions of Ghana.

Bypassing primary antiretroviral therapy centres in Sub-Saharan Africa: An integrative review of the theoretical and empirical literature.

The uptake of antiretroviral therapy (ART) is critical to meeting the global HIV treatment goal of 95-95-95 by 2025. Although a few Sub-Saharan African countries have already achieved this target, the prevalence of bypassing primary ART centres in many countries in the subregion has negative implications for ART uptake and use. This study used the access to health services framework to analyse the evidence and factors contributing to bypassing primary ART centres by individuals in the sub-region seeking HIV care and support.

Twin testosterone transfer hypothesis and the second-to-fourth digit ratio in females of same-sex and opposite-sex twin pairs: An exploratory study.

The twin testosterone transfer (TTT) hypothesis posits that females with male co-twins (opposite-sex, OS) might develop male-typical traits due to higher prenatal testosterone exposure. This study explored whether females of OS have lower 2D:4D digit ratios and higher testosterone levels compared to females of same-sex (SS) twin pairs. Conducted in Tamale from January to December 2022, the study included 40 participants aged 18-27 years: 10 males of OS, 10 females of OS, and 20 females of SS twin pairs.

Spatiotemporal analysis of Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte binding antigen-175 gene dimorphism in Ghana.

Background: Malaria remains a leading cause of death worldwide, claiming over 600,000 lives each year. Over 90% of these deaths, mostly among children under 5 years, occur in sub-Saharan Africa and are caused by Plasmodium falciparum. The merozoites stage of the parasite, crucial for asexual development invade erythrocytes through ligand-receptor interactions.

Occupational injuries, mental workload and coping strategies among the nursing workforce in the Eastern Region of Ghana: a multi-centre study.

Background: The nursing profession plays a crucial role in the quality of healthcare services. While nurses face occupational injury challenges globally, mental workload, which is often overlooked, plays a significant role in these injuries. Understanding nurses' coping strategies can help develop effective interventions.

Correlates of maternal health services utilization among adolescent mothers in Ghana: analysis of Ghana maternal health survey 2017.

Background: The prevalence of adolescent pregnancy is high in developing countries and poses a public health threat. This study aimed to assess the coverage and correlates of optimal ANC visits, early initiation of ANC visits, assisted delivery and health facility delivery among adolescent mothers.

Methods: We analysed data from the 2017 Ghana Maternal Health Survey (GMHS), using a sample of 567 (weighted) and 527 (unweighted) adolescent mothers with at least one live birth or stillbirth in the five (5) years preceding the survey.

Use of climate smart agriculture technologies in West Africa peri-urban Sahel in Niger.

Climate change affects peri-urban agricultural systems. However, most studies on Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) often focused on climate-smart villages in the Sahel region. This study investigated peri-urban farming systems in West African Sahel cities.

Empowering African Expertise: Enhancing Safety Data Integration and Signal Detection for COVID-19 Vaccines Through the African Union Smart Safety Surveillance Joint Signal Management Group.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated new vaccine development. Limited safety data necessitated robust global safety surveillance to accurately identify and promptly communicate potential safety issues. The African Union Smart Safety Surveillance (AU-3S) program established the Joint Signal Management (JSM) group to support identification of potential vaccine safety concerns in five pilot countries (Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa), accounting for approximately 35% of the African population.

Lymphatic filariasis transmission 10 years after stopping mass drug administration in the Gomoa West District of Ghana.

Objectives: A survey was conducted 10 years after stopping MDA in the Gomoa West District of Ghana to assess the Wuchereria bancrofti prevalence in both human and mosquito populations.

Methods: In seven communities, infection in humans was assessed using the filariasis test strip (FTS). Mosquitoes were collected once a month over six months using pyrethrum spray catches (PSC).

Harnessing Big Heterogeneous Data to Evaluate the Potential Impact of HIV Responses Among Key Populations in Sub-Saharan Africa: Protocol for the Boloka Data Repository Initiative.

Background: In South Africa, there is no centralized HIV surveillance system where key populations (KPs) data, including gay men and other men who have sex with men, female sex workers, transgender persons, people who use drugs, and incarcerated persons, are stored in South Africa despite being on higher risk of HIV acquisition and transmission than the general population. Data on KPs are being collected on a smaller scale by numerous stakeholders and managed in silos. There exists an opportunity to harness a variety of data, such as empirical, contextual, observational, and programmatic data, for evaluating the potential impact of HIV responses among KPs in South Africa.

Family support and prayer are invaluable coping strategies for our recovery: Experiences of persons living with cardiovascular diseases.

Background: It is estimated that 61% of deaths caused by Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs) globally are attributed to lifestyle-related risk factors including tobacco use, alcohol abuse, poor diet, and inadequate physical activity. Meanwhile, inadequate knowledge and misperceptions about CVDs are disproportionately increasing the prevalence of CVDs in Africa. Moreover, pre-diagnosis awareness/knowledge about CVDs among patients is essential in shaping the extent and scope of education to be provided by healthcare workers.

Modeling of lifetime scenarios with non-monotonic failure rates.

The Weibull distribution is an important continuous distribution that is cardinal in reliability analysis and lifetime modeling. On the other hand, it has several limitations for practical applications, such as modeling lifetime scenarios with non-monotonic failure rates. However, accurate modeling of non-monotonic failure rates is essential for achieving more accurate predictions, better risk management, and informed decision-making in various domains where reliability and longevity are critical factors.

Life satisfaction around the world: Measurement invariance of the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) across 65 nations, 40 languages, gender identities, and age groups.

The Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) is a widely used self-report measure of subjective well-being, but studies of its measurement invariance across a large number of nations remain limited. Here, we utilised the Body Image in Nature (BINS) dataset-with data collected between 2020 and 2022 -to assess measurement invariance of the SWLS across 65 nations, 40 languages, gender identities, and age groups (N = 56,968). All participants completed the SWLS under largely uniform conditions.

Lifestyle Adjustments in Diabetic Individuals Following Lower Extremity Amputations: A Qualitative Study.

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) often leads to lower extremity amputations when poorly managed. Managing DM in Ghana is difficult due to limited access to diabetic care, low public awareness, and a strong reliance on religious beliefs and traditional medicine.

Aim: This study examined the lifestyle changes of patients after lower limb amputation at Sunyani Teaching Hospital (STH) in Ghana, using the biopsychosocial model.

Comparative Analysis of Hydration Status and Microbial Quality of Tap Water Between Urban and Rural Settings in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.

Maintaining proper hydration is crucial for human health, physiological functions, and cognitive performance. This study sought to determine the hydration status and the microbial safety of tap water in an urban setting (Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Campus) and a rural community (Adjamesu) in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. The water safety perception and hydration status of 171 study participants aged 10-61 years were assessed.

Disparities in anxiety and related factors among Chinese older adults across different aged-care models: a comparison of two cross-sectional studies.

Background: Anxiety disorders in older adults have become a prominent public health problem due to their concomitant chronic conditions, reduced quality of life and even death. However, fewer studies have been conducted on differences in anxiety among older individuals in different aged-care models, and the interactive relationship between the influencing factors on anxiety remains unclear. The study aimed to examine the disparities in the prevalence of anxiety between community-dwelling and institutionalized older adults and related influencing factors.

Impact of family childhood adversity on risk of violence and involvement with police in adolescence: findings from the UK Millennium Cohort Study.

Background: Childhood adversities, such as exposure to parental mental illness, domestic violence and abuse, substance use, and family poverty, have been linked to involvement in violence in early adulthood. However, evidence on the cumulative impact of multiple adversities throughout childhood on violence and crime in adolescence remains scarce. This study investigates the associations between trajectories of family adversity and poverty during childhood, and the risk of involvement in violence and contact with police in adolescence.

Incidence, long-term predictors and progression of chronic kidney disease among African migrants and non-migrants: the transcontinental population-based prospective RODAM cohort study.

Background: Limited longitudinal data exist on chronic kidney disease (CKD) in African populations undergoing epidemiological transitions. We investigated incidence, long-term predictors and progression of CKD among Ghanaians residing in Ghana and Ghanaian migrants in the Netherlands (Amsterdam).

Methods And Findings: We analysed data from 2183 participants in the transcontinental population-based prospective Research on Obesity and Diabetes among African Migrants cohort, followed for approximately 7 years.

Exploring the relationship between mental health issues and academic performance of undergraduate students in a Ghanaian tertiary institution: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Mental health associations with students' academic outcomes are critical for students' well-being and excellent performance, particularly among tertiary students in their educational trajectory. This study investigated the relationship between mental health incidence and academic performance among university students in a public university in Ghana. Additionally, we study students' level of mental health awareness.

Is personhood lost after mental illness? Exploring the dynamic interface between personhood and mental illness in Ghana.

Understanding of local conceptions of personhood and mental illness is central for developing therapeutic alliance and treatment regimens for persons living with mental illness. Such persons are exposed to several discriminatory behaviours yet factors that seem to encourage these behaviours are still not entirely understood. Personhood as construed from an emic perspective could potentially guide an understanding of societal attitudes toward individuals suffering from mental illness.

The trade of illicit cigarettes in Ghana: Insights from a policy synthesis and qualitative study.

The illicit trade of tobacco products trade continues to challenge tobacco control efforts in several African countries, including Ghana. Ghana recently ratified the Framework Convention for Tobacco Control (FCTC) Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products ('the Protocol'). This Protocol aims to eliminate all kinds of illicit tobacco.

The influence of land surface temperature on Ghana's climate variability and implications for sustainable development.

Climate change poses significant global challenges, especially in the West African sub-region, with high temperature and precipitation patterns variability, threatening socio-economic stability and ecosystem health. While global factors such as greenhouse gases and oceanic circulations shape regional climates, this study focuses on the understudied role of local climatic variables in influencing near-surface air temperature (NST) in Ghana from 1981 to 2020. Based on ground observations, our findings reveal significant correlations between land surface temperature (LST) and NST before and after the identified breakpoint year of 2001.

Association between chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis and cardiovascular disease.

Chronic fatigue syndrome or myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) is a medical condition characterized by severe and prolonged fatigue that is not relieved by rest or attributed to any underlying medical or psychological condition. Individuals with CFS/ME are considered to have an increased risk of a wide range of comorbid conditions, including cardiovascular disease (CVD). The association between CFS/ME and CVD is not fully understood.