79 research outputs found
sj-docx-1-gqn-10.1177_23333936221137584 – Supplemental material for The Image of Nurses and Midwives in Ghana: Patient and Family Perspectives
No full textSupplemental material, sj-docx-1-gqn-10.1177_23333936221137584 for The Image of Nurses and Midwives in Ghana: Patient and Family Perspectives by Lillian Akorfa Ohene, Angela Kwartemaa Acheampong, Gladys Dzansi, Josephine Kyei, Charles Ampong Adjei, Samuel Adjorlolo, Isabella Naana Akyaa Asante, Philomena Woolley, Felix Nyante and Lydia Aziato in Global Qualitative Nursing Research</p
THE DYNAMICS OF FEMALE EDUCATION FROM THE BASIC TO THE TERTIARY LEVELS IN GHANA: CHALLENGES AND REFLECTIONS
No full textThere continues to be inequality between the education of males and females in many countries including Ghana. Education of females contributes to improved quality of life for the individual, family, community and the nation. This article aims at identifying and discussing factors that influence female education from basic to tertiary levels. A focused integrated review approach was adopted to identify studies and reports that highlight issues of female education. The factors that impact negatively on female education included poverty and its ripple effects, for example, adolescent pregnancy, sexual and emotional harassment, menstruation and dysmenorrhoea, demands of family life and work. It was concluded that the individuals, families, communities (and the nation as a whole) should adopt context-specific measures that enhance female education. It was recommended that strategies which support female education such as, a flexible academic schedule, should be implemented
The use and safety of herbal medicine within the context of Ghana: A qualitative exploration
No full textThe use of herbal medicine for different health challenges continue to rise. This study explored the factors which enhanced and hinder herbal medicine use as well us practices that unsure the safety of herbal medicine as well as the dynamics of clinical use of herbal medicine in Ghana
Realities of post-operative pain management in Ghana: Evidence from method and participant triangulation
No full textSession presented on Sunday, November 8, 2015:
Introduction: Post-operative pain has been a problem over the years for many countries including Ghana. Thus patients continue to experience moderate to severe post-operative pain.
Aim: The study aimed to understand the factors that contribute to ineffective post-operative pain management at two hospitals in Accra, Ghana.
Method: A focused ethnography was employed using multiple data collection methods such as individual interviews, observation, and documentary review. The participants included patients (13), nurses (11), surgeons (3), pharmacists (1), and anaesthetists (1). Sixteen participant observations with partial immersion were conducted and 44 nurses\u27 documentation of care was reviewed. Purposive sampling was used to recruit participants and the sample size was determined by data saturation. Content analysis was used to analyse the data generated and the NVivo 9 software was used to manage the data.
Findings: It was realized that multiple factors contributed to ineffective post-operative pain management. These factors were related to the individual, the health system and national policies. The individual factors included socio-cultural, psychological, and inadequate knowledge. Health system factors were negative attitude, poor supervision and team work. National factors included lack of policies and unavailability of opioids.
Conclusion: The study concluded that a multidisciplinary and multi-sectorial approach is required to enhance post-operative pain management in a resource-limited clinical context such as Ghana. The need for a context appropriate clinical guideline was highlighted
The psycho-socio-economic and family burden of breast cancer in Ghana
No full textThis presentation is derived from three studies that explored the experiences of women with breast cancer in Ghana. The studies employed qualitative exploratory approaches. Participants were recruited from the Accra Metropolis using a tertiary Hospital and a breast cancer support group as the recruitment outlet
Development of clinical guidelines for the management of post-operative pain within the medico-socio-cultural context of Ghana
No full textPhilosophiae Doctor - PhDLiterature on post-operative pain indicates that post-operative pain is inadequately managed in many countries including Ghana. Little was also known about post-operative pain (POP) response and management in Ghana. This study sought to describe post-operative pain response and management among Ghanaian surgical nurses and post-operative patients within the medico-socio-cultural context. It also explored factors that influenced POP response and management and subsequently aimed to develop clinical guidelines within which post-operative pain could be managed in the medico-socio-cultural context. Research questions answered included: „what are the factors influencing post-operative pain responses
among surgical patients and nurses; what clinical guidelines would be appropriate to guide post-operative pain management within the medico-socio-cultural context of Ghana?‟The study was designed as a multi-step focused ethnography which allowed the exploration of a specific sub-culture such as the surgical environment. The philosophical underpinnings of ethnography permit the investigator to use different data collection methods to fully understand the phenomenon investigated. Data collection during the ethnographic exploration phase involved individual interviews, clinical observations, and review of patients‟ clinical charts. At the stage of guideline development, data was collected through participant/expert
review, systematic literature review, and consensus forum. Participants were sampled purposively and included 53 interview participants, 27 expert reviewers, and 29 consensus panel members. Also, there were 16 sections of clinical observation and review of 44 charts. The participants included nurses, patients and their relatives, the multidisciplinary team, key informants, experts, and stakeholders. The study was conducted at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) and Ridge Hospital, in Accra, Ghana. Appropriate ethical clearance was sought and individual informed consent was obtained.Concurrent analysis of data was done applying the principles of thematic content analysis and data was managed with NVivo 9. Themes that emerged from the patients‟ data were subjectivism which described pain dimensions and expressions and factors that influenced patients‟ pain experience were psycho-socio-cultural factors such as personal inclinations and
socio-cultural background; and health system factors such as personnel attitude and health financing.The study also found that nurses perceived POP as an individual phenomenon and responded to pain by administering analgesics and by employing non-pharmacologic measures such as positioning and reassurance. Factors that influenced the nurses‟ pain response were individual factors such as commitment, discretion, and fear of addiction; and organizational factors such
as organizational laxity and challenges of teamwork. Patients‟ relatives were also influenced by empathy, faith, and commitment to care for their post-operative patients. The multidisciplinary team and key informants were influenced by
knowledge and experience in their respective specialty areas. Subsequently, the clinical guideline developed had four dimensions which highlighted patient and family education,effective teamwork, effective leadership and monitoring, and use of contemporary evidence for POP management.The study recommended that health professionals should be conscious of the subjectivenature of pain and they should educate and involve the patient on pain management decisions. Also, hospital leadership and the multidisciplinary team should be actively involved in pain management
Understanding the Factors Influencing the Mental Health and Emotional Well-being of Women Residents at the Witches’ Camps of Northern Ghana
No full textBackground: Witchcraft accusations have occurred in Ghanaian society and elsewhere in Sahara, Africa, for many decades. Witchcraft accusations commonly reveal a cultural predisposition to apportion blame for mishaps in the community, such as a disability or misconceptions surrounding ageing and dementia. Such labelling severely curtails the lives of the women, who are banished to live in the “witches” camps with resultant social isolation and accompanying stressors impacting their well-being. Yet, little is known specifically about these women’s mental health and emotional well-being. This research aimed to understand the factors influencing older women’s mental and emotional well-being in the witches’ camps in northern Ghana.
Methodology: A two-phase exploratory sequential mixed methods design was employed, using the socio-ecological model, Kleinman's explanatory model, and the social determinants of health as framing lenses. In phase one, an interpretive descriptive approach was used, drawing on purposive sampling to recruit and interview 15 women from one of the "witches' camps" in northern Ghana, along with three allied stakeholders. Additionally, observational photos of the camp's facilities were taken to provide further triangulated data to supplement the interviews. The precise ages of the women were unavailable due to their unknown birth dates. The participants stayed in the camp for a period ranging from 8 to 30 years.
Phase two aimed to investigate anxiety and depression symptoms among a cohort of women from the camps and validate the Dagbani Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). A cross-sectional descriptive method was applied, utilizing the cross-culturally translated HADS. A total of 168 women were recruited through random sampling from the witches' camps, and 100 women from the general population completed the Dagbani version of the HADS.
Findings: Thematic analysis of phase one data identified nine broad themes: ‘the presence of physical health problems impacting general health and well-being’, ‘anxiety, nervousness, and suicidal ideation’, ‘forgetfulness’, and ‘loneliness, sadness from family disconnection’. Other themes included ‘stigma – self and others’, ‘lack of resources for basic needs and social facilities’, ‘health access barriers affecting general and mental healthcare’, ‘enabling factors for improving social connections’, and ‘recommendations for improving mental health and general well-being’. These themes, in turn, were contextualised by the subthemes of ‘poor housing conditions’, ‘lack of healthcare facilities’, ‘lack of potable water’ and ‘psychological support’ and ‘problems with sleep or difficulty sleeping at night’, ‘frailty and loss of independence’, ‘feeling restless’ or ‘can’t sit still’, ‘worried and scared’, ‘expressing thoughts of suicide and anger’, ‘difficulty concentrating’, ‘confusion’, ‘being sad and alone’, ‘worries associated with separation and lack of family support in the camp’, ‘loss of respect and dignity (“Dariza”)’, ‘feelings of helplessness, unhappiness and despair’, ‘feelings of shame, hopelessness, and isolation’. Data from phase two revealed that anxiety and depression were more prevalent in women in the camps than in the general population of women. A breakdown of the mean scores by group demonstrated higher scores for both anxiety (mean 14.73, SD 1.46) and depression (mean 17.85, SD 1.55) for women in the camp when compared with women from the general population (mean 4.18, SD 2.43, and mean 6.18, SD 3.00, respectively).
Conclusion: The triangulation of the two phases provides a contextualized response to the research aim. Common mental health concerns were identified, including anxiety and depressive symptoms among women in the camps and women from the general population. Recommendations are provided for addressing mental health and general well-being, focusing on culturally targeted health and social care provision. These include providing critical and basic social and healthcare resources and amenities, such as good housing, food, safe drinking water, healthcare facilities, and insurance coverage. In addition, resilience training through counselling and linking the women with psychological support is highlighted. Importantly, this study constituted the first time the Dagbani HADS has been translated and validated. Further recommendations are made for the long-term reintegration of these women safely back into their communities
Technology and Health Services Marketing in Africa
No full textService quality improvement is perceived as an approach to achieving better outcomes for consumers, and a means for achieving increased patronage, competitive advantage and long-term profitability; it is currently at the forefront of professional, political, managerial and healthcare concerns. In this chapter, we explore how technology is impacting developments in the African health care sector; with a keen focus on health service quality, which has become an important corporate strategy for marketing in healthcare organizations. We also highlights some current challenges facing the health sector in Africa, and how entrepreneurs in some of these countries are innovatively overcoming some of these obstacles mainly by low-cost solutions and strategies. However, while health care marketing has been developing significantly recently, measurement challenges still abound in assessing its impact. From the vantage point that the quality of medical care has customarily been measured by objective criteria; the chapter argues that more subjective valuations are needed. Alongside, in a bid to move quality assessment in the sector beyond the supply side approach, the digitisation and mobilisation of healthcare is discussed through m-health initiatives. Due to the rapid proliferation of mobile devices and online access in the African region, the potential of such technologies from both the demand and supply side encompass healthcare mobile usage. To address, we recommend that for healthcare marketers to stay competitive, there is a both a need for the integration of immersive technology and the implementation of measurement metrics that involve subjective valuations. Both are critical to improving service quality - which has a significant impact on service satisfaction and behavioural intentions; and further mediates the relationship between the dimensions (interpersonal quality, technical quality, environment quality, and administrative quality) and intentions
An insight into the preoperative experiences of Ghanaian general surgical patients
No full textThe unknown outcome of surgery has always been a source of anxiety for
patients and their relatives. However, the experiences of Ghanaian surgical
patients have not been adequately explored. This study sought to have an
in-depth exploration of the preoperative experiences of Ghanaian general
surgical patients to inform effective preoperative care. The study employed
an ethnographic design and was conducted at two hospitals in Accra. Thirteen
general surgical patients were purposively recruited and interviewed. Data
analysis occurred concurrently and themes that emerged included reaction
to impending surgery with subthemes of inappropriate disclosure, fear of
death, readiness for surgery, and effect of waiting in the theatre. Also, the
theme information gap had subthemes of preoperative care, expectations
at the theatre, and undue delays. The study emphasized the need for health
professionals to provide effective education to the public and patients, on
surgery and its effects, to curb negative perceptions about surgery.Web of Scienc
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