The Impact of Christian Health Services on Communities in Ashanti Region With Reference to the Seventh – Day Adventist Church

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2012-06
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Abstract
A major problem facing people at all levels in our communities is ill health. The cause in most cases is ignorance and non - adherence to principles of a healthy lifestyle. Most of these principles are largely written but the question is how many even among the educated people love to read Christian health books. The Adventist health care delivery system is mainly dependent on pieces of printed information on health; this is known as Adventist Literature Healthcare Delivery (ALHD). This study finds out whether people do or do not really patronise these Adventist health books. Another issue of concern is the reason why Christian churches such as the Seventh-day Adventists establish hospital and clinics since their primary mission is to evangelise. The survey undertaken has shown that the main motive of the establishment of these health facilities is not based on economic gains. They are rather part of strategies to prepare grounds for winning converts to Christ. If people are healthy then they would be willing to listen to the gospel. Another reason for these establishments is on humanitarian grounds. Christian missions are responsible for assisting the needy and the deprived. It is seen that most of the Adventist Health Institutions in Ashanti Region are cited in the rural areas. The truth of the matter is that they want the rural communities to have access to medical healthcare like their counterparts in the city. Despite all these, it seems that people visit and patronise spiritual healers at shrines and prayer camps for treatment of diseases. The survey indicates that 37% of patients within the catchment area of these hospitals and clinics consult spiritual healers at various prayer camps for treatment of diseases.
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A thesis submitted to the school of GRADUATE STUDIES, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ART.
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