Browsing by Author "Hindin, Michelle J."

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    Anthropometric Measurements: Options for Identifying Low Birth Weight Newborns in Kumasi, Ghana
    (PLOS One, 2014) Otupiri, Easmon; Wobil, Priscilla; Nguah, Samuel Blay; Hindin, Michelle J.; 0000-0001-8986-1648
    Background: In Ghana, 32% of deliveries take place outside a health facility, and birth weight is not measured. Low birth weight (LBW) newborns who are at increased risk of death and disability, are not identified; 13%–14% of newborns in Ghana are LBW. We aimed at determining whether alternative anthropometrics could be used to identify LBW newborns when weighing scales are not available to measure birth weight. Methods: We studied 973 mother and newborn pairs at the Komfo Anokye Teaching and the Suntreso Government hospitals between November 2011 and October 2012. We used standard techniques to record anthropometric measurements of newborns within 24 hours of birth; low birth weight was defined as birth weight ,2.5kg. Pearson’s correlation coefficient and the area under the curve were used to determine the best predictors of low birth weight. The sensitivity, specificity and predictive values were reported with 95% confidence intervals at generated cut-off values. Results: One-fifth (21.7%) of newborns weighed less than 2.5 kg. Among LBW newborns, the following measurements had the highest correlations with birth weight: chest circumference (r = 0.69), mid-upper arm circumference (r = 0.68) and calf circumference (r = 0.66); the areas under the curves of these three measurements demonstrated the highest accuracy in determining LBW newborns. Chest, mid-upper arm and calf circumferences at cut-off values of 29.8 cm, 9.4 cm and 9.5 cm respectively, had the best combination of maximum sensitivity, specificity and predictive values for identifying newborns with LBW. Conclusions: Anthropometric measurements, such as the chest circumference, mid-upper arm circumference and calf circumference, offer an opportunity for the identification of and subsequent support for LBW newborns in settings in Ghana, where birth weights are not measured by standardized weighing scales.
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    Comprendre la qualité de la relation des couples et la pratique contraceptive à Kumasi, au Ghana
    (Perspectives Internationales sur la Santé Sexuelle et Génésique,, 2014) Carie, Par; Cox, Muntifering; Hindin, Michelle J.; Otupiri, Easmon; Larsen-Reindorf, Roderick; 0000-0001-8986-1648
    CONTEXTE: La connaissance, les attitudes et les pratiques relatives à l’usage de la contraception sont abondam ment documentées. Les aspects affectifs des relations susceptibles d’influencer la décision en matière de procréa tion sont cependant souvent omis. MÉTHODES: Les données de l’enquête 2010 sur la santé et la richesse des familles ont servi à la réalisation d’ana lyses de régression logistique bivariées et multinomiales, afin d’identifier les associations entre la qualité de la relation et la pratique contraceptive courante de 698 couples mariés ou en concubinage à Kumasi (Ghana). Les indicateurs de qualité de la relation se mesurent sur quatre échelles — engagement, confiance, communication constructive et communication destructive —, avec aussi une question de satisfaction au sein de la relation. La pratique contraceptive courante est répartie en trois catégories: aucune, méthode discrète (injectable, pilule, stérilet, implant et diaphragme) et méthode évidente (abstinence périodique, retrait, préservatif et spermicide). RÉSULTATS: La pratique contraceptive globale s’est révélée faible — avec 22% de femmes déclarant ne pratiquer aucune méthode au moment de l’enquête. En général, les répondants font état de hauts niveaux de qualité de la relation. Les cotes de satisfaction des femmes au sein de la relation présentent une association positive avec la pratique des méthodes évidentes plutôt que l’absence de pratique (rapport de risque relatif, 1,2). Côté masculin, les cotes de confiance sont associées positivement à la pratique des méthodes discrètes plutôt qu’à l‘absence de pratique (1,1) et celles de communication constructive le sont aux deux types de méthodes plutôt qu’à l’absence de pratique (1,1 chacun). CONCLUSIONS: La qualité de la relation des couples semble jouer un rôle important dans leur décision relative à la pratique contraceptive. Il convient d’en tenir compte dans les efforts de conception et de mise en œuvre des programmes et politiques de planification familiale.
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    Factors associated with Induced abortion among women in Hohoe, Ghana
    (African Journal of Reproductive Health, 2010-12) Mote, Charity V.; Otupiri, Easmon; Hindin, Michelle J.; 0000-0001-8986-1648
    In Hohoe, Ghana, induced abortion is the second highest cause of hospital admissions. We aimed to describe factors influencing induced abortion among 408 randomly selected women aged 15-49 years. 21% of the women had had an abortion; of those, 36% said they did not want to disrupt their education or employment; 66% of the abortions were performed by doctors. Bivariate logistic regression showed that compared with women with secondary education, women with basic education (OR = 0.31, 95% CI: 0.18-0.54) and uneducated women (OR = 0.24, 95% CI: 0.07-0.70) were significantly less likely to have had an abortion. Women who were married (OR = 1.83, 95% CI: 1.10-3.04), peri-urban residents (OR = 1.88, 95% CI: 0.95-3.94), and women with formal employment (OR = 2.22, 95% CI: 0.86-5.45) were more likely to have had an abortion. Stakeholders should improve access to effective contraception to lower the chance of needing an abortion and target education programmes at those with unmet need for contraception