Browsing by Author "Otupiri, Easmon"
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- ItemAn Assessment of Female Prisoners’ Perception of the Accessibility of Quality Healthcare: A Survey in the Kumasi Central Prisons, Ghana(Annals of Medical and Health Sciences Research, 2015-05) Sarpong, A. A.; Otupiri, Easmon; Yeboah‑Awudzi K ,; Osei-Yeboah, J.; Berchie, G. O.; Ephraim, R. K.D.; 0000-0001-8986-1648Background: Accessibility of quality healthcare across the globe has generated a lot of attention among public health practitioners. Aim: This study explored the background characteristics of female prisoners and how it influences their assessment of the quality of accessible healthcare in the Kumasi Female Prison. Subjects and Methods: This descriptive cross‑sectional survey was conducted at the Female section of the Kumasi Central Prisons from June to December 2011. We used pretested questionnaires to obtain quantitative data from all 39 inmates of the female Prisons. An in‑depth interview was used to obtain qualitative data from the prison healthcare giver. Data were analyzed with Epi Info Version 3.5.1, (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), Excel, and Graph Pad Prism version 5.00 for Windows (Graph Pad software, San Diego California USA, www.graphpad.com). Results: Using a 12‑point scale inventory questionnaire, inmates with no formal education gave the highest mean health provision assessment score (6.0) whereas those with tertiary education gave the lowest (4.5). Females serving prison sentences gave the highest mean health assessment score whereas remand prisoners gave the lowest. Single females’ mean health assessment score was 5.7 whereas that of married inmates was 4.9. Unemployed inmates scored 5.8, informal 5.4 while civil servants scored 5.0. Conclusion: Access to quality healthcare was poor and demographic characteristics, marital status, educational background, and occupation influenced inmates’ perceptions of accessibility to quality healthcare. Inmates should be encouraged to be proactive in seeking healthcare irrespective of their background characteristics.
- ItemBarriers to Condom use among the Youth in a Municipal Town in Ghana(Journal of the Ghana Science Association, 2007-01-09) Abdul-Kabir, M.; Otupiri, Easmon; Opare, D.; 0000-0001-8986-1648Condom-use has been identified as one way to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS but the prevalence of consistent condom-use remains low, especially in West Africa. An analytical cross-sectional survey was conducted in the Sunyani Municipality in the Brong-Ahafo to identify barriers to condom-use among young people. The association between study variables were tested and quantified. Two hundred and twenty (220) sexually active individuals aged 15-24 years were interviewed using a questionnaire to elicit information on their sexual history and behaviour, condom-use history and the extent to which certain behavoiurs and experiences impede condom-use in their sexual relationships. Condom-use at last intercourse was reported by only 37.5% of males and 38.9% of females (p<0.832). Age, education and marital status were significantly associated with condom-use (p<0.001, p<0.005, p<0.030). Partner trust, non-availability of condoms, not achieving the desired sexual satisfaction and embarrassment of condom purchase were the main barriers to condom-use. Prevention strategies based on perceived severity or adequate knowledge about HIV/AIDS may not be sufficient to induce condom-use. Reproductive health services to young people should emphasize personal vulnerability to HIV and other sexually transmitted infections to encourage condom-use among sexually active young people.
- ItemCommunity-Based Management of Acute Malnutrition Programme: Rural and Urban Maternal Socio-Demographic and Implementation Differentials in Ghana(Journal of Food Science and Nutrition Research, 2022-05-19) Apenkwa, Joana; Amponsah, Samuel Kofi; Edusei, Anthony; Nakua, Emmanuel; Newton, Sam; Otupiri, Easmon; Adaobi, Chukwuma Chinaza; 0000-0001-8986-1648Malnutrition is a public health problem in Ghana, and is estimated to contribute indirectly to more than half of under-five deaths. This study was designed to describe how implementation of the Community based Management of Malnutrition (CMAM) programme in Ghana differs in the rural and urban parts of the country. A mixed methods approach was used in a community-based survey that studied 497 mothers/caregivers and under-five pairs quantitatively, 25 health service providers qualitatively, and 25 mothers caregivers qualitatively. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively with Stata 14.0 (Stata Corp, Texas, USA) while the qualitative data were analysed thematically with Atlas.ti, version 7.5 (Scientific Software Development GmbH, Berlin). Programme implementation was assessed using the following variables: availability of CMAM tools, availability of CMAM supplies, organization of out-patient therapeutic and supplementary feeding programmes, personnel availability, availability of community-based components of CMAM and maternal experience with CMAM services. While the number of children alive, provision of nutrition education and counselling, and demonstration of food preparation significantly influenced program effectiveness (p<0.05) in the urban site, no variables were found to do similar in the rural district. The rural facilities were more likely than the urban ones to be without tools. Less than 10% of mothers/caregivers in both study sites acknowledged the availability of the community-based components of CMAM. Programme implementation in the two study districts is poor; in order to ensure that the CMAM intervention translates into a reduced malnutrition burden among children under-five in Ghana, the programme implementation should be revised to address the identified shortcomings.
- ItemContraceptive Characteristics of Women Living with HIV in the Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana(International Journal of MCH and AIDS, 2013) Gyimah, Akosua A.; Nakua, Emmauel K.; Owusu-Dabo, Ellis; Otupiri, Easmon; 0000-0001-8986-1648Objectives: Contraceptive use among women living with HIV is important to prevent the transmission of the infection to their partners, prevent unintended pregnancies and prevent the mother-to-child transmission of the infection. The study sought to determine the contraceptive characteristics of women living with HIV in the Kumasi metropolis. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from July to August 2012 at two HIV/AIDS clinics in the Kumasi Metropolis in the Ashanti Region, Ghana. Interviewer- administered questionnaires were used to collect data from two hundred and ninety five women. Data from one hundred and eighty three women living with HIV and who were sexually active were analyzed. Factors associated with contraceptive use were examined using logistic regression. Results: The overall contraceptive use was high; 84.7% were using a modern contraceptive method. The male condom was the commonest contraceptive method (77.0%) used and this was the main contraceptive method promoted at the HIV/AIDS clinic. Dual method usage was low (4.4%). Multivariate analysis showed that the significant predictor of contraceptive use was HIV status disclosure to partner (AOR = 0.25; 95% CI = 0.07-0.87; p = 0.03). Conclusions and Public Health Implications: The integration of family planning and HIV/AIDS services could stress dual method use and encourage HIV status disclosure to partner.
- ItemFactors associated with Induced abortion among women in Hohoe, Ghana(African Journal of Reproductive Health, 2010-12) Mote, Charity V.; Otupiri, Easmon; Hindin, Michelle J.; 0000-0001-8986-1648In 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
- ItemPrevalence and Risk Factors for Hypertension in Adansi South, Ghana: A Case for Health Promotion(SAGE Open, 2013-10) Duah, Amos F.; Werts, Niya; Hutton-Rogers, Laurencia; Amankwa, David; Otupiri, Easmon; 0000-0001-8986-1648Hypertension continues to emerge globally as one of the most dangerous cardiovascular disease risk factors. The toll of hypertension as a chronic disease on population health and the resultant impact on the often already stressed medical systems of developing nations is a serious concern. Shifting existing paradigm and resources from communicable to chronic disease prevention continues to be a formidable task. This article presents the results of a cross-section analysis of Adansi South, Ghana, residents (N = 539) 5 years and older to investigate the blood pressure status and select hypertension risk factors across all age groups. Approximately a third of Adansi South respondents (27.1%) were identified as hypertensive. While the largest percent of the hypertensive subset was in the 40 to 59 age group, of concern was the emerging pattern among young and adolescent respondents who were either identified as hypertensive and/or having modifiable risk factors for hypertension like elevated body mass index (BMI). A rationale for expanding adolescent health education and health promotion is offered, and alternative methods for deploying health promotion activities in resource-limited areas are proposed and discussed.