Browsing by Author "Owusu-Addo, Ebenezer"
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- ItemExploring the impact of agricultural digitalization on smallholder farmers’ livelihoods in Ghana(Heliyon, 2024) Addison, Monica; Bonuedi, Isaac; Arhin, Albert Abraham; Wadei, Bernice; Owusu-Addo, Ebenezer; Antoh, Ernestina Fredua; Mensah-Odum ,; 0000-0002-1614-2965pioning digital transformation in Africa. However, people in rural areas are being left behind in harnessing the immense benefits of digitalization for their livelihoods. This study contributes to policy efforts aimed at bridging that gap by investigating the drivers of agricultural digitalization (AD) as well as its effects on the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in rural Ghana. Data from a cross-sectional survey of 525 rural farmers across northern, middle and southern Ghana was employed. The study used the probit and tobit estimators to analyze the drivers and intensity of adoption of digital technologies in agriculture and the inverse probability weighting and regression adjustment estimator to mitigate endogeneity concerns. The results show that while female farmers trail male farmers in the intensity of applying digital technologies, higher educational attainment, better perception of digitalization, group/cooperative membership, number of economically active household members, and access to reliable electricity, internet and mobile money services significantly promote the use of digital technologies in agricultural ac tivities. The results further show that AD is significantly associated with perceived improvements in livelihood assets, and ultimately livelihood outcomes of smallholder farmers in rural Ghana. These findings highlight the importance of investing in rural digital infrastructure by policy makers, the private sector and other stakeholders, so as to expand access to and the uptake of digital technologies in agriculture to bolster rural development in Ghan
- ItemLifestyle interventions for type 2 diabetes management among migrants and ethnic minorities living in industrialized countries: a systematic review and meta-analyses(BMJ Open Diab Res Care, 2021) Rawal, Lal; Sahle, Berhe W; Smith, Ben J; Kanda, Kie; Owusu-Addo, Ebenezer; Renzaho, Andre M N; 0000-0002-1614-2965The objective of this systematic review was to determine the effectiveness of lifestyle interventions to improve the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) among migrants and ethnic minorities. Major searched databases included MEDLINE (via PubMed), EMBASE (via Ovid) and CINAHL. The selection of studies and data extraction followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. In the meta-analysis, significant heterogeneity was detected among the studies (I2>50%), nand hence a random effects model was used. Subgroup analyses were performed to compare the effect of lifestyle interventions according to intervention approaches (peer led vs community health workers (CHWs)-led). A total of 17 studies were included in this review which used interventions delivered by CHWs or peer supporters or combination of both. The majority of the studies assessed effectiveness of key primary (hemoglobin (HbA1c), lipids, fasting plasma glucose) and secondary outcomes (weight, body mass index, blood pressure, physical activity, alcohol consumption, tobacco smoking, food habits and healthcare utilization). Meta analyses showed lifestyle interventions were associated with a small but statistically significant reduction in HbA1c level (−0.18%; 95% CI −0.32% to −0.04%, p=0.031). In subgroup analyses, the peer-led interventions showed relatively better HbA1c improvement than CHW-led interventions, but the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.379). Seven studies presented intervention costs, which ranged from US$131 to US$461 per participant per year. We conclude that lifestyle interventions using either CHWs or peer supporters or a combination of both have shown modest effectiveness for T2DM management among migrants of different background and origin and ethnic minorities. The evidence base is promising in terms of developing culturally appropriate, clinically sound and cost-effective intervention approaches to respond to the growing and diverse migrants and ethnic minorities affected by diabetes worldwide.
- ItemMETHODOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS RELATED TO EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION IN CLINICAL EPIDEMIOLOGY(Elsevier, 2024) Brijnath, Bianca; Muoio, Rachel; Feldman, Peter; Ghersi, Davina; Chan, An-Wen; Welch, Vivian; Treweek, Shaun; Green, Heidi; Orkin, Aaron M.; Owusu-Addo, Ebenezer; 0000-0002-1614-2965Objectives: Lack of ethnic diversity in trials may contribute to health disparities and to inequity in health outcomes. The primary objec tive was to investigate the experiences and perspectives of ethnically diverse populations about how to improve ethnic diversity in trials. Study Design and Setting: Qualitative data were collected via 16 focus groups with participants from 21 ethnically diverse commu nities in Australia. Data collection took place between August and September 2022 in community-based settings in six capital cities: Syd ney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, and Darwin, and one rural town: Bordertown (South Australia). Results: One hundred and fifty-eight purposively sampled adults (aged 18e85, 49% women) participated in groups speaking Tamil, Greek, Punjabi, Italian, Mandarin, Cantonese, Karin, Vietnamese, Nepalese, and Arabic; or English-language groups (comprising Fijian, Filipino, African, and two multicultural groups). Only 10 participants had previously taken part in medical research including three in trials. There was support for medical research, including trials; however, most participants had never been invited to participate. To increase ethnic diversity in trial populations, participants recommended recruitment via partnering with communities, translating trial materials and making them culturally accessible using audiovisual ways, promoting retention by minimizing participant burden, establishing trust and rapport between participants and researchers, and sharing individual results. Participants were reluctant to join studies on taboo topics in their com munities (eg, sexual health) or in which physical specimens (eg, blood) were needed. Participants said these barriers could be mitigated by communicating about the topic in more culturally cognizant and safe ways, explaining how data would be securely stored, and reinforcing the benefit of medical research to humanity. Conclusion: Participants recognized the principal benefits of trials and other medical research, were prepared to take part, and offered suggestions on recruitment, consent, data collection mechanisms, and retention to enable this to occur. Researchers should consider these community insights when designing and conducting trials; and government, regulators, funders, and publishers should allow for greater innovation and flexibility in their processes to enable ethnic diversity in trials to improve.
- ItemPredictors of Anaemia Prevalence Among Ghanaian Pregnant Women: A Cross-Sectional Study(Sage, 2022) Akowuah, Jones Asafo; Owusu-Addo, Ebenezer; Opuni, Ama Antwiwaa; 0000-0002-1614-2965Anaemia during pregnancy is a major public health concern. Despite its wide scope and adverse effects including increased maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality, and long-term adverse effects on the newborn, appropriate interventions using upstream approaches to public health have largely not been implemented. This study investigated the prevalence and associated factors of anaemia among pregnant women in four health facilities in the Kwabre East Municipality. A cross-sectional survey with a two-stage sampling technique was conducted on 220 pregnant women who attended antenatal care at the selected health facilities. Interview-based structured questionnaires were used. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to identify predictors. The prevalence of anaemia was 11.4%. Few women (25) were anaemic and morphologically, 14 (56%) had normocytic normochromic anaemia and 9 (36%) had microcytic hypochromic anaemia. Iron deficiency was reported in 19 (8.6%) pregnant women. Independent predictors of anaemia were iron sulphate intake (AOR [95% CI] = 3.16 [1.15, 7.37], ANC follow-up during pregnancy (AOR [95% CI] = 3.07 [1.59, 7.99], household size of ≥5 (AOR [95% CI] = 3.58 [1.75, 9.52], folic acid intake (AOR [95% CI] = 5.29 [2.65, 12.39] and the period in pregnancy AOR [95% CI] = ≥36 weeks 3.2 (1.3-4.5). Though anaemia prevalence has been low in urban areas as previously reported, collaborated healthcare measures that aim at eradicating the menace are encouraged. Maternal healthcare interventions including the administration of folic acid, regular iron sulphate intake and intensive education on early ANC are recommended.
- ItemUrban planning and public policy responses to the management of COVID-19 in Ghana(Taylor & Francis, 2021) Anaafo, David; Owusu-Addo, Ebenezer; Takyi, Stephen Appiah; 0000-0002-1614-2965The global COVID-19 pandemic, with its associated issues of isolation, enhanced hygiene practices and contact tracing brought up a number of issues to the public domain, many of which bordered on the nexus between urban planning and public health. This paper sets out to examine how new ideas concerning the linkages between urban planning and public health revealed by the COVID-19 pandemic can be integrated into practice, moving forward; and how we might leverage on the crisis to build more just, healthier and liveable cities. Through a review of the literature on public policy responses to pandemics, it is observed that the current urban planning system in Ghana leaves so many people behind and exposes the lives of many to current and future disease pandemics. We propose an agenda for transformation which revolves around the co-evolution and co-creation of new forms of societal values that are less materialistic and individualistic but rather more egalitarian.