Disease In Ghana Research Articles

Financial strain and resilience: a qualitative exploration of parental perspectives on caring for children with sickle cell disease in Ghana.

In Ghana, nearly one in four (25%) of the population are sickle cell disease carriers. Furthermore, 2% of all babies born (20 for every 1000 live births) has sickle cell disease. However, little is known about how parents negotiate the financial challenges facing parents of a child with sickle cell disease. This study explores the financial difficulties of parents and children living with sickle cell disease. The study adopted a qualitative approach. Twenty-seven parents were purposively selected from a sickle cell clinic in Accra, Ghana. Data collection was through an in-depth, face-to-face interview, using an interview guide based on the research objectives, and analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings showed that parents faced multiple financial difficulties (both direct and indirect) as they met the direct cost of medications, routine laboratory investigations, and hospital admissions. The National Health Insurance scheme does not wholly cover these costs. Families also describe more indirect costs, such as those associated with maintaining their child's well-being alongside those connected to their caring responsibilities, including the impact of giving up work and reducing working hours. Findings highlight the most pressing challenge, including the lack of access to financial support and a more general lack of understanding of the difficulties they faced on the part of policymakers. Supporting sickle cell parents' financial needs would improve their emotional and social well-being, enabling them to be more effective family carers.

Prevalence of schistosomiasis among school children at Esuekyir community in the Central Region of Ghana

Schistosomiasis, an endemic neglected tropical disease in areas with poor sanitation, causes physical and mental defects in both children and adults. Various strategies, especially drug administration for morbidity control, have been implemented to combat the disease in Ghana and globally. Despite these efforts, schistosomiasis remains prevalent in Ghana, negatively impacting children's academic performance, growth, and overall quality of life. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of schistosomiasis in school children at Esuekyir, a peri-urban community in Ghana. A cross-sectional study using simple random sampling technique to select participants and collect stool and urine samples from 246 school children in Esuekyir was adopted. Microscopy of urine and stool samples was performed involving urine sedimentation and stool formol-ether sedimentation techniques to analyse for parasite eggs. Questionnaires were developed to help detect risk factors that expose these children to the disease. The prevalence of urogenital schistosomiasis in children at Esuekyir was 15.45% while that of intestinal schistosomiasis was 6.957.0%. There was one case of co-infection of urogenital and intestinal schistosomiasis from a 13 year old primary student. Children in primary school had higher risks of infection due to their activities around the water body. There was a significant association between class groups and urogenital schistosomiasis (p-value = 0.042). The presence of schistosomiasis in school children highlights the importance of targeted interventions and public health initiatives in addressing this specific disease condition especially in primary school children. Findings from the research revealed a higher prevalence of urogenital schistosomiasis in the study population as compared to intestinal schistosomiasis.

An Overview of Avascular Necrosis of the Hip in Patients with Sickle Cell Disease

Abstract Background: Avascular necrosis (AVN) of the femoral head is a devastating complication of sickle cell disease characterised by hip pain and dysfunction. The prevalence of this condition in patients with sickle cell disease in Ghana is unknown. Objectives: This study aims to look at the demographics of sickle cell disease patients presenting with AVN, the pattern of the disease on presentation, and the severity of the disease. Materials and Methods: Data were collected from patients referred to the Orthopaedic clinic over three years. Data collection forms were created and filled out for all patients. Analysis was done with Microsoft Excel (Windows 10 version), and the ensuing data were represented with descriptive statistics such as proportions, ratios, percentages, tables, and histograms. Results: A total of 134 patients were seen over a 3-year study period. The vast majority, 109 (85.3%), were below 40 years of age. The sex distribution of the patients was predominantly female (78%). Genotype SS was in the majority (89), representing (66.4%). The majority of the patients, 104 (77.6%), were regular attendees of the Ghana Institute of Clinical Genetics or other specialised sickle cell disease clinics. The main reason for referral was on account of X-ray changes seen by the referring doctor (90, 67.1%). Unilateral disease was seen in 94 (70%) patients. Seventy (52.2%) presented with stage III disease, and 42 (31%) had symptoms for more than 2 years. Conclusions: Most of our patients were young, predominantly with genotype SS. They presented late with advanced disease stages and were referred to the orthopaedic clinic only after X-ray changes were seen.

Psychological Distress and Its Associated Factors Among Parents of Children With Congenital Heart Disease: A Cross-Sectional Mixed Method Study at the National Cardiothoracic Center, Ghana.

The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence and factors associated with psychological distress among parents of children with congenital heart disease (PCCHD) receiving treatment at the National Cardiothoracic Centre (NCTC), Accra. A cross-sectional mixed method study involving 248 parents of children with congenital heart disese receiving treatment at the NCTC was employed. Systematic sampling was used to select participants. The outcome variables were depression, anxiety, and somatization, assessed using the brief symptom inventory. A semistructured interview guide was used to understand the contextual factors that contribute to parents' psychological distress. Poisson regression and inductive thematic analyses were employed for quantitative and qualitative data, respectively. The prevalence of depression, anxiety, and somatization was 42.9% [95%CI = 36.7-49.3], 42.4% [95%CI = 36.3-48.9], and 41.2% [95%CI = 35.1-47.6] respectively. Parents who were divorced [aPR (95%CI) = 1.60(1.02-2.51)], hadonly basic level education [aPR (95%CI) = 2.13(1.34-3.39)], were without a religious affiliation [aPR (95%CI)= 2.24(1.58-3.19)], and in the low asset quintile significantly increased the likelihood of psychological distress. Delay/postponement of scheduled surgery, worsening state of child's condition, feeling a sense of helplessness, societal stigma, and lack of funding or health insurance for the treatment of the condition were contextual factors that contributed to increased psychological distress among parents. The prevalence of psychological distress was quite high among parents of children with congenital heart disease in Ghana and was associated with both parent and patient factors. Psychosocial care should be integrated into the clinical health services of this group of patients and their parents to improve psychological health outcomes.

Reading Difficulty of Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) Leaflets for Five Chronic Ailments in Ghana

Purpose: This study examined the reading difficulty of Consumer Medicine Information leaflets of five chronic-disease medicines. Design/ Methodology/ Approach: In this descriptive, cross-sectional study, 192 leaflets were randomly downloaded from the World Wide Web: Asthma (35), Cancer (42), Diabetes (41), HIV (29), and Hypertension (45). Text from each ‘leaflet’ was analysed using the Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG), Flesch Reading Ease, and Gunning Fog indexes. Findings: Consistently, the difficulty of the texts exceeded the recommended difficulty levels. A comparison of mean scores showed leaflets for HIV medication were the most difficult to read because they were written at grade levels too high for the average literate adult. Research Limitations: Readability indexes are suited to only prose. They neither measure how well-organised the text is, nor indicate the suitability of typographical features, such as illustrations, typeface, appeal of presentation, and use of white space. Readability scores do not account for readers’ backgrounds, exposure, and motivation. Practical implication: Developing user-friendly consumer medicine information leaflets can reduce the need for extensive explanations, allowing healthcare providers to allocate their time more efficiently. Social Implication: Improving the readability of Consumer Medicine Information leaflets can enhance health literacy, leading to better health outcomes and reduced healthcare costs associated with medication errors. Originality/Value: While readability indices have been widely used, their application specifically to Consumer Medicine Information leaflets for chronic ailments such as diabetes, hypertension, asthma, arthritis, and heart disease in Ghana is novel. Chronic ailments require continuous and often complex medication regimens, making readability particularly crucial.

Point-of-care Diagnostic for Foetal Haemoglobin in Kids for Sickle Cell Disease in Ghana

Point-of-care Diagnostic for Foetal Haemoglobin in Kids for Sickle Cell Disease in Ghana

Infection prevention and control: Qualitative study of the preparedness and response of Christian health Association of Ghana to Marburg virus disease in Ghana

ObjectiveRecent disease outbreaks underscore the importance of robust disease surveillance and infection prevention and control (IPC) programmes to bolster Africa's public health response system. Yet, available evidence shows extensive gaps in the emergency response capacity of faith-based healthcare providers on the continent. Accordingly, this study examines the IPC and surveillance strategies adopted by a faith-based healthcare provider and the challenges encountered during Marburg Virus Disease outbreak (MVD) in Ghana. MethodWe collected data from 15 clinical and nonclinical health workers from the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) and the Ghana Health Service (GHS). Data was collected through online interviews to examine two pillars of the WHO COVID-19 SPRP-AFR (2021) framework. We analyzed the data using Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis. FindingsThe facility performed creditably well with contact tracing and other quarantine protocols during MVD outbreak in Ghana. However, it also encountered several challenges in the enforcement of IPC protocols, including human resource constraints, the lack of decontamination equipment, and limited infrastructure, among others. Given these limitations, we assessed that the facility cannot handle major outbreaks. ConclusionDue to numerous infectious disease outbreaks in Sub-Saharan Africa in recent years, the government of Ghana and faith-based healthcare providers must resource their facilities with the relevant equipment and qualified human resources against future disease outbreaks.

Citrus Black Spot Disease in Ghana: A Review on Impacts, Management Options and Current Status

Citrus is one of the most common seasonal fruit crops cultivated across most semi-deciduous forest zones across the globe. Apart from its refreshing nature when consumed in a fresh state, it is also packed with an abundant supply of vitamins A, B and C. Apart from being served in the raw state as a fruit or a dessert, it also serves as a critical raw material for the beverage industry. In some instances, it also serves as a very important material for the pharmaceutical industry. As important as this fruit can be, its production is challenged by the incidence of pests and diseases. One of the major diseases facing the industry is the Citrus Black Spot (CBS), caused by Phyllosticta citricarpa. In Ghana, CBS is known to affect almost all citrus species and varieties in commercial groves, except for sour orange (C. aurantium) and its hybrids and Tahiti lime (C. latifolia). It is estimated to be responsible for about 22% of fruit/yield loss annually. This review highlighted the impact on the citrus production industry in Ghana, the management options available and future perspectives.

Epidemiology and Diagnostics of Cacao Swollen Shoot Disease in Ghana: Past Research Achievements and Knowledge Gaps to Guide Future Research.

Cacao swollen shoot disease (CSSD) caused by complexes of cacao swollen shoot badnaviruses (family Caulimoviridae, genus Badnavirus) remains highly prevalent and devastating in West Africa. The disease continues to impact substantially on cacao yield loss, cacao tree mortality, and decline in foreign exchange income from cacao bean sales. Currently, the disease is estimated to have a prevalence rate of over 30% in Ghana, as assessed in the ongoing third country-wide surveillance program. Although achievements from past research interventions have greatly elucidated the etiology, biology, epidemiology, diagnostics, and management of the disease, there are some outstanding knowledge gaps. The role of these information gaps and their effect on CSSD epidemiology and prevalence remain unanswered. This paper summarizes existing scientific knowledge from past research achievements that have provided elucidation on CSSD epidemiology, management options, and guided future research. The discussion highlights the need for multidisciplinary research with modern tools and institutional collaborators to holistically bring clarity on knowledge gaps on pathogen biology, virus-host--vector interactions, role of environmental and soil nutrient effects on CSSD severity, evolution pattern, role of alternative hosts on virus species diversity, vector population dynamics, and their overall impact on CSSD prevalence and integrated management in cacao plantations.

Evaluation of treatment patterns, healthcare resource utilization and cost of illness for sickle cell disease in Ghana: a private medical insurance claims database study

BackgroundSickle cell disease (SCD) is a major public health concern in sub-Saharan Africa, accounting for nearly 75% of the global disease burden. The current analysis evaluated patient characteristics, treatment patterns, healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) and associated costs in patients with SCD based on a Private Medical Insurance Database in Ghana.MethodsThis retrospective longitudinal cohort study was conducted using an e-claims database from Ghana (01 January 2015 to 31 March 2021). Patients were stratified by age (0 month to < 2 years, ≥ 2 years to ˂6 years, ≥ 6 years to < 12 years, ≥ 12 years to < 16 years; ≥16 years), vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC) (< 1, ≥ 1 to < 3, and ≥ 3 per year), and continuous enrolment. Study outcomes related to patient characteristics, comorbidities, treatment pattern, HCRU were evaluated for pre- and post-index period (index period was between July 2015 to March 2020). Descriptive analysis was used to analyse different study variables.ResultsThe study included 2,863 patients (mean age: 20.1 years; Min age: 0; Max age: 83; females 56.1%). Overall, 52.2% (n = 1,495) of SCD patients were ≥ 16 years and 17.0% (n = 486) were in the ≥ 2 to ˂6-years age group. The majority of patients aged ≥ 16 years (62.5%) in the database did not have reported VOC episodes, 35.9% of patients had 1 to 3 VOCs per year and 1.5% had ≥ 3 VOCs per year during the follow-up period. Consultation-based prevalence of SCD was 0.5% [95% confidence interval (CI): 0-1.3%] − 1.4% [CI: 0.6-2.2%]. Malaria, upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) and sepsis were the common complications of SCD. Analgesics were the most frequently prescribed medications followed by anti-infectives, hematinics, and antimalarials. Hydroxyurea, a routine standard of care for SCD was under-utilized. SCD patients had median cost incurred for consultation/hospital services of $11.3 (Interquartile range [IQR] $6.2 - $27.2). For patients with VOC, maximum median cost was incurred for medications ($10.9 [IQR $5.0-$32.6]). Overall median healthcare cost was highest for individuals with ≥ 3 VOCs per year during the follow-up period ($166.8 [IQR $70.3-$223.5]).ConclusionIn this retrospective private insurance claims database analysis, SCD imposes a significant healthcare burden, especially in patients with VOC. There is a need for reimbursed treatment options that could reduce the long-term burden associated with SCD and VOC.

Optimal control model of human-to-human transmission of monkeypox virus

Background: The number of monkeypox cases is rising globally, but it’s unclear how many instances there will be in the near future. The disease has been one of the major problems for sub-Saharan Africans in the past few years. This study seeks to suggest optimal strategies for curbing the disease in Ghana and preventing future occurrences. Methods: A deterministic mathematical model incorporating optimal controls has been developed in this research to investigate the transmission of the monkeypox virus. The model’s fundamental properties such as positivity and boundedness of solution, and basic reproduction number have been examined. In order to assess the efficacy of two preventative control strategies—public education and vaccination—optimal controls were included in the model and Pontragyin’s maximum principle was used to characterize the model. Results: The disease was observed to be not endemic with infection going extinct after ten days. The Monkeypox-related deaths were insignificant. The optimal strategies revealed that public education had less of an effect on those who were vulnerable than the vaccine control strategy. However, both approaches were successful in reducing the number of people who were exposed to the illness and reducing the number of fatalities. Vaccination reduced the number by 32.35% and public education by 50% at the peak of the exposed phase. Additionally, vaccination increases a person’s immunity, which speeds up their recovery. Conclusions: A deterministic classical model incorporating optimal controls was proposed to study the monkeypox virus dynamics in a population. The disease is not endemic, which is explained by the model’s basic reproduction number, which was less than unity. Based on the findings of this study, we advise the use of both strategies in controlling the disease.

Public health and programme development in sickle cell disease in Ghana: the legacy of Kwaku Ohene-Frempong

Public health and programme development in sickle cell disease in Ghana: the legacy of Kwaku Ohene-Frempong

Cacao Swollen Shoot Viruses in Ghana.

Cacao swollen shoot virus causes cacao swollen shoot disease of Theobroma cacao (cacao) plants. At least six cacao-infecting Badnavirus species-Cacao swollen shoot Togo A virus, Cacao swollen shoot Togo B virus (previously known as Cacao swollen shoot virus), Cacao swollen shoot CE virus, Cacao swollen shoot Ghana M virus, Cacao swollen shoot Ghana N virus, and Cacao swollen shoot Ghana Q virus-are responsible for the swollen shoot disease of cacao in Ghana. Each of these species consists of a multiplicity of strains. The New Juaben strain, the most virulent cacao swollen shoot virus strain in Ghana, belongs to the Cacao swollen shoot Togo B virus species, and is a commonly used strain in laboratory transmission assays. Infection of cacao trees with multiple strains of the virus is common and new evidence suggests that these coinfections may have resulted in the emergence of recombinant strains of the virus. The impact of these emerging recombinant strains on disease severity is uncertain. This review focuses largely on the discovery of cacao swollen shoot virus in Ghana, diversity of the virus strains, molecular characterization, propagation of virus infection in cacao plants, emergence of recombinant virus strains, vector-mediated transmission of the virus, and the management of the cacao swollen shoot disease in Ghana. It also contains sections on the botany and origin of the cacao tree, its introduction to Ghana, the role of cacao swollen shoot disease in facilitating Ghana's independence from Britain, and a brief history of chocolate.

Investigating Knowledge Level, Awareness, Risk Factors and Preventive practices of Patients Regarding Ckd in Northern Ghana

Background: Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a major global health problem. CKD is one of the most common complications of diabetes mellitus and hypertension and carries a risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and usually progress to end-stage kidney disease. Objectives: The main objective of the study was to assess the knowledge, awareness and prevalence of chronic kidney disease among patients seeking healthcare at the Tamale Central Hospital Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out and a total of 260 respondents were selected by a systematic random sampling method and structured questionnaire were used to collect data from the respondent. Consent was sought from each selected participant, privacy and confidentiality was observed during the data collection. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 26.0. Results: Findings from this study discovered that, 96 (36.9%) of the respondents were between 25-30 years of age. Majority, 165 (63.5%) of the respondents were females, whiles 217 (83.5%) of the respondents have heard about chronic kidney disease. Regarding the source of information, majority 92 (35.4%) of the respondents heard about chronic kidney disease from healthcare workers. Majority, 212 (81.5%) of the respondents admitted it’s true that chronic kidney disease is a reduction in its ability to remove waste, 240 (92.3%) said its true chronic kidney disease means an infection of the kidney, 229 (88.1%) said its true chronic kidney disease means damage to the kidney. About 198 (76.2%) of the respondents believed drinking too little water can results in chronic kidney disease, almost all, 247 (95.0%) of the respondnets believe smoking can result into chronic kidney disease, also, majority 209 (80.4%) of the respondents believe untreated hypertension can result in CKD. Conclusion: The research question what is the knowledge level, awareness, risk factors and preventive practices of patients regarding CKD, was answered as the findings above speak to these questions. The burden of CKD remains serious and unacceptably high, appropriate preventive measures should be implemented to reduce kidney disease in Ghana and it is suggested that future research should look at a qualitative research method in order to spell out a lot of the information that respondents in this study were not able to give in detail due to the restrictions on the questionnaire used. A future study could seek to include more than one healthcare facility and increase the sample size.

From research to health policy: The Noguchi story in the past, present and next 25 years

The Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) is a semi-autonomous institute of the College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon. Founded in 1979, the Institute was built with a grant aid from the Government of Japan as a gift to the people of Ghana in memory of the renowned Japanese medical scientist, Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, who died from Yellow fever infection while conducting research on the disease in Ghana. The Institute has a three-pronged mandate to conduct health related research, build human capacity and provide specialized diagnostic and disease monitoring services in support of the Ghana Health Service. Over the past 40 years, the Institute has grown to be a leading biomedical research institute in the African region. It has strong and long-standing collaborations with scientists and institutions in Africa, Japan, Europe, Australia and North America on several projects on diseases of public health importance. The Institute also hosts several regional and national centres such as Regional Influenza laboratory. The Institute’s research activities are relevant to the control and prevention of infectious diseases in Ghana, particularly, HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Buruli ulcer, Polio, Malaria and emerging infectious diseases. The Institute also plays a technical/advisory role to government through collaborations with disease control programmes and has since inception provided the country with needed critical evidence in support of health policy as well as laboratory diagnostic services among others. Going forward, the Institute seeks to expand and consolidate its activities in areas of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), clinical trials, genomic surveillance and academic programs and in the next 25 years, NMIMR hopes to approach every research area using the one health approach.

Physical and social wellbeing of family caregivers of persons with hepatitis B associated chronic liver disease in Ghana: a qualitative study

BackgroundHepatitis B is one of the most common viral (HBV)infections that affect the liver. Infection with the virus may result in varying severity of liver disease which may be acute or chronic. Though most people recover from the infection, about 5 − 10% of cases lead to chronic infection. Persons who develop HBV-related debilitating liver disease will likely require informal care from family caregivers.AimThis study sought to explore the physical and social wellbeing of family caregivers of persons with hepatitis B-associated chronic liver disease in a tertiary hospital in the Central region of Ghana.MethodsThis study adopted an exploratory, descriptive qualitative research design. We used a purposive sampling technique and a semi-structured interview guide to interview eighteen participants. The Quality of Life (QoL) model applied to family caregivers underpinned the study and guided the formulation of study objectives. Data analysis followed Braun and Clarke’s procedure for thematic content analysis. Similar codes were grouped into subthemes, and similar subthemes were grouped into major themes. The consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (coreq) checklist was used as a guide for writing the study.ResultsTwo major themes emerged from the study: physical wellbeing and social wellbeing. Seven subthemes were also identified: physical body changes and physiological body changes (physical wellbeing) and role strain, social isolation, financial impact, affection/sexual function, and support social wellbeing). These central themes aligned with two domains of the QoL model applied to family caregivers.ConclusionFamily caregivers of persons with HB-associated liver disease suffer ill health due to the burden of physical care for their sick relatives and neglect their health due to time constraints. They also experience role strain as they cannot attend to other family responsibilities and feel socially isolated since they spend all their time caring for a sick family member.

Knowledge, attitudes and practice towards yellow fever among nomadic populations: A cross-sectional study in yellow fever outbreak communities in Ghana.

Despite the government and global health initiatives toward yellow fever epidemic control in Ghana, the country continues to witness sporadic outbreaks of yellow fever mostly among the unvaccinated population and suspected migrates(nomadic) who enter the country. Little is known about nomadic knowledge, attitudes and practice regarding this communicable disease in Ghana. We conducted a community-based cross-sectional survey in 22 yellow fever outbreak communities to assess nomadic household heads' knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) regarding yellow fever after an outbreak in November 2021 outbreak. Our study results were analyzed using descriptive statistics, bivariate and multivariate logistics regression with dichotomous outcomes. Significant statistics were obtained from multivariate analysis. About 90% of the nomadic had poor knowledge of the signs and symptoms of yellow with only 16% knowing the vector that transmits yellow fever. The most common source of information on yellow fever was the health campaign. Over 80% of household heads surveyed had positive attitudes regarding yellow fever with about 84% worried about the disease outbreak in their community. In a multivariate logistic regression model, age group(AOR = 2.79; 95% CI: 1.31, 5.98, p = 0.008)., gender ideology(AOR = 2.27; 95% CI: 1.14-4.51, p = 0.019), occupation(AOR = 15.65; 95% CI: 7.02, 34.87, p<0.001), source of health information(AOR = 0.27; 95% CI: 0.07, 0.96, p = 0.043), duration of stay in the community(AOR = 1.11; 95% CI: 1.31, 5.98, p = 0.008) and nationality (AOR = 0.22; 95% CI:0.47, 0.47, p<0.001) were associated with positive attitudes towards yellow fever. Close to 74% have a positive practice, with 97.3% controlling mosquitoes in their household. Nationality (AOR = 3.85; 95% CI: 2.26, 6.56, p<0.001), duration of stay in the community (AOR = 1.06; 95% CI: 1.03, 1.10, p = 0.001), and age group(AOR = 040; 95% CI: 0.22, 0.73, p = 0.003) were associated with positive practices. Our findings show that yellow fever KAP was variable with clear knowledge gaps. Regular locally-tailored education and health promotion campaigns should be considered to improve knowledge and preventive practices against this infectious disease.

Epidemiologic transition and the double burden of disease in Ghana: What do we know at the neighborhood level?

Many developing countries including Ghana are currently experiencing dual disease burdens emerging from an unprecedented risk overlap that drive their epidemiological transitions. Yet, siloed and disintegrated approaches continue to take precedence in health research and policy programs that drive competition for limited resources to address competing health problems. The objective of this study was to offer empirical evidence in support of a cogent argument for an integrated framework for the study and management of infectious and chronic health conditions in Ghana. We did so by examining the prevalence, determinants, and neighborhoods trajectories of the double burden of disease using data from a cross-sectional neighborhood-based study in Ghana. We fitted multinomial multilevel multivariate models to a sample of 1377 individual surveys and the results presented as odds ratios. Findings show that amidst a rising burden of NCDs, infectious diseases remain the most common health condition and participants in deprived neighborhoods were significantly more likely to report poor health outcomes. Risk factors such as tobacco and alcohol consumption were significantly associated with NCDs and infectious diseases and respondents who reported being diagnosed with NCDs and infectious diseases in the past year were likely to engage in leisure time physical activities and eat healthy. Based on our findings, we recommend health reforms in Ghana and argue for the design and implementation of an integrated framework for the study and management of the double burden of disease in Ghana and similar developing country settings.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder and Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease in Ghana: The St Joseph Hospital, Koforidua in Focus

Diagnosis and Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder and Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease in Ghana: The St Joseph Hospital, Koforidua in Focus

Polycythemia vera disease profile in an African population-experience from a tertiary facility in Ghana.

The study describes the clinical and laboratory profile of the patients with polycythemia vera at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi, Ghana. This was a retrospective hospital-based cohort study conducted from September 2020 to August 2022. Hematology clinic entry book was used to identify the patient's unique hospital code. Using these unique codes, retrospective data were collected using an Excel spreadsheet from the Hospital Lightwave health information management system (LHIMS) database. A total of 20 participants were recruited over the period of 2 years. The overall mean age was 51.53 ± 16.39 years. The hematological profile of the male participants revealed a mean hemoglobin of 18.25 ± 1.373 g/dl, mean hematocrit of 52 ± 3.47%, and a mean platelet of 345.5 ± 180.82. Comparatively, the mean hemoglobin, hematocrit, and platelet for the female participants were higher with figures of 19.26 ± 1.43 g/dl, 53 ± 3.61%, and 816 ± 935.32, respectively. Headache, tiredness, numbness, splenomegaly, and abnormal labs were the most common reasons why participants sought medical attention. Majority (60%) of the study participants had Janus Kinase 2 mutation. New-onset hypertension was identified in 45% of the study participants during follow-up. Thromboembolism was seen in 10% of the study population. Polycythemia vera is an uncommon disease in Ghana mostly found in older males above 50 years. It is important to recognize it early to initiate therapy aimed at preventing common complications such as hypertension and thromboembolism. Polycythemia vera should be considered a differential diagnosis for patients with secondary hypertension.