University of Health and Allied Sciences

About: University of Health and Allied Sciences is a education organization based out in Ho, Ghana. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Public health. The organization has 637 authors who have published 1063 publications receiving 9380 citations. The organization is also known as: UHAS & IAU-024335.

Challenges and experiences in linking community level reported out-of-pocket health expenditures to health provider recorded health expenditures: Experience from the iHOPE project in Northern Ghana.

Abstract: Out of pocket health payment (OOPs) has been identified by the System of Health Accounts (SHA) as the largest source of health care financing in most low and middle-income countries. This means that most low and middle-income countries will rely on user fees and co-payments to generate revenue, rationalize the use of services, contain health systems costs or improve health system efficiency and service quality. However, the accurate measurement of OOPs has been challenged by several limitations which are attributed to both sampling and non-sampling errors when OOPs are estimated from household surveys, the primary source of information in LICs and LMICs. The incorrect measurement of OOP health payments can undermine the credibility of current health spending estimates, an otherwise important indicator for tracking UHC, hence there is the need to address these limitations and improve the measurement of OOPs. In an attempt to improve the measurement of OOPs in surveys, the INDEPTH-Network Household out-of-pocket expenditure project (iHOPE) developed new modules on household health utilization and expenditure by repurposing the existing Ghana Living Standards Survey instrument and validating these new tools with a ‘gold standard’ (provider data) with the aim of proposing alternative approaches capable of producing reliable data for estimating OOPs in the context of National Health Accounts and for the purpose of monitoring financial protection in health. This paper reports on the challenges and opportunities in using and linking household reported out-of-pocket health expenditures to their corresponding provider records for the purpose of validating household reported out-of-pocket health expenditure in the iHOPE project.

Prevalence and characteristics of congenital talipes equinovarus (clubfoot) in Northern Ghana: a two year retrospective descriptive study

Abstract: Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence and phenotypic characteristics of clubfoot in the Northern Region, one of the most deprived regions of Ghana.Method: Parameters of interest included sex distribution, laterality, types of clubfoot, annual trends and prevalence rate. Data was collected in the sole clubfoot clinic for the region from January 2015 to December 2016. A descriptive statistical analysis of the data was conducted using SPSS version 16. Result: A total of 112 cases were recorded, resulting in a prevalence rate of 0.9 per 1000 live births. The highest number of cases for both years was recorded in January. Twice the number of males were affected as females and bilateral clubfoot formed 65.5% of case presentations while idiopathic clubfoot made up 67.9% of total clubfoot types. Almost same numbers of left (n=19) feet were affected as right (n=20) in unilateral clubfoot.Conclusions: The phenotypic characteristics were similar to findings in other parts of Ghana, Africa and the world although the prevalence rate was lower than expected. Future investigations into associated risk factors and the influencers of the phenotypic and annual trends are therefore warranted.

Factors Influencing Information and Communication Technology Knowledge and Use Among Nurse Managers in Selected Hospitals in the Volta Region of Ghana.

Abstract: This study adopted a cross-sectional design to examine the factors that influence the use of information and communication technology among 108 nurse managers in selected hospitals in the Volta Region of Ghana. A self-administered questionnaire was used to gather data. A χ test of association identified sex (P < .0001), age (P < .0001), years of work experience (P < .0001), rank of the respondents (P < .0001), computer training (P < .0001), computer ownership (P < .0001), and previous use of computers before appointment as a unit manager (P < .0001) as the factors that significantly influenced the use of information and communication technology among nurse managers.

Acute traumatic abdominal wall hernia-value of the physical examination: case report.

Abstract: Acute traumatic abdominal wall hernia (TAWH) is a rare type of hernia that occurs after a low or high velocity impact of the abdominal wall against a blunt object with few cases reported. Perforations of the hollow viscera commonly follow abdominal trauma and likely require surgery for hemorrhage and sepsis source control. We report a case where a high velocity impact of the abdominal wall against the stump of a felled tree caused a TAWH with concomitant gastric perforation in a 20-year-old male patient who required exploratory laparotomy with primary repair of the stomach and fascia. The physical examination findings without previous history of abdominal hernia and pneumoperitoneum in the chest X-ray made suspect our diagnosis and it was confirmed intraoperatively. At 3 months postoperatively the patient has a strong abdominal wall. It is imperative to emphasize the importance of the physical examination goal of not losing diagnosis of TAWH.