Browsing by Author "Baatiema, Leonard"

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    Childhood obesity in urban Ghana : evidence from a cross-sectional survey of in-school children aged 5–16 years
    (BMC (part of Springer Nature), 2019-11-26) Ganle, John K.; Boakye, Priscilla P.; Baatiema, Leonard
    Background: Childhood obesity is a growing public health concern in many low-income urban settings; but its determinants are not clear. The purpose of this study is to assess the prevalence of childhood obesity and associated factors among in-school children aged 5–16 years in a Metropolitan district of Ghana. Methods: A cross-sectional quantitative survey was conducted among a sample of 285 in-school children aged 5– 16 years. Pre-tested questionnaires and anthropometric data collection methods were used to collect data. Descriptive, bivariate, binary and multivariate logistic regression statistical techniques were used to analyse data. Results: Some 46.9% (42.2% for males and 51.7% for females) of the children were overweight. Of this, 21.2% were obese (BMI falls above 95th percentile). Childhood obesity was higher in private school (26.8%) than public school (21.4%), and among girls (27.2%) than boys (19%). Factors that increased obesity risks included being aged 11–16 as against 5–10 years (aOR = 6.07; 95%CI = 1.17–31.45; p = 0.025), having a father whose highest education is ‘secondary’ (aOR =2.97; 95% CI = 1.09–8.08; p = 0.032), or ‘tertiary’ (aOR = 3.46; 95% CI = 1.27–9.42; p = 0.015), and consumption of fizzy drinks most days of the week (aOR = 2.84; 95% CI = 1.24–6.52; p = 0.014). Factors that lowered obesity risks included engaging in sport at least 3times per week (aOR = 0.56; 95% CI = 0.33–0.96; p = 0.034), and sleeping for more than 8 h per day (aOR = 0.38; 95% CI = 0.19–0.79; p = 0.009). Conclusion: Higher parental (father) educational attainment and frequent consumption of fizzy drinks per week may increase obesity risks among in-school children aged 5–16 years in the Metropolitan district of Ghana. However, regular exercise (playing sport at least 3 times per week) and having 8 or more hours of sleep per day could lower obesity risks in the same population. Age and sex-appropriate community and school-based interventions are needed to promote healthy diet selection and consumption, physical activity and healthy life styles among in-school children.
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    Factors influencing the use of supervised delivery services in Garu-Tempane District, Ghana
    (BMC (part of Springer Nature), 2019-04-27) Ganle, John K.; Kombet, Mathew L.; Baatiema, Leonard
    Background: There is evidence that supervised delivery has the potential to improve birth outcomes for both women and newborns. However, not all women especially in low-income settings like Ghana use supervised delivery services during childbirth. The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of supervised delivery and determine factors that influence use of supervised delivery services in a local district of Ghana. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional survey of 322 randomly sampled postpartum women who delivered between January and December 2016 in the Garu-Tempane District was conducted. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data. Descriptive, binary and multivariate logistic regression analysis techniques were used to analyse data. Results: Although antenatal care attendance among respondents was very high 291(90.4%), prevalence of supervised birth was only 219(68%). More than a quarter 103(32%) of the postpartum women delivered their babies at home without skilled birth attendants. After controlling for possible confounders in multivariable logistic regression analyses, factors that strongly independently predicted supervised delivery were religion (p < 0.01), distance to health facility (p < 0.05), making at least 4 antenatal care visits (p < 0.01), national health insurance scheme registration (p < 0.01), satisfaction with services received during antenatal care (p < 0.01), need partner’s approval before delivering in health facility (p < 0.01), woman’s thoughts that her religious beliefs prohibited health facility delivery(p < 0.01), and woman’s belief that there are norms in her community that did not support health facility delivery (p < 0.01). Conclusion: There is need for targeted interventions, including community mobilization and health education, and male partner involvement to help generate local demand for, and uptake of, supervised delivery services. Improvement in the quality of services in health facilities, including ensuring respect and dignity for service users, would also be essential.
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    Risky sexual behaviour and contraceptive use in contexts of displacement : insights from a cross-sectional survey of female adolescent refugees in Ghana
    (BMC (part of Springer Nature), 2019-08-16) Ganle, John Kuumuori; Amoako, Doris; Baatiema, Leonard; Ibrahim, Muslim
    Background: Difficulty in accessing sexual and reproductive healthcare is one of the challenges young refugee women face worldwide, in addition to sexual exploitation, violence and abuse. Although Ghana hosts several refugees, little is known about their sexual behaviour and contraceptive use. This study assesses sexual behaviour and contraceptive use among female adolescent refugees in Ghana. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between June and August 2016. Respondents comprised 242 female adolescent refugees aged 14–19 years. Structured validated questionnaires were used to collect data. Descriptive statistical methods and multivariate logistic regression statistical analyses methods were used to analyze data. Findings: Over 78% of respondents have had penetrative sex; 43% have had coerced sex; 71% have had transactional sex; 36% have had sex while drunk, 57% have had 4–6 sexual partners in the last 12 months before the study, and 38% have had both coerced and transactional sex. Factors that predicted ever having transactional sex included being aged 14–16 compared to those aged 17–19 (AOR = 4·80; 95% CI = 2·55–9·04); being from Liberia compared to being from Ghana (AOR = 3·05; 95% CI = 1.69–13·49); having a mother who had no formal education compared to having a mother with tertiary education (AOR = 5.75; 95CI = 1.94– 14.99); and living alone (self) compared to living with parents (AOR = 3.77; 95CI = 1.38–10.33). However, having 1–3 sexual partners in the last 12months as against having 4–6 partners significantly reduced the odds of ever having transactional sex (AOR = 0·02; 95% CI = 0·01–0·08). Awareness about contraceptives was 65%, while ever use of contraceptives was 12%. However, contraceptive use at last sexual intercourse was 8.2%, and current use was 7.3%. Contraceptive use was relatively higher among those who have never had sex while drunk, as well as among those who have never had transactional sex and coerced sex. Contraceptive use was similarly higher among those who had 1–3 sexual partners in the last 12 months compared to those who had 4–6 during the same time period. Conclusion: In this time of global migration crises, addressing disparities in knowledge and access to contraception as well as high risk sexual behaviours in refugee situations is important for reducing inequalities in reproductive health outcomes and ensuring both universal health coverage and global health justice. Sex and contraception education and counselling, self-efficacy training, and skills acquisition are needed to help young refugee women negotiate and practice safe sex and resist sexual pressures.