Low Utilization of Insecticide-Treated Bed Net among Pregnant Women in the Middle Belt of Ghana

Background. Malaria in pregnancy leads to low birth weight, premature birth, anaemia, and maternal and neonatal mortality. Use of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) during pregnancy is one of the proven interventions to reduce the malaria burden. However, Ghana has not achieved its target for ITN use among pregnant women. Methods. A qualitative study was conducted in seven communities purposively selected from the middle belt of Ghana. Participants who had delivered in the six months prior to this study were selected. In all, seven focus group discussions and twenty-four in-depth interviews were conducted between June and August 2010. Results. Respondents knew of the importance of ITNs and other malaria-preventive strategies. Factors such as financial access and missed opportunities of free distribution denied some pregnant women the opportunity to own or use an ITN. Reasons for not using ITNs during pregnancy included discomfort resulting from heat, smell of the net, and difficulty in hanging the net. Participants maintained their ITNs by preventing holes in the nets, retreatment, and infrequent washing. Conclusion. Pregnant women know about the causes and prevention of malaria. However, this knowledge is not transformed into practice due to lack of access to ITNs and sleeping discomforts among other logistical constraints.

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Experiences of patients who developed oral mucositis during solid neoplasms treatment: a Ugandan qualitative study

Journal of Patient-Reported Outcomes ◽

10.1186/s41687-021-00301-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Adriane Kamulegeya ◽

Damalie Nakanjako ◽

Jackson Orem ◽

Harriet Mayanja-Kizza

Keyword(s):

Focus Group ◽

Qualitative Study ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Patient Management ◽

Tropical Diseases ◽

Preventive Strategies ◽

Focus Group Discussions ◽

Group Discussions ◽

Management Of Complications ◽

Depth Interviews

Abstract Background Research on the management of complications of chemotherapy is important in facilitating the growing approaches to individualized patient management. Hence the need to document patient’s perspectives about chemotherapy-induced mucositis and the support they need from cancer care teams. Methods We carried out a qualitative study using in-depth interviews (IDI) and focus group discussions (FGD). We collected patient’s experiences on chemotherapy-induced mucositis by conducting 5 FGD and 13 IDIs. Results One glaring improvement that we need to make is the provision of information and counseling before, during, and after chemotherapy. Additionally, we need to explore inexpensive mucositis preventive strategies to aid our patients as they undergo treatment. Conclusion As a country, we must move away from taking cancer patients’ needs as those of common tropical diseases. This will allow us to provide that extra help needed outside the usual diagnosis and administration of medication.

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Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) Positioning on Strengthening Partnership with Midwives

Jurnal Kesehatan Masyarakat ◽

10.15294/kemas.v13i1.7452 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

pp. 77-87

Author(s):

Tuti Surtimanah ◽

Yanti Herawati

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Focus Group ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Family Health ◽

Traditional Birth Attendants ◽

Focus Group Discussions ◽

Group Discussions ◽

Birth Attendants ◽

The Right ◽

Depth Interviews

Background of this research was the still high number of infant mortality and high use of Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs). The This study aims aimed to determine TBAs positioning on the effort of strengthening partnership with midwives. A number of pregnant women, TBAs, and midwives become became informants, through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. The results showed positioning TBAs still needed with different roles but side by side with midwife role, used by primi and multi pregnant women before and during pregnancy, during and after birth. The requirement forrequirement for TBAs was derived from parents as a cultural heritage, whereas the requirement for midwife obtained was from formal and non- formal information. The TBAs services toward maintain family health care including include cultural events. The midwife is givingserved professional servicescare. The partnership includes clients registration, motivation, abnormalities early detection. There has had been an unwritten financing unwritten agreement. The TBAs midwife partnership needs to be strengthened through legislation and , communication to diverse audiences in order to form the right positioning.

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Understanding the gap between access and use: a qualitative study on barriers and facilitators to insecticide-treated net use in Ghana

Malaria Journal ◽

10.1186/s12936-019-3051-0 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Collins Stephen Ahorlu ◽

Philip Adongo ◽

Hannah Koenker ◽

Sixte Zigirumugabe ◽

Solomon Sika-Bright ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Focus Group ◽

Skin Irritation ◽

Continuous Distribution ◽

Malaria Prevention ◽

Insecticide Treated Nets ◽

Focus Group Discussions ◽

Group Discussions ◽

Study Results ◽

Itn Use

Abstract Background Mass and continuous distribution channels have significantly increased access to insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) in Ghana since 2000. Despite these gains, a large gap remains between ITN access and use. Methods A qualitative research study was carried out to explore the individual and contextual factors influencing ITN use among those with access in three sites in Ghana. Eighteen focus group discussions, and free listing and ranking activities were carried out with 174 participants; seven of those participants were selected for in-depth case study. Focus group discussions and case study interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed thematically. Results ITN use, as described by study participants, was not binary; it varied throughout the night, across seasons, and over time. Heat was the most commonly cited barrier to consistent ITN use and contributed to low reported ITN use during the dry season. Barriers to ITN use throughout the year included skin irritation; lack of airflow in the sleeping space; and, in some cases, a lack of information on the connection between the use of ITNs and malaria prevention. Falling ill or losing a loved one to malaria was the most powerful motivator for consistent ITN use. Participants also discussed developing a habit of ITN use and the economic benefit of prevention over treatment as facilitating factors. Participants reported gender differences in ITN use, noting that men were more likely than women and children to stay outdoors late at night and more likely to sleep outdoors without an ITN. Conclusion The study results suggest the greatest gains in ITN use among those with access could be made by promoting consistent use throughout the year among occasional and seasonal users. Opportunities for improving communication messages, such as increasing the time ITNs are aired before first use, as well as structural approaches to enhance the usability of ITNs in challenging contexts, such as promoting solutions for outdoor ITN use, were identified from this work. The information from this study can be used to inform social and behaviour change messaging and innovative approaches to closing the ITN use gap in Ghana.

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Nomadic Migration and Rural Violence in Nigeria

Explorations in Ethnic Studies ◽

10.1525/esr.2020.43.1.64 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 43 (1) ◽

pp. 64-95

Author(s):

Nsemba Edward Lenshie ◽

Patience Kondu Jacob

Keyword(s):

State Government ◽

Migration Pattern ◽

Land Resources ◽

Focus Group Discussions ◽

Group Discussions ◽

Security Governance ◽

North East ◽

Descriptive Approach ◽

The Relationship ◽

Depth Interviews

The relationship between Fulani herdsmen and farmers has in recent years become hot-tempered motivated by competitive control of land resources, particularly in central and north-east Nigeria. In Taraba State, the ongoing nomadic migration pattern from the Sahel in quest of pastures has led to violent confrontation between Fulani herdsmen and farming indigenous natives. Using a descriptive approach consisting of documented evidence, in-depth interviews, and focus group discussions, the analysis revealed that conflicts between Fulani herdsmen and indigenous native farmers have culminated in population displacement and destruction of life and property in numerous rural enclaves in Taraba State. Despite the consequences of the conflicts, the Taraba State government was unable to act proactively because of the centralization of command over Nigerian security agencies. Accordingly, the study suggests decentralization of security agencies in Nigeria, especially the police, as the way forward for effective security governance in Nigeria.

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Rural–urban variation in insecticide-treated net utilization among pregnant women: evidence from 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey

Malaria Journal ◽

10.1186/s12936-020-03481-5 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Edward Kwabena Ameyaw ◽

Kenneth Setorwu Adde ◽

Shadrach Dare ◽

Sanni Yaya

Keyword(s):

Rural Communities ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Health Survey ◽

Binary Logistic Regression ◽

Demographic And Health Survey ◽

Insecticide Treated Nets ◽

Lower Odds ◽

North West ◽

The North ◽

Itn Use

Abstract Background In 2018, Nigeria accounted for the highest prevalence of malaria worldwide. Pregnant women and children under five years bear the highest risk of malaria. Geographical factors affect utilization of insecticide-treated nets (ITN), yet existing literature have paid little attention to the rural–urban dimension of ITN utilization in Nigeria. This study aimed at investigating the rural–urban variation in ITN utilization among pregnant women in Nigeria using data from the 2018 Demographic and Health Survey. Methods A total of 2909 pregnant women were included in the study. The prevalence of ITN utilization for rural and urban pregnant women of Nigeria were presented with descriptive statistics. Chi-square test was employed to assess the association between residence, socio-demographic characteristics and ITN utilization at 95% level of significance. Subsequently, binary logistic regression was used to assess the influence of residence on ITN utilization. Results Eight out of ten of the rural residents utilized ITN (86.1%) compared with 74.1% among urban residents. Relative to urban pregnant women, those in rural Nigeria had higher odds of utilizing ITNs both in the crude [cOR = 2.17, CI = 1.66–2.84] and adjusted models [aOR = 1.18, CI = 1.05–1.24]. Pregnant women aged 40–44 had lower odds of ITN utilization compared to those aged 15–19 [aOR = 0.63, CI = 0.44–0.92]. Poorer pregnant women had higher odds of ITN utilization compared with poorest pregnant women [aOR = 1.09, CI = 1.04–1.32]. Across regions, those in the south [aOR = 0.26, CI = 0.14–0.49] and south-west [aOR = 0.29, CI = 0.16–0.54] had lower odds of ITN use compared to their counterparts in the north-west region. Conclusion The high use of ITNs among pregnant women in Nigeria may be due to the prioritization of rural communities by previous interventions. This is a dimension worth considering to enhance the attainment of the national anti-malarial initiatives. Since possession of ITN is not a guarantee for utilization, women in urban locations need constant reminder of ITN use through messages delivered at ANC and radio advertisements. Moreover, subsequent mass ITN campaigns ought to take cognizance of variations ITN use across regions and pragmatic steps be taken to increase the availability of ITN in households since there is a moderately high use in households with at least one ITN in Nigeria.

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Nairobi Early Childcare in Slums (NECS) Study Protocol: a mixed-methods exploration of paid early childcare in Mukuru slum, Nairobi

BMJ Paediatrics Open ◽

10.1136/bmjpo-2020-000822 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. e000822

Author(s):

Robert C Hughes ◽

Patricia Kitsao-Wekulo ◽

Sunil Bhopal ◽

Elizabeth W Kimani-Murage ◽

Zelee Hill ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mixed Methods ◽

Focus Group ◽

Early Years ◽

Epidemiological Methods ◽

Focus Group Discussions ◽

Group Discussions ◽

Early Childcare ◽

Depth Interviews ◽

Childcare Providers

IntroductionThe early years are critical. Early nurturing care can lay the foundation for human capital accumulation with lifelong benefits. Conversely, early adversity undermines brain development, learning and future earning.Slums are among the most challenging places to spend those early years and are difficult places to care for a child. Shifting family and work structures mean that paid, largely informal, childcare seems to be becoming the ‘new normal’ for many preschool children growing up in rapidly urbanising Africa. However, little is known about the quality of this childcare.AimsTo build a rigorous understanding what childcare strategies are used and why in a typical Nairobi slum, with a particular focus on provision and quality of paid childcare. Through this, to inform evaluation of quality and design and implementation of interventions with the potential to reach some of the most vulnerable children at the most critical time in the life course.Methods and analysisMixed methods will be employed. Qualitative research (in-depth interviews and focus group discussions) with parents/carers will explore need for and decision-making about childcare. A household survey (of 480 households) will estimate the use of different childcare strategies by parents/carers and associated parent/carer characteristics. Subsequently, childcare providers will be mapped and surveyed to document and assess quality of current paid childcare. Semistructured observations will augment self-reported quality with observable characteristics/practices. Finally, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with childcare providers will explore their behaviours and motivations. Qualitative data will be analysed through thematic analysis and triangulation across methods. Quantitative and spatial data will be analysed through epidemiological methods (random effects regression modelling and spatial statistics).Ethics and disseminationEthical approval has been granted in the UK and Kenya. Findings will be disseminated through journal publications, community and government stakeholder workshops, policy briefs and social media content.

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Political Vigilante Groups in Ghana: Violence or Democracy?

Africa Spectrum ◽

10.1177/0002039720970957 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 55 (3) ◽

pp. 321-338

Author(s):

Justice Richard Kwabena Owusu Kyei ◽

Lidewyde H. Berckmoes

Keyword(s):

Democratic Governance ◽

Focus Group Discussions ◽

Group Discussions ◽

Political Field ◽

Political Actors ◽

Electoral Campaigns ◽

The Social ◽

Group Members ◽

Organisational Structures ◽

Depth Interviews

Literature on political vigilante groups has centred on the violence and conflict that emanate from their activities. This article approaches political vigilante groups as political actors who engage in political mobilisation and participation and therewith also contribute to nation state building. It explores how such groups participate in Ghana’s democratic governance and asks whether violence is an inevitable characteristic. The article builds on individual in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with political vigilante group members in Kumasi and Tamale in 2019. Findings show that political vigilante “youth” appeared to refer primarily to the social position attributed to non-elite groups in the political field. Political vigilante groups are multi-faceted in their organisational structures, membership, and activities both during electoral campaigns and during governing periods. While some groups revert to violence occasionally, the study concludes that political vigilante groups, in enabling different voices to be heard, are also contributing to democratic governance.

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Sexual and Reproductive Health Information and Experiences Among Syrian Refugee Adolescent Girls in Lebanon

Qualitative Health Research ◽

10.1177/1049732321989685 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 31 (5) ◽

pp. 983-998

Author(s):

L’Emira Lama El Ayoubi ◽

Sawsan Abdulrahim ◽

Maia Sieverding

Keyword(s):

Reproductive Health ◽

Adolescent Girls ◽

Sexual And Reproductive Health ◽

Well Being ◽

Focus Group Discussions ◽

Group Discussions ◽

Syrian Refugee ◽

Entry Points ◽

Depth Interviews ◽

Source Of Information

Providing adolescent girls with sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information protects them from risks and improves their well-being. This qualitative study, conducted in Lebanon, examined Syrian refugee adolescent girls’ access to SRH information about and experiences with puberty and menarche, sex, marriage, contraception, and pregnancy. We gathered data through three focus group discussions (FGDs) with unmarried adolescent girls, 11 in-depth interviews with early-married adolescents, and two FGDs with mothers. Our findings highlighted that adolescent participants received inadequate SRH information shortly before or at the time of menarche and sexual initiation, resulting in experiences characterized by anxiety and fear. They also revealed discordance between girls’ views of mothers as a preferred source of information and mothers’ reluctance to communicate with their daughters about SRH. We advance that mothers are important entry points for future interventions in this refugee population and offer recommendations aimed to improve adolescent girls’ SRH and rights.

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Kinship construction variability among Nigerian international migrants: The context of contemporary Diaspora

Human Affairs ◽

10.2478/s13374-011-0044-2 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 21 (4) ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Olayinka Akanle ◽

Olanrewau Olutayo

Keyword(s):

Focus Group ◽

Life Histories ◽

First Century ◽

Primary Data ◽

Focus Group Discussions ◽

Group Discussions ◽

Kinship Networks ◽

Methodological Triangulation ◽

International Migrants ◽

Depth Interviews

AbstractUnderstanding the selves, situations and actions of Africans can never be comprehended outside kinship. Local and foreign worldviews are first pigeonholed into culture and defined within kinship realities in Nigeria and Africa. There have been studies on kinship in Africa. However, the findings from such studies portrayed the immutability of African kinship. Thus, as an important contribution to the on-going engagement of kinship in the twenty-first century as an interface between the contemporary Diaspora, this article engaged kinship within international migration. This is a major behavioural and socio-economic force in Nigeria. Methodological triangulation was adopted as part of the research design and primary data were collected through in-depth interviews (IDIs), and life histories of international migrants were documented and focus group discussions (FGDs) were held with kin of returnees. The article found and concluded that while returnees continued to appreciate local kinship infrastructures, the infrastructures were liable to reconstruction primarily determined by dominant support situations in the traditional African kinship networks.

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Compulsory Science Policy: Enhancing Gender Equality In Education? A Case Study Of Academic Achievement In Uganda

MIER Journal of Educational Studies Trends and Practices ◽

10.52634/mier/2013/v3/i2/1518 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 183-194

Author(s):

Joyce Ayikoru Asiimwe

Keyword(s):

Science Policy ◽

Policy Design ◽

Key Factors ◽

Physical Sciences ◽

Focus Group Discussions ◽

Group Discussions ◽

Number Of Factors ◽

Equality In Education ◽

Depth Interviews

This paper communicates the results of a diagnostic evaluation of the performance of boys and girls in physical sciences at Ordinary level in Uganda after the adoption of the compulsory science policy. The objectives of the study were twofold: to examine the academic performance of boys and girls in the Uganda National Examinations from 2007 to 2010, and to highlight key factors that continue to influence the achievement of students, especially girls in sciences. Data was obtained from five co-educational secondary schools using documentary reviews, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. The results revealed that the performance of both boys and girls have further declined after the implementation of the compulsory science policy. However, in comparison to the boys, girls in co-educational schools were still more likely to be among the poorest performers in sciences. This was attributed to a number of factors, key among them being girls' self-concept in sciences, and teachers' perception of girls' abilities in sciences. These findings reiterate the need to mainstream gender into both policy design and implementation.

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