Gender Differences in Academic Resilience and Well-Being among Senior High School Students in Ghana: A Cross-Sectional Analysis.

Senior high school (SHS) students are at risk of stress and other adverse exposures that may negatively affect their well-being and possibly cause attrition. The concepts of academic resilience and well-being share commonality as psychological attributes linked to positive functioning among students. Despite this connection, there seems to be limited research exploring these concepts across genders among SHS students in developing regions. This study examined the gender difference in academic resilience and well-being among SHS students in Ghana. Using a cross-sectional survey design, 190 SHS students in three schools from Kwahu North and South district (i.e., Afram Plains) of Ghana's Eastern Region completed the Academic Resilience Scale (ARS-30) and College Student Subjective Wellbeing Questionnaire (CSSWQ). The sample consists of 102 males and 88 females, with a mean age of 17.83 years. The data were analyzed using independent samples t-tests and hierarchical regression. The study established that students have a moderate level of academic resilience and a higher level of well-being, with no statistically significant variation in students' academic resilience (t = 0.718; p = 0.474) or well-being (t = -1.596; p = 0.112) across gender. Further, the study discovered that resilience significantly predicted academic well-being (B = 0.425; SE = 0.050; t = 8.50; p < 0.001). This study highlights the importance of promoting gender-sensitive intervention strategies that enhance the academic resilience and well-being of SHS students and help boost their educational attainment.

Female genital mutilation and safer sex negotiation among women in sexual unions in sub-Saharan Africa: Analysis of demographic and health survey data.

BACKGROUND: The practice of female genital mutilation is associated with harmful social norms promoting violence against girls and women. Various studies have been conducted to examine the prevalence of female genital mutilation and its associated factors. However, there has been limited studies conducted to assess the association between female genital mutilation and markers of women's autonomy, such as their ability to negotiate for safer sex. In this study, we examined the association between female genital mutilation and women's ability to negotiate for safer sex in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). METHODS: We pooled data from the most recent Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) conducted from 2010 to 2020. Data from a sample of 50,337 currently married and cohabiting women from eleven sub-Saharan African countries were included in the study. A multilevel binary logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between female genital mutilation and women's ability to refuse sex and ask their partners to use condom. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to present the findings of the logistic regression analysis. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. RESULTS: Female genital mutilation was performed on 56.1% of women included in our study. The highest and lowest prevalence of female genital mutilation were found among women from Guinea (96.3%) and Togo (6.9%), respectively. We found that women who had undergone female genital mutilation were less likely to refuse sex from their partners (aOR = 0.91, 95% CI = 0.86, 0.96) and ask their partners to use condoms (aOR = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.78, 0.86) compared to those who had not undergone female genital mutilation. CONCLUSION: Female genital mutilation hinders women's ability to negotiate for safer sex. It is necessary to implement health education and promotion interventions (e.g., decision making skills) that assist women who have experienced female genital mutilation to negotiate for safer sex. These interventions are crucial to enhance sexual health outcomes for these women. Further, strict enforcement of policies and laws aimed at eradicating the practice of female genital mutilation are encouraged to help contribute to the improvement of women's reproductive health.

Risk Factors of Malnutrition among In-School Children and Adolescents in Developing Countries: A Scoping Review.

Malnutrition among in-school children is a complex issue influenced by socio-economic, environmental, and health-related factors, posing significant challenges to their well-being and educational trajectories in developing countries. This review synthesized evidence on the multifaceted aspects of child malnutrition within the educational setting in developing countries. This review followed the six steps outlined by Arksey and O'Malley's framework. Four main databases (PubMed, CENTRAL, JSTOR, and Scopus) were searched. Additional searches were conducted in WHO Library, ProQuest, HINARI, Google Scholar, and Google. Reference lists of eligible papers were checked. This review found that low family income, varying family sizes, parental employment status, and educational levels significantly impact malnutrition among in-school children and adolescents. Environmental elements, including rural/urban residence, household sanitation, and living conditions, also influence malnutrition. In addition, nutrition knowledge, dietary habits, nutrient deficiencies, physical activity, and prevalent health conditions compound the risk of malnutrition. This study underscores the extensive health impact of malnutrition on general health, specific nutrient deficiencies, fetal/maternal health concerns, and overall morbidity. Also, malnutrition affects school performance and attendance, impacting cognitive abilities, and academic achievements. Addressing these challenges requires comprehensive policy actions aligned with Sustainable Development Goals, emphasizing poverty alleviation, health literacy, and gender equity.

Moderated moderation modelling of subjective social status, pocket money and depressive symptoms of university students in Ghana.

Introduction: Although the relationship between subjective social status and depression in university students has been well-established, this association could be seen as a spurious one. Previous studies have shown that key variables like financial resources and age could play key roles in explaining the variances in social status and mental health outcomes. In this research, we assessed the complex interrelationships between subjective social status, financial resources at their disposal and depressive symptoms among university students within their young and middle adulthood stages. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in a university in Ghana to sample 1134 university students through accidental sampling. The McArthur Scale and WHO-5 Well-being measure were used for the data collection. Results: The results revealed that higher levels of subjective social status were associated with lower levels of depression. It was further found that the interaction between students' pocket money and age played unique roles in the relationship between subjective social status and depression. Conclusion: The study findings call on stakeholders in education to explore funding opportunities and to examine ways of empowering parents (financially) to adequately support the students. Health educationists and promoters, including psychologists, school counsellors and parents could compliment these efforts by helping to train and empower students through self-regulation or management skills to help improve their well-being. Continuous efforts are required to improve the financial status and mental health of students.

Modelling the associations between academic engagement, study process and grit on academic achievement of physical education and sport university students.

OBJECTIVE: The present study examined the impact of academic engagement, study processes, and grit on the academic achievement of physical education and sport university students. METHODS: An internet-based survey recruited 459 university students aged 19-25 years (M = 21 ± 1.3) in physical education and sports (PES) to fill out questionnaires on Physical Education-Study Process Questionnaire (PE-SPQ), Physical Education-Grit (PE-Grit), academic engagement (A-USEI), and Grade Point Average (GPA). A path analysis was carried out to understand variable relationships. RESULTS: Data from each variable exhibited symmetrical and normal distribution, as indicated by the skewness and kurtosis values. The model's fit indices showed sufficient Comparative Fit Index (CFI = 0.92), Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI = 0.90), Goodness of Fit Index (GFI = 0.99) and Normed Fit Index (NFI = 0.90) and showed acceptable levels. The results indicated a statistically significant positive impact of engagement (ß = 0.299, p < 0.001) and study processes (ß = 0.397, p < 0.001) on academic achievement. However, the effect of grit on achievement was non-significant. CONCLUSIONS: Academic engagement as well as study processes are two important factors predicting academic achievement while grit seems to be not a major predictor. Hence, physical education and sport faculty and university administrators should prioritize student engagement as a determinant of academic outcomes by reforming or redesigning physical education and sport curriculum modules that can facilitate engagement.

Eye movements during motor imagery and execution reveal different visuomotor control strategies in manual interception.

Previous research has investigated the degree of congruency in gaze metrics between action execution (AE) and motor imagery (MI) for similar manual tasks. Although eye movement dynamics seem to be limited to relatively simple actions toward static objects, there is little evidence of how gaze parameters change during imagery as a function of more dynamic spatial and temporal task demands. This study examined the similarities and differences in eye movements during AE and MI for an interception task. Twenty-four students were asked to either mentally simulate or physically intercept a moving target on a computer display. Smooth pursuit, saccades, and response time were compared between the two conditions. The results show that MI was characterized by higher smooth pursuit gain and duration while no meaningful differences were found in the other parameters. The findings indicate that eye movements during imagery are not simply a duplicate of what happens during actual performance. Instead, eye movements appear to vary as a function of the interaction between visuomotor control strategies and task demands.

Suicidal Behaviour among School-Going Adolescents in Saint Lucia: Analysis of Prevalence and Associated Factors.

Suicide poses a debilitating threat to adolescents' lives worldwide. Although suicide prevention efforts are evident globally, there is limited evidence on the prevalence and correlations of suicidal behaviour among school-going adolescents in Saint Lucia. We used a dataset from the 2018 Global School-based Student Health Survey to examine the prevalence and associated factors of suicidal behaviour among 1864 students from schools in Saint Lucia. Prevalence rates of 25.5%, 22.1%, and 17.5% were found for suicidal ideation, suicide plan, and suicide attempt, respectively. After adjusting for other factors, being male and having understanding parents were protective against suicidal behaviour. However, suicidal ideation was predicted by being physically attacked and bullied, parental guidance, tobacco use, loneliness, and worry. Moreover, being a victim of physical attacks and bullying, having close friends, being lonely, and worrying were predictive of making suicidal plans among adolescents. Attempting suicide was predicted by cigarette smoking, current use of tobacco and related products, bullying, having close friends, being lonely, and worrying. School-based preventive interventions are required to help address triggers of suicidal behaviour among adolescents in Saint Lucia and to help attain the targets for suicide prevention in the global Sustainable Development Goals.

Assessing secondary school students' digital health literacy, information searching behaviours, and satisfaction with online COVID-19 information in Northern Ghana.

Available evidence suggests that managing the complexities of health information and the behaviours associated with information search call for adequate digital health literacy (DHL). Students' ability to judge the relevance of health-related information largely affects their level of satisfaction with the information. The study assessed DHL, information searching behaviours, and the link between DHL and COVID-19 information. The cross-sectional study utilised the multi-stage sampling technique in the selection of 1392 secondary school students in the Northern Region of Ghana. A DHL questionnaire was used to survey the students. The students displayed inadequate level of DHL concerning the relevance of online information. Predictably, most of them had not searched for information in the past four weeks prior to the data collection. Search engine portals, websites of public bodies, and news portals were the predominant platforms used for information search. Majority of the participants reported not being satisfied with the information they found on the internet about coronavirus. A significant association between DHL levels and utilization of COVID-19 information platforms was identified, such that students who showed high levels of DHL used platforms which had reviewed/professional content compared to those with low levels of DHL. Advanced DHL may serve as a disincentive to the consumption of information from sources which are not credible. There is an urgent call for collaboration among the ministries/agencies responsible for education and health, telecommunication networks, and civil society organisations for interventions aimed at integrating DHL in schools..

Model Selection and Identification of Osteoporosis Risk Factors in Women to Improve Their Healthcare.

Osteoporosis is characterized by low bone mineral density leading to enhanced bone fragility and a consequent increase in fracture risk. The focus of this case-control study was to identify significant socioeconomic risk factors of osteoporosis in Pakistani women and examine how the risk increases for different levels of risk factors. A case-control study was conducted from November 2018 to August 2019 in two main hospitals in Faisalabad, Pakistan. Multiple logistic regression was used to explore the significant risk factors of osteoporosis and how the risk increases in cases (cases = 120) as compared to the control group (controls = 120) in the presence of these risk factors. The mean age ± standard deviation for cases and controls was 59.62 ± 10.75 and 54.27 ± 10.09, respectively. The minimum and maximum ages were 36 and 80 years, respectively. In addition to age, bone fracture, family history, regular physical activity, family size, use of meat, type of birth, breastfeeding, premature menopause, loss of appetite, and use of anticoagulants were significant risk factors with p-values less than 0.05. The risk prediction model with significant risk factors was a good fit with a p-value of 0.28, corresponding to the Hosmer-Lemeshow test value (χ2 = 9.78). This parsimonious model with Cox-Snell R2 = 0.50 (with a maximum value = 0.75) and Nagelkerke R2 = 0.66 showed an AUC of 0.924 as compared to the full model with all risk factors under study that exhibited an AUC of 0.949.

Prevalence and predictors of premarital sexual intercourse among young women in sub-Saharan Africa.

INTRODUCTION: Premarital sexual intercourse (PSI) without adequate information and/or appropriate application of the relevant knowledge about sex before marriage, potentially has adverse effects on the sexual and reproductive health outcomes of vulnerable young women in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This study sought to examine the prevalence and predictors of PSI among young women aged 15-24 in SSA. METHODS: Nationally representative cross-sectional data from 29 countries in SSA were extracted for the study. A weighted sample size of 87,924 never married young women was used to estimate the prevalence of PSI in each country. A multilevel binary logistic regression modelling approach was used to examine the predictors of PSI at p < 0.05. RESULTS: The prevalence of PSI among young women in SSA was 39.4%. Young women aged 20-24 (aOR = 4.49, 95% CI = 4.34, 4.65) and those who had secondary/higher educational level (aOR = 1.63, 95% CI = 1.54, 1.72) were more likely to engage in PSI compared to those aged 15-19 and those with no formal education. However, young women who belonged to the Islamic religion (aOR = 0.66, 95% CI = 0.56, 0.78); those who were working (aOR = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.73, 0.78); belonged to the richest wealth index (aOR = 0.55, 95% CI = 0.52, 0.58); were not exposed to radio at all (aOR = 0.90, 95% CI = 0.81, 0.99); were not exposed to television at all (aOR = 0.50, 95% CI = 0.46, 0.53); resided in rural areas (aOR = 0.73, 95% CI = 0.70, 0.76); and those who were living in the East African sub-region (aOR = 0.32, 95% CI = 0.29, 0.35) were less likely to engage in PSI compared to those who were traditionalist, unemployed, belonged to the poorest wealth index, exposed to radio frequently, exposed to television frequently, resided in urban areas, and lived in the Southern Africa sub-region, respectively. CONCLUSION: Sub-regional variations in the prevalence of PSI exist amidst multiple risk factors among young women in SSA. Concerted efforts are required to empower young women financially, including education on sexual and reproductive health behaviors such as the detrimental effects of sexual experimentation and encouraging abstinence and/or condom use through regular youth-risk communication advocacy.

Having premarital sexual intercourse (PSI) without adequate knowledge and application of the knowledge could have adverse effects on the sexual and reproductive health of vulnerable young women in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This study examined the prevalence and predictors of PSI among young women in SSA. Nationally representative cross-sectional data from 29 countries in SSA were used. A sample size of 87,924 never married young women was used to estimate the prevalence of PSI. A multilevel binary logistic regression was used to examine the predictors of PSI. The prevalence of PSI among young women in SSA was high. Young women aged 20­24 and those who had attained secondary/higher educational level were more likely to engage in PSI. However, young women who belonged to the Islamic religion; were working; belonged to the richest wealth index; were not exposed to radio at all; were not exposed to television at all; resided in rural areas; and those who were living in the East African sub-region were less likely to engage in PSI. Sub-regional variations in the prevalence of PSI exist amidst multiple risk factors among young women in SSA. Concerted efforts are required to empower young women financially, including education on sexual and reproductive health behaviors such as the detrimental effects of sexual experimentation and encouraging abstinence and/or condom use through regular youth-risk communication advocacy.

Physical violence during pregnancy in sub-Saharan Africa: why it matters and who are most susceptible?

OBJECTIVE: The study assessed the prevalence of physical violence against pregnant women and its associated factors in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). DESIGN: We analysed cross-sectional data of 108971 women in sexual unions from the most recent Demographic and Health Surveys of 26 countries in SSA. The predictors of physical violence were examined using a multilevel binary logistic regression. All the results were presented as adjusted odds ratios (aORs) with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). SETTING: Twenty-six countries in SSA. PARTICIPANTS: 108 971 women who had ever been pregnant. OUTCOME MEASURE: Physical violence during pregnancy. RESULTS: Physical violence was identified in 6.0% of pregnant women in SSA. The highest prevalence (14.0%) was reported in South Africa, while Burkina Faso recorded the lowest (2.1%). Women who had primary (aOR=1.26, 95% CI=1.15, 1.38) and secondary education (aOR=1.15, 95% CI=1.01,1.32); those who were cohabiting (aOR=1.21, 95% CI=1.11, 1.32); those who were working (aOR=1.17, 95% CI=1.08, 1.28); and those whose partners had primary (aOR=1.15, 95% CI=1.04, 1.28) and secondary education (aOR=1.14, 95% CI=1.01, 1.28) were more likely to experience physical violence during pregnancy compared with those who had no formal education; those who were married; those who were not working, and those whose partners had no formal education, respectively. Moreover, women whose partners consumed alcohol (aOR=2.37, 95% CI=2.20, 2.56); those who had parity of four or more (aOR=2.06, 95% CI=1.57, 2.72); and those who perceived intimate partner violence (IPV) as a culturally accepted norm (aOR=1.55, 95% CI=1.44, 1.67) had higher odds of experiencing physical violence during pregnancy compared to those whose partners did not consume alcohol, those with parity zero, and those who did not perceive IPV as culturally accepted, respectively. On the contrary, women who were aged 35-39, those who were of the richest wealth index, and those in rural areas had reduced odds of experiencing physical violence during pregnancy. CONCLUSION: Based on the findings, community leaders are encouraged to liaise with law enforcement agencies to strictly enforce laws on gender-based violence by prosecuting perpetrators of IPV against pregnant women as a deterrent. Also, intensifying education on what constitutes IPV and the potential consequences on the health of pregnant women, their children, and their families will be laudable. Improving the socioeconomic status of women may also help to eliminate IPV perpetration against women at their pregnancy stage.

Assessing the combined effect of household cooking fuel and urbanicity on acute respiratory symptoms among under-five years in sub-Saharan Africa.

Background: This study sought to investigate the association between urbanicity (rural-urban residency), the use of solid biomass cooking fuels and the risk of Acute Respiratory Infections (ARIs) among children under the age of 5 in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Methods: Cross-sectional data from the most recent surveys of the Demographic and Health Survey Program conducted in 31 sub-Saharan African countries were pooled for the analysis. The outcome variables, cough and rapid short breath were derived from questions that asked mothers if their children under the age of 5 suffered from cough and short rapid breath in the past two weeks preceding the survey. To examine the associations, multivariable negative log-log regression models were fitted for each outcome variable. Results: Higher odds ratios of cough occurred among children in urban households that use unclean cooking fuel (aOR = 1.05 95% CI = 1.01, 1.08). However, lower odds ratios were observed for rural children in homes that use clean cooking fuel (aOR = 0.93 95% CI = 0.87, 0.99) relative to children in urban homes using clean cooking fuel. We also found higher odds ratios of short rapid breaths among children in rural households that use unclean cooking fuel compared with urban residents using clean cooking fuel (aOR = 1.12 95% CI = 1.08, 1.17). Conclusion: Urbanicity and the use of solid biomass fuel for cooking were associated with an increased risk of symptoms of ARIs among children under five years in SSA. Thus, policymakers and stakeholders need to design and implement strategies that minimize children's exposure to pollutants from solid biomass cooking fuel. Such interventions could reduce the burden of respiratory illnesses in SSA and contribute to the realization of Sustainable Development Goal 3.9, which aims at reducing the number of diseases and deaths attributable to hazardous chemicals and pollution of air, water and soil.

Joint effect of water and sanitation practices on childhood diarrhoea in sub-Saharan Africa.

BACKGROUND: Diarrhoea remains the major cause of morbidity and mortality of children under five years in Africa. Several studies have shown that inadequate and unsafe water, lack of sanitation, and poor hygiene practices are complex issues for different pathogens and accountable for the occurrence of diarrhoea diseases. We assessed the combined effect of household's source of drinking water and type of toilet facility and residential wellbeing on the incidence of childhood diarrhoea in 33 Sub-Saharan Africa countries while accounting for relevant compositional and contextual factors. METHODS: The 2010-2019 datasets from the Demographic and Health Surveys were drawn for analyses. The outcome variable used in this study was the incidence of childhood diarrhoea. Three negative log-log generalized linear regression models were then sequentially fitted to the data to examine the joint effect of household water and sanitation practices on child diarrhoea. The results were presented using crude odds ratios (CORs) and adjusted odds ratios (AORs) at 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Using ArcGIS software, maps were design to unveil the spatial distribution of key variables. FINDINGS: Approximately 16% of the 307,741 mothers interviewed reported an incidence of diarrhoea disease among children under-five years in their households. The results showed that a household depending on an unimproved source of drinking water and with an unimproved type of toilet facility was not significantly associated with childhood diarrhoea. However, those with improved drinking water but an unimproved type of toilet facility had higher odds of reporting childhood diarrhoea (AOR = 1.020, 95% CI = 1.003-1-036) compared to those in households with both improved source of drinking water and type of toilet facility. Across the geographical regions, Eastern (aOR = 1.102, 95% CI = 1.084-1.120) and Central Africa (aOR = 1.102, 95% CI = 1.083-1.121) were more likely to experience child diarrhoea. CONCLUSION: Water and sanitation practices such as the source of drinking water and toilet facility, and geographic region had significant effects on childhood diarrhoea in sub-Saharan Africax. The findings suggest the need for multi-sectoral actions that recognise the geo-spatial and temporal characteristics identified in the study through regional to national policies. Water and sanitation community-based interventions that seek to improve equitable access to safe water and sanitation in the sub-region should be intensified.

Effectiveness of Video Modeling in Improving Technical Skills in Young Novice Basketball Players: A Quasi-Experimental Study.

(1) Objective: This is a quasi-experimental study that investigated the effect of four weeks of training sessions using video modeling (VM) on individual and collective technical skills in young novice basketball players. (2) Method: 20 players were equally assigned to either a control group (CG, n = 10; 12 ± 0.7 years) or a video modeling group (VMG, n = 10; 12.5 ± 0.5 years; visualizing videos before each session) were assessed before and after the four-week training period using the Basketball Skill Test of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance for individual techniques and three vs. three small-sided games for collective aspects. (3) Results: For the passing test, VMG induced higher performance than CG (p = 0.021; d = 0.87). For offensive balls post-intervention, higher values were recorded for VMG compared to CG (p = 0.003; d = 1.81). In addition, the number of attack balls index post-intervention was higher for VMG compared to CG (p = 0.001; d = 0.28). For losing the ball, VMG induced lower values than CG after the training intervention (p < 0.001; d = -3.23). The efficiency index was higher post-training compared to pre-training for VMG (p = 0.013; d = 1.24). (4) Conclusion: The study highlighted the importance of using video modeling as an effective strategy to improve technical skills and collective performance in novice young basketball players.

Prevalence and Predictors of Alcohol Use among School-Going Adolescents in Panama: A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

This study investigated the prevalence and predictors of alcohol use among school-going-age adolescents in Panama. Using a national school-based cross-sectional survey, data from a proportionate sample of school-going adolescents aged 13-17 years were obtained from the 2018 Panama Global School-based Student Health Survey [GSHS]. Data were analysed with a Pearson's Chi-square test and weighted binary logistic regression. The results were reported with their corresponding adjusted odds ratio (AOR) at a 95% confidence interval (CI) and level of significance set at p < 0.05. The prevalence of alcohol use among adolescents in Panama was 30.6%. The odds of alcohol use were lower among adolescents in a lower grade than those in upper grades, and lower in those who did not eat from a restaurant than those who ate from a restaurant. Further, the likelihood of alcohol use was significantly high among those who engaged in physical fights, were seriously injured, were mostly worried, and whose parents used any form of tobacco. Other results showed that the odds of alcohol use were high among sedentary respondents, those who had multiple sexual partners and those who used amphetamines. Based on the present findings, a collaborative approach (i.e., stakeholders- the Ministry of Social Development and the Ministry of Education- community-individual levels) towards the development and adherence of appropriate interventions aimed at reducing alcohol use is required in Panama. Specific preventive interventions would be fundamental in promoting a positive school climate to help reduce adolescents' alcohol use and, perhaps, other anti-social behaviours (e.g., physical fights and bullying).

Positive Status Disclosure and Sexual Risk Behavior Changes among People Living with HIV in the Northern Region of Ghana.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate sexual behavior changes adopted by People Living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (PLHIV) on Antiretroviral therapy (ART) in the Northern Region of Ghana. METHODS: We employed a cross-sectional survey with a questionnaire to collect data from 900 clients from 9 major ART centers within the region. Chi-square and logistic regression analyses were applied to the data. RESULTS: More than 50% of PLHIV on ART use condoms, reduce sexual partners, practice abstinence, reduce unprotected sex with married/regular partners, and avoid casual sex. Fear of others getting to know patients' HIV-positive status (χ2 = 7.916, p = 0.005), stigma (χ2 = 5.201, p = 0.023), and fear of loss of family support (χ2 = 4.211, p = 0.040) significantly predict non-disclosure of HIV-positive status among the participants. Change in sexual behavior is influenced by the following: "to avoid spreading the disease to others" (R2 = 0.043, F (1, 898) = 40.237, p < 0.0005), "to avoid contracting other STIs" (R2 = 0.010, F (1, 898) = 8.937, p < 0.0005), "to live long" (R2 = 0.038, F (1, 898) = 35.816, p < 0.0005), "to hide HIV-positive status" (R2 = 0.038, F (1, 898) = 35.587, p < 0.0005), "to achieve good results from ART treatment" (R2 = 0.005, F (1, 898) = 4. 282, p < 0.05), and "to live a Godly life" (R2 = 0.023, F (1, 898) = 20. 880, p < 0.0005). CONCLUSIONS: High self-disclosure rate of HIV-positive status was identified, with participants disclosing to their spouses or parents. Reasons for disclosure and non-disclosure differed from person to person.

Subjective social status and well-being of adolescents and young adults in Ghanaian schools: conditional process analysis.

BACKGROUND: With the growing concern and interest in the mental health and well-being of adolescents and young adults (AYAs) including those in schools, many studies have explored the bivariate relationship between subjective social status (SSS) and AYAs' subjective well-being (SWB). Acknowledging the spurious nature of this relationship, we assessed the relationship between SSS and SWB of AYAs in schools within Northern Ghana, focusing on the conditional indirect effect of monetary resource (MR) and sense of coherence (SoC). METHODS: We utilised a cross-sectional descriptive design to survey 1096 senior high school students from two regions in Ghana's Northern zone through a stratified sampling method. A questionnaire consisting of a number of calibrated standardized measures was used for the data collection. The data were processed using SPSS and PROCESS Macro and analysed using Hayes' conditional process analysis. RESULTS: The results revealed that students' MR significantly moderated the relationships between SSS and SoC as well as SSS and SWB. A significant moderated mediation effect of MR and SoC on the relationship between SSS and SWB was found. Particularly, AYAs who reported higher levels of MRl, SSS and SoC reported a better SWB. CONCLUSION: The findings underscore the relevance of providing sufficient financial support for students in secondary schools in Ghana; thus, highlighting the sheer relevance of economic capital as a leading factor for better well-being. The findings also place much emphasis on building students' personal coping mechanisms as a key variable in explaining how the students' SSS and MR translate into having positive mental health outcomes.

A cross-sectional study of university students' pocket money variance and its relationship with digital health literacy and subjective well-being in Ghana.

Background: Mental health concerns of university students are gaining more attention since the emergence of the coronavirus disease. Consequently, scholars in education, health and psychology-related fields have attributed the dwindling subjective well-being (SWB) of students to their low levels of digital health literacy (DHL). However, little attention has been paid to an important variable like pocket money (PM) which might serve as a buffer against reduced levels of SWB. In this study, we explored the dynamics of PM and its linkage with DHL and SWB among university students in Ghana. Methods: With a cross-sectional design, a convenient sample of 1160 students was obtained from the University of Education, Winneba, Ghana. The COVID-DHL and WHO-5 Well-being instruments were used for the data collection for a 2 months period (February-March, 2021). Chi-square test, multivariate regression, simple linear regression, and PROCESS mediation analyses were performed with the use of SPSS software version 25. Results: The study found that while most of the students were financially supported by their parents (n = 715, 61.6%), a larger proportion of them reported that their PM was either less sufficient or not sufficient (n = 550; 76.9%). Findings revealed a positive relationship between PM and SWB (B = -36.419, p < 0.001; B = -13.146, p = 0.012; B = -10.930, p = 0.043), with this relationship mediated by DHL (B = -1.139, confidence interval [CI] [-2.073, -0.263] vs. -2.300, CI [-4.290, -0.532] vs. -8.366, CI [-14.863, -1.908]). Conclusions: Students with little to insufficient PM were vulnerable to mental health problems, although this could be buffered by the high DHL levels. In practical terms, not only should the PM of university students be increased, but the sources of PM should be complemented since the sufficiency level of PM was associated with the source of finance. More importantly, parents should be empowered through job creation so that sufficient levels of PM can be provided to university students.

Predictors of young maternal age at first birth among women of reproductive age in Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Adverse obstetric outcomes have been commonly associated with early childbearing in many low-and middle-income countries. Despite this evidence, scholarly information on early childbearing in the sub-Saharan African region, especially Nigeria, is limited. This study examines the predictors of young maternal age at first birth among women of reproductive age in Nigeria using multi-level analysis. METHODS: Data from the most recent Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey conducted in 2018 were analyzed. A total of 29,949 women of reproductive age (15-49 years) were considered for the study. Descriptive statistics using weighted percentage and chi-square test of independence (χ2) were first used to describe the variables of interest. This procedure was followed by a multilevel analysis of factors associated with young maternal age at first birth in Nigeria at p<0.05 level of significance. RESULTS: Approximately 36.80% of the sample population had their first birth before the age of 18. Mothers residing in the North-East region [aOR = 1.26; 95% (CI = 1.13-1.42)] and practicing Islam [aOR = 1.17; 95% (CI = 1.05-1.29] were more likely to have their first birth before the age of 18 than those in the North-Central region and those practicing Christianity. Living in communities with medium literacy level [aOR = 0.90; 95% (CI = 0.82-0.99)] and high literacy level [aOR = 0.71; 95% (CI = 0.62-0.81)], being within richest wealth index [aOR = 0.61; 95% (CI = 0.53-0.71)] and being Yoruba [aOR = 0.46; 95% (CI = 0.39-0.56)] were associated with lower odds of young maternal age at first birth. CONCLUSION: More than one-third of women of reproductive age in Nigeria had given birth to their first child before 18 years. Thus, there is a need for the Nigerian government and other stakeholders, including Non-Governmental Organisations and Civil Society Organisations to formulate and implement policy interventions targeted at reducing early childbearing among women of reproductive age in Nigeria.