Problem Gambling and Suicidal Behaviours in Young Adult men in Ghana: A Moderated Mediation Model of Psychological Distress and Social Support : Journal of Gambling Studies.

Problem gambling has been recognised as an important public health issue because of its harmful consequences at the personal, interpersonal, and societal levels. There is a proliferation of gambling activities in Ghana owing to increased access to the internet, soaring smartphone penetration, and an influx of sports betting companies. Yet, very little research has addressed the harm associated with problem gambling in Ghana. This study assessed if the effect of problem gambling severity on suicidal behaviours (ideation, planning, and attempts) through psychological distress is contingent on the level of perceived social support. A total of 350 young adult men in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana provided the data for the current analysis. The data were analysed using a moderated mediation approach. The results showed that psychological distress is an important intervening mechanism through which problem gambling severity influences suicidality. In addition, the positive association between psychological distress and suicidal behaviours was found to be conditional on the levels of perceived social support. In other words, our results showed that problem gambling may first trigger episodes of psychological distress, which, in turn, can lead to suicidality among problem gamblers who report low to moderate levels of perceived social support. Our findings suggest that young adult problem gamblers require higher levels of social support from family, friends, and significant others to prevent those experiencing psychological distress from engaging in suicidal behaviours.

Effect of childbirth experience on the psychological well-being of postpartum women in Accra, Ghana.

BACKGROUND: Women's experience of childbirth can affect their mental health outcomes, many years after the delivery. Consequently, the World Health Organisation has provided recommendations to ensure women receive positive birth experiences during intrapartum care. Yet, negative childbirth experience is widespread in Ghana. This study examined the association between women's childbirth experience (i.e. own capacity, professional support, perceived safety, and participation) and their psychological well-being, and whether or not perceived social support and resilience moderate the childbirth experience - psychological well-being relationship. METHODS: Mothers (N = 117) who had given birth in the past month and were receiving postnatal care at two health facilities in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana provided the data for the current analysis. Data were collected using the Childbirth Experience Questionnaire, WHO-5 Well-Being Index, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and Brief Resilience Scale. Hierarchical Linear Regression was used to analyse the data. RESULTS: Results showed that childbirth experience domains of own capacity and perceived safety were significantly, and positively associated with psychological well-being. The domains of professional support and participation were not associated with psychological well-being in this sample. Perceived social support and resilience did not moderate the association between childbirth experience and psychological well-being. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that efforts by birth practitioners (i.e. midwives, obstetricians, and gynaecologists) to give Ghanaian women positive childbirth experiences through the encouragement of personal control over the birthing process as well as ensuring the safety of the birthing procedure and environment would provide women with optimal mental health outcomes.

Determinants of Post-Traumatic Growth and Quality of Life in Ghanaian Breast Cancer Survivors.

This study assessed the psychosocial factors associated with post-traumatic growth (PTG) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in women breast cancer survivors. Women (N = 128) completed questionnaires on social support, religiosity, hope, optimism, benefit-finding, PTG and HRQoL. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. Results showed that perceived social support, religiosity, hope, optimism, and benefit finding were positively associated with PTG. Religiosity and PTG were positively associated with HRQoL. The results suggest that interventions aimed at increasing religiosity, hope, optimism, and perceived support can help survivors cope better with breast cancer.

The Perceived Social Support for Job Search Activity Scale (PSS-JSAS): A psychometric evaluation in the context of Ghana.

Lack of social support can have a profound impact on the job search efforts of young adults. The Perceived Social Support for Job Search Activity Scale (PSS-JSAS) was developed to assess the quality of social support a job seeker receives during a job search. Building on this previous work, the present study assessed the PSS-JSAS's factor structure, construct validity, reliability, and measurement invariance in the context of Ghana. Data for the present analysis were provided by 429 recent university graduates. The sample was randomly split into two subsamples for exploratory factor analysis (EFA; n = 223) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA; n = 206). EFA and parallel analysis with the first subsample suggested a single factor structure, comprising 6 items out of the original 8 items. In CFA with the second subsample, the construct validity of the single factor structure was found to be optimal. Multi-group CFA with the second subsample showed that the single factor structure was invariant across gender. Further, reliability analysis on the total sample and the subsamples demonstrated good internal consistency reliability for the 6 items. The validity evidence obtained in this study suggests that the PSS-JSAS has good psychometric properties and is thus suitable for assessing social support for job search efforts of university graduates.

Rasch Analysis of the Proactive Personality Scale.

The Proactive Personality Scale (PPS) is used widely to measure proactive personality. Previous research has evaluated the psychometric properties of the 6-item PPS (hereafter called PPS-6) using classical test theory. There is a need to provide further validity evidence for the PPS-6 using modern test theory. This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the PPS-6 using Rasch analysis. A total of 429 participants completed the PPS-6. Rasch rating scale model (RSM) was used to analyse the data. RSM showed that the PPS-6 fitted the Rasch model well. RSM demonstrated that the PPS-6 functioned as a unidimensional measure with good internal consistency reliability. Items on the PPS-6 did not show any noticeable differential item functioning across gender. RSM showed that the response rating scale of the PPS-6 is suitable. Results suggest that the PPS-6 is a reliable measure for the assessment of proactive personality.

Patient-Reported Experiences of Medication Adherence at a Community-Based HIV Clinic, Ghana.

There is little information on patients' medication adherence experiences at community-based clinics in Ghana. This study investigated adherence to antiretroviral medication among people living with HIV (PLHIV) attending a community-based HIV clinic. PLHIV (N = 349) completed a questionnaire battery on medication adherence, doctor-patient communication, HIV stigma, patient general self-efficacy, perceived social support, and on patient spirituality. Linear Regression was used to analyze the data. Results showed that doctor-patient communication (ß = .38, 95% CI [0.09, 0.18], P <.001) and social support from significant others (ß = .46, 95% CI [0.18, 0.67], P <.001) were positively associated with medication adherence in this sample. In contrast, HIV stigma (ß = -.16, 95% CI [-0.58, -0.09], P <.01), patient spirituality (ß = -.22, 95% CI [-0.44, -0.00], P <.05), and patient general self-efficacy (ß = -.14, 95% CI [-0.17, -0.02], P <.01) were negatively associated with medication adherence. There is a need for educational interventions targeted at enhancing doctor-patient communication and social support while reducing stigma among PLHIV in Ghana.

Unpacking the psychological and physical well-being of Ghanaian patients with breast cancer.

This study explored the psychological and physical well-being of 12 Ghanaian women diagnosed with breast cancer, aged between 22 and 69 years. Individual in-depth interviews were conducted with participants to understand their lived experiences following their diagnosis and treatment. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse the transcripts. Findings revealed that patients' psychological and physical well-being relative to breast cancer diagnosis and treatment are marked by (a) persistent pain, (b) concerns with physical appearance, (c) a willingness to lose a breast for survival, (d) positive religious coping, and (e) posttraumatic growth (i.e., positive psychological changes in the aftermath of diagnosis or treatment). The findings suggest that recognising patients' concerns with pain, physical changes, and the will to lose a breast to survive in the care continuum may yield public health dividends. Moreover, the findings highlight the need for individualised psychotherapeutic interventions to assist the patients to deal with the disease in the aftermath of their diagnosis and treatment.

Illness perceptions, social support and antiretroviral medication adherence in people living with HIV in the greater Accra region, Ghana.

AIM: To assess how illness perceptions and social support influence antiretroviral medication adherence in a HIV patient population in Ghana. DESIGN: This study used a correlational research design with cross-sectional data. METHOD: A total of 235 people living with HIV at two general hospitals in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana provided data on illness perceptions, social support and medication adherence. Hierarchical multiple regression test was used to analyse the data. RESULTS: Illness perceptions' facets of timeline, personal control and treatment control were negatively associated with medication adherence, whereas emotional response was positively associated with adherence. Further, significant other support was negatively associated with adherence. Family and friend support were not associated with adherence. The findings offer preliminary evidence that illness perceptions may have utility for medication adherence in a HIV patient population in Ghana.

Does Past Condom Use Moderate the Future Condom Use Intention-Behavior Relationship? Results from a Ghanaian Sample.

Behavioral intention is an important predictor of actual behavior. Yet, people often fail to act on their intentions. This study used panel data to examine whether intention interacts with past behavior in determining future behavior. Young people in the Eastern Region of Ghana (N = 956, 495 = female, 461 = male) completed a structured self-administered questionnaire, assessing intentions to use condoms and past condom use behavior at Time 1, and future condom use behavior at Time 2. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses indicated that intentions to use condoms and past condom use behavior accounted for a significant proportion of the variance in future condom use behavior. In addition, past condom use moderated the future condom use intention-behavior relationship. These results demonstrate the usefulness of considering young people's past experiences with condoms in informing the design of condom use skills training. In other words, a condom use skills training intervention that uses the pedagogical approach of starting from the "known" to the "unknown" might benefit young Ghanaians.

Predicting the Intention to Use Condoms and Actual Condom Use Behaviour: A Three-Wave Longitudinal Study in Ghana.

BACKGROUND: Growing cross-sectional research shows that the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) is robust in predicting intentions to use condoms and condom use behaviour. Yet, little is known about the TPB's utility in explaining intentions to use condoms and condom use behaviour over time. METHODS: This study used a longitudinal design and latent variable structural equation modelling to test the longitudinal relationships postulated by the TPB. School-going youths in Ghana provided data on attitudes, subjective norms, perceived control, intentions, and behaviour regarding condom use at three time points, spaced approximately three months apart. RESULTS: As predicted by the TPB, the results showed that attitudes were significantly positively associated with intentions to use condoms over time. Contrary to the TPB, subjective norms were not significantly associated with intentions to use condoms over time. Perceived control did not predict intentions to use condoms over time. Moreover, intentions to use condoms were not significantly associated with self-reported condom use over time. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that school-going youths in Ghana may benefit from sex education programmes that focus on within-subject attitude formation and activation. The theoretical and methodological implications of these results are discussed.