ABSTRACT
This study assessed young adolescents' access and literacy challenges to sexual and reproductive health information and knowledge gaps in the Effutu Municipality in the Central Region of Ghana. We used a narrative design and a focus group discussion method to glean data from 52 in-school adolescents, aged 11-15. Focus group discussions were conducted using a discussion guide and data were processed using QDA Miner (version 6.0). We analyzed data thematically using an iterative process of data validation, coding and recording. The participants had poor knowledge of the concepts of sexual and reproductive health and its essential domains. Abstinence was the predominant sexual and reproductive health goal of the participants. Yet, many males admitted to having sexual partners. There was difficult linguistic and physical access to structured and safe information. Personal hygiene, signs of sexual maturation and abstinence were the predominant contents available to young adolescents. A revision of adolescent health policies and strategies to embrace actions for improving unrestricted access to easy-to-read educational materials and adolescent health literacy is essential. Creating adolescent corners and introducing peer education in schools within Effutu and other municipalities in the Central Region will be useful.
Subject(s)
Focus Groups , Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , Health Literacy , Reproductive Health , Humans , Adolescent , Ghana , Male , Female , Sexual Health , Child , Sex Education/methods , Sexual Behavior/psychologyABSTRACT
Objective: Recent disease outbreaks underscore the importance of robust disease surveillance and infection prevention and control (IPC) programmes to bolster Africa's public health response system. Yet, available evidence shows extensive gaps in the emergency response capacity of faith-based healthcare providers on the continent. Accordingly, this study examines the IPC and surveillance strategies adopted by a faith-based healthcare provider and the challenges encountered during Marburg Virus Disease outbreak (MVD) in Ghana. Method: We collected data from 15 clinical and nonclinical health workers from the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) and the Ghana Health Service (GHS). Data was collected through online interviews to examine two pillars of the WHO COVID-19 SPRP-AFR (2021) framework. We analyzed the data using Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis. Findings: The facility performed creditably well with contact tracing and other quarantine protocols during MVD outbreak in Ghana. However, it also encountered several challenges in the enforcement of IPC protocols, including human resource constraints, the lack of decontamination equipment, and limited infrastructure, among others. Given these limitations, we assessed that the facility cannot handle major outbreaks. Conclusion: Due to numerous infectious disease outbreaks in Sub-Saharan Africa in recent years, the government of Ghana and faith-based healthcare providers must resource their facilities with the relevant equipment and qualified human resources against future disease outbreaks.