Knowledge, attitude and acceptability of COVID-19 vaccine among residents in rural communities in Ghana: a multi-regional study.

BACKGROUND: The Coronavirus Infectious Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has continuously affected human life with several devastating effects. Currently, there are effective vaccines to protect people from COVID-19 and the World Health Organization (WHO) has highlighted strategies to influence COVID-19 vaccine uptake in hard-to-reach communities in Ghana. However, prior studies on COVID-19 vaccine acceptability in Ghana are online surveys targeting the literates and those in urban areas, leaving residents in far-flung communities. We assessed knowledge, attitude and acceptability of COVID-19 vaccine among residents in rural communities in Ghana. METHODS: This study was a community-based cross-sectional study and was conducted at three selected regions in Ghana (Northern, Ashanti and Western North) from May to November, 2021. This study included residents 15-81 years, living in the selected rural communities for more than 1 year. Study participants were recruited and questionnaires administered to collect data on knowledge, attitude and acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine. Statistical analyses were performed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 26.0 and GraphPad Prism Version 8.0 software. RESULTS: Of the 764 participants included in this study, more than half had inadequate knowledge (55.0%), poor attitudes (59.4%) and bad perception about COVID-19 vaccine (55.4%). The acceptability of COVID-19 vaccine in this study was 41.9%. The acceptability of COVID-19 vaccine in Ashanti, Northern and Western North regions were 32.5%, 26.2% and 29.6% respectively. In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, receiving recent or previous vaccine such as HBV vaccine [aOR = 1.57, 95% CI (1.23-3.29), p = 0.002], having good attitude towards COVID-19 vaccine [aOR = 61.47, 95% CI (29.55-127.86), p < 0.0001] and having good perception about the COVID-19 vaccine [aOR = 3.87, 95% CI (1.40-10.72), p < 0.0001] were independently associated with higher odds of accepting COVID-19 vaccine. CONCLUSION: More than half of residents in Ghanaian rural communities have inadequate knowledge, poor attitudes and bad perception about COVID-19 vaccine. The acceptability of COVID-19 vaccine is generally low among rural residents in Ashanti, Northern and Western North regions of Ghana. Residents living in hard-to-reach communities must be educated about the benefits of COVID-19 vaccine to achieve effective vaccination program.

Prevalence of Venous Thromboembolism in Kumasi: A Postmortem-Based Study in a Tertiary Hospital in Ghana.

BACKGROUND: There is a dearth of publications on the prevalence of venous thromboembolism in Ghana. Knowledge of the prevalence of venous thromboembolism, which is often undetected clinically, will help save lives as appropriate interventions can be made as well as provide a general clue to clinicians on detecting venous thromboembolism and pulmonary embolism. METHODS: The study employs a retrospective design with data extracted from the Autopsy Daybook of the Pathology unit, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, 2009 to 2016. Data on patients' demographics were retrieved to establish diagnoses and age and gender distribution. Analysis was made of pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis as a cause of death recorded on death certificates using the criteria of the International Classification of Diseases, version 10. RESULTS: A total of 150 cases of deep vein thrombosis and/or pulmonary embolism were available for the study period and the results showed an average age of 45.3 years with a standard deviation of 19.96. The ages ranged between 3 years and 96 years with the age group 31 to 40 years being the modal age group. Males recorded the highest number of cases with 92 (59.35%) compared to females with 63 (40.65%). Respiratory disorders, of which pneumonia is the most prevalent, are the leading clinical condition that is often misdiagnosed in place of pulmonary thromboembolism. CONCLUSION: VTE is a major health problem especially among the elderly, but unfortunately the clinical diagnosis is usually missed by clinicians hence the need to maintain a high suspicion index.

Contraceptive use among young women in northern Ghana: a community-based study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to assess factors influencing contraceptive uptake among young women aged 15-24 years in Bolgatanga Municipal District, northern Ghana. METHODS: An analytical cross-sectional community-based study was conducted between December 2015 and April 2016. Participants (N = 580) were selected through multistage sampling and interviewed using a pretested structured questionnaire. RESULTS: The mean age of the participants was 20.5 years (standard deviation 2.8 years). About a third were less than 20 years old. Contraceptive knowledge was nearly universal (99.7%). About 67% of sexually experienced young women had used contraceptives, but less than a quarter had used long-acting reversible contraception (LARC). Age was the only independent predictor of contraceptive use: women in their 20s were more than twice as likely as adolescents to use contraceptives (adjusted relative risk 2.75; 95% confidence interval 2.04, 3.71; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Strategies to improve contraceptive uptake among young people in the municipality should encourage the use of LARC.

Prevalence and factors predictive of long-acting reversible contraceptive use in a tertiary hospital in urban Ghana.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence, socio-demographic and reproductive factors associated with long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) use among clients resorting to reversible birth control methods in a tertiary hospital in Ghana. METHODS: Retrospective review of records of clients who opted for reversible family planning (FP) methods at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana, from 1 July 2003 to 30 June 2008. We recorded data on their contraceptive history, and socio-demographic- and reproductive characteristics. Categorical variables were compared using the χ(2) test and factors associated with LARC uptake examined by binomial regression with a log-link function to estimate relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: Of 5946 clients who opted for reversible contraception, 71% chose LARCs, and the remaining 29% chose shorter-acting contraceptives. LARCs were employed mainly by women with more living children (p trend < 0.001) who had previously used LARCs (adjusted RR: 1.49; 95% CI: 1.39-1.60). Over half of non-contraceptive users started with LARCs while 27% of women switched from shorter-acting contraceptives to LARCs. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of LARC uptake was much higher than the national average. Significant factors associated with current LARC use were the number of surviving children and previous LARC use.

Trend, client profile and surgical features of vasectomy in Ghana.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the socio-demographic and reproductive characteristics of vasectomy acceptors and surgical features of vasectomy in Ghana. METHODS: Retrospective review of 271 vasectomies performed between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2009 in three healthcare facilities. RESULTS: Less than 0.5% of family planning clients opt for vasectomy in Ghana; acceptors are both professional and semi-skilled workers. The mean age of vasectomy acceptors was 40.7 years, and their mean number of children four. All clients had two children or more; there was a trend towards a greater number of children with increasing age (p trend <0.001) or a lower educational level of the clients (p trend =0.01). Most clients obtained their information on vasectomy through the media and healthcare workers. Nearly all vasectomies were performed under local anaesthesia using the no-scalpel technique. The operating time of gynaecologists was significantly shorter than that of urologists (median operating time 10 minutes vs. 25 minutes; p <0.001). The reported vasectomy failure rate was about 1%. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of vasectomy is low in Ghana. The factors influencing utilisation of male sterilisation services must be identified in order to improve uptake of this method of contraception in the country.