Self-care behaviors and associated factors among individuals with type 2 diabetes in Ghana: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Self-care remains an effective model for diabetes management and care in low-and-middle-income countries due to the limited resources available for the clinical management of the disease and its complications This study examined adherence to self-care behaviors and associated factors among people with type 2 diabetes in Ghana. METHODS: PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase and Google scholar were used to identify quantitative observational studies published between 1990 and September 30, 2023. Studies exclusive to persons with type 2 diabetes ≥ 18 years of age in a Ghanaian setting were included in this review. Findings of primary studies were analyzed using narrative synthesis. RESULTS: Twelve studies, presenting data on a total of 2,671 persons with type 2 diabetes, were included. All the studies were published in the last decade (2015-2022) and a majority of them were from the Greater Accra Region. The mean number of days (per week) participants adhered to a self-care behavior were in the ranges of 3.9-4.4 for diet, 4.2-4.8 for physical activity, 0.5-2.2 for self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG), and 2.9-5.0 for foot care. Adherence rates for medication were in the range of 33.5-84.5%. Patient-related factors, sociodemographic/economic-related factors, condition-related factors, and healthcare system-related factors were associated with various self-care behaviors. CONCLUSION: Adherence to self-care behaviors among persons with type 2 diabetes in Ghana remains an ongoing challenge with significant variations in adherence among patients with different characteristics.

Extraction and Characterisation of African Star Apple (Chrysophyllum albidum) Seed Oil and the Adsorptive Properties of the Fruit Shell in Ghana.

This research work was undertaken to determine the physicochemical parameters of oil from the seeds of African Star Apple (Chrysophyllum albidum) and further evaluate the adsorptive properties of the fruit shell. The oil was extracted using hexane with the soxhlet apparatus at a temperature of 65°C for 4 hours. The results showed an average oil yield obtained of 11.6%, specific gravity of 0.92kg/m3, the refractive index of 1.464 at 30°C, an acid value of 7.72 mg KOH/g, a free fatty acid value of 3.16 g/100g, saponification value of 200.56 mg KOH/g, and an iodine value of 70.64 g/100g. A Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) study on the oil identified some triglycerides, carbonyl, alkane, and alkene compounds. Adsorptive studies of the fruit shell for the removal of dye were also performed after chemical activation with CaCl2, MgCl2, and ZnCl2. The kinetics of the adsorption favoured a pseudo-first-order reaction pathway for CaCl2 with R2 of 0.941 while ZnCl2 and MgCl2 favoured a pseudo-second-order reaction pathway with R2 of 0.914 and 0.973, respectively.

Greywater Characteristics, Treatment Systems, Reuse Strategies and User Perception-a Review.

This paper presents a literature review of the quality of greywater generated in different, especially developing, countries, constituents found in greywater, some treatment systems, natural materials for treatment, some reuse strategies and public perception regarding greywater reuse. The review shows that generation rates are mostly influenced by lifestyle, types of fixtures used and climatic conditions. Contaminants found in greywater are largely associated with the type of detergent used and influenced by other household practices. Many of the treatment systems reviewed were unable to provide total treatment as each system has its unique strength in removing a group of targeted pollutants. The review revealed that some naturally occurring materials such as Moringa oleifera, sawdust, can be used to remove targeted pollutants in greywater. The study further showed that user perceptions towards greywater treatment and reuse were only favourable towards non-potable purposes, mostly due to perceived contamination or lack of trust in the level of treatment offered by the treatment system.