ORCID Profile
0000-0002-0732-7597
Current Organisation
James Cook University
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Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 09-08-2015
DOI: 10.1007/S10900-014-9922-Y
Abstract: Old age is usually accompanied with numerous health challenges compared with the other stages of life. By 60 years, many people experience chronic diseases, deterioration in the function of their body organs, and a host of other health problems. Yet, many aged people are reluctant to utilise health care services even when they need them, because of apprehensions they have about the forms of health care. This article examines the perceptions of the aged about traditional and modern medicines using Yamoransa as the study setting. Cross-sectional survey was conducted to assess the perceptions of the aged, and using interview schedules, 311 aged people responded to questions which were primarily used as the bases for the analyses. The study employed modernisation theory, theory of planned behaviour and health belief model to explain the perceptions of the aged about traditional and orthodox medicines. It was found that the aged preferred modern medicine because of the perception that modern health facilities are endowed with professionals in health care and also boasts of medical resources/apparatus which are very effective in the treatment of diseases and ailments. However, the difference in preference was infinitesimal pointing that, an integrated form of health care would be quite helpful for the aged.
Publisher: Portico
Date: 2015
DOI: 10.4137/CMRPC.S29924
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 29-05-2020
Abstract: Background and objective: Traditional medicine (TM) was integrated into health systems in Africa due to its importance within the health delivery setup in fostering increased health care accessibility through safe practices. However, the quality of integrated health systems in Africa has not been assessed since its implementation. The objective of this paper was to extensively and systematically review the effectiveness of integrated health systems in Africa. Materials and Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted from October, 2019 to March, 2020 using Ovid Medline, Scopus, Emcare, Web of Science, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health (CINAHL), and Google Scholar, in order to retrieve original articles evaluating the integration of TM into health systems in Africa. A quality assessment of relevant articles was also carried out using the Quality Assessment Tool for Studies with Diverse Designs (QATDSS) critical appraisal tool. Results: The results indicated that the formulation and execution of health policies were the main measures taken to integrate TM into health systems in Africa. The review also highlighted relatively low levels of awareness, usage, satisfaction, and acceptance of integrated health systems among the populace. Knowledge about the existence of an integrated system varied among study participants, while satisfaction and acceptance were low among orthodox medicine practitioners. Health service users’ satisfaction and acceptance of the practice of an integrated health system were high in the countries assessed. Conclusion: The review concluded that existing health policies in Africa are not working, so the integration of TM has not been successful. It is critical to uncover the barriers in the health system by exploring the perceptions and experiences of stakeholders, in order to develop solutions for better integration of the two health systems.
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 08-02-2021
DOI: 10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0244395
Abstract: The success of current policies and interventions on providing effective access to treatment for childhood illnesses hinges on families’ decisions relating to healthcare access. In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), there is an uneven distribution of child healthcare services. We investigated the role played by barriers to healthcare accessibility in healthcare seeking for childhood illnesses among childbearing women in SSA. Data on 223,184 children under five were extracted from Demographic and Health Surveys of 29 sub-Saharan African countries, conducted between 2010 and 2018. The outcome variable for the study was healthcare seeking for childhood illnesses. The data were analyzed using Stata version 14.2 for windows. Chi-square test of independence and a two-level multivariable multilevel modelling were carried out to generate the results. Statistical significance was pegged at p .05. We relied on ‘Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology’ (STROBE) statement in writing the manuscript. Eighty-five percent (85.5%) of women in SSA sought healthcare for childhood illnesses, with the highest and lowest prevalence in Gabon (75.0%) and Zambia (92.6%) respectively. In terms of the barriers to healthcare access, we found that women who perceived getting money for medical care for self as a big problem [AOR = 0.81 CI = 0.78–0.83] and considered going for medical care alone as a big problem [AOR = 0.94, CI = 0.91–0.97] had lower odds of seeking healthcare for their children, compared to those who considered these as not a big problem. Other factors that predicted healthcare seeking for childhood illnesses were size of the child at birth, birth order, age, level of community literacy, community socio-economic status, place of residence, household head, and decision-maker for healthcare. The study revealed a relationship between barriers to healthcare access and healthcare seeking for childhood illnesses in sub-Saharan Africa. Other in idual and community level factors also predicted healthcare seeking for childhood illnesses in sub-Saharan Africa. This suggests that interventions aimed at improving child healthcare in sub-Saharan Africa need to focus on these factors.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 25-10-2021
Abstract: The government of Ghana has been piloting traditional medicine (TM) integration in 17 health facilities across the country. However, the nature of current practice of integrated healthcare has not been thoroughly explored. This paper sought to explore the experiences and recommendations of orthodox health practitioners and hospital administrators in the Ashanti region regarding the practice of integrated healthcare in Ghana. The study adopted a qualitative, phenomenological approach involving 22 interviews. Purposive s ling technique was used in selecting study participants. Framework analysis was used to draw on the experiences of participants relating to TM integration. Participants were knowledgeable about the existence of integrated health facilities and stated that TM integration has created options in health services. However, participants deemed the integrated system ineffective and attributed the inefficiency to poor processing and certification of TM products, opposition of medical doctors to TM usage, absence of a protocol to guide the integration process, and inadequate publicity. Professional training of TM practitioners and inclusion of TM in medical school curriculum could improve collaboration between the health practitioners. Future research should focus on assessing the opinions and involvements of TM practitioners regarding the integration of traditional therapies into national health systems.
Publisher: Hindawi Limited
Date: 2015
DOI: 10.1155/2015/948487
Abstract: Globally, an estimated 2 million deaths occur every year as a result of tuberculosis. Ghana records over 46,000 new cases annually despite numerous efforts to curb the disease. One major challenge associated with the control of the disease is patients’ noncompliance with medication. Despite the noncompliance setback, not much information is available on the issue. This paper, therefore, examines patients’ compliance with medication at the Suhum Kraboa Coaltar District in Ghana. A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out using interview schedules. Data were primarily retrieved from 40 treatment supporters, in addition to 110 previously treated persons registered in 2010 and 2011 with cases of pulmonary tuberculosis. Evidence from the study indicates that 63 percent of the previously treated persons complied with medication which is below the expected national target of at least 85 percent. However, those with treatment supporters significantly complied with medication. Depression, substance abuse, financial problems, and long duration of treatment were other issues that discouraged patients’ adherence to medication. Some patients also attributed supernatural explanations to the source of the disease which negatively affected compliance. Conclusively, future approaches aimed at controlling/eradicating tuberculosis in the district should consider counselling, economic empowerment packages, and detailed education for patients.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 05-09-2023
DOI: 10.1093/INTHEALTH/IHAC059
Abstract: Traditional medicine (TM) plays a vital role in the Ghanaian health system by serving as an alternative healthcare delivery system for the majority of people. However, the quality of practice and level of TM practitioners’ involvement in the integration of TM into the health system have not been fully investigated. This study employed a phenomenological qualitative study design to explore the perceptions, experiences and recommendations of TM practitioners in the Ashanti region regarding TM integration. Data were collected through in idual interviews with 17 participants. Participants had knowledge about TM integration. They cited effective alternative healthcare delivery and improved patient outcomes as the key benefits of TM integration. However, they reported a shortage of approved TM products, poor visibility of TM integration and poor relational coordination of care as factors h ering the integration. Participants recommended improved interprofessional relationships, provision of financial support and improved publicity of TM as possible strategies to enhance TM integration in Ghana. The findings of the study clearly demonstrate that the Ghanaian health system is currently operating a consumer-led, tolerant health system with a parallel (between orthodox and TM practitioners) healthcare delivery model. Successful implementation of an effective TM integration would require improved integrative collaborative coordination of care between orthodox and TM practitioners in Ghana.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 14-04-2020
Abstract: The ability to recognize and distinguish among varying musical styles is essential to developing aural skills and musicianship. Yet, this task can be difficult for music learners, particularly nonexperts. To address this challenge and guide music education practice, this study drew on cognitive psychological principles to investigate the effect of interleaved presentation of music pieces by various classical music composers on learning to identify these composers’ styles. Participants with 4 or fewer years of musical experience were presented with music pieces from six composers in an interleaved manner (alternating between listening to different composers’ works) and music pieces from another six composers in a blocked fashion (listening to works by one composer at a time before moving on to the next). A later test in which participants had to classify novel pieces by the same 12 composers revealed the superiority of interleaved over blocked presentation, although most participants misjudged blocking to be more effective than interleaving. This finding provides evidence for the utility of interleaving in teaching music composers’ styles and extends the literature on the interleaving effect in category induction to the auditory domain. Practical implications and future directions for the use of interleaving in music education are discussed.
No related grants have been discovered for Irene Ampomah.