ORCID Profile
0000-0001-8603-8306
Current Organisations
George Institute for Global Health
,
University of New South Wales
,
NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation
,
University of Sydney
,
NSW Ministry of Health
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Publications
Duration of immunity following full vaccination against SARS-CoV-2: a systematic review
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 02-09-2022
DOI: 10.1186/S13690-022-00935-X
Abstract: As vaccine roll-out continues across the globe as part of the efforts to protect humanity against SARS-CoV-2, concerns are increasingly shifting to the duration of vaccine-induced immunity. Responses to these concerns are critical in determining if, when, and who will need booster doses following full vaccination against SARS-CoV-2. However, synthesised studies about the durability of vaccine-induced immunity against SARS-CoV-2 are scarce. This systematic review synthesised available global evidence on the duration of immunity following full vaccination against SARS-CoV-2. We searched through Psych Info, Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, PubMed, and WHO COVID-19 databases for relevant studies published before December 2021. Five eligibility criteria were used in scrutinising studies for inclusion. The quality of the included studies was assessed based on Joana Briggs Institute’s (JBI) Critical Appraisal tool and Cochrane’s Risk of Bias tool—version 2 (RoB 2), while the reporting of the results was guided by the Synthesis Without Meta-analysis (SWiM) guidelines. Twenty-seven out of the 666 identified studies met the inclusion criteria. The findings showed that vaccine-induced protection against SARS-CoV-2 infections builds rapidly after the first dose of vaccines and peaks within 4 to 42 days after the second dose, before waning begins in subsequent months, typically from 3 to 24 weeks. Vaccine-induced antibody response levels varied across different demographic and population characteristics and were higher in people who reported no underlying health conditions compared to those with immunosuppressed conditions. Waning of immunity against SARS-CoV-2 begins as early as the first month after full vaccination and this decline continues till the sixth month when the level of immunity may not be able to provide adequate protection against SARS-CoV-2. While the evidence synthesised in this review could effectively inform and shape vaccine policies regarding the administration of booster doses, more evidence, especially clinical trials, are still needed to ascertain, with greater precision, the exact duration of immunity offered by different vaccine types, across erse population characteristics, and in different vulnerability parameters. The protocol for this review was pre-registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews [PROSPERO] (Registration ID: CRD420212818).
Engaging Sub-Saharan African Australian Residents in Health Research: Lessons and Suggestions for Future Studies
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 17-02-2023
DOI: 10.1177/00219096221079316
Abstract: The Sub-Saharan African-born community in Australia is significantly underrepresented in health research, partly, due to challenges associated with collecting their primary data. Based on experience from a mixed-method study comprising 24 in-depth interviews and a survey of 253 participants in the community, this communication paper highlights a number of ‘high-level’ practical issues that might be encountered when collecting primary data from the community and provides suggestions for future studies. Included in this paper is a brief discussion of important lessons from the fieldwork that are critical for achieving successful data collection from the community. The lessons include difficulty of proving external validity for s les drawn from the community, difficulty of developing a reliable s ling frame, challenges in selecting appropriate support organisations, risk of low response to surveys and language barrier. The study concludes that understanding the ethnic ersities in this community and engaging appropriate support organisations are critical to achieving a successful data collection experience.
Moderating Effects of Socio-Demographic Factors in Associations Between Acculturation and Dietary and Physical Activity Behaviours: a Study of Australian Residents Born in Sub-Saharan Africa
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 08-01-2022
Rethinking solutions for protracted refugee situation: A case study of the Buduburam refugee camp closure in Ghana
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2023
Information and communication technology-based health interventions for transgender people: A scoping review
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 15-09-2022
DOI: 10.1371/JOURNAL.PGPH.0001054
Abstract: In the recent past, there has been a strong interest in the use of information and communication technology (ICT) to deliver healthcare to ‘hard-to-reach’ populations. This scoping review aims to explore the types of ICT-based health interventions for transgender people, and the concerns on using these interventions and ways to address these concerns. Guided by the scoping review frameworks offered by Arksey & O’Malley and the PRISMA-ScR checklist, literature search was conducted in May 2021 and January 2022 in three databases (PubMed, CINAHL and Scopus). The two searches yielded a total of 889 non-duplicated articles, with 47 of them meeting the inclusion criteria. The 47 articles described 39 unique health projects rograms, covering 8 types of ICT-based interventions: videoconferencing, smartphone applications, messaging, e-coaching, self-learning platforms, telephone, social media, and e-consultation platforms. Over 80% of the health projects identified were conducted in North America, and 62% focused on HIV/sexual health. The findings of this review suggest that transgender people had often been regarded as a small subs le in ICT-based health projects that target other population groups (such as ‘men who have sex with men’ or ‘sexual minority’). Many projects did not indicate whether transgender people were included in the development or evaluation of the project. Relatively little is known about the implementation of ICT-based trans health interventions outside the context of HIV/sexual health, in resource limiting settings, and among transgender people of Asian, Indigenous or other non-White/Black/Hispanic backgrounds. While the range of interventions identified demonstrate the huge potentials of ICT to improve healthcare access for transgender people, the current body of literature is still far from adequate for making comprehensive recommendations on the best practice of ICT-based interventions for transgender people. Future ICT-based interventions need to be more inclusive and specified, in order to ensure the interventions are safe, accessible and effective for transgender people.
Associations of post-migration dietary and physical activity behaviours with acculturation and social cognitive factors: a cross-sectional study of Australian residents born in sub-Saharan Africa
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 12-2019
DOI: 10.1186/S42779-019-0039-X
Abstract: A considerable amount of research suggests that several ‘immigrants’ from low-and-middle income countries often adopt less healthy dietary and physical activity behaviours after settling in high income countries, which may lead to increased risk of weight-related diseases. Several studies have also reported that post-migration changes in dietary and physical activity behaviours are associated with acculturation. Given that social cognitive factors are proximal determinants of behaviour, understanding their interplay with acculturation in the process leading to less healthy weight-related behaviours can assist in developing more useful interventions for populations at risk. A cross-sectional survey was undertaken among Australian residents born in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) to assess the interplay of post-migration dietary and physical activity behaviours with acculturation and social cognitive factors. A total of 253 participants were self-selected from two Australian states: New South Wales and Victoria. Theory of planned behaviour variables were employed as social cognitive factors. Fat intake and fruits/vegetables/fibre intake were used as indicators of dietary behaviour. Acculturation was measured using two sub-scales: cultural maintenance and cultural participation. The findings show that acculturation and social cognitive factors were significantly associated with variances in fat intake and physical activity. More specifically, the variance in post-migration fat intake was significantly explained by cultural participation and attitude while the variance in physical activity was significantly associated with cultural maintenance and behavioural intention. It is therefore important to consider both acculturation and social cognitive factors when developing weight-related interventions for Australian residents born in SSA.
Double pandemic: racial discrimination amid coronavirus disease 2019
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2020
Silent suffering: unveiling factors associated with women’s inability to seek help for intimate partner violence in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA)
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 26-07-2023
DOI: 10.1186/S12978-023-01651-7
Abstract: Evidence shows that intimate partner violence (IPV) occurs more frequently in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) than in other regions of the world. However, limited empirical studies exist on the help-seeking behaviour of women who had experienced IPV in SSA. This study aimed to examine the help-seeking behaviour of women who had experienced IPV in SSA and the factors associated with their inability to seek help after experiencing IPV. This is a quantitative study based on data from the latest demographic and health surveys (DHS) of 24 SSA countries. A s le of 53,446 women aged 15–49 years was included in the study. Associations between women’s background characteristics and their help-seeking behaviour after experiencing IPV were examined using proportions and multivariate logistic regression models. Overall, 60.7% of the s le did not seek help after experiencing IPV. Women's inability to seek help for IPV was highest in Mali (80.4%) and lowest in Tanzania (43.1%). Women’s level of education, wealth status, marital status, age, occupation, and country of residence had significant associations with ‘not seeking help’ for any type of IPV. Those who experienced generational violence (AOR = 1.26, CI = 1.19, 1.33) and those who justified wife-beating (AOR = 1.09, CI = 1.07, 1.15) had higher odds of not seeking help for any type of IPV compared to those who did not experience generational violence or did not justify wife beating. Women who experienced emotional violence (AOR = 0.53, CI = 0.51, 0.55) and physical violence (AOR = 0.74, CI = 0.70, 0.76) had lower odds of not seeking help for any type of IPV compared to their counterparts who did not experience these types of violence. Women’s inability to seek help for IPV is common in many SSA countries. This study shows that several socio-demographic factors, such as women's age, educational levels, wealth status, and marital status are associated with their inability to seek help for IPV. Additionally, women's justification of wife beating and experience of generational abuse are strongly associated with their inability to seek help for IPV. These factors need to be considered critically in IPV interventions in SSA.
Determinants of post-migration changes in dietary and physical activity behaviours and implications for health promotion: Evidence from Australian residents of sub-Saharan African ancestry.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 21-02-2019
DOI: 10.1002/HPJA.233
Abstract: Several studies have attributed excess weight gain after immigration to changes in dietary and physical activity behaviours. However, recognising the main factors that influence post-migration changes in dietary and physical activity behaviours is less clear, particularly among Australian residents of sub-Saharan African (SSA) ancestry. Drawing on acculturation theory, this study examines main factors driving changes in dietary and physical activity behaviours among Australian residents who were born in SSA and provides insight into the extent to which the factors are related to immigration. A qualitative design based on a phenomenological approach was employed and a quota s ling technique was used to recruit 24 study participants for in-depth interviews. The study found significant self-reported changes in dietary and physical activity behaviours after immigration that increase the risk of excess weight gain. The changes in dietary and physical activity behaviours were mainly driven by issues related to availability, accessibility and affordability of dietary and physical activity products. Time management and factors related to convenience also emerged as key determinants of change in dietary and physical activity behaviours. Apparently, some factors noted by participants shape dietary and physical activity behaviours irrespective of immigration, and these factors include: tastes and cravings for foods friends and family influence on behaviour and misconceptions about food and exercise. Migration from SSA to Australia contributed to changes (mainly less healthy) in dietary and physical activity behaviours. To a large extent, post-migration changes in dietary and physical activity behaviours were driven by socio-economic and environmental factors. SO WHAT?: Health promotion programs that address the risky behaviours associated with excess weight gain among Australian residents of SSA ancestry should pay more attention to socio-economic and environmental factors.
Young Carers in Australia: Understanding Experiences of Caring and Support-Seeking Behaviour
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 13-10-2021
Related Organisations
Related Funding Activities
No related grants have been discovered for Isaac Yeboah Addo.