ORCID Profile
0000-0002-1381-4981
Current Organisation
University of Aberdeen
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Publisher: BMJ
Date: 07-2022
DOI: 10.1136/BMJOPEN-2021-058026
Abstract: We investigated the association between women’s healthcare decision making and cervical cancer screening uptake in sub-Saharan Africa. Secondary data from the Demographic and Health Surveys of six countries in sub-Saharan Africa were used. We employed multilevel binary logistic regression modelling. Sub-Saharan Africa. Women aged 15–49 years in Benin (n=5282), Côte d’Ivoire (n=1925), Cameroon (n=7558), Kenya (n=6696), Namibia (n=1990) and Zimbabwe (n=5006). Cervical cancer screening uptake. The overall prevalence of cervical cancer screening across the six sub-Saharan African countries was 13.4%. Compared with women whose healthcare decisions were made solely by husbands artners/someone else, the likelihood of cervical cancer screening uptake was significantly higher among women who took healthcare decisions in consultation with their husbands artners (aOR=1.38 95% CI 1.19 to 1.59), but highest among those who made healthcare decisions alone (aOR=1.66 95% CI 1.44 to 1.91). Women aged between 40 and 45 years (aOR=5.18 95% CI 3.15 to 8.52), those with higher education (aOR=2.13 95% CI 1.57 to 2.88), those who had ever heard of cervical cancer (aOR=32.74 95% CI 20.02 to 53.55), read newspaper or magazine at least once a week (aOR=2.11 95% CI 1.83 to 2.44), listened to the radio at least once a week (aOR=1.35 95% CI1.18 to 1.52) and those in households with richest wealth index (aOR=1.55 95% CI 1.20 to 2.00) had significantly higher odds of screening for cervical cancer compared to their counterparts. Women who are able to make autonomous healthcare decisions and those who practice shared decision making are more likely to uptake cervical cancer screening. Therefore, policy interventions should focus on empowering women to be able to take autonomous healthcare decisions or shared decision making while targeting subpopulations (ie, multiparous and rural-dwelling women, as well as those in other religious affiliations aside from Christianity) that are less likely to uptake cervical cancer screening. Also, the radio and print media could be leveraged in raising awareness about cervical cancer screening to accelerate cervical cancer screening uptake in sub-Saharan Africa.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 22-05-2023
DOI: 10.1017/S002193202300007X
Abstract: There is a demonstrated link between intimate partner violence (IPV) and pregnancy termination, and this association has received much attention in developed settings. Despite the high prevalence of IPV in Papua New Guinea (PNG), little is known about the association between these experiences and pregnancy termination. This study examined the association between IPV and pregnancy termination in PNG. The present study used population-based data from the PNG’s first Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) conducted in 2016–2018. The analysis involved women aged 15–49 years who were in intimate unions (married or co-habiting). We used binary logistic regression modelling to analyse the association between IPV and pregnancy termination. Results were reported as crude odds ratios (cOR) and adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Overall, 6.3% of women involved in this study had ever terminated a pregnancy, and 6 in 10 women (61.5%) reported having experienced IPV in the last 12 months preceding the survey. Of those women who experienced IPV, 7.4% had ever terminated a pregnancy. Women who had experienced IPV had a 1.75 higher odds of reporting pregnancy termination (cOR: 1.75 95% CI: 1.29–2.37) than women who did not experience IPV. After controlling for theoretically and empirically relevant socio-demographic and economic factors, IPV remained a strong and significant determinant of pregnancy termination (aOR: 1.67, 95% CI: 1.22–2.30). The strong association between IPV and pregnancy termination among women in intimate unions in PNG calls for targeted policies and interventions that address the high prevalence of IPV. The provision of comprehensive sexual reproductive health, public education, and awareness creation on the consequences of IPV, regular assessment, and referral to appropriate services for IPV may reduce the incidence of pregnancy termination in PNG.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 09-2017
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 15-09-2022
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 12-05-2022
DOI: 10.1186/S13690-022-00889-0
Abstract: Justification of intimate partner violence (IPV) has several implications, including reduced likelihood of help-seeking, increased experiences episodes of partner abuses, and poor health status and outcomes. However, in Papua New Guinea (PNG), where IPV is among the highest globally, little is known about factors influencing IPV justification among women in union. This study aimed at examining the prevalence of IPV justification and associated factors among women in union in PNG. Data from the nationally representative cross-sectional demographic and health survey conducted among women aged 15–49 years during 2016–2018 in PNG were used. In all 9,943 women aged 15–49 years who were married or cohabiting during the survey were included. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions were performed and the results reported as crude odds ratios (cOR) and adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Overall, almost 7 in 10 women (68.9%, 95%CI:68.0–69.9) justified IPV. Multiple regression analysis revealed that co-habitation (aOR: 1.33, 95%CI: 1.17–1.50, p 0.001), polygyny (aOR: 1.36, 95%CI: 1.20–1.53, p 0.001), exposure to television (aOR: 1.24, 95%CI: 1.08–1.42, p = 0.002) and richer wealth status (aOR: 1.19, 95%CI: 1.01–1.40, p = 0.035), significantly increased the odds of justifying IPV. We found significantly lower odds of IPV justification among women aged 45–49 years (aOR: 0.53, 95%CI: 0.37–0.77, p = 0.001) and those with higher level of education (aOR: 0.56, 95%CI: 0.42–0.74, p 0.001). The prevalence of IPV justification was high among women in union in PNG. Women’s justification of IPV was associated with socio-demographic and economic factors. Our findings call for appropriate strategies including public education and empowerment programmes that target IPV in PNG. Moreover, strategies and interventions to address IPV justification should target the women’s socio-economic and demographic contexts that influence IPV justification.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 29-03-2022
DOI: 10.1186/S12889-022-13003-4
Abstract: Intimate partner sexual violence (IPSV) is a prevalent public health problem affecting millions of people each year globally, particularly in developing countries like Papua New Guinea (PNG). Although over two-thirds of women in PNG are estimated to experience some form of sexual violence in their lifetime, empirical evidence is limited on the association between IPSV and cigarette smoking. Thus, the present study aims to examine the prevalence of IPSV and its association with cigarette smoking among women in union in PNG. This cross-sectional study used data from the first demographic and health survey of PNG conducted between 2016 and 2018. A total of 9,943 women aged 15–49 years in intimate unions were included in this study. We estimated the relative risk of smoking cigarette using modified Poisson regression models with a robust variance and 95% confidence intervals. The rates of IPSV and current cigarette smoking were 25.9% and 26.8%, respectively. The modified Poisson regression results showed that IPSV was significantly associated with an elevated risk for cigarette smoking. Women with IPSV history were more likely to smoke cigarette relative to their counterparts with no IPSV history (RR: 1.33, 95% CI: 1.18–1.50) in the absence of covariates. After controlling for demographic, social and economic factors, the association between IPSV and cigarette smoking remained statistically significant (RR: 1.24, 95% CI: 1.08–1.42). The rates of IPSV and cigarette smoking among women in union in PNG in the current study were relatively high. Irrespective of erse demographic, social and economic factors, IPSV was still significantly associated with cigarette smoking among women in union in PNG. The findings presented call the attention of policy-makers and relevant authorities in PNG to an important association that needs to be addressed. Counseling, awareness creation, service provision and program design on IPSV are urgently required to minimize cigarette smoking and IPSV among women in union in PNG.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 06-03-2018
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2019
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 10-03-2023
DOI: 10.1111/ADD.16173
Abstract: When attempting to stop smoking, discrete smoking events (‘lapses’) are strongly associated with a return to regular smoking (‘relapse’). No study has yet pooled the psychological and contextual antecedents of lapse incidence, captured in ecological momentary assessment (EMA) studies. This systematic review and meta‐analysis aimed to synthesize within‐person psychological and contextual predictor–lapse associations in smokers attempting to quit. We searched Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO and Web of Science. A narrative synthesis and multi‐level, random‐effects meta‐analyses were conducted, focusing on studies of adult, non‐clinical populations attempting to stop smoking, with no restrictions on setting. Outcomes were the association between a psychological (e.g. stress, cravings) or contextual (e.g. cigarette availability) antecedent and smoking lapse incidence definitions of ‘lapse’ and ‘relapse’ the theoretical underpinning of EMA study designs and the proportion of studies with pre‐registered study protocols/analysis plans and open data. We included 61 studies, with 19 studies contributing ≥ 1 effect size(s) to the meta‐analyses. We found positive relationships between lapse incidence and ‘environmental and social cues’ [ k = 12, odds ratio (OR) = 4.53, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.02, 10.16, P = 0.001] and ‘cravings’ ( k = 10, OR = 1.71, 95% CI = 1.34, 2.18, P 0.001). ‘Negative feeling states’ was not significantly associated with lapse incidence ( k = 16, OR = 1.10, 95% CI = 0.98, 1.24, P = 0.12). In the narrative synthesis, negative relationships with lapse incidence were found for ‘behavioural regulation’, ‘motivation not to smoke’ and ‘beliefs about capabilities’ positive relationships with lapse incidence were found for ‘positive feeling states’ and ‘positive outcome expectancies’. Although lapse definitions were comparable, relapse definitions varied widely across studies. Few studies explicitly drew upon psychological theory to inform EMA study designs. One of the included studies drew upon Open Science principles. In smokers attempting to stop, environmental and social cues and cravings appear to be key within‐person antecedents of smoking lapse incidence. Due to low study quality, the confidence in these estimates is reduced.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 17-04-2023
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2023
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 07-08-2022
DOI: 10.1186/S12872-022-02803-6
Abstract: Management of life-threatening arrhythmia can be incredibly challenging in advanced health systems. In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), this is likely more challenging because of weak pre-hospital and in-hospital critical care systems. Little is known about life-threatening arrhythmia and their outcomes in SSA. The aim of this study was to examine the types and outcomes of arrhythmias among haemodynamically unstable patients presenting at a tertiary hospital in Accra-Ghana. This was a retrospective case series study conducted at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), Accra-Ghana. Medical records of patients who presented with or developed haemodynamically unstable arrhythmias within 24h of admission from January 2018 to December 2020 were reviewed. The demographic characteristics and clinical data including outcomes of patients were collected. Descriptive statistics were used and results presented in frequency tables. A total of 42 patients with life-threatening arrhythmias were included. Haemodynamically unstable tachyarrhythmias were the most common arrhythmias found among the patients (66.7%). Approximately 52% of patients had structural heart diseases whereas 26.2% had no apparent underlying cause or predisposing factor. Cardioversion (52.4%), commonly electrical (63.6%), and transvenous pacemaker implantation (23.8%) were the common initial interventions. The majority of the patients (88.1%) survived and were discharged home. Tachyarrhythmias are the most common haemodynamically unstable arrhythmias seen among patients presenting emergently in a leading tertiary hospital in Ghana. A high survival rate was observed and cannot be extrapolated to other healthcare settings in sub-Saharan Africa with limited resources to manage these clinical entities.
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 27-10-2022
DOI: 10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0275008
Abstract: Fly-In-Fly-Out (FIFO) workers travel to work at isolated locations, and rotate continuous workdays with leave periods at home, and such work practice is common in the offshore oil and gas and onshore mining industry worldwide. The COVID-19 pandemic and accompanying public health actions appear to have had a negative impact on several health-related behaviours among the general population. However, little is known about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the health behaviours of FIFO workers, who have shown higher pre-pandemic rates of risky behaviours than the general population in Australia. This study examined the health-related behaviours of FIFO workers in the mining industry during the COVID-19 pandemic. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted. FIFO workers from an Australian mining company who underwent COVID-19 screening between May and November 2020 completed an online survey about their regular health-related behaviours. The independent s le t-test and Pearson’s chi-square test where appropriate were conducted to examine the differences between males and females for the behavioural outcomes. A total of 768 FIFO workers (633 males and 135 females) participated in the study. Prevalence of smoking was high (32%). Males smoked more cigarettes per day than females (15.2±7.0 vs 13.1±7.1, p = .174). Most participants (74.7%) drank alcohol on more than two days per week. Compared to females, more males (20.2% vs 8.0%) consumed alcohol at short-term harmful levels ( p = .010). About a third (34.4%) of the workers (33.5% of males and 38.5% of females, p = .264) engaged in inadequate moderate-vigorous exercises hysical activity. About a third (33.1%) of workers (33.7% of males and 30.4% of females p = .699) had multiple risk behaviours. Prevalence of multiple risk behaviours was high. Interventions aimed at the prevention of risky health-related behaviours should target the different behavioural patterns and may require emphasis on gender-informed techniques particularly when addressing alcohol consumption.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2020
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 20-07-2022
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 20-04-2022
DOI: 10.1186/S13690-022-00853-Y
Abstract: Intimate partner violence (IPV) during pregnancy has negative physical and psychological health consequences on the pregnant women. As such, women who experience IPV during pregnancy are likely to have challenges accessing maternal healthcare services. In this study, we examined the influence of exposure to IPV on timely antenatal care (ANC) visits in sub-Saharan Africa. Cross-sectional data from the most recent Demographic and Health Survey of twenty-two countries in sub-Saharan Africa between 2012 and 2020 were analysed. Data were obtained from 61,282 women with birth history in the five years prior to the survey. A multilevel logistic regression was used to determine the association between IPV and timely ANC visits while controlling for significant covariates. Adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with 95% Confidence Intervals (CI) were used to present results from the multilevel logistic regression analysis. The prevalence of timely ANC visit and IPV were 38.1% and 34.9% respectively. The highest and lowest prevalence of IPV were found in Sierra Leone (52.9%) and Comoros (8.1%), respectively. Timely ANC attendance among pregnant women was more prevalent in Liberia (74.9%) and lowest in DR Congo (19.0%). Women who experienced IPV during pregnancy were less likely to utilize timely ANC (aOR = 0.89, 95% CI = 0.86–0.92) compared to those who did not experience IPV. In terms of the covariates, the odds of timely ANC were higher among women aged 40–44 compared to those aged 15–19 (aOR = 1.35, 95% CI = 1.21–1.51). Higher odds of timely ANC was found among women who were cohabiting (aOR = 1.15, 95% CI = 1.10–1.20), those from the richest wealth quintile (aOR = 1.38, 95% CI = 1.28–1.48), those exposed to watching television (aOR = 1.24, 95% CI = 1.18–1.30), and those with health insurance (aOR = 1.46, 95% CI = 1.37–1.56). Findings from the study indicate the role of IPV in timely ANC visit in sub-Saharan Africa. To enhance timely ANC visits, there is the need for policy makers to strengthen and enforce the implementation of policies that alleviate IPV during pregnancy. Education and sensitization of married and cohabiting women and men on the negative effects of IPV on timely ANC should be done using media sources such as television. Inequalities in timely ANC can be eliminated through the provision and strengthening of existing maternal health policies such as health insurance.
Publisher: African Journals Online (AJOL)
Date: 02-08-2021
DOI: 10.4314/AHS.V21I2.22
Abstract: Objective: The study was aimed at assessing the awareness and knowledge of prostate cancer (PC) among male teachers in the Sunyani municipality of Ghana. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted using a structured questionnaire to collect data from 160 male teach- ers aged 45 years or more, randomly selected from public elementary and high schools in the Sunyani Municipality. Pearson’s Chi square and Fishers exact tests were used to examine the association between socio-demographic characteristics and knowledge of PC. Results: On average, respondents were aged 50±3.95 years. There was a universal awareness of PC. Most of the respond- ents could identify at least one signs and symptoms of PC (88.1%), risk factors of PC (78.8%), and indicated that PC could be treated through surgery (70.6 %), but only 37.5% of respondents knew about screening tests for PC. The study found 57.5% of them had adequate knowledge about PC. Socio-demographics characteristics were not associated with knowledge about PC. Main sources of information were the television (68%) and radio (57 %). Conclusion: The outcomes of the study suggest the need for general educational c aigns with emphasis on modalities for the screening of PC using the appropriate media channels for accessibility. Keywords: Prostate cancer awareness knowledge male teachers Ghana.
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 07-2021
DOI: 10.1136/BMJGH-2021-005112
Abstract: Rotation work, characterised by travelling long distances to work in isolated areas where workers typically rotate consecutive days working and living on-site with periods at home, is increasingly used in the resources and construction sectors globally. Such employment practices may have an impact on workers’ health and well-being. This systematic review explores the impact rotation work has on mental and physical outcomes in rotation workers in the resources and construction sectors. The PubMed, Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Scopus databases were systematically searched on 1 May 2020 to identify quantitative, qualitative and mixed-method studies addressing the health of rotation workers published in peer-reviewed journals. Findings from the studies were summarised narratively. Of 6268 studies retrieved, 90 studies were included in the review. Studies suggested higher prevalence of psychological distress in onshore rotation workers and higher overweight/obesity rates among rotation workers as compared with the general population. We found more sleep problems and higher levels of smoking during work periods compared with off-site days and higher alcohol intake during off-site days compared with on-site days. Workers generally perceived their physical health status as good. High-perceived job demands (such as workload, repetitive work) were associated with mental distress and exhaustion, sleep problems and perceived poor physical health status, while high-perceived job resources (such as job clarity/control, support) were associated with low mental distress and exhaustion, less smoking and alcohol intake, and better sleep. Rotation work is associated with several poorer health behaviours and outcomes, such as sleep problems, smoking, alcohol consumption and overweight/obesity. Interventions needed to improve rotation workers’ health should include maximising available job resources and reducing job demands. Further longitudinal studies are needed to explore the long-term health effects of rotation work and the short-term contextual effects of the different aspects of rotation work.
Publisher: Center for Open Science
Date: 10-03-2022
Abstract: Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) involves repeated, real-time s ling of health behaviours in context. We present the state-of-knowledge in EMA research focused on five key health behaviours (physical activity and sedentary behaviour, dietary behaviour, alcohol consumption, tobacco smoking, sexual health), summarising theoretical (e.g., psychological and contextual predictors) and methodological aspects (e.g., study characteristics, EMA adherence). We searched Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO and Web of Science until February 2021. We included studies focused on any of the aforementioned health behaviours in adult, non-clinical populations that assessed ≥1 psychological/contextual predictor and reported a predictor-behaviour association. A narrative synthesis and random-effects meta-analyses of EMA adherence were conducted. We included 633 studies. The median study duration was 14 days. The most frequently assessed predictors were ‘negative feeling states’ (21%) and ‘motivation and goals’ (16.5%). The pooled percentage of EMA adherence was high at 81.4% (95% CI = 80.0%, 82.8%, k=348) and did not differ by target behaviour but was somewhat higher in student (vs. general) s les, when EMAs were delivered via mobile phones (vs. handheld devices), and when event contingent (vs. fixed) s ling was used. This review showcases how the EMA method has been applied to improve understanding and prediction of health behaviours in context.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 20-03-2023
Publisher: Center for Open Science
Date: 05-08-2022
Abstract: Background and Aims: When attempting to stop smoking, discrete smoking events (‘lapses’) are strongly associated with a return to regular smoking (‘relapse’). No study has yet pooled the psychological and contextual antecedents of lapse incidence, captured in Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) studies. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to synthesise within-person psychological and contextual predictor-lapse associations in smokers attempting to quit.Design: We searched Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO and Web of Science. A narrative synthesis and multilevel, random-effects meta-analyses were conducted.Setting: No restrictions on setting.Participants: Adult, non-clinical populations attempting to stop smoking.Measurements: Outcomes were the association between a psychological (e.g., stress, cravings) or contextual (e.g., cigarette availability) antecedent and smoking lapse incidence definitions of ‘lapse’ and ‘relapse’ the theoretical underpinning of EMA study designs and the proportion of studies with pre-registered study protocols/analysis plans and open data.Findings: We included 56 studies, with 18 studies contributing 1+ effect sizes to the meta-analyses. We found positive relationships between lapse incidence and ‘environmental and social cues’ (k = 12, OR = 4.19, 95% CI = 1.77, 9.91, p = 0.001) and ‘cravings’ (k = 10, OR = 1.73, 95% CI = 1.25, 2.40, p = 0.001). ‘Negative feeling states’ was not significantly associated with lapse incidence (k =15, OR = 1.10, 95% CI = 0.97, 1.24, p = 0.14). In the narrative synthesis, negative relationships with lapse incidence were found for ‘behavioural regulation’, ‘motivation not to smoke’, and ‘beliefs about capabilities’ positive relationships with lapse incidence were found for ‘positive feeling states’ and ‘positive outcome expectancies’. Although lapse definitions were comparable, relapse definitions varied widely across studies. Few studies explicitly drew on psychological theory to inform EMA study designs. None of the included studies drew on Open Science principles.Conclusions: In smokers attempting to stop, environmental and social cues and cravings appear to be key within-person antecedents of smoking lapse incidence.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 15-08-2022
Abstract: Sufficient knowledge on the work productivity impact of the health of fly-in fly-out (FIFO) workers in the mining sector in Australia is lacking. This study examined the impact of health and lifestyle behaviours on the work productivity of FIFO workers in the mining industry in Australia. FIFO workers completed an online questionnaire on health and work productivity loss measures. Linear regressions were used to model annual work productivity losses through absenteeism, presenteeism and total productivity loss. Workers with a high risk for health conditions were, on average, associated with 3.87% more productivity loss (absenteeism: 1.27% and presenteeism: 2.88%) than those with low risk. Workers who had multiple health risks classified as medium (3–4 health conditions) and high (5 or more health conditions) reported 1.75% and 7.46% more total productivity loss, respectively, than those with fewer multiple health risks (0–2 health conditions). Health conditions were estimated to account for an annual additional productivity cost due to absenteeism of AUD 8.82 million, presenteeism of AUD 14.08 million and a total productivity loss of AUD 20.96 million per 1000 workers. FIFO workers with high health risks experience more absenteeism, presenteeism and overall productivity loss. These measures provide strong economic justifications that could support the need for targeted workplace health interventions.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 09-09-2021
DOI: 10.1186/S13690-021-00684-3
Abstract: Justification of intimate partner violence (IPV) is one of the critical factors that account for the high prevalence of IPV among women. In this study, we examined the association between exposure to interparental violence and IPV justification among women in sexual unions in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Data for this study were obtained from the most recent Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) of 26 countries in SSA conducted between 2010 and 2020. A total of 112,953 women in sexual unions were included in this study. A multivariable binary logistic regression analysis was carried out. The results of the regression analysis were presented using crude odds ratios (cOR) and adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with their respective 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The prevalence of interparental violence in the countries considered in this study was 23.8%, with the highest (40.8%) and lowest (4.9%) in Burundi and Comoros, respectively. IPV justification was 45.8%, with the highest and lowest prevalence in Mali (80.9%) and South Africa (4.6%) respectively. Women who were exposed to interparental violence were more likely to justify IPV compared to those who were not exposed [aOR = 1.53, 95% CI = 1.47–1.59]. We found higher odds of justification of IPV among women who were exposed to interparental violence compared to those who were not exposed in all the countries, except Burkina Faso, Comoros, Gambia, and Rwanda. The findings call for several strategies for addressing interparental violence. These may include empowerment services targeting both men and women, formation of stronger social networks to improve women’s self-confidence, and the provision of evidence-based information and resources at the community level. These interventions should pay critical attention to young people exposed to interparental violence. Public health education and messaging should emphasise on the negative health and social implications of interparental violence and IPV.
Publisher: African Journals Online (AJOL)
Date: 20-04-2020
DOI: 10.4314/AHS.V20I1.19
Abstract: Background: In Ghana, efforts including ‘Know Your Status’ c aign have been made to increase awareness and improve the uptake of HIV screening. Objective: This study examined the acceptance and utilization of the HIV/AIDS ‘Know Your Status’ c aign and determine dthe differences in HIV testing by demographic characteristics among the youth in Techiman, Ghana. Method: This study was a cross-sectional study conducted among the youth aged 15-24 years. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 200 purposively selected respondents. Results: The mean age of the respondents was 19.6±2.72 years. There was a universal awareness (100%) of HIV/AIDs, and were knowledgeable about the mode of transmission, symptoms and the prevention of HIV. A high proportion of the respon- dents (n=161, 80.5%) had heard about the ‘Know Your Status’ (KYS) c aign. Less than half of respondents (n=91, 45.5%) had tested for HIV, and only 16.5% (n=15/91) of respondents tested through the KYS c aign. Testing for HIV was associ- ated with age (p .001) and marital status (p .001). Conclusion: The youth should therefore be targeted in the awareness and the ‘Know Your Status c aigns’, and in an effort- sto promote screening for HIV. Keywords: Awareness c aign knowledge HIV/AIDS know your status screening.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 25-07-2022
DOI: 10.1007/S00420-022-01908-X
Abstract: Fly-In Fly-Out (FIFO), which entails travelling mostly from the urban areas to stay and work in remote areas for designated periods and travel back home to spend designated days of leave, has become a common work arrangement in the mining sector globally. This study examined the mental and physical health of FIFO workers and described their health-related behaviours during on-and off-shift periods. A cross-sectional study was conducted with FIFO workers ( N = 216) in the mining industry in Australia who completed an online survey. Paired t -test and McNemer’s analysis examined the differences in health-related behaviours during workers’ on-and off-shift days. Logistic regression examined the predictors of physical health and psychological distress status of FIFO workers. Workers reported longer sleep duration (7.5 ± 1.5 h vs 6.3 ± 1.2 h, p 0.001) and better sleep quality (78.2% vs 46.3%, p 0.001) during off-shift nights than on on-shift nights. Smoking prevalence was 26.4%, and workers reported smoking a similar number of cigarettes per day during on-and off-shift days. Most workers reported drinking alcohol (86.1%) and more often at risky levels during off-shift than on-shift days (57.9% vs 34.3%, p 0.001). Fruits and vegetable consumption was low but with higher vegetable intake during off-shift days (2.8 ± 1.4 vs 2.3 ± 1.3 serves, p 0.001). Workers had good physical health status (91.2%), but 71.4% were overweight/obese and 33.4% indicated high levels of psychological distress. Working on long shifts (OR 6.63, 95% CI 1.84–23.91) and smoking (OR 7.17, 95% CI 2.67–19.26) were linked to high psychological distress. The prevalence of psychological distress and risky health behaviours was high. Interventions should aim to reduce psychological distress and support multiple behaviour changes, considering FIFO work-related characteristics including long shift hours.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 22-11-2021
Abstract: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has devastated the world, and its mental health impact has been recognized in the general population. However, little is known about the mental health impact of COVID-19 on fly-in fly-out (FIFO) workers, who are flown to temporarily stay and work in remote areas, during this pandemic. This study examined the mental well-being of FIFO workers in the mining industry during COVID-19 restrictions in Western Australia. An online survey was conducted between May to November 2020 among (N = 842) FIFO workers who underwent COVID-19 screening at a large mining company in Western Australia. The mental well-being score among workers was higher than population norms. One-way ANOVA with Bonferroni post-hoc tests showed significant differences in mental well-being by age, being placed under travel quarantine, undertaking self-isolation, impact of social distance guidelines, and experience of COVID-19 related symptoms. Multiple linear regression analysis showed workers who were younger, placed under travel quarantine and experienced two or more COVID-19 related symptoms were more likely to have worse mental well-being. Acknowledging the negative emotions and distress experiences among the vulnerable groups could help in providing suitable support to help lessen these negative experiences in FIFO workers.
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 07-2021
DOI: 10.1136/BMJOPEN-2020-046435
Abstract: Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) involves repeated, real-time assessments of phenomena (eg, cognitions, emotions, behaviours) over a period of time in naturalistic settings. EMA is increasingly used to study both within-person and between-person processes. We will review EMA studies investigating key health behaviours and synthesise: (1) study characteristics (eg, frequency of assessments, adherence, incentives), (2) associations between psychological predictors and behaviours and (3) moderators of adherence to EMA protocols. This review will focus on EMA studies conducted across five public health behaviours in adult, non-clinical populations: movement behaviour (including physical activity and sedentary behaviour), dietary behaviour, alcohol consumption, tobacco smoking and preventive sexual health behaviours. Studies need to have assessed at least one psychological or contextual predictor of these behaviours. Studies reporting exclusively on physiological outcomes (eg, cortisol) or those not conducted under free-living conditions will be excluded. We will search OVID MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO and Web of Science using terms relevant to EMA and the selected health behaviours. Reference lists of existing systematic reviews of EMA studies will be hand searched. Identified articles will be screened by two reviewers. This review is expected to provide a comprehensive summary of EMA studies assessing psychological or contextual predictors of five public health behaviours. The results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and presentations. Data from included studies will be made available to other researchers. No ethics are required. CRD42020168314.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2020
Location: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
No related grants have been discovered for Bernard K Yeboah Asiamah-Asare.