by Hailu Chare Koyra, Yohannes Bisa Biramo and Efrata Girma Tufa
Background: The Africa especially the region of Sub-Saharan remains the severely HIV affected region with nearly 1 in every 20 people. The majorities of people living with HIV are of reproductive age and face challenging choices concerning their sexuality, parenthood desires and family life. Despite the desire to avoid having children, many women with HIV experience unintended pregnancies. Prevention of unintended pregnancies among HIV infected women is one key strategies of prevention of mother to child transmission of the disease in the country. Methods: A non-experimental facility based cross sectional study design was used and the data was collected from all men and women attending care and treatment in ART clinics in selected health facilities giving ART service from January to February 2014. A pre-tested structured questionnaire was employed to collect information from respondents who fulfill inclusion criteria and after obtaining a verbal consent. Data was entered, cleaned, edited and analyzed using SPSS Version 20 statistical software package. Chi-square and binary logistic regression was carried out to assess the presence of association and the effect of independent predictors on fertility desire of the respondents. Result: A total of 410 Patients were included in the study giving the response rate of 97 percent. The median age of respondents was 33 and 254(62%) of clients were females. 43% (176) desire to bear child and of these 34 % were not using any modern FP method. The most commonly reported reasons for child bearing desire were desire to replace themselves 65.9 % followed by desiring a child from their partner 17.1%. Among respondents do not desire to bear child, 45.6 % were males and 55.4 % were females. It was found that sexual practice in the last six months [AOR: 2.07, 95% CI, 1.63-7.26], number of live children (AOR: 0.5, 95% CI, 0.105-0.217), and number of children alive [AOR: 4.61, 95% CI, 2.94-13.77], were found to be significantly associated with desire to bear children. Conclusion: Fertility desire is found to be high among HIV/AIDS patients living in the study area. Age, having sexual practice in the last six months, and having less number of children alive, were obtained to be the determinants of fertility desire. The current contraceptive utilization rate of the respondents was less and majority of them were using condom which is not a reliable method for the prevention of pregnancy so most of them especially those who does not desire more children will be exposed to unwanted pregnancy. The most common reason of respondents who desire to have a child was to replace them followed by desiring a child from their partner.
American Journal of Public Health Research. 2017, 5(3), 79-88. DOI: 10.12691/ajphr-5-3-5
Pub. Date: December 19, 2017
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by Gideon Kwarteng Acheampong and Yvette Eyram Avorgbedor
Original Research
A dramatic reduction in child mortality has been noted in Ghana in recent time and although the trend has been projected to continue to decline, studies have shown that the decline in under-five mortality has stalled and the effect more outstanding at different levels. Here we examine the issue of under five mortality using data from the demographic and health survey by examining the trends in under-five mortality between 1988-2014 and develop a predictive model to identify risk factors of under five mortality. Data from the Ghana Demographic and Health survey between 1988-2014 was used to conduct a retrospective analysis of recorded children data (0-5 years). A descriptive analysis of the explanatory and response variables was carried out followed by a subsequent trend analysis of under-five mortalities from 1988-2014. A logistic regression was used to predict the association between the explanatory variables and the dependent outcome variable. The study established that the decrease in under five mortality that Ghana witnessed from 1988-2014 was not significant and that more measures need to be put in place to reduce the phenomenon. Variables such as maternal age (R2=0.0646, p<0.05), duration of breastfeeding (R2=0.3300, p<0.05) and the type of assistance at delivery(R2=0.2898, p<0.05) were all strong predictors of under five mortality relative to other explanatory variables. The study identified that issues such as young maternal age, exclusive breast feeding beyond 6 months and unskilled or no assistance at birth were all contributors of under five mortality in Ghana and as such it is necessary for all these predictors to be addressed and factored during formulation and implementation of policies in an effort to curb under five mortality.
American Journal of Public Health Research. 2017, 5(3), 70-78. DOI: 10.12691/ajphr-5-3-4
Pub. Date: July 12, 2017
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by Haneen Assad Hammadi and Etemad AA El-Shereef
Original Research
Background: This study investigates the knowledge, attitudes and practices of cosmetic surgery among faculty of education female students at Taif University (KSA). Methods: An observational cross-sectional study design was used to carry out the study at College of Education, Taif University. A self-administered questionnaire was first developed to collect the data necessary to fulfill the objectives of the research. The population under study included a random sample in which the questionnaire was distributed to female educational students at Taif University. The sample size was estimated by using a single proportion formula with an acceptable margin of error at 5%. The sample size obtained was 234. Those who completed the questionnaires were 220 students. Results: The mean age of the participants was 19.919±0.834. Out of 234 Taif female educational students in our study, the majority of participants (220, 94.0%) have heard about cosmetic surgery and completed the questionnaire. Mass Media was the source of knowledge for (79.1%) of participants who had already heard about cosmetic surgery. Only one-fourth of students (25.0%) of surveyed female educational students recognized the best definition of plastic surgery as a "surgery to restore function or normal appearance and (51.8%) recognized the best definition of cosmetic surgery as “a surgery that modifies or improves the appearance of a physical feature electively”. Abdomioplasty and rhinoplasy were the most common mentioned types of cosmetic surgery they remembered. (40.0%) of students whose mothers employed accept doing cosmetic surgery and only (11.8%) of non-employed mothers accept doing surgery. This difference was statistically significant (p=0.000). Mean age of students who accept doing cosmetic surge yeas higher than those do not accept but difference in mean age was statistically insignificant (p= 0.063). About two-thirds of participants (66.4%) agreed that “women perform more cosmetic surgery than men”. No one of participants reported undergoing cosmetic surgery. Conclusion and recommendations: The students did not know the exact meaning of cosmetic surgery and plastic surgery. Mass media play an important role as a source of information. we recommend further studies to find out other personal factors affecting attitude towards plastic surgeries and to study other population beyond educational institutions.
American Journal of Public Health Research. 2017, 5(3), 63-69. DOI: 10.12691/ajphr-5-3-3
Pub. Date: July 06, 2017
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by Ute Inegbenebor
Original Research
Background: Subsequent to the rising cesarean section rates worldwide over the past three decades, this study was done to determine the risk factors that predispose to fetal macrosomia with the aim of determining the intervention strategies for preventing fetal macrosomia dependent cesarean sections in Nigeria. Subjects and Methods: A record review of the birth weights of 2410 babies delivered in St Philomena’s Hospital, a survey of the nutritional habits of 75 mothers of macrosomic babies attending postnatal clinic within the study period, and an assessment of the level of awareness’ of the fasting blood glucose status of 75 mothers of macrosomic babies and 330 pregnant women with interviewer administered questionnaire were done.Results: The prevalence rate for fetal macrosomia in St Philomena’s Hospital was 8.4% during the study period. Cesarean section rate among women with fetal macrosomia was 39.2% compared to a rate of 18% in women who gave birth to babies with normal birth weight. It was also found that most pregnant women and mothers of macrosomic babies were not aware of their fasting blood glucose status. Majority of mothers of macrosomic babies preferred high glycemic index diets and also consumed sugary beverages on daily basis. Conclusion: Fetal macrosomia is a preventable outcome of pregnancy in the presence of moderate dietary restriction, low glycemic index diets as well as the inclusion of dietary fiber in the diet of pregnant women. Furthermore, a lower incidence of fetal macrosomia is capable of reducing cesarean section rates in Nigeria.
American Journal of Public Health Research. 2017, 5(3), 56-62. DOI: 10.12691/ajphr-5-3-2
Pub. Date: June 16, 2017
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by Azza Ali Taha, Etemad AA El-shereef, Wedad Saeed Althobaiti and Mai Muaiwedh Algethami
Original Research
Background. Alarming figures of stress have been reported in the university students in the last years. Many negative academic, emotional and health problems have been linked to stress in university students.Objectives. This study aimed to evaluate the level of perceived stress among female faculty students at Taif university and to identify the sources of stress as reported by the students themselves.Methods. A cross sectional study was used where 530 female students from Taif university participated in answering a questionnaire about perceived stress. Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10) was used for assessing perceived stress level of the students. An open question about the five main causes of stress encountered by students during their university life was added to the questionnaire. Results.About 84% of female students at Taif university suffer from stress. Most of them had moderate degree of stress (75.5%). The average stress score of students was 19 ± 5.5 which was higher than the standard score used in assessing stress (M = 14.2; SD = 6.2). The stress mean score was significantly highest among medical students and students of illiterate mothers. Study condition was the most common source of stress reported by students especially the medical ones. Other factors contributing to stress were environmental and social factors. Conclusions.This study showed that most university female students at Taif suffered from moderate stress. Medical students were more vulnerable to stress than other students and the academic causes were the most common source of stress to them.
American Journal of Public Health Research. 2017, 5(3), 50-55. DOI: 10.12691/ajphr-5-3-1
Pub. Date: June 13, 2017
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