wonder agbemavi | University Of Cape Coast, Ghana (original) (raw)

Papers by wonder agbemavi

Research paper thumbnail of Unravelling the predictors of vaccine defaults in Southern Ghana: Evidence from the Malaria RTSS vaccine implementation trial program in the Cape Coast Metropolis

Research Square (Research Square), Mar 29, 2024

Malaria has been a severe global and public health concern for the last couple of decades. Ghana,... more Malaria has been a severe global and public health concern for the last couple of decades. Ghana, like many other countries in sub-Saharan Africa, is most affected by the disease, with children facing dire consequences. The recent introduction of the RTS, S malaria vaccine holds great potential in reducing malaria fatalities in children. However, RTS and S implementation have inherent challenges that raise the stakes of vaccine defaults in piloted areas in Ghana. In this study, we examine the predictors of RTS,S vaccine defaults using a cross-sectional research design that covers a sample of 765 caregivers in Southern Ghana. Classi cation models (Binary logistic regression and Random Forest) were performed to identify critical socio-demographic, health and RTS, S related predictors. The ndings show that more than a third (38.43%) of children defaulted at least one dose of the malaria vaccine. Key predictors of defaults included sub-metro of residence, cost of traveling to health facilities, experience of adverse events, knowledge about the vaccine doses, caregiver's employment status, and religion. Our ndings emphasize the need for targeted interventions to reduce defaults, mainly focusing on caregiver education on vaccines, reducing nancial barriers to healthcare access, and addressing concerns about adverse events.

Research paper thumbnail of 82. What does it Take to Train and Support Facilitators to Deliver CSE Effectively in Out-of-School Settings for Young People With Particular Needs and Circumstances? Lessons Learned From a Multi-Country Implementation Research Study

Journal of adolescent health, Mar 1, 2024

Research paper thumbnail of Fostering the wellbeing of adolescent girls through an out-of-school sexuality education programme in Ghana

Sex Education:Sexuality, Society and Learning, Nov 29, 2023

Research paper thumbnail of RTS,S/AS01E vaccine defaults in Ghana: a qualitative exploration of the perspectives of defaulters and frontline health service providers

Malaria Journal, Sep 5, 2023

Research paper thumbnail of Adverse Childhood Experiences and Child Sexual Exploitation in Ghana

Journal of Family Violence

Research paper thumbnail of Factors influencing the uptake of intermittent preventive treatment among pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa: a multilevel analysis

Archives of public health, Oct 21, 2021

Background: Intermittent Preventive Treatment (IPT) of malaria in pregnancy is a full therapeutic... more Background: Intermittent Preventive Treatment (IPT) of malaria in pregnancy is a full therapeutic course of antimalarial sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) medicine given to pregnant women in their second trimester at routine antenatal care visits, regardless of whether the recipient is infected with malaria. Given the negative consequences of malaria in pregnancy, studies on Intermittent Preventive Therapy with Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine (IPTp-SP) are important benchmarks for understanding the extent of malaria control and prevention during pregnancy. We, therefore, examined the factors associated with the uptake of IPTp-SP among pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods: We used data from the current versions of the Malaria Indicators Survey of 12 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Women aged 15-49 years participated in the surveys. The analyses were carried out using Stata version 14.2. Descriptive (frequencies and percentages) and multilevel regression analyses were carried out. The results of the multilevel regression analysis were presented as adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: The average prevalence of uptake of IPTp-SP among pregnant women in the studied sub-Saharan African countries was 30.69%, with the highest and lowest prevalences in Ghana (59.64%) and Madagascar (10.08%), respectively. Women aged 40-44 compared to those aged 15-19 (aOR = 1.147, 95%CI = [1.02,1.30) had higher odds of receiving 3 or more doses of IPTp-SP. Women with a secondary/higher level of education compared to those with no formal education (aOR = 1.12, 95%CI = 1.04,1.20] also had higher odds of receiving 3 or more doses of IPTp-SP. Women who were exposed to malaria messages on the radio (aOR = 1.07, 95%CI = 1.02,1.12] and television (aOR = 1.13,95%CI = [1.05,1.21]) had higher odds of receiving 3 or more doses of IPTp-SP compared to those who were not exposed.

Research paper thumbnail of Utilisation of traditional healers among older people living with HIV in South Africa: a WHO SAGE well-being of older people study

AIDS Research and Therapy

Background Within the African region, there are an estimated 8 million people living with HIV (PL... more Background Within the African region, there are an estimated 8 million people living with HIV (PLHIV) in South Africa. Seeking healthcare services from traditional healers (TH) is one of the alternative and complementary approaches to HIV/AIDS treatment. Identifying the associated factors of TH utilisation among older PLHIV is crucial in developing healthcare interventions that cater to the unique needs of this vulnerable group. This study investigated the factors associated with TH utilisation among older PLHIV. Methods We studied 516 older PLHIV using data from the WHO SAGE Well-Being of Older People Study (2011–2013). Chi-square, bivariate and multivariate logistic regression were computed in STATA Version 14. The results were presented with both crude and adjusted odds ratio (AOR) and at 95% confidence interval (CI). Results Of the 516 participants, 15.89% utilised TH. The major reason for TH utilisation among older PLHIV was the perception of receiving better healthcare service...

Research paper thumbnail of Safer Sex Negotiation Among Ghanaian Women in Sexual Unions: Does Women’s Household Decision-Making Capacity Matter?

Archives of Sexual Behavior

Research paper thumbnail of Skilled antenatal care services utilisation in sub-Saharan Africa: a pooled analysis of demographic and health surveys from 32 countries

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

Background Each day, an estimated 800 women die from preventable pregnancy and childbirth related... more Background Each day, an estimated 800 women die from preventable pregnancy and childbirth related complications, where 99% of these avoidable deaths happen in low-and middle-income countries. Skilled attendance during antenatal care (ANC) plays a role in reducing maternal and child mortality. However, the factors that predict the utilisation of skilled ANC services in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) remains sparsely investigated. Therefore, we examined women’s utilisation of skilled ANC services in SSA. Methods The research used pooled data from the most recent Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in 32 countries in SSA between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2019. Binary logistic regression was used to examine the predictors of skilled ANC services utilisation. The results are presented as crude and adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Results The prevalence of skilled ANC services utilisation in SSA was 76.0%, with the highest and lowest prevalence in Gambi...

Research paper thumbnail of Additional file 1 of Factors influencing the uptake of intermittent preventive treatment among pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa: a multilevel analysis

Research paper thumbnail of Livelihood Approaches Adopted by African Refugees: Integration Experiences in East and West Africa

Research paper thumbnail of Psychosocial distress among in-school adolescents in Mozambique: a cross-sectional study using the Global School-Based Health Survey data

Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health, 2020

Background Poor mental health remains the leading cause of disability, with considerable negative... more Background Poor mental health remains the leading cause of disability, with considerable negative impacts in low- and middle-income countries. In this study, we examined the prevalence and correlates of psychosocial distress among in-school adolescents in Mozambique. Methods This was a cross-sectional study of 1918 in-school adolescents, using data from the 2015 Mozambique Global School-Based Health Survey. Descriptive and inferential statistics were adopted in analysing the data. Statistical significance was set at p

Research paper thumbnail of Not just numbers: beyond counting caesarean deliveries to understanding their determinants in Ghana using a population based cross-sectional study

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 2020

Background The increasing rate of caesarean deliveries (CD) has become a serious concern for publ... more Background The increasing rate of caesarean deliveries (CD) has become a serious concern for public health experts globally. Despite this health concern, research on factors associated CD in many low- and -middle countries like Ghana is sparse. This study, therefore, assessed the prevalence and determinants of CD among child-bearing women aged 15–49 in Ghana. Methods The study used data from the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey. The analysis was limited to mothers (n = 2742) aged 15–49 , who had given birth in health facilities 5 years preceding the survey. Association between CD and its determinants was assessed by calculating adjusted odds ratios (AOR) with their respective 95% confidence intervals using a binary logistic regression. Results The percentage of mothers who delivered their babies through caesarean section (CS) was 18.5%. Using multivariable logistic regression, the results showed that women aged 45–49 (AOR = 10.5; 95% CI: 3.0–37.4), and women from a househol...

Research paper thumbnail of Women's autonomy in household decision-making and safer sex negotiation in sub-Saharan Africa: An analysis of data from 27 Demographic and Health Surveys

SSM - Population Health, 2021

Women's ability to negotiate the conditions and timing of sex is key to several reproductive ... more Women's ability to negotiate the conditions and timing of sex is key to several reproductive health outcomes including family planning and prevention of sexually transmitted infections. We investigated the association between women's autonomy in household decision-making and safer sex negotiation (SSN) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This was a cross-sectional analysis of data from the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) of 27 countries in SSA. Data were analyzed using Stata version 16.0 using descriptive statistics, chi square test, and logistic regression models. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05 at 95% confidence interval. The pooled prevalence of SSN in the 27 countries was 77.1%. Compared to women with low autonomy in household decision-making, those with medium (aOR = 1.30; CI = 1.23–1.37) and high levels of autonomy in household decision-making (aOR = 1.28; CI = 1.17–1.40) were more likely to have greater SSN. Those with primary (aOR = 1.35; CI = 1.28–1.41)...

Research paper thumbnail of Use of Digital Media by Adolescents for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Communication in Sub-saharan Africa: a Protocol for Systematic Review

BackgroundWithin the sub-Saharan African region, there is a growing concern for sexual and reprod... more BackgroundWithin the sub-Saharan African region, there is a growing concern for sexual and reproductive health and rights communication, and more particularly, for adolescents. Given the existing barriers associated with face-to-face access, the need to use digital media to access information and services has become desirable and imperative, especially so due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in sub-Saharan Africa, a synthesis of evidence that informs adolescents’ digital media engagements for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) communication is limited. This systematic review therefore aims to examine and synthesize evidence on use of digital media for sexual and reproductive health and rights communication by adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa. MethodsA search for peer reviewed articles will be conducted in PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, EMBASE, Web of Science, PsychINFO and Google Scholar with emphasis on those published between 2000 and 2020. Only observational and ...

Research paper thumbnail of Factors influencing the uptake of intermittent preventive treatment among pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa: a multilevel analysis

Archives of Public Health

Background Intermittent Preventive Treatment (IPT) of malaria in pregnancy is a full therapeutic ... more Background Intermittent Preventive Treatment (IPT) of malaria in pregnancy is a full therapeutic course of antimalarial sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) medicine given to pregnant women in their second trimester at routine antenatal care visits, regardless of whether the recipient is infected with malaria. Given the negative consequences of malaria in pregnancy, studies on Intermittent Preventive Therapy with Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine (IPTp-SP) are important benchmarks for understanding the extent of malaria control and prevention during pregnancy. We, therefore, examined the factors associated with the uptake of IPTp-SP among pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods We used data from the current versions of the Malaria Indicators Survey of 12 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Women aged 15–49 years participated in the surveys. The analyses were carried out using Stata version 14.2. Descriptive (frequencies and percentages) and multilevel regression analyses were carried out. The ...

Research paper thumbnail of Child Marriage and Sexual Autonomy among Women in Sub-Saharan Africa: Evidence from 31 Demographic and Health Surveys

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Child marriage has a variety of undesirable consequences at the peril of women’s health and auton... more Child marriage has a variety of undesirable consequences at the peril of women’s health and autonomy. In this study, we examined the association between child marriage and sexual autonomy among women in sub-Saharan Africa. We utilised data from the most recent Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in 31 countries in sub-Saharan Africa between 2010 and 2019. A total of 218,578 women aged 20–49 were included in this study. Multivariable binary logistic regression models were used to show the association between child marriage and sexual autonomy. Crude odds ratio (cOR) and adjusted odds ratio (aOR) were used in presenting the results. The prevalence of child marriage and sexual autonomy was 44.51% and 83.35%, respectively. Compared to women who married at 18 years or above, those who married at less than 18 were less likely to have sexual autonomy, and this persisted after controlling for important covariates. In terms of the country-specific results, women who experienced child ma...

Research paper thumbnail of Loneliness and its Associated Risk Factors Among in-School Adolescents in Tanzania: Cross-Sectional Analyses of the Global School-Based Health Survey Data

Research paper thumbnail of What has women’s reproductive health decision-making capacity and other factors got to do with pregnancy termination in sub-Saharan Africa? evidence from 27 cross-sectional surveys

PLOS ONE

Pregnancy termination is one of the key issues that require urgent attention in achieving the thi... more Pregnancy termination is one of the key issues that require urgent attention in achieving the third Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of ensuring healthy lives and promoting wellbeing for all at all ages. The reproductive health decision-making (RHDM) capacity of women plays a key role in their reproductive health outcomes, including pregnancy termination. Based on this premise, we examined RHDM capacity and pregnancy termination among women of reproductive age in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

Research paper thumbnail of Reproductive health decision-making capacity and pregnancy termination among Ghanaian women: Analysis of the 2014 Ghana demographic and health survey

Journal of Public Health

Aims: This study sought to assess the association between reproductive health decision-making (RD... more Aims: This study sought to assess the association between reproductive health decision-making (RDM) capacity and pregnancy termination among women in Ghana. Methods: Using data from the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey, the study sample inluded 5437 women of reproductive age. Data were extracted and analysed using STATAversion 14.2. Both bivariate and multivariate analyses were done to establish the association between the explanatory and outcome variable. Results: The prevalence of pregnancy termination was 30.4%. Twenty-eight percent (27.7%) of those who had the capacity to make a reproductive health decision had ever terminated a pregnancy. In the multivariate analysis, women who were capable of taking reproductive health decisions, women aged 45–49 (AOR = 7.3, 95% CI = 3.772, 14.24) years, women from the Ashanti region (AOR = 1.414, 95%CI = 1.095, 1.827), women who were using traditional methods of contraception (AOR = 1.636, 95% CI = 1.168, 2.290) and women who watched TVat least once a week (AOR = 1.332, 95% CI = 1.111, 1.596) had higher odds of terminating a pregnancy. On the other hand, women who had a higher level of education (AOR = 0.682, 95% CI = 0.467, 0.946) and women with 4+ (AOR = 0.441, 95% CI = 0.323, 0.602) children had lower odds of terminating pregnancies. Conclusion: RDM capacity, region, contraceptive use and intention, media exposure, level of education and parity are associated with pregnancy termination among Ghanaian women. To reduce pregnancy termination, regular integrated community-based outreach programmes targeted at generating community awareness of the effectiveness of modern contraception in prevention of unintended pregnancy are needed. Such efforts will go a long way toward reducing unintended pregnancy and subsequently bringing about reductions in induced abortion.

Research paper thumbnail of Unravelling the predictors of vaccine defaults in Southern Ghana: Evidence from the Malaria RTSS vaccine implementation trial program in the Cape Coast Metropolis

Research Square (Research Square), Mar 29, 2024

Malaria has been a severe global and public health concern for the last couple of decades. Ghana,... more Malaria has been a severe global and public health concern for the last couple of decades. Ghana, like many other countries in sub-Saharan Africa, is most affected by the disease, with children facing dire consequences. The recent introduction of the RTS, S malaria vaccine holds great potential in reducing malaria fatalities in children. However, RTS and S implementation have inherent challenges that raise the stakes of vaccine defaults in piloted areas in Ghana. In this study, we examine the predictors of RTS,S vaccine defaults using a cross-sectional research design that covers a sample of 765 caregivers in Southern Ghana. Classi cation models (Binary logistic regression and Random Forest) were performed to identify critical socio-demographic, health and RTS, S related predictors. The ndings show that more than a third (38.43%) of children defaulted at least one dose of the malaria vaccine. Key predictors of defaults included sub-metro of residence, cost of traveling to health facilities, experience of adverse events, knowledge about the vaccine doses, caregiver's employment status, and religion. Our ndings emphasize the need for targeted interventions to reduce defaults, mainly focusing on caregiver education on vaccines, reducing nancial barriers to healthcare access, and addressing concerns about adverse events.

Research paper thumbnail of 82. What does it Take to Train and Support Facilitators to Deliver CSE Effectively in Out-of-School Settings for Young People With Particular Needs and Circumstances? Lessons Learned From a Multi-Country Implementation Research Study

Journal of adolescent health, Mar 1, 2024

Research paper thumbnail of Fostering the wellbeing of adolescent girls through an out-of-school sexuality education programme in Ghana

Sex Education:Sexuality, Society and Learning, Nov 29, 2023

Research paper thumbnail of RTS,S/AS01E vaccine defaults in Ghana: a qualitative exploration of the perspectives of defaulters and frontline health service providers

Malaria Journal, Sep 5, 2023

Research paper thumbnail of Adverse Childhood Experiences and Child Sexual Exploitation in Ghana

Journal of Family Violence

Research paper thumbnail of Factors influencing the uptake of intermittent preventive treatment among pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa: a multilevel analysis

Archives of public health, Oct 21, 2021

Background: Intermittent Preventive Treatment (IPT) of malaria in pregnancy is a full therapeutic... more Background: Intermittent Preventive Treatment (IPT) of malaria in pregnancy is a full therapeutic course of antimalarial sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) medicine given to pregnant women in their second trimester at routine antenatal care visits, regardless of whether the recipient is infected with malaria. Given the negative consequences of malaria in pregnancy, studies on Intermittent Preventive Therapy with Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine (IPTp-SP) are important benchmarks for understanding the extent of malaria control and prevention during pregnancy. We, therefore, examined the factors associated with the uptake of IPTp-SP among pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods: We used data from the current versions of the Malaria Indicators Survey of 12 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Women aged 15-49 years participated in the surveys. The analyses were carried out using Stata version 14.2. Descriptive (frequencies and percentages) and multilevel regression analyses were carried out. The results of the multilevel regression analysis were presented as adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: The average prevalence of uptake of IPTp-SP among pregnant women in the studied sub-Saharan African countries was 30.69%, with the highest and lowest prevalences in Ghana (59.64%) and Madagascar (10.08%), respectively. Women aged 40-44 compared to those aged 15-19 (aOR = 1.147, 95%CI = [1.02,1.30) had higher odds of receiving 3 or more doses of IPTp-SP. Women with a secondary/higher level of education compared to those with no formal education (aOR = 1.12, 95%CI = 1.04,1.20] also had higher odds of receiving 3 or more doses of IPTp-SP. Women who were exposed to malaria messages on the radio (aOR = 1.07, 95%CI = 1.02,1.12] and television (aOR = 1.13,95%CI = [1.05,1.21]) had higher odds of receiving 3 or more doses of IPTp-SP compared to those who were not exposed.

Research paper thumbnail of Utilisation of traditional healers among older people living with HIV in South Africa: a WHO SAGE well-being of older people study

AIDS Research and Therapy

Background Within the African region, there are an estimated 8 million people living with HIV (PL... more Background Within the African region, there are an estimated 8 million people living with HIV (PLHIV) in South Africa. Seeking healthcare services from traditional healers (TH) is one of the alternative and complementary approaches to HIV/AIDS treatment. Identifying the associated factors of TH utilisation among older PLHIV is crucial in developing healthcare interventions that cater to the unique needs of this vulnerable group. This study investigated the factors associated with TH utilisation among older PLHIV. Methods We studied 516 older PLHIV using data from the WHO SAGE Well-Being of Older People Study (2011–2013). Chi-square, bivariate and multivariate logistic regression were computed in STATA Version 14. The results were presented with both crude and adjusted odds ratio (AOR) and at 95% confidence interval (CI). Results Of the 516 participants, 15.89% utilised TH. The major reason for TH utilisation among older PLHIV was the perception of receiving better healthcare service...

Research paper thumbnail of Safer Sex Negotiation Among Ghanaian Women in Sexual Unions: Does Women’s Household Decision-Making Capacity Matter?

Archives of Sexual Behavior

Research paper thumbnail of Skilled antenatal care services utilisation in sub-Saharan Africa: a pooled analysis of demographic and health surveys from 32 countries

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

Background Each day, an estimated 800 women die from preventable pregnancy and childbirth related... more Background Each day, an estimated 800 women die from preventable pregnancy and childbirth related complications, where 99% of these avoidable deaths happen in low-and middle-income countries. Skilled attendance during antenatal care (ANC) plays a role in reducing maternal and child mortality. However, the factors that predict the utilisation of skilled ANC services in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) remains sparsely investigated. Therefore, we examined women’s utilisation of skilled ANC services in SSA. Methods The research used pooled data from the most recent Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in 32 countries in SSA between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2019. Binary logistic regression was used to examine the predictors of skilled ANC services utilisation. The results are presented as crude and adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Results The prevalence of skilled ANC services utilisation in SSA was 76.0%, with the highest and lowest prevalence in Gambi...

Research paper thumbnail of Additional file 1 of Factors influencing the uptake of intermittent preventive treatment among pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa: a multilevel analysis

Research paper thumbnail of Livelihood Approaches Adopted by African Refugees: Integration Experiences in East and West Africa

Research paper thumbnail of Psychosocial distress among in-school adolescents in Mozambique: a cross-sectional study using the Global School-Based Health Survey data

Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health, 2020

Background Poor mental health remains the leading cause of disability, with considerable negative... more Background Poor mental health remains the leading cause of disability, with considerable negative impacts in low- and middle-income countries. In this study, we examined the prevalence and correlates of psychosocial distress among in-school adolescents in Mozambique. Methods This was a cross-sectional study of 1918 in-school adolescents, using data from the 2015 Mozambique Global School-Based Health Survey. Descriptive and inferential statistics were adopted in analysing the data. Statistical significance was set at p

Research paper thumbnail of Not just numbers: beyond counting caesarean deliveries to understanding their determinants in Ghana using a population based cross-sectional study

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 2020

Background The increasing rate of caesarean deliveries (CD) has become a serious concern for publ... more Background The increasing rate of caesarean deliveries (CD) has become a serious concern for public health experts globally. Despite this health concern, research on factors associated CD in many low- and -middle countries like Ghana is sparse. This study, therefore, assessed the prevalence and determinants of CD among child-bearing women aged 15–49 in Ghana. Methods The study used data from the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey. The analysis was limited to mothers (n = 2742) aged 15–49 , who had given birth in health facilities 5 years preceding the survey. Association between CD and its determinants was assessed by calculating adjusted odds ratios (AOR) with their respective 95% confidence intervals using a binary logistic regression. Results The percentage of mothers who delivered their babies through caesarean section (CS) was 18.5%. Using multivariable logistic regression, the results showed that women aged 45–49 (AOR = 10.5; 95% CI: 3.0–37.4), and women from a househol...

Research paper thumbnail of Women's autonomy in household decision-making and safer sex negotiation in sub-Saharan Africa: An analysis of data from 27 Demographic and Health Surveys

SSM - Population Health, 2021

Women's ability to negotiate the conditions and timing of sex is key to several reproductive ... more Women's ability to negotiate the conditions and timing of sex is key to several reproductive health outcomes including family planning and prevention of sexually transmitted infections. We investigated the association between women's autonomy in household decision-making and safer sex negotiation (SSN) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This was a cross-sectional analysis of data from the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) of 27 countries in SSA. Data were analyzed using Stata version 16.0 using descriptive statistics, chi square test, and logistic regression models. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05 at 95% confidence interval. The pooled prevalence of SSN in the 27 countries was 77.1%. Compared to women with low autonomy in household decision-making, those with medium (aOR = 1.30; CI = 1.23–1.37) and high levels of autonomy in household decision-making (aOR = 1.28; CI = 1.17–1.40) were more likely to have greater SSN. Those with primary (aOR = 1.35; CI = 1.28–1.41)...

Research paper thumbnail of Use of Digital Media by Adolescents for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Communication in Sub-saharan Africa: a Protocol for Systematic Review

BackgroundWithin the sub-Saharan African region, there is a growing concern for sexual and reprod... more BackgroundWithin the sub-Saharan African region, there is a growing concern for sexual and reproductive health and rights communication, and more particularly, for adolescents. Given the existing barriers associated with face-to-face access, the need to use digital media to access information and services has become desirable and imperative, especially so due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in sub-Saharan Africa, a synthesis of evidence that informs adolescents’ digital media engagements for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) communication is limited. This systematic review therefore aims to examine and synthesize evidence on use of digital media for sexual and reproductive health and rights communication by adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa. MethodsA search for peer reviewed articles will be conducted in PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, EMBASE, Web of Science, PsychINFO and Google Scholar with emphasis on those published between 2000 and 2020. Only observational and ...

Research paper thumbnail of Factors influencing the uptake of intermittent preventive treatment among pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa: a multilevel analysis

Archives of Public Health

Background Intermittent Preventive Treatment (IPT) of malaria in pregnancy is a full therapeutic ... more Background Intermittent Preventive Treatment (IPT) of malaria in pregnancy is a full therapeutic course of antimalarial sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) medicine given to pregnant women in their second trimester at routine antenatal care visits, regardless of whether the recipient is infected with malaria. Given the negative consequences of malaria in pregnancy, studies on Intermittent Preventive Therapy with Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine (IPTp-SP) are important benchmarks for understanding the extent of malaria control and prevention during pregnancy. We, therefore, examined the factors associated with the uptake of IPTp-SP among pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods We used data from the current versions of the Malaria Indicators Survey of 12 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Women aged 15–49 years participated in the surveys. The analyses were carried out using Stata version 14.2. Descriptive (frequencies and percentages) and multilevel regression analyses were carried out. The ...

Research paper thumbnail of Child Marriage and Sexual Autonomy among Women in Sub-Saharan Africa: Evidence from 31 Demographic and Health Surveys

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Child marriage has a variety of undesirable consequences at the peril of women’s health and auton... more Child marriage has a variety of undesirable consequences at the peril of women’s health and autonomy. In this study, we examined the association between child marriage and sexual autonomy among women in sub-Saharan Africa. We utilised data from the most recent Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in 31 countries in sub-Saharan Africa between 2010 and 2019. A total of 218,578 women aged 20–49 were included in this study. Multivariable binary logistic regression models were used to show the association between child marriage and sexual autonomy. Crude odds ratio (cOR) and adjusted odds ratio (aOR) were used in presenting the results. The prevalence of child marriage and sexual autonomy was 44.51% and 83.35%, respectively. Compared to women who married at 18 years or above, those who married at less than 18 were less likely to have sexual autonomy, and this persisted after controlling for important covariates. In terms of the country-specific results, women who experienced child ma...

Research paper thumbnail of Loneliness and its Associated Risk Factors Among in-School Adolescents in Tanzania: Cross-Sectional Analyses of the Global School-Based Health Survey Data

Research paper thumbnail of What has women’s reproductive health decision-making capacity and other factors got to do with pregnancy termination in sub-Saharan Africa? evidence from 27 cross-sectional surveys

PLOS ONE

Pregnancy termination is one of the key issues that require urgent attention in achieving the thi... more Pregnancy termination is one of the key issues that require urgent attention in achieving the third Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of ensuring healthy lives and promoting wellbeing for all at all ages. The reproductive health decision-making (RHDM) capacity of women plays a key role in their reproductive health outcomes, including pregnancy termination. Based on this premise, we examined RHDM capacity and pregnancy termination among women of reproductive age in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

Research paper thumbnail of Reproductive health decision-making capacity and pregnancy termination among Ghanaian women: Analysis of the 2014 Ghana demographic and health survey

Journal of Public Health

Aims: This study sought to assess the association between reproductive health decision-making (RD... more Aims: This study sought to assess the association between reproductive health decision-making (RDM) capacity and pregnancy termination among women in Ghana. Methods: Using data from the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey, the study sample inluded 5437 women of reproductive age. Data were extracted and analysed using STATAversion 14.2. Both bivariate and multivariate analyses were done to establish the association between the explanatory and outcome variable. Results: The prevalence of pregnancy termination was 30.4%. Twenty-eight percent (27.7%) of those who had the capacity to make a reproductive health decision had ever terminated a pregnancy. In the multivariate analysis, women who were capable of taking reproductive health decisions, women aged 45–49 (AOR = 7.3, 95% CI = 3.772, 14.24) years, women from the Ashanti region (AOR = 1.414, 95%CI = 1.095, 1.827), women who were using traditional methods of contraception (AOR = 1.636, 95% CI = 1.168, 2.290) and women who watched TVat least once a week (AOR = 1.332, 95% CI = 1.111, 1.596) had higher odds of terminating a pregnancy. On the other hand, women who had a higher level of education (AOR = 0.682, 95% CI = 0.467, 0.946) and women with 4+ (AOR = 0.441, 95% CI = 0.323, 0.602) children had lower odds of terminating pregnancies. Conclusion: RDM capacity, region, contraceptive use and intention, media exposure, level of education and parity are associated with pregnancy termination among Ghanaian women. To reduce pregnancy termination, regular integrated community-based outreach programmes targeted at generating community awareness of the effectiveness of modern contraception in prevention of unintended pregnancy are needed. Such efforts will go a long way toward reducing unintended pregnancy and subsequently bringing about reductions in induced abortion.