INTRODUCTION: Nurses' expertise and recommendations from nurses are essential sources of opinions and recommendations for policy development. Nurses must be actively involved in politics, and nursing could play an essential role in shaping health policy. However, the influence of political efficacy, political astuteness, and health policy advocacy exposes a gap in the current knowledge. DESIGN AND METHODS: The study utilized descriptive correlational design and mediating analysis. Purposive sampling was used to select six hospitals in Ghana, and simple random sampling was used to select five hundred and seventy-nine nurses. The study used the Political Efficacy Scale, Social Justice Advocacy Scale, and the Political Astuteness Inventory. The data were analyzed by mean and Standard deviation, Pearson coefficient, ANOVA, and GLS mediation. RESULTS: Nurses in Ghana had a low political efficacy and health policy advocacy. Moreover, political astuteness had moderate astuteness. A Pearson Correlation coefficient showed a moderately significant positive relationship between political efficacy and health policy advocacy. Furthermore, political astuteness and health policy advocacy showed a statistically significant low positive relationship. There was no significant difference in political efficacy and health policy advocacy when age, academic qualification, nurses' rank, and years of professional experience were considered. Political astuteness partially mediated the relationship between political efficacy and health policy advocacy. CONCLUSION Nurses in Ghana have limited belief in their ability to understand and affect politics and have limited participation in healthcare advocacy initiatives. Furthermore, nurse respondents have the adequate ability of a nurse to understand political knowledge, political participation, and legislative understanding to advocate health policies.
Nurses ; Ghana

The reconstruction of femoral length (FL) from fragmentary femora is an essential step in estimating stature from fragmentary skeletal remains in forensic investigations. While regression formulae for doing this have been suggested for several populations, such formulae have not been established for Ghanaian skeletal remains. This study, therefore, seeks to derive regression formulae for reconstruction of FL from fragmentary femora of skeletal samples obtained from Ghana. Six measurements (vertical head diameter, transverse head diameter, bicondylar breadth, epicondylar breadth, sub-trochanteric anterior-posterior diameter, and sub-trochanteric transverse diameter) were acquired from different anatomical portions of the femur and the relationship between each acquired measurement and FL was analyzed using linear regression. The results indicated significantly moderate-to-high correlations (r=0.580–0.818) between FL and each acquired measurement. The error estimates of the regression formulae were relatively low (i.e., standard error of estimate, 13.66–19.28 mm), suggesting that the discrepancies between actual and estimated stature were relatively low. Compared with other measurements, sub-trochanteric transverse diameter was the best estimate of FL. In the absence of a complete femur, the regression formulae based on the assessed measurements may be used to infer FL, from which stature can be estimated in forensic investigations.
Femur ; Ghana ; Head ; Linear Models

BACKGROUND: Emergency workers such as firefighters are cataloged within the most demanding and injurious professions globally. Considering the health and safety implications in firefighting, a lot of research needs to be conducted to examine how firefighters' task characteristics and their work demand influence the development of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). This study therefore examines how the task characteristics of firefighters moderates the relationship between their work demand and the development of WMSDs. METHODS: Convenient sampling was employed to select 320 firefighters in the Greater Accra region of Ghana. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation, and regression. RESULTS: The findings revealed that work demand and task characteristics have significant positive effects on WMSDs. Again, the task characteristics of firefighters moderates the relationship between their work demand and WMSDs. CONCLUSION: Since the study shows that task characteristics influences the relationship between work demand and WMSDs, it is vital for managers to constantly modify the nature of tasks performed by and work demand of emergency workers to minimize the development of WMSDs and other industrial health complications.
Emergencies ; Firefighters ; Ghana ; Humans ; Occupational Health

This research assessed the experience of stakeholders and the efficacy of integrating traditional medicine into the Ghanaian health system using the Ashanti Region as the focal point. Elements of an integrative healthcare delivery model including philosophies/values, structure, process and outcome were used to conduct a quality assessment of the integrated health system in Ghana. Each element clearly showed that Ghana is currently not running a coordinated health practice model, thus making it a tolerant, rather than an inclusive, health system. Therefore, the primary purpose of this research is to discuss the development of a new and appropriately customised model that could enhance the practice of integrated healthcare in Ghana. The model we present has flexibility and far-reaching applicability in other African countries because such countries share similar socio-cultural and economic characteristics. As such, governments and health practitioners could adapt this model to improve the practice of integrated healthcare in their specific settings. Hospital administrators and health system researchers could also adapt the model to investigate or to monitor the progress and efficacy of integrated healthcare practices within their settings. This might help to understand the relationships between the integration of traditional medicine and health outcomes for a given population. Please cite this article as: Ampomah IG, Malau-Aduli BS, Malau-Aduli AEO, Emeto TI. From talk to action: Developing a model to foster effective integration of traditional medicine into the Ghanaian healthcare system. J Integr Med. 2023; 21(5): 423-429.
Ghana ; Medicine, Traditional ; Delivery of Health Care, Integrated

BACKGROUND: Workplace victimization is considered a major social stressor with significant implications for the wellbeing of employees and organizations. The aim of this study was to examine the influences of employees' personality traits and organizational politics on workplace victimization among Ghanaian employees. METHODS: Using a cross-sectional design, data were collected from 631 employees selected from diverse occupations through convenience sampling. Data collection tools were standardized questionnaires that measured experiences of negative acts at work (victimization), the Big Five personality traits, and organizational politics. RESULTS: The results from hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed that among the personality traits neuroticism and conscientiousness had significant, albeit weak relationships with victimization. Organizational politics had a significant positive relationship with workplace victimization beyond employees' personality. CONCLUSION: The study demonstrates that compared with personal characteristics such as personality traits, work environment factors such as organizational politics have a stronger influence on the occurrence of workplace victimization.
Crime Victims* ; Data Collection ; Ghana ; Humans ; Occupations ; Politics*

BACKGROUND: Despite improvements in safety performance, the number and severity of mining-related injuries remain high and unacceptable, indicating that further reduction can be achieved. This study examines occupational accident statistics of the Ghanaian mining industry and identifies priority areas, warranting intervention measures and further investigations. METHODS: A total of 202 fatal and nonfatal injury reports over a 10-year period were obtained from five mines and the Inspectorate Division of the Minerals Commission of Ghana, and they were analyzed. RESULTS: Results of the analyses show that the involvement of mining equipment, the task being performed, the injury type, and the mechanism of injury remain as priorities. For instance, mining equipment was associated with 85% of all injuries and 90% of all fatalities, with mobile equipment, component/part, and hand tools being the leading equipment types. In addition, mechanics/repairmen, truck operators, and laborers were the most affected ones, and the most dangerous activities included maintenance, operating mobile equipment, and clean up/clearing. CONCLUSION: Results of this analysis will enable authorities of mines to develop targeted interventions to improve their safety performance. To improve the safety of the mines, further research and prevention efforts are recommended.
Accidents, Occupational ; Ghana ; Hand ; Minerals ; Miners ; Mining ; Motor Vehicles

BACKGROUND: This study seeks to examine the relationship and impact of occupational health and safety on employees' organizational commitment in Ghana's mining industry. The study explores occupational health and safety and the different dimensions of organizational commitment. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey design was used for this study. The respondents were selected based on simple random sampling. Out of 400 questionnaires administered, 370 were returned (77.3% male and 22.7% female) and used for the study. Correlation and multiple regression analysis were used to determine the relationship and impact between the variables. RESULTS: The findings of this study revealed positive and significant relationship between occupational health and safety management, and affective, normative, and continuance commitment. Additionally, the results revealed the significant impact of occupational health and safety on affective, normative, and continuance commitment. CONCLUSION: Management within the mining sector of Ghana must recognize the fact that workers who feel healthy and safe in the performance of their duties, develop emotional attachment and have a sense of obligation to their organization and are most likely committed to the organization. Employees do not just become committed to the organization; rather, they expect management to first think about their health and safety needs by instituting good and sound policy measures. Thus, management should invest in the protection of employees' health and safety in organizations.
Cross-Sectional Studies ; Ghana ; Humans ; Male ; Mining* ; Occupational Health* ; Safety Management ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: We investigated the validity and reliability of the Revised Two Factor Study Process Questionnaire (R-SPQ2F) in preclinical students in Ghana. METHODS: The R-SPQ2F was administered to 189 preclinical students of the University for Development Studies, School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Both descriptive and inferential statistics with Cronbach's alpha test and factor analysis were done. RESULTS: The mean age of the students was 22.69+/-0.18 years, 60.8% (n=115) were males and 42.3% (n=80) were in their second year of medical training. The students had higher mean deep approach scores (31.23+/-7.19) than that of surface approach scores (22.62+/-6.48). Findings of the R-SPQ2F gave credence to a solution of two-factors indicating deep and surface approaches accounting for 49.80% and 33.57%, respectively, of the variance. The scales of deep approach (Cronbach's alpha, 0.80) and surface approach (Cronbach's alpha, 0.76) and their subscales demonstrated an internal consistency that was good. The factorial validity was comparable to other studies. CONCLUSION: Our study confirms the construct validity and internal consistency of the R-SPQ2F for measuring approaches to learning in Ghanaian preclinical students. Deep approach was the most dominant learning approach among the students. The questionnaire can be used to measure students' approaches to learning in Ghana and in other African countries.
Factor Analysis, Statistical ; Ghana ; Humans ; Learning ; Male ; Reproducibility of Results* ; Students, Medical* ; Weights and Measures ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: safety and healthy working environment has received numerous research attention over the years. Majority of these researches seem to have been conducted in the construction industry, with little attention in the health sector. Nonetheless, there are couple of studies conducted in Africa that suggest pressure in hospitals. Therefore the aim of the study was to examine how pressure influence safety behavior in the hospitals. With reference to the relevance of safety behavior in primary health care delivery, there was the need for the study. METHOD: Data was obtained from 422 public hospital employees. Respondents were assured that all information would be kept confidential to increase the response rate and acquire more accurate information. Collection of questionnaires from participants took four weeks (20 working days), after which the data was analyzed. RESULTS: The result of the study showed that work pressure correlated negatively with safety behavior. General safety climate significantly correlated positively with safety behavior and negatively with work pressure, although the effect size for the latter was smaller. Hierarchical regression analysis showed management commitment to safety to moderate the relationship between work pressure and safety behavior. CONCLUSION: When employees perceive safety communication, safety systems and training to be positive, they seem to comply with safety rules and procedures than voluntarily participate in safety activities.
Africa ; Climate ; Construction Industry ; Ghana* ; Hospitals, Public ; Methods ; Primary Health Care ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: Occupational risk management is known as a catalyst in generating superior returns for all stakeholders on a sustainable basis. A number of companies in Ghana implemented health and safety measures adopted from international companies to ensure the safety of their employees. However, there exist great threats to employees' safety in these companies. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the level of compliance of Occupational Health and Safety management systems and standards set by international and local legislation in power producing companies in Ghana. METHODS: The methodology is conducted by administering questionnaires and in-depth interviews as measuring instruments. A random sampling technique was applied to 60 respondents; only 50 respondents returned their responses. The questionnaire was developed from a literature review and contained questions and items relevant to the initial research problem. A factor analysis was also carried out to investigate the influence of some variables on safety in general. RESULTS: Results showed that the significant factors that influence the safety of employees at the hydroelectric power plant stations are: lack of training and supervision, non-observance of safe work procedures, lack of management commitment, and lack of periodical check on machine operations. The study pointed out the safety loopholes and therefore helped improve the health and safety measures of employees in the selected company by providing effective recommendations. CONCLUSION: The implementation of the proposed recommendations in this paper, would lead to the prevention of work-related injuries and illnesses of employees as well as property damage and incidents in hydroelectric power plants. The recommendations may equally be considered as benchmark for the Safety and Health Management System with international standards.
Benchmarking ; Compliance ; Ghana ; Occupational Health ; Organization and Administration ; Power Plants* ; Risk Management ; Safety Management ; Surveys and Questionnaires