Search

To reduce environmental degradation and improve energy security in Ghana, waste-to-energy (WtE) technologies will play a key role. This paper assesses the feasibility of municipal solid WtE technologies in Ghana using Accra as a case study. Technical feasibility, economic feasibility, and barrier analysis have been carried out to assess the feasibility of municipal solid WtE conversion technologies. Data from the Environmental Protection Agency of Ghana is used for the techno-economic analysis and a face-to- face interview is used to assess the barriers to the deployment of WtE technologies in the country. A power generation potential (PGP) of 530 kW/tMSW and an energy recovery potential (ERP) of 41.68 kWh/tMSW is recoverable from the waste in Accra when biochemical energy conversion is applied and a PGP of 1320 kW/tMSW and an ERP of 106 kWh/tMSW is recoverable when thermochemical energy conversion is applied. The economic analysis showed that the initial investment cost of WtE technologies is high, however, implementation of this technology is likely to have a good payback period of 8 years for the thermochemical processes and 4 years for the biochemical process. Additionally, the net present value and the sensitivity analysis conducted shows that WtE technologies are economically feasible in Ghana. The barrier analysis suggests that the main hindrance to the deployment of WtE technologies in Ghana is the high upfront cost.

Purpose: This study explored the challenges visually impaired (VI) students face concerning fashion skill acquisition. Design/Methodology/Approach: The research design was based on qualitative. The combination of purposive and snowball sampling techniques was chosen to ensure a diverse participant pool, capturing a range of perspectives on what visually impaired students face concerning fashion skill acquisition. Thematic analysis was employed to uncover patterns and themes, contributing to a rich understanding of the subject matter. Findings: The findings revealed that the visually impaired are challenged by barriers to enrolment in fashion programmes, the cost-intensive nature of training, lack of sight, lack of skilled teachers and perceptions about Students with Visual Impairments (SVI) in Fashion. The study initiates further stakeholder discussions regarding designing a simplified inclusive curriculum to accommodate individuals with visually impaired and interested in enrolling on fashion courses. The Research Limitation: Purposive and snowball sampling techniques may introduce selection bias, as participants are recruited based on specific criteria and through referrals. This may result in a sample that is more inclined to share similar perspectives, potentially overlooking the diversity of experiences within the visually impaired student community. Practical Implication: Implementation of these practical measures can contribute to breaking down barriers and ensuring equal access to opportunities in the field of fashion for all students, regardless of visual ability. Social Implication: Inclusive fashion education for the visually impaired has the potential of developing such individuals socially and economically thereby relieving the government of potential financial burden and reducing the social exclusion that the visually impaired experience. Originality/ value: The novelty of studying visually impaired students regarding fashion skill acquisition lies in its potential to uncover unique challenges, innovative solutions, and opportunities for inclusivity in education and vocational training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Glaucoma is a chronic disease of the optic nerve and a leading cause of severe visual loss in the UK. Once patients have been diagnosed, they need regular monitoring at hospital eye services. Recent advances in technology mean patients with glaucoma can now monitor their disease at home. This could be more convenient for patients and potentially reduce costs and increase capacity for the NHS. However, it is uncertain whether self-monitoring would be acceptable or possible for patients with glaucoma., Objectives: The objectives were to: identify which patients are most appropriate for home monitoring; understand views of key stakeholders (patients, clinicians, researchers) on whether home glaucoma monitoring is feasible and acceptable; develop a conceptual framework for the economic evaluation of home glaucoma monitoring; and explore the need for and provide evidence on the design of a future study to evaluate the clinical and cost-effectiveness of digital technologies for home monitoring of glaucoma., Design: In-home Tracking of glaucoma: Reliability, Acceptability, and Cost (I-TRAC) was a multiphase mixed-methods feasibility study with key components informed by theoretical and conceptual frameworks., Setting: Expert glaucoma specialists in the UK recruited through professional glaucoma societies; study site staff and patient participants recruited through three UK hospital eye services (England, Scotland, Northern Ireland); and UK research teams recruited though existing networks., Intervention: Home tonometer that measures intraocular pressure and a tablet computer with a visual function application. Patients were asked to use the technology weekly for 12 weeks., Results: Forty-two patients were recruited. Retention and completion of follow-up procedures was successful, with 95% ( n = 40) completing the 3-month follow-up clinic visits. Adherence to the interventions was generally high [adherence to both devices (i.e. ≥ 80% adherence) was 55%]. Overall, patients and healthcare professionals were cautiously optimistic about the acceptability of digital technologies for home monitoring of patients with glaucoma. While most clinicians were supportive of the potential advantages glaucoma home monitoring could offer, concerns about the technologies (e.g. reliability and potential to miss disease progression) and how they would fit into routine care need to be addressed. Additionally, clarity is required on defining the ideal population for this intervention. Plans for how to evaluate value for money in a future study were also identified. However, the study also highlighted several unknowns relating to core components of a future evaluative study that require addressing before progression to a definitive effectiveness trial., Limitations: The main limitation relates to our sample and its generalisability, for example, the over-representation of educated persons of white ethnicity who were generally experienced with technology and research motivated., Conclusions: The In-home Tracking of glaucoma: Reliability, Acceptability, and Cost study has demonstrated 'cautious optimism' when considering patients' and healthcare professionals' views on the acceptability of digital technologies for home monitoring of patients with glaucoma. However, the study also highlighted several unknowns relating to the research question and design of a future evaluative study that require addressing before progression to a randomised controlled trial., Future Work: Further research is required to determine the appropriate population (i.e. low vs. high risk of progression) and further refine the intervention components and delivery for planning of future evaluation studies., Study Registration: This study is registered as Research Registry #6213., Funding: This award was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme (NIHR award ref: NIHR129248) and is published in full in Health Technology Assessment ; Vol. 28, No. 44. See the NIHR Funding and Awards website for further award information.

The relationship between parental HIV/AIDS status or death and child mental health is well known, although the role of child maltreatment as a confounder or mediator in this relationship remains uncertain. This study examined the potential path mechanism through child maltreatment mediating the link between HIV/AIDS family dysfunction trajectories and psychosocial problems. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in the Lower Manya Municipal Assembly of Ghana. A questionnaire which consisted of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), Social and Health Assessment (SAHA), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) and the Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS) was completed by 291 adolescents. Controlling for relevant sociodemographic confounders, mediation analyses using linear regression were fitted to examine whether the association between family dysfunction and psychosocial problems is mediated by child maltreatment. The results indicate that, among adolescents, child maltreatment fully mediated the association between being orphaned by AIDS and self-esteem (b = .59 [95%CI .32, .91]), delinquency and risky behaviours (b = .56 [95%CI .31, .86]) and peer problems (b = .74 [95%CI .48, 1.03]). Similarly, child maltreatment fully mediated the association between living with an HIV/AIDS-infected parent and self-esteem (b = .78 [95%CI .43, 1.23]), delinquency and risky behaviours (b = .76 [95%CI .45, 1.11]), depression/emotional problems (b = .64 [95%CI .40, .92]) and peer problems (b = .94 [95%CI .66, 1.26]). Partial mediation was found for hyperactivity. Child maltreatment mediates the association between the family dysfunction trajectories of parental HIV/AIDS or death and psychosocial problems among adolescents. This implies that efforts to address child maltreatment among families affected by HIV/AIDS may be helpful in the prevention of psychosocial problems among these children, thus enhancing their wellbeing. The findings therefore underscore the need for comprehensive psychosocial interventions that addresses both the unique negative exposures of HIV/AIDS and maltreatment for children affected by HIV., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Doku et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: Increasing numbers of patients with Alzheimer's Disease and related disorders (ADRD) necessitates increasing numbers of clinicians to care for them. Educational programming related to community outreach with older adults may help inspire interest in future ADRD clinical careers, while increasing awareness of ADRD in the community and aiding recruitment of underrepresented participants into research studies., Method: The Boston University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (BU ADRC) created the BU ADRC Student Ambassador Program, where medical students, graduate students, and undergraduates interested in medicine completed a curriculum during the academic year that included six educational and three outreach events, including monthly dementia-focused didactic meetings and outreach focusing on Black participant recruitment. A pre-post program survey design was implemented to assess changes in students' knowledge of and attitudes toward dementia and related disorders., Results: Between September 2015 and May 2020, thirty-seven students completed the program. Following program completion, students demonstrated increased knowledge of dementia and willingness to work with patients with dementia, as well as more positive attitudes toward patients and the role of empathy in physician practice. In terms of recruitment benefits, the students helped the BU ADRC reach older adults from underrepresented groups who could serve as participants in future research studies., Conclusions: The BU ADRC Student Ambassador Program can serve as a model for other clinical research programs who wish to encourage students to consider a career in a specific field. In addition, this model has the potential to increase enrollment of participants to research studies. We discuss limitations of our initial efforts and directions for future work to quantify the anticipated benefits for student education and participant recruitment., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

The goal was to evaluate the effectiveness of recent televised advertisements conducted by the National Road Safety Commission in Ghana. These concerned speeding and alcohol-impaired driving and were targeted towards commercial drivers. Focus group discussions were conducted with 50 commercial drivers in four cities. Discussions addressed coverage, clarity and appropriateness of messages, including suggestions for improvements. Most discussants indicated that the messages were clear and appropriate. Television reached all participants in this urban group. However, they felt that other modes of communication, such as flyers and radio, should also be used to reach drivers who did not own televisions. A particular problem was language. The advertisements had been in English and Akan (the most common vernacular language). Participants wanted the messages diversified into more of the major Ghanaian languages. Some participants were unclear on the behaviour that the advertisements were telling viewers to take. Participants advocated greater involvement by police in road safety and called for laws banning the sale of alcohol at bus stations. The advertisements reached and were understood by most of the target audience. Opportunities for strengthening the messages included using other media; increasing the number of languages; and stressing the change in behaviour being recommended. Overall road safety activities would be strengthened by increasing accompanying law enforcement activities related to speed and alcohol-impaired driving. To the authors' knowledge this is the first formal evaluation of a road safety social marketing programme in a low-income sub-Saharan African country. This evaluation will hopefully assist Ghana and other similar countries in strengthening road safety work.