Richard Osei Agjei

Introduction: Hypertension poses a significant health challenge in resource‐constrained settings like Ghana. This study explored health‐seeking behaviours of men with hypertension in rural Ghana, specifically focussing on their experiences with care seeking, self‐care practices, challenges and satisfaction with the services. Methods: Data from male hypertension patients were gathered using a qualitative approach involving interviews and focus group discussions. Thirty‐nine men receiving hypertension care in four rural districts of northern Ghana took part in in‐depth interviews and focus group discussions. Thematic analysis was used to identify key themes across their narratives. NVivo software was used to analyse data. Results: Four main themes and thirteen subthemes emerged: health facility‐based experiences, self‐care experiences, patient satisfaction and challenges with the healthcare system. The study presented a mixed picture, characterized by both positive and negative experiences with hypertension care. In addition, the level of satisfaction differed in service provision. Significant challenges were also identified with service delivery, hampering the quality of care resulting in a popular phrase “all die be die”. Conclusions: Findings indicated the need for multifaceted interventions to improve hypertension care in rural Ghana. Recommendations include strengthening patient‐provider communication through continuous professional development, implementing family‐oriented programs to enhance support systems, improving healthcare efficiency to reduce waiting times and addressing financial barriers through health insurance schemes, medication subsidies, and community‐based health financing initiatives. These strategies should be integrated with broader efforts to address social determinants of health and promote equitable access to care.

Introduction: The double burden of malnutrition, defined as the coexistence of undernutrition and overnutrition within the same individual, is an emerging public health challenge in low- and middle-income countries undergoing rapid urbanization. In Ghana, the rising prevalence among under-five children underscores the need for context-specific evidence. This study examined the prevalence and predictors of the double burden of malnutrition among under-five children in a selected urban area in Ghana. Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 271 mother-child pairs using a semi-structured questionnaire and standardized anthropometric measurements. Nutritional status was assessed using the World Health Organization’s Child Growth Standards. The double burden of malnutrition was defined as the co-occurrence of underweight or overweight with any form of stunting within the same child. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, and binary logistic regression were used to analyze the data. Results: The prevalence of the double burden of malnutrition among the sampled children was 31.37%. Significant predictors included child’s age (OR=1.034; p=0.002), low physical activity levels (OR=6.22; p=0.001 for inactive children), lack of breastfeeding (OR=11.82; p=0.001), non-exclusive breastfeeding (OR=6.06; p=0.001), absence of formula feeding (OR=2.16; p=0.043), and early introduction of semi-solid foods (OR=0.28; p=0.019 for introduction at 6–8 months versus <6 months). Additionally, maternal tertiary education was protective against the double burden of malnutrition (OR=0.24; p=0.032). Conclusion: The findings highlight the multifactorial nature of DBM in urban Ghana, shaped by child feeding practices, physical activity, and maternal education. Addressing DBM will require integrated public health strategies that promote optimal infant feeding, physical activity, and maternal health education, particularly in urban poor communities.

Different personality traits respond differently to unfavourable life situations. Unemployment can have several negative social, economic, and domestic consequences. Many people use social media for a variety of reasons. The aim of this study is to examine the way different personality traits respond to Facebook in the period of unemployment. Data was obtained from 3,002 unemployed respondents in Nigeria. The study used regression model to analyse the data. Among the five personality traits, results indicated that the relationship between neuroticism and online social support was negative. However, the relationship between online social support and satisfaction was positive. The study highlights several theoretical and practical implications.