Background:Adherence is the active, voluntary, and collaborative involvement of the patient in a mutually acceptable course of behaviour to produce a therapeutic result. The study is aimed at assessing adherence to medication and its relation to therapeutic outcomes among people living with diabetes in the Ho Municipality.Methodology:A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 150 diabetic patients attending the diabetic clinic at the Ho Municipal Hospital. Urine glucose and urine protein were measured using a two-parameter dipstick. The current fasting blood glucose and blood pressure, as well as the measurements of two previous visits, were documented. A semi-structured questionnaire including the Diabetes Complication Checklist and the Morisky, Green and Levine Adherence Scale were used to capture biodata, clinical information and medication adherence.Results:Optimal medication adherence was 60.67%. Glycaemic control and controlled blood pressure were 33.33% and 58.67%, respectively. The prevalence of glycosuria and proteinuria was 10.67% and 3.3%, respectively. Percentage glycaemic control and controlled blood pressure were found to be higher among the medication adherent group, while glycosuria and proteinuria were the highest among participants presenting with low medication adherence.Conclusion:In this group of patients living with diabetes in the Ho Municipality, high level of uncontrolled glycaemia and blood pressure exist.However, these two treatment outcomes may be modulated by optimal medication adherence.

Background. Bloodstream infections are among the top causes of morbidity and mortality in people of all ages, especially in immunocompromised patients in sub-Saharan Africa. This study aimed at describing the epidemiology of bloodstream infections and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern over a nine-year period at St. Dominic Hospital, Akwatia, in the Eastern Region of Ghana. Method. This study retrospectively analysed data from 4,489 patients who were referred to the Laboratory Department for blood culture and sensitivity testing from January 2009 to December 2017. Sociodemographic data included age, gender, and patients’ department. Blood culture results were retrieved from archival records in the laboratory. The authorities of St. Dominic Hospital granted approval for the study. Results. The incidence of bloodstream infection over the 9 years was 51.4 positive cultures per 100,000 hospital attendance. Staphylococcus aureus was the leading causative agent of bacteraemia for the first two scalar years (2009–2011 (38.9%) and 2012–2014 (42.2%)) while coagulase-negative staphylococcus (CoNS) (50.5%) was predominant for the last scalar year (2015–2017), followed by Staphylococcus aureus (169/587 (28.8%)). The highest incidence of bloodstream infections was recorded in the wet seasons (months of May (8.9 per 10,000 persons) and October (10.1 per 10,000 persons)). The bacterial isolates demonstrated high resistance to tetracyclines (390/531 (73.4%)), penicillins (1282/1669 (76.8%)), and sulphonamides (450/499 (90.2%)). Conclusion. Bloodstream infection and antimicrobial resistance are high in patients seeking healthcare in Akwatia. This therefore calls for concerted efforts aimed at reducing the incidence in the study area.

BACKGROUND: Physical activity (PA) offers considerable health benefits for diabetic patients. However, extensive high levels of inactivity has been reported among diabetic patients. This study sought to assess the patterns of physical activity and its relationship with two management-relevant outcomes (glycaemic and blood pressure control)among people living with diabetes in the Ho Municipality, Ghana.METHODS: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was carried out from January 2017 to April 2017 among 150 purposively recruited diabetic patients who were receiving care at the diabetes clinics of the Volta Regional Hospital and the Ho Municipal Hospital. A semi structured questionnaire was used in capturing socio-demographic information. Physical activity was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form. Glycaemic and blood pressure control were evaluated within a three-month period from patients’ records.RESULTS: Physical activity estimates among participants were 21.33%, 48% and 30.67% for high, moderate and low PA respectively. Glycaemic control among the study participants was 33.33% and blood pressure control was 58.67%. Both glycaemic and blood pressure control were significantly associated with PA.CONCLUSION:In this group of PLWD in the Ho Municipality, high levels of inactivity, uncontrolled glycaemia and blood pressure exist. However, glycaemic and blood pressure control may be modulated by moderate-intensity physical activity.

The study was aimed at comparing the estimation of the burden and trends (2012–2016) of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Syphilis infections by the national Sentinel Survey vis-à-vis the use of population-based studies at a single urban site (Municipal Hospital) in Ho, the Volta Region of Ghana. Using blood donors as a proxy of the asymptomatic adult population, a retrospective analysis of secondary data on HIV and Syphilis testing was conducted using Ho Municipal Hospital's archives comprising 4,180 prospective blood donors. Published reports from the National Sentinel Survey for the Ho Sentinel Site comprising 2,452 pregnant women from 2012 to 2016 were used. The cumulative prevalence of HIV and Syphilis infections in the population-based survey was 4.78% and 2.58% while the epidemiology was estimated at 2.75% and 0.24% by the Sentinel Survey for the five-year under review. The new HIV and Syphilis infections were 3.78% and 2.46% in the population-based survey compared to 2.64% and 0.23% in the Sentinel Survey. Gender cumulative prevalence and the yearly trend was found to be higher in the general population compared to the pregnant women. The use of pregnant women to estimate the HIV and Syphilis epidemiology might not be representative of the general population.

Background Using prospective blood donors as a proxy, this study was aimed at estimating the burden and five-year (2012–2016) trend of viral hepatitis (HBV and HCV) infection among asymptomatic adult population in Ho. Materials and Methods A retrospective analysis was done on secondary data extracted from the hospital archives comprising 4,180 prospective blood donors from January 2012 to December 2016. Demographic variables included age and sex, as well as place of residence. Screening results of serum infectious markers (HBV and HCV) were obtained. Results The prevalence of asymptomatic viral hepatitis (HBV and HCV) infection in the general adult population was 6.94% and 1.84%, respectively. Females recorded a higher burden of HBV and HCV (8.3% and 5.0%) compared to their male peers (6.8% and 1.4%). A significant age variation in HBV antigenaemia was seen with HBV seropositivity peaking among the younger population (less than 20 years' group) at 11.24% and troughed among the older population (above 50 years' group) at 0.92%. Conclusion Asymptomatic viral hepatitis among adult population in the Ho Municipality is estimated at the intermediate to high endemicity level. Preventive measures to reduce the burden are urgently needed and should be targeted at the younger generation.