Background: People with primary invasive breast cancer receive both local (surgery and radiation therapy) and systemic treatment (chemotherapy and hormonal therapy). However, there are substantial short-and long-term side effects from chemotherapy as documented in several studies. This study assessed the effects of chemotherapy on clinical, haematological and biochemical profile of breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy in the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital. Methods: This longitudinal study was conducted in the female surgical ward of the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital (CCTH). We randomly sampled 51 patients diagnosed with breast cancer and scheduled to start chemotherapy and recorded their demographic, clinical and therapeutic data. Blood was collected for haematological profiles [haemoglobin (Hb), white blood cell (WBC) count, platelets (PLT) and biochemical analysis (lipid profile, uric acid and creatinine) for day 1, day 21 and day 42 of their chemotherapy cycles. Results: Majority of the participants were within 46-60 years, married, overweight and had informal employment. Throughout chemotherapy cycles, systolic blood pressure (SBP) significantly decreased till after the third cycle (P=0.026), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) significantly decreased after second cycle but increased slightly after the third cycle (P=0.029). Hemoglobin though insignificant, decreased after the second cycle but increased sharply after the third cycle (P=0.281). White blood cells (WBC) significantly decreased throughout cycles (P=0.008) whereas high density lipoprotein (P=0.014) increased throughout cycles- Uric acid (P=0.852) and creatinine (P=1.000). were maintained throughout cycles Conclusion: Throughout cycles, chemotherapy had significant adverse effect on the clinical profile (systolic and diastolic blood pressure), white blood cells (WBC) and high density lipoprotein (HDL) in patients undergoing treatment.

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Background and Aim The COVID‐19 booster dose has been cited as an important supplement for the control of the COVID‐19 pandemic due to reports of waning immunity among fully vaccinated persons. Determining factors that would affect its acceptability is necessary for initiating successful vaccination programs. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the factors associated with the acceptability of the COVID‐19 booster dose in Ghana. Methods We conducted an online cross‐sectional survey among the public. A self‐administered questionnaire was used to collect information on demographic characteristics, willingness to vaccinate, perceptions toward COVID‐19 vaccines, and trust in the government. Participants provided reasons and sources of advice that may affect their willingness to accept a booster dose. Using IBM SPSS and R Statistic; descriptive, univariate, and multivariate analyses were performed. Results Out of 812 respondents, 375 (46.2%) intended to accept the booster dose. Individuals who were males (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.63, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.07−2.48), had previously received other forms of vaccination twice (aOR 1.96, 95% CI 1.07−3.57) or in most years (aOR 2.51, 95% CI 1.38−4.57), tested positive for COVID‐19 (aOR 3.46, 95% CI 1.23−10.52), have high trust in government (aOR=1.77, 95% CI: 1.15‐2.74) and had positive perceptions regarding COVID‐19 vaccines (OR = 14.24, 95% CI: 9.28−22.44) were more likely to accept a booster dose. Experiencing side effects from the primer dose (aOR 0.12, 95% CI 0.08−0.18) was associated with reduced acceptance. Concerns about vaccine safety and efficacy were the common reasons impeding willingness, while advice from health professionals would be the most considered. Conclusion Low intention to accept the booster dose which is associated with a range of factors including the perception of vaccines and trust in the government, is a cause for concern. Thus, more effort would have to be taken through education and policy interventions to increase booster vaccine acceptability.

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