Living with albinism in an African community : Exploring the challenges of persons with albinism in Lilongwe District, Malawi
- Kaliati, Thandiwe Tambala, Adomako, Emmanuel Brenyah, Manso, Kwabena Frimpong
- Authors: Kaliati, Thandiwe Tambala , Adomako, Emmanuel Brenyah , Manso, Kwabena Frimpong
- Date: 2021
- Subjects: Albinism , Persons with albinism , Disability
- Language: English
- Type: Journal article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/490244 , uj:44727 , Citation: Tambala-Kaliati, T., Adomako, E.B. and Frimpong-Manso, K., 2021. Living with albinism in an African community: exploring the challenges of persons with albinism in Lilongwe District, Malawi. Heliyon, 7(5), p.e07034. , DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e07034
- Description: Abstract: Background: Albinism is a genetic condition caused by a deficit in the production of the pigment called melanin, which protects the skin against ultraviolet light and provides the skin with its color production. The condition may predispose persons with albinism (PWAs) to lifelong physical and health problems, such as visual impairment and ultra-violet induced skin damage. Due to this condition, we explored the challenges faced by persons living with albinism as they socialize in Lilongwe District, Malawi. Method: The study adopted an interpretative phenomenological approach and included 30 participants comprising 13 females and 14 males with albinism and three key informants from Association of People with Albinism in the Lilongwe district in Malawi. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. Van Manen's (2014) six steps of phenomenological analysis was used to analyze all data. Results: People with albinism face a variety of problems, the most common of which are financial constraints, health complications due to a lack of adequate medical care, a lack of community support leading to stigma and discrimination, and superstitious beliefs. Conclusions: People with albinism suffer socially as a result of misconceptions, behaviours, social isolation, labelling, and beliefs that are negatively correlated with their disorder. PWAs face these problems as a result of public misunderstanding about albinism.
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- Authors: Kaliati, Thandiwe Tambala , Adomako, Emmanuel Brenyah , Manso, Kwabena Frimpong
- Date: 2021
- Subjects: Albinism , Persons with albinism , Disability
- Language: English
- Type: Journal article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/490244 , uj:44727 , Citation: Tambala-Kaliati, T., Adomako, E.B. and Frimpong-Manso, K., 2021. Living with albinism in an African community: exploring the challenges of persons with albinism in Lilongwe District, Malawi. Heliyon, 7(5), p.e07034. , DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e07034
- Description: Abstract: Background: Albinism is a genetic condition caused by a deficit in the production of the pigment called melanin, which protects the skin against ultraviolet light and provides the skin with its color production. The condition may predispose persons with albinism (PWAs) to lifelong physical and health problems, such as visual impairment and ultra-violet induced skin damage. Due to this condition, we explored the challenges faced by persons living with albinism as they socialize in Lilongwe District, Malawi. Method: The study adopted an interpretative phenomenological approach and included 30 participants comprising 13 females and 14 males with albinism and three key informants from Association of People with Albinism in the Lilongwe district in Malawi. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. Van Manen's (2014) six steps of phenomenological analysis was used to analyze all data. Results: People with albinism face a variety of problems, the most common of which are financial constraints, health complications due to a lack of adequate medical care, a lack of community support leading to stigma and discrimination, and superstitious beliefs. Conclusions: People with albinism suffer socially as a result of misconceptions, behaviours, social isolation, labelling, and beliefs that are negatively correlated with their disorder. PWAs face these problems as a result of public misunderstanding about albinism.
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The relationship between accurate knowledge on HIV/AIDS transmission and adolescent pregnancy in Ghana : A further analyses of the 2017 multiple cluster indicator survey
- Adomako, Emmanuel Brenyah, Manso, Kwabena Frimpong, Munemo, Petronella, Duah, Henry Ofori, Agbadi, Pascal
- Authors: Adomako, Emmanuel Brenyah , Manso, Kwabena Frimpong , Munemo, Petronella , Duah, Henry Ofori , Agbadi, Pascal
- Date: 2021
- Subjects: Adolescents , Pregnancy , HIV/AIDS
- Language: English
- Type: Journal article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/490252 , uj:44728 , Citation: Adomako, E.B., Frimpong-Manso, K., Munemo, P., Duah, H.O. and Agbadi, P., 2021. The relationship between accurate knowledge on HIV/AIDS transmission and adolescent pregnancy in Ghana: A further analyses of the 2017 multiple cluster indicator survey. Heliyon, 7(2), p.e06265. , DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e06265
- Description: Abstract: Background : The literature posits that HIV knowledge is associated with precautious sexual behaviour and practice. We hypothesised and investigated the association between knowledge of HIV transmission and adolescent pregnancy in Ghana, given that the relationship between HIV knowledge and adolescent pregnancy has not been extensively studied. Methods: We did analyses on 5836 cases (weighted as 5121) of 15–24 years old reproductive age women in the female dataset of the 2017 Multiple Cluster Indicator Survey. Adolescent pregnancy was operationalized as reproductive age women between 15-24 years who became pregnant before the age of 18 years. Accurate HIV knowledge was measured by computing the scores of correct responses on six questions exploring women's knowledge about HIV transmission. We accounted for sample design and weight before performing a Chi-square test of independence and Poisson regression. Results: The results indicate that having lower scores on the HIV transmission knowledge scale was correlated with a higher probability of girls becoming pregnant before their 18th birthday. After controlling for the moderating effect of socio-demographic characteristics of the participants, we found that accurate HIV transmission knowledge loses its statistical significance in determining adolescent pregnancy. The factors that remain significant in the adjusted model were formal education status, household wealth, and region of residence. HIV transmission knowledge was statistically significantly related to adolescent pregnancy in the model after the education level variable was omitted. This observation was due to the significant effect of school education on other variables in the model. This result demonstrates that HIV knowledge has a major impact on adolescent pregnancy, but this effect is predicated by formal education attainment of the adolescent girl. Conclusions: Given the results, adolescent pregnancy issues can be resolved by the government and other development partners by adequately educating adolescents about HIV transmissions. Also, because they have the potential to reduce pregnancy among adolescents in Ghana, we recommend that programs and initiatives should address existing disparities in formal educational attainment and household wealth.
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- Authors: Adomako, Emmanuel Brenyah , Manso, Kwabena Frimpong , Munemo, Petronella , Duah, Henry Ofori , Agbadi, Pascal
- Date: 2021
- Subjects: Adolescents , Pregnancy , HIV/AIDS
- Language: English
- Type: Journal article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/490252 , uj:44728 , Citation: Adomako, E.B., Frimpong-Manso, K., Munemo, P., Duah, H.O. and Agbadi, P., 2021. The relationship between accurate knowledge on HIV/AIDS transmission and adolescent pregnancy in Ghana: A further analyses of the 2017 multiple cluster indicator survey. Heliyon, 7(2), p.e06265. , DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e06265
- Description: Abstract: Background : The literature posits that HIV knowledge is associated with precautious sexual behaviour and practice. We hypothesised and investigated the association between knowledge of HIV transmission and adolescent pregnancy in Ghana, given that the relationship between HIV knowledge and adolescent pregnancy has not been extensively studied. Methods: We did analyses on 5836 cases (weighted as 5121) of 15–24 years old reproductive age women in the female dataset of the 2017 Multiple Cluster Indicator Survey. Adolescent pregnancy was operationalized as reproductive age women between 15-24 years who became pregnant before the age of 18 years. Accurate HIV knowledge was measured by computing the scores of correct responses on six questions exploring women's knowledge about HIV transmission. We accounted for sample design and weight before performing a Chi-square test of independence and Poisson regression. Results: The results indicate that having lower scores on the HIV transmission knowledge scale was correlated with a higher probability of girls becoming pregnant before their 18th birthday. After controlling for the moderating effect of socio-demographic characteristics of the participants, we found that accurate HIV transmission knowledge loses its statistical significance in determining adolescent pregnancy. The factors that remain significant in the adjusted model were formal education status, household wealth, and region of residence. HIV transmission knowledge was statistically significantly related to adolescent pregnancy in the model after the education level variable was omitted. This observation was due to the significant effect of school education on other variables in the model. This result demonstrates that HIV knowledge has a major impact on adolescent pregnancy, but this effect is predicated by formal education attainment of the adolescent girl. Conclusions: Given the results, adolescent pregnancy issues can be resolved by the government and other development partners by adequately educating adolescents about HIV transmissions. Also, because they have the potential to reduce pregnancy among adolescents in Ghana, we recommend that programs and initiatives should address existing disparities in formal educational attainment and household wealth.
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