The study assessed nutritional knowledge and dietary compliance of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients in the context of diabetes self-care, and the association between nutritional knowledge and dietary compliance. A report from a recent population-based study indicates that between 3.3% and 6% of Ghanaian adults are living with diabetes mellitus (DM) and this is projected to reach 820,000 by 2035. Diet therapy and self-care form an integral part of T2DM management, however, little is known about the nutritional knowledge and dietary habit of DM patients accessing healthcare at the Bono Regional Hospital in Ghana. This study sought to fill the existing knowledge gap which is critical to addressing the challenges associated with the management of T2DM. A hospital-based, descriptive cross-sectional study design was employed to assess nutritional knowledge and dietary compliance of T2DM patients in the context of diabetes self-care, and the association between them. The study was carried out at the Bono Regional Hospital in Sunyani, Ghana. Respondents were recruited using systematic sampling and semi-structured, interview-administered questionnaires were used to collect data for the study. The primary data for the study were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. A total of 140 T2DM patients responded to our questionnaires. The majority of the respondents (98.6%) were above 35 years of age. Females constituted 66.4% of the total sample. About one-third of the respondents were farmers (36.4%). Based on our specified criteria, the majority of respondents (52.1%) demonstrated good nutritional knowledge, however, only 39.3% of them showed good dietary compliance. A Pearson’s chi-square test (with Yates’ Continuity Correction) showed a statistically significant association between nutritional knowledge and overall dietary compliance, χ2 (1, n = 140) = 10.23, P = .001, phi = .27. Also, nutritional knowledge was associated with consumption of complex carbohydrates χ2 (1, n = 140) = 7.43, P = .009, phi = -.23, low-fat diet χ2 (1, n = 140) = 8.51, P = .005, phi = -.274, and controlled portions of proteins χ2 (1, n = 140) = 10.67, P = .002, phi = .24. Dietary compliance was poor despite good nutritional knowledge. However, there was a significant association between good nutritional knowledge and overall dietary compliance. Therefore, comprehensive nutritional education, tailored to patients’ needs, and socio-cultural and economic situations could help to promote adherence to dietary recommendations among T2DM patients accessing healthcare at the Bono Regional Hospital.

Contemporary evidence suggests that proper nutrition plays a key role in the treatment and prevention of mental illness. This hospital-based descriptive cross-sectional study sought to examine health professionals’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward patient nutritional care. The study was conducted at the Bono Regional Hospital in Sunyani, Ghana. Eighteen (18) health professionals working at the hospital’s psychiatric unit were recruited for the study through the census. Semi-structured, self-administered questionnaires, prepared and administered via Google forms, were used to collect data for the study. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. There was a 100% response rate. Males constituted 66.7% of the sample. More than one-fourth (27.8%) of the respondents were community mental health officers, and the majority of them were full-time workers (66.7%). Most of the respondents worked 3-5 days per week (77.8%) and 6–8 hours per day (83.3%). The larger proportion of the sample had worked in the health sector for less than 2 years (72.2%). Based on our specified criteria, most of the respondents had adequate knowledge (83.3%), a positive attitude (94.4%), and good practices (83.3%) toward patient nutrition. Overall, knowledge, attitude, and practices toward patient nutritional care were good, suggesting that nutritional care has been recognized as an essential component of the treatment and prevention of mental illness at Bono Regional Hospital. It is however important that the management of the hospital ensures timely and adequate provision of essential logistics and resources needed for patient nutritional care.

Schizophrenia is a chronic condition associated with poor psycho-social and medical outcomes. Non-adherence to antipsychotic medications accounts for most of the relapses in schizophrenia, resulting in frequent hospital readmissions, self-harm, violence, and poor cognitive, clinical, and functional outcome. This multi-center study examined the role of therapeutic alliance in medication adherence. One hundred and eight (108) schizophrenia patients aged 18-60 years were recruited for the study through a purposive sampling technique. The study was conducted at the Bono Regional Hospital and the Sunyani Municipal Hospital in Ghana. The Medication Adherence Rating Scale (MARS) and the Scale to Assess the Therapeutic Relationship-Patients version (STAR-P) were adapted for the study. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. Most of the respondents were between 18 and 35 years (85.2%) of age. Males constituted 61.1% of the sample. A larger proportion of the respondents were residents of urban communities (66.7%). More than half of the sample did not have any formal education (51.9%) and 51.9% were unemployed. The mean (standard deviation) for the overall medication adherence and the therapeutic alliance was 4.56 (± 1.715) and 42.16 (± 7.710) respectively. There was no association between overall therapeutic alliance and medication adherence, rs = .14, n = 108, p = .146. However, affective bond showed a weak negative correlation with medication adherence, rs = .19, n = 108, p = .044. This finding indicates the need for clinicians to consistently seek patients’ views and concerns at each level of their treatment to achieve optimum outcomes.

Optimal nutrition plays a key role in the survival and overall health outcome of young children. This study sought to assess infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices and maternal socio-demographic factors and health-seeking behaviors affecting exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) practice. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at the Child Welfare Clinic of the Bono Regional Hospital, Sunyani, Ghana. Two hundred and forty-five mothers with 6-23 months old infant pairs were recruited for the study through convenience sampling. Data were collected using semi-structured, interviewer-administered questionnaires. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25 was used to analyze the data. All infants (245) in the study had been breastfed at some point in time. Approximately, 5 in 10 infants (54.3%) were introduced to breast milk within the first hour of birth. EBF rate was 49.4%. More than 7 in 10 children (75.5 percent) were predominantly breastfed in their first 6 months of life. Eight in 10 infants (80.8%) were being fed complementary foods. In a multiple logistic regression analysis, maternal age and health education/counseling on EBF significantly predicted EBF practice. Mothers aged 35-49 years were more likely to practice EBF compared to those aged 15-24 years (AOR 0.47; 95% CI 0.24, 0.92). Also, mothers who received education/counseling on EBF during antenatal care were more likely to practice EBF than those who did not (AOR 2.68; 95% CI 1.29, 5.53). The rate of EBF was below the World Health Assembly approved target for 2025 (≥ 50%), suggesting a need for intervention.

Social institutions such as family have an important role to play in shaping adolescent sexual behaviour, and parents remain central to this responsibility. Available evidence suggests that adolescent girls who are engaged in a healthy parent-child communications on sexual and reproductive health (SRH) (e.g. sex, contraception, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) prevention) at an early age are more likely to learn or adopt safe sexual behaviors. This qualitative study explored the perceptions and experiences of out-of-school adolescent mothers on parent-child SRH communications. Sixty-four (64) participants were recruited from the antenatal care (ANC) unit of the East Gonja Municipal Hospital in Salaga, Ghana, through purposive sampling technique. Data were collected from six focus group discussions (FGDs) and thematic analyses were conducted using ATLAS.ti version 9. The results of the FGDs were presented using illuminating verbatim quotations. In all the FGDs, parents were cited as an important source of SRH information. Parent-adolescent conversations on SRH were often initiated by the female parent and this often took the form of case-base discussion. However, most participants indicated were unsatisfied with the topics discussed and the context in which parent-adolescent SRH communications were conducted. Lack of trust, perceived authoritative and insensitive nature of male parents to the needs and plights of adolescent girls, and socio-cultural norms restricting/prohibiting open discussions on SRH, especially those concerning sexuality and contraception, were mentioned as barriers to effective parent-adolescent SRH communications. Parent-adolescent SRH communications were lately initiated, infrequent, and often did not address the most important aspects of adolescent SRH.