Mavis Dako-Gyeke

• University of Ghana

This paper focuses on improving water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) access among older persons. Despite the importance of WASH access, information on this topic among ageing populations in Global South contexts like Ghana remains scant. Through a review of literature, this conceptual paper discusses the intersection between improved WASH access a...

Many Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) that work with street children in Ghana have been relevant as they complement the limited services provided by the government. Notwithstanding the efforts made by NGOs to address this social phenomenon, some of their beneficiaries maintain their presence on the streets. This study therefore explored the re...

The Oxford Handbook of Family Policy Over the Life Course examines how countries devised measures for child protection outlined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). The UNCRC highlights the importance of protecting children from a range of human rights violations. In response, countries respond differently to human r...

The promotion of financial capability and asset building (FCAB) in Africa is an essential professional activity for social work to promote the socioeconomic well-being of individuals, families, groups, and communities. Yet, in many sub-Saharan African countries including Ghana, social work students are not adequately prepared academically and profe...

While independent migration among children is common in West Africa, it has not received much attention in research and policy. Guided by the ecological systems and coping theories, the study explored the experiences of unaccompanied child migrant workers from selected West African countries who reside in Ghana. The objectives of the study were to...

This study aimed at exploring stigmatization and discrimination experiences of women living with obstetric fistula (WLOF) in the Northern Region of Ghana. Fifty-five women were identified purposively, and data were collected through focus group discussions and face-to-face in-depth interviews using a semi-structured interview guide. The focus group...

Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2021

Historically, in many African countries children engaging in some form of work is accepted as a crucial aspect of socioeconomic development. Yet, children engaging in productive work to support families is one of the major controversial issues that are increasingly being critiqued, especially given the circumstances under which many children work a...

The experience of associative stigma (stigma that persons experience because they are associated with persons who belong to a stigmatized category in society) could have negative impacts on carers’ and children’s health and well-being. This descriptive qualitative study therefore focused on associative stigma among family carers of children with ce...

Drawing on the insights of Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems and Lazarus’ coping theories, this article highlights the challenges and coping strategies of women living with obstetric fistula in the Northern Region of Ghana. Employing the convenience sampling technique, 55 women were purposively recruited to participate in the study. Focus group d...

This study explored key informants’ perspectives about adolescents living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Twenty-one participants were purposively selected and data were collected through face-to-face in-depth interviews using a semi-structured interview guide. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed to identify emerg...

There are many impediments to family planning uptake by migrant women, which are likely to hinder their right to decide and use contraception. In this study, the authors investigated migrant women’s family planning practices. The researchers conducted 22 qualitative interviews with migrant female head porters in a suburban community in Ghana. Our a...

Generally, the rise in deportation has implications for the resettlement of migrants in their countries of origin. In view of the increasing number of deportees in many developing countries, such as Ghana, this study sought to identify the reasons for deportation, and coping strategies adopted by deportees in the Nkoranza Municipality of Ghana. The...

Drawing on Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, this study explored the experiences and perspectives of juvenile offenders and officers on juvenile delinquency in Accra, Ghana. A descriptive study design with qualitative data collection and analysis methods were employed. A purposive sampling method was used to recruit twenty-six participant...

Repeat pregnancy may be more challenging to teenage mothers and their children because of increased socio-economic impact, as well as the influence of generally short pregnancy interval. Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, this study explored challenges faced by teenage mothers with repeat pregnancy and support services available...

Independent migration among adolescents is an issue of public concern in West Africa. Thus, drawing on the neoclassical economics, new economics of labour and social networks perspectives, this study explored the reasons for independent migration among adolescents. Employing a qualitative research design, 41 adolescents participated in the study. F...

Given that repeat pregnancy is an issue of concern in many developing countries, this study focused on the phenomenon among teenage mothers in Ghana. The objectives of the study were to explore factors contributing to repeat pregnancy, contraceptive knowledge, and barriers to contraceptive use among teenage mothers with repeat pregnancy. A qualitat...

This study explored the experiences of adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV) in Accra, Ghana. A descriptive study design with qualitative data collection and analysis methods were used. Thirty participants were purposively selected and data were collected through face-to-face in-depth interviews using a semi-structured interview guide. The interviews...

This study examined the effects of household food insecurity on school absenteeism among Junior High School students in Ghana. Data for this study were drawn from the 2012 Ghana Global School-based Health Survey. A sample of 1,121 students aged 11–18 years were analyzed using binary logistic regression with school absenteeism as the outcome variabl...

Drawing on Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, this study aimed to explore key informants’ views about child abuse. Using a qualitative research design, thirty key informants participated in the study. Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and In-depth Interviews (IDIs) were conducted to gather data, which were analyzed thematically. The findings...

This paper examined the effect of bullying victimization on suicidal ideation and suicide attempt among adolescents in Ghana. Data on 1,633 students ages 14–18 years (50.6% males) were analyzed using logistic regression. We found that 17% of the 1,633 adolescents examined reported experiencing suicidal thoughts and about 21% of the 1,633 adolescent...

North-to-south migration has been a persistent trend in Ghana. Yet the migrating population has recently shifted to become predominantly female and younger, with a significant increase in rural adolescent girls seeking employment in urban and peri-urban areas. For adolescents without strong networks of social and financial support, this practice ca...

This study examined the play beliefs of basic school teachers in Ghana. Participants were a purposive sample of 571 basic school teachers from three regions of Ghana. The Play Beliefs Inventory (PBI) served as the data source. The PBI included forty items designed to assess teachers' play beliefs within two subscales: Play Focus (PF) and Traditiona...

Training mental health care providers is an emerging agenda in Ghana. Because traditional and religious healers are still a primary source for help seeking among those with mental health disorders, the social work education curriculum has yet to fully incorporate mental health training and practice. An exploratory, descriptive study was conducted o...

It has been established that sexual abuse against children is a global problem and quite widespread. Sexual abuse against children is a public health concern given that its outcomes are not only detrimental to the health of children, but also to the health of their families and society. Often, poor mental health functioning among children is identi...

Background Leprosy is a condition that has long been associated with stigma and discrimination, even when infected persons have been cured. This paper describes stigma and discrimination as viewed by caregivers who are associated with people affected by leprosy in Ghana. Methods A qualitative interview with semi-structured interviews were conducte...

This study explored experiences of courtesy stigma among caregivers of people affected by leprosy. Using a qualitative research approach, twenty participants were purposively selected and in-depth interviews conducted. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed to identify emerging themes that addressed objectives of the study. T...

The increase in deportations over the years has had adverse effects on immigrant families, communities, and countries of origin. Involuntary return, especially deportation, causes economic hardship, emotional distress, and family separation. Given the rising number of deportees in Africa and Ghana in particular, this study sought to explore the cha...

Introduction: Leprosy, a chronic infectious disease, poses a serious public health concern due to its impact on the wellbeing of affected people. This study, which was set in Ghana, explored stigmatisation and discrimination experiences of people affected by leprosy resident at the Weija Leprosarium in Accra. Methodology: Using a qualitative res...

This study employed a qualitative research design to explore the perceptions and experiences of stigmatization and discrimination against recidivists in Ghana. Data were gathered through in-depth interviews with 20 adults and analyzed to identify emerging themes that addressed the objectives of the study. The findings indicated that the community m...

This chapter outlines the socio-cultural, economic and political profile of Ghana and examines how mental health is understood in that country. It discusses indigenous belief systems and treatment modalities, theoretical perspectives on mental health and illness in Ghana, mental health among vulnerable and special populations and the main features...

This qualitative study aimed to explore return migration intentions among pre-migrant youth in Ghana. The study applied the neoclassical economics, new economics of labor migration, and structuralist theories. Thirty-four students (16 females and 18 males) were purposively recruited as participants for the study. Each student participated in one ou...

This study explored the challenges and coping strategies among Liberian refugees in Ghana. Using a qualitative research design, 40 participants were purposively recruited at a refugee settlement in Ghana. Four focus group discussions and sixteen in-depth interviews were conducted. The focus group discussions and in-depth interviews were audio-taped...

Migration is a multidimensional phenomenon with both positive and negative effects. However, the extent to which migration positively or adversely affects the life opportunities of people, especially the youth abroad, is partly influenced by the aspirations and expectations of the migrants prior to embarking on their journeys. Drawing on macro-, me...

Drawing on Earnshaw and Chaudoir's HIV stigma framework, this study explored the experiences of persons living with HIV and AIDS regarding stigmatization and discrimination in accessing health services. Using a qualitative research methodology, 42 participants were purposively recruited during support group meetings of persons living with HIV and A...

Throughout Africa and particularly in Ghana, there are concerns about malaria infection during pregnancy. This study aimed to investigate factors that influence malaria prevention and control practices among pregnant women residing in Chorkor and Korle-Gonno in Accra, Ghana. One hundred and twenty pregnant women between ages 18-49 were randomly rec...

Social Work is described as a helping profession since it is a professional practice that provides services aimed at helping societies work better for their people. It is also designed to assist people with varying degrees of social problems function better within society. While social work started in the pre-independence era as the provision of so...

Given the fact that migration is a complex phenomenon, it has become a development policy issue in international and national debate circles. It has a relationship with human growth and development across the lifespan because migratory experiences could have positive or negative effects on the well being of migrants. While males and females have mi...

Sexual and reproductive health issues continue to generate concerns in contemporarysociety because it is essential to individuals, couples and families, as well as the social andeconomic development of communities and nations. The concept of sexual andreproductive health (SRH) provides a comprehensive and integrated approach to healthneeds related...

Ghana’s Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) program was implemented in 2008 to provide social protection to vulnerable groups, such as orphans and vulnerable children (OVC). This qualitative study explored how household size influenced the extent to which the basic needs of OVC were met. A purposive sampling method was used to recruit 21...

Although globally persons with mental illness often experience stigmatization and discrimination, not many studies have focused on their plight, especially in Ghana. This study, which goes beyond current research, examined stigmatization and discrimination experiences of persons with mental illness in Accra. The study sought to explore the nature o...

Gender inequality hinders the development efforts of countries worldwide, especially developing countries. Despite Ghana government’s efforts to address gender inequality, the issue continues to prevail, and invariably retards development mostly in rural communities. This qualitative study, explored factors that perpetuated gender inequality in Kye...

Children all over the world engage in play. However, there are variations in their play activities. Play ispresent in all cultures (Singer & Singer, 1990), involves a wide array of behaviors from decisive toindecisive, and continues to be a key area of study from diversified viewpoints, ranging from ecologicalto cognitive (Sutton-Smith, 1993; Wolfb...