Stephen T Odonkor

• PhD
• Senior Lecturer at Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration

Over the last four decades, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has spread throughout the world and become highly endemic in many geographical areas. This pathogen causes severe morbidity and mortality in hospitals worldwide. MRSA is also considered a major community acquired pathogen throughout the world. MRSA is implicated in serio...

For several decades, antibiotics have been critical in the fight against infectious disease caused by bacteria and other microbes. Antimicrobial chemotherapy has been a leading cause for the dramatic rise of average life expectancy in the Twentieth Century. However, disease-causing microbes that have become resistant to antibiotic drug therapy are...

Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains have become a well-known etiologic agent of a wide variety of infections worldwide. Considering the increasing rate of infections caused by MRSA, performance of reliable, accurate and rapid testing for detection of MRSA is essential for both antibiotic therapy and infection control measures...

Biofilms of Listeria monocytogenes were formed on sterile glass slides in a coincubation apparatus, using inoculated tryptic soy broth, incubated at 37°C for 48 h. The planktonic and biofilm cultures were subjected to incremental gamma radiation doses (0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 , 2.0 kGy) from a Cobalt-60 source. The D 10 values were calculated from the lin...

Antimicrobial resistance is said to currently be the greatest challenge to the effective treatment of infections globally. This study evaluated the risks of antimicrobial resistant microbes associated with 8 types of branded and unbranded milk sold in Accra, Ghana. The study revealed that 6 categories of milk sampled were all contaminated whiles 2...

Background: Urinary schistosomiasis remains a major cause of public health concern with the global burden predominant in Sub-Sahara Africa. Over 78 countries are affected and approximately 800 million people are exposed to the disease in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) accounting for 90% of cases and an estimated 280,000 deaths each year. The disease pose...

Background: The emergence of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic incited series of societal changes. Adopted practices to mitigate the virus' spread included; limiting human contact, closure of workplaces, lockdown of cities, and thus limiting health care delivery to emergency services with interruption to routine visits-such as antena...

Nurses promote quality services for the betterment of patients when successfully supervised by an effective nurse manager. A nurse managers effectiveness does not only rely on their skill set but their ability to recognise their emotions and that of others and considering how their emotions manifest at the working environment which is a significant...

Background: Since the emergence of emotional intelligence, many definitions have evolved emphasizing emotional intelligence as emotional management. Emotional intelligence has been known to influence leadership styles and the effectiveness of nurse managers. Understanding the dynamism of emotions and their application among nurses in the healthcare...

Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) has been on the rise in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Its burden is affecting health systems, quality of life, and economies. If not attended to, NCDs are projected to cause more deaths by 2030. This study aims to present the geographical distribution of three NCDs, namely Hypertension (HPT), Diabetes, and chronic kidne...

The control of infectious diseases is seriously threatened by the increase in the number of microorganisms resistant to antimicrobial agents. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria have also been identified in the water environment. A field study was performed sampling drinking water sources in seven districts of southern Ghana targeting boreholes, dams, ha...

Background: Schistosomiasis affects an estimated 250 million people worldwide, with 200,000 people dying each year. Despite success in managing the disease, data on its prevalence in non-endemic areas is rare. This study assessed the prevalence and risk factors of urogenital schistosomiasis among people in the Devego sub-municipality of the Ketu No...

Background: Obstetric fistula is a devastating complication caused by a prolonged and obstructed labor. It is estimated that about 2 million girls and women continue to live with obstetric fistula while between 50 000 to 100 000 women worldwide develop obstetric fistula each year. This condition continues to persist and remains a major problem in G...

Despite millennia of metallurgy and decades of industrial mining and oil production the extractive industry in most African countries pose health and safety risk. The goal of this study is to examie health and safety in the extractive industry in Sub-Saharan Africa in order to inform policy provide trustworthy reference information and enable for p...

The research aims to propagate the “custen model” that suggests how the management of Ghanaian universities could retain qualified and knowledgeable students through its relationship officers. A survey design was engaged. A total of 500 respondents from selected universities in Ghana were used. Data were explored using smartPLS 3. The results revea...

Purpose: This study sought to determine the cervical cancer knowledge and screening among young female adults in Kintampo North Municipality. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was employed using a quantitative approach. Data was collected from 341 participants using a consecutive sampling with structured questionnaire and analysed using SPSS ver...

The purpose of the study is to promulgate the “custrac model” that proposes how the Ghanaian university management through its relationship officers can attract fully qualified and competent students globally. Following a survey technique, data were collected from 500 respondents from the top five Universities in Ghana. Analysis was done using Smar...

Household waste management is a challenge in Accra, Ghana, due to increasing urbanization and unscrupulous dumping of garbage. The aim of this study was to determine the correlates of household waste management as well as their implications for public health. The study employed a descriptive, cross-sectional design with self-administered questionna...

The study examined the effect of heat stress on the well-being of outdoor workers and their coping strategies. A cross-sectional survey study was conducted between September 2019 and December 2019 to collect data from outdoor workers including hawkers and traffic wardens from 13 urban areas (N=322) and analyzed using SPSS v.23. The results of the s...

Nosocomial infections are enhanced due to a flop in the infection control processes such as disinfection. The aim of this study was to assess long term effectiveness and the stability of disinfectants currently used within healthcare settings in Accra, Ghana against two indicator pathogens. Two locally produced and two imported disinfectants usuall...

Healthcare professionals are the most vulnerable to stress among all occupational groups due to the nature of their work environment. The aim of this study is to determine the level of stress and associated factors among healthcare workers in Western Ghana. The study employed a cross-sectional design with self-administered questionnaires. The resul...

In the last few decades, nuclear energy has become an important source of energy because it is seen as a low intensity carbon energy alternative to reduce environmental pollution. However, nuclear energy has many hazards to both the environment and human life. This paper examined the status, opportunities, and challenges of nuclear electric power,...

Antibiotics are very important in the fight against infectious disease caused by bacteria and other microbes for decades. Today microbes have developed ways to resist antimicrobial agents targeted at them. We sought to characterize and simultaneously detect virulence genes associated water-borne antibiotic resistant Escherichia coli, obtained from...

Global warming is a serious threat to human existence. The relatively higher level of global warming in recent times poses higher health risks to humans, both directly and indirectly. The aim of the study was to investigate public knowledge of global warming and its effects on human health. A nationally representative survey of Ghanaian adults (N =...

Globally, there are strategies to solve sustainability and health problems, but we continue to experience an increase in disease burden and environmental problems. This study applied a crosssectional design to examine the perceived awareness on the environmental hazard-health nexus and the key factors that drive individuals WTP in environmental pol...

Climate change is a serious challenge to human existence. It threatens efforts towards the attainment of sustainable development goals and aggravates conditions that lead to health inequities and inequalities for vulnerable populations. The study aimed to investigate knowledge and adaptation to climate change among people in Ghana. A nationally rep...

Food safety has become a global issue due to the morbidity and mortality associated with it, particularly in developing countries. The objective of this community-based study is to examine food safety practices and its associated factors among postnatal mothers in the Western Region of Ghana. A cross-sectional survey study was conducted from August...

The importance of road safety in the developmental agenda of a country cannot be overemphasized. It is essential for effective socioeconomic development. However, several countries in the developing world are confronted by several challenges relating to road safety, which are inadequately investigated. These challenges further aggravate the already...

Air pollution has been a major challenge worldwide particularly in the developing world. Improper waste disposal and management may result in microbial air pollution. In advanced countries, landfill sites are far from neighborhoods; however, the opposite is observed for landfill sites in the developing world. In Accra, some landfill sites are 100 m...

Many diseases have been associated with poor drinking water quality including diseases caused by diarrheagenic pathogens, especially in developing countries where access to a consistent water supply is a problem. The objective of the study was to evaluate the health risks associated with the sources of drinking water in the Dangme West District of...

Social acceptance of nuclear energy is critical for its successful implementation. Ghana has decided to develop nuclear energy to augment its growing demand for electricity. The study assesses the level of public knowledge, perceptions, risk and policy support for nuclear power development among Ghanaians. A nationally representative survey of Ghan...

Food safety is critical for public health and economic development. The hospitality industry offers a variety of food services, led by food handlers with diverse background. The aim of this paper is to evaluate food safety knowledge and practices among food handlers in the Ghanaian hospitality sectors, with the purpose of informing public policy an...

Healthcare waste generation is an integral part of healthcare operations. Improper healthcare waste management and disposal can be detrimental to humans and the environment. The objective of this paper is to investigate the healthcare waste management practices, aiming to provide needed data to inform policy decisions. The study was conducted using...

Healthcare waste generation is an integral part of healthcare operations. Improper healthcare waste management and disposal can be detrimental to humans and the environment. The objective of this paper is to investigate the healthcare waste management practices, aiming to provide needed data to inform policy decisions. The study was conducted using...

Across the tropical developing countries, smallholder farmers are confronted with various climate related risks that hinge on agricultural activities. Climate change is predicted to impact smallholder farmers and their liveli- hood, especially within and beyond this century. Several studies have examined the impact of drought and rainfall on smallh...

Across the tropical developing countries, smallholder farmers are confronted with various climate related risks that hinge on agricultural activities. Climate change is predicted to impact smallholder farmers and their livelihood, especially within and beyond this century. Several studies have examined the impact of drought and rainfall on smallhol...

Health workers are prone to burnout, which can have an adverse effect on their person and the patients to whom care is offered. The goal of this paper was to assess the levels of burnout experienced by healthcare workers in Accra, Ghana. The study was conducted using the cross-sectional study design. Questionnaires were used to obtain data from 365...

Air pollution has been a major challenge worldwide particularly in the developing world. It has dire implications for human health. Understanding the knowledge and behaviour of the populace is key to the development and implementation of necessary intervention programmes. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions...

The importance of waste management cannot be overemphasized. Improper waste management and disposal has rippling effect on the environment and human health. The aim of this study is to assess solid waste management among household in a large Ghanaians district. Multi-stage sampling technique comprising a cluster, simple random sampling, and systema...

The importance of waste management cannot be overemphasized. Improper waste management and disposal has rippling effect on the environment and human health. The aim of this study is to assess solid waste management among household in a large Ghanaians district. Multi-stage sampling technique comprising a cluster, simple random sampling, and systema...

Background: Patient satisfaction represents a key marker for the quality of healthcare delivery and is critical for smooth functioning of the healthcare system. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the levels of patient satisfaction with the quality of care they receive, and thus identify the key factors that influence patients’ overall sati...

Background: Patient satisfaction represents a key marker for the quality of healthcare delivery and is critical for smooth functioning of the healthcare system. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the levels of patient satisfaction with the quality of care they receive, and thus identify the key factors that influence patients’ overall sati...

Introduction: Personal hygiene is essential to the current paradigm shift towards predictive, preventive, and personalized medicine, which enables the prediction and prevention of infectious disease outbreaks. Objective: The aim of this paper was to evaluate the personal hygiene practices among university students aiming at providing a basis for...

Research has proven that pelletized sawdust fuel is a possible replacement for charcoal and firewood. However, the conventional coal pot does not correctly support the use of pelletized sawdust as a possible replacement fuel for charcoal. Therefore, the aim of this research was to develop a new and efficient biomass stove that utilized pelletized s...

Water is life. Access to safe water is essential for human development. Water related diseases such as infectious diarrhoea, microbial dysentery and cholera occur as a result of microbial contamination. The aim of this study was to evaluate the total and faecal coliform status of the drinking water sources in the Dangme West District of Ghana and t...

The control of infectious diseases is badly endangered by the rise in the number of microorganisms that are resistant to antimicrobial agents. This is because infections caused by resistant microorganisms often fail to respond to conventional treatment, resulting in prolonged illness and greater risk of death. Antimicrobial-resistant bacteria are a...

The aim of this study is to estimate the effective dose and assess the lifetime attributable risk of cancer incidence of patients undergoing computed tomography scan at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. Data on Volume CT Dose Index ( ) and Dose Length Product ( ) displayed on the scanner control console was record...

Emerging but neglected diseases (ENDs) are a significant burden on global economies and public health. ENDs impact over 1 billion of the world's poorest populations and require special attention. However, within the ENDs recognized by the World Health Organization, some are also dually categorized as emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. Th...

These diagnostics equipment are used for diagnostic tests which provide objective information about a person s health, including risk assessment, monitoring the course of a disease or to assess a patient s response to treatments, or even to guide the selection of further tests and treatments. One of the most commonly used diagnostic equipment is th...

The current study evaluated the microbiological quality and safety of twenty (ten local and ten imported) probiotic yoghourt samples sold in Accra, Ghana. Results of counts (CFU/ml) showed that, (30%) each of imported and local samples were below the recommended standard of ≥ 106 CFU/ml whiles all (100%) pH values of both imported and local samples...

Monitoring the microbiological quality of drinking water relies largely on examination of indicator bacteria such as coliforms, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. E. coli is a member of the faecal coliform group and is a more specific indicator of faecal pollution than other faecal coliforms. Two key factors have led to the trend toward...

Influenza disease is a challenge worldwide. The 2009 pandemic influenza caused an outbreak in several countries including Ghana. This resulted in the Ghana Health service and National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) to outline mitigation measures to control the outbreak of the disease especially in the schools. This study assessed the leve...

Young adults are observed to be at high risk of food borne diseases due to food mishandling. Evidence indicates that the risk of bacterial food-borne disease to young adults increases when food is prepared in communal kitchens, as in student accommodation, youth hostels and shared homes. This increase may be due to the number of individuals using t...

Food borne diseases are perhaps the most widespread health problem in the contemporary world and an important cause of reduced economic productivity. Food safety risks associated with meat and meat products has been widely documented. This study investigated the microbial risks associated with cooked and smoked sausages sold in Accra, Ghana. A tota...

Biofilms of Listeria monocytogenes were formed on sterile glass slides in a coincubation apparatus, using inoculated tryptic soy broth, incubated at 37°C for 48 h. The planktonic and biofilm cultures were subjected to incremental gamma radiation doses (0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 , 2.0 kGy) from a Cobalt-60 source. The D 10 values were calculated from the lin...

Variability of quality of product makes cottage cheese production unattractive to urban populations. Meanwhile demand for value-added dairy products is on the increase in the urban areas. This study investigated the effect of moringa seed extract (0.5%, 1%, 1.5% and 2%) supplementation on the yield and quality of cottage cheese prepared from fresh...

Adolescents and youth form the vast majority of sexually active individuals. Many of these young people are at risk with the consequences of unexpected pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STI). The objective of this study was to assess the sexual behaviors of adolescents. Questionnaires were used to obtain data from 250 adolescents bet...

Ten brands of herbal medicines were selected on the market for the analysis of trace metals quality using the Atomic Absorption Spectrometer. The results were reported as the mean concentration of three representative samples for each of the ten brands. The respective percentage incidence of the trace metals analyzed were; Fe (20%), Zn (80%), Cu (2...

Tubers and roots are important sources of carbohydrates as an energy source and are used as staple foods in tropical and sub tropical countries. Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) is one of the world's most important, versatile, but under exploited food crop. The aim of this study was to evaluate the functional and physicochemical characteristics of...

The rapidly growing and changing food demands by urban dwellers has resulted in the need for cheaper and convenience foods. Street vended foods have shown epidemiological links with illness. Concerns have also been raised about these foods with respect to their potential for food poisoning outbreaks. The study sought to assess aspects of hygiene pr...

The aim of this study was to investigate the microbial quality of 10 different Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPs) sourced sampled from traditional medicine distributors and retail pharmacy outlets in Accra, Ghana. A total of 10 herbal medicinal products that were made for in vitro administration were randomly sampled in triplicates for analysis. Micr...

Monitoring antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of pathogens that cause Urinary Tract Infection is important to provide information concerning rising problems of antibiotic resistance and assistance in managing empirical therapy. The purpose of this study was to investigate the most prevalent pathogen in urine and evaluate its susceptibility and r...