Adolescent Problem Gambling in Rural Ghana: Prevalence and Gender Differentiation

Abstract Problem gambling among young people is now a public health challenge in sub-Saharan Africa. However, the behaviour remains understudied, particularly, among rural-dwelling young people in countries within the subregion. We aimed to estimate the 12 months prevalence of problem gambling and to describe the overall and gender differences and commonalities in personal factors and social adversities associated with problem gambling among adolescents in rural Ghana. We conducted a cross-sectional survey involving a random sample of 1101 in-school adolescents aged 10–19 years in a rural district in Eastern Ghana; we used the DSM-IV-Multiple Response-Juvenile (DSM-IV-MR-J) questionnaire to assess problem gambling during the previous 12 months. Personal lifestyle and psychosocial variables were assessed using adopted items from the 2012 WHO–Global School-based Student Health Survey. Overall, three in 10 adolescents (3 in 10 females; 4 in 10 males) in rural Ghana reported problem gambling in the previous 12 months. Female adolescents who experienced problem gambling were more likely to report family-related social adversities, while adolescent male problem gambling was associated with school-related factors and interpersonal factors outside the family context. Regardless of gender, sexual abuse victimisation was associated with three times increase in the odds of experiencing problem gambling. Relative to the prevalence of gambling among adolescents in urban contexts in other countries within sub-Saharan Africa, the estimates of problem gambling among in-school rural adolescents in Ghana are higher. Although further studies are needed to understand the nuances of the behaviour, the evidence of this study underscores the need for general and targeted health promotion, intervention and prevention efforts to mitigate the family, school, and interpersonal social adversities associated with adolescent problem gambling in rural Ghana.</jats:p

HIV/AIDS knowledge among undergraduate university students: implications for health education programs in Ghana

Background: Globally, the spread of HIV/AIDS remains on the rise especially among adolescents who are at increased risk of infection. Sexual behavioural change remains one of the most effective ways of preventing further transmission among this vulnerable group.Objective: To evaluate HIV/AIDS knowledge among undergraduate students’ and how it can be used in HIV prevention strategies in Ghana.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using structured questionnaires among 324 conveniently selected students enrolled at a tertiary institution in Accra, Ghana.Results: The mean age of the respondents was 23 years. Although the mean score of the participants’ responses to 12 HIV/AIDS knowledge questions was 7.7 of 12 points, there was an inconsistent level of AIDS knowledge with significant gender difference. While students could identify the transmission modes and preventive measure, they were less  knowledgeable about the causative agent of AIDS. Majority of the students reported having received AIDS information from both print and electronic media, but few of them received such information from parents. Although over 90% of the students knew where to access VCT services, 45% of them have not had HIV test.Conclusion: The data underscore the urgent need for HIV/AIDS-related health education and prevention efforts targeting university students as well as younger age groups in GhanaKeywords: HIV/AIDS, knowledge, education, students, Ghana

HIV/AIDS knowledge among undergraduate university students: implications for health education programs in Ghana

Background: Globally, the spread of HIV/AIDS remains on the rise especially among adolescents who are at increased risk of infection. Sexual behavioural change remains one of the most effective ways of preventing further transmission among this vulnerable group. Objective: To evaluate HIV/AIDS knowledge among undergraduate students’ and how it can be used in HIV prevention strategies in Ghana. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using structured questionnaires among 324 conveniently selected students enrolled at a tertiary institution in Accra, Ghana. Results: The mean age of the respondents was 23 years. Although the mean score of the participants’ responses to 12 HIV/AIDS knowledge questions was 7.7 of 12 points, there was an inconsistent level of AIDS knowledge with significant gender difference. While students could identify the transmission modes and preventive measure, they were less knowledgeable about the causative agent of AIDS. Majority of the students reported having received AIDS information from both print and electronic media, but few of them received such information from parents. Although over 90% of the students knew where to access VCT services, 45% of them have not had HIV test. Conclusion: The data underscore the urgent need for HIV/AIDS-related health education and prevention efforts targeting university students as well as younger age groups in Ghan

HIV/AIDS knowledge among undergraduate university students: implications for health education programs in Ghana

BACKGROUND: Globally, the spread of HIV/AIDS remains on the rise especially among adolescents who are at increased risk of infection. Sexual behavioural change remains one of the most effective ways of preventing further transmission among this vulnerable group. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate HIV/AIDS knowledge among undergraduate students' and how it can be used in HIV prevention strategies in Ghana. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted using structured questionnaires among 324 conveniently selected students enrolled at a tertiary institution in Accra, Ghana. RESULTS: The mean age of the respondents was 23 years. Although the mean score of the participants' responses to 12 HIV/AIDS knowledge questions was 7.7 of 12 points, there was an inconsistent level of AIDS knowledge with significant gender difference. While students could identify the transmission modes and preventive measure, they were less knowledgeable about the causative agent of AIDS. Majority of the students reported having received AIDS information from both print and electronic media, but few of them received such information from parents. Although over 90% of the students knew where to access VCT services, 45% of them have not had HIV test. CONCLUSION: The data underscore the urgent need for HIV/AIDS-related health education and prevention efforts targeting university students as well as younger age groups in Ghan

Violence, abuse and discrimination: key factors militating against control of HIV/AIDS among the LGBTI sector

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) South Africans continue to face considerable challenges, including societal stigma, homophobic violence (particularly corrective rape), and high rates of sexually transmitted diseases and infections (particularly Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/AIDS) even when discrimination based on sexual orientation was outlawed by South African’s post-apartheid constitution. This study was conducted to ascertain violence, abuse and discrimination against the LGBTI sector as key factors that hinder the smooth implementation of HIV/AIDS programme among sexually minority (LGBTI) group in Walter Sisulu University, South Africa. The self-structured questionnaire was used to collect data. The study involved 3048 purposively selected participants (1285 male and 1763 female) aged 17–38 years. About 70.5% of the participants witnessed physical attack as a form of violence against people in same-gender relationship; 47.7% disagreed that violent targeted at this sexually minority group is justified. The LGBTI face challenges which include verbal insults (937, 32.4%), bullying (532, 18.4%) and name-calling (1389, 48%). Discrimination against members of the LGBTI sector was witnessed in various forms: non-acceptance (981, 33.9%), disapproval of act of homosexuals (1308, 45.2) and denial of rights (327, 11.3). Violence, abuse and discrimination which constitute stigmatisation among the LGBTI sector are received with mix feeling. Some respondents justified the use of one or more of these key elements of stigmatisation against the LGBTI (6.6%, supports violence), others condemned these acts of stigmatisation (28.8%), against discrimination). Social stigma which resulted from violence, abuse and discrimination exist in this institution and is responsible for the unwillingness of disclosure of sexual orientation among the LGBTI members. An enabling environment should be created where the LGBTI members could come out freely to access programmes targeted at the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS