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Sunday 29 December 2019

Coping with Assisted Reproductive Technology: Evidence from Clients Seeking Infertility Interventions in Selected Private Health Facilities in Ghana

Kyei, J.M.
Date: 2018-10

Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Infertility remains a challenge for some couples globally. Recent evidence shows that one in every six couples will face fertility problem in their reproductive age. For the past four decades, Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) has been an effective intervention for infertility. The complexities associated with the ART presents many challenges to couples including psychological, social, and emotional difficulties. These challenges underscore the relevance of coping particularly during the process of the ART. Objectives: This study therefore sought to understand the challenges associated with ART and the various coping strategies infertile couples adopt when seeking ART. Methods: The study employed convergent parallel mixed method design. Exploratory phenomenological approach and cross-sectional survey were used for the qualitative and the quantitative studies respectively. Overall, 12 women and 6 men participated in the qualitative study, whereas 211 women participated in the quantitative study. The qualitative study employed purposive sampling technique and the quantitative used convenience sampling technique to recruit the respondents. The qualitative data was collected using in-depth interviews and the Ways of Coping questionnaire was used to collect the quantitative data. Analysis of the quantitative data was done using content analysis technique whereas the quantitative data was analysed using the Stata version 14.0. Descriptive statistics such as the mean, frequencies were determined from the quantitative data. Inferential statistics such as Chi-square test of independence, Fishers exact test, one-way analysis of variance and Kruskal Wallis were used to determine association between each of the predictors of coping and levels of coping strategy. Results: The study revealed couples with infertility problems highly value biological children due to social stigmatization about childlessness. Some respondents indicated that they have suffered various forms of psychological, emotional, and social afflictions because of their inability to have their own children. Respondents utilised ART the best alternative solution to infertility problem. Factors such as advanced age of the woman, pressure from families, particularly mothers-in-law, and friends influenced respondents’ uptake of ART. Furthermore, various ART uptake challenges, identified included anxiety about treatment outcome, high cost of ART, and long distance to ART centres. The study respondents used different coping strategies to cope with ART. These included confrontational, distance, self-control, social support, acceptance responsibility, escape-avoidance, problem solving and positive reappraisal coping strategy. The most highly used coping strategy was positive-reappraisal (n = 104, 49.3%). Fertility centre and cause of infertility were the two covariates that were significantly related to overall coping strategy. None of the covariates were associated with the positive reappraisal coping strategy. Conclusions: Having children in marriage in the Ghanaian society is very crucial. Even though ART offers a better solution to infertility, it has its own associated challenges necessitating the adoption of various forms of coping strategies. Given the importance couples attach to biological children, evidence of infertility prevalence in Ghana, Government should consider integrating ART services into the existing obstetric and gynecological facilities to serve as an alternate solution to the challenges of infertility in Ghana. Again, the reproductive health unit of the Ghana Health Service should sensitise the general public about the availability of ART, its effectiveness as well as the associated benefits. This will reduce the negative consequences of childlessness in the Ghanaian society. Given the emotional and psychological challenges reported by the clients in this study, it is recommended that counseling units should be established in these centres to offer services to clients at every stage of the treatment.

Description:

PhD.

Naturopathy in the management of women with diminished ovarian reserve: a research proposal.

Maunder, Alison. "Naturopathy in the management of women with diminished ovarian reserve: a research proposal." Australian Journal of Herbal & Naturopathic Medicine 31.4 (2019).

Medical ethnobotany of Wik, Wik-Way and Kugu peoples of Cape York Peninsula, Australia: an integrated collaborative approach to understanding traditional phytotherapeutic knowledge and its applications

Edwards, Sarah Elizabeth.University of London, University College London (United Kingdom), ProQuest Dissertations Publishing, 2006. 10105153.

https://search.proquest.com/docview/1796089911?pq-origsite=gscholar

Situating health and well-being in the Atlanta and Trinidad-Tobago transnational context


Lisa Shanti Chaudhari
Publisher:2011.
Dissertation:Ph. D. University of Georgia 2011
Edition/Format:  Thesis/dissertation : Thesis/dissertation : eBook : English
Summary:
This study investigates the ethnoecology of a transnational community focusing on changes in health knowledge and perceptions influencing health practices. I use a multi-sited approach integrating classic ethnographic techniques and cross-disciplinary methods such as GIS to study the Atlanta and Trinidad and Tobago transnational community. This complementary approach based on an ethnoecological and biocultural framework is used to: 1) document and compare the ethnoecology between both locations, 2) assess and compare health, 3) examine health practices, and 4) evaluate health and well-being perceptions. This study allows us to set a baseline from which the relatively young, but growing Trinidad and Tobago community in Atlanta can be compared to other established communities (e.g. New York and Toronto). Findings point to a disjuncture between physical and perceived health status, highlighting the complex nature of well-being in migrant communities. The Atlanta community results indicate poor physical health, yet self-rated health is superior. Investigating health practices through individual health network maps and geo-narratives show us that place and space are significant factors across locations. Health resources close to home represent a large proportion of resources accessed. In Atlanta, a sense of "home" is an underlying factor behind behavior. When looking at health perspectives, key concepts consistent across locations include food-diet, the ocean, and relaxation. The distinctions in the level of importance or presence of themes illustrate transformations in health and wellness concepts. A multilevel health approach that takes elements from a variety of health categories (e.g. biomedical, ethnobotanical) is common to both locations. This project demonstrates how a comprehensive and layered picture of well-being in this transnational setting is critical and how its complexity can be reflected at varying levels. By assessing specific dimensions of knowledge, perceptions, and practice, I explore the interplay of factors influencing the human environment relationship to determine significant elements that promote health and well-being of this community. I look at how research in this particular transnational community contributes to recent conversations in ethnoecology, migration and health studies. Finally, I discuss the applicability and value of cross-disciplinary methods for local health projects

Antifungal in vitro Activity of Essential Oils against Clinical Isolates of Malassezia pachydermatis from Canine Ears: A Report from a Practice Laboratory

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/337578913_Antifungal_in_vitro_Activity_of_Essential_Oils_against_Clinical_Isolates_of_Malassezia_pachydermatis_from_Canine_Ears_A_Report_from_a_Practice_Laboratory/references