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Lule SA, Kushitor SB, Grijalva-Eternod CS, Adjaye-Gbewonyo K, Sanuade OA, Kushitor MK, Okoibhole L, Awuah R, Baatiema L, Kretchy IA, Arhinful D, de-Graft Aikins A, Koram K, Fottrell E. The contextual awareness, response and evaluation (CARE) diabetes project: study design for a quantitative survey of diabetes prevalence and non-communicable disease risk in Ga Mashie, Accra, Ghana. Glob Health Action 2024; 17:2297513. [PMID: 38323339 PMCID: PMC10851827 DOI: 10.1080/16549716.2023.2297513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Diabetes is estimated to affect between 3.3% and 8.3% of adults in Ghana, and prevalence is expected to rise. The lack of cost-effective diabetes prevention programmes designed specifically for the Ghanaian population warrants urgent attention. The Contextual Awareness, Response and Evaluation (CARE): Diabetes Project in Ghana is a mixed methods study that aims to understand diabetes in the Ga Mashie area of Accra, identify opportunities for community-based intervention and inform future diabetes prevention and control strategies. This paper presents the study design for the quantitative survey within the CARE project. This survey will take place in the densely populated Ga Mashie area of Accra, Ghana. A household survey will be conducted using simple random sampling to select households from 80 enumeration areas identified in the 2021 Ghana Population and Housing Census. Trained enumerators will interview and collect data from permanent residents aged ≥ 25 years. Pregnant women and those who have given birth in the last six months will be excluded. Data analysis will use a combination of descriptive and inferential statistics, and all analyses will account for the cluster sampling design. Analyses will describe the prevalence of diabetes, other morbidities, and associated risk factors and identify the relationship between diabetes and physical, social, and behavioural parameters. This survey will generate evidence on drivers and consequences of diabetes and facilitate efforts to prevent and control diabetes and other NCDs in urban Ghana, with relevance for other low-income communities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sandra Boatemaa Kushitor
- Department of Community Health, Ensign Global College, Kpong, Ghana
- Department of Food Science and Centre for Sustainability Studies, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Carlos S. Grijalva-Eternod
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
- Department of Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | | | - Olutobi Adekunle Sanuade
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Division of Health System Innovation and Research, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Mawuli Komla Kushitor
- Department of Health Policy, Fred Binka School of Public Health, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana
| | - Lydia Okoibhole
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Raphael Awuah
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Leonard Baatiema
- Department of Health Policy, Planning and Management, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
- Center for Tropical Medicine and Global Health Research, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Irene Akwo Kretchy
- Department of Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Daniel Arhinful
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | | | - Kwadwo Koram
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Edward Fottrell
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
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de-Graft Aikins A, Sanuade O, Baatiema L, Adjaye-Gbewonyo K, Addo J, Agyemang C. How chronic conditions are understood, experienced and managed within African communities in Europe, North America and Australia: A synthesis of qualitative studies. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0277325. [PMID: 36791113 PMCID: PMC9931108 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0277325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
This review focuses on the lived experiences of chronic conditions among African communities in the Global North, focusing on established immigrant communities as well as recent immigrant, refugee, and asylum-seeking communities. We conducted a systematic and narrative synthesis of qualitative studies published from inception to 2022, following a search from nine databases-MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Social Science Citation Index, Academic Search Complete, CINAHL, SCOPUS and AMED. 39 articles reporting 32 qualitative studies were included in the synthesis. The studies were conducted in 10 countries (Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and the United States) and focused on 748 participants from 27 African countries living with eight conditions: type 2 diabetes, hypertension, prostate cancer, sickle cell disease, chronic hepatitis, chronic pain, musculoskeletal orders and mental health conditions. The majority of participants believed chronic conditions to be lifelong, requiring complex interventions. Chronic illness impacted several domains of everyday life-physical, sexual, psycho-emotional, social, and economic. Participants managed their illness using biomedical management, traditional medical treatment and faith-based coping, in isolation or combination. In a number of studies, participants took 'therapeutic journeys'-which involved navigating illness action at home and abroad, with the support of transnational therapy networks. Multi-level barriers to healthcare were reported across the majority of studies: these included individual (changing food habits), social (stigma) and structural (healthcare disparities). We outline methodological and interpretive limitations, such as limited engagement with multi-ethnic and intergenerational differences. However, the studies provide an important insights on a much-ignored area that intersects healthcare for African communities in the Global North and medical pluralism on the continent; they also raise important conceptual, methodological and policy challenges for national health programmes on healthcare disparities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ama de-Graft Aikins
- Institute of Advanced Studies, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Olutobi Sanuade
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
| | - Leonard Baatiema
- Department of Health Policy, Planning and Management, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Kafui Adjaye-Gbewonyo
- Faculty of Education, Health and Human Sciences, University of Greenwich, London, United Kingdom
| | - Juliet Addo
- Department of Non-communicable Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Charles Agyemang
- Department of Public Health, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Kretchy IA, Okoibhole LO, Sanuade OA, Jennings H, Strachan DL, Blandford A, Agyei F, Asante P, Todowede O, Kushitor M, Adjaye-Gbewonyo K, Arhinful D, Baatiema L, Dankyi E, Grijalva-Eternod CS, Fottrell EF, de-Graft Aikins A. Scoping review of community health participatory research projects in Ghana. Glob Health Action 2022; 15:2122304. [DOI: 10.1080/16549716.2022.2122304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Irene A. Kretchy
- Department of Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | | | - Olutobi Adekunle Sanuade
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Hannah Jennings
- Department of Health Sciences, University of York and Hull York Medical School, York, UK
| | - Daniel Ll Strachan
- Nossal Institute for Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Ann Blandford
- Department of Computer Science, UCLIC, University College London, London, UK
| | - Francis Agyei
- Department of Family and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana
| | - Paapa Asante
- Department of Family and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana
| | - Olamide Todowede
- School of Health Sciences, Institute of Mental Health, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Mawuli Kushitor
- Department of Health Policy Planning and Management, School of Public Health, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana
| | - Kafui Adjaye-Gbewonyo
- Faculty of Education, Health and Human Sciences, University of Greenwich, London, UK
| | - Daniel Arhinful
- Department of Epidemiology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Leonard Baatiema
- Department of Health Policy, School of Public Health, Planning and ManagementUniversity of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Ernestina Dankyi
- Centre for Social Policy Studies, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Carlos S. Grijalva-Eternod
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
- Department of Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
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Adjaye-Gbewonyo K, Cois A. Explaining population trends in cardiovascular risk: protocol for a comparative analysis of health transitions in South Africa and England using nationally representative survey data. BMJ Open 2022; 12:e061034. [PMID: 35351734 PMCID: PMC8966565 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-061034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of death globally and share determinants with other major non-communicable diseases. Risk factors for CVD are routinely measured in population surveys and thus provide an opportunity to study health transitions. Understanding the drivers of health transitions in countries that have not followed expected paths compared with those that exemplified models of 'epidemiologic transition', such as England, can generate knowledge on where resources may best be directed to reduce the burden of disease. This study aims to examine the notions of epidemiological transition by identifying and quantifying the drivers of change in CVD risk in a middle-income African setting compared with a high-income European setting. METHODS AND ANALYSIS This is a secondary joint analysis of data collected within the scope of multiple population surveys conducted in South Africa and England between 1998 and 2017 on nationally representative samples of the adult population. The study will use a validated, non-laboratory risk score to estimate and compare the distribution of and trends in total CVD risk in the population. Statistical modelling techniques (fixed-effects and random-effects multilevel regression models and structural equation models) will be used to examine how various factors explain the variation in CVD risk over time in the two countries. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION This study has obtained approval from the University of Greenwich (20.5.6.8) and Stellenbosch University (X21/09/027) Research Ethics Committees. It uses anonymised microdata originating from population surveys which received ethical approval from the relevant bodies, with no additional primary data collection. Results of the study will be disseminated through (1) peer-reviewed articles in open access journals; (2) policy briefs; (3) conferences and meetings; and (4) public engagement activities designed to reach health professionals, governmental bodies, civil society and the lay public. A harmonised data set will be made publicly available through online repositories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kafui Adjaye-Gbewonyo
- Faculty of Education, Health and Human Sciences, University of Greenwich, London, UK
| | - Annibale Cois
- Division of Health Systems and Public Health, Stellenbosch University Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
- Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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A. Sanuade O, Baatiemaa L, Adjaye-Gbewonyo K, De-Graft Aikins A. Improving stroke care in Ghana: a roundtable discussion with communities, healthcare providers, policymakers and civil society organisations. Ghana Med J 2021. [DOI: 10.4314/gmj.v55i2.8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Even though there have been advances in medical research and technology for acute stroke care treatment and management globally, stroke mortality has remained high, with a higher burden in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) such as Ghana. In Ghana, stroke mortality and disability rates are high, and research on post-stroke survival care is scarce. The available evidence suggests that Ghanaian stroke survivors and their caregivers seek treatment from pluralistic health care providers. However, no previous attempt has been made to bring them together to discuss issues around stroke care and rehabilitation. To address this challenge, researchers from the Institute of Advanced Studies, University College London, in collaboration with researchers from the African Centre of Excellence for Non-communicable diseases (ACE-NCDs), University of Ghana, organised a one-day roundtable to discuss issues around stroke care. The purpose of the roundtable was fourfold. First, to initiate discussion/collaborations among biomedical, ethnomedical and faith-based healthcare providers and stroke patients and their caregivers around stroke care. Second, to facilitate discussion on experiences with stroke care. Third, to understand the healthcare providers’, health systems’, and stroke survivors’ needs to enhance stroke care in Ghana. Finally, to define practical ways to improve stroke care in Ghana.
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Christian AK, Sanuade OA, Okyere MA, Adjaye-Gbewonyo K. Social capital is associated with improved subjective well-being of older adults with chronic non-communicable disease in six low- and middle-income countries. Global Health 2020; 16:2. [PMID: 31898527 PMCID: PMC6941280 DOI: 10.1186/s12992-019-0538-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are increasingly contributing to the morbidity and mortality burden of low and-middle income countries (LMIC). Social capital, particularly participation has been considered as a possible protective factor in the prevention and management of chronic conditions. It is also largely shown to have a negative effect on the well-being of patients. The current discourse on the well-being of individuals with NCDs is however focused more on a comparison with those with no NCDs without considering the difference between individuals with one chronic condition versus those with multiple chronic conditions (MCC). METHOD AND OBJECTIVE We employed a multinomial logit model to examine the effect of social capital, particularly social participation, on the subjective well-being (SWB) of older adults with single chronic condition and MCC in six LMIC. FINDINGS Social capital was associated with increased subjective well-being of adults in all the six countries. The positive association between social capital and subjective well-being was higher for those with a single chronic condition than those with multiple chronic conditions in India and South Africa. Conversely, an increase in the likelihood of having higher subjective well-being as social capital increased was greater for those with multiple chronic conditions compared to those with a single chronic condition in Ghana. DISCUSSION The findings suggest that improving the social capital of older adults with chronic diseases could potentially improve their subjective well-being. This study, therefore, provides valuable insights into potential social determinants of subjective well-being of older adults with chronic diseases in six different countries undergoing transition. Additional research is needed to determine if these factors do in fact have causal effects on SWB in these populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron K. Christian
- Regional Institute for Population Studies (RIPS), University of Ghana, P.O. Box LG 96, Accra, Ghana
| | - Olutobi Adekunle Sanuade
- NCDs Support Centre for Africa, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Michael Adu Okyere
- School of Management China, Institute for Studies in Energy Policy (CISEP), Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
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Adjaye-Gbewonyo K, Vollmer S, Avendano M, Harttgen K. Correction to: Agricultural trade policies and child nutrition in low- and middle-income countries: a cross-national analysis. Global Health 2019; 15:28. [PMID: 30971287 PMCID: PMC6456992 DOI: 10.1186/s12992-019-0471-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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Coates MM, Kamanda M, Kintu A, Arikpo I, Chauque A, Mengesha MM, Price AJ, Sifuna P, Wamukoya M, Sacoor CN, Ogwang S, Assefa N, Crampin AC, Macete EV, Kyobutungi C, Meremikwu MM, Otieno W, Adjaye-Gbewonyo K, Marx A, Byass P, Sankoh O, Bukhman G. A comparison of all-cause and cause-specific mortality by household socioeconomic status across seven INDEPTH network health and demographic surveillance systems in sub-Saharan Africa. Glob Health Action 2019; 12:1608013. [PMID: 31092155 PMCID: PMC6534200 DOI: 10.1080/16549716.2019.1608013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Understanding socioeconomic disparities in all-cause and cause-specific mortality can help inform prevention and treatment strategies. Objectives: To quantify cause-specific mortality rates by socioeconomic status across seven health and demographic surveillance systems (HDSS) in five countries (Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, and Nigeria) in the INDEPTH Network in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods: We linked demographic residence data with household survey data containing living standards and education information we used to create a poverty index. Person-years lived and deaths between 2003 and 2016 (periods varied by HDSS) were stratified in each HDSS by age, sex, year, and number of deprivations on the poverty index (0–8). Causes of death were assigned to each death using the InterVA-4 model based on responses to verbal autopsy questionnaires. We estimated rate ratios between socioeconomic groups (2–4 and 5–8 deprivations on our poverty index compared to 0–2 deprivations) for specific causes of death and calculated life expectancy for the deprivation groups. Results: Our pooled data contained almost 3.5 million person-years of observation and 25,038 deaths. All-cause mortality rates were higher among people in households with 5–8 deprivations on our poverty index compared to 0–2 deprivations, controlling for age, sex, and year (rate ratios ranged 1.42 to 2.06 across HDSS sites). The poorest group had consistently higher death rates in communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional conditions (rate ratios ranged 1.34–4.05) and for non-communicable diseases in several sites (1.14–1.93). The disparities in mortality between 5–8 deprivation groups and 0–2 deprivation groups led to lower life expectancy in the higher-deprivation groups by six years in all sites and more than 10 years in five sites. Conclusions: We show large disparities in mortality on the basis of socioeconomic status across seven HDSS in sub-Saharan Africa due to disparities in communicable disease mortality and from non-communicable diseases in some sites. Life expectancy gaps between socioeconomic groups within sites were similar to the gaps between high-income and lower-middle-income countries. Prevention and treatment efforts can benefit from understanding subpopulations facing higher mortality from specific conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew M Coates
- a Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Program in Global Noncommunicable Diseases and Social Change , Harvard Medical School , Boston , USA
| | | | - Alexander Kintu
- c Department of Global Health and Population , Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health , Boston , USA
| | - Iwara Arikpo
- b INDEPTH Network , Accra , Ghana.,d Cross River Health & Demographic Surveillance System (CRHDSS) , University of Calabar , Calabar , Nigeria
| | - Alberto Chauque
- b INDEPTH Network , Accra , Ghana.,e Centro de Investigação em Saúde da Manhiça (CISM) , Mozambique
| | - Melkamu Merid Mengesha
- b INDEPTH Network , Accra , Ghana.,f College of Health and Medical Sciences , Haramaya University , Harar , Ethiopia
| | - Alison J Price
- b INDEPTH Network , Accra , Ghana.,g Department of Population Health , London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine , London , UK.,h Malawi Epidemiology and Intervention Research Unit , Lilongwe , Malawi
| | - Peter Sifuna
- b INDEPTH Network , Accra , Ghana.,i US Army Medical Research Directorate-Kenya (USAMRD-K)/Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) , Kisumu , Kenya
| | - Marylene Wamukoya
- b INDEPTH Network , Accra , Ghana.,j African Population and Health Research Center , Nairobi , Kenya
| | - Charfudin N Sacoor
- b INDEPTH Network , Accra , Ghana.,e Centro de Investigação em Saúde da Manhiça (CISM) , Mozambique
| | - Sheila Ogwang
- b INDEPTH Network , Accra , Ghana.,i US Army Medical Research Directorate-Kenya (USAMRD-K)/Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) , Kisumu , Kenya
| | - Nega Assefa
- b INDEPTH Network , Accra , Ghana.,f College of Health and Medical Sciences , Haramaya University , Harar , Ethiopia
| | - Amelia C Crampin
- b INDEPTH Network , Accra , Ghana.,g Department of Population Health , London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine , London , UK.,h Malawi Epidemiology and Intervention Research Unit , Lilongwe , Malawi
| | - Eusebio V Macete
- b INDEPTH Network , Accra , Ghana.,e Centro de Investigação em Saúde da Manhiça (CISM) , Mozambique
| | - Catherine Kyobutungi
- b INDEPTH Network , Accra , Ghana.,j African Population and Health Research Center , Nairobi , Kenya
| | - Martin M Meremikwu
- b INDEPTH Network , Accra , Ghana.,d Cross River Health & Demographic Surveillance System (CRHDSS) , University of Calabar , Calabar , Nigeria
| | - Walter Otieno
- b INDEPTH Network , Accra , Ghana.,i US Army Medical Research Directorate-Kenya (USAMRD-K)/Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) , Kisumu , Kenya.,k Department of Paediatrics and Child Health , Maseno University School of Medicine , Kisumu , Kenya
| | | | - Andrew Marx
- a Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Program in Global Noncommunicable Diseases and Social Change , Harvard Medical School , Boston , USA
| | - Peter Byass
- b INDEPTH Network , Accra , Ghana.,m Department of Epidemiology and Global Health , Umeå University , Umeå , Sweden.,n Medical Research Council/Wits University Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt), School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences , University of the Witwatersrand , Johannesburg , South Africa.,o Institute of Applied Health Sciences , University of Aberdeen , Aberdeen , Scotland
| | - Osman Sankoh
- b INDEPTH Network , Accra , Ghana.,p Statistics Sierra Leone , Freetown , Sierra Leone.,q College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences , University of Sierra Leone , New England , Sierra Leone.,r School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences , University of the Witwatersrand , Johannesburg , South Africa
| | - Gene Bukhman
- a Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Program in Global Noncommunicable Diseases and Social Change , Harvard Medical School , Boston , USA.,s Division of Global Health Equity , Brigham and Women's Hospital , Boston , MA , USA.,t Partners In Health , Boston , MA , USA
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Adjaye-Gbewonyo K, Vollmer S, Avendano M, Harttgen K. Agricultural trade policies and child nutrition in low- and middle-income countries: a cross-national analysis. Global Health 2019; 15:21. [PMID: 30876446 PMCID: PMC6420724 DOI: 10.1186/s12992-019-0463-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2018] [Accepted: 02/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There has been growing interest in understanding the role of agricultural trade policies in diet and nutrition. This cross-country study examines associations between government policies on agricultural trade prices and child nutrition outcomes, particularly undernutrition. METHODS This study links panel data on government distortions to agricultural incentives to data from 212,258 children aged 6 to 35 months participating in Demographic and Health Surveys from 22 countries between 1991 and 2010. Country fixed-effects regression models were used to examine the association between within-country changes in nominal rates of assistance to tradable agriculture (government price distortions as a percentage of original prices) and child nutritional outcomes (height-for-age, weight-for-age, and weight-for-height Z-scores) while controlling for a range of time-varying country covariates. RESULTS Five-year average nominal rates of assistance to tradable agriculture ranged from - 72.0 to 45.5% with a mean of - 5.0% and standard deviation of 18.9 percentage points. A 10-percentage point increase in five-year average rates of assistance to tradable agriculture was associated with improved height-for-age (0.02, 95% CI: 0.00-0.05) and weight-for-age (0.05, 95% CI: 0.02-0.09) Z-scores. Improvements in nutritional status were greatest among children who had at least one parent earning wages in agriculture, and effects decreased as a country's proportion of tradable agriculture increased, particularly for weight-for-age Z-scores. CONCLUSIONS Government assistance to tradable agriculture, such as through reduced taxation, was associated with small but significant improvements in child nutritional status, especially for children with a parent earning wages in agriculture when the share of tradable agriculture was not high.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kafui Adjaye-Gbewonyo
- Innovative Methods & Metrics for Agriculture and Nutrition Actions, Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, 150 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02111 USA
- Institute of Advanced Studies, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT UK
- Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115 USA
| | - Sebastian Vollmer
- University of Göttingen; Center for Modern Indian Studies, Waldweg 26, Altbau 1.118, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Mauricio Avendano
- Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115 USA
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, King’s College London, Strand Campus, Strand, London, WC2R2LS UK
| | - Kenneth Harttgen
- ETH Zürich, NADEL Center for Development and Cooperation, Clausiusstrasse 37, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
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Abstract
There have been many debates in recent years as to whether the communicable disease versus non-communicable disease (NCD) division is a meaningful one in disease classification. Several critiques have been raised about the framing of NCDs, regarding not only the prominent role that infections play in the aetiology of NCDs, but also the communicability of many social determinants of NCDs and the individualistic, 'lifestyle' framing of NCDs that tends to focus on health behaviours to the neglect of socio-political, environmental, and structural determinants of health. In this paper, we give a historical overview of the usage of the NCD terminology and analyse some of the recent debates regarding the naming and framing of NCDs. We argue that a lack of reflection on the assumptions underlying the naming and framing of NCDs may lead to the collection of insufficient epidemiological data, the development of inappropriate interventions and the provision of inadequate care. Work in social epidemiology, health promotion, medical anthropology, demography, and other fields may provide insights into the ways in which efforts targeting NCDs may be reframed to improve impact and efficacy. In addition, concepts such as multimorbidity and syndemics, frameworks such as ecosocial theory and approaches based in the social sciences may provide a way forward in the conceptualization of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Megan Vaughan
- Institute of Advanced Studies, University College London, London, UK
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Adjaye-Gbewonyo K, Kawachi I, Subramanian SV, Avendano M. Income inequality and cardiovascular disease risk factors in a highly unequal country: a fixed-effects analysis from South Africa. Int J Equity Health 2018; 17:31. [PMID: 29510733 PMCID: PMC5839065 DOI: 10.1186/s12939-018-0741-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2017] [Accepted: 02/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Chronic stress associated with high income inequality has been hypothesized to increase CVD risk and other adverse health outcomes. However, most evidence comes from high-income countries, and there is limited evidence on the link between income inequality and biomarkers of chronic stress and risk for CVD. This study examines how changes in income inequality over recent years relate to changes in CVD risk factors in South Africa, home to some of the highest levels of income inequality globally. Methods We linked longitudinal data from 9356 individuals interviewed in the 2008 and 2012 National Income Dynamics Study to district-level Gini coefficients estimated from census and survey data. We investigated whether subnational district income inequality was associated with several modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in South Africa, including body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, blood pressure, physical inactivity, smoking, and high alcohol consumption. We ran individual fixed-effects models to examine the association between changes in income inequality and changes in CVD risk factors over time. Linear models were used for continuous metabolic outcomes while conditional Poisson models were used to estimate risk ratios for dichotomous behavioral outcomes. Results Both income inequality and prevalence of most CVD risk factors increased over the period of study. In longitudinal fixed-effects models, changes in district Gini coefficients were not significantly associated with changes in CVD risk factors. Conclusions Our findings do not support the hypothesis that subnational district income inequality is associated with CVD risk factors within the high-inequality setting of South Africa. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12939-018-0741-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kafui Adjaye-Gbewonyo
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Kresge 7th Floor, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Ichiro Kawachi
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Kresge 7th Floor, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - S V Subramanian
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Kresge 7th Floor, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Mauricio Avendano
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Kresge 7th Floor, Boston, MA, 02115, USA. .,Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, King's College London, Strand Campus, Strand, London, WC2R2LS, UK.
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Adjaye-Gbewonyo K, Kawachi I, Subramanian SV, Avendano M. High social trust associated with increased depressive symptoms in a longitudinal South African sample. Soc Sci Med 2017; 197:127-135. [PMID: 29232620 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2017.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2017] [Revised: 11/18/2017] [Accepted: 12/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Several studies have documented a protective association between social trust and mental and physical health, but gaps in knowledge remain. Debates regarding the contextual versus individual nature of social trust are ongoing; research from low- and middle-income countries is lacking, and study designs have been limited for causal inference. To address these gaps, we examined the association between social trust and depressive symptoms using three waves of the National Income Dynamics Study, a longitudinal South African survey. We used individual fixed-effects models to assess the association between changes in scores on the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale Short Form (CES-D-10) and in individual-level and district-level personalized and generalized trust among 15,670 individuals completing at least two waves of the NIDS adult questionnaire. High individual-level generalized trust was unexpectedly associated with increased depressive symptoms scores while district generalized trust did not show an association. We also found a cross-level interaction between individual and district-level personalized trust. High individual trust was associated with increased depressive symptoms scores when district trust was low; however, as district-level trust increased, higher individual trust was associated with reduced depressive symptoms. Our unexpected results suggest that trust may not always be beneficial for depressive symptoms, but rather, that its effects may depend on context. In the South African setting where social trust is low, being very likely to trust may be associated with worse depressive symptoms in some circumstances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kafui Adjaye-Gbewonyo
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Kresge 7th Floor, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Ichiro Kawachi
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Kresge 7th Floor, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - S V Subramanian
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Kresge 7th Floor, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Mauricio Avendano
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Kresge 7th Floor, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, King's College London, Strand Campus, Strand, London WC2R2LS, United Kingdom
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Adjaye-Gbewonyo K, Avendano M, Subramanian SV, Kawachi I. Income inequality and depressive symptoms in South Africa: A longitudinal analysis of the National Income Dynamics Study. Health Place 2016; 42:37-46. [PMID: 27639104 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2016.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2016] [Revised: 07/23/2016] [Accepted: 08/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Research suggests that income inequality may detrimentally affect mental health. We examined the relationship between district-level income inequality and depressive symptoms among individuals in South Africa-one of the most unequal countries in the world-using longitudinal data from Wave 1 (2008) and Wave 3 (2012) of the National Income Dynamics Study. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Center for Epidemiological Studies of Depression Short Form while district Gini coefficients were estimated from census and survey sources. Age, African population group, being single, being female, and having lower household income were independently associated with higher depressive symptoms. However, in longitudinal, fixed-effects regression models controlling for several factors, district-level Gini coefficients were not significantly associated with depressive symptoms scores. Our results do not support the hypothesis of a causal link between income inequality and depressive symptoms in the short-run. Possible explanations include the high underlying levels of inequality in all districts, or potential lags in the effect of inequality on depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kafui Adjaye-Gbewonyo
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Kresge 7th Floor, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Mauricio Avendano
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Kresge 7th Floor, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, King's College London, Strand Campus, Strand, London WC2R 2LS, United Kingdom.
| | - S V Subramanian
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Kresge 7th Floor, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Ichiro Kawachi
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Kresge 7th Floor, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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Adjaye-Gbewonyo K, Sabatino SA, White MC. Exploring opportunities for colorectal cancer screening and prevention in the context of diabetes self-management: an analysis of the 2010 National Health Interview Survey. Transl Behav Med 2013; 3:72-81. [PMID: 24073162 DOI: 10.1007/s13142-012-0187-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Because diabetes is associated with increased colorectal cancer (CRC) risk, it is important that people with diabetes receive CRC screenings according to guidelines. In addition, many diabetes self-care recommendations are associated with a reduced risk of CRC. This study aims to identify potential opportunities for enhancing CRC prevention within the context of diabetes management. Using data from 1,730 adults with diabetes aged 50-75 years who responded to the 2010 National Health Interview Survey, we calculated population estimates of behaviors consistent with US Preventive Services Task Force guidelines for CRC screening and American Diabetes Association recommendations for diabetes care. We examined bivariate associations between CRC screening and selected diabetes self-care behaviors associated with CRC risk. Results were stratified by demographic characteristics. Thirty-nine percent of adults with diagnosed diabetes were not up-to-date with CRC screenings. Sixteen percent smoked and 2 % exceeded alcohol intake recommendations. Among those capable of exercise, 69 and 90 % did not meet aerobic exercise and resistance training recommendations, respectively. CRC screening was generally not associated with diabetes self-care behaviors. Among some demographic groups, CRC screening was associated with adequate aerobic activity, not smoking, and being overweight or obese. Many adults with diabetes do not follow guidelines for CRC screening or recommendations for diabetes care that may also reduce CRC risk. Thus, opportunities may exist to jointly promote CRC screening and prevention and diabetes self-management among adults with diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kafui Adjaye-Gbewonyo
- Epidemiology and Applied Research Branch, Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, NE, MS K-55, Atlanta, GA 30341 USA ; Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Kresge Building 7th floor, Boston, MA 02115 USA
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Adjaye-Gbewonyo K, Kawachi I. Use of the Yitzhaki Index as a test of relative deprivation for health outcomes: A review of recent literature. Soc Sci Med 2012; 75:129-37. [DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2012.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2011] [Revised: 02/15/2012] [Accepted: 03/06/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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