Examining the Utilization of Social Capital by Ghanaians When Seeking Care for Chronic Diseases: A Personal Network Survey
Objectives: With limited social security and health protection in Ghana, intergenerational support is needed by those living with NCDs, who incur recurrent costs when seeking NCD care. We measured the level of informal support received by NCD patients and identified factors that influence support pr...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-12-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.ssph-journal.org/articles/10.3389/ijph.2023.1605891/full |
| _version_ | 1797384305906810880 |
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| author | Brady Hooley Brady Hooley Elom Hillary Otchi Elom Hillary Otchi Samuel Mayeden Alfred Edwin Yawson Alfred Edwin Yawson Koku Awoonor-Williams Fabrizio Tediosi Fabrizio Tediosi |
| author_facet | Brady Hooley Brady Hooley Elom Hillary Otchi Elom Hillary Otchi Samuel Mayeden Alfred Edwin Yawson Alfred Edwin Yawson Koku Awoonor-Williams Fabrizio Tediosi Fabrizio Tediosi |
| author_sort | Brady Hooley |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives: With limited social security and health protection in Ghana, intergenerational support is needed by those living with NCDs, who incur recurrent costs when seeking NCD care. We measured the level of informal support received by NCD patients and identified factors that influence support provision.Methods: We surveyed 339 NCD patients from three hospitals in Ghana, who listed their social ties and answered questions about their relationship and support frequency. We analyzed the relationship between social support, demographic and health information, characteristics of social ties, and network characteristics.Results: Participants described 1,371 social ties. Nearly 60% of respondents reported difficulties in their usual work or household duties due to chronic illness, which was also the strongest predictor of support. Patients with higher wellbeing reported less social support, while older age and having co-habitant supporters were negatively associated with support, indicating caregiver burnout.Conclusion: Ghanaian NCD patients receive support from various caregivers who may not be able to handle the increasing healthcare and social needs of an aging population. Policies should therefore enhance resource pooling and inclusiveness for old age security. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T21:34:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cb811442ea274810bc20e4f30600b094 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1661-8564 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T21:34:37Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-cb811442ea274810bc20e4f30600b0942023-12-21T04:11:22ZengFrontiers Media S.A.International Journal of Public Health1661-85642023-12-016810.3389/ijph.2023.16058911605891Examining the Utilization of Social Capital by Ghanaians When Seeking Care for Chronic Diseases: A Personal Network SurveyBrady Hooley0Brady Hooley1Elom Hillary Otchi2Elom Hillary Otchi3Samuel Mayeden4Alfred Edwin Yawson5Alfred Edwin Yawson6Koku Awoonor-Williams7Fabrizio Tediosi8Fabrizio Tediosi9Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Basel, SwitzerlandUniversity of Basel, Basel, SwitzerlandKorle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, GhanaAccra College of Medicine, Accra, GhanaGhana Health Service, Accra, GhanaKorle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, GhanaMedical School, University of Ghana, Accra, GhanaDepartment of Policy, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Ghana Health Service, Accra, GhanaSwiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Basel, SwitzerlandUniversity of Basel, Basel, SwitzerlandObjectives: With limited social security and health protection in Ghana, intergenerational support is needed by those living with NCDs, who incur recurrent costs when seeking NCD care. We measured the level of informal support received by NCD patients and identified factors that influence support provision.Methods: We surveyed 339 NCD patients from three hospitals in Ghana, who listed their social ties and answered questions about their relationship and support frequency. We analyzed the relationship between social support, demographic and health information, characteristics of social ties, and network characteristics.Results: Participants described 1,371 social ties. Nearly 60% of respondents reported difficulties in their usual work or household duties due to chronic illness, which was also the strongest predictor of support. Patients with higher wellbeing reported less social support, while older age and having co-habitant supporters were negatively associated with support, indicating caregiver burnout.Conclusion: Ghanaian NCD patients receive support from various caregivers who may not be able to handle the increasing healthcare and social needs of an aging population. Policies should therefore enhance resource pooling and inclusiveness for old age security.https://www.ssph-journal.org/articles/10.3389/ijph.2023.1605891/fullGhanaNCDssocial capitalsocial supportinformal care |
| spellingShingle | Brady Hooley Brady Hooley Elom Hillary Otchi Elom Hillary Otchi Samuel Mayeden Alfred Edwin Yawson Alfred Edwin Yawson Koku Awoonor-Williams Fabrizio Tediosi Fabrizio Tediosi Examining the Utilization of Social Capital by Ghanaians When Seeking Care for Chronic Diseases: A Personal Network Survey International Journal of Public Health Ghana NCDs social capital social support informal care |
| title | Examining the Utilization of Social Capital by Ghanaians When Seeking Care for Chronic Diseases: A Personal Network Survey |
| title_full | Examining the Utilization of Social Capital by Ghanaians When Seeking Care for Chronic Diseases: A Personal Network Survey |
| title_fullStr | Examining the Utilization of Social Capital by Ghanaians When Seeking Care for Chronic Diseases: A Personal Network Survey |
| title_full_unstemmed | Examining the Utilization of Social Capital by Ghanaians When Seeking Care for Chronic Diseases: A Personal Network Survey |
| title_short | Examining the Utilization of Social Capital by Ghanaians When Seeking Care for Chronic Diseases: A Personal Network Survey |
| title_sort | examining the utilization of social capital by ghanaians when seeking care for chronic diseases a personal network survey |
| topic | Ghana NCDs social capital social support informal care |
| url | https://www.ssph-journal.org/articles/10.3389/ijph.2023.1605891/full |
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