A bivariate probit analysis of child passenger's sitting behaviour and restraint use in motor vehicle

Motor vehicle injuries are a leading cause of death among children worldwide, though many of these deaths are preventable. Buckling young children in age- and size-appropriate car seats, booster seats, or seat belts and also seating them in appropriate position can lead to a significant reduction of serious and fatal injuries. This study investigated sitting behaviour and restraint use among child passengers through cross-sectional observational surveys conducted in Kumasi, Ghana. A bivariate probit model was developed for simultaneous determination of the contributing factors influencing child passenger's sitting behaviour and restraint use. The results showed that 26% of the child passengers observed were occupying the front seat and the prevalence rate of restraint use was 4.5%. The developed bivariate probit model clearly highlights the existence of interrelationship between child passenger's sitting position and restraint use. The key factors simultaneously influencing child passenger's sitting position and restraint use include vehicle type, driver's gender, driver's belt use, child's age, and the presence of other child or adult passenger. Furthermore, time of day and day of week also influence child passenger sitting behaviour but not their restraint use. These findings provide insight for better understanding of child transporting practices and the contributing factors influencing their sitting behaviour and restraint use. The findings also highlight the need for policy makers to design effective countermeasures to promote rear sitting and restraint use among child passengers.

Obesity and overweight and associated factors among women with infertility undergoing assisted reproductive technology treatment in a low income setting

Elevated Body Mass Index in infertile women has important implications for medically assisted reproduction. The prevalence and impact of elevated BMI on assisted reproductive technology treatment outcomes in low-income settings remain under-studied and little known. This study investigated the prevalence of elevated BMI and associated socio-demographic characteristics among infertile women in Ghana. Retrospective analysis of five-years data of 3,660 infertile women attending clinic in Ghana for assisted conception treatment was carried out. The data was analysed using the SPSS-22; descriptive statistics performed and chi square used to assess associations between categorical variables, p-value below 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Overall, 76.83% of women with infertility had elevated BMI, of whom 39.56% were obese and 37.27% were overweight. Majority of participants with elevated BMI was aged between 30-49 years. (p < 0.001). Infertility prevalence and BMI increased with increasing level of education (p < 0.003). Secondary infertility was more common among overweight or obese women. Traders had the highest prevalence of overweight and obesity followed by civil servants and health workers. Elevated BMI was highly prevalent among women seeking infertility care in Ghana, particularly so among those with secondary infertility. Traders had the highest prevalence of elevated BMI, probably reflecting their predominantly sedentary lifestyles.