Navrongo Health Research Centre

This study examined the effect of molecular model kits on senior high school students’ conceptual understanding and perceptions of balancing chemical equations. A quasi-experimental design was employed, involving an experimental group instructed using molecular model kits and a control group taught through conventional instructional methods. Pre- and post-tests were administered to assess students’ conceptual understanding and perceptions of balancing chemical equations. Independent samples t-tests revealed no significant difference between the groups on pre-test scores, confirming baseline equivalence. However, post-test results revealed that students in the experimental group (M = 20.26, SD = 6.36) performed significantly better than those in the control group (M = 18.70, SD = 5.44), t(58) = 2.37, p = .012, indicating a statistically significant positive effect of molecular model use on conceptual understanding. Similarly, students in the experimental group reported significantly more positive perceptions (M = 3.10, SD = 0.54) than those in the control group (M = 2.70, SD = 0.45), t(58) = 1.69, p = .045. These findings suggest that molecular model kits enhance students’ understanding and engagement by supporting meaningful connections among the macroscopic, microscopic, and symbolic representations of chemical phenomena. The study highlights the pedagogical value of incorporating visual and tactile instructional strategies in chemistry education to promote conceptual understanding and positive learner perceptions.

In Nepal, abortion was legalized in 2002; however, national-level evidence on the factors influencing abortion practices remains limited. This study explored the predictors of induced abortion among women of reproductive age in Nepal using data from the most recent nationally representative survey. We analyzed data from the 2022 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), which employed a nationally representative design. The analytic sample consisted of 14,845 women aged 15-49 years. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and associations were examined using the Rao-Scott chi-square test. Adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated through multivariable Poisson regression to identify determinants of abortion. Overall, 19% of women reported having ever terminated a pregnancy. The prevalence of abortion was higher among women aged 45-49 years (aPR = 5.009, 95% CI: 3.437-7.302, p < 0.001), those with only basic education (aPR = 1.181, 95% CI: 1.075-1.298, p = 0.001), women with six or more children (aPR = 4.024, 95% CI: 2.950-5.490, p < 0.001), frequent internet users (aPR = 1.141, 95% CI: 1.026-1.270, p = 0.015), and women who listened to radio weekly (aPR = 1.115, 95% CI: 1.021-1.218, p = 0.015). In contrast, reduced prevalence was observed among women from poorer households (aPR = 0.838, 95% CI: 0.741-0.947, p = 0.005), those watching television once weekly (aPR = 0.874, 95% CI: 0.794-0.961, p = 0.006), and Buddhist women (aPR = 0.792, 95% CI: 0.679-0.924, p = 0.003). Induced abortion remains relatively common in Nepal. Key determinants include maternal age, parity, education level, household wealth, religious affiliation, and media exposure. To reduce reliance on abortion and improve reproductive health outcomes, policies should expand access to modern contraceptives and comprehensive reproductive health services. Interventions must particularly prioritize older and multiparous women, those with limited education, and women from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds who may face barriers to contraception and safe services, alongside populations highly exposed to internet and radio platforms.

Cronbach’s alpha remains one of the most widely used reliability coefficients in educational and psychological research. However, its application is often accompanied by misinterpretations and methodological limitations. This systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines to examine the use, assumptions, cut-off criteria, and alternatives to Cronbach’s alpha in educational research. A comprehensive search of major academic databases identified 44 eligible studies published between 2000 and 2026, which were critically analyzed based on their relevance, methodological rigor, and contributions to reliability assessment. The review provides key conceptual clarifications, summarizes empirical applications, highlights methodological advancements, and identifies emerging alternatives to Cronbach’s alpha. The findings indicate that although Cronbach’s alpha remains a foundational index of internal consistency, its interpretation must be done with careful consideration of scale dimensionality, sample characteristics, and item properties. The review further emphasizes the importance of reporting Cronbach’s alpha alongside complementary reliability indices, adopting context-specific cut-off criteria, and ensuring transparent and robust estimation procedures. This synthesis offers evidence-based recommendations to enhance reliability assessment practices in educational research.

Routing protocols are crucial in agricultural WSNs, enabling efficient data exchange and communication.However, energy consumption is a major constraint.The Developed Distributed Energy-Efficient Clustering (DDEEC) scheme has limitations, including neglecting average distance between nodes and the Base Station (BS) and wasting of energy by idle nodes.To address this, a modified DDEEC scheme, Improved Developed Distributed Energy Efficient Clustering (IDDEEC) is proposed.The new scheme, incorporates residual energy, average energy of the network, distance between cluster head (CH) and BS, and average distance between nodes and BS in CH selection.Inter-cluster multi-hop communication and sleep/wake schemes are also introduced in the new scheme.MATLAB R2018a simulations show the proposed scheme outperforms TDEEC and DDEEC in throughput, residual energy, and network lifetime whiles DDEEC provided better stability period.However, the proposed system is still suitable for precision agriculture applications than other two schemes.

Cranial-irradiation is associated with tissue damage resulting in neurocognitive impediments that adversely influence patient quality of life. Administration of radiation directly to the tumor may extend to the neighboring healthy tissues, which may induce acute to persistent oxidative stress, lessening neurogenesis, neuroinflammation, as well as vascular alterations, leading to neurocognitive sequelae as a result of decline in neuronal structural complexity as well as synaptic connections. Almost all the medications indicated in the treatment of irradiation-triggered brain injury work via signaling pathways that are associated with lessening chronic oxidative stress, which is considered a consequence of the inflammatory response, reduction of edema, as well as microglia activation. Some agents have both preventative as well as therapeutic potential via the amalgamation of both neuroprotective and therapeutic mechanisms above. Thus, in this review, agents such as baicalein, troxerutin, epigallocatechin gallate, quercetin, melatonin, valproic acid, lithium, neurosteroid progesterone as well as minocycline have been implicated as neuroprotective agents for irradiation-induced neurological deficits. Also, agents such as glucocorticoids, methylphenidate, vitamin E, bisdemethoxycurcumin, phosphodiesterases, edaravone, pioglitazone and fenofibrate, glutamate antagonists, human urinary kallidinogenase, bevacizumab, as well as hyperbaric oxygen have been implicated as therapeutic agents for irradiation-induced neurological deficits. Furthermore, agents such as angiotensin-converting enzyme, 3-N-butyl-phthalide, stem cell therapy, sphingosine-1-phosphate, gangliosides, and neurotrophins have been implicated as combined potential neuroprotective and therapeutic agents for irradiation-induced neurological deficits. The aim of this review is to elucidate the potential neuroprotective and therapeutic agents above and their mechanisms for irradiation-induced neurological deficits after brain irradiation.

BackgroundIn 2019, the RTS,S/AS01E malaria vaccine (RTS,S) was introduced into Ghana’s routine health system as part of the Malaria Vaccine Implementation Programme (MVIP). Household surveys were conducted prior to vaccine introduction and approximately 18 and 30 months post-introduction. We present a description of the area in Ghana based on the baseline household survey including malaria prevalence, malnutrition, wealth, insecticide-treated net (ITN) coverage, other health interventions (deworming, Vitamin A supplementation (VAS)), coverage of Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) vaccines, and health-seeking behaviour for febrile children.MethodsThe baseline household survey was conducted between 25 February and 18 March 2019 in a representative sample of 6778 households across 66 districts (33 in each of the implementing and comparator areas) in Ghana. Caregivers of children aged 5–48 months were interviewed. For each child, vaccination details were transcribed from the maternal and child health record book, and we measured the mid-upper arm circumference and obtained a malaria Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT). Survey-weighted coverage estimates were obtained using standard survey methods. Survey Poisson regression was used to estimate prevalence ratios.ResultsOverall, 7768 children were included in the study, and 21% (95% CI 18–23) tested positive for malaria parasitemia by RDT. About 87%, 95%CI (85–89) of all households owned at least one ITN, and 62%, 95%CI (59–64) of children aged 5–48 months slept under an insecticide-treated net (ITN) the night before the survey. Additionally, 22%, 95%CI (21–24) of children reported having fever in the two weeks preceding the survey; among those with reported fever, 72%, 95%CI (69–74) sought advice or treatment, 40%, 95%CI (37–44) were tested for malaria, and 42%, 95%CI (39–46) of those with fever took an antimalarial drug. Additionally, 17%, 95%CI (16–19) had a mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) ≤ 13.5 cm, and 1%, 95%CI (0–1) had a (MUAC) ≤ 11.5 cm. The uptake of vitamin A VAS in the 6 months prior to the survey was 36%, based on routine delivery through EPI, and deworming coverage was 29%. Coverage of EPI vaccines was > 90%. Indicators in comparison and implementation areas were comparable.ConclusionsThe pilot implementation and evaluation of the RTS,S malaria vaccine in Ghana was conducted in an area with substantial malaria transmission and illness, modest health-seeking behaviour and ITN use, and good EPI vaccine coverage. This study has established the baseline comparability between implementation and comparator areas, which serves as the foundation for future feasibility assessments.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12936-025-05778-9.

BackgroundOut-of-pocket health payments (OOPs) are a key indicator of health financing systems’ performance. Measuring OOPs through household surveys is challenging and yet it is the primary source of information in the absence of comprehensive data on user charges in the public sector and market data from the private sector. The choice of the recall period has been identified as a source of bias in previous studies. This study investigates the effect of two different types of recall periods on the agreement between OOPs reported by households and providers.MethodsHouseholds were sampled for our community survey from the Navrongo Health and Demographic Surveillance System, Ghana. Two versions of a health expenditure module were developed differing only in the recall periods, “shorter recall periods” 2 weeks for medicines and outpatient care, 3 months for preventive care and 6 months for inpatient care and medical products. The longer recall periods were 4 weeks, 6 months and 12 months. Households from both community and provider sampling were randomly assigned to the two questionnaires. The providers included the hospital, one clinic and, health facilities and drug shops in the area. We estimated the ratio between the overall mean household OOPs and overall mean provider OOPs. We assessed agreement between the individual matched household-provider OOPs using Bland-Altman analysis.FindingsThe short and long-recall period versions of the questionnaires were administered to 746 and 480 households with matching success to provider records of 72% and 84%, respectively. The most common spending categories were inpatient care and medicines in this sample. The overall mean OOPs reported by the households were higher than provider records for both recall periods. For matched household-provider data, there was no evidence of a difference in the agreement between the household and provider OOPs for inpatient care, the ratio of household to provider for the 12 months recall was estimated to be 0.74 (95% CI 0.45, 1.19; p = 0.22) that of the ratio of household to provider for the 6-month period, where less than 1 would indicate better agreement. For medicines, the ratio of 4 weeks to 2 weeks was 1.26 (0.93, 1.39; p = 0.39).ConclusionThere were considerable challenges in using provider data to assess the accuracy of reported OOPs in this setting. There was no evidence from this study that the agreement between household and provider data differed by recall period, however the confidence intervals of the effect were wide, and an effect cannot be ruled out. These findings underscore the need for caution in relying solely on provider-reported data and highlight the importance of considering alternative data collection methods to improve the accuracy of healthcare cost assessments.