Population Council Research that makes a difference

Banner Photo: A group of young people clapping in Ghana

Overview

In 1993, the Population Council, in partnership with Ghana’s Ministry of Health (MOH), launched a program at the Navrongo Health Research Center in the Upper East Region of Ghana to determine the demographic and health impact of deploying health-service nurses and volunteers to village locations. In 2002, the Council consolidated its two regional offices in Africa into a single regional office for sub-Saharan Africa located in Accra. Today, although the office no longer functions in that capacity, Ghana staff continue to provide support to Burkina Faso and Mali.

Program focus

The Council has provided research-based evidence and technical advice to the government in the development of its national health policies and programs. A major focus of the Council's work in Ghana has been on community-based delivery of reproductive health services. For example, the Navrongo experiment, called Community Health Planning and Services (CHPS), demonstrated that combining nurse services with volunteer community action is an affordable, sustainable method of accelerating attainment of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The success of the Navrongo pilot and its replication in Ghana and around the world prompted the government to adopt community-based service delivery as the health component of its national poverty-reduction strategy.

The Council is currently leading a major program to support the Government of Ghana in reaching its MDG5 goal to improve maternal health care by 2015, with particular focus on the reduction of maternal morbidity and mortality due to unsafe abortion by improving access to and quality of contraceptive services.

In addition, the Council is involved in a USAID-funded project called: Promoting Malaria Prevention and Treatment, (ProMPT). This nationwide partnership project led by URC aims to strengthen the capacity, effectiveness, and reach of Ghana's National Malaria Control Program in reducing the incidence of malaria, and to support engagement of all key actors in malaria prevention and control.

The Council is a partner in the Addressing the Balance of Burden in AIDS project. This multi-country (including Ghana) research effort in sub-Saharan Africa explores the social context around prevention, treatment, care, and mitigation of the effects of HIV and AIDS in vulnerable populations.

Some of the Council’s STEP UP research takes place in Ghana. The goal of this initiative is to improve the health of the poorest and most vulnerable, particularly women, in the developing world. The consortium supports an evidence-based approach to scaling up access to high-quality family planning and safe abortion services (where available within the context of national laws).

Highlights of past and present work

    • Support to GHS in reducing maternal morbidity and mortality: Provided technical assistance in training midlevel providers (midwives) in the provision of comprehensive abortion care (CAC) services, supported the country's contraceptive commodity security drive, supplied essential equipment needed for family planning and CAC services, and constructed two reproductive health Centers of Excellence to help in the further development of Ghana’s health providers.
    • Demographic data for development (3-D) case studies: The Council conducted research to create a detailed portrait of access and demand for data, as well as use and sharing of data for development, policies, and procedures in Ghana.  The Council’s current effort aims at promoting internal demand for data by working with key media intermediaries and local partners including the Ghana Institute of Journalism, Ghana Journalists Association, colleagues from various universities, and Google Ghana.
    • Adolescent safe spaces, health, and skills for adulthood in urban Ghana: This pilot program was designed to support 12–15-year-old female adolescents in a subdistrict of Tema Metropolis in creating safe spaces where girls can develop social networks and discuss their challenges in groups that are led by adult mentors. The program promoted financial education, life skills and leadership, social capital, general health knowledge, sexual and reproductive health, and expectations and attitudes for a positive future.
    • Operations research support for the MOH and GHS, including: (1) evaluating the integration of family planning into other reproductive health services in Ghana; (2) assessing and documenting the acceptability of misoprostol and mifepristone by users to inform the introduction of medical abortion; (3) supporting the introduction of new family planning technologies, including the levonorgestrel intrauterine system (IUS-LBG) as well as Sino Implant II (Zarin) in the country to increase women's choice of long-term contraceptive methods; (4) assessing the profile of abortion seekers in Ghana and their decisionmaking processes to support the GHS in program design and implementation; and (5) conducting a study to learn what female students know and think about preventing unwanted pregnancy and abortion.
    • Identified barriers to use of the intrauterine device (IUD) and developed messages to encourage providers and clients to consider the IUD as a contraceptive option, with support from the MOH and GHS.
    • Developed the economic evaluation and marketing skills of two major private providers of reproductive health services: the Christian Health Association of Ghana and Ghana Social Marketing Foundation Enterprises.
    • Supported the strengthening of the national STI/RTI program, including private-sector involvement and service delivery improvement through policy change
    • Partnered with the WHO to support a government study to review RTIs, identify client and service needs, assist in defining policy, and contribute to informed decision-making concerning RTI programs.
    • Assessed and revised the national antenatal care policy to include early detection and treatment of all complications arising during pregnancy, with a particular emphasis on birth preparedness and complication readiness, prevention of malaria and PMTCT.
    • Examined the effect of Ghana’s health-sector reorganization on reproductive health goals.

Projects

Addressing the Balance of Burden in AIDS (ABBA) (more)
The ABBA Research Programme Consortium is a multi-country research project in sub-Saharan Africa that explores the social context around prevention, treatment, care, and mitigation of the effects of HIV and AIDS in vulnerable populations.
(6/2006 - ongoing)
HIV care, support, and treatment; Vulnerable populations

Strengthening Evidence for Programming on Unintended Pregnancy (STEP UP) (more)
The Population Council is the coordinating partner for STEP UP, which will generate policy-relevant research to promote an evidence-based approach for improving access to family planning and safe abortion.
(1/2011 - 1/2016)
Access to contraceptive methods; Family planning services; Health care financing; People living with HIV; Safe abortion and postabortion care; Strengthening health systems

Task-sharing between Community Health Workers and Community Mid-level Professionals: Increasing Access to FP and RH Services (more)
With the aim of improving access to family planning and reproductive health services in rural areas, the Council is conducting research to investigate how different cadres of health workers function in relation to each other in five priority countries: Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Kenya, and Pakistan.
(10/2010 - 10/2015)
Family planning services; Strengthening health systems

Adolescent Safe Spaces, Health, and Skills for Adulthood in Urban Ghana (more)
This safe spaces program provides 12–15-year-old urban adolescent females in Ghana with social, economic, and health assets.
(1/2009 - 3/2011)
Financial literacy/livelihoods; Schooling; Social isolation/support

Reducing Maternal Morbidity and Mortality Through Increased Access to Comprehensive Abortion Care and Family Planning Services in Ghana (more)
The Reducing Maternal Morbidity and Mortality program is supporting the government of Ghana in achieving its contraceptive prevalence goal of 39 percent by 2015 and reducing mortality and morbidity due to unsafe abortion in three focus regions.
(9/2006 - 12/2011)
Family planning services; Integrating health services; Maternal and newborn health; Safe abortion and postabortion care

Resources

Featured publication

Population Council in Ghana (PDFs: A4 and letter)
Country profile
Publication date: 2012

Integration of family planning into other health services in Ghana: Performance needs assessment at four facilities in the Ashanti and Eastern regions (PDF
Laar,Amos
Publication date: 2012


Repositioning community-based family planning in Ghana: A case study of Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) (PDF
Ntsua,Stephen; Tapsoba,Placide; Quansah-Asare,Gloria; Nyonator,Frank K.
Case study report
Publication date: 2012


Increasing access to family planning (FP) and reproductive health (RH) services through task-sharing between community health workers (CHWs) and community mid-level professionals in large-scale public-sector programs: A literature review to help guide case studies (PDF
Foreit,James R.; Raifman,Sarah
Publication date: 2011


Integration of family planning into other health services in Ghana: Report on the performance needs assessment at four facilities in the Ashanti and Eastern regions 
Noah,Y.Abisola
Publication date: 2011


Introduction of medical abortion in Ghana (PDF
Osei Kuffour,Emmanuel; Esantsi,Selina; Tapsoba,Placide; Quansah-Asare,Gloria; Askew,Ian
Publication date: 2011


Pilotage d'un programme visant à sécuriser l'espace et à renforcer les ressources des adolescentes vivant dans les zones urbaines du Ghana (PDF
Engebretsen,Sarah; Esantsi,Selina
Promouvoir des transitions vers l'âge adulte saines, sécurisées et productives resumen (no. 40)
Publication date: 2011


Piloting a safe spaces, asset-building program for adolescent girls in urban Ghana (PDF
Engebretsen,Sarah; Esantsi,Selina
Promoting Healthy, Safe, and Productive Transitions to Adulthood Brief (no. 40)
Publication date: 2011


Provider-related barriers to accessing emergency contraception in developing countries: A literature review (PDF
Williams,Katherine
Publication date: 2011


Adolescent experience in-depth: Using data to identify and reach the most vulnerable young people--Ghana 2008 (PDF) (HTML
Publication date: 2010


Equity in access to maternal and child health services in five developing countries: What works (abstract
Talukder,Md.Noorunnabi; Rob,Ubaidur
International Quarterly of Community Health Education 31(2): 119-131
Publication date: 2010


Lessons learned from the Ghana Essential Medicines Initiative (PDF
Population Council
GEMI (Ghana Essential Medicines Initiative) Final Report
Publication date: 2010


Life skills: Psychosocial and interpersonal skills for adolescent girls in urban Ghana--Mentor's guide (PDF
Publication date: 2010


Acceptability and promotion strategies for LNG-IUS in Ghana: A public health assessment (PDF
Nyarko,Philomena; Adohinzin,Cletus; Tapsoba,Placide; Esantsi,Selina; Townsend,John W.; Kanlisi,Nicholas; Ed-Nighpense,Ekua; Asare,Gloria Quansah
Publication date: 2009


Adolescent experience in-depth: Using data to identify and reach the most vulnerable young people (HTML
Series of 51 data guides by country
Publication date: 2009


Adolescent experience in-depth: Using data to identify and reach the most vulnerable young people--Ghana 2003 (PDF) (HTML
Publication date: 2009


Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS): Community Health Officer Registers--Instruction Manual (PDF
Publication date: 2009


Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS): Community Health Officer Training Manual (Facilitator's Guide), Volume 1 (PDF
Publication date: 2009


Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS): Community Health Officer Training Manual (Facilitator's Guide), Volume 2 (PDF
Publication date: 2009


Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS): Community Health Officer Training Manual (Facilitator's Guide), Volume 3 (PDF
Publication date: 2009


Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS): Community Health Officer's Training Workbook, Volume 1 (PDF
Publication date: 2009


Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS): Community Health Officer's Training Workbook, Volume 2 (PDF
Publication date: 2009


Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS): Community Health Officer's Training Workbook, Volume 3 (PDF
Publication date: 2009


Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS): Community Health Volunteer's Training Manual (PDF
Publication date: 2009


Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS): Preceptor's Guide for Community Health Nursing Training Schools, Volume 1 (PDF
Publication date: 2009


Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS): Preceptor's Guide for Community Health Nursing Training Schools, Volume 2 (PDF
Publication date: 2009


Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS): Preceptor's Guide for Community Health Nursing Training Schools, Volume 3 (PDF
Publication date: 2009


Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS): Tutor's Guide for Community Health Nursing Training Schools, Volume 1 (PDF
Publication date: 2009


Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS): Tutor's Guide for Community Health Nursing Training Schools, Volume 2 (PDF
Publication date: 2009


Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS): Tutor's Guide for Community Health Nursing Training Schools, Volume 3 (PDF
Publication date: 2009


Day of Dialogue: Sharing insights and evidence on the female condom in Ghana (PDF
Report from a 24 November 2008 consultation in Accra, Ghana
Publication date: 2009


Demographic data for development in sub-Saharan Africa (PDF
Baldwin,Wendy; Diers,Judith A.
Poverty, Gender, and Youth Working Paper (no. 13)
Publication date: 2009


Demographic Data for Development: Ghana (PDF
Awusabo-Asare,Kofi; Baldwin,Wendy; Engebretsen,Sarah
Final report
Publication date: 2009


Enhancing promotion of the female condom (PDF
Population Briefs 15(2)
Publication date: 2009


Home Management of Malaria, Acute Respiratory Infection and Diarrhoea in Ghana: Implementation Guidelines (PDF
Publication date: 2009


Home Management of Malaria, Acute Respiratory Infection and Diarrhoea in Ghana: Manual for Community Based Agents (PDF
Publication date: 2009


Enhancing women's protection
 (PDF
GEMI (Ghana Essential Medicines Initiative) Progress Report, (Fall)
Publication date: 2008


Adapting focused antenatal care: Lessons from three African countries (PDF
Birungi,Harriet
FRONTIERS Program Brief (no. 11)
Publication date: 2008


Comparing the effectiveness and costs of alternative strategies for improving access to information and services for the IUD in Ghana (PDF
Osei,Ivy; Voetagbe,Gertrude; Aikins,Moses; Gyapong,John; Nyarko,Philomena; Birungi,Harriet; Asare,Gloria Quansah; Odoi-Agyarko,Henrietta; Aglah,Olivia
FRONTIERS Final Report
Publication date: 2008


Family planning and comprehensive abortion care handbook for medical students and house officers (PDF
Population Council
Publication date: 2008


Profile of abortion seekers in Ghana and their decision-making processes (PDF
Nyarko,Philomena; Adohinzin,Cletus; RamaRao,Saumya; Tapsoba,Placide; Ajayi,Ayorinde
Publication date: 2008


The female condom in Ghana: Exploring the current state of affairs and gauging potential for enhanced promotion (PDF
Naik,Reshma; Brady,Martha
Publication date: 2008


Unmet need for family planning (PDF
GEMI (Ghana Essential Medicines Initiative) Progress Report, (Winter)
Publication date: 2008


Assessing the equitable distribution of essential medicines for rural maternal and child health care: Baseline report, Nkwanta District, Ghana (PDF
GEMI (Ghana Essential Medicines Initiative) Progress Report, (June)
Publication date: 2007


Evidence-based scaling up of health and family planning service innovations in Bangladesh and Ghana (PDF
Phillips,James F.; Nyonator,Frank K.; Jones,Tanya C.; Ravikumar,Shruti; Simmons,Ruth; Fajans,Peter; Ghiron,Laura
from Scaling Up Health Service Delivery: From Pilot Innovations to Policies and Programmes, pp. 113-134
Publication date: 2007


Focused antenatal care acceptable, tricky to implement (PDF
Population Briefs 13(1)
Publication date: 2007


Innovative program dramatically lowers child mortality in Ghana (PDF
Population Briefs 13(2)
Publication date: 2007


Maquiladoras and market mamas: Women's work and childcare in Guatemala City and Accra (abstract
Quisumbing,Agnes R.; Hallman,Kelly; Ruel,Marie T.
Journal of Development Studies 43(3): 420-455
Publication date: 2007


Premarital sex and schooling transitions in four sub-Saharan African countries (PDF
Biddlecom,Ann E.; Gregory,Richard; Lloyd,Cynthia B.; Mensch,Barbara S.
Poverty, Gender, and Youth Working Paper (no. 5)
Publication date: 2007


Rapid achievement of the child survival Millennium Development Goal: Evidence from the Navrongo experiment in Northern Ghana (abstract
Binka,Fred N.; Bawah,Ayaga A.; Phillips,James F.; Hodgson,Abraham; Adjuik,Martin; MacLeod,Bruce
Tropical Medicine and International Health 12(5): 578-583
Publication date: 2007


Scaling up experimental project success with the Community-based Health Planning and Services initiative in Ghana (PDF
Nyonator,Frank K.; Akosa,Agyeman Badu; Awoonor-Williams,John Koku; Phillips,James F.; Jones,Tanya C.; Simmons,Ruth; Fajans,Peter; Ghiron,Laura
from Scaling Up Health Service Delivery: From Pilot Innovations to Policies and Programmes, pp. 89-112
Publication date: 2007


Spotlight on child malnutrition (PDF
GEMI (Ghana Essential Medicines Initiative) Progress Report, (Fall)
Publication date: 2007


The effect of community nurses and health volunteers on child mortality: The Navrongo Community Health and Family Planning Project (abstract
Pence,Brian Wells; Nyarko,Philomena; Phillips,James F.; Debpuur,Cornelius
Scandinavian Journal of Public Health 35(6): 599-608
Publication date: 2007


The resolution of unintended pregnancy among female students at the University of Ghana, Legon (PDF
El-Adas,Angela
Publication date: 2007


Accelerating reproductive and child health programme impact with community-based services: The Navrongo experiment in Ghana
 (abstract
Phillips,James F.; Bawah,Ayaga A.; Binka,Fred N.
Bulletin of the World Health Organization 84(12): 949-953
Publication date: 2006


Acceptability and feasibility of introducing the WHO focused antenatal care package in Ghana (PDF
Birungi,Harriet; Nyarko,Philomena; Armar-Klemesu,Margaret; Arhinful,Daniel; Deganus,Sylvia; Odoi-Agyarko,Henrietta; Brew,Gladys
FRONTIERS Final Report
Publication date: 2006


Costs of reproductive health services provided by four Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) hospitals (PDF
Boateng,James; Surnye,Henry; Mensah,Alex; Boateng,Bismark; Nyarko,Philomena; Munguti,Nzoya; Bratt,John H.
FRONTIERS Final Report
Publication date: 2006


Could eliminating malaria significantly extend life expectancy? (PDF
Population Briefs 12(2)
Publication date: 2006


Face-to-face complementary selling of health products in Ghana (PDF
Bruce,Egbert; Mensah,Daniel; Idun,John; Ashabley,Francis; Foreit,James R.; Nyarko,Philomena
FRONTIERS Final Report
Publication date: 2006


Ghana: Combine learning approaches to improve maternal care (PDF
FRONTIERS OR Summary (no. 57)
Publication date: 2006


In our own hands: SWAA-Ghana champions the female condom (PDF
Cravero,Kathleen; Skaer,Michelle; Ebin,Victoria; Brady,Martha
Quality/Calidad/Qualité (no. 17)
Publication date: 2006


Priority setting for reproductive health at the district level in the context of health sector reforms in Ghana (PDF
Birungi,Harriet; Nyarko,Philomena; Askew,Ian; Ajayi,Ayorinde; Addico,Gifty; Addai,Edward; Jehu-Appiah,Caroline
FRONTIERS Final Report
Publication date: 2006


TB baseline survey in 30 districts implementing CHPS in seven southern regions of Ghana 
Final report
Publication date: 2006


The impact of immunization on the association between poverty and child survival: Evidence from Kassena-Nankana District of northern Ghana (PDF
Bawah,Ayaga A.; Phillips,James F.; Adjuik,Martin; Vaughan-Smith,Maya; MacLeod,Bruce; Binka,Fred N.
Policy Research Division Working Paper (no. 218)
Publication date: 2006


Accelerating reproductive and child health program development: The Navrongo initiative in Ghana (PDF
Phillips,James F.; Bawah,Ayaga A.; Binka,Fred N.
Policy Research Division Working Paper (no. 208)
Publication date: 2005


An assessment of trends in the use of the IUD in Ghana: National results dissemination and utilization (PDF
Osei,Ivy; Gyapong,John; Wanjiru,Monica; Askew,Ian
FRONTIERS Final Report
Publication date: 2005


Expanding a successful health care initiative (PDF
Population Briefs 11(3)
Publication date: 2005


From experiment to program: Examining a successful initiative (PDF
Population Council Annual Report 2004
Publication date: 2005


Guiding the Ghana Community-based Health Planning and Services approach to scaling up with qualitative systems appraisal (abstract
Nyonator,Frank K.; Jones,Tanya C.; Miller,Robert A.; Phillips,James F.; Awoonor-Williams,John Koku
International Quarterly of Community Health Education 23(3): 189-213
Publication date: 2005


How many years of life could be saved if malaria were eliminated from a hyperendemic area of northern Ghana? (PDF
Bawah,Ayaga A.; Binka,Fred N.
Policy Research Division Working Paper (no. 203)
Publication date: 2005


Improving the Ghanaian Safe Motherhood Programme (PDF
Osei,Ivy; Garshong,Bertha; Banahene,Gertrude; Gyapong,John; Tapsoba,Placide; Askew,Ian; Ahiadeke,Clement; Killian,Richard; Bonku,Edward; Combary,Perle; Sampson,William
FRONTIERS Final Report
Publication date: 2005


Review of antenatal-linked voluntary counseling and HIV testing in sub-Saharan Africa: Lessons and options for Ghana (abstract
Baiden,Frank; Baiden,Rita; Williams,John; Akweongo,Patricia; Clerk,Christine; Debpuur,Cornelius; Phillips,James F.; Hodgson,Abraham
Ghana Medical Journal 39(1): 8-13
Publication date: 2005


The effect of community nurses and health volunteers on child mortality: The Navrongo Community Health and Family Planning Project (PDF
Pence,Brian Wells; Nyarko,Philomena; Phillips,James F.; Debpuur,Cornelius
Policy Research Division Working Paper (no. 200)
Publication date: 2005


The Ghana Community-based Health Planning and Services Initiative for scaling up service delivery innovation (abstract
Nyonator,Frank K.; Awoonor-Williams,John Koku; Phillips,James F.; Jones,Tanya C.; Miller,Robert A.
Health Policy and Planning 20(1): 25-34
Publication date: 2005


Transferring Ghana's system of evidence-based health program development: Program for an initial exchange with Sierra Leone and Burkina Faso (PDF
FRONTIERS Report
Publication date: 2005


What happened to the IUD in Ghana? (abstract) (HTML
Osei,Ivy; Birungi,Harriet; Addico,Gifty; Askew,Ian; Gyapong,John
African Journal of Reproductive Health 9(2): 76-91
Publication date: 2005


What works? What fails? Compendium of newsletters from the Navrongo Community Health and Family Planning Project 2001-2004 
Publication date: 2005


Bridging the gap between evidence-based innovation and national health-sector reform in Ghana (abstract) (PDF
Awoonor-Williams,John Koku; Feinglass,Ellie S.; Tobey,Rachel; Vaughan-Smith,Maya; Nyonator,Frank K.; Jones,Tanya C.
Studies in Family Planning 35(3): 161-177
Publication date: 2004


Bridging the gap between evidence-based innovation and national health-sector reform in Ghana (PDF
Awoonor-Williams,John Koku; Feinglass,Ellie S.; Tobey,Rachel; Vaughan-Smith,Maya; Nyonator,Frank K.; Jones,Tanya C.; Phillips,James F.
Policy Research Division Working Paper (no. 191)
Publication date: 2004


Investigating IUD demand in Ghana and Guatemala (PDF
Population Briefs 10(1)
Publication date: 2004


Maquiladoras and market mamas: Women's work and childcare in Guatemala City and Accra (PDF
Quisumbing,Agnes R.; Hallman,Kelly; Ruel,Marie T.
Food Consumption and Nutrition Division Discussion Paper (no. 153)
Publication date: 2003


An assessment of trends in the use of the IUD in Ghana (PDF
Gyapong,John; Addico,Gifty; Osei,Ivy; Abbey,Mercy; Kobinah,Dominic Atweam; Agyarko,Henrietta Odoi; Asare,Gloria Quansah; Birungi,Harriet; Askew,Ian
FRONTIERS Final Report
Publication date: 2003


Evidence-based development of health and family planning programs in Bangladesh and Ghana (PDF
Phillips,James F.; Jones,Tanya C.; Nyonator,Frank K.; Ravikumar,Shruti
Policy Research Division Working Paper (no. 175)
Publication date: 2003


Ghana and Guatemala: Clients and providers need better support and guidance on IUDs (PDF
FRONTIERS OR Summary (no. 32)
Publication date: 2003


Ghana y Guatemala: Clientas y proveedores requieren de apoyo y orientación sobre DIU [Ghana and Guatemala: Clients and providers need better support and guidance on IUDs] (PDF
FRONTERAS Resumen de Investigación Operativa (número 21)
Publication date: 2003


Inconsistent reporting of female genital cutting status in northern Ghana: Explanatory factors and analytical consequences (abstract) (PDF
Jackson,Elizabeth F.; Akweongo,Patricia; Sakeah,Evelyn; Hodgson,Abraham; Asuru,Rofina; Phillips,James F.
Studies in Family Planning 34(3): 200-210
Publication date: 2003


Innovative strategies reduce fertility in Ghana (PDF
Population Briefs 9(2)
Publication date: 2003


Selected DHS data on 10-14-year-olds (HTML
Annexes by country to Facts about Adolescents from the Demographic and Health Survey: Statistical Tables for Program Planning
Publication date: 2003


Selected DHS data on 10-14-year-olds: Ghana (PDF) (HTML
Annex to "Facts about adolescents from the Demographic and Health Survey: Statistical tables for program planning"
Publication date: 2003


Social interaction and contraceptive change in northern Ghana (abstract
Feyisetan,Bamikale J.; Phillips,James F.; Binka,Fred N.
African Population Studies 18(2): 47-67
Publication date: 2003


Social organization and reproductive behavior in southern Ghana 
Agyeman,Dominic K.; Casterline,John B.; Agyei-Mensah,Samuel
from Reproduction and Social Context in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Collection of Micro-Demographic Studies, pp. 7-35
Publication date: 2003


Stratégies innovatrices pour réduire la fertilité au Ghana (PDF
Population Briefs, October 2003 (French edition)
Publication date: 2003


The Ghana Community-based Health Planning and Services Initiative: Fostering evidence-based organizational change and development in a resource-constrained setting (PDF
Nyonator,Frank K.; Awoonor-Williams,John Koku; Phillips,James F.; Jones,Tanya C.; Miller,Robert A.
Policy Research Division Working Paper (no. 180)
Publication date: 2003


Women's denial of having experienced female genital cutting in northern Ghana: Explanatory factors and consequences for analysis of survey data (PDF
Jackson,Elizabeth F.; Akweongo,Patricia; Sakeah,Evelyn; Hodgson,Abraham; Asuru,Rofina; Phillips,James F.
Policy Research Division Working Paper (no. 178)
Publication date: 2003


Bridging the safe motherhood knowledge gap (PDF
Population Briefs 8(1)
Publication date: 2002


Friends strongly influence contraceptive use in Ghana (PDF
Population Briefs 8(2)
Publication date: 2002


Social organization and reproductive behavior in southern Ghana (PDF
Agyeman,Dominic K.; Casterline,John B.
Policy Research Division Working Paper (no. 167)
Publication date: 2002


The impact of the Navrongo project on contraceptive knowledge and use, reproductive preferences, and fertility (abstract) (PDF
Debpuur,Cornelius; Phillips,James F.; Jackson,Elizabeth F.; Nazzar,Alex; Ngom,Pierre; Binka,Fred N.
Studies in Family Planning 33(2): 141-164
Publication date: 2002


Facts about adolescents from the Demographic and Health Survey: Statistical tables for program planning (HTML
Series of DHS data tables by country
Publication date: 2001


Facts about adolescents from the Demographic and Health Survey--Statistical tables for program planning: Ghana 1998 (PDF) (HTML
Publication date: 2001


Ghana: Community workers can communicate STI and HIV/AIDS messages effectively (PDF
FRONTIERS OR Summary (no. 21)
Publication date: 2001


Immunization status and child survival in rural Ghana (PDF
Nyarko,Philomena; Pence,Brian Wells; Debpuur,Cornelius
Policy Research Division Working Paper (no. 147)
Publication date: 2001


Social networks and contraceptive dynamics in southern Ghana (PDF
Montgomery,Mark R.; Kiros,Gebre-Egziabher; Agyeman,Dominic K.; Casterline,John B.; Aglobitse,Peter; Hewett,Paul C.
Policy Research Division Working Paper (no. 153)
Publication date: 2001


Validity of women's self-reported obstetric complications in rural Ghana (abstract) (PDF
Sloan,Nancy L.; Amoaful,Esi; Arthur,Paul; Winikoff,Beverly; Adjei,Sam
Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition 19(2): 45-51
Publication date: 2001


An assessment of the community based distribution programs in Ghana (PDF
Chege,Jane; Sanogo,Diouratie; Askew,Ian; Bannerman,Angela; Grey,Steve; Glover,Evam Kofi; Yankey,Francis; Nerquaye-Tetteh,Joana
FRONTIERS Final Report
Publication date: 2000


Hideyo Noguchi's last stand: The yellow fever commission in Accra, Africa (1927-8) 
Koide,Samuel S.
Journal of Medical Biography 8(2): 97-101
Publication date: 2000


Overview of youth centre assessments in Kenya, Zimbabwe and Ghana 
Publication date: 2000


Assessing population dynamics in a rural African society: The Navrongo Demographic Surveillance System (abstract
Binka,Fred N.; Ngom,Pierre; Phillips,James F.; Adazu,Kubaje; MacLeod,Bruce
Journal of Biosocial Science 31(3): 375-391
Publication date: 1999


Women's fears and men's anxieties: The impact of family planning on gender relations in northern Ghana (abstract) (PDF
Bawah,Ayaga A.; Akweongo,Patricia; Simmons,Ruth; Phillips,James F.
Studies in Family Planning 30(1): 54-66
Publication date: 1999


Ethnicity and child mortality in sub-Saharan Africa (PDF
Brockerhoff,Martin; Hewett,Paul C.
Policy Research Division Working Paper (no. 107)
Publication date: 1998


Social networks and the diffusion of fertility control (PDF
Montgomery,Mark R.; Casterline,John B.
Policy Research Division Working Paper (no. 119)
Publication date: 1998


The changing social environment for adolescents in Kassena-Nankana District of northern Ghana: Implications for reproductive behavior (PDF
Mensch,Barbara S.; Bagah,Daniel; Clark,Wesley H.; Binka,Fred N.
Policy Research Division Working Paper (no. 110)
Publication date: 1998


The influence of traditional religion on fertility regulation among the Kassena-Nankana of northern Ghana (abstract) (PDF
Adongo,Philip B.; Binka,Fred N.; Phillips,James F.
Studies in Family Planning 29(1): 23-40
Publication date: 1998


The determinants of contraceptive innovation: A case-control study of family planning acceptance in a traditional African society 
Phillips,James F.; Binka,Fred N.; Adjuik,Martin; Nazzar,Alex; Adazu,Kubaze Frank
Policy Research Division Working Paper (no. 93)
Publication date: 1997


Developing a culturally appropriate family planning program for the Navrongo experiment (abstract
Nazzar,Alex; Adongo,Philip B.; Binka,Fred N.; Phillips,James F.
Studies in Family Planning 26(6): 307-324
Publication date: 1995


The Navrongo Community Health and Family Planning Project (abstract
Binka,Fred N.; Nazzar,Alex; Phillips,James F.
Studies in Family Planning 26(3): 121-139
Publication date: 1995


The tradeoff between the number of children and their schooling: Evidence from Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana 
Montgomery,Mark R.; Kouame,Aka; Oliver,Raylynn
Policy Research Division Working Paper (no. 82)
Publication date: 1995


Unmet need for contraception: Unmet need in a traditional West African setting 
Population Council Project Summary
Publication date: 1995


Gender Inequalities and Demographic Behavior: Ghana/Kenya 
Gage,Anastasia J.; Njogu,Wamucii
Publication date: 1994


Does sibsize matter? The implications of family size for children's education in Ghana 
Lloyd,Cynthia B.; Gage,Anastasia J.
Policy Research Division Working Paper (no. 45)
Publication date: 1992


Women's role in maintaining households: Poverty and gender inequality in Ghana 
Lloyd,Cynthia B.; Brandon,Anastasia J.
Policy Research Division Working Paper (no. 25)
Publication date: 1991


Women's childrearing strategies in relation to fertility and employment in Ghana 
Blanc,Ann K.; Lloyd,Cynthia B.
Policy Research Division Working Paper (no. 16)
Publication date: 1990


Ghana Fast Facts

Population (millions)25.5
Total fertility rate4.1
Infant deaths per 1,000 live births47
Maternal deaths per 100,000 live births350
Girls aged 20-24 married by age 18 (%)24.6
HIV/AIDS prevalence (%)1.8
Living below US $2 per day (%)54

Country statistics from Demographic and Health Surveys, 1987–2011; UNAIDS and UNICEF websites (accessed 10/22/2012); "World Population Data Sheet" (Population Reference Bureau, 2012)
 

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