Background: Climate change is a severe and growing threat to public health, with disproportionate impacts falling on resource-limited nations like Sierra Leone. While future healthcare providers must be fully prepared to manage these escalating challenges, there remains a notable lack of research exploring how medical students actually perceive and understand the critical links between climate and health. Methods: We conducted a qualitative study involving 20 medical students from the College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences (COMAHS) at the University of Sierra Leone. Using purposive sampling, we purposefully included individuals from both basic and clinical sciences to capture a broad range of perspectives. Data were collected through focus group discussions and in- depth interviews, then systematically evaluated using thematic analysis via NVivo 15 software. Results: Our analysis identified five central themes. Students demonstrated a strong awareness of climate-driven health outcomes, frequently highlighting increases in malaria, cholera, and mental health struggles. Although their grasp of the exact scientific mechanisms varied, participants expressed a clear, proactive willingness to adopt sustainable behaviors and advocate for theircommunities. However, their intent to act is heavily frustrated by systemic barriers; such as poverty and political inertia, alongside a striking consensus that current medical curricula lack practical, climate-focused training. Conclusions: Medical students in Sierra Leone recognize the health threats posed by climate change and are eager to drive positive change, but they are currently held back by educational and institutional shortcomings. Embedding dedicated climate-health content into medical training and actively supporting student advocacy are critical steps toward building a resilient, future-ready healthcare workforce.
Increasing viral infections and rising drug resistance underscore the urgent need for new antiviral agents. This study evaluates the antiviral potential of extracts from Detarium microcarpum (stem bark), Prosopis africana (whole fruit, stem bark, and root bark), Parinari polyandra (stem bark), and Phyllanthus muellerianus (stem bark) against echoviruses E7 and E19. Plant materials were extracted via maceration using aqueous methanol (30:70) and assessed through cell culture-based assays. The virus titer (TCID₅₀) was determined to be 10⁻⁶ for both viruses, with 100 TCID₅₀ employed for antiviral screening. Cytotoxicity (CC₅₀) and maximum non-toxic concentrations(MNTC) were determined using the MTT assay. Among the tested extracts, Prosopis africana root (PAR) exhibited the strongest antiviral activity, with IC₅₀ values of 0.073 μg/mL for E19 and 1.70 μg/mL for E7, coupled with high selectivity (SI = 90.96). Moderate activity was observed in the fruit extract of Prosopis africana (PAF) and the stem bark of Parinari polyandra (PPS), while Detarium microcarpum and Phyllanthus muellerianus showed limited or no efficacy. These findings reveal untapped antiviral potential in African medicinal flora and identify Prosopis africana as a promising candidate for further investigation and development of plant-based antiviral therapies
About three-quarters of all mental disorders are diagnosed before age 25 years. Only 1.5% ofNigerian youths consider seeking professional health care for mental illness. This study aimed toassess university students’ prior knowledge about mental health and their expectations of campaignsto promote their mental well-being within the school environment. This was a descriptive cross-sectional pre-interventional study among 276 undergraduates. Questionnaires were administeredprior to a mental health summit organized among tertiary institution students. Data were analysedusing Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22. The data from descriptive statisticswere presented using frequencies and means. The mean age of respondents was 20 ± 2.1 years, witha majority being female (76.4%) and first-year undergraduate students (50.7%). Most recogniseddrug abuse as a risk factor (98.2%) and supported hospital treatment (85.5%), although 13.4%attributed mental illness to spiritual causes. Additionally, 65.6% were unaware of local mentalhealth services, while 64.9% were willing to volunteer for mental health campaigns. However,26.8% believed that people with mental illnesses cannot lead normal lives. About 50.9% learnedabout the Tertiary Institution-Based Mental-Healthcare (TIM Healthcare) Programme through theStudents’ Union. Expectations from the mental health awareness campaign included learning aboutmental health, fighting stigma, and meeting specialists. The study highlights the importance oftargeted campaigns and interventions, peer advocacy and institutional support in bridging mentalhealth knowledge gaps and reducing stigma in tertiary institutions
Background: In 2020, Sierra Leone confirmed an outbreak of circulating Vaccine Derived Poliovirus type 2. However, information on the country’s performance on AFP surveillance indicators is limited. We aimed to describe incidence of AFP and assess the AFP surveillanceperformance in Sierra Leone using the World Health Organization (WHO) performance indicators. Methods: We conducted a descriptive analysis of the national AFP surveillance data, for 2018-2022. Data were extracted from the national AFP surveillance database and analyzed using Epi Info 7. Key AFP surveillance performance indicators reviewed include non-polio AFP rate (WHO target: ≥2/100,000), case notification within 7 days of symptom onset (Target: ≥80%), case investigation within 48 hrs. after notification (≥80%), stool condition and adequacy (≥80%). We compared the system’s performance on those indicators and compared them with WHO targets. Results: There were 668 cases of AFP reported, of which 55% (368/668) were males and 78% (521/668) were under 5 years of age. Of the total cases, 2% (15/668) were confirmed as cVDPV with zero WPV. The average annual non-polio AFP rate was 4 per 100,000 <15-year populations. The Proportion of cases notified ≤7 days of symptom onset was 70% (468/668), and cases investigated ≤48 hours was 90% (601/668). Though stool condition was 90% (601/668) good, the adequacy was 77% (450/585) and only 7% (41/585) arrived at the national laboratory within 3 days after collection. Majority of the cases, 91% (609/668), including confirmed cVDPV2, had received three or more doses of oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV). Conclusion: The performance of the AFP surveillance system in Sierra Leone surpassed WHO indicators for annualized non-polio AFP rate, case investigation, and stool condition but failed to achieve the minimal target for stool adequacy, case notification, and sample transportation indicating the likelihood of missing a case. We recommend that the Ministry of Health strengthen the sample referral system.
Globally, Sierra Leone is among the countries with a high maternal mortality ratio (MMR) at 717 per 100,000 live births (DHS 2019). Since then, anecdotal reports show a rapid decline in the MMR. This study to determine the magnitude and trend of maternal deaths, to describe maternal deaths by person, place, and time, and to identify the leading cause (s) of maternal deaths in Sierra Leone. A retrospective descriptive analysis was conducted using data from 2016 ─ 2021 extracted from the National Electronic MDSR line-listing System database. We analyzed key variables including age, place and time of death, gravidity, and cause of death. We calculated frequencies, proportions, and ratios using Microsoft Excel. Overall, 3,491 maternal deaths were recorded out of 1,312,951 live births during the study period, with an average MMR of 266 deaths per 100,000 live births ranging from 319 per 100, 000 live births in 2016 to 255 per 100,000 live births in 2021. The median age of decedent mothers was 27 years (range: 12 to 50 years). The age group 25-34 years accounted for almost half, 45% (1,552/3,491), of the deaths. The deaths were more common in multi-gravida women with 41% (1,353/3,491) of the total deaths. Of the total maternal deaths, 79% (2,767/3,491) occurred at health facilities of these, 75% (2,065/2,767) were from referral hospitals. Hemorrhage was reported the leading cause of maternal deaths at 43% (1,489/3,491), followed by hypertensive disorder at 17% (577/3,491), indirect causes at 13% (437/3,491), and the least was from abortion/ectopic 3% (97/3,491). There was a decline in maternal death from 2016 to 2021. Hemorrhage was the leading cause of maternal death. We recommend the Ministry of Health implement targeted strategies on hemorrhage prevention and control for further reduction of maternal mortality in Sierra Leone
In 2015, the HIV surveillance system was established within the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) Program to monitor HIV epidemiological trends. To date, no studies have evaluated its performance in the Western Area Urban District. This study describes the operation of the HIV surveillance system; assess its performance on key system attributes and usefulness within the PMTCT program in the district. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from October to December 2022. Eighteen healthcare workers were purposively selected and interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire to describe the system operations and evaluate qualitative attributes. Health facility registers and the District Health Information System (DHIS2) data were reviewed to assess quantitative attributes. The performance status of each attribute was interpreted using the following scoring system: <40% (poor), 40%-70% (average), and >70% (good). The HIV surveillance system within the PMTCT program operates as a passive surveillance system. Data reporting is done monthly, and feedback and supervision are conducted quarterly. Simplicity was rated as good; with 73.23% (13/18) of respondents stating that they understood the HIV Testing Algorithm and can perform the test for pregnant women with ease. Acceptability was good, with 96% overall rank indicating willingness of staff to participate. Stability was rated average, with 65.5% stating the system did not experience breakdowns. Representativeness was poor, with limited participation from private health facilities. Sensitivity was ranked good being that the test kits used to confirm cases are over 95% sensitive. Overall usefulness was average with score of 65.7%. The HIV surveillance system is useful in meeting its objectives. However, the lack of participation from private health facilities suggests that the system may miss cases. It is recommended that private health facilities receive tools and capacitybuilding training to enhance their participation in the HIV surveillance system.
The Sierra Leone Ministry of Health in collaboration with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the African Field Epidemiology Network, and the World Health Organization assessed the quality of data generated by the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) system. The assessment aim to determine the quality of the IDSR data in Sierra Leone through evaluating the accuracy of data compilation, data entry and transmission, and the overall precision of surveillance data at health facility and district levels. The assessment included 160 randomly selected health facilities in the 16 districts. Surveillance data stored electronically in the eIDSR platform were extracted and compared across the facility registers and IDSR summary forms. Data was collected from March 6 to March 18, 2023using an electronic checklist on the Open Data Kit (ODK) platform. The data reviewed covered the period from October 23 to November 26, 2022. Specific disease conditions/events targeted included Acute Flaccid Paralysis, Acute Viral Haemorrhagic Fever, suspected COVID-19, Dysentery, Tested Malaria, Positive Malaria, Maternal Death, and Measles. The assessment showed that 79% (127/160) of the facilities had IDSR case definition tools, with a decreased accuracy reporting from 90% in May 2022 to 86% in November 2022 assessment. However, the assessment revealed strengths: notably the availability of registers at all levels. Majority, 74% (118/160) of the assessed facilities conduct data analysis and display results using tables and graphs. The proportion of assessed facilities with weekly reporting forms decreased to 94.4% from 98.1% in the May 2022 assessment, while case-based reporting forms increased to 95.6% from 88.1%. Five diseases conditions/events (AFP, suspected COVID-19, Malaria tested & positive, Maternal death and Measles) exhibited data disparities between the number of cases identified during register review and those reported in eIDSR. The assessment uncovered both strengths and challenges in facility reporting practices. Therefore, we recommend the Ministry of Health implement targeted interventions such as prioritising the conduct of routine DQA and supportive supervision, to strengthen weaker areas of the assessment and maintain progress in areas that shows improvement. It is critical to strengthen the skills of the healthcare workers on data accuracy reporting, as well as to enhance data quality feedback sharing from national to facility level to address data discrepancies for better surveillance and response outcomes. Furthermore, replacing the faulty/lost tablets at facility level would improve the overall quality and dependability of surveillance data.
Background: Sierra Leone has recorded multiple outbreaks of measles, and the last three outbreaks (2018, 2019, 2022) were reported from point-of-entry communities. Until now, limited information exists on the burden of measles in border and non-border districts. Thisstudy aimed to describe the epidemiological trend, vaccination status, incidence, and factors associated with measles infection in border and non-border districts of Sierra Leone. Methods: We conducted a retrospective secondary data analysis on measles case-based surveillance data from 2018 to 2021 extracted from the national line list and the District Health Information System database. We use the measles standard case definition to classify cases across border districts and non-border districts. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with measles infection. Result: A total of 3,054 suspected measles cases were recorded, of which 1147 (38%) were positive for measles infection with a median age of 9 years (6 months to 37 years). Among the positive cases, 448 (39%) were vaccinated and border districts accounted for 438 (38.1%). The measles incidence in border districts ranges from 3 to 11 per 100,000 population, whilst in non-border districts it ranges from 1 to 3 per 100,000 population. Conclusion: A high incidence of measles cases were recorded in border districts and the vaccination status among susceptible was low. We recommend intensifying regular and supplemental immunization activities targeting border and non-border districts in Sierra Leone.
Background: Meningitis is a vaccine-preventable disease yet it remains a global public health issue that causes long-term disability and death. Ghana being located within the meningitis belt of African, the occurence of consistent outbreaks of Meningitis in different parts of Ghana has been a peculiar surveillance challenge. We analyzed the Sunyani Municipal meninigitis surveillance data to determine the incidence, describe disease pattern, fatality, and identify the Meningitis strain. Methods: We extracted meningitis surveillance data for January 2015 to December 2019 from the District Health Information Management System. We reviewed the annual meningitis line-list of the Sunyani Municipality Bono Region. Data were identified, cleaned and analysed using Microsoft Excel. We performed descriptive statistics on quantitative variables and estimated incidence rate and case fatality rates and determined the predominant strains. Results: From 2015-2019, 84 suspected cases were recorded with 17 laboratory confirmed in Sunyani and seven meningitis deaths. The overall incidence rate was 2/100,000 population, with a 7/17 (41.2%) case fatality rate. the highest incidence rate (8 per 100,000 population) was reported in 2016 while 2018 recorded the highest fatality rate of 2/2 (100%). We identified 12/17(70.6.%) of Streptococcus pneumoniae as the predominant Meningitis strain. Weekly reporting timeliness and completeness were below the World Health Organization recommended 80% reporting target. Conclusions: There was a high case fatality rate of Meningitis among the residents in Sunyani Municipality, and Streptococcus pneumoniaee was the predominant strain identified. The highest incidence was recorded in 2016 within the period studied. The timeliness and completeness of weekly reporting for the five years was also below the World Health Organization target. The Sunyani Municipal Health Directorate intensify their active case search of Meningitis, implement vaccination campaigns in high-risk areas and ensure prompt reporting to prevent future epidemics
Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are diseases that affect the heart and the vascular system. The highest rate of mortality resulMng from non-communicable diseases is majorly from CVDs. 10 – year predicted risk of CVD is the chance that one can develop CVD due to poor lifestyle modificaMons. Clinical health workers are people employed by hospitals that take care and maintain paMents' health. Finding the 10 – year predicted CVD risk of clinical staff at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching is the goal of this study. Methods: In data collecMon, a descripMve cross-secMonal study, and WHO STEP instruments for NCDs were used. Current and 10 – year predicted risk of CVD among clinical health workers was determined by making use of WHO/ISH risk predicMon tool and Risk Score-Category. WHO/ISH risk predicMon tool was adjusted so that low risk represents below 10%, moderate risk represents 10% to less than 20% and high risk represents 20% and above. With the use of the Risk Score-Category, a risk score of 1 was given to parMcipants if there is any risk factor present. Those considered to be at low risk were having a score between 0 – 2, moderate risk between 3 – 5, and above 6 overall risk factors were classified as high-risk category. For all conMnuous variables were presented as means while mainly categorical variables were presented as frequencies and percentages. In tesMng whether the idenMfied risk factor and risk category of CVD, and professional cadre and risk category of CVD were in any way associated, Chi-square was used. To ascertain the predictors of CVD and in quanMfying the idenMfied predictors, factor analysis and mulMnomial logisMc regression were done respecMvely. Results: 334 health workers responded and 76 (22.75%) were males while 258 (77.25%) were females. 214 (60.07%) were overweight/obese, 30 (45.78 %) of male parMcipants had waist circumference above 94 cm, and 217 (90.79%) female parMcipants had waist circumference above 80 cm. 51 (15.32%) had systolic blood pressure above 140 mmHg, 46 (13.77%) had diastolic blood pressure above 90 mmHg, and 10 (2.99%) were diabeMc. 132 (39.52%) were at low risk, 192 (57.49%) were moderate risk and, 10 (2.99%) were at the category of a high risk of developing CVD. The idenMfied risk factors and the risk category of CVD were found to be associated with a p-value = <0.001, and professional cadre was not associated with the risk category of CVD Fisher’s exact = 0.416. Hypertension, poor intake of fruits and vegetables, diabetes, and physical inacMvity were the idenMfied predictors of CVD among the respondents. Blood pressure represented a stronger claim while physical inacMvity and poor intake of fruit and vegetable demonstrated a less strong claim. Physical inacMvity and blood pressure were idenMfied as predictors of moderate CVD risk. Conclusion: Health educaMon and sensiMzaMon are needed to put clinical health workers from both high and moderate risk to low CVD risk. UPTH should make available early diagnosis and a treatment for clinical health workers to easily access it.
The use of contracepWon helps women and girls realize their basic rights to freely and responsibly decide when and how many babies they should have. However, few studies have examined contracepWon in Sierra Leone. Therefore, this study aimed to invesWgate the factors affecWng how o\en women in the Masuba Community, Bombali District, Sierra Leone use contracepWon. A community-based cross-secWonal design was used to collect quanWtaWve data using a simple random sampling technique to select eligible parWcipants from a sample of 403 women. We used structured quesWonnaires to interview parWcipants privately without hearing from a third party. At a 95% confidence level and 0.05 margin of error, the chi-square test was employed to determine the significance of the associaWon between cross-tabulated variables. The data collected were analyzed using the StaWsWcal Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 16.0, with 380 women remaining a\er 23 missing during data collecWon. The results show the prevalence of contracepWve use was 65%. Women’s age (X2 = 13.958, P < 0.05) and educaWon level (X2 = 8.137, P < 0.05) were significantly associated with contracepWve use. Factors that were not significantly associated with contracepWve use were marital status (X2 = 1.542, P > 0.05), religion (X2 = 0.748, P > 0.05), and employment status (X2 = 1.038, P > 0.05). Therefore, policies aimed at scaling up contracepWon in Sierra Leone should consider religion, cultural impediments, and other socioeconomic factors among women through a strong advocacy program to increase the level of contracepWve awareness. AddiWonally, providing access to affordable and quality family planning services in remote and underserved areas can increase uWlizaWon rates and help reduce maternal mortality and morbidity. This can be achieved through mobile clinics, community health workers, and partnerships with local healthcare faciliWes.
Introduction: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a worldwide health concern. Students often engage in sexual acKvity while away at college, puVng themselves at risk for STDs, unintended pregnancies, and unsafe aborKons because of their lack of parental supervision. This research aimed to determine the prevalence of STDs and the variables that contribute to their spread among Sierra Leonean University students. Methods: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 340 Njala University students selected using the multistage sampling technique in August 2022. The data were collected using a structured, pre-tested self-administered quesKonnaire. Multinomial logistic regression analyses and Pearson chi-square were employed through SPSS version 26 to identify factors associated with sexually transmitted infections. The odds raKo with a 95% confidence interval was computed to determine the level of associaKon. In the regression analysis, variables with a p-value of less than 5% were considered statically significant associations between covariates and sexually transmitted infections. Result: The prevalence of a posiKve test for STIs among the sexually acKve respondents was found to be (33.6%). The knowledge of STIs among the respondents was very high (90.6%). All respondents in the various age groups (16-20, 21-25, 26-30, 31-35, 36-40 and 41-450) were likelier to have good knowledge of STIs with OR >1 and p < 0.05. Conclusion: Self-reported STI infection rates among Sierra Leonean University students were relatively high. Therefore, it is crucial to educate students about the dangers of sexual promiscuity and the need to continue using condoms.
Despite the growing number of people on an/retroviral therapy (ART), there is limited informa/on about viral non-suppression and its determinants among HIV-posi/ve individuals enrolled in HIV care in many resource-limited seTngs. We es/mated the propor/on of virally non-suppressed pa/ents, and iden/fied the factors associated with viral non-suppression. We conducted a descrip/ve cross-sec/onal study using rou/nely collected program data from viral load (VL) samples collected across the country for tes/ng at the Central Public Health Reference Laboratories (CPHRL) in Sierra Leone. Data were generated between January 2018 and December 2019. We extracted data on socio-demographic, clinical and VL tes/ng results. We defined viral non-suppression as having ≥1000 copies of viral RNA/ml of blood for plasma or ≥5000 copies of viral RNA/ml of blood for dry blood spots. We used logis/c regression to iden/fy factors associated with viral non-suppression. This study consisted of 8,657 pa/ents, of whom 4224 (74%) were male, and 94.3% were older than 15 years old. Of the total, 7619 (88%) pa/ents rou/nely monitored, 659(8%) were suspected treatment failure and 379(4%) were repeat testers ager suspected failure. The propor/on of non-suppression was 22%, of which 876 (71%) were female. viral non-suppression propor/on was 26% for suspected treatment failures and 23% for pa/ents rou/nely monitored ager suspected failure (23%). Factors associated with viral non-suppression included pa/ent adhered to ARV treatment (aOR= 0.03, 95%CI = 0.23-0.36), aged <15 years (aOR = 0.22, 95%CI = 0.19-0.27) and young adolescents (aOR = 0.22 95%CI = 0.21-0.29), and pa/ents receiving second-line regimens (aOR= 0.1, 95%CI = 0.03-0.17).Viral non-suppression was rela/vely low among pa/ent on ART in Sierra Leone. ARV treatment adherence, being adult and pa/ent receiving first-line treatment were protec/ve factors against viral suppression. We recommend to close follow-up for children and to intensify adherence support for pa/ents suspected with treatment failure.
Background: There is a pressing need to incorporate herbal medicine preventaKve measures into the current pharmacovigilance system, as recent evidence from the World Health OrganizaKon (WHO) shows. However, medical professionals are generally unaware of the relaKve safety of herbal remedies. Therefore, this research aimed to determine the awareness of herbal safety among medical professionals in Sierra Leone. Methodology: In this study, we used a cross-secKonal survey of medical staff (n=309) working at three of Freetown, Sierra Leone's, leading medical centers between March and April 2022. The data analysis was performed using StaKsKcal Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 28. We employed descripKve staKsKcs to count instances of a category and assign a percentage. We used a backwards stepwise binary logisKcs regression to find significant associaKons between awareness and predictors at the 5% significance level (p0.05). Results: Evidence from the study revealed that around 54.7% of respondents knew about herbal medicine safety. There is an associaKon between the knowledge about drug-herbal interacKon and the level of understanding, average observed risk (AOR) = 1.63; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.00-2.66; however, no connecKon was found between years of experience and how well-knownherbal remedies are safe, and finally, no associaKon between the various departments and the level of understanding except for the outpaKent department [Adjusted Odds RaKo (AOR) = 0.49; 95% Confidence Interval (CI):0.25-0.95]. Conclusion: Our findings reveal that medical professionals' knowledge concerning the security of herbal medicine in Freetown, Sierra Leone is unsaKsfactory. Therefore, the regulatory bodies of the various healthcare cadre must promote standardised, coordinated educaKon for all medical personnel to establish an effecKve pharmacovigilance framework for tracking herbal medicaKon.
This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of HepaVVs B among adults seeking care at Makeni Regional Hospital, and factors influencing awareness, and aZtudes towards the disease. The significance of this study lies in its potenVal to provide valuable informaVon on the prevalence of HepaVVs B and its risk factors in the study populaVon. This study used a facility-based cross-secVonal design, which involved collecVng data at a single point in Vme from a sample of individuals seeking care at the Makeni Regional Hospital. Blood samples were obtained from parVcipants to evaluate seroprevalence, and quesVonnaires were distributed to collect relevant data. The study included 403 individuals who sought care at Makeni Regional Hospital. SPSS so^ware was used to process, clean, and analyze the acquired data, which included descripVve staVsVcs such as tables and pie charts. The results indicated an esVmated 47% seroprevalence of viral hepaVVs B infecVon among individuals aaending Makeni Regional Hospital. Notably, despite widespread awareness of HepaVVs B infecVon, there were no matching acVons or behavioral changes. A troubling finding was that 64% of the parVcipaVng individuals said that they were engaging in unprotected sexual intercourse and many partnerships, which has been associated with an increased frequency of sexually transmiaed illnesses in previous research. Based on the findings of this study, several recommendaVons can be made to address the high seroprevalence of HBV and to improve public health outcomes. It is crucial to develop and implement comprehensive health educaVon programs in Makeni to raise awareness of the risk factors that contribute to the high prevalence of HBV infecVon. These programs should focus on educaVng the populaVon about the dangers of engaging in unprotected sexual intercourse, mulVple relaVonships, alcohol consumpVon, and smoking.
A cross-sec?onal study was employed to obtain data on goat ownership and the effects of goat mortality on some psychosocial and socio-economic determinants of goat owners in the Ashan? region of Ghana. Data was obtained using pretested ques?onnaires with a total of three hundred and eighty-four (384) goat owners randomly selected from the study area. Data collected included demographic informa?on on the respondents, management prac?ces, herd size, choice of the management system, sources of feed and stock, goat mortality as well as psychological and economic effects on goat owners. Results showed the majority of goat owners (83.3%) were males, and 77.1% were married. Most of the goat owners were between 18-25 years old (42.2%). Majority of the goat owners (63.3%) had primary-level educa?on. Majority of the respondents (89.1%) had herd sizes varying between 1 and 10. Management system was mostly semi-intensive (95.8%). Sources of feed for goats varied from purchased feed (8.9%) and a combina?on of crop residue which are ogen purchased (91.1%). Most (99.5%) obtained their stock through purchase while 60.9% indicated frequent loss of goats. Goat mortality was mostly ahributed to diseases by 67.5% of the goat owners. All of the goat owners indicated that goat mortality affects them economically whilst 95.57% indicated the death of their goats affects other people in their household. Despite the economic and social effects of the death of their goats, majority of the goat owners (95.57%) were not psychologically affected by the death of their goats. Conclusively, goat rearing in the Ashan? Region of Ghana is prac?ced by all age groups and gender, most of whom were literate. Management system was mostly semi-extensive due to its convenience in terms of labor and capital requirements. Goat mortality existed; however, the economic effects of goat mortality were strongly agreed upon by the goat owners as compared to the psychological effects.
