TY - JOUR
T1 - Variation in Phototherapy Treatment in Some Selected Hospitals in Ghana
AU - Anderson, David Ebo
AU - Elloh, Van Wellington
AU - Balapangu, Srinivason Shanker
AU - Arhin, Isaac
AU - Abbeyquaye, Daniel
AU - Perpetual, Seyram
AU - Mon, Anderson
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2026. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY): Creative Commons - Attribution 4.0 International - CC BY 4.0. The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
PY - 2026/3/31
Y1 - 2026/3/31
N2 - Background: Neonatal jaundice (NNJ), one of the major diseases among neonates, could lead to Kernicterus (brain damage) if not treated well and early. The most significant treatment modality in the management of NNJ is phototherapy (PT). Providing PT by using clinical standards can enhance its effectiveness and safety and minimize PT-related complications. However, research shows that PT has not always been utilized in healthcare settings with low resources, and there is an incomplete understanding of NNJ and the use of PT for its management among trained community health workers (CHWs) and local communities. Objectives: The study aims to provide a basis for standardizing the use of PT to improve practice in Ghana. This was achieved by visiting selected hospitals in Ghana to acquire information on the use of PT and assessing the approach by which PT is administered by health professionals. Methods: The research utilized a descriptive cross-sectional design. Data were gathered using a Likert scale structured questionnaire. In addition, the Chi-square test of independence was used to establish the correlation between sociodemographic characteristics and health care workers' perspectives on PT treatment. Data analysis was performed using SPSS, and a p-value of 0.05 or less indicates a significant relationship. Results: The study revealed that over half of the participants had a good attitude toward clinical presentation, emphasizing the importance of always testing for bilirubin levels before administering PT treatment. The majority of respondents also demonstrated a good understanding of the importance of calibrating and maintaining PT devices. Lastly, most participants had good knowledge of standard protocols and held a positive attitude toward PT treatment. Conclusions: NNJ is prevalent, and PT has become the gold standard method for treating both full-term and preterm infants affected by it. Therefore, we recommend that other health care facilities assess the effectiveness of their PT devices and follow standard procedures to enhance the efficacy of this treatment.
AB - Background: Neonatal jaundice (NNJ), one of the major diseases among neonates, could lead to Kernicterus (brain damage) if not treated well and early. The most significant treatment modality in the management of NNJ is phototherapy (PT). Providing PT by using clinical standards can enhance its effectiveness and safety and minimize PT-related complications. However, research shows that PT has not always been utilized in healthcare settings with low resources, and there is an incomplete understanding of NNJ and the use of PT for its management among trained community health workers (CHWs) and local communities. Objectives: The study aims to provide a basis for standardizing the use of PT to improve practice in Ghana. This was achieved by visiting selected hospitals in Ghana to acquire information on the use of PT and assessing the approach by which PT is administered by health professionals. Methods: The research utilized a descriptive cross-sectional design. Data were gathered using a Likert scale structured questionnaire. In addition, the Chi-square test of independence was used to establish the correlation between sociodemographic characteristics and health care workers' perspectives on PT treatment. Data analysis was performed using SPSS, and a p-value of 0.05 or less indicates a significant relationship. Results: The study revealed that over half of the participants had a good attitude toward clinical presentation, emphasizing the importance of always testing for bilirubin levels before administering PT treatment. The majority of respondents also demonstrated a good understanding of the importance of calibrating and maintaining PT devices. Lastly, most participants had good knowledge of standard protocols and held a positive attitude toward PT treatment. Conclusions: NNJ is prevalent, and PT has become the gold standard method for treating both full-term and preterm infants affected by it. Therefore, we recommend that other health care facilities assess the effectiveness of their PT devices and follow standard procedures to enhance the efficacy of this treatment.
KW - American Academy of Pediatrics
KW - Health care professionals
KW - Hyperbilirubinemia
KW - Neonatal jaundice
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105035299812
U2 - 10.31354/globalce.v8i1.238
DO - 10.31354/globalce.v8i1.238
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:105035299812
SN - 2578-2762
VL - 8
SP - 15
EP - 24
JO - Global Clinical Engineering Journal
JF - Global Clinical Engineering Journal
IS - 1
ER -