International Journal of Natural Sciences: Current and Future Research Trends

Emotional Intelligence and Empathy on Counselors’ General Health in Accra Ghana

Peter Worlanyo Abomah — 2023-10-30

Counsellors sometimes become victim in their professional practice. This study explores the role of emotional intelligence and empathy on the general health of counselors in the Accra metropolis. The aim of the study is to determine the relationship between emotional intelligence, empathy, and general health and to identify demographic predictors on emotional intelligence, empathy, and general health. In a cross-sectional exploratory case study of 133 purposively selected counselors from Accra Metropolis were administered an online self-report survey questionnaire that consisted of emotional intelligence questionnaire, empathy scale and general health questionnaire. Findings revealed that emotional intelligence and empathy significantly predict general health. A significant positive correlation exists between emotional intelligence and general health, while a clinical significance of a positive correlation exists between emotional intelligence and empathy. Again, no significant difference was found between the general health of male and female counselors. No significant difference was found in the scores for empathy and emotional intelligence for licensed professional counselors and licensed lay counselors. Safeguarding the counselor’s health is ethically imperative due to the effect on professional competence and performance. It is recommended that counselors and training institutions deepen effort in creating awareness on the need to protect the health of counselors for the benefit of clients and the high regard of the counseling profession.

Environmental Impacts of the irrational Use of Pesticides in the Villages Bordering the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Monts Nimba Biosphere Reserve-Republic of Guinea

Simon Pierre LAMAH — 2023-12-17

The general objective of this work is to inventory and characterize the risks of non-rational use of pesticides on human health and the environment in order to propose prevention and mitigation measures. Thus, the Accelerated Participatory Research Method (MARP) was used to collect data from resource persons, through semi-structured interviews based on survey sheets. Word and Sphinx Plus V5 software allowed us to process the data collected. Approximately 42 phytosanitary products including 21 herbi-total (95.5%), 11 herbi-selective (61.4%) and 9 insecticides were encountered in the localities surrounding the site. Agriculture (40.8%) is the most practiced activity followed by livestock breeding (19.4%), hunting and gardening (9.7%), fishing (7.8%), carbonization (6.8%). The lowlands remain the cultivation area par excellence (42.9%) followed by the hills (38.1%) and the plains (19.0%). The Lola and N’Zoo markets (32.1%) supply products followed by the Bossou and Gbakoré markets (10.3%), as well as fungicides and fertilizers, subject to order. The March-April period (39.2%) is the period of heavy use while June-August (29.7%) and May-June (24.3%) are the periods of weeding with selective Herbi; on the other hand, September-December (6.8%) is the period devoted to market gardening activities. The effects on the ecosystem are noted, but there are no mitigation measures; the biotope and the biocenosis are frequently polluted and the animals are contaminated and removed from their natural habitats.

OPD Capacity in the 21st Century: A Review of the Factors that Increase Patient Waiting Time

Maame Fosua Afrifa-Minka — 2024-01-27

The OPD is the first point of call for patients in the hospital and requires operating at optimum capacity to ensure the smooth running of the hospital to maintain a good image to the public. Patients as individuals who are already discomforted either physically, mentally or socially require spending the shortest possible time in the hospital. The healthcare delivery system in the 21^st century has undergone several changes due to the adoption of technology geared towards improving services. The OPD is no exception where technology has been adopted to reduce long queues. Despite the technology, several other contributions make up the OPD such as hospital staff working at the OPD, the patients and tailor-made protocols peculiar to hospitals. An increase in the waiting time subsequently reduces patients' satisfaction and therefore probing the factors that cause it is vital to providing quick and quality healthcare services. Therefore, the goal of this study is to investigate and elaborate on the factors that contribute to the increase in patient waiting time at the OPD. Current studies fail to focus on the several factors that contribute to the increase in waiting times but instead provide solutions that address one or a few factors. Our review, therefore, provided several solutions after identifying that staffing, demand, OPD Billing, the type of hospital, OPD layout and communication were among the several factors that increase patient waiting time in the OPD in the 21^st century.