Perception of food vendors on medical examination at Kasoa in Central region, Ghana

Abstract

Medical examination is very essential in controlling and preventing many communicable diseases such as cholera, typhoid fever, etc. among cooked food vendors and since they can aid in the transmission of communicable diseases, there is the need to understand the necessity of food vendor undergoing medical examination to help in control and prevention of such diseases. This study was done to assess the perception of medical examination among food vendors at Kasoa. Specific objectives were to assess the knowledge level of cooked food sellers, assess the challenges encountered by cooked food sellers, assess the socio-economic effects of and determine efforts made by stakeholders to encourage cooked food sellers to undergo medical examination. The study adopted a descriptive cross-sectional design. A total of 120 respondents were selected using snow ball sampling technique from cooked food sellers in Kasoa, Ghana and structured questionnaires with open and closed ended- questions were administered. The major findings of the study were, generally there was adequate knowledge level among the cooked food sellers about medical examination in Kasoa, Ghana; expensive laboratory charges are among other challenges encountered by cooked food sellers when undergoing medical examination in Kasoa; lack of money was the main socioeconomic constrain that influence cooked food vendors when participating medical examination; and although health education was the tool used by the municipal assembly to promote undergoing medical examination by food vendor, it was not enough to achieve the target objectives. The study recommended that the municipal assembly should put in place programs to increase awareness on medical examination among food vendors in the communities and subsidize the cost involved in undergoing medical examination.