Gertrude Adobea Owusu

CURRICULUM VITAE
July 2006
      
PERSONAL
Personal Address:     P. O. Box LG 233 Legon, Ghana
Tel.: - Mobile/cell: (024) 3167783
Home: (021) 414383
Business: Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research, University of Ghana, Legon Accra, Ghana
Tel.: (021) 501184 x220
Fax: (021) 512504
Email: gaowusu@ug.edu.gh
           yaa_owusu@hotmail.com
       
HIGHER EDUCATION
Ph.D. in Sociology, University of North Texas (UNT), Denton, TX, USA Spring 2003. Medical Sociology major, Public Health/Demography minor. 1997-2003.

Dissertation Topic: Use of Preventive Screening for Cervical Cancer among Low-Income Patients in a Safety-Net Healthcare Network.
                  
Master of Public Health (Health Services Research Track, women’s health specialization

University of North Texas Health Science Center at Forth Worth, TX. 1997- 2000 (fall).

MPH Special Problem Research: Domestic Violence, Social Support and the Health Status of a
Multiethnic Group of Women. Special Problem in Lieu of Thesis, University of North Texas
Health Science Center at Forth Worth, TX. (Chairperson, Susan B. Eve, Ph.D.; Linda L.
Marshall, Ph.D., Director of Thesis).

MA in Sociology (Major: Medical Sociology), University of North Texas, Denton, TX. 1995-1996 (fall).

Post Graduate Diploma in Communication Studies, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
1991 (June).

Thesis: Evaluation of the Information, Education, and Communication Component of the Expanded Immunization Programme, Ministry of Health, Republic of Ghana. (Chairperson, Isaac Obeng-Quaidoo, Ph.D.)

BSc. (Honors) Home Economics (Specialization: Family and Society [including child studies]), University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana. 1986.

Honors Thesis: The Socioeconomic Problems of Widows in Ghana: The Case Study of Widows in Kukurantumi, Eastern Region, Ghana (Chairperson: Edith M. Francois).
       
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Women’s health, reproductive health (including adolescents’),  medical sociologist, public/promotive and preventive health, Project/Program monitoring & evaluation,  behavior change communication/health education, health services research, operations/formative research specialist, health communications research, health educational materials development specialist, gender statistics resource person.
 
EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE
Current Employment
Research Fellow, Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER)/Lecturer, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Legon (September 2005 to date). Major work expectations include research, publications, teaching and community service.
 
Previous Employment/Work
Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist for the Ghana Sustainable Change Project (GSCP)—A Health Communication Project. The Manoff Group/Academy for Educational Development, Washington, D. C. (A USAID, Ghana, contractor), based in Accra, Ghana. (August 2004 to September 2005.)
 
Duties at AED/GSCP included:
Wrote draft Malaria Communications Monitoring and Evaluation Strategy document. This could be adapted for all of GSCP’s Communication M&E activities.
Assisting with reviewing and finalizing the Project’s Performance Monitoring Plan, including setting measurable targets, specifying data sources, and defining monitoring indicators.

Assisted with planning and undertaking a baseline survey for the project, including selecting sampling frame, deciding on sampling methodology, preparing research protocol, questionnaires, training of interviewers, field supervision, writing draft report.

Coordinated national dissemination of USAID/Ghana’s current four main health projects’ baseline data (on March 21, 2005), for USAID/Ghana and Ghana Health Service.

Training, research coordination and report writing of National Malaria formative study (qualitative). For GSCP/National Malaria Control Project/Ghana Health Service.

Coordinated and lead materials development/pretesting work for new Ghana Malaria Policy IEC materials (on introducing Artesunate amodiaquine, Intermittent Preventive Treatment/SP and ITNs), using results of the National Malaria Formative study mentioned above. 2005; for GSCP/National Malaria Control Program/Ghana Health Service’s Health Promotion Unit.

Recruitment of research consultants and field enumerators.

Training and supervision of field enumerators/research assistants. Being a member of GSCP’s malaria, and reproductive health/family planning technical teams.
 
Additional Past Employment

Home maker, Denton, TX, USA (September 2002-August 2004.)

Student Editor, Academic Publications, Public Affairs, Information, Marketing and Communication/University Communications and Marketing, UNT, Denton, TX, USA. (using ACCESS and Excel software; 2000 July-September 2002.)

Duties: Revised, edited, proof-read, formatted UNT Undergraduate Catalog; distributed Graduate and Undergraduate catalogs, Schedule of Classes, Academic Calendars; compiled and wrote reports on UNT Freshmen Orientation Surveys. Researched, revised and managed database on UNT faculty and librarians.

Student Data Management Assistant, University of North Texas School of Library and Information Sciences. Duties included managing (editing, revising, updating) student data base (MIS) using ACCESS and Excel software. May 2000-February 2001.

Teaching Assistant. Sociology Department, University of North Texas, Denton, TX. 2000 (spring).

Research Assistant/Internist. Project HOW: Health Outcomes of Women. Psychology Department, University of North Texas, Denton, TX. 1999 (May-December). Was in-charge of collecting appropriate literature, managing database on keywords in literature, and appropriate references, using ACCESS software.
                                          
Served as DARS (MIS database on student credit hours, etc, for advising students, using ACCESS Software) Program Assistant, Undergraduate Student Advising Office, College of Education, University of North Texas, Denton, TX. 1998. (May-August)

Teaching Fellow: Taught Individual in Society (Introduction to Sociology) and Social Problems. 1997-1999 (spring).

Teaching Assistant. Sociology Department, University of North Texas, Denton, TX. 1995-1997.
 Research Assistant & Telephone Interviewer, Survey Research Center, University of North Texas, Denton, TX. 1995-1997.
                 
Promoted to Health Educator (in Ministry of Health, Ghana). 1995.

Assistant Health Educator, Ministry of Health, Ghana. 1989-1995.

National Service Personnel, with Health Education Division, Ministry of Health, Ghana. 1986-1988.


RECENT CIVIC DUTIES
One of five-member consultant team evaluating the concluded African Youth Alliance (AYA) Project. Project was on promoting adolescent’s knowledge and skills on sexuality-related decisions and activities with the view of reducing their vulnerability to HIV/AIDS and other STIs. Clients are John Snow, Inc., USA, for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. April 2006 to date.

Served as Gender Statistics Expert/Resource person to the Ghana Statistical Service-December 12-17, 2005.

Resource person to Ghana’s Private Sector Initiative (PSI), Ministry for Private Sector Development. Served on 5-membr National Expert Committee. Task: developed criteria for and evaluated proposals submitted to the Ministry for baseline research and data management at the national level on the Private Sector’s activities in Ghana. October to December, 2005.

Lead facilitator and member of National Statistical Literacy Project Resource Persons—Ghana. November 2005 to date. Duties are to train and advocate in support of achieving Ghana’s Millennium Development Goals.


OTHER PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

Invited as Resource Person for a Methodology Workshop on Institutions and Pro-poor Growth by the Council for the Development of Scientific Research in Africa (CODESRIA): Dakar, Senegal, August 2006.

Served as Member of Resource Committee of the University of Ghana Public Health School, University of Ghana/Ministry of Health, Ghana. 1995.

Member, National Core Training Team on Safe Motherhood (Instructor/Trainer n Health Education, and Health Communication Skills), Ministry of Health, Ghana. 1994-1995.

Co-authored, “Health Education Training Manual in Safe Motherhood,” Ministry of Health, Ghana. 1994.

Member, National Committee on Review of the National Population Policy, Republic of Health, Ghana. 1994.

Health Education facilitator, Training of District Health Staff, Dangbe West District, Ghana. 1994.

Member, National Committee on Safe Motherhood, Republic of Ghana. 1992-1995.

Member, Planning, Founding and Implementing Committee, School of Public Health, Ministry
of Health Ghana/University of Ghana, Legon.1993-1994.

Member, National Steering Committee on School Health, Republic of Ghana. 1991-1995.

Directed and Coordinated, National Steering Committee on Adolescent Reproductive Health
Committee, Republic of Ghana. 1991-1995.

Health Education Consultant to the Project on AIDS and Prostitutes, Ministry of Health
Ghana/University of Ghana Medical School/AIDSCOM, USA. 1991-1992.

Conducted Training in Focus Group Discussion for Research Assistants of The Community
Health Department, University of Ghana Medical School, Korle Bu, Accra, Ghana. 1991.

Health Research Consultant to QBR Communications Consultancy Inc, Accra, Ghana. 1990-
1993.

Member, Ghana National Committee for Child Survival and Development. 1989-1990.

Member, Primary Health Care Review Committee, Ministry of Health, Ghana. 1988.

Co-author, “Guidelines for Traditional Birth Attendant Training,” Health Research Unit,
Ministry of Health, Ghana. 1988.


PROFESSIONAL TRAINING

Statistical Literacy Training, Organized by UNDP HQ, New York, USA and African Development Bank HQ; in Lusaka, Zambia. November 21-December 2, 2005.

Performance Monitoring Plan Workshop for SO7 Partners. September 2004. USAID/Ghana

Federation of North Texas Area Universities. Annual Workshop. Chaos Theory and Its
Applications. Texas Woman’s University (TWU), Denton, TX. March 31. TWU Continuing
Education Hours earned. 2000.

Graduate Students Professionalization Training Workshop. Federation of North Texas Area
Universities. University of North Texas, Denton, TX. 1999 (February).          

Training in Senior Level Health Management and Proposal Writing. Management, Productivity
and Development Institute (MDPI), Accra, Ghana. 1995.

Training in Resource Development and Management of Adolescent Health. Organized by The World health Organization’s African Regional Office. During the Regional Workshop on Management of Adolescent Health, Mbabane, Swaziland. 1993.

Training in Management of Adolescent Sexuality, Center for Family Health Studies/University of
Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA. 1991 (September – October).

Took courses in Communication for Social Change, and Video Communication. Cornell
University, Ithaca, NY, USA. 1989. (Summer).

Two-week in-service Training in Health Education Materials Development. Organized by The Ministry of Health.

Ghana and the Center for Population Communication Services, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. In Accra, Ghana. April 1987.

In-service Training in Health Education and Health Research. Organized by the Ministry of Health, Ghana. 1986-1987.


CONFERENCES/WORKSHOPS
Workshop on Prevention of Child Trafficking. Accra, Ghana. (June 29-30, 2006.)

USAID/Ghana Country Health Status Improvement Performance Monitoring Plan (PMP) Workshop for Partners, Accra. Ghana, 2004. (September, 14-16).

American Sociological Association Annual Meeting, Atlanta, Georgia, 2003 (August, 16-20).

American Sociological Association Annual Meeting, Anaheim, California, 2001 (August, 18-21).

Federation of North Texas Area Universities. Annual Conference. Sociology in the New Millennium. University of North Texas, Denton, TX. 2001.

Chaos and the Social Sciences: Approaches and Applications. Federation of North Texas Area Universities. Texas Woman’s University. 2000 (March 31).

Graduate Students Professionalization Training Workshop. Federation of North Texas Area Universities. University of North Texas, Denton, TX. February. 1999.

Western Social Science Association Conference, Forth Worth, Texas. 1999 (April).

The World Health Forum 1998, Grapevine, Texas. 1998 (February 22-27).

American Sociological Association Meeting, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 1997 (August, 9-13).

The Association of American Geographers 93rd Annual Meeting, Forth Worth, Texas. 1997 (April 1-5).

Training Workshop for Resource Team--School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Kumasi, Ghana. 1995.
 Participated in the Interregional Conference/Workshop on Ways and Means to Implement the International Conference on Population and Development Program of Action, Jakarta, Indonesia. 1995 (May).

Facilitated the Second National Consultative Meeting on Safe Motherhood, Accra, Ghana. 1994.

Attended the First National Consultative Meeting on Safe Motherhood, Accra, Ghana. 1993.

Participated in the Workshop on the Safe Motherhood Initiative, Accra, Ghana. 1992.

Workshop on Traditional Birth Attendants, Accra, Ghana. 1989.

Workshop on Health Education Materials Development, Accra, Ghana. 1988 (April 14-18).      
                  
African Regional Workshop on Dracunculiasis (Guinea worm), Accra, Ghana. 1988 (April).


PUBLICATION
Gertrude A. Owusu, Ph.D. MPH, Susan B. Eve, Ph.D., Cynthia M. Cready, Ph. D., et al., “Race and Ethnic Disparities in Cervical Cancer Screening in a Safety-Net Healthcare System.” Maternal and Child Health Journal (USA), 9 (3): 285-295. September 2005.

Owusu, Gertrude A. 1997. Authored “The Geography of Age-Adjusted Female Breast Cancer Mortality in Texas: 1980-1994.”  In A. Schoolmaster (Ed.), Papers and Proceedings of the Applied Geography Conferences: Volume 20, 268-274.
 
WORK IN PROGRESS
Co-Authored David A. Williamson, Ph.D., G. A. Owusu, MA MPH, J. R. Oppong, Ph.D. “Gender Differences in an Emerging Health Profession: Ghanaian Women as Itinerant Drug Vendors.” Canadian Journal of African Studies. Under Review.


PAPERS PRESENTED
Owusu, Gertrude A. Ghana Sustainable Change Project (GSCP) Performance Monitoring Plan Report. Presented at USAID/Ghana Country Health Status Improvement Performance Monitoring Plan (PMP) Workshop for Partners, Accra.  Ghana, 2004. (September, 14-16).

Owusu, Gertrude A., Eve, Susan B., Cready, Cynthia M. et al. General Poster Presentation at AcademyHealth (formerly Association for Health Services Research) National Conference, 27-79 June, 2003, Nashville, TN, USA. Topic: Use of Preventive Screening for Cervical Cancer among Low-Income Patients in a Safety-Net Healthcare Network. (primary author and presenter.)

Owusu, Gertrude A. The Geography of Gender in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Perspective of an African Woman. Presented to GEOG 3750, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA. 2001 (April 14).

Owusu, Gertrude A. High Fertility in Africa: Socioeconomic and Cultural Factors. Presented to GEOG 3750, University of North Texas. 2001 (March 1).
         
Owusu, Gertrude A. and David A. Williamson, Ph.D. “Itinerant Drug Vendors as a Primary Health Care Resource in Ghana.”  Paper Presented at the Western Social Science Association Conference, Forth Worth, TX. 1999 (April).

Owusu, Gertrude A. and Joseph R. Oppong, Ph.D. Maternal Mortality in Ghana. The Association of American Geographers 93rd Annual Meeting, Forth Worth, Texas. 1997 (April 1-5).

Owusu, Gertrude A. “The Geography of Age-Adjusted Female Breast Cancer Mortality in Texas 1980-1995."  Paper presented at the Applied Geography Conference, Albuquerque, NM. 1997 (November 12-15).

Owusu, Gertrude A. “The Geography of Age-Adjusted Female Breast Cancer Mortality in Texas 1980-1995."  Paper presented at the Women’s Health Conference, University of North Texas, Denton, TX. 1997 (September 29).

Owusu, Gertrude A. and Joseph R. Oppong. “Maternal Mortality in Ghana.” Paper Presented at The Association of American Geographers 93rd Annual Meeting, Fort Worth, Texas. 1997 (April 1-5).

Owusu, Gertrude. “Health Care in Developing Countries: Ghana.” Presented to Undergraduate Class in Health and Illness. University of North Texas, Denton, TX. 1997 (Spring).

Owusu, Gertrude. “Perspectives on Women’s Health, International.”   Presented to Undergraduate Class on Sex Roles, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, Summer.  1996.

Owusu, Gertrude. “Health Care in the United States.” Presented to an Undergraduate Class in Social Problems, University of North Texas, Denton, TX. (1996).


HONORS AND AWARDS

Special recognition by UNT President, UNT Spring 2003 Commencement Brunch.

Outstanding Student Employee, UNT School of Library and Information Sciences (2001-2002).

International Education Committee Scholarship Recipient, University of North Texas, Denton, TX. 2000-01, 2001-02.

Outstanding Leadership and Service, School of Community Service Student Advisory Council. School of Community Service, University of North Texas, Denton, TX. Honors Day. 2001-02 (27 April, 2001).

Outstanding Student Employee, Public Affairs, Information and Communication Department. University of North Texas. 2000-01.

Received recognition for Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities. University of North Texas. 2002, 2001, 1998.

Awarded Alvin C. Dorse Sociology Graduate Student Scholarship, Department of Sociology, University of North Texas. 2000-01.

Recognized as Bob Crow Award for Outstanding MPH Graduate Student. School of Public Health, University of North Texas Health Science Center at Forth Worth, Texas. Honors Day. 1999-00 (April 28, 2000).

Outstanding Leadership and Service, School of Community Service Student Advisory Council. School of Community Service, University of North Texas, Denton, TX. Honors Day. 1999-00 (April 28, 2000).

Scholarship Recipient, University Of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth, TX. 1999.

Toulouse School of Graduate Studies Summer Graduate Scholarship Recipient, University of North Texas. 1998.

Selected as American Sociological Association Honors Student. 1997.

Awarded Ghana Government Scholarship. 1979-1980.

Awarded Cocoa Marketing Board Scholarship, Republic of Ghana. 1978-1979.

 
RESEARCH INTEREST

1. Health research: Women’s health, reproductive health and family planning, inequality and health, access to health care, cancer, health services research/utilization, AIDS, comparative health care, Primary Health Care, Health Communication/Health Educational Materials Development.
2. Program/Project Monitoring and Evaluation
   

 
CURRENT RESEARCH
Sexuality in West Africa (to find out more about the hitherto near-forbidden topic of sexuality within the African culture, in the advent of HIV/AIDS)—Co-researcher. Funded by Ford Foundation.

Land Policy Reform in Ghana. ISSER. Sponsored by USAID/Ghana.—Report Writing.

Gender, Land Tenure Dynamics and Livelihood in the Volta and Central Regions Of Ghana. Lead Researcher. Funded by ISSER/USAID-Ghana.


OTHER RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Developed research instrument, conducted field interviews for “Condom Use by male clients of commercial sex workers in Accra.” For West Africa Project to Combat AIDS and STI (WAPCAS), Ghana. Qualitative methodology. March – April, 2005. 

Analyzed and wrote report for West Africa Project to Combat AIDS and STI (WAPCAS), Ghana, on Study on the “Use of Female Condom among Sex Workers in Accra,” with Mercy Ablordey, Health Research Unit, GHS. Both Quantitative and qualitative methodology.

Cleaned, coded, analyzed and prepared reports for two University of North Texas Freshman Orientation Surveys-2001 and 2002.

Itinerant Drug Vendors as Alternative Health Care Resource in Ghana (With Drs. David Williamson, Dept. of Sociology, UNT, and Joseph Oppong, Dept. of Geography, UNT). 1997- 2001.

Participated in (Outcome) Evaluation of Health, Water and Sanitation Project for United States Peace Corps, Ghana. 1995. (January - April).

Participated in “Caretaker of AIDS patients’ knowledge, beliefs, attitudes and experiences”—Wenchi District, Ghana. 1994. (for a colleague’s Master’s thesis.)

Participated in “Formative Study on AIDS”, Ministry of Health, Ghana/Family Planning and Health Project--Johns Hopkins University Population Communication Services/United States Agency for International Development, Ghana Office. 1993. (May-July).

Participated in “Knowledge, Attitudes, Beliefs and Practices about Abortion among teenagers in Ghana.” (For Planned Parenthood International). 1994. With Mercy Ablordey and Dr. Taylor.

Participated in “Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices on Malaria among teenagers in the Dangbe District of Ghana.” 1993. With Dr. Irene Agyepong et al.

Co-Directed outcomes evaluation research on “Sustainability of Health Care” for Help the Children’s Fund, Accra Office, Ghana. 1993 (February).

Participated in “Mystery Client Survey”, (A Process Evaluation Research) Ministry of Health Ghana/Family Planning and Health Project/Johns Hopkins University Population Communication Services, Baltimore, MD. 1989.

Served as a Consultant and Director for Focus Group Discussion study on Traditional Birth Attendants Project, Department of Community Health, University of Ghana Medical School, Korle Bu, Accra, Ghana. 1989.

Participated in Greater Accra Region Fertility Survey, with the Regional Institute of Population
Studies, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana. 1988.

Managed and participated in the Primary Health Care Review, Ministry of Health, Republic of
Ghana. 1988.

Participated in Traditional Birth Attendants’ Pilot Project: Baseline and Focus Group Discussion
Surveys, Health Research Unit, Ministry of Health, Ghana. 1987-1988.

 
MEMBERSHIP OF PROFESSIONAL AND STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS

Member of American Sociological Association, 1996-current.

University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG)

 
CIVIC POSITIONS OCCUPIED

President, School of Community Student Advisory Council. 2001 (Feb. – August).

2nd Vice President, School of Community Student Advisory Council. 1999–2000

Master of Public Health Student Representative and Liaison to the School of Community Service
Student Advisory Council. 1996–2000

School of Community Service Representative and Liaison, Eagles Nest University of North
Texas.1999–2000.

Graduate Student Member/Representative, School of Community Service Dean Search
Committee, University of North Texas. 1997-998.

Secretary and Member, National Children’s Commission, Presbyterian Church of Ghana. 1992-
1995.

Member, National Youth Council, Presbyterian Church of Ghana. 1984-1993.

National Treasurer, National Union of Presbyterian Students of Ghana. 1984-1986.
 
COMPUTER AND OTHER TECHNICAL SKILLS
Computer Hardware: IBM PC, IMAC.
Software: Working knowledge of Windows 2003, XP. Working knowledge of WP,
Microsoft Access, MS Excel, SPSS, Internet, MS Outlook, Geographic Information Systems, Power Point, Minitab, GroupWise 8.0, Lisrel, CMS & MVS. Managed databases using MS Access for 15 months.