Pro. J. Aheto

Prof. Justice Moses K. Aheto (HND, BSc, MSc, PhD)

Associate Professor

Contact Info Email: jmkaheto@ug.edu.gh

About

NATIONALITY: Ghanaian

PROFESSION: Biostatistician, Statistician, Geospatial Expert, Infectious Disease Modeller, Epidemiologist and Public Health Expert

ADDRESS: Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra

Justice is presently an Associate Professor of Biostatistics responsible for conducting research and teaching Biostatistics and Research Methods at the Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Ghana. He is also an Honorary Assistant Professor and a Module Organizer, and teaching on the MSc SRHPP Programme at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in the United Kingdom (UK). He serves as a Visiting Scholar responsible for developing and applying geospatial and multilevel models to analyse Public Health Data at the College of Public Health, University of South Florida, USA. Justice also serves as a Visiting Research Fellow at the WorldPop, School of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Southampton, UK where he develops and apply Geospatial and interactive web-based spatial mapping methods to analyse childhood vaccination coverage in low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs). He serves as a Visiting Professor responsible for teaching Biostatistics, and Research Methods, and supervision of masters dissertation at the postgraduate levels at the Department of Public and Environmental Health, University of the Gambia. He previously taught Statistics and Mathematics at the Lancaster University in the UK as an Associate Lecturer. 

He is a Statistical Consultant, a Geospatial Expert and works/collaborates with several international (e.g. World Health Organization, UNICEF, GAVI - The Vaccine Alliance, George Washington University-USA, UNDP-Ghana, ILO-Geneva, African Development Bank, ECOWAS, Japan International Cooperation Agency among others) and national (Office of the President-Ghana, Ghana Statistical Service, ISSER-Ghana, Standard Development Services-Ghana, Ghana Health Service, etc) organizations to execute a range of research projects related to statistical supports and training, especially maternal and child health, childhood malnutrition, vaccination and malaria, education, crime, and politics, youth unemployment, adolescent HIV risk behaviours, Ghana Living Standard surveys, human development among others.

Research/Professional Interests

Justice has an unending research interest in the development and application of novel Biostatistical/Statistical and Epidemiological methods underpinned by mathematical modelling to solving substantial research problems, especially in biomedical, clinical and population health sciences. His research is tailored toward influencing health policy decisions and practices by governmental and non-governmental agencies, and health practitioners for improved health outcomes of populations. His main research interests are in:

• Geospatial and spatiotemporal analysis

• Interactive web-based mapping 

• Survival analysis

• Multilevel data analysis

• Longitudinal data analysis

• Multivariate response analysis (joint modelling of outcomes)

• Environmental epidemiology

• Surveys, Census, data management and general data analysis

• Missing data handling

• Statistical computing

Areas of application

Maternal and child health 

Malaria

Childhood malnutrition 

Childhood vaccination

Childhood mortality

Infectious diseases (e.g. COVID-19, HIV/AIDS, TB, Pneumonia)

Non-Communicable diseases (e.g. asthma, cancer, hypertension, diabetes)

Healthcare delivery systems evaluation

Human health and climate change

Computer programming skills

• Competent in R programming for statistical computing and graphics

• Competent in STATA programming for data analysis and graphing

• Competent in SPSS programming for data analysis and graphing

• Competent in Endnote Web for referencing

 

International and Local Research Awards/Recognition and interviews

Affiliations With Other Institutions

• Honorary Assistant Professor, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in the United Kingdom (UK)

  • Visiting Research Fellow, WorldPop, School of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Southampton.

• Visiting Scholar, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, USA.

• Visiting Professor, Dept. of Public & Environmental Health, University of the Gambia.

• Lecturer (Part-time), Accra College of Medicine, Accra – Ghana.

• Lecturer (Part-time), Family Health University College, Accra – Ghana.

• Adjunct Lecturer, Dominion University College, Accra – Ghana.

Courses taught

Quantitative Research Methods in Public Health (BSTT 706)

Analysis of Repeated Binary Outcomes (BSTT 704)

Data Analysis and Software Applications 1 (BSTT 621) 

Robust Statistical Methods (BSTT 607)

Advanced Biostatistics (BSTT 602)

Methods in Biostatistics (BSTT 601)

Biostatistics (GSPH 601, COMH 401)

Biostatistics in Public Health (GSPH 401)

Education and Qualification

• HND Statistics (Accra Technical University, Ghana)

• BSc Statistics (University of Cape Coast, Ghana)

• MSc Statistics with Applications in Medicine (Southampton University, United Kingdom)

• PhD Statistics & Epidemiology (Lancaster University, United Kingdom)

Publications

1)           Aheto JMK, Menezes LJ, Takramah W, Cui L (2024) Modelling spatiotemporal variation in under-five malaria risk in Ghana in 2016–2021. Malaria Journal 23(1):102. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-024-04918-x

2) Orounla BR, Alaye AE, Salako KV, Agbangba CE, Aheto JMK, Glèlè Kakaï R (2024). Direct and Indirect Effects of Environmental and Socio-Economic Factors on COVID-19 in Africa Using Structural Equation Modeling. Stats, 7(3):1051-1065. https://doi.org/10.3390/stats7030062

3)           Afesorgbor, S. K., Martey, E., & Aheto, JM (2024). The effects of local economic development on female obesity (overweight) in sub-Saharan Africa. Review of Development Economics, 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1111/rode.13112

4)           Kong Y, Chen S, Ma N, Chen Z, Karoli P, Niyi JL, Fan P, Fink G, Kwete XJ, Wehrmeister FC, Cheng F, Wang D, Zemene MA, Gatimu SM, Khan N, Rahman A, Fekadu L, Shibre G, Rahmartani LD, Aheto JMK, Geldsetzer P, Li Z (2024): Association between concurrence of multiple risk factors and under-5 mortality: a pooled analysis of data from Demographic and Health Survey in 61 low-and-middle-income countries. The Lancet eClinicalMedicine, 71:102583. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2024.102583

5)           Aheto JMK, Gates T, Tetteh I, Babah R (2024): A multilevel analysis of the predictors of health facility delivery in Ghana: Evidence from the 2014 Demographic and Health Survey. PLOS Global Public Health, 4(3):e0001254. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0001254

6)           Gadeka DD, Aheto JMK. (2024). Healthcare utilization and associated factors during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana: A cross-sectional survey. Health Science Reports. 7(1):e1805. https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.1805

7)           Aheto JMK, Olowe ID, Chan HM, Ekeh A, Dieng B, Fafunmi B, Setayesh H, Atuhaire B, Crawford J, Tatem AJ, Utazi CE (2023). Geospatial Analyses of Recent Household Surveys to Assess Changes in the Distribution of Zero-Dose Children and Their Associated Factors before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Nigeria. Vaccines. 11(12): 1830. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines11121830

8)           Akweongo P, Gadeka DD, Aryeetey G, Sumboh J, Aheto JMK, Aikins M. (2023). Does mobile renewal make health insurance more responsive to clients? A case study of the National Health Insurance Scheme in Ghana. BMJ Global Health, 7(Suppl 6):e011440

9)           Baffour B, Aheto JMK, Das S, Godwin P, Richardson A (2023). Geostatistical modelling of child undernutrition in developing countries using remote-sensed data: evidence from Bangladesh and Ghana demographic and health surveys. Scientific Reports. 13:21573. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-48980-y

10)        Aheto JMK, Babah R, Dzokoto MK, Kwarah W, Alhassan Y (2023). Predictors of mosquito bed net use among children under-fives in Ghana: a multilevel analysis of the 2019 malaria indicator survey. Malaria Journal, 22(1): 196. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-023-04634-y

11)        Aheto JMK, Gates T, Babah R, Takramah W (2023): Joint modelling of systolic and diastolic blood pressure and its associated factors among women in Ghana: Multivariate response multilevel modelling methods. PLOS Global Public Health, 3(4):e0001613. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0001613

12)        Aheto JMK, Alhassan Y, Puplampu AE, Boglo JK, Sedzro KM (2023). Anemia prevalence and its predictors among children under-five years in Ghana. A multilevel analysis of the cross-sectional 2019 Ghana Malaria Indicator Survey. Health Science Reports;6:e1643. doi:10.1002/hsr2.1643

13)        Takramah WK, Aheto JMK (2023). Multilevel modelling of neonatal mortality in Ghana: Does household and community levels matter? Heliyon, 9(8): e18961.

14)        Dwomoh D, Yeboah I, Ndejjo R, Kabwama SN, Aheto JM, Liu A, Lazenby S, Ohemeng F, Takyi SA, Issah I et al. (2023). COVID-19 outbreak control strategies and their impact on the provision of essential health services in Ghana: An exploratory-sequential study. PLOS ONE, 18(11):e0279528.

15)        Gadeka DD, Akweongo P, Whyle E, Aryeetey GC, Aheto JM, Gilson L (2023). Role of actor networks in primary health care implementation in low- and middle-income countries: a scoping review. Global Health Action, 16(1):2206684.

16)        Ayamah P, Aheto JMK, Atuahene KS, Annang DA, Nartey DT, Amuasi SA, Abrefa-Gyan T: Multiple indicators of violence against female sex workers and its associated factors in Ghana: Evidence from the 2015 integrated bio-behavioral surveillance survey cross-sectional study. Health Science Reports 2023, 6(5):e1243

17)        Otieno P, Asiki G, Aheto JMK, Wilunda C, Sanya RE, Wami W, Mwanga D, Agyemang C. (2023): Cardiometabolic Multimorbidity Associated with Moderate and Severe Disabilities: Results from the Study on Global AGEing and Adult Health (SAGE) Wave 2 in Ghana and South Africa. Global Heart;18(1):9. DOI: http://doi.org/10.5334/gh.1188

18)        Dzudzor B, Hammond H, Tachi K, Alisi A, Vento S, Gyasi RK, Aheto JMK. (2023): Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and hyaluronic acid levels as markers of fibrosis in patients with chronic liver disease at the main tertiary referral hospital in Ghana: A case-control study design. Health Science Reports, 6(2):e1101.

19)        Boi-Dsane NAA, Dzudzor B, Alhassan Y, Aheto JMK (2023): Prevalence of common adverse events experienced following COVID-19 vaccination and its associated factors in Ghana: Cross-sectional study design. Health Science Reports, 6(1):e1012.

20)        Owusu-Sekyere F, Goka B, Adzosii D, Obeng W, Yawson A, Akyaa-Yao N, Harrison S, Aheto JMK. (2023): Cardiovascular physical examination as a screening tool for congenital heart disease in newborns at a teaching hospital in Ghana. Ghana Medical Journal, 57(2):148-155. http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/gmj.v57i2.10

21)        Sackey BB, Aheto JM, Amponsah IKV., (2023): Examining the risk of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Ghana. International Journal of Science and Social Science Research. 1(3)

22)        Aheto JMK (2022): Mapping under-five child malaria risk that accounts for environmental and climatic factors to aid malaria preventive and control efforts in Ghana: Bayesian geospatial and interactive web-based mapping methods. Malaria Journal, 21(1):384. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-022-04409-x

23)        Utazi CE, Aheto JMK, Wigley A, Tejedor-Garavito N, Bonnie A, Nnanatu CC, Wagai J, Williams C, Setayesh H, Tatem AJ et al (2022): Mapping the distribution of zero-dose children to assess the performance of vaccine delivery strategies and their relationships with measles incidence in Nigeria. Vaccine

24)        Utazi CE, Aheto JMK, Chan HMT, Tatem AJ, Sahu SK (2022): Conditional probability and ratio-based approaches for mapping the coverage of multi-dose vaccines. Statistics in Medicine, 41(29):5662-5678. https://doi.org/10.1002/sim.9586

25)        Takramah WK, Dwomoh D, Aheto JMK. (2022) Spatio-temporal variations in neonatal mortality rates in Ghana: An application of hierarchical Bayesian methods. PLOS Global Public Health, 2(9):e0000649. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0000649

26)        Azumah JY, Takramah WK, Aheto JMK. (2022). Assessing the Knowledge and Practice of E-Tracker Among Nurses in the Ho Municipality. Journal of Health Informatics in Africa, 8(1):32–40. https://doi.org/10.12856/JHIA-2021-v8-i1-342

27)        Aheto JMK, Pannell O, Dotse-Gborgbortsi W, Trimner MK, Tatem AJ, Rhoda DA, Cutts FT, Utazi CE. (2022). Multilevel analysis of predictors of multiple indicators of childhood vaccination in Nigeria. PLOS ONE, 17(5):e0269066. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0269066

28)        Utazi CE, Pannell O, Aheto JMK, Wigley A, Tejedor-Garavito N, Wunderlich J, Hagedorn B, Hogan D, Tatem AJ (2022). Assessing the characteristics of un- and under-vaccinated children in low- and middle-income countries: A multi-level cross-sectional study. PLOS Global Public Health, 2(4):e0000244. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0000244

29)        Hewlett, S.A., Blankson, PK., Aheto, JMK. et al. (2022). Assessment of oral health status in a Ghanaian population: rationale, methods, and population characteristics. BMC Oral Health 22, 67. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-022-02090-9

30)        Aheto JMK, Dagne GA. (2021). Geostatistical analysis, web-based mapping, and environmental determinants of under-5 stunting: evidence from the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey. The Lancet Planetary Health, 5(6): e347-e55. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2542-5196(21)00080-2

31)        Aheto JMK, Utuama OA, Dagne GA. (2021). Geospatial analysis, web-based mapping and determinants of prostate cancer incidence in Georgia counties: evidence from the 2012–2016 SEER data. BMC Cancer, 21(1): 508. https://bmccancer.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12885-021-08254-0

32)        Aheto JMK, Dagne GA, (2021). Multilevel modeling, prevalence, and predictors of hypertension in Ghana: Evidence from Wave 2 of the World Health Organization's Study on global AGEing and adult health. Health Science Reports. 4(4):e453. doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.453.

33)        Aheto JMK, Duah HO, Agbadi P, Nakua EK. (2021). A predictive model, and predictors of under-five child malaria prevalence in Ghana: How do LASSO, Ridge and Elastic net regression approaches compare? Preventive Medicine Reports; 23: 101475

34)        Takramah WK, Aheto JMK, (2021). Predictive model and determinants of odds of neonates dying within 28 days of life in Ghana. Health Science Reports, 4(1):e248.

35)        Dwomoh D, Iddi S, Adu B, Aheto JM., et.al (2021). Mathematical modeling of COVID-19 infection dynamics in Ghana: Impact evaluation of integrated government and individual level interventions. Infectious Disease Modelling, 15: 381-397. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.idm.2021.01.008.

36)        Aheto, JMK., & Ogum Alangea, D. (2021). Multilevel analysis of risk factors associated with severe underweight among children under 5 years: evidence from the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey. Health Sciences Investigations (HSI) Journal, 2(1), 166-172. https://doi.org/10.46829/hsijournal.2021.6.2.1.166-172

37)        Yawson A, Antwi-Boasiako C, Djagbletey R, Abindau E, Aheto JMK, Botchway F, Adepa F, Yawson A (2021). Changes in Serum Electrolytes in Blood Transfused and Non-Transfused Post-Operative Patients at a National Referral Hospital in Ghana. Postgraduate Medical Journal of Ghana, 10(1):5-13.

38)        Aheto JM., Udofia E., Kallson E., Yawson A.E., et.al (2020). Prevalence, socio-demographic and environmental determinants of asthma in 4621 Ghanaian adults: Evidence from Wave 2 of the World Health Organization’s study on global AGEing and adult health. PLOS ONE, 15(12): e0243642. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0243642.

39)        Aheto JMK, Yankson R, Chipeta MG. (2020). Geostatistical analysis and mapping: Social and environmental determinants of under-five child mortality, evidence from the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey. BMC Public Health, 20(1), 1428. doi:10.1186/s12889-020-09534-3.

40)        Bonful HA, Addo-Lartey A, Aheto JMK, Ganle JK, Sarfo B, Aryeetey R (2020). Limiting spread of COVID-19 in Ghana: Compliance audit of selected transportation stations in the Greater Accra region of Ghana. PLOS ONE 15(9): e0238971. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal. pone.0238971

41)        Aheto, JMK. (2020). Simultaneous quantile regression and determinants of under-five severe chronic malnutrition in Ghana. BMC Public Health 20(1):644. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-08782-7

42)        Calys-Tagoe BNL., Aheto JMK., Mensah G., Biritwum R., Yawson AE. (2020). Cervical cancer screening practices among women in Ghana: Evidence from Wave 2 of the WHO Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health. BMC Women's Health, 20(1):49.

43)        Tagoe T. E, Agbadi P, Nakua K. E, Duodu P.A, Nutor J.J, Aheto JMK. (2020). A predictive model and socioeconomic and demographic determinants of under-five mortality in Sierra Leone. Heliyon, 6(3):e03508. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844020303534

44)        Calys-Tagoe BNL, Aheto JMK, Mensah G, Biritwum RB, Yawson AE (2020). Mammography examination among women aged 40 years or older in Ghana: evidence from wave 2 of the World Health Organization’s study on global AGEing and adult health multicountry longitudinal study. Public Health 181:40-45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2019.11.022

45)        Aheto JMK (2019). Predictive model and determinants of under-five child mortality: evidence from the 2014 Ghana demographic and health survey. BMC Public Health, 19(1):64. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-6390-4

46)        Udofia EA, Aheto JM, Mensah G, Biritwum R, Yawson AE (2019). Prevalence and risk factors associated with non-traffic related injury in the older population in Ghana: Wave 2 of the WHO Study on Global AGEing and adult health (SAGE). Preventive Medicine Reports, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2019.100934.

47)        Bosu, WK., Aheto, JMK., Reilly, S., & Zucchelli, E., (2019). Bosu WK, Aheto JMK, Zucchelli E, Reilly ST: Determinants of systemic hypertension in older adults in Africa: a systematic review. BMC Cardiovasc Disord, 19(1):173. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12872-019-1147-7

48)        Bosu WK, Reilly ST, Aheto JMK, Zucchelli E (2019). Hypertension in older adults in Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLOS ONE, 14(4):e0214934. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0214934.

49)        Oladoyinbo, C. A, Akinbule O. O, Bolajoko O.O, Aheto JM, … & Popoola AA. (2019). Risk factors for prostate cancer in West African Men: The Familial Cohort Study, Cancer Health Disparities. http://www.companyofscientists.com/index.php/chd/article/view/102.

50)        Aheto, JMK., Taylor, B.M., Keegan, T.J., Diggle P.J (2017). Modelling and Forecasting Spatiotemporal Variations in the Risk of Childhood Chronic Malnutrition among Under-Five Children in Ghana. Spatial and Spatio-temporal Epidemiology. DOI: 10.1016/j.sste.2017.02.003.

51)        Bosu, W. K., Aheto, JMK., Zucchelli, E., & Reilly, S. (2017). Prevalence, awareness, and associated risk factors of hypertension in older adults in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol. Systematic Reviews, 6, 192. http://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-017-0585-5

52)        Aheto, JMK., Keegan, T.J., Taylor, B.M., Diggle P.J (2015). Childhood malnutrition and its determinants among under-five children in Ghana. Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology.29:552-561. doi: 10.1111/ppe.12222.

Link to publications on Google scholar: https://scholar.google.co.in/citations?hl=en&user=3F6hcjcAAAAJ

Link to publications on Scopus: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=56820108400

Link to publications on ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1384-2461

Ongoing Projects

Current research

• Spatiotemporal modelling, prediction, and web-based mapping of under-five malaria risk

• Geospatial modelling, prediction, and web-based mapping of under-five malaria risk and predictors

• Geospatial modelling, prediction, and web-based mapping of vaccination coverage and geospatial predictors among children under-five 

• Geospatial modelling, prediction, and web-based mapping of chronic malnutrition among under-five children

• Geospatial modelling, prediction, and web-based mapping of prostate cancer among adults

• Spatiotemporal modelling, prediction, and and web-based mapping of neonatal mortality and its predictors

• Geospatial modelling, prediction, and mapping of under-five child mortality

• Geospatial modelling, prediction, and web-based mapping of obesity among adults

• Multilevel modelling of predictors of childhood vaccination coverage

• Multilevel modelling of predictors of childhood malnutrition

• Multilevel modelling of predictors of Insecticide-Treated Nets (ITN) use among under-five children

• Multilevel modelling and predictors of hypertension among adults

• Statistical modelling of TB/HIV AIDS

• Identifying critical risk factors for severe malnutrition among children under-five

• Predictive models and critical risk factors for neonatal and under-five child mortality