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Prof. Justice Moses K. Aheto

Prof. Justice Moses K. Aheto
Associate Professor of Biostatistics
jmkaheto@ug.edu.gh , justiceaheto@yahoo.com

 

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

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. 

EMAIL: jmkaheto@ug.edu.gh , justiceaheto@yahoo.com

 

Academic qualifications
• 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)

 

Brief Profile 

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 researches are 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, 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. HIV/AIDS, TB, Pneumonia)
  • Non-Communicable diseases (e.g. asthma, cancer, hypertension, diabetes)
  • Healthcare delivery systems evaluation
  • Human health and climate change

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

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

Research awards, recognition and interviews

•Black Heroes of Operational Research, Operational Research Society – UK (October 2021): He was recognized as one of the Black Heroes of Operational Research by the Operational Research Society (The OR Society) in the United Kingdom. This recognition was based on his research work on Statistical and Mathematical modelling of health outcomes with direct applications to inform sound policy and intervention strategies to improve health outcomes in populations (https://www.theorsociety.com/publications/magazines/inside-or/2021-octob...).

Affiliations With Other Institutions
• 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.
• Lecturer (Part-time), Regent University College of Science and Technology, Accra – Ghana.

Courses taught

  • Quantitative Research Methods in Public Health (BSTT 706)
  • 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)

Selected publications

  1. 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
  2. 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
  3. 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
  4. 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
  5. 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 2023, 7(Suppl 6):e011440
  6. 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
  7. 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
  8. 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
  9. 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.
  10. Takramah WK, Aheto JMK (2023). Multilevel modelling of neonatal mortality in Ghana: Does household and community levels matter? Heliyon, 9(8): e18961
  11. 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
  12. 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
  13. Gadeka DD, Akweongo P, Whyle E, Aryeetey GC, Aheto JMK, 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.
  14. Ayamah P, Aheto JMK, Atuahene KS, Annang DA, Nartey DT, Amuasi SA, Abrefa-Gyan T (2023): 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, 6(5):e1243
  15. 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.
  16. 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.
  17. 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
  18. 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. Stat Med, 41(29):5662-5678. https://doi.org/10.1002/sim.9586
  19. 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
  20. 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
  21. 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
  22. 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
  23. 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
  24. 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
  25. 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
  26. 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
  27. 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
  28. 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
  29. 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
  30. Takramah WK, Aheto JMK, (2021) Predictive model and determinants of odds of neonates dying within 28 days of life in Ghana. Health Science Reports 2021, 4(1):e248.
  31. 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.
  32. 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.
  33. 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.
  34. 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
  35. Aheto, J.M.K. (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
  36. 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.
  37. Tagoe T. E, Agbadi P, Nakua K. E, Duodu P.A, Nutor J.J, Aheto J.M.K. (2020) A predictive model of and socioeconomic and demographic determinants of under-five mortality in Sierra Leone. Heliyon, 6(3):e03508. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844020303534
  38. Calys-Tagoe BNL, Aheto JMK, Mensah G, Biritwum RB, Yawson AE: 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 2020, 181:40-45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2019.11.022
  39. 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
  40. 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.
  41. 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
  42. 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.
  43. Oladoyinbo, C. A, Akinbule O. O, Bolajoko O.O, Aheto JM, Faruk M, Bassey I.E, Odedina F, Ogunlana O. O, Ogunsanya M, Suleiman A. M, Obialor S, Gali R., (2019). Risk factors for prostate cancer in West African Men: The Familial Cohort Study, Cancer Health Disparities. doi:10.9777/chd.2019.1007 http://www.companyofscientists.com/index.php/chd/article/view/102. 
  44. 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.
  45. 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
  46. 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.

 

Professional Membership
• Lead Biostatistician and a Member, Prostate Cancer Transatlantic Consortium (CaPTC) – African Region, University of Florida.
• Member, Young Statisticians Session of the Royal Statistical Society, United Kingdom.
• Member, International Biometric Society, British and Irish Region
• Member, Ghana Statistical Association, Ghana.