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Article History

Received: 18 December 2023

Accepted: 6 August 2025

First Online: 24 September 2025

Declarations

:

: This study was conducted in accordance with the ethical principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki which governs research involving human participants [].On 6th January 2022, the Health Research Ethics Committee (HREC) of the Stellenbosch University approved the study with reference number, S21/08/159. Renewal of the approval was granted on 6th January 2023. After the initial approval by the HREC, approval was granted by the Committee on Human Research, Publication and Ethics of the College of Health Sciences of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana, with reference number, CHRPE/AP/356/22, on 19th July 2022. In addition, all participants gave their written informed consent.Adolescents who were used in the study were minors. Therefore, parental informed consent to allow adolescents to participate in the study was also obtained. Child assent was also obtained from adolescents on a separate form. To ensure the right to self-determination, the researcher showed the participants respect by interviewing only those who were willing to participate in the study. The researcher also maintained confidentiality and anonymity to protect the right of participants to privacy. The data collected was available only to the researcher and his supervisors. Their names were not mentioned anywhere in the study.

: Not applicable.

: The authors declare no competing interests.