Mary Asirifi – The Conversation

Physically impaired children struggle without societal support. Mary Asirifi

July 29, 2026

How do teens living with disabilities in Ghana view their future? We asked them to show us

Mary Asirifi, MacEwan University

Ghanaian adolescents with disabilities often face hostile experiences that contribute to negative self-perceptions.

The two year old girl being examined for the possibility of leprosy in Marana, Madagascar, Laetitia Bezain/dpa via Getty Images

January 29, 2024

Neglected tropical diseases persist in the world’s poorest places: four reads about hurdles and progress

Nadine Dreyer, The Conversation

Neglected tropical diseases are often associated with social exclusion as well as physical suffering. One billion people around the world suffer from these diseases.

Feet of a person with lymphatic filariasis, also known as elephantiasis. WHO

November 22, 2023

Patients’ beliefs about illness matter: the case of elephantiasis in rural Ghana

Kristi Heather Kenyon, University of Winnipeg; Alexander Kwarteng, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST); Colleen McMillan, University of Waterloo; Mary Asirifi, MacEwan University, and Regiane Garcia, Simon Fraser University

In rural Ghana, only 18% of patients believe elephantiasis is a disease. Some others think it is caused by curses or even rain. Only by understanding local beliefs can it be treated effectively.

The swelling affects people’s lives in a multitude of ways. Maggie Steber for The Washington Post via Getty Images

August 30, 2021

Why it’s hard to end elephantiasis, a debilitating disease spread by mosquitoes

Alexander Kwarteng, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST); Jonathan Roberts, Mount Saint Vincent University; Kristi Heather Kenyon, University of Winnipeg, and Mary Asirifi, MacEwan University

The main sign of the illness is disfiguring swelling followed by peeling of the affected area. In women this swelling mainly affects arms and legs. In men it can cause enlargement of the scrotum.

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