Mutual health schemes are emerging as an important cornerstone in healthcare financing in Kirinyaga County, where they are providing a patchwork of protection to low-income groups faced by low financial access to healthcare. While the schemes continue to gain ground, the extent to which they are improving health care utilization remains unclear because of weak evidence. Only a handful number of inquiries have been conducted, a paucity that underlined the objective of this study. The cross-sec...
Food borne diseases presents a widespread and growing public health problem both in developed and developing countries including Kenya. Diseases spread through food still remain a common and persistent problem resulting in appreciable morbidity and occasional mortality. Food hygiene in hospital poses peculiar problems, particularly given the presence of patients who could be more vulnerable than healthy individuals to microbiological risks. Kitchen environment and food handlers play an import...
Slums play many roles in city life. Slums, poverty and the informal sector are closely related, but are by no means congruent. As the place of residence of low-cost laborers, they keep the wheels of the city working in many different ways. They are adept at producing the services and commercial activities that the formal sector fails to provide through the mobilization of local enterprise and industry. They are the recipients of the city‟s externalities: noxious industry, waste materials,...
In Kenya, the high level of food insecurity is related to poverty and a reduction in agricultural production. HIV/AIDS reduces a household’s ability to produce and purchase food. Adults with HIV/AIDS are less able to work on their land or earn income from other livelihood activities. Increased healthcare costs decrease household food purchasing power and the coping mechanisms reduce household resilience. Kenya National HIV/AIDS Strategic Plan 2005/6- 2009/10 has recommended for impa...
Young people aged between 15-24 years account for more than 50 percent of all HIV infections worldwide. More than 6,800 young people are newly infected with HIV and 5700 die each day throughout the world. Young people are particularly vulnerable to HIV because of social, cultural, biological, and economic reasons therefore VCT offers an important entry point to early prevention, care, and support of these youth. Research conducted in Kenya by the German Foundation for World Population estimat...
This study was about the determinants of unmet need for family planning in the era of the global gag rule at Family Health Options Kenya in Nairobi City County. Problem statement: This policy creates inhibitions on family planning programs and results in loss of US funding for reproductive health NGOs that depend on donor funding for their reproductive health activities such as family planning. FHOK has had to close down the Kitengela and Mombasa clinics. Objectives: The objective of the stud...
Health seeking behaviour refers to actions undertaken by a person who perceives self to be ill for the purpose of finding an appropriate remedy. Nurses as gate keepers of health are expected to seek formal treatment when they are taken ill because this is what they teach and expect of their patients. Their working conditions world over have been described as squalid with long working hours, often cited as accruing from workload and the general nature of nursing work, a scenario that predispos...
Preterm birth is a global health problem. It is the leading cause of child and neonatal mortality globally including Kenya. Preterm birth is the birth occurring before 37 completed weeks of gestation. In Kenya, preterm birth is the leading cause of neonatal mortality as it contributes to 35% of deaths among the neonates while Kisumu County is among the county’s leading with child under-five mortality rate at 133 deaths per 1000 live births. The main objective of this study was to identify ...
Drug abuse is a major public health problem among the youth worldwide especially in developing countries. The accessibility, affordability, and consumption of abused drugs by the youths have attracted great concern among public health personnel. The impact of drug abuse in human health and well-being is substantial and its contribution ranges from medical, social, family, legal and economic problems which are created by its uncontrolled use. Thus, drug abuse-related problems among the youth c...
Each year road traffic accidents (RTAs) account for 1.24 million fatalities and 20 to 50 million injuries worldwide. Over (90%) of this fatalities occur in low and middle income countries (LMIC). In particular, Kenya losses at least ten people daily to road traffic accidents. Vulnerable road users including university students account for over half of these fatalities. Several strategies have been employed to curb the rising cases of RTAs; unfortunately they have lacked local input due to sca...
ABSTRACT The production of aircraft meals can pose risks of global dimensions. Microbiological hazards are the most prominent risk factors associated with this kind of food production and arise owing to the complexity of the operation in the flight kitchen, long food production chains and onboard services with limited facilities. Food borne diseases constitute a significant cause of reduced economic activity in this sector and are also a growing public health problem worldwide. Regular micro...
ABSTRACT Many institutions have invested in health and fitness facilities with the aim of promoting productivity and reducing escalating healthcare cost associated with conditions that result from physical inactivity amongst employees. However, the reported uptake of these services is quite low. This study analysed the determinants of participation in physical activity in on-site fitness centres among employees of Kenyatta University and Africa Nazarene University in Kenya. A cross-sectional...
ABSTRACT Job satisfaction among healthcare workers plays an important role in influencing productivity, performance efficiency, effectiveness, and the quality and safety of health care services. While there are numerous factors that influence healthcare workers’ job satisfaction, there is a need to identify the factors and address them adequately to improve the satisfaction and enhance the quality of health care services provided to the general public. As the Kenyan Government, through the...
ABSTRACT Malaria is associated with more than 216 million episodes and an estimated 655,000 deaths annually world-wide. In Africa, it remains the leading cause of childhood and maternal morbidity and mortality, accounting for more than two-thirds (81%) of reported cases of disease, as well as approximately 91% of the deaths. Out of the five species of Plasmodium (P falciparum, P vivax, P ovale, P malariae, and P knowlesi) that cause malaria in humans, Plasmodium falciparum is the most danger...
ABSTRACT Health Information System (HIS) is important in policy making and improvement of health care. Developed countries across the world continue to improve HIS as a means of promoting uptake of Universal Health Coverage (UHC). However, in developing countries especially Africa, HIS is not considered important factor in achieving UHC. In Kenya, it remains a significant challenge to determine level of feedback from health dispensaries, county hospitals and national hospitals yet the facili...