Mount Kenya University Institutional Repository
Not a member yet
5772 research outputs found
Sort by
Parents’ Readiness to Vaccinate Their Children Aged 5 to 17 Years Against Covid-19 and Its Associated Factors in Lira District, Uganda
No full textBackground: Data on parents’ readiness to vaccinate their children aged 5 to 17 years against COVID-19 is still scarce. This study assessed parents’ readiness to vaccinate their children aged 5 to 17 years against COVID-19 and factors associated in Lira district, Uganda.
Methods and Materials: A cross-sectional survey employing quantitative methods was conducted between October and November 2022 among 578 parents of children aged 5– 17 years in 3 sub-counties in Lira district. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics including means, percentages, frequencies, and odds ratios. Logistic regression was used to determine associations between the factors and the readiness of parents at a 95% level of significance.
Results: Out of 634 participants, 578 responded to the questionnaire, giving a response rate of 91.2%. The majority of the parents (327, 56.8%) were female, had children aged between 12 and 15 years (266, 46.4%), and had completed primary education (351, 60.9%). Most of the parents were Christian (565, 98.4%), married (499, 86.6%), and had been vaccinated against COVID-19 (535, 92.6%). Results also indicated that 75.6% (ranging from 71.9% to 78.9%) of the parents were unwilling to vaccinate their children for the COVID-19 virus. The predictors of readiness were the age of the child (AOR: 2.02; 95% CI: 0.97– 4.20; p=0.05) and lack of trust in the vaccine (AOR: 3.33; 95% CI: 1.95– 5.71; p0.001).
Conclusion: Our study shows that parents’ readiness to vaccinate their children aged 5 to 17 years was only 24.6%, which is suboptimal. The predictors of hesitancy were the age of the child and a lack of trust in the vaccine. Based on our results, the Ugandan authorities should provide health education interventions targeting parents to combat mistrust with respect to COVID-19 and the COVID-19 vaccine and highlight the benefits of the vaccines
Limited genetic variations of the Rh5-CyRPA-Ripr invasion complex in Plasmodium falciparum parasite population in selected malaria-endemic regions, Kenya
No full textThe invasion of human erythrocytes by Plasmodium falciparum merozoites requires interaction between parasite ligands and host receptors. Interaction of PfRh5-CyRPA-Ripr protein complex with basigin, an erythrocyte surface receptor, via PfRh5 is essential for erythrocyte invasion. Antibodies raised against each antigen component of the complex have demonstrated erythrocyte invasion inhibition, making these proteins potential blood-stage vaccine candidates. Genetic polymorphisms present a significant challenge in developing efficacious vaccines, leading to variant-specific immune responses. This study investigated the genetic variations of the PfRh5 complex proteins in P. falciparum isolates from Lake Victoria islands, Western Kenya. Here, twenty-nine microscopically confirmed P. falciparum field samples collected from islands in Lake Victoria between July 2014 and July 2016 were genotyped by whole genome sequencing, and results compared to sequences mined from the GenBank database, from a study conducted in Kilifi, as well as other sequences from the MalariaGEN repository. We analyzed the frequency of polymorphisms in the PfRh5 protein complex proteins, PfRh5, PfCyRPA, PfRipr, and PfP113, and their location mapped on the 3D protein complex structure. We identified a total of 58 variants in the PfRh5 protein complex. PfRh5 protein was the most polymorphic with 30 SNPs, while PfCyRPA was relatively conserved with 3 SNPs. The minor allele frequency of the SNPs ranged between 1.9% and 21.2%. Ten high-frequency alleles (>5%) were observed in PfRh5 at codons 147, 148, 277, 410, and 429 and in PfRipr at codons 190, 255, 259, and 1003. A SNP was located in protein-protein interaction region C203Y and F292V of PfRh5 and PfCyRPA, respectively. Put together, this study revealed low polymorphisms in the PfRh5 invasion complex in the Lake Victoria parasite population. However, the two mutations identified on the protein interaction regions prompts for investigation on their impacts on parasite invasion process to support the consideration of PfRh5 components as potential malaria vaccine candidates.This work was supported by the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (RSTMH) small grants 2019 (HW). BK is an EDCTP Fellow under EDCTP2 programme supported by the European Union grant number TMA2020CDF-3203. JG received support from the African Academy of Sciences. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript
Determinants of the World Health Organization Surgical Safety Checklist Use among Clinicians at Kenyatta National Hospital Nairobi, Kenya
No full textThe World Health Organization (WHO) Surgical Safety Checklist (SSC) aids in minimizing harm and lessens adverse surgical complications to the patients by introducing necessary repetitive surgical safety checks thereby reinforcing good surgical practices. Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) adopted and localized this checklist in its medical record files in the operating rooms around 2012; however, limited studies had been done to assess its use by the clinicians. The primary aim of the research was to ascertain the utilization of the World Health Organization Surgical Safety Checklist (WHO SSC) among medical practitioners at Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya. The primary aims were to assess the extent of utilization of the WHO SSC among healthcare providers at KNH in Nairobi, Kenya, and to evaluate both clinician-related and institutional-related factors that affect its usage at the same facility. To accomplish this, a cross-sectional study was conducted within the operating rooms of KNH. Through a multi-stage sampling technique, a total of 178 actively practicing healthcare professionals who utilize the SSC were recruited, excluding those on leave. The sample size was determined using Yamane's formula. Data was collected through self-administered questionnaires, and observations were made on 42 procedures performed by various clinicians, resulting in a total of 178 participants. The frequencies and percentages were employed to summarize the descriptive data, while Pearson's Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests were applied to analyze categorical data and investigate the association between practices and variables. IBM SPSS version 20 was utilized to conduct both descriptive and inferential statistical analyses. A substantial majority (98%) of the participants exhibited knowledge about the SSC, and 95% reported utilizing it on the day of the interview. Approximately 52% of the respondents possessed more than 10 years of clinical experience, while 46% had over a decade of experience in the operating theater. Nearly 95% of the participants indicated the availability and utilization of the SSC, and 99% confirmed its mandatory implementation in the operating theaters. The training rate for clinicians on the use of the SSC was 62%, while the rate of sensitization was reported at 70%.Out of 42 surgeries observed in the operating rooms, there were lower levels on use of SSC. The clinicians gave a lot of importance to confirming sterility, followed by confirmation of completion count of surgical instruments, sponges and needles at 83.7% and 82.5% respectively. The studied respondents at KNH were using and aware of SSC as recommended. Improvement for the least important surgical practices and gaps noted will better surgical safety practices in the operating rooms in this institution
Determinants of Covid-19 Vaccine Uptake among Adults in Mwala Subcounty, Machakos County, Kenya
Full text linkCOVID-19 has had immense negative effects on different populations both economically and socially. Since the pandemic started in 2019, it has caused numerous deaths and lowered quality of life among various victims and survivors. In efforts to contain the pandemic, virologists and vaccine manufacturers have worked and invented different COVID-19 vaccine variants with diverse but remarkably good levels of efficacy against the disease. Despite the Kenyan government’s efforts to make the vaccines available to the eligible population, vaccine hesitancy and refusal has brought about poor uptake hence slowing down the vaccination process. In this regard, the broad objective was to investigate the determinants of COVID-19 vaccine uptake among adults. The specific objectives were to identify the individual, administrative, social, and demographic factors that influence COVID-19 vaccine uptake among adults in Mwala Sub-county. It engaged the adult population residing in Mwala sub-county, Machakos County, Kenya as the study participants only. Analytical cross-sectional study design was used to achieve these objectives. Ethical clearance was issued by Mount Kenya University Ethical Review Committee and NACOSTI before data collection. The study targeted residents of Mwala Sub-county aged above 18 years of age. Data collection was carried out by means of structured questionnaires administered to 384 respondents and key informant interview guides that engaged six informants. The questionnaire respondents were sampled using systematic random sampling method from individuals visiting the six vaccination centres in the Sub-county. The process adhered to ethical considerations of informed consent, confidentiality, and anonymity. Data analysis was done with the aid of the SPSS software version 26. Descriptive analysis was conducted to describe the socio-demographic findings of the study as well as COVID-19 vaccine uptake of the respondents. Uptake of the first dose was 46.60% while fully vaccinated individuals were 11.70% of the total number of respondents. The association between some variables was identified through Chi-square test of association at significance level p=0.05. There were statistically significant associations between the outcome variable (COVID-19 vaccine uptake) and demographic predictors of age (χ2=15.524, df=3, P=0.001), sex (χ2=5.250, df=1, P=0.022), education level (χ2=107.556, df=3, P<0.001), and marital status (χ2=35.328, df=3, P<0.001). Additionally, social factors such as dependence on unreliable sources of information (χ2=32.904, df=3, P<0.001), collective responsibility of getting vaccinated to protect others (χ2=292.931, df=3, P<0.001), and religious teachings (χ2=11.763, df=1, p=0.001) also exhibited significant associations. Among predictors of low vaccine uptake was individual factors of susceptibility perception (χ2=189.471, df=1, p<0.001), severity perception (χ2=234.515, df=3, P<0.001), safety concerns (χ2=277.624, df=3, P<0.001), and perception that the vaccine benefits did not outdo associated side effects (χ2=277.624, df=3, P<0.001). Administrative factors of vaccine stock-outs (OR = 0.86, 95% CI 0.82 – 0.90) and long queues (OR=0.87, CI 95% 0.83–0.90) were not significantly related to the outcome variable. The study concludes that the vaccine uptake in Mwala is generally low. To overcome the low vaccine uptake, the government should incorporate COVID-19 vaccination into the existing routine vaccination schedule and address conspiracy theories revolving around the vaccine in various social media sites during health education and awareness vaccination campaigns
Phenomenology of Induced Abortion in Northern Uganda Among HIV-Positive Women Following an Unintended Pregnancy
No full textBackground: More than half of pregnancies in Uganda are unintended, and nearly a third of these end in abortion. However, little research has focused on women living with HIV’s subjective experiences following induced abortion. We explored how women living with HIV subjectively experience induced abortions in health facilities in Lira District, Uganda.
Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive-phenomenological study between October and November 2022. The study was conducted among women of reproductive age (15– 49 years) who were HIV positive and had undergone induced abortion following an unintended pregnancy. Purposive sampling was used to sample 30 participants who could speak to the research aims and have experience with the phenomenon under scrutiny. The principle of information power was used to estimate the sample size. We conducted face-to-face, in-depth interviews to collect data. Data were presented as direct quotes while providing a contextual understanding of the lived experiences of the study participants.
Results: The results showed that the major causes of induced abortion were financial constraints, concern for the unborn babies, unplanned pregnancy, and complex relationships. Regarding induced abortion-related experiences, three themes emerged: loss of family support, internalized and perceived stigma, and feelings of guilt and regret.
Conclusion: This study highlights the lived experiences of women living with HIV following an induced abortion. The study shows that women living with HIV had induced abortions due to numerous reasons, including financial concerns, complicated relationships, and a fear of infecting their unborn babies. However, after induced abortion, the women living with HIV faced several challenges like loss of family support, stigma, and feelings of guilt and regret. Based on HIV-infected women who underwent induced abortion and an unexpected pregnancy, they may need mental health services to reduce the stigma associated with induced abortion
Assessment of Factors Influencing Effective Staff Performance in Improving Data Management in Selected Facilities in Mombasa County, Kenya
No full textPreceding studies in upcoming nations have shown a diversity of reasons that may endanger data value in HIS. Some of these issues are related to the facility's setup and the technical knowledge of the healthcare providers. Conferring to study, many upcoming nation's well-being info systems are unable to offer essential support info. The lack of preferment of info culture harms the enactment of Health Info Systems (HIS). This research aimed at assessing reasons influencing effective staff actions in improving data management in designated amenities in Mombasa County, Kenya. The aspects to be explored were divided into three categories: organizational reasons, individual/team reasons, and external environmental reasons. The study was conducted in Mombasa County and used a cross-sectional research strategy with a mixed methods tactic. The 2080 healthcare workers formed the study's target population. In addition, the researcher targeted source documents, Ministry of Health (MOH) 711 reporting tools, and the Kenya Health Info System (KHIS) in 53 public health facilities, 172 private health facilities, and 17 FBO/NGO health facilities. The sample size for the study was 242 healthcare workers, 57 source documents, 24 MOH 711 reporting forms, and 24 KHIS in 24 levels 5, 4, and 3 private, Public, and FBO/NGO health facilities in Mombasa County. Both stratified and purposive sampling methods were employed in this research. Questionnaires, interviews, focus group debates, and data verification tools were employed to obtain quantitative and qualitative data for this research. Quantitative data were examined using incidences, proportions, mean, std, variation of coefficient, cross-tabulations, coefficient Phi correlation, and binary logistic regression (at 0.05 significance level). Qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis. The results indicated that organizational aspects (ϕ = 0.268, OR = 0.284, p > 0.05), staff effectiveness (ϕ = 0.408, OR = 0.056, p > 0.05), and individual attributes (ϕ = 0.141, OR = 0.424, p > 0.05) did not have a significant impact on improvement in data administration, while knowledge and skills (ϕ = 0.535, OR = 0.031, p < 0.05) was found to have a significant effect on improvement in data organization. The study concluded that the awareness and skills of healthcare employees are substantial predictors of enhancement in data management at the well-being amenities in Mombasa County. The study recommends that the Ministry of Healthiness at the nationwide level and the department of Healthiness in Mombasa County should ensure that(Human Resources for Health) HRH norms on Healthiness Management Info System (HMIS) officers are adhered to and ensure that all health employees are adequately competent in data management which will improve their competency
Factors Associated With Foodborne Pathogens among Food Handlers in Thika, Kiambu County, Kenya
No full textIncreasing risks of infections with foodborne pathogens may occur as a result of poor food handling practices. The present cross-sectional study employed a mixed-methods approach to determine the factors associated with foodborne pathogens among food handlers working in food establishments in Thika, Kiambu County, Kenya. Random sampling was used to enrol respondents in the survey. A single stool specimen was collected from each study participant. Laboratory analysis of the specimen was done to test for selected foodborne pathogens. Overall, 44 out of the 285 food handlers who took part in the study had at least one food-transmitted pathogen, putting the prevalence of foodborne infections among the food handlers at 15.4% (95% confidence interval (CI) 11.7%–20.1%). The findings from binary logistic regression indicated the following protective factors for foodborne pathogens among the studied food handlers: being female (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 0.098 (95% CI 0.0304 to 0.315, p< 0.001); having a valid medical examination certificate (AOR 0.141 (95% CI 0.141 to 1. 0.439, p = 0.001)); not boiling or treating water before serving the water to customers was a risk factor for having infections with foodborne pathogens (AOR 3.043 (95% CI 1.2225 to 7.577, p = 0.017)). The presence of foodborne pathogens among the food handlers in the study area potentially highlights the need to address the spread and transmission of foodborne infections in the study area. There is a need to institute appropriate control measures, including reducing the duration of regular screening of food handlers for foodborne illnesses in addition to training them on safe food handling practices, hand hygiene practices with provision of running water should be mandatory, regular monitoring of the food handling practices and policies on antimicrobial resistance of foodborne pathogens should be included in food safety control
Knowledge Level of Nurses on Electrocardiogram Intepretation And Management at Critical Care Units, Kenyatta National Hospital, Kenya
Full text linkThe electrocardiogram is a non-invasive procedure that is used to evaluate the electrical
and muscular activity of the heart. With global and regional rise in cardiovascular
disorders, knowledge on electrocardiogram (ECG) interpretation plays a major role in
monitoring and diagnosing heart disorders. Critical care nurses (CCNs) often work
closely with patients round the clock. They are therefore mandated to possess high level
of competence on ECG interpretation in order to detect and capture early any life
threatening arrhythmias. The aim of this study was to determine the knowledge level of
nurses on normal and abnormal ECG interpretation and management at the Critical Care
Units, Kenyatta National Hospital. A cross sectional study design was applied.
Convenience sampling technique was utilized. Data was collected using a self-
administered questionnaire to 131 nurses working in main critical care unit (CCU) and
selected satellite CCUs in the hospital. Data was analyzed using Statistical Package for
the Social Science (SPSS) version 25. Inferential statistics were analyzed using Chi
Square. The overall knowledge on ECG interpretation and management was found to be
80.9%. This is a “good” level based on the grading criteria used. The knowledge on
normal ECG interpretation was 85.2% while that of abnormal ECG interpretation was
72.1%. The knowledge on management of abnormal ECG was scored at 72.6%. There
was no significant relationship between knowledge on normal ECG and socio-
demographic factors of the respondents. However, there was a statistically significant
relationship between age and years of experience of the respondents with knowledge on
interpretation of abnormal ECG strips, P value 0.004 and 0.008 respectively. A
knowledge gap existed whereby some variables of abnormal ECG strips were interpreted
below 70% which was considered unsatisfactory. The study also revealed a gap on
monitoring compliance to Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification. The
researcher recommends periodic scheduling of Continuous professional development
(CPD) programmes to enhance competency. A committee can be set up to monitor
compliance of ACLS certification. The curriculum in basic nursing training can also be
reviewed to include practical sessions on ECG interpretation and management. A similar
study can be carried out in other hospitals both public and private within the country
Omondi ,James Ambuso
No full textThe governance of the AWSB remains a challenge. There are concerns about corruption, limited stakeholder participation and weak accountability mechanisms. This has led to inefficiencies, mismanagement of water resources and inadequate access to clean and safe water for the population served by the AWSB. This study examined the effects of water sector reforms on governance at Athi Water Services Board, analyzing coverage, reporting, stakeholder participation, challenges, and the influence of government legislation and donors, using a mixed-methods approach and data from 80 employees at various management levels.Validity and reliability of the research instruments were assessed, and both qualitative and quantitative analyses were conducted. The correlation results revealed significant positive associations between coverage, reporting, and stakeholder participation with governance (r=.726, p=.000; r=.734, p=000; r=.611, p=000), while challenges exhibited a negative and significant association (r=-.458, p=000). Regression analysis further indicated that coverage (β=.337, p=0.000), reporting (β=.241, p=0.004), and stakeholder participation (β=.182, p=0.039) were positively and significantly related to governance, whereas challenges (β=.-135, p=0.046) had a negative and significant impact. Moreover, government legislation and donors were identified as effective moderators. Based on the findings, several recommendations are proposed. These include establishing adequate connectivity to informal sectors with sufficient water supply, developing additional water sources, and improving the frequency of water supply in urban areas. It is crucial to prepare and maintain a strategic plan, ensure the independence of the finance department from management, and enable stakeholders to freely inspect financial records. Active involvement of stakeholders is recommended to better understand the root causes of challenges in the water sector. Adequate funding should be directed towards the water sector to facilitate project engagement, and efforts should be made to enhance services for the benefit of Kenyans. Finally, investments should be prioritized in infrastructure necessary for the production of clean water
Knowledge Level of Nurses on Electrocardiogram Intepretation And Management at Critical Care Units, Kenyatta National Hospital, Kenya
Full text linkThe electrocardiogram is a non-invasive procedure that is used to evaluate the electrical
and muscular activity of the heart. With global and regional rise in cardiovascular
disorders, knowledge on electrocardiogram (ECG) interpretation plays a major role in
monitoring and diagnosing heart disorders. Critical care nurses (CCNs) often work
closely with patients round the clock. They are therefore mandated to possess high level
of competence on ECG interpretation in order to detect and capture early any life
threatening arrhythmias. The aim of this study was to determine the knowledge level of
nurses on normal and abnormal ECG interpretation and management at the Critical Care
Units, Kenyatta National Hospital. A cross sectional study design was applied.
Convenience sampling technique was utilized. Data was collected using a self-
administered questionnaire to 131 nurses working in main critical care unit (CCU) and
selected satellite CCUs in the hospital. Data was analyzed using Statistical Package for
the Social Science (SPSS) version 25. Inferential statistics were analyzed using Chi
Square. The overall knowledge on ECG interpretation and management was found to be
80.9%. This is a “good” level based on the grading criteria used. The knowledge on
normal ECG interpretation was 85.2% while that of abnormal ECG interpretation was
72.1%. The knowledge on management of abnormal ECG was scored at 72.6%. There
was no significant relationship between knowledge on normal ECG and socio-
demographic factors of the respondents. However, there was a statistically significant
relationship between age and years of experience of the respondents with knowledge on
interpretation of abnormal ECG strips, P value 0.004 and 0.008 respectively. A
knowledge gap existed whereby some variables of abnormal ECG strips were interpreted
below 70% which was considered unsatisfactory. The study also revelled a gap on
monitoring compliance to Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification. The
researcher recommends periodic scheduling of Continuous professional development
(CPD) programmes to enhance competency. A committee can be set up to monitor
compliance of ACLS certification. The curriculum in basic nursing training can also be
reviewed to include practical sessions on ECG interpretation and management. A similar
study can be carried out in other hospitals both public and private within the country