Background: Reducing the burden of neonatal sepsis requires timely identification and initiation ... more Background: Reducing the burden of neonatal sepsis requires timely identification and initiation of suitable antibiotic treatment in primary health care (PHC) settings. Countries are encouraged to adopt simplified antibiotic regimens at PHC level for treating sick young infants (SYI) with signs of possible serious bacterial infection (PSBI). As countries implements PSBI guidelines, more lessons on effective implementation strategies and outcome measurements are needed. We document pragmatic approaches used to design, measure and report implementation strategies and outcomes while adopting PSBI guidelines in Kenya. Methods: We designed implementation research using longitudinal mixed methods embedded in a continuous regular systematic learning and adoption of evidence in PHC context. We synthesized formative data to co-create with stakeholders, implementation strategies to incorporate PSBI guidelines into routine service delivery for SYIs. This was followed by quarterly monitoring fo...
IntroductionAn ‘on-demand’ contraceptive pill may suit women having infrequent sex. We assessed t... more IntroductionAn ‘on-demand’ contraceptive pill may suit women having infrequent sex. We assessed the feasibility of e-commerce pharmacy provision and acceptability of levonorgestrel (LNG) 1.5 mg for pericoital use in Kenya.MethodsA 12-month prospective, single-arm, open-label, interventional study conducted from August 2020 to August 2021. A total of 897 women aged 18–49 years at risk of pregnancy and having infrequent sex (ie, six times or fewer coital frequency/month) were screened and enrolled. We undertook univariate and bivariate analysis on multiple data points: enrolment dataset, bimonthly surveys, extended survey around 6-month follow-up, and e-commerce pharmacy sales log.ResultsA total of 2291 pericoital LNG 1.5 mg pill doses were dispensed to 300 women over a 12-month period mainly via the USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) platform. Of the 266 women who obtained the pill and completed the survey, most (83%) were satisfied/very satisfied with e-commerce platform...
Additional file 1: of Womenâ s attitudes and beliefs towards specific contraceptive methods in Bangladesh and Kenya
Table S1. Enrollment Overview. Table S2. General attitudes by site. Table S3. Percentage of respo... more Table S1. Enrollment Overview. Table S2. General attitudes by site. Table S3. Percentage of respondents stating specific characteristics to be â very importantâ by site. Table S4. Percentage of women with specific opinions (traditional methods) by site. (PDF 916 kb)
Awareness of traditional knowledge and attitudes towards wildlife conservation among Maasai communities: The case of Enkusero Sampu Conservancy, Kajiado County in Kenya
African Journal of Ecology, 2021
Women and Household Food Security in Kenya
The role of women in agriculture as producers and providers of food cannot be over emphasised. In... more The role of women in agriculture as producers and providers of food cannot be over emphasised. In Kenya, just as in many other countries of the developing world, women are a critical link in achieving food security. This paper examines the role of women in ensuring household food security in Kenya. The challenges experienced by women as they participate in household food security are highlighted. A systematic review of literature from published and unpublished sources was useful for examining the fundamental roles that women play in ensuring food security in the family. The paper explores the critical link between women and food security in the Kenyan context, assessing some of the influences on household food security and specifically addressing women's roles and constraints within that framework. The paper reviews the effective strategies that can be adopted by women in order to maximize on household food security. The central argument in this paper is that women play a vital ...
Introduction Evidence from sub-Saharan Africa, including Kenya, shows that negative beliefs about... more Introduction Evidence from sub-Saharan Africa, including Kenya, shows that negative beliefs about contraceptive methods are associated with non-use. However, little is known about the relationship between contraceptive beliefs and subsequent method choice. Methodology We used data from a two-year longitudinal survey of married women aged 15–39 years at enrollment from one urban site (Nairobi) and one rural site (Homa Bay) in Kenya. Analysis entails descriptive statistics and estimation of a conditional logit analysis to examine associations between method-specific beliefs and choice of injectables, implants or pills among women who were not using any method or were pregnant at baseline (round 1) but adopted these methods at 12-month follow-up (Nairobi, n = 221; Homa Bay n = 197). Results Beliefs about pills, injectables and implants among non-users were generally negative. With the partial exception of the pill in Nairobi, the majority thought that each method was likely to cause se...
Men’s needs and women’s fears: gender-related power dynamics in contraceptive use and coping with consequences in a rural setting in Kenya
Culture, Health & Sexuality, 2020
Abstract This paper examines gender-related power influences on contraceptive use and coping with... more Abstract This paper examines gender-related power influences on contraceptive use and coping with consequences in a rural setting in Kenya. Data come from in-depth interviews conducted in 2018 with 42 women who participated in a longitudinal study implemented in Homa Bay County. Data were analysed using an exploratory inductive content analytic approach. The findings show that the key drivers of gender-related power influence on contraceptive use and coping with consequences included: 1) the extent to which the women managed to provide sex and sexual pleasure to their partners when they were using contraception; 2) men’s readiness to provide permission and resources that women needed and the latter’s ability to overcome challenges in obtaining the same from their partners; and 3) women’s fears concerning infidelity and partner violence, which influenced the actions they took to reduce instances that could make their partners suspect them of engaging in extra-marital affairs, drive their partners into such affairs, or encourage their partners to direct emotional or physical violence on them. Findings suggest the need for gender-transformative actions combining empowerment programmes for women with information, education and communications activities targeting both men and women.
Factors influencing women’s decisions regarding birth planning in a rural setting in Kenya and their implications for family planning programmes
Journal of Biosocial Science, 2020
Evidence suggests that socio-cultural barriers that limit the ability of women in sub-Saharan Afr... more Evidence suggests that socio-cultural barriers that limit the ability of women in sub-Saharan Africa to make decisions regarding contraceptive use and childbearing contribute to the slow uptake of contraception in this region. This paper explores factors influencing women’s decisions regarding contraceptive uptake, switching and discontinuation, and the implications of those decisions for family planning programmes. Data were from in-depth interviews that were conducted in 2018 with 42 women who participated in a longitudinal research project implemented in Homa Bay County of Kenya. Participants comprised women who were aged 15–39 years at the time of recruitment into the study and who discontinued using injectables or implants between the first and second rounds of data collection. Data were analysed using an exploratory inductive content analytic approach. The findings show that uptake of contraception was largely driven by concerns about the negative consequences of frequent chil...
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Papers by George Odwe