Kenya

Health Seeking Behavior, Practices of TB and Access to Health Care Among TB Patients in Machakos County, Kenya. A Cross-Sectional Study

The main objective of this study was to examine the health seeking behavior of TB patients, practices of TB and access to health care. A cross- sectional survey of TB patients was done in Athi River, Machakos level 5 and Mutituni TB treatment health facilities in Machakos County. [from abstract]

Strategic Human Resources Solutions for Healthcare Systems in Central and Eastern Africa

This article explores the human resources problems along with the health status and services for Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. Situational analysis on health status and service delivery is presented via a thorough examination of country specific National Health Sector Strategic Plans. Strategic solutions based on improving the Human Resources for Health are explained and World Health
Organization’s Millennium Development Goals are examined. [from abstract]

HIV Prevention for Women in Kenya: An Advocacy Guide for Gender-Sensitive Microbicide Introduction

This document is a guide for advocating for attention to gender issues in future microbicide introduction. The guide is based on the findings from a gender analysis conducted by FHI 360 in Kenya in 2012–2013. The purpose of this analysis was to examine how gender norms and inequalities may affect women’s access to and use of a microbicide product. [from introduction]

The Emergence of Hospital Accreditation Programs in East Africa: Lessons from Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania

The objective of this manuscript was to examine existing hospital accreditation systems in three East African countries (Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania), assess attitudes and opinions of key stakeholders regarding hospital accreditation systems in the region, and identify lessons regarding sustainable and effective implementation of hospital accreditation systems in resource-limited countries. [from abstract]

Work Experience, Job-Fulfillment and Burnout among VMMC Providers in Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania and Zimbabwe

This analysis examines this issue of performance and attrition in [voluntary medical male circumcision] programs by looking descriptively at job-fulfillment and burnout. [from introduction]

From Policy to Action: Implementing the Kenyan Community Strategy

This technical highlight provides a brief overview of Pathfinder’s experience implementing the Kenyan Community Strategy through the USAID-funded APHIAplus (AIDS, Population, and Health Integrated Assistance Plus) Nairobi-Coast project (2011-2014). [from abstract]

Task Shifting for Cataract Surgery in Eastern Africa: Productivity and Attrition of Non-Physician Cataract Surgeons in Kenya, Malawi and Tanzania

This project examined the surgical productivity and attrition of non-physician cataract surgeons (NPCSs) in Tanzania, Malawi, and Kenya. [from abstract]

Kenyan Women Medical Doctors and Their Motivations to Pursue International Research Training

Through interviews, researchers found Kenyan women medical clinical researchers shared similar motivations as US women but differed as well. Kenyan medical doctors pursued health research within a context of limited resources, but the ability to balance work and family while contributing to public health through research and leadership was highly valued. [adapted from abstract]

'My Dreams Are Shuttered Down And It Hurts Lots’ – A Qualitative Study of Palliative Care Needs and Their Management by HIV Outpatient Services in Kenya and Uganda

Despite the huge burden of HIV in sub-Saharan Africa, there is little evidence of the multidimensional needs of patients with HIV infection to inform the person-centred care across physical, psychological, social and spiritual domains stipulated in policy guidance. We aimed to describe the problems experienced by people with HIV in Kenya and Uganda and the management of these problems by HIV outpatient services. [from abstract]

Short Structured General Mental Health In Service Training Programme in Kenya Improves Patient Health and Social Outcomes but Not Detection of Mental Health Problems: A Pragmatic Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

This paper reports an exploratory trial designed to test the effect of a low-cost training in-service training intervention for primary health care providers on: the rate of accurate routine clinic detection of mental disorder and recovery (improved health and social outcomes and quality of life) of clients. [adapted from author]

Health System Challenges to Integration of Mental Health Delivery in Primary Care in Kenya: Perspectives of Primary Care Workers

This paper uses focus group methodology to explore health worker perspectives on the challenges posed to integration of mental health into primary care by generic health system weakness. [from abstract]

Impact of a Decision-Support Tool on Decision Making at the District Level in Kenya

This study qualitatively assessed the process of implementing a tool developed to integrate data from health programs at the district level to enable district health management teams to review and monitor program progress for specific health issues to make informed service delivery decisions; and evaluated the tool’s effect on data-informed decision making at the district level. [adapted from abstract]

Adherence with Evidence-Based TB Standards and Guidelines in Selected Health Facilities in Kenya

This study was undertaken to determine providers’ and patients’ adherence to national tuberculosis (TB) treatment guidelines. The key findings are expected to provide information regarding factors influencing provider adherence to guidelines, such as providers’ TB-related knowledge and attitudes, environmental factors and resources necessary to adhere to TB diagnosis and treatment standards. [adapted from author]

Where Is Information Quality Lost at Clinical Level? A Mixed-Method Study on Information Systems and Data Quality in Three Urban Kenyan ANC Clinics

This study aims to describe and assess selected clinical and reporting information processes of health workers providing antenatal care services in three Kenyan facilities to the national health information system. It assessed different aspects of clinical information systems and the quality of data. [adapted from author]

Role of Clinical Officers in the Kenyan Health System: A Question of Perspective

This work explored perceptions of the roles of Kenyan non-physician clinicians in typical health system settings. [adapted from abstract]

Effects of Selected Socio-Demographic Characteristics of Community Health Workers on Performance of Home Visits during Pregnancy: A Cross-Sectional Study in Busia District, Kenya

This study sought to further the evidence on how socio-demographic factors influence community health worker effectiveness in conducting home visits in order to ensure the adoption of evidence based maternal, newborn, child health and nutrition best practices and to increase demand for facility based services, including skilled birth attendance. [adapted from author]

Innovative Pay-for -Performance (P4P) Strategy for Improving Malaria Management in Rural Kenya: Protocol for a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

The authors describe the design of a cluster-randomized controlled study to investigate the role of sustainable institutional incentives to improve management of malaria in peripheral health facilities. This study will demonstrate whether facility-based rather than individual incentives are compelling enough to change provider behavior and whether these incentives lead to cost savings as a result of targeted drug consumption. [from author]

Ownership and Use of Mobile Phones among Health Workers, Caregivers of Sick Children and Adult Patients in Kenya: Cross-Sectional National Survey

This article reports recent national data on mobile phone ownership and use among health workers and patients in Kenya and examine factors influencing ownership and SMS use to help guide the policy implications of mHealth. [from author]

Creating an Enabling Environment for Human Resources for Health Program Implementation in Three African Countries

Despite advances, insufficient progress has been made in implementing HRH interventions to improve access to qualified health workers. This qualitative study was conducted to determine the factors that define the enabling environment for successful implementation of HRH interventions in three countries: Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. [from publisher]

Continuing Professional Development Framework (CPD) for Nurses in Kenya

This CPD framework provides guidelines that create an environment for nurses to keep abreast with, and improve competencies in service delivery in an effort to satisfy the needs and expectations of patients and clients in Kenya. [adapted from author]

Costs and Cost-Effectiveness of a Mobile Phone Text-Message Reminder Programmes to Improve Health Workers' Adherence to Malaria Guidelines in Kenya

A recent trial in Kenya showed that text-message reminders on adherence to malaria case-management sent to health workers’ mobile phones improved management of pediatric outpatients by 25 percentage points. This paper examines costs and cost-effectiveness of this intervention. [from abstract]

Decision Making among Community-Based Volunteers Working in Vulnerable Children Programs

This study was collected data from caregivers who work directly with vulnerable children to explore how care decisions are made by community-based volunteers, and the utility of the Child Status Index at the community level as a job aid. [adapted from summary]

Effectiveness of a Community-Based Positive Prevention Intervention for People Living with HIV Who Are Not Receiving Antiretroviral Treatment: A Prospective Cohort Study

This controlled study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a personalized HIV risk-reduction intervention delivered by community health workers to people who know they have HIV and who are not on treatment. [from author]

Literature Review: The Role of the Private Sector in the Production of Nurses in India, Kenya, South Africa and Thailand

This study examines the supply of, demand for, and policy
environment of private nurse production in four selected countries. [from abstract]

Service Delivery in Kenyan District Hospitals: What Can We Learn from Literature on Mid-Level Mangers?

This review examined literature on the roles of mid-level managers to understand how they might influence service delivery quality in Kenyan hospitals. [adapted from abstract]

Experiences of Health Care Providers with Integrated HIV and Reproductive Health Services in Kenya: A Qualitative Study

This qualitative study was conducted among frontline health workers to explore provider experiences with integration in order to ascertain their significance to the performance of integrated health facilities. [from abstract]

Strengthening Management and Leadership Practices to Increase Health-Service Delivery in Kenya: An Evidence-Based Approach

The purpose of the study was to test the hypothesis that strengthening health systems, through improved leadership and management skills of health teams, can contribute to an increase in health-service delivery outcomes. The study was conducted in six provinces in the Republic of Kenya. [from abstract]

Human Resources Information System for the Health Sector

This brief outlines a comprehensive human resources information system to support management functions in the public health sector that is being implemented by the Ministries of Health in Kenya. [adapted from author]

Performance of Health Workers in the Management of Seriously Sick Children at a Kenyan Tertiary Hospital: Before and after a Training Intervention

This article describes the process and results of an uncontrolled before and after study to explore intervention dose-effect relationships, as clinical practice guidelines were disseminated and training was progressively implemented. [adapted from author]

Even if You Know Everything You Can Forget: Health Worker Perceptions of Mobile Phone Text-Messaging to Improve Malaria Case Management in Kenya

This paper presents the results of a qualitative study to investigate the perceptions and experiences of health workers involved in a a cluster-randomized controlled trial of a novel intervention to improve health worker malaria case management in 107 government health facilities in Kenya. The intervention involved sending text-messages about paediatric outpatient malaria case-management accompanied by motivating quotes to health workers’ mobile phones. [from abstract]