The EDCTP Alumni Network

Ms
Sarah Ngere

Kenya

Related fellows

Dr Samuel Kirimunda

Research Fellow

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Dr Primus Chi

Mid-Level Social Scientist

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Mr Akili Mawazo

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Profile EDCTP Fellowship 1

Project Title

Capacity Building for Female Scientists in East Africa (CaFe-SEA)

EDCTP Project

PSIA2020AGDG-3318

EDCTP Program

EDCTP2

EDCTP Project Call

Female PhD Fellowship (PSIA Fellows)

Project Objectives

To describe caregivers’ local perceptions about probable pneumonia among children under five years of age in Karemo, Siaya County To explore caregivers’ health seeking pathways for children under five years of age with probable pneumonia Karemo, Siaya County To describe caregivers’ lived experiences caring for child with probable pneumonia in Karemo, Siaya County

Study Design

Ethnographic study design

Project Summary

African Region has the highest burden of pneumonia deaths (0·5 million) among children younger than 5 years and is responsible for 15% of all deaths among children under-five in sub-Saharan Africa. In Kenya the prevalence of pneumonia morbidity among children under 5 years is 64.3%, the highest in east Africa. Pneumonia deaths among children remain high despite existence of effective antibiotic treatment for pneumonia and other interventions, the major contributing factor being delayed health seeking behavior. However, caregiver’s pneumonia health seeking behavior has not been clearly understood by researchers. The overall goal of this study is to investigate caregivers’ experience, perceptions, and healthcare-seeking behavior for probable pneumonia among children under five years of age in Siaya County. Specifically, the study seeks to describe caregivers’ local perceptions about probable pneumonia; explore caregivers’ health seeking pathways and to describe caregivers’ lived experiences caring for child with probable pneumonia in Karemo, Siaya County. Bourdieu’s theory of practice will be used to understand subtle social structures and relationships that contribute to caregivers’ health seeking behavior. This proposed study will be conducted within Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI’s) Health Demographic Surveillance system (HDSS), Ramba Pundo village, Karemo site in Karemo Division, Siaya County with caregivers of children under five years for a total of 8 months. This study will employ ethnographic study design. The epistemological basis for this study will be phenomenological oriented paradigm. Purposive sampling will be used to select eligible caregivers to participate in participant observations (n9), in-depth interviews (n12) and Focus Group Discussions (n3) guided by the principle of maximum variation. IDIs will be audio recorded and transcribed verbatim, thereafter, texts from IDIs and field notes will be imported into NVivo to facilitate data management and coding. Data will be analyzed using a phenomenological hermeneutic approach to inductively derive meanings, characterize and interpret lived experience. This will be an iterative process which involved reading through the text severally to exhaust all themes. This study will not only enable deeper understanding of caregiver’s health seeking behavior but will also seek deeper understanding into specific care seeking patterns for children with probable pneumonia and related determinants. This will inform policies and planning programmes that are aimed at improving child health.

Host Organisation

Department	Institution	Country
Training	KEMRI-Wellcome Trust	KE

Current Organisation

KEMRI

Current Job Title

Socio behavioural scientist

Biography

Publications

Authors:

Sarah Hawi Ngere, Dickens Omondi Aduda, Charles Ongadi Nyambuga, Patience Aoko Oduor, Hellen Aoko Awuoche, Maryanne Akoth Nyanjom, George Omondi Otieno

Journal:

PAMJ-One health

Content:

Introduction: pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), an effective user-dependent HIV prevention method is especially viable for adolescent girls and young women (AGYW). Behavioral interventions designed to enhance uptake of and adherence to PrEP among AGYW are few and their effectiveness unclear.

Methods: a descriptive cross-sectional study design was used to evaluate level of exposure to Jipende JiPrEP mass media campaign. It assessed intention to use PrEP amongst those exposed to the campaign of which 419 females aged 15-24 years participated. Linear framework and poisson regression analysis was performed to estimate prevalence ratios and show significant predictors of intention to use PrEP. Chi-square test for trend was used to test whether the proportion of intention to use PrEP increases or decreases across level of exposure.

Results: at least 67.1% (281/419) participants had low exposure to the campaign messages. More urbanites (7.2%) and those with higher education levels (9.2%) had higher exposure to the campaign messages. There was no change in intention to use PrEP with increased exposure (Chi-trend p-value = 0.403). Intention to use PrEP was higher with exposure to leaflets (aPR=1.51, 95% CI 1.01, 2.26, p = 0.043) and using radio almost every day (aPR =1.81, 95% CI 1.22, 2.69, p= 0.003). Those exposed to newspapers were 55% less likely to report intention to use PrEP (aPR=0.45, 95% CI 0.25, 0.81, p= 0.008).

Conclusion: Jipende JiPrEP campaign has low reach among AGYW while majority of them reported low intent to use PrEP even after exposure to the campaign. Therefore, innovative messaging approaches are needed to improve campaign effectiveness.

Date:

2021-01-11

Authors:

Sarah Hawi Ngere , Victor Akelo , Ken Ondeng'e , Renee Ridzon , Peter Otieno , Maryanne Nyanjom , Richard Omore , Beth A Tippett Barr

Journal:

Plos one

Content:

Background: Approximately 80% of the population residing in sub-Saharan Africa relies on Traditional Medicine (TM). However, literature on factors motivating the use of TM for children under the age of five in these settings is limited. Such information can guide policy formulation for integration of TM into mainstream health care services. This study aimed to describe the motivation on use of TM among caregivers of children residing in rural and urban communities in western Kenya.

Methods: The socio-behavioral sciences (SBS) arm of the Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) program in western Kenya, conducted a cross-sectional qualitative study in Manyatta-an urban informal settlement located in Kisumu town and Karemo-a rural setting in Siaya County. We performed 29 in-depth interviews, 5 focus group discussions and 11 semi-structured interviews with community representatives (n = 53), health workers (n = 17), and community leaders (n = 18). All the participants were purposively sampled. We performed thematic analysis using both inductive and deductive approaches. Data management was completed on Nvivo 11.0 software (QSR International, Melbourne, Australia).

Results: Our findings reveal that some caregivers prefer TM to treat some childhood diseases. Use of TM was informed by illness beliefs about etiology of disease. We observed an appreciation from the study participants that malaria can effectively be treated by Conventional Medicine (CM) while TM was preferred to treat measles and diseases believed to be associated with supernatural etiology such as witchcraft, evil spirit or breaching cultural taboos. TM was also used in instances where CM failed to provide a diagnosis or when CM was 'slow'. TM in such cases was used as a last resort.

Conclusion: We observed varied beliefs that motivate caregivers' choice of TM use among children in western Kenya. It is therefore crucial to consider perceptions and socio-cultural beliefs about illnesses when formulating interventions that are geared towards child health.

Date:

2022-11-03

Ms Sarah Ngere

Related fellows

Dr Samuel Kirimunda

Dr Primus Chi

Mr Akili Mawazo

Project Title

EDCTP Project

EDCTP Program

EDCTP Project Call

Project Objectives

Study Design

Project Summary

Host Organisation

Current Organisation

Current Job Title

Biography

Publications

Ms
Sarah Ngere