Increased condom use among key populations using oral PrEP in Kenya: results from large scale programmatic surveillance

Background: Female sex workers (FSW) and men having sex with men (MSM) in Kenya have high rates of HIV infection. Following a 2015 WHO recommendation, Kenya initiated national scale-up of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for all persons at high-risk. Concerns have been raised about PrEP users’ potential changes in sexual behaviors such adopting condomless sex and multiple partners as a result of perceived reduction in HIV risk, a phenomenon known as risk compensation. Increased condomless sex may lead to unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections and has been described in research contexts but not in the programmatic setting. This study looks at changes in condom use among FSW and MSM on PrEP through a national a scale-up program. Methods: Routine program data collected between February 2017 and December 2019 were used to assess changes in condom use during the frst three months of PrEP in 80 health facilities supported by a scale-up project, Jilinde. The primary outcome was self-reported condom use. Analyses were conducted separately for FSW and for MSM. Log-Binomial Regression with Generalized Estimating Equations was used to compare the incidence proportion (“risk”) of consistent condom use at the month 1, and month 3 visits relative to the initiation visit. Results: At initiation, 69% of FSW and 65% of MSM reported consistent condom use. At month 3, this rose to 87% for FSW and 91% for MSM. MSM were 24% more likely to report consistent condom use at month 1 (Relative Risk [RR], 1.24, 95% Confidence Interval [CI], 1.18–1.30) and 40% more likely at month 3 (RR, 1.40, 95% CI, 1.33–1.47) compared to at initiation. FSW were 15% more likely to report consistent condom use at the month one visit (RR, 1.15, 95% CI, 1.13–1.17) and 27% more likely to report condom use on the month 3 visit (RR 1.27, 95% CI, 1.24–1.29). Conclusion: Condom use increased substantially among both FSW and MSM. This may be because oral PrEP was provided as part of a combination prevention strategy that included counseling and condoms but could also be due to the low retention rates among those who initiated

Characterizing psychosis risk traits in Africa: A longitudinal study of Kenyan adolescents

AbstractThe schizophrenia prodrome has not been extensively studied in Africa. Identification of prodromal behavioral symptoms holds promise for early intervention and prevention of disorder onset. Our goal was to investigate schizophrenia risk traits in Kenyan adolescents and identify predictors of psychosis progression.135 high-risk (HR) and 142 low-risk (LR) adolescents were identified from among secondary school students in Machakos, Kenya, using the structured interview of psychosis-risk syndromes (SIPS) and the Washington early recognition center affectivity and psychosis (WERCAP) screen. Clinical characteristics were compared across groups, and participants followed longitudinally over 0-, 4-, 7-, 14- and 20-months. Potential predictors of psychosis conversion and severity change were studied using multiple regression analyses.More psychiatric comorbidities and increased psychosocial stress were observed in HR compared to LR participants. HR participants also had worse attention and better abstraction. The psychosis conversion rate was 3.8%, with only disorganized communication severity at baseline predicting conversion (p=0.007). Decreasing psychotic symptom severity over the study period was observed in both HR and LR participants. ADHD, bipolar disorder, and major depression diagnoses, as well as poor occupational functioning and avolition were factors relating to lesser improvement in psychosis severity.Our results indicate that psychopathology and disability occur at relatively high rates in Kenyan HR adolescents. Few psychosis conversions may reflect an inadequate time to conversion, warranting longer follow-up studies to clarify risk predictors. Identifying disorganized communication and other risk factors could be useful for developing preventive strategies for HR youth in Kenya

Psychometric properties of the Ndetei–Othieno–Kathuku (NOK) Scale: A mental health assessment tool for an African setting

Background: Research suggests that psychiatric conditions in children and adolescents are highly debilitating, with sparse resources for assessment and treatment in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Objectives: The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability, validity, and latent factor structure of an ethnographically-grounded assessment instrument for detecting common mental health complaints among rural Kenyan children and adolescents. Methods: The Ndetei–Othieno–Kathuku Scale (NOK) was delivered to 2 282 children aged 10 to 18 years old. Exploratory factor analysis identified four latent factors. This structure was confirmed in subsequent confirmatory factor analyses. External validity was explored by investigating associations among NOK factors and Youth Self-Report DSM-oriented scales. Results: Findings suggest the NOK possesses good internal reliability and a four-factor latent structure corresponding to depression, anxiety, somatic complaints, and a mixed factor. Significant associations ranging from small to medium effect sizes were noted between NOK factors and YSR DSM-oriented scales. Conclusions: Exploratory findings suggest that the NOK possesses adequate psychometric properties among this population. This ethnographically-grounded instrument may be uniquely suited to screening for mental health complaints among Kenyan children and adolescents

Identifying the research, advocacy, policy and implementation needs for the prevention and management of respiratory syncytial virus lower respiratory tract infection in low- and middle-income countries

Introduction: The high burden of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in young children disproportionately occurs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The PROUD (Preventing RespiratOry syncytial virUs in unDerdeveloped countries) Taskforce of 24 RSV worldwide experts assessed key needs for RSV prevention in LMICs, including vaccine and newer preventive measures. Methods: A global, survey-based study was undertaken in 2021. An online questionnaire was developed following three meetings of the Taskforce panellists wherein factors related to RSV infection, its prevention and management were identified using iterative questioning. Each factor was scored, by non-panellists interested in RSV, on a scale of zero (very-low-relevance) to 100 (very-high-relevance) within two scenarios: (1) Current and (2) Future expectations for RSV management. Results: Ninety questionnaires were completed: 70 by respondents (71.4% physicians; 27.1% researchers/scientists) from 16 LMICs and 20 from nine high-income (HI) countries (90.0% physicians; 5.0% researchers/scientists), as a reference group. Within LMICs, RSV awareness was perceived to be low, and management was not prioritised. Of the 100 factors scored, those related to improved diagnosis particularly access to affordable point-of-care diagnostics, disease burden data generation, clinical and general education, prompt access to new interventions, and engagement with policymakers/payers were identified of paramount importance. There was a strong need for clinical education and local data generation in the lowest economies, whereas upper-middle income countries were more closely aligned with HI countries in terms of current RSV service provision. Conclusion: Seven key actions for improving RSV prevention and management in LMICs are proposed

Pilot towards developing a school mental health service: Experiences and lessons learnt in implementing Kenya integrated intervention model for dialogue and screening to promote children's mental well-being

Aim: This paper aims at documenting the process of implementing "Kenya Integrated intervention model for Dialogue and Screening to promote children's mental wellbeing (KIDS)", with emphasis on activities, experiences, challenges and lessons learnt through the process that can inform improvement in Kenya and other social-economically and culturally similar settings. Methods: KIDS aimed at providing early and integrated culturally acceptable intervention to promote child mental health in 6 to 13year olds, targeting 5429 children in 24 schools. It was a pilot study conducted in 2 administrative counties in Kenya (Machakos and Makueni). The main goal of this study was to test the efficacy and feasibility of the proposed model that incorporated several significant stakeholders. Results: The implementation of KIDS was grouped into 6 stepwise and 2 ongoing processes: (1) Stakeholder engagement and collaboration; (2) Selecting, adapting, translating, piloting and adopting the study tools; (3) Conducting Participatory Theory of Change (ToC); (4) Building the capacity of the key implementing partners; (5) Community awareness and psycho-education, (6) Using school-based life skills and peer clubs counselling to provide psychosocial support; (7) Ongoing monitoring, supervision and quality assurance and (8) Ongoing knowledge exchange and dissemination. Specific logistical challenges and possible solutions for future school mental health services are also stated in this article. Conclusion: KIDS is a feasible model for school mental health service programme in Kenya but there are challenges which provide innovative opportunities for better designed school mental health services programme

Relationship between Bullying, Substance Use, Psychiatric Disorders, and Social Problems in a Sample of Kenyan Secondary Schools

We aimed to investigate how direct bullying and victimization relate with substance use, the presence of psychiatric disorders, poor school performance, disruptive behaviors, and social problems among secondary school students. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 20 randomly selected mixed-day secondary school students in forms one to three in Machakos County, equivalent to students in grades 1 to 11. From a random starting point, every sixth student in the class was invited to participate. The Drug Use Screening Inventory (revised) (DUSI-R) and the Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire (OBVQ) were administered in a classroom-setting by trained research assistants with experience in data collection. Four categories, i.e., bully only, bully-victim, victim only, and neither bully nor victims (neutrals) were developed and problem density scores computed. Descriptive statistics, bivariate, and multinomial logistic regression analysis summarized the findings. Of the 471 students, 13.6% had not experienced bullying problems. Bully-victim was the most prevalent form of bullying. No significant gender differences were reported across categories. Bully-victims reported significant higher problem density scores in eight out of the nine problem domains, and effect sizes of the differences in problem scores between neutrals and bully-victims were larger compared with other categories. Behavioral and family system problem scores retained a significant relationship with bully-victim category (p < 0.001). A high prevalence of bullying problems was documented in both genders. However, bully-victims had a higher risk of multiple negative individual and environmental and social problems. Assessment of bullying problems is an indirect route to identifying significant youth problems. Bullying interventions should be multifaceted to address psycho-socio-behavioral problems

A step-wise community engagement and capacity building model prior to implementation of mhGAP-IG in a low- and middle-income country: a case study of Makueni County, Kenya

Abstract Background The World Health Organization developed the Mental Health Gap Action Programme Intervention Guide (mhGAP-IG) as guidelines for innovative utilization of available resources in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in order to accelerate the reduction of the mental health treatment gap. The mhGAP-IG calls for each country to contextualize the guide to their social, cultural and economic context. The objective of this paper is to describe a model for a stepwise approach for implementation of mhGAP-IG in a rural Kenyan setting using existing formal and informal community resources and health systems. Methods We conducted an analysis of mental health services in Makueni County, one of the 47 counties in Kenya, in order to understand the existing gaps and opportunities in a low-resource setting. We conducted stakeholder analysis and engagement through interactive dialogue in order for them to appreciate the importance of mental health to their communities. Through the process of participatory Theory of Change, the stakeholders gave their input on the process between the initiation and the end of the process for community mental health development, with the aim of achieving buy-in and collective ownership of the whole process. We adapted the mhGAP-IG to the local context and trained local human resources in skills necessary for the implementation of mhGAP-IG and for monitoring and evaluating the process using instruments with good psychometric properties that have been used in LMICs. Results We were able to demonstrate the feasibility of implementing the mhGAP-IG using existing and trained community human resources using a multi-stakeholder approach. We further demonstrated the feasibility to transit seamlessly from research to policy and practice uptake using our approach. Conclusions An inclusive model for low resource settings is feasible and has the potential to bridge the gap between research, policy and practice. A major limitation of our study is that we did not engage a health economist from the beginning in order to determine the cost-effectiveness of our proposed model, occasioned by lack of resources to hire a suitable one

Increased condom use among key populations using oral PrEP in Kenya : results from large scale programmatic surveillance

Background Female sex workers (FSW) and men having sex with men (MSM) in Kenya have high rates of HIV infection. Following a 2015 WHO recommendation, Kenya initiated national scale-up of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for all persons at high-risk. Concerns have been raised about PrEP users' potential changes in sexual behaviors such adopting condomless sex and multiple partners as a result of perceived reduction in HIV risk, a phenomenon known as risk compensation. Increased condomless sex may lead to unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections and has been described in research contexts but not in the programmatic setting. This study looks at changes in condom use among FSW and MSM on PrEP through a national a scale-up program. Methods Routine program data collected between February 2017 and December 2019 were used to assess changes in condom use during the first three months of PrEP in 80 health facilities supported by a scale-up project, Jilinde. The primary outcome was self-reported condom use. Analyses were conducted separately for FSW and for MSM. Log-Binomial Regression with Generalized Estimating Equations was used to compare the incidence proportion ("risk") of consistent condom use at the month 1, and month 3 visits relative to the initiation visit. Results At initiation, 69% of FSW and 65% of MSM reported consistent condom use. At month 3, this rose to 87% for FSW and 91% for MSM. MSM were 24% more likely to report consistent condom use at month 1 (Relative Risk [RR], 1.24, 95% Confidence Interval [CI], 1.18-1.30) and 40% more likely at month 3 (RR, 1.40, 95% CI, 1.33-1.47) compared to at initiation. FSW were 15% more likely to report consistent condom use at the month one visit (RR, 1.15, 95% CI, 1.13-1.17) and 27% more likely to report condom use on the month 3 visit (RR 1.27, 95% CI, 1.24-1.29). Conclusion Condom use increased substantially among both FSW and MSM. This may be because oral PrEP was provided as part of a combination prevention strategy that included counseling and condoms but could also be due to the low retention rates among those who initiated

Stigma-related mental health knowledge and attitudes among primary health workers and community health volunteers in rural Kenya

Background: The study was conducted in rural Kenya and assessed stigma in health workers from primary health facilities. Aims: This study compared variations in stigma-related mental health knowledge and attitudes between primary health workers (HWs) and community health volunteers (CHVs). Methods: Participants (n = 44 HWs and n = 60 CHVs) completed the self-report Mental Health Knowledge Schedule and the Reported and Intended Behavior Scale, along with sociodemographic questions. Multiple regression models were used to assess predictors of mental health knowledge and stigmatizing behaviors. Results: HWs had significantly higher mean mental health knowledge scores than CHVs, p <.001, and significantly higher mean positive attitudes scores than CHVs, p =.042. When controlling for relevant covariates, higher positive attitudes was the only significant predictor of higher mental health knowledge, and self-rating of sense of belonging to the community and mental health knowledge remained the main predictors of positive attitudes. Conclusion: Results suggest that stigma-related mental health knowledge and attitudes are associated, and interventions should target these areas with health workers. There is scope for intervention to increase knowledge and positive attitudes for individuals who feel a strong sense of community belonging. Future studies should test feasible ways to reduce stigma in this population