Parents’ and healthcare providers perspectives about hospitalised children being visited by other children in Nairobi, Kenya

Background: Throughout history, visitation of the hospitalised child has always been restricted. The subject of whether hospitalised children should be visited by other children has been accorded minimal attention.Objective: To determine the current status of visitation of the hospitalised children and the parents and healthcare providers’ views on hospitalised children being visited by other children.Design: A descriptive study carried out using quantitative and qualitative methods in two phasesSetting: All paediatric wards at Kenyatta National Hospital and Gertrudes Children’s Hospital.Subjects: Nurses, paediatricians and parents of hospitalised children.Results: A total of 161 parents participated in phase I of the study whereas 11 nurses not specialised in paediatric nursing, 13 paediatric nurses, 12 nurse managers, fur paediatricians and 13 parents participated in phase II of the study. The study established that visiting of the hospitalised child by family members especially children aged below twelve years is severely restricted particularly in the public hospital. Despite this, however, majority of the healthcare providers and the parents acknowledged the importance of the hospitalised children being visited by other children. This is because it promotes healing, gives the sick child psychological satisfaction and relieves anxiety in the hospitalised child, the accompanying parent and the other children. The risk of exposing the visiting children to infection was cited as the main reason for the restrictions.Conclusion: Both the healthcare providers and the hospitalised children’s parents appreciate the importance of the hospitalised child being visited by other children. There is a need to review healthcare policies to make provision for hospitalised children to be visited by other children

Spatial distribution and co-infection with urogenital and intestinal schistosomiasis among primary school children in Migori County, Kenya

Background: Schistosomiasis is the most prevalent helminthic infection in sub-Saharan Africa. School age children have the highest burden. Chronic schistosome infections in children can have irreversible effects lasting throughout adulthood.Objective: To determine the prevalence, intensity and distribution of urogenital and intestinal schistosomiasis among primary school children in Migori County, Kenya.Design: Descriptive cross-sectional study.Setting: Primary schools in Migori County, Kenya.Subjects: Children aged seven to fourteen years.Results: We enrolled 1,784 children with the ratio of female to males being 1:1. Their mean age was 11.4 years (standard deviation ± 1.6). The overall prevalence of infection was 26%, with urogenital and intestinal schistosomiasis being found in 9% and 20% of children, respectively. A trend of increasing prevalence with increasing age of children was observed. Boys had a 50% higher risk of being infected with schistosomiasis when compared to girls (adjusted odds ratio 1.5, 95% confidence interval 1.2-1.9). Intensities of schistosome infections did not vary significantly across gender and age. Nyatike Constituency had the highest prevalence of schistosomiasis (54%).Prevalence in schools ranged from 1.7 to 89%. Seven schools (23%) had a schistosomiasis prevalence of at least 50% while 12 (39%) schools had schistosomiasis prevalence of between 10 and 50%.Conclusion: Our study showed that schistosomiasis is endemic in the study area and represents a significant public health problem among school children. The area should be prioritised for interventions including mass deworming, public health education and sanitation improvement