The improtance of intercultural communication : for achieving integration of refugees from Sub-Sahara Africa into the Norwegian society

Master's thesis in global studies. School of Mission and Theology, December 201

Using a Delayed Antibiotic-Prescribing Education Intervention to Prevent Antibiotic Overuse in the Treatment of Respiratory Tract Infections

Background: Antibiotics have been overprescribed to patients with respiratory infection in outpatient clinics in the United States. Antibiotic overuse has led to increased risk for antibiotic resistance and complications related to side effects. A review of the literature suggests that delayed antibiotic prescribing is an effective intervention that can be used to prevent antibiotic overuse. Delayed antibiotic prescribing is an evidence-based strategy where a patient is either issued with an antibiotic prescription and advised to delay filling it or to pick it up at an agreed location only if symptoms persist beyond the expected natural history of illness or deteriorate. Purpose: The purpose of this quality improvement project was to improve primary care providers’ knowledge about delayed antibiotic prescribing strategy and decrease inappropriate prescribing of antibiotics in the treatment of respiratory tract infections. The study used a one-group pre- and posttest design to measure providers’ knowledge of delayed antibiotic-prescribing strategy. Results: A convenience sample of 30 providers participated in the project. After the education intervention, there was a significant improvement in knowledge test questionnaire scores: Paired t (30) = 13.24, p \u3c .001. 77% (n=23) of the prescribers expressed their likelihood to adopt delayed prescribing in their practice. Discussion: The findings indicate that the delayed antibiotics educational intervention can improve providers’ knowledge, increase their likelihood to adopt intervention in practice, which may prevent complications related to antibiotic overuse. This project had limitations related to implementation and evaluation time constraints, small sample size, and lack of a control group. Ongoing education of providers and patients is an essential intervention for preventing inappropriate antibiotic use in the treatment of respiratory tract infections

Navigating Secondary School: What Cushioned Adolescents in an Education Intervention in Urban Kenya

This paper explains sustained effects and what worked for students in the Advancing Learning Outcomes and Transformational (ALOT Change III) program. Data comes from qualitative narratives from the baseline survey of the program collected by the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) between December 4, 2019, and January 31, 2020, using focus group discussions (FGDs) and dialogues. The analysis followed the Miles and Huberman (1994) framework to make comparisons and contrasts. Results showed that students transferred skills such as self-confidence from primary to secondary schools, enabling the adolescents to speak up and engage. This showed an effective implementation uptake. The implication of the study points to the efficacy of community-based programs in impacting behavior of adolescents beyond primary school

Sustainable student leadership in Africa today

The 7th annual Ethics ConferenceAfrican Universities are facing a crisis that revolves around student governance. In the recent past, there have been reported student unrests in many universities in Africa and closer home, Kenya. The core of the matter is the issue of student leadership which has been highly politicized and lacks credibility. The solution however lies in implementation of leadership structures that are sustainable and unique to the needs of the university in question. The concepts of sustainable leadership remain complex and confusing for many to grasp. It is a challenge for today's institutions of higher learning to define these concepts and to be able to measure them. This research paper seeks to highlight the concepts and principles of sustainable student leadership in African universities in the 21st Century.African Universities are facing a crisis that revolves around student governance. In the recent past, there have been reported student unrests in many universities in Africa and closer home, Kenya. The core of the matter is the issue of student leadership which has been highly politicized and lacks credibility. The solution however lies in implementation of leadership structures that are sustainable and unique to the needs of the university in question. The concepts of sustainable leadership remain complex and confusing for many to grasp. It is a challenge for today's institutions of higher learning to define these concepts and to be able to measure them. This research paper seeks to highlight the concepts and principles of sustainable student leadership in African universities in the 21st Century

Mental health and climate change in Africa

It is now widely acknowledged that low- and middle-income countries in Africa are among global hotspots for high vulnerability to climate change, despite making comparatively low contributions to this phenomenon. Climate change has been shown to affect mental health as a result of disruption of social and economic structures that populations depend on for good health, including mental health. After decades of neglect, recent efforts by governments such as in Kenya to address the twin issues of climate change and mental health demonstrate the growing importance of these issues. Here we briefly review the evidence of climate change impacts on mental health in Africa and demonstrate that there is need for more contextual awareness and research in this area in Africa to mitigate or forestall potential mental health crises in the near future. We recommend systematic efforts to support funding for research and interventions at the nexus between climate change and mental health in Africa, and urge institutions and governments in Africa to begin paying attention to this emerging threat to the health of African populations

A Study of determinants of the level of mortgage financing in Kenya

A Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of a Master’s Degree, Business Administration of the Strathmore Business SchoolThe objective of the research was to study the determinants of level of mortgage finance in Kenya. The study focused on the effect of four specific factors in influencing these levels. The factors are lender loss experience, market structures, business cycles and funding considerations adopted by mortgage finance providers in Kenya. The study was guided by the following specific objectives; to establish the effect of lender loss rate experience in determining the risk appetite of banks to finance mortgages, to study the influence of market structures adopted by mortgage financiers in Kenya on level of mortgage finance, to study the effect of business cycles in influencing level of mortgage finance in Kenya and to study balance sheet funding effect in influencing the level of mortgage finance in Kenya. A quantitative methodology was employed in the study, using regression analysis to model the relationship of these factors to the level of mortgage finance. The target population for the study was all banks in Kenya. Data was gathered from regulatory and statistical abstracts from the Central Bank of Kenya and the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. Lender loss experience, market structure and balance sheet funding were found to significantly influence mortgage levels. The study did not find business cycles to be statistically significant in determining level of mortgage finance in Kenya. The research aims to contribute guidance to policy making and business strategy at the corporate level for mortgage lenders, and recommends that practitioners take into account the effects of potential loss rates, balance sheet funding structures and market structures when setting mortgage business policy. The study also aims to contribute policy guidance on determinants influencing level of mortgage finance, at the governmental and regulatory level aimed at tackling the housing problem in Kenya and ensuring a stable, profitable banking system. Financial regulators, planning and treasury officials need to be especially cognizant of these factors given that mortgage finance plays a key role in the health and rate of growth of the overall economy and of the banking sector. A limitation to the study is the short time horizon of four years scoped that may have contributed to the insignificance of business cycles as a determinant as judged by the study results

Adoption of E-Procurement Strategy and Procurement Performance in State Corporations in Kenya (A Case of Kenya Revenue Authority)

E-procurement is the use of information technology in managing the procurement process in the organization with an aim of improving the procurement process. The study is aimed at determine Role of E-procurement strategies in enhancing procurement performance in state corporations in Kenya with reference to Kenya Revenue Authority.  The study focused on the management and activities of the staff of Kenya Revenue Authority, Times Towers, Haile Sellasie Avenue Nairobi and will include the staff from relevant Departments in the Organization. The researcher adapted a descriptive research design as there are variables which cannot be quantified but can only be described in descriptive statistics. Through random stratified sampling method the researcher selected 45 respondents out of total of the 90 population of the staff from relevant Departments and will stratified into procurement management staff, Stores management staff, Operations and management Department staff in the organization. In addition, 20 suppliers were purposively selected to participate in the study. Primary was collected through administering of questionnaires to the respondents. Quantitative and qualitative techniques of data analysis was used to analyze Data and included the use of SPSS version 21 data analysis methods and the findings presented through charts, tables and graphs for simple understanding of the findings. From the findings the study, conclusions were drawn and recommendations made on the implementation of Electronic procurement at Kenya revenue authority. Findings of the study indicate that electronic communication positively influenced procurement performance in Kenya Revenue Authority as it leads to instant responses and real-time information. The purpose of e-procurement is to allow the purchasing function to focus on more value adding activities such as serving customers rather than on operational issues. The potential of e-procurement is so great that it has turned the formerly looked down upon traditional function into a competitive weapon. The findings also show that electronic order processing positively influenced procurement performance in Kenya Revenue Authority. Studies have shown that companies have found a lot of benefits from their e-procurement projects which include, but are not limited to: process efficiencies amounting to annual savings, ability to link directly into existing systems, such as ERP, reductions seen in lead times within the procure-to-pay cycle. The findings also indicate that self-invoicing on behalf of clients can add to the bottom line, month-end reconciliation can end the problem of the wrong items being ordered or the wrong price being offered as business processes have been streamlined and all are working off the same catalog. The internet, via e-procurement, has made procurement more effective and efficient in the sense that purchasing of goods and services by organizations is made easier, faster and cheaper. Level of customer service influenced procurement performance in Kenya Revenue Authority. An organization to be truly effective, every single part of it, each department, each activity and each person and each level must work properly together, because every person and every activity affects and in turn is affected by others. Cost of E-Procurement positively influenced procurement performance in Kenya Revenue Authority. The amount of money that the organization saves when it adapts e-procurement cannot be over looked by any organization that is out to reduce its operation overheads. Proper use of information technology in an organization coupled with training of staff in systems operations can highly reduce the cost of operation in an organization. Keywords: E-procurement strategy, Procurement performance, State corporations, Electronic communication, Electronic order processing, Customer service level, Cost of E-procuremen

Experiences of Girls and Mentors With an Urban Kenyan Afterschool Support Program

This article explores the experiences of female mentees and their mentors in an afterschool support program in two informal urban settlements in Nairobi, Kenya. We sought the perspectives of mentees and mentors to identify what has changed concerning the education and social lives of the girls because of this education intervention. Data come from a qualitative component of the midterm survey collected in May 2014 using in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. The results show improvements in the English and math courses in which support with homework was given; girls were motivated to stay in school and had a higher aspiration for school. However, challenges remained, as some parents did not provide adequate support to their daughters. Overall, the program highlights the role of other significant players and reinforces the out-of-school mentor support for girls’ success in school

A human rights assessment of a large mental hospital in Kenya

Introduction: globally, human rights violations of persons with mental health conditions are rampant, and the quality of mental health services below that for general health services. The aim of this paper is to document the findings of an assessment of the quality of mental health services at the largest mental hospital in Kenya, and offer recommendations useful for service transformation. Methods: this was a cross-sectional study. Assessment was conducted guided by the World Health Organization (WHO) QualityRights Tool Kit, which assesses for compliance with five human rights themes drawn from the Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities. Trained assessors collected data through document review, observation, and interviews with hospital staff and service users at Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital. The sample was composed of 64 interviewees. Results: overall, the facility was scored as “achievement initiated” indicating that there was evidence that steps had been taken to fulfil the five human rights themes but significant improvements were necessary. Five key gaps emerged: 1) the buildings and infrastructure were in a state of disrepair; 2) staffing was inadequate; 3) patients had no right to legal capacity; 4) there was gross neglect of patients as well as physical and verbal abuse; 5) there were no strategies in place to support community reintegration and independent living. Conclusion: significant improvements to infrastructure, staffing, and the quality of services are needed before the Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital meets the requirements of the Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities

Performance of Magnetostrictive Amorphous Wire Sensor in Motor Speed Measurement

This paper presents the performance analysis of magnetostrictive amorphous wire in motor speed measurement. The principle of the operation of the sensor is based on Large Barkhausen Jump (LBJ), a unique feature of the wire. A dc motor is used due to the linear relationship between applied voltage and speed. The supply voltage of the dc motor is varied and motor speed measured. The frequency of the signal obtained from the magnetostrictive amorphous wire sensor is measured using an oscilloscope and the motor speed calculated from this frequency. Results obtained from amorphous wire sensor show quite good agreement with that of the digital tachometer. Keywords:  Large Barkhausen Jump (LBJ), Magnetostrictive Amorphous Wire, Speed senso