Therapists

This study aimed at establishing the impact of past traumatic experiences on the performance of professional therapists drawn from a group of professional therapists (N=84) working in Eldoret, Kenya. A simple random sampling procedure was used to select a sample of 61 professional therapists. The study adopted a cross-sectional descriptive survey design. The proQOL scale was the primary instrument used to collect data. Analysis of data involved descriptive and inferential statistics using STATA version 12 SE. The findings of the study indicated that 70% of the professional therapists presented with compassion fatigue. The study found that 31% of those who had experienced traumatic events had their performance affected while 69% did not have their performance affected

Regional Initiatives in Support of Surveillance in East Africa: The East Africa Integrated Disease Surveillance Network (EAIDSNet) Experience.

The East African Integrated Disease Surveillance Network (EAIDSNet) was formed in response to a growing frequency of cross-border malaria outbreaks in the 1990s and a growing recognition that fragmented disease interventions, coupled with weak laboratory capacity, were making it difficult to respond in a timely manner to the outbreaks of malaria and other infectious diseases. The East Africa Community (EAC) partner states, with financial support from the Rockefeller Foundation, established EAIDSNet in 2000 to develop and strengthen the communication channels necessary for integrated cross-border disease surveillance and control efforts. The objective of this paper is to review the regional EAIDSNet initiative and highlight achievements and challenges in its implementation. Major accomplishments of EAIDSNet include influencing the establishment of a Department of Health within the EAC Secretariat to support a regional health agenda; successfully completing a regional field simulation exercise in pandemic influenza preparedness; and piloting a web-based portal for linking animal and human health disease surveillance. The strategic direction of EAIDSNet was shaped, in part, by lessons learned following a visit to the more established Mekong Basin Disease Surveillance (MBDS) regional network. Looking to the future, EAIDSNet is collaborating with the East, Central and Southern Africa Health Community (ECSA-HC), EAC partner states, and the World Health Organization to implement the World Bank-funded East Africa Public Health Laboratory Networking Project (EAPHLNP). The network has also begun lobbying East African countries for funding to support EAIDSNet activities

The association between insurance status and in-hospital mortality on the public medical wards of a Kenyan referral hospital

Background: Observational data in the United States suggests that those without health insurance have a higher mortality and worse health outcomes. A linkage between insurance coverage and outcomes in hospitalized patients has yet to be demonstrated in resource-poor settings. Methods: To determine whether uninsured patients admitted to the public medical wards at a Kenyan referral hospital have any difference in in-hospital mortality rates compared to patients with insurance, we performed a retrospective observational study of all inpatients discharged from the public medical wards at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, Kenya, over a 3-month study period from October through December 2012. The primary outcome of interest was in-hospital death, and the primary explanatory variable of interest was health insurance status. Results: During the study period, 201 (21.3%) of 956 patients discharged had insurance. The National Hospital Insurance Fund was the only insurance scheme noted. Overall, 211 patients (22.1%) died. The proportion who died was greater among the uninsured compared to the insured (24.7% vs. 11.4%, Chi-square=15.6, p<0.001). This equates to an absolute risk reduction of 13.3% (95% CI 7.9–18.7%) and a relative risk reduction of 53.8% (95% CI 30.8–69.2%) of in-hospital mortality with insurance. After adjusting for comorbid illness, employment status, age, HIV status, and gender, the association between insurance status and mortality remained statistically significant (adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=0.40, 95% CI 0.24–0.66) and similar in magnitude to the association between HIV status and mortality (AOR=2.45, 95% CI 1.56–3.86). Conclusions: Among adult patients hospitalized in a public referral hospital in Kenya, insurance coverage was associated with decreased in-hospital mortality. This association was comparable to the relationship between HIV and mortality. Extension of insurance coverage may yield substantial benefits for population health

Influence of cultural intelligence on employee performance in international humanitarian research organizations in Kenya

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the Degree of Master of Commerce at Strathmore UniversityThe main purpose of this research was to establish the influence of cultural intelligence on employee performance in the context of international humanitarian research organizations based in Kenya. This was achieved by specifically establishing the influence of metacognitive, cognitive, motivational and behavioral cultural intelligence factors on employee performance. The targeted respondents were 150 employees from 15 international humanitarian research organizations which are underneath the canopy of consultative consortium for international agricultural research based in Nairobi, Kenya. Survey design was adopted which was used to generalize the findings representing the entire population. A questionnaire developed by Ang et al. (2007), was utilized to measure CQ and address each of the four CQ dimensions. The questionnaire items addressing employee performance was developed from various literatures with additional questions added in. Cronbach’s Alpha results revealed that the questionnaire items exhibited a high level of internal consistency. Descriptive statistics was employed to establish the perceived level of the cultural intelligence factors and employee performance the results revealed all the cultural intelligence factors and employee performance generally recorded a level of agreement that was strong. The research investigation used factor analysis model to condense the questionnaire statements into four factors four factors of cultural intelligence namely; metacognitive, cognitive, motivational and behavioral it also produced a single employee performance factor. Spearman’s rho correlation model and Multiple Linear regression model was used to establish the influence of metacognitive,cognitive, behavioral and motivation on employee performance. The Spearman’s rho correlation analysis results revealed that all cultural intelligence factors had a positive significant monotonic affiliation with employee performance though the relationships were weak. The findings of the Multiple Linear regression analysis revealed that the three cultural intelligence variables had a positive significant influence on employee performance except cognitive cultural intelligence which had an insignificant influence on employee performance. The key shortcoming of this research inquiry was the exclusive utilization of questionnaires to collect data. Future studies should consider employing interview guides to collect qualitative information and use secondary sources to retrieve secondary data. In order to triangulate the research findings to deliver a more deeper comprehension of the influence of cultural intelligence on employee performance

Polar

Introduction. Penicillium digitatum is a commercially important postharvest pathogen of citrus that is responsible for significant annual global losses. Strains of the fungus, which exhibit strong resistance to widely used synthetic fungicides, are of major concern to the industry. The aim of the study was to investigate the antifungal activities of polar extracts and compounds from Lippia species, indigenous to South Africa, against a Guazatine®-resistant strain of P. digitatum. Materials and methods. In vitro tests were done by incorporating the compounds and plant extracts into Malt Extract Agar at concentrations ranging from (0.2 to 1.0) mg·mL–1. An in vivo (curative) assay was conducted using the checkerboard technique on ‘Valencia’ oranges. Results and discussion. A strong correlation between the in vitro and in vivo results was observed. All the compounds and extracts were able to inhibit fungal growth at concentrations above 0.6 mg·mL–1. Verbascoside was the most active compound, while extracts of Lippia javanica and Lippia rehmannii caused significant inhibition of mycelial growth. The observed activity was largely ascribed to the presence of verbascoside in the plant extracts. Conclusion. Polar extracts of Lippia species have potential as environmentally friendly alternatives for the control of P. digitatum on citrus

Sustainability of biochar amendment in a tropical paddy soil

Biochar use as a soil amendment has attracted increased attention from researchers worldwide but its effects on soil properties, nutrients and greenhouse gas emissions remain scanty especially for tropical paddy soils. Biochar amendment increased initial total P from 500.11 in soil (S) to 978.90 µg/g of soil in soil amended with biochar (SB) but significantly reduced mean DOC. Biochar, however, had no effect on total nitrogen, total organic carbon, TON, organic–N and ammoniacal N. The initial soil pH was raised from 3.96 in S to 4.84 in SB by biochar amendment. It reduced CO2 emission, had no significant effect (P≤0.05) on N2O emissions but increased CH4 emissions, although the levels of CH4 were very low compared to the other greenhouse gases hence the high CO2/CH4 ratios. In addition, when co-applied with P, it suppressed the stimulating effect of P on production of greenhouse gases. Significant positive correlations were observed between CO2 and N2O as well as N2O and CO2 in SP. pH showed significant positive correlations with CH4 in S and SP, organic–N in S, SP and SPB but negatively correlated to CO2 in SPB as well as TON in SB. S and SP registered a significant negative correlation between ammoniacal–N and CH4. DOC positively correlated to TON and ammoniacal N but negatively correlated to organic-N in SP and SB. Total P positively correlated to DOC in SB, ammoniacal N in SP and SPB and TON in S. It however, negatively correlated to CH4 in SP and N2O in SPB. It is therefore a suitable additive for sustainable agriculture since it enhances soil fertility and minimizes greenhouse gas emissions, especially when combined with P fertilizer

Factors associated with cholera in Kenya, 2008-2013

Introduction: Kenya experienced widespread cholera outbreaks in 1997-1999 and 2007-2010. The re-emergence of cholera in Kenya in 2015 indicates that cholera remains a public health threat. Understanding past outbreaks is important for preventing future outbreaks. This study investigated the relationship between cholera occurrence in Kenya and various environmental and demographic factors related to water, sanitation, socio-economic status, education, urbanization and availability of health facilities during the time period 2008-2013. Methods: The primary outcome analyzed was the number of cholera cases at the district level, obtained from the Kenya Ministry of Health's national cholera surveillance records. Values of independent variables were obtained from the 2009 Kenya Population and Housing Census and other national surveys. The data were analyzed using a zero-inflated negative binomial regression model. Results: Multivariate analysis indicated that the risk of cholera was associated with open defecation, use of unimproved water sources, poverty headcount ratio and the number of health facilities per 100,000 population (p &lt; 0.05). No statistically significant association was found between cholera occurrence and education, percentage of population living in urban areas or population density. Conclusion: The Sustainable Development Goals and Kenya's blueprint for development, Kenya Vision 2030, call for access to sanitation facilities and clean water for all by 2030. Kenya has made important economic strides in recent years but continues to be affected by diseases like cholera that are associated with low socio-economic status. Further expansion of access to sanitation facilities and clean water is necessary for preventing cholera in Kenya