Nutritional Status of Psychiatric Inpatients at A National Mental Hospital in Kenya

Malnutrition among psychiatric patients in mental health units stands at 19%. It is a prevailing health care problem, that is affecting many psychiatry patients and it is a major public health problem especially in public hospitals in Kenya. Nutrition care is therefore an important component of mental health that require keen consideration. The goal of the study was to determine the nutritional status of psychiatric inpatients at a National Mental Hospital in Kenya. A cross-sectional design was used and 200 inpatients were recruited to the study using simple random sampling. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire which was adopted and modified from Short Nutritional Assessment Questionnaire (SNAQ) screening tool. Height and weight of the participants were measured and BMI was calculated. Clearance and approval to conduct the study was sought from University of Eastern Africa-Baraton Ethical Review Committee. Results of the study showed that majority of the participants were being treated for schizophrenia (41.5%) followed by drug induced psychosis at 22%. The results of the study also showed that 59.5% of the respondents were well nourished while a significant 40.5% were malnourished. Among the Malnourished patients, 67% had a BMI above 25.00Kg/M2 and 33% had a BMI below18.50Kg/M2. Malnourishment was associated with use of antipsychotic (P=0.021), use of antidepressants (P=0.018). It was also associated with female gender (P=0.001), abuse of cigarettes (P=0.041), abuse of marijuana (P=0.01), abuse of alcohol (P=0.001) and poor appetite (P=0.032). Nutritional management should be a component of the routine inpatient care of psychiatric patients. Keywords: Nutritional status, Psychiatric patients, Malnutrition

Technological Readiness for E-learning among Undergraduate Students at a Private University in Kenya

The domains of learning and teaching are experiencing great changes as higher-education institutions rapidly adopt the concepts and practices of e-learning. Student readiness is crucial in implementation of E-Learning in institutions of higher learning. E-Learning readiness adds the benefit of encouraging learners to take responsibility for their learning and build self-knowledge and self-confidence. This study sought to assess the technological readiness for e-learning among undergraduate students at a private University in Kenya. The study utilized descriptive research design where 157 undergraduate students were stratified sampled to participate in the study. Data was collected using Readiness Assessment Tool for an E-learning Learning Environment Implementation. The study results indicated that 86% (n=113) of the students did not know how to resolve common hardware or software problems. A similar number (64%, n=84) did not have access to reliable internet in campus or cafes while 69% (n=90) did not know how to log in to the internet, navigate web pages and download files using internet browsers. On the other hand, 69% (n=90) did not know how to resolve common errors e.g. ‘page not found’ or ‘connection timed out’ while surfing the internet and 88% (n=115) had not attended any seminars/workshops related to online learning activities. The results from this study point to fact that the University should offer basic training in computers for the undergraduate students in order to enable them use the internet for e-learning. Keywords: Technological readiness, E-learning, Undergraduate students, Computer

Knowledge and attitudes among nurses and midwives in Cyprus and Kenya regarding Female Genital Mutilation (FGM): A comparative study

It is estimated that 200 million girls/women are living with Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). FGM is a violation of human rights. It has detrimental effects on girls/women's physical and psychological health. Nurses and midwives have an essential role in the management and prevention of FGM. The aim of this paper is to investigate the knowledge and attitudes of nurses and midwives in Cyprus and Kenya regarding FGM. A quantitative methodology was applied with the use of an online survey. The sample consisted of 231 Kenyan and Cyprus nurses and midwives. Most of the participants reported being aware of the issue of FGM. It seems that no protocols exist in managing FGM complications. Although participants have some knowledge regarding FGM, results revealed the need for further training. They underlined the need for adoption or development of protocols at workplace. Some participants seemed to be skeptical regarding the medicalization of FGM

Experiences in learning research methods: Recommendations from undergraduate nursing students at two African universities

Background: Globally there is increasing demand for high-quality nursing care driven by research and evidence-based practice. Engagement of undergraduate nursing students in research activities identifies experiences and strategies that bring best outcomes in nursing practice. This study sought to establish strategies that will improve research practices among undergraduate nursing students at two African universities. Methods: The study was conducted in University of the Free State (UFS) in South Africa and Dedan Kimathi University of Technology (DeKUT) in Kenya. Nominal group technique (NGT) was used to collect data from 116 undergraduate nursing students (South Africa = 53; Kenya = 63). Participants recruitment involved complete collection sampling with 5 group discussions (South Africa = 2; Kenya = 3). Data analysis involved initial intra-group analysis step done to tally and combine scores for specific ideas. Second step identified top five ideas across groups per institution based on highest scores. Final step compared similarities and differences between the two institutions. Ethical clearance was obtained in both countries. Results: The nominal group results showed top five priorities for the students in Kenya were group work research, calm manner of addressing mistakes, timely feedback from supervisors, standardised assessment, face to face teaching of data analysis software and avoidance of nullification of research projects. South African university students prioritised Student support, knowing expectations, supervisor’s feedback and contact classes, interactive classrooms and breaking down research jargon. Conclusion: The participants reported need for creating supportive learning experiences with peer/teacher mentorship. Timely feedback, structured supervision, and student-centred approach to learning new information in research enrich learners’ positive experience