Browsing by Author "Gitahi, Mary W."

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    Distribution of Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors between Hypertensive and Normotensive Adults in Garissa County, Kenya
    (Kenyatta University, 2024-08-08) Osman, Bdihakim M.; Kimani, Harun M.; Gitahi, Mary W.
    Background:Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are diseases affecting the heart and the blood vessels. Globally hypertension is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease and premature death, affecting 26% of the world population with prevalence expected to rise to 29% by 2025. The main study outcome was the distribution of cardiovascular disease risk factors. Secondary outcomes were the knowledge and socio-economic factors and their impact on distribution of cardiovascular disease risk factors.Methods:This was a retrospective case control study. Information regarding the sociodemographic, cardiovascular disease risk factors, knowledge and socioeconomic factors were collected from 140 adult patients (70 hypertensives and 70 normotensives) seeking outpatient services in Garissa County, Kenya. The 95% confidence limit was used and findings whose p≤0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results:Majority of the participants were aged >65 years (28.6%), followed by 56-65 years (24.3%) with a range of 25-75 years and were mainly male (57.1%), had attained at least a primary school education level (39.3%) and employed (53.6%). The prevalence of increased cardiovascular disease risk factors (>3CVD risk factors) was 72.1% among the study participants with the hypertensive arm having 14.9% higher prevalence. There was statistically significant association between BMI and knowledge with distribution of cardiovascular disease risk factors (p=0.01) and (p=0.05) respectively.Conclusions:The hypertensive arm had marginally higher cardiovascular disease risk factors. High BMI and low knowledge were both associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk factors. Prospective studies with larger sample size and encompassing more counties are recommendable
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    Factors Influencing Adherence to Anti-Tuberculosis Treatment among Patients Attending Tuberculosis Clinics in Migori County, Kenya
    (Journal of Medicine, Nursing & Public Health, 2023) Kerata, Babere Patrick; Gitahi, Mary W.; Iseme, Rosebella A.
    Tuberculosis (TB), a disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, affected 10 million people and claimed the lives of 1.4 million people worldwide in 2018. Poor anti-TB treatment adherence has a number of negative consequences, including increased disease transmission. The incidence rate of tuberculosis in Nyatike sub-county is 209 per 100,000 people, compared to 155 in Migori County. As a result, the primary goal of the study was to identify factors that influence anti-TB treatment adherence among tuberculosis patients attending anti-tuberculosis clinics in Migori County, Kenya. The study employed an analytical cross-sectional study design, with the target population consisting of adult active TB patients (n=) on anti-TB treatment and health care providers (n=) involved in TB Comprehensive care clinic services. Questionnaires, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews were used to collect data, which was then analyzed using chi square and logistic regression techniques. The following factors were found to be associated with patient adherence in the study: HIV co infection (OR=1.152, 95% CI; 0.408,3.691; p=0.029), in which HIV positive patients were 1.152 more adherent than HIV negative participants; using other non-TB drugs (OR=0.418; P= 0.008, 95% CI; 0.157, 1.109), with pill burden being a barrier for adherence to ant-TB treatment; and lack of money to meet Adherence was also found to be influenced by knowledge (OR: 2.856; 95% CI: 1.282, 6.365), P= 0.01). Anti-TB treatment adherence was found to be associated with HIV co-infection, taking other drugs alongside anti-TB patients, and financial constraints. The study's implication is that various factors influence patient adherence to anti tuberculosis treatment.