Browsing by Author "Kimani, Eunice W."
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Item Factors that Influence Sexual Reproductive Health Knowledge among Adolescent Girls with Disabilities in Kiambu County(frican Journal of Midwifery and Women's Health, 2023) Kimani, Eunice W.; Nyamari, Jackim; Nyamu, FlorenceBackground/Aims Problems related to sexual health can have adverse effects on the overall health of adolescent girls, including those living with a physical disability. Improving sexual and reproductive health knowledge among this population can enable them to make informed decisions in relation to their sexual health. However, the sociodemographic characteristics that influence knowledge in this population have not been explored. This study investigated the influence of sociodemographic characteristics on the sexual and reproductive health knowledge of adolescent girls living with physical disabilities in Kiambu County, Kenya. Methods A cross-sectional mixed method study was conducted among 144 purposively selected adolescent girls aged 10–19 years old living with physical disabilities. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to gather data on participants’ sociodemographic characteristics and their sexual and reproductive health knowledge. Odds ratios and logistic regression was used to analyse the data. Results One in five (20.8%) of the participants had already had a sexual experience, and only 24.3% of participants had good sexual and reproductive health knowledge. The majority of the participants (54.9%) had low socioeconomic status, which was the only factor significantly associated with level of knowledge (odds ratio=4.91, P=0.021). Conclusions Socioeconomic status is a major determinant of sexual and reproductive health knowledge among adolescent girls living with disabilities. Measures must be put in place to economically empower the families of these girls, to facilitate improved knowledge and thus ensure their sexual health and wellbeing. Implications for practice Education interventions are needed that are tailored to adolescent girls living with disabilities to promote reproductive health in this population.Item Sexual reproductive health education interventions and their influence on reproductive health knowledge among adolescent girls living with disabilities, Kiambu County, Kenya(Kenyatta University, 2025-05) Kimani, Eunice W.Adolescent sexuality and its outcomes is a global concern in the area of public health due to its severe consequences and negative impacts on wellbeing and health of girls. Adolescent girls living with disability are also affected. Many Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) programs have been developed for adolescent girls without tailor making them for those girls living with disabilities. This therefore raises the importance of having SRH intervention Programs that are tailor made to address the specific needs of adolescent girls with various disabilities. The effectiveness of such interventions must also be tested to ensure that these programs bring about the desired change in knowledge and skills related to SRH among this unique population. The study therefore investigated the effect of SRH education interventions among adolescent girls living with disabilities in Kiambu County, Kenya. The specific objectives were to determine the influence of sociodemographic characteristics, level of reproductive health knowledge, sources of SRH information and establish the factors that influence the uptake of reproductive health information and services. The study also assessed the influence of SRH educational interventions on SRH knowledge levels. This study utilized a quasiexperimental study design with an intervention and a control group. Purposive sampling was used to involve all willing and available participants who met the inclusion criteria. Girls aged between 10-19 years living with physical disabilities were sampled. Those living with other forms of disabilities were excluded to reduce confounding. A semi-structured questionnaire was administered for pre-test and post-test purposes. The study also did Key informant interviews with sub-county children’s officers and heads of institutions working with adolescent girls living with disabilities. Both qualitative and quantitative data was collected. Paired sample t-test was employed in the analysis of quantitative data. Qualitative data was analyzed using themes. The findings of the study indicated that most sociodemographic characteristics were not significantly associated with levels of SRH knowledge, except social economic status (Level of study p=0.474; sexual debut p=0.472 religion p=0.328 age p=0.734: Social-economic status p=0.021). Most adolescents (76%) had poor SRH knowledge at pre-intervention period. The major sources of information were Television and radio. The SRH education intervention had significant impact in improvement in SRH knowledge (Cohens d=0.9) The study recommends provision of education on the adolescents’ reproductive health among those living with disabilities. This requires a team approach of various stakeholders from the Ministry of Education and Health. The school curriculum must incorporate aspects of SRH targeting adolescents since majority of them are in learning institutions.Item Sexual Violence against Adolescent Girls in Mixed -Day Secondary Schools in Limuru Sub-County, Kiambu County, Kenya(Kenyatta University, 2015-06) Kimani, Eunice W.Sexual violence against adolescent girls (SVAG) is a global concern due to its adverse effects on the overall health of these girls. In Kenya, cases of sexual violence in this age group are reported to be at 33%. The study explored sexual violence among adolescent girls (15-19 years) in the nine (9) mixed day secondary schools of Limuru Sub-county, Kiambu County, Kenya. The broad objective of the study was: to assess the status of SVAG in mixed day school in Limuru Sub-county, Kiambu County. The specific objectives were: To establish the proportion of adolescent girls in mixed day schools in Limuru Sub-county affected by SVAG, to determine the perpetrators of SVAG in mixed day schools in Limuru Sub-county, to determine the factors that increase vulnerability of adolescent girls in mixed day schools in Limuru Sub-county to sexual violence, and to determine the factors that affect disclosure levels on sexual violence matters among adolescent girls in mixed day schools in Limuru Sub-county. The study was cross sectional in nature and collected qualitative and quantitative data. The research instruments that were employed in gathering data included self-administered questionnaires with the 301 sampled girls. The number of girls sampled in every school was proportionate to the number of adolescent girls in that school. Systematic sampling was then used to select the individual girls to participate in every school. Girls who were aged 15-19 years, who were in any mixed day secondary school in Limuru Sub-county, those that had been in the school for three terms and those who consented to participate in the study were illegible. Those who were excluded were girls who failed to consent to participate in the study as well as those who were absent from school during sampling. Three Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were conducted; one in each educational zone of the Sub-county to enrich the data collected using the questionnaires. Key informant interviews were conducted with two officials in the Children’s Sub-county office, two medical officers, as well as with two police officers stationed in Limuru Sub-county and two school heads selected at random. 32.6% of the respondents were affected by SVAG. Of these cases, 85% had experienced forced touching, 51% had experienced attempted sex and 15% had experienced forced sex. In all the three forms of SVAG, male perpetrators constituted more than 96%. Boyfriends (32%) were the commonest perpetrators of sexual violence. About 49% of the perpetrators were reported to have been under the influence of psychoactive substances when committing the sexual violence. Most of the SVAG (40%) was done in the perpetrator’s home. Factors that showed a significant association with vulnerability to SVAG were: alcohol use (OR=3.4 p=0.001), forced sex at debut (OR=62.4 p=0.000) and family connectedness (p=0.001 OR=10.6). Social economic status and age of adolescent girl did not show any significant association with vulnerability to SVAG. Disclosure levels were low: forced sex (7%), attempted sex (12%) and forced touch (15%). Factors that showed significant association with disclosure levels were: level of knowledge on sexual violence (OR=1.8 p=0.03), level of knowledge on service availability (OR=7.9 p=0.01) and family connectedness (OR=2.29 p=0.02). Age of the girl did not show any significant association with disclosure levels.Item Sexual Violence against Adolescent Girls in Mixed-Day Secondary Schools in Limuru Sub-County, Kiambu County, Kenya(Kenyatta University, 2015) Kimani, Eunice W.Sexual violence against adolescent girls (SV AG) is a global concern due to its adverse effects on the overall health of these girls. In Kenya, cases of sexual violence in this age group are reported to be at 33%. The study explored sexual violence among adolescent girls (15-19 years) in the nine (9) mixed day secondary schools of Limuru Sub-county, Kiambu County, Kenya. The broad objective of the study was: to assess the status of SVAG in mixed day school in Limuru Sub-county, Kiambu County. The specific objectives were: To establish the proportion of adolescent girls in mixed day schools in Limuru Sub-county affected by SVAG, to determine the perpetrators of SVAG in mixed day schools in Limuru Sub-county, to determine the factors that increase vulnerability of adolescent girls in mixed day schools in Limuru Sub-county to sexual violence, and to determine the factors that affect disclosure levels on sexual violence matters among adolescent girls in mixed day schools in Limuru Sub-county. The study was cross sectional in nature and collected qualitative and quantitative data. The research instruments that were employed in gathering data included selfadministered questionnaires with the 301 sampled girls. The number of girls sampled in every school was proportionate to the number of adolescent girls in that school. Systematic sampling was then used to select the individual girls to participate in every school. Girls who were aged 15-19 years, who were in any mixed day secondary school in Limuru Sub-county, those that had been in the school for three terms and those who consented to participate in the study were illegible. Those who were excluded were girls who failed to consent to participate in the study as well as those who were absent from school during sampling. Three Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were conducted; one in each educational zone of the Sub-county to enrich the data collected using the questionnaires. Key informant interviews were conducted with two officials in the Children's Sub-county office, two medical officers, as well as with two police officers stationed in Limuru Sub-county and two school heads selected at random. 32.6% of the respondents were affected by SVAG. Of these cases, 85% had experienced forced touching, 51% had experienced attempted sex and 15% had experienced forced sex. In all the three forms of SVAG, male perpetrators constituted more than 96%. Boyfriends (32%) were the commonest perpetrators of sexual violence. About 49% of the perpetrators were reported to have been under the influence of psychoactive substances when committing the sexual violence. Most of the SVAG (40%) was done in the perpetrator's home. Factors that showed a significant association with vulnerability to SVAG were: alcohol use (OR=3.4 p=O.OOI), forced sex at debut (OR=62.4 p=O.OOO)and family. connectedness (p=O.OOI OR=10.6). Social economic status and age of adolescent girl did not show any significant association with vulnerability to SVAG. Disclosure levels were low: forced sex (7%), attempted sex (12%) and forced touch (15%). Factors that showed significant association with disclosure levels were: level of knowledge on sexual violence (OR=I.8 p=0.03), level of knowledge on service availability (OR=7.9 p=O.OI) and family connectedness (OR=2.29 p=0.02). Age of the girl did not show any significant association with disclosure levels.