PHD-Department of Community Health

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Browsing PHD-Department of Community Health by Subject "Caregivers Performance"

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    Caregivers Performance in Care and Support of HIV & AIDS Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Homa-Bay County, Kenya.
    (Kenyatta University, 2023-09) Misore, Juliana Achieng; Alloys Orago; Wilson Otenga
    Caregiver practices, which are forms of support and resources made available at the household level within the community, may be of benefit to orphans and vulnerable children (OVC). Such a desire is essential in order to give orphans and vulnerable children access to the social determinants of health, which include health care, clean & safe water, a healthy environment, food, good housing, education, and income. The availability of all and or appropriate social determinants of health for orphans and vulnerable children is decreasing due to a number of factors. Such as high poverty, weak health, social, and community systems, and inadequate caregiver support programme. There are still no proven qualitative and quantitative methods, for measuring or quantifying caregivers‟ activities, which are critical in addressing inequities among orphans and vulnerable children. This study investigated care and support practice of caregivers toward orphans and vulnerable children in North and South Suba Sub-counties in Homa-Bay County. An analytical cross sectional survey design with mixed method was used to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data were collected using semi-structured questionnaires and observation checklist administered to 647 caregivers. Qualitative data were collected using focus group discussion, in depth and key Informant Interviews. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse quantitative data whereas qualitative data were thematically analyzed to complement quantitative date. Findings were presented using tables pie charts and bar graphs. A sizeable majority of caregivers, 47%, were unaware of the existence of organizations offering care and support services, demonstrating a weak organizational structure. The Cramers V test was used to determine the correlation coefficient of 0.162, which measured the “caregiver‟s inability‟‟ to provide for OVC adequately. Using chi-square P=0.008, the study found that caregiver participation in OVC initiatives was at a low level. The availability of clean, safe water and the prevalence of diarrheal morbidity were shown to be strongly negatively correlated, as indicated by the tetrachoric correlation coefficient value negative. According to the study's findings, 58% of OVC caregivers in Suba North and South Sub Counties of Homa- Bay had poor performance and make less than $1 per day. The study's findings' implications for academic researchers and MOH policy makers were also discussed. The study suggested the following for policy, practice, and additional research, in that order: Making policies that support the expansion of the Community Health Strategy accessible to caregivers and their families, improving caregivers' skills in providing personalized care for OVC, participating more in OVC programs and planning, monitoring, and assessing caregivers' activities to improve caregivers‟ performance in Suba Sub counties.