Increased condom use among key populations using oral PrEP in Kenya: results from large scale programmatic surveillance.

BACKGROUND: Female sex workers (FSW) and men having sex with men (MSM) in Kenya have high rates of HIV infection. Following a 2015 WHO recommendation, Kenya initiated national scale-up of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for all persons at high-risk. Concerns have been raised about PrEP users' potential changes in sexual behaviors such adopting condomless sex and multiple partners as a result of perceived reduction in HIV risk, a phenomenon known as risk compensation. Increased condomless sex may lead to unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections and has been described in research contexts but not in the programmatic setting. This study looks at changes in condom use among FSW and MSM on PrEP through a national a scale-up program. METHODS: Routine program data collected between February 2017 and December 2019 were used to assess changes in condom use during the first three months of PrEP in 80 health facilities supported by a scale-up project, Jilinde. The primary outcome was self-reported condom use. Analyses were conducted separately for FSW and for MSM. Log-Binomial Regression with Generalized Estimating Equations was used to compare the incidence proportion ("risk") of consistent condom use at the month 1, and month 3 visits relative to the initiation visit. RESULTS: At initiation, 69% of FSW and 65% of MSM reported consistent condom use. At month 3, this rose to 87% for FSW and 91% for MSM. MSM were 24% more likely to report consistent condom use at month 1 (Relative Risk [RR], 1.24, 95% Confidence Interval [CI], 1.18-1.30) and 40% more likely at month 3 (RR, 1.40, 95% CI, 1.33-1.47) compared to at initiation. FSW were 15% more likely to report consistent condom use at the month one visit (RR, 1.15, 95% CI, 1.13-1.17) and 27% more likely to report condom use on the month 3 visit (RR 1.27, 95% CI, 1.24-1.29). CONCLUSION: Condom use increased substantially among both FSW and MSM. This may be because oral PrEP was provided as part of a combination prevention strategy that included counseling and condoms but could also be due to the low retention rates among those who initiated.

A randomized clinical trial of mobile phone motivational interviewing for alcohol use problems in Kenya.

AIM: To test the effectiveness of a motivational interviewing (MI) intervention using the mobile phone among adults with alcohol use problems. DESIGN: A randomized clinical trial of mobile MI and standard in-person MI with 1- and 6-month follow-up, including a 1-month waitlist control followed by mobile MI. SETTING: A primary health center in rural Kenya. PARTICIPANTS: Three hundred adults screening positive for alcohol use problems were randomized and received immediate mobile MI (n = 89), in-person MI (n = 65) or delayed mobile MI (n = 76) for waiting-list controls 1 month after no treatment, with 70 unable to be reached for intervention. INTERVENTION AND COMPARATOR: One MI session was provided either immediately by mobile phone, in-person at the health center or delayed by 1 month and then provided by mobile phone. MEASUREMENTS: Alcohol use problems were repeatedly assessed using the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) and the shorter AUDIT-C. The primary outcome was difference in alcohol score 1 month after no intervention for waiting-list control versus 1 month after MI for mobile MI. The secondary outcomes were difference in alcohol score for in-person MI versus mobile MI one and 6 months after MI. FINDINGS: For our primary outcome, average AUDIT-C scores were nearly three points higher (difference = 2.88, 95% confidence interval = 2.11, 3.66) for waiting-list controls after 1 month of no intervention versus mobile MI 1 month after intervention. Results for secondary outcomes supported the null hypothesis of no difference between in-person and mobile MI at 1 month (Bayes factor = 0.22), but were inconclusive at 6 months (Bayes factor = 0.41). CONCLUSION: Mobile phone-based motivational interviewing may be an effective treatment for alcohol use problems among adults visiting primary care in Kenya. Providing mobile motivational interviewing may help clinicians in rural areas to reach patients needing treatment for alcohol use problems.

Relationship between Bullying, Substance Use, Psychiatric Disorders, and Social Problems in a Sample of Kenyan Secondary Schools.

We aimed to investigate how direct bullying and victimization relate with substance use, the presence of psychiatric disorders, poor school performance, disruptive behaviors, and social problems among secondary school students. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 20 randomly selected mixed-day secondary school students in forms one to three in Machakos County, equivalent to students in grades 1 to 11. From a random starting point, every sixth student in the class was invited to participate. The Drug Use Screening Inventory (revised) (DUSI-R) and the Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire (OBVQ) were administered in a classroom-setting by trained research assistants with experience in data collection. Four categories, i.e., bully only, bully-victim, victim only, and neither bully nor victims (neutrals) were developed and problem density scores computed. Descriptive statistics, bivariate, and multinomial logistic regression analysis summarized the findings. Of the 471 students, 13.6% had not experienced bullying problems. Bully-victim was the most prevalent form of bullying. No significant gender differences were reported across categories. Bully-victims reported significant higher problem density scores in eight out of the nine problem domains, and effect sizes of the differences in problem scores between neutrals and bully-victims were larger compared with other categories. Behavioral and family system problem scores retained a significant relationship with bully-victim category (p < 0.001). A high prevalence of bullying problems was documented in both genders. However, bully-victims had a higher risk of multiple negative individual and environmental and social problems. Assessment of bullying problems is an indirect route to identifying significant youth problems. Bullying interventions should be multifaceted to address psycho-socio-behavioral problems.

Pilot towards developing a school mental health service: Experiences and lessons learnt in implementing Kenya integrated intervention model for dialogue and screening to promote children's mental well-being.

AIM: This paper aims at documenting the process of implementing "Kenya Integrated intervention model for Dialogue and Screening to promote children's mental wellbeing (KIDS)", with emphasis on activities, experiences, challenges and lessons learnt through the process that can inform improvement in Kenya and other social-economically and culturally similar settings. METHODS: KIDS aimed at providing early and integrated culturally acceptable intervention to promote child mental health in 6 to 13 year olds, targeting 5429 children in 24 schools. It was a pilot study conducted in 2 administrative counties in Kenya (Machakos and Makueni). The main goal of this study was to test the efficacy and feasibility of the proposed model that incorporated several significant stakeholders. RESULTS: The implementation of KIDS was grouped into 6 stepwise and 2 ongoing processes: (1) Stakeholder engagement and collaboration; (2) Selecting, adapting, translating, piloting and adopting the study tools; (3) Conducting Participatory Theory of Change (ToC); (4) Building the capacity of the key implementing partners; (5) Community awareness and psycho-education, (6) Using school-based life skills and peer clubs counselling to provide psychosocial support; (7) Ongoing monitoring, supervision and quality assurance and (8) Ongoing knowledge exchange and dissemination. Specific logistical challenges and possible solutions for future school mental health services are also stated in this article. CONCLUSION: KIDS is a feasible model for school mental health service programme in Kenya but there are challenges which provide innovative opportunities for better designed school mental health services programme.

Mental health treatment in Kenya: task-sharing challenges and opportunities among informal health providers.

BACKGROUND: The study was conducted to explore challenges faced by trained informal health providers referring individuals with suspected mental disorders for treatment, and potential opportunities to counter these challenges. METHODS: The study used a qualitative focus group approach. It involved community health workers, traditional and faith healers from Makueni County in Kenya. Ten Focus Group Discussions were conducted in the local language, recorded and transcribed verbatim and translated. Using a thematic analysis approach, data were entered into NVivo 7 for analysis and coding. RESULTS: Results demonstrate that during the initial intake phase, challenges included patients' mistrust of informal health providers and cultural misunderstanding and stigma related to mental illness. Between initial intake and treatment, challenges related to resource barriers, resistance to treatment and limitations of the referral system. Treatment infrastructure issues were reported during the treatment phase. Various suggestions for solving these challenges were made at each phase. CONCLUSIONS: These findings illustrate the commitment of informal health providers who have limited training to a task-sharing model under difficult situations to increase patients' access to mental health services and quality care. With the identified opportunities, the expansion of this type of research has promising implications for rural communities.

Stigma-related mental health knowledge and attitudes among primary health workers and community health volunteers in rural Kenya.

BACKGROUND: The study was conducted in rural Kenya and assessed stigma in health workers from primary health facilities. AIMS: This study compared variations in stigma-related mental health knowledge and attitudes between primary health workers (HWs) and community health volunteers (CHVs). METHODS: Participants ( n = 44 HWs and n = 60 CHVs) completed the self-report Mental Health Knowledge Schedule and the Reported and Intended Behavior Scale, along with sociodemographic questions. Multiple regression models were used to assess predictors of mental health knowledge and stigmatizing behaviors. RESULTS: HWs had significantly higher mean mental health knowledge scores than CHVs, p < .001, and significantly higher mean positive attitudes scores than CHVs, p = .042. When controlling for relevant covariates, higher positive attitudes was the only significant predictor of higher mental health knowledge, and self-rating of sense of belonging to the community and mental health knowledge remained the main predictors of positive attitudes. CONCLUSION: Results suggest that stigma-related mental health knowledge and attitudes are associated, and interventions should target these areas with health workers. There is scope for intervention to increase knowledge and positive attitudes for individuals who feel a strong sense of community belonging. Future studies should test feasible ways to reduce stigma in this population.

Prevalence and determinants of depression among patients under the care of traditional health practitioners in a Kenyan setting: Policy implications.

In Kenya, there is paucity of information on depression among traditional health practitioner (THP) patients, particularly in rural areas. The aim of this study was to estimate prevalence and identify determinants of major depressive disorder (MDD) among patients of THP in rural Kenya using the World Health Organization (WHO) Mental Health Gap Action Programme Intervention Guideline (mhGAP-IG). All adult patients seeking care from trained THPs (either traditional healers such as diviners and herbalists or faith healers, who use treatments such as prayers, laying hands on patients, or providing holy water and ash to their patients) over a period of 3 months (September 2014 to November 2014) were screened for depression using mhGAP-IG and their sociodemographic characteristics recorded. Overall, the prevalence of depression among THP patients was 22.9%. Being older, female, single, divorced or separated, as well as unemployment and lack of education were found to be significant determinants of depression. Patients with MDD frequently presented with suicidal behavior (32.9%, OR = 5.94, p < .0001) compared to those that had at least one psychotic symptom (26.3%, OR = 3.65, p < .0001). A measure of the accuracy of THPs' assessment of MDD showed 86% specificity and 46% sensitivity and the area under receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve was 0.686. Our findings shed light on the prevalence of depression among THP patients and thus highlight the need for further research on diagnostic tools for use among THPs in order to avoid substandard care and promote reliance on more evidence-based methods of care.

Psychometric properties of the Ndetei-Othieno-Kathuku (NOK) Scale: A mental health assessment tool for an African setting.

BACKGROUND: Research suggests that psychiatric conditions in children and adolescents are highly debilitating, with sparse resources for assessment and treatment in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). OBJECTIVES: The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability, validity, and latent factor structure of an ethnographically-grounded assessment instrument for detecting common mental health complaints among rural Kenyan children and adolescents. METHODS: The Ndetei-Othieno-Kathuku Scale (NOK) was delivered to 2 282 children aged 10 to 18 years old. Exploratory factor analysis identified four latent factors. This structure was confirmed in subsequent confirmatory factor analyses. External validity was explored by investigating associations among NOK factors and Youth Self-Report DSM-oriented scales. RESULTS: Findings suggest the NOK possesses good internal reliability and a four-factor latent structure corresponding to depression, anxiety, somatic complaints, and a mixed factor. Significant associations ranging from small to medium effect sizes were noted between NOK factors and YSR DSM-oriented scales. CONCLUSIONS: Exploratory findings suggest that the NOK possesses adequate psychometric properties among this population. This ethnographically-grounded instrument may be uniquely suited to screening for mental health complaints among Kenyan children and adolescents.