Examining the appropriateness and reliability of the strategy of the Kenyan Comprehensive School Health Program.

The Kenyan government established the Kenyan Comprehensive School Health Program (KCSHP) on the basis of Kenyan National School Health Policy. A KCSHP pilot project was carried out in eight primary schools in Mbita Sub-County of Homa Bay County in the Nyanza Region from 2012 to 2017. This pilot project provided health facilities and support for evaluation with a school health checklist, and organized teacher training on health education, a child health club, and school-based health check-ups. The present study aimed to examine the appropriateness and reliability of the strategy of the second KCSHP pilot project in Kenya. We analyzed data from self-administered questionnaires targeted at pupils in seventh-grade in the eight primary schools. The questionnaire consisted of questions on health-related knowledge, attitudes and practices, self-evaluated physical and mental health status, self-awareness of health control, subjective happiness, recognition on the importance of learning about health in school, absenteeism, and sense of school belongingness. The project contributed to improving health-related knowledge, attitudes and practices, self-evaluated health status, sense of school belongingness, recognition on the importance of learning about health in school, self-awareness of health control, and absenteeism. On the contrary, subjective happiness did not improve significantly.

Implementation of Kenyan comprehensive school health program: improvement and association with students' academic attainment.

There is growing evidence supporting the effectiveness of a comprehensive school health program. However, implementation in developing countries is a challenge. Furthermore, the available information on the association between a comprehensive school health program and students' academic attainment is limited. In Kenya, a project to verify the effects of a comprehensive school health program was carried out in Mbita sub-county, Homa Bay County from September 2012 to August 2017. This study aimed to clarify the improvement of school health during the project years and the association between school health and students' academic attainment. Primary schools in Mbita sub-county were selected as study sites. We assessed 44 schools' scores on a school health checklist developed from the Kenyan Comprehensive School Health Program, the students' mean score on the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE), and absenteeism during the project years (2013-16). The mean school health checklist score (n = 44 schools) was 135.6 in 2013, 169.9 in 2014, 158.2 in 2015 and 181.3 in 2016. The difference of the mean score between 2013 and 2016 was significant. In addition, correlation analysis showed a significant association between mean KCPE score in the project years and school health checklist score (Pearson's coefficient was 0.43, p = 0.004). The results of this study suggest improvements of school health by the implementation of the Kenyan Comprehensive School Health Program and students' academic attainment.

Factors Associated With the Motivation of Community Drug Distributors in the Lymphatic Filariasis Elimination Programme in Kenya

Annual mass drug administration (MDA) is the main strategy for elimination of lymphatic filariasis (LF); globally. In Kenya; community drug distributors (CDDs) are used to deliver drugs to household members. To determine factors influencing CDDs' motivation; a retrospective cross-sectional study based on qualitative data was conducted in Kwale and Malindi districts after the 2008 MDA. In Kwale; Tsimba location represented high and Gadini low compliance while in Malindi; Goshi and Gongoni locations represented high and low compliance areas; respectively. Fifteen CDDs; 80 opinion leaders; 80 LF patients; five health personnel; four LF coordinators and the National Programme Manager were purposively selected and interviewed. Sixteen focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with single-sex adult and youth male and female groups. The factors that possibly had a positive influence on CDDs' motivation were: higher education level; trust and familiarity with community members. All CDDs reported that getting recognised; being trained on LF and an innate desire to help their communities raised their motivation. Factors that possibly had negative influence included: inadequate training; drug supplies and community sensitisation and lack of supervision. The majority of the CDDs reported a lack of or outdated record-keeping books; a limited drug distribution period; inadequate moral support and incentives as negative factors on their motivation. Factors that motivate CDDs are those that enhance their capacities to perform their duties and endear respect in the communities where they serve