Chronic low back pain is a highly prevalent condition in industrialized nations. It is associated with activity limitations, disability, has significant economic impact on society and incurs personal cost. Today's working environment increasingly demands more time spent sitting due to computerization and other advances in technology. Sitting for hours without taking breaks may influence posture, and alignment of the lumbar spine. Therefore, it may influence low back pain. Kenya as a developing country has an increasing number of people involved in sedentary work. The aim of this study was to identify the predisposing factors of chronic low back pain among sedentary office workers in Nairobi. The main objectives were to establish the prevalence of chronc low back pain / to determine the possible predisposing factors of chronic low back pain and to determine the impact of chronic low back pain on work related quality of life among sedentary office workers in Nairobi, Kenya.

This comparative study explored the influence of different pre-school models on school readiness among pre-school children from different urban socio-economic status (SES) neighbourhoods. The study sampled 207 pre-school children attending different pre-school models in different SES neighbourhoods within the city of Nairobi in Kenya. In the study, school readiness was conceived as the ability of children to learn and handle primary school tasks. Assessment was done through teachers' rating of children's level of developmental and fitnctional skills using a School Readiness Assessment Instrument (SRAI), which was adopted and modified from the Early Development Instrument (EDI). The study compared school readiness outcomes amongst pre-schoolers aged five and six years. School readiness outcome was also correlated with the level of developmentally appropriate practice of the different pre-schools, assessed through observation and interviews. Major findings from this study were that, pre-school children who attended Private pre-school models outperformed their peers from public pre-schools in school readiness scores and children from low SES neighbourhoods had lower school readiness scores compared with children from middle and high SES neighbourhoods. The study recommends a paradigm shift from an academically oriented pre-school model to one that embrace a holistic approach in program and assessment of children's school readiness. It also recommends further studies on the influence of cultural variations on school readiness and primary school readiness to receive pre-schoolers.

This thesis traces the paths and trajectories that one substance - the plant stimulant Catha edulis (Forssk.), known in Kenya as 'miraa' - takes in the course of its 'social life' from production, through exchange, to its points of consumption. The thesis attempts to draw out the richness in this social life through an in-depth ethnographic examination of these trajectories, emphasising in particular their socially-embedded nature. By following an approach influenced by the volume The social life of things (Appadurai [ed.] 1986) the thesis is able to tease out much of the significance the substance has for those people who animate its social life. The trajectories covered vary greatly in range, from those involving local consumption in the area in which it is grown - the Nyambene Hills district of Kenya - to those that take it thousands of miles away to Europe and North America. The vast range of the substance allows for the generation of many different meanings and associations, and many of these are brought out over the course of the thesis. The trade of the substance (trade that relies much on trust) and its consumption are seen as in many ways socially cohesive, while in other respects socially divisive: while substances like miraa can build bridges, they can also build fences. Of especial importance to the thesis is the character of Nicholas, whose relationship with miraa demonstrates how individuals can take on board shared meanings concerning a substance, whilst creating many new meanings of their own through processes of convergence and divergence. The study addresses both the significance of miraa and its social life for wider debates in anthropology and its significance within the lives of farmers, traders, and consumers, and anyone engaged in debating its merits.

Abstract Background In sub-Saharan Africa, malaria is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality. An estimated 15 million malaria cases and 40 000 malaria deaths were reported in Kenya. Malaria during pregnancy is associated with adverse health outcomes for both the mother as well as her foetus. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between socioeconomic correlates and the uptake of malaria prevention methods during pregnancy. Methodology: Data was drawn from the 2008-2009 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey. A total of 8098 women aged 15-49 were analysed. Stata version 12 was used for the management and analysis of data. Univariate, bivariate and multivariate analysis was carried out to meet the objectives of this study. Results: Forty-eight percent of women made use of Insecticide Treated Net (ITNs), 52 percent were administered with Intermittent Preventative Therapy (IPTp) and 36 percent made use of both measures during pregnancy. Multivariate results indicate that urban women were found to display slightly higher odds of ITN usage (1.13) and the combined usage of ITNs and IPTp (1.22) during pregnancy in comparison to rural women. Women with higher levels of education and women from middle income and rich households displayed higher odds of the uptake of these malaria prevention methods during pregnancy. Conclusion: This study has shown that socioeconomic indicators influence the usage of malaria prevention methods during pregnancy. It is therefore imperative that these factors be considered when designing and implementing policies aimed at improving the uptake of these measures during pregnancy.

A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, 2016 / The  violence,  destruction  and  death  of  more  than  1  200  people  resulting  from   the  highly  disputed  2007  election  results  in  Kenya  was  a  considerable  watershed   moment.  It  exposed  the  deep  fragmentation  within  the  nation-­‐state  and  became   a  significant  fissure  for  the  simmering  tensions  among  the  42  “tribes”  of  Kenya.   In  the  media-­‐scape,  these  events  evinced  the  elitist  and  tribal  hegemony  in  media   ownership  and  revealed,  more  than  ever  before,  that  certain  voices  and   narratives  were  privileged  over  others.  These  events  also  unmasked  recurrent   motifs,  which  illuminated  the  stranglehold  that  the  political,  media  and  economic   elites  wielded  over  media  instruments  and  platforms,  for  their  own  benefit.       This  study  aims  to  explore  the  extent  to  which  active  user-­‐generated  content  in   the  digital  media  space  can  intervene  in,  and  disrupt,  some  of  these  exclusionary   practices  in  the  public  service  mediascape,  to  potentially  inspire  a  re-­‐imagination   in  this  space  for  nation  building  in  Kenya.  It  is  premised  on  a  participatory  action   research  approach  that  draws  on  theoretical  discourse  on  nationalism  and   nation  building,  as  this  is  the  field  from  which  the  study’s  key  problems  stem  and   where  conceptual  discourses  on  digital  media  converge.  The  study  also  draws  on   participatory  discourses  in  the  media,  as  these  potentially  present  an   emancipatory  platform  for  those  on  the  margins  of  the  hegemonic  centres.  Here   it  mainly  draws  on  Bhabha’s  cultural  difference  theory,  Billig’s  banal   nationalisms,  Jenkins’  ideas  on  convergence  culture,  Carpentier’s  thoughts  on   maximalist  media  participation  and  Thumim’s  assertions  on  self-­‐representation   in  the  digital  space.     The  study  also  hinges  on  the  practice-­‐informed  pilot  project  titled  Utaifa   Mashinani  Masimulizi  ya  Ukenya  (UMMU)  digital  narratives,  co-­‐created  by  the   researcher  together  with  the  Abakuria  (the  Kuria  people)  of  Kenya.  This  is  a   community  marginally  represented  in  the  public  service  broadcasting-­‐scape  in   Kenya  and  a  people  whose  narrative  discourse  is  seldom  present  in  the  public   sphere.     The  study  argues  that  broadcast  content  –  not  just  in  Kenya  but  also  in  Africa  –   on  User  Generated  Content  (UGC)  for  broadcasting  predominantly  focuses  on   passive  forms  of  UGC  rather  than  Active  User  Generated  Content  (AUGC)  -­‐  a  term   coined  in  this  study  to  refer  to  user-­‐generated  content  that  entails  a  more   meaningful,  emancipatory  and  empowering  form  of  participation  amongst  those   traditionally  referred  to  as  consumers  of  broadcast  content.  It  contends  that   although  many  contemporary  television  broadcasters  around  the  world  continue   to  create  a  perception  of  increasing  and  robust  audience  participation  in   televised  content,  in  Kenya  this  is  certainly  not  the  case.  It  argues  that  significant   forms  of  current  participation  on  television  are  illusionary,  minimalist  and  futile,   as  they  largely  entrench  television’s  balance  of  power  among  the  media  elites.   Ordinary  people  are  often  ‘invited’  to  participate  in  broadcasting,  but  their  entry   point  into  these  narratives  tends  to  be  limited  to  accessing  already-­‐completed   narratives  and  engaging  in  what  constitutes  token  participation,  with  minimal,   and  in  most  cases,  no  impact  on  the  story,  its  conception,  distribution  and  socio-­‐ economic  benefits.       Drawing  on  insights  from  the  UMMU  project,  the  study  proposes  that  AUGC  can   potentially  disrupt  some  of  the  existing  tropes  and  motifs  in  the  Public  Service   Mediascape  opening  up  spaces  for  multiple  and  diverse  voices  and  narratives  in   Kenya.  This  potentially  enables  active  participation  from  constituencies  that   have  traditionally  been  on  the  margins  of  the  Kenyan  nation-­‐state  to  partake  in   the  nation  building  process. / XL2018

Thesis. 1978. M.C.P.--Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ROTCH. / Bibliography: leaves 159-164. / M.C.P.

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Thesis (M. Arch.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Architecture, 1980. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ROTCH. / Includes bibliographical references. / The concept of self-help in a site and services project is based on the assumption that given the security of land tenureship_, an owner-builder can manage the whole process of house implementation. Generally, in any sponsored site and services project this assumption is supported by "aid" ; that is, the sponsor provides some financial and/or technical assistance. while this "aid" is minimum, often provided in the form of infrastructure, serviced plots, and some cash for purchasing building materials, it is assumed that such "aid" would assist the owner-builder in implementing the dwelling on the serviced plot. It is also assumed that the planning and construction of the dwelling would be carried out throughout the dweller's own decision-making and self-help efforts. In theory, the concept is valid. It is also adopted in most of the site and services projects in East Africa. Self-help is assumed to contribute towards economic savings, mobilization of human resources, increase in community spirit and group participation and to achieve a host of other benefits. This study looks at one such site and services project in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. Through several in-depth case histories of carefully selected allottee families from the Dandora Community Development Project, a site and services project in Nairobi, the thesis shows the actual form(s) and practice of self-help. Several allottees were interviewed to understand further the real nature of self-help. That is, who did what, when, how and at what cost. Other inquiry was on the background and characteristics of the allottees' families, their approach to house planning and construction, characteristics and economics of construction, self - help practice amongst different: groups of allottees', cost and benefits of self-help and some impact of the rules of the Dandora Community Development Department (DCDD) in house implementation. The study presents several case histories of immigrant families in the process of urbanization in Nairobi. The cases trace the path of these low-income families from squatter settlements to the site and services project, emphasizing the element of self-help underlying the process of settlement. The actual role of an owner-builder is different from some of the assumptions held on self-help housing. The hard line of economic cost and benefits, as perceived in theory, does not necessarily hold true and neither do other assumptions on self - help applications in the site and services project. Chapters 1 and 2 present some background to the study, the research method employed and some of the theoretical constructs underlying the concept of self-help. In Chapters 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 findings of the field research are presented. Specifically, different forms of self-help, their characteristics, practice, costs and benefits, and some illustrations as observed in the site and services project are presented. All the material covered under these Chapters is an outcome of the author's intensive field research on the allottees of the Dandora Community Development Project, from later 1978 to mid 1979. In· Chapter 8 the uses, costs, and benefits of the dwellings completed by means of the various self-help forms are further articulated. In the final Chapter the findings on actual self-help practices are compared with the held on self-help. This analysis is followed by major conclusions drawn from the study. / by Praful Naran Soni. / M.Arch.

From July to September, 2002 I spent ten weeks in Kenya conducting full-time research on the macroeconomic impact of HIV/AIDS and community action towards combating the epidemic in locations dominated by members of the Luo tribe in Nyanza Province, Kenya. Gathering data from both the Ministry of Health and non-governmental organizations, I sought to identify the causations and impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic from a holistic framework. Serving as a pilot study for future research and program evaluation, my research primarily focused on four community-based organizations (CBOs) and Ministry of Health offices located in Kisumu, Nyando, Rachuonyo, and Migori Districts. My research objectives were to explore the cultural and economic variables related to the spread of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, identify which sectors of society were negatively impacted by the epidemic, record community action in response to these impacts, investigate obstacles related to implementation of such interventions, and share research and recommendations with the Ministry of Health and CBOs in Nyanza Province in a way that was meaningful and useful to them. Several qualitative and ethnographic methods were utilized. Participant observation was the principal method used and consisted of a wide range of activities. Additionally, I conducted sixteen formal semi-structured interviews, approximately thirty informal unstructured interviews, and one focus group discussion with nine youth. I found that community-based organizations and the Ministry of Health engaged in a wide variety of activities in response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic including providing Home Based Care to the sick and dying through trained community health workers; training individuals in income-generating activities to provide support for the organizations, the infected and affected, and as a means of prevention of new infections; and providing education to the communities at large. The Ministry of Health and non-governmental organizations also engaged in a significant level of collaborative work to assist each other with their programs and ensure there was no duplication of services. Despite considerable organizational efforts by both the governmental and non-profit sectors, these groups faced a number of different obstacles in their mobilization efforts including limited funding, transportation obstacles in visiting HIV/AIDS clients, and difficulties in convincing individuals to change their behaviors. Individuals interviewed cited a number of factors related to the spread of HIV/AIDS including wife inheritance, wife cleansing, poverty, commercial sex work, and distance marriages. Limited access to voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) services was also an obstacle in a number of communities. Additionally, I found a positive association between access to VCT services, perceptions of people living with HIV/AIDS, and social support for the infected. Based on my findings I concluded that individuals' behavior resulting in the transmission of HIV/AIDS is not solely related to lack of knowledge. Circumstances, especially related to poverty, lead to actions such as exchanging sex for money, distance marriages, early marriages for females, and wife inheritance. In order for HIV/AIDS prevalence to be reduced in Kenya, there must be active participation at all levels and from all sectors of society, including from community members themselves, community-based organizations, the Government of Kenya, and international governmental and non-governmental assistance organizations. Among my recommendations I propose the expansion of voluntary counseling and testing services to make it easier for individuals in rural areas to know their HIV status. I also advocate for a holistic and multisectoral response to HIV/AIDS prevention and support for the infected and affected, including through Home Based Care and social support for the infected, support for AIDS orphans, prevention of mother-to-child transmission, effective HIV/AIDS education, reducing poverty through income-generating activities, making school educations accessible for all children, and improving the overall state of health and access to health facilities for all individuals. / Graduation date: 2004

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