http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/403 2026-04-09T23:36:19Z 2026-04-09T23:36:19Z Mwai, R. T Maina, E. M http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/660 2021-10-18T10:14:16Z 2019-01-01T00:00:00Z

Factors Influencing Family Planning Services Utilization among Men in Kerugoya Ward; Kerugoya County. Mwai, R. T; Maina, E. M Family planning is one of the components of reproductive health services and its understanding is key to family health. Changes in both men`s and women`s knowledge, attitude and behavior are necessary to achieving the harmonious partnership of men and women. It is essential to improve communication between men and women on issues of sexuality and reproductive health and the understanding of their joint responsibility as equal partners in public and private life. Thus involving males in family planning could lead to better family outcomes since men are the main decision makers in the family even in issues of sexuality. Studies conducted elsewhere suggests Family Planning services are traditionally presented within the context of maternal and child health clinics, thereby negates male participation. Male involvement would potentially help not only in accepting contraceptives but also in its use and continuity. In Kenya there is low utilization of Family Planning services by men, thus in 2017 only about 2% of contraceptive users in Kenya were men. The same applies to Kirinyaga County where about 3% of contraceptive users were men. This study investigated factors that affect utilization of family planning services by men in Kerugoya Ward of Kirinyaga County, Kenya. This is a descriptive cross-sectional study using a quantitative approach, the study population were men whose wives were within child bearing age and resided in Kerugoya ward in Kirinyaga county. Simple random sampling method was employed and sample size was determined by Fischer’s method. Data was collected using questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were analyzed whereby measures of central tendency like means, modes and medians were calculated. Inferential statistics involved seeking associations with family planning utilization. Permission to carry out the research was sought from the ethical and research committees to ensure the study participants were safeguarded. Results showed that men preferred condoms as a family planning method over other available methods and the key barriers to utilization of family planning services by men in Kerugoya town were mainly negative perceptions towards FP by men, a belief that male family planning methods were ineffective and the belief that FP as a woman’s affair.

2019-01-01T00:00:00Z Kang’e, M. http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/659 2021-10-18T10:04:19Z 2019-01-01T00:00:00Z

Role of Strategic Partnerships on Performance of Private Health Insurance Sector in Kenya. Kang’e, M. Strategic partnership is necessitated by the need for an organization to achieve its goals while leveraging on resources of another organization. Strategic partnership can be viewed as a tool for competitive advantage as firms utilize each other’s core competence and specialization to support the competitiveness of the activities concerned. This study sought to establish the influence of transient advantage on performance specifically, the role of strategic partnerships on performance of private health insurance companies. The dynamic capabilities view of the firm and institutional theory were used to anchor the study while a descriptive survey design was adopted in the study targeting a population comprising managers, assistant managers and supervisors. Four respondents were drawn from each of the five departments, namely sales, strategy, finance, operations and customer service departments in the 19 private insurance companies where data was collected from a sample of 308 out of the 380 that were targeted. The analyzed data found that strategic partnerships did not significantly (p >0.05) predict performance of private health insurance sector in Kenya. Strategic partnerships had positive but insignificant predictive power on performance. It was recommended that firms should strengthen these dynamic capabilities to level where their influence on performance can be significant and health insurance firms should strategically partner with entities that share the same goals and objectives and are culturally compatible.

2019-01-01T00:00:00Z Nyumba, T. O. http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/658 2021-10-18T09:59:35Z 2019-01-01T00:00:00Z

Preliminary Assessment of Ecological Impacts of Transportation Infrastructure Development: A Reconnaissance Study of the Standard Gauge Railway in Kenya Nyumba, T. O. Transportation infrastructure play key role in movement of goods and services within and between countries, contributing to economic and social growth. Kenya, with support from the Chinese government, is currently constructing a standard gauge railway (SGR) to support the country’s Vision 2030 development agenda. Although the actual land area affected by the SGR cover only a small proportion along the corridor, a significant proportion of the area supports ecologically fragile and important ecosystems in the country. The aim of this paper was to broadly identify the actual ecological impacts of the SGR vis à vis the perceptions of stakeholders and to support ecologically sensitive design of linear infrastructure. Qualitative data was collected through 24 group interviews and meetings comprising over 40 key informants in 14 sites along the Mombasa to Narok sector of the SGR. Qualitative content analysis methods using the Qualitative Data Analysis Miner Lite (QDA) software were applied to code and categorize qualitative data. ArcGIS 10.4 was used to spatially map the SGR, key ecosystems and protected areas. Four dominant themes emerged: 1) ecosystem degradation; 2) ecosystem fragmentation; 3) ecosystem destruction; and 4) impacts of climate change. Ecosystem degradation was the most commonly cited impact while ecosystem destruction was of the least concern. Climate change issues mainly related to current shifts in climatic conditions, loss of forest cover and drying up of rivers and streams and concerns about their future changes. Our results show that the SGR affected key ecosystems in the country and noted the asynchrony between impact mitigation, construction and operations, and stakeholder views. The paper presents a conceptual model that highlights how ecologically sensitive project design and implementation can be better undertaken for mega linear infrastructure. Therefore, we recommend that project proponents develop sustainable and ecologically sensitive measures to mitigate the impacts.

2019-01-01T00:00:00Z Wainaina, P. M. http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/656 2021-10-18T09:52:51Z 2019-01-01T00:00:00Z

Solar Radiation Prediction Models Analysis for Varying Climatic Conditions Wainaina, P. M. Solar radiation is a renewable source of energy that is readily available in the tropics almost throughout the year. Efficiency of solar energy technologies in food preservation depends on accurate prediction of irradiation, design and sizing of solar technology. This study investigated global solar predictive models, modified, validated and compared five models, for prediction of monthly daily mean solar radiation in four different locations in Kenya representing four major climatic conditions. The input variables to the models were; latitude, day length, sunshine hours, relative sunshine hours, temperature, and precipitation. Solar radiation data from 2000 to 2014 was used to obtain the monthly daily mean global solar radiation, to analyze, validate and compare performance of the models. Predicted and measured data was simulated using MATLAB. Statistical indicators, MBE, RMSE, t-test and R, were performed to determine the model’s performance. Results showed that sunshine hours-based models predicted global solar radiation with higher accuracy in wet and cold, wet and warm climatic conditions, while the temperature and precipitation models were accurate in solar radiation prediction in hot and dry climatic conditions. Different solar predicting models should be applied in varying climatic regions, for accurate prediction of solar irradiation and in designing of efficient solar energy technologies for specific sites.

2019-01-01T00:00:00Z