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Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences
Management Of Intimate Partner Violence In Health Care Settings: A Training Manual For Health Care Providers, Division Of Reproductive And Maternal Health
Management Of Intimate Partner Violence In Health Care Settings: A Training Manual For Health Care Providers, Division Of Reproductive And Maternal Health
Reproductive Health
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is any behavior by an intimate partner that causes physical, sexual, or psychological harm. In healthcare settings where providers are well trained, caring, and sensitive, most survivors respond positively to being asked about their exposure to violence. Healthcare providers are in a unique position to identify survivors and offer appropriate management and referrals. The World Health organization developed clinical guidelines to provide evidence-based guidance to healthcare providers on the identification and appropriate response to IPV and sexual violence. Based on this guidance, the Ministry of Health developed a comprehensive training manual to empower healthcare providers with …
Autonomy, Intimate Partner Violence, And Maternal Health-Seeking Behavior: Findings From Mixed-Methods Analysis In Kenya, Charlotte E. Warren, Pooja Sripad, Charity Ndwiga
Autonomy, Intimate Partner Violence, And Maternal Health-Seeking Behavior: Findings From Mixed-Methods Analysis In Kenya, Charlotte E. Warren, Pooja Sripad, Charity Ndwiga
Reproductive Health
Gendered norms and discriminatory practices often limit women’s decision-making power, which over time can lead to social norms that systematically disadvantage women. Aspects of empowerment were explored in a global evaluation of Demographic and Health Survey data that measured how gendered social norms influenced maternal health-seeking behaviors. Analysis specifically explored associations of women’s autonomy and acceptability of intimate partner violence against women (IPVAW) on antenatal care use and facility delivery in 63 low- and middle-income countries. Service utilization is positively associated with increased autonomy and negatively associated with increased acceptability of IPVAW, but variability exists across countries and regions. In …
Expanding The Evidence Base And Networks For Sexual Violence Response In East And Southern Africa—Completion Report For The Period May 2014–February 2018, Population Council
Expanding The Evidence Base And Networks For Sexual Violence Response In East And Southern Africa—Completion Report For The Period May 2014–February 2018, Population Council
Reproductive Health
This is the final report of the Expanding the Evidence Base and Networks for Sexual Violence Response program, which, over the years, has enabled regional partners to collectively test and document experiences in tackling violence against children and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in humanitarian contexts. To foster SGBV prevention and ensure that responses to SGBV are effective, the program has targeted a range of stakeholders, including influential regional bodies; the health, education, and justice sectors; and children and refugees—as survivors as well as members of communities where prevention is being promoted. The program has helped to change the way …
The Africa Regional Sgbv Network Learning Brief Series: Learning Updates From Kenya (Brief #4), Population Council
The Africa Regional Sgbv Network Learning Brief Series: Learning Updates From Kenya (Brief #4), Population Council
Reproductive Health
In an attempt to improve the reporting of child sexual abuse (CSA) and children’s access to services, the Gender-Based Violence Recovery Center (GBVRC) of Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) in Nairobi, Kenya, is exploring the feasibility of routine screening for CSA in healthcare and school settings. Based on the findings, and in collaboration with the Population Council, the GBVRC is developing a response to CSA that takes into account the contextual realities. The intervention will involve dialogues with parents and children in primary schools. The aim is to get people talking about abuse in their community, the consequences of such abuse, …
The Africa Regional Sgbv Network Learning Brief Series: Learning Updates From Kenya (Brief #2), Population Council
The Africa Regional Sgbv Network Learning Brief Series: Learning Updates From Kenya (Brief #2), Population Council
Reproductive Health
Data from 130 public health facilities supported by LVCT Health—a Kenyan organization with a goal of reducing HIV infections to zero—indicate that over 60 percent of rape survivors attended to from 2011 to 2014 were children below the age of 18. The Africa Regional Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) Network, set up in 2006, is addressing violence against children (VAC) in four countries. This Learning Brief is one in a series of five that share critical, initial understandings of VAC that will help us respond more effectively to the problem. Initial findings highlight a post-rape care system in Kenya …
Feasibility Of Routine Screening For Intimate Partner Violence In Public Health Care Settings In Kenya, Chi-Chi Undie, Catherine Maternowska, Margaret Mak'anyengo, Ian Askew
Feasibility Of Routine Screening For Intimate Partner Violence In Public Health Care Settings In Kenya, Chi-Chi Undie, Catherine Maternowska, Margaret Mak'anyengo, Ian Askew
Reproductive Health
This Population Council study tested the feasibility of implementing intimate-partner violence (IPV) screening protocols in healthcare settings in Kenya where sexual and gender-based violence service referrals could be executed. Providers drawn from these sites were trained to routinely screen for IPV and to refer IPV-positive clients identified through this process for further care. This study demonstrates that providers, given the training, are willing and able to incorporate IPV screening into their practice—one that they perform in a severely resource-constrained context. Likewise, the findings indicate that incorporating IPV screening questions into client intake forms in a variety of public healthcare settings …
A Review And Evaluation Of Multi-Sectoral Response Services ('One-Stop Centers') For Gender-Based Violence In Kenya And Zambia, Jill Keesbury, Washington Onyango-Ouma, Chi-Chi Undie, Catherine Maternowska, Frederick Mugisha, Emmy Kageha, Ian Askew
A Review And Evaluation Of Multi-Sectoral Response Services ('One-Stop Centers') For Gender-Based Violence In Kenya And Zambia, Jill Keesbury, Washington Onyango-Ouma, Chi-Chi Undie, Catherine Maternowska, Frederick Mugisha, Emmy Kageha, Ian Askew
Reproductive Health
An increasingly popular strategy for addressing sexual gender based violence (SGBV) is through the establishment of one-stop centers‘ (OSCs), which provide integrated, multi-disciplinary services in a single physical location. The goals of this assessment were two-fold: first, to assess the effectiveness of different OSC models in terms of health and legal outcomes for survivors, and the cost-effectiveness of these models; and second, to identify lessons learned in OSC implementation with recommendations for both start-up and scale-up. Findings from this study offer the first form of systematic evidence on the effectiveness of OSCs, which can guide national-level policymakers and program managers …
The Africa Regional Sexual And Gender-Based Violence Network Annual Partners Meeting: June 26-27 2012, Mombasa, Kenya—Meeting Report, Population Council
The Africa Regional Sexual And Gender-Based Violence Network Annual Partners Meeting: June 26-27 2012, Mombasa, Kenya—Meeting Report, Population Council
Reproductive Health
The Population Council convened an annual partners meeting of its Africa Regional Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) Network. Over 30 participants attended the meeting whose objectives were: 1) to facilitate South-South technical exchange and information-sharing on the changing landscape of violence among partners, donors, and other experts; and 2) to reflect on the ways in which research is translating into policy and practice. This report highlights the myriad ways in which activities conducted under this Network have influenced policy, practice, and funding considerations in the region, while detailing the progress of Network partners on their projects, built around several key …
Routine Screening For Intimate Partner Violence In Public Health Care Settings In Kenya: An Assessment Of Acceptability, Chi-Chi Undie, Catherine Maternowska, Margaret Mak'anyengo, Harriet Birungi, Jill Keesbury, Ian Askew
Routine Screening For Intimate Partner Violence In Public Health Care Settings In Kenya: An Assessment Of Acceptability, Chi-Chi Undie, Catherine Maternowska, Margaret Mak'anyengo, Harriet Birungi, Jill Keesbury, Ian Askew
Reproductive Health
Most research on intimate-partner violence (IPV) screening has been conducted in developed countries, so this study in Kenya serves as one of the first in a developing-country context to assess the acceptability of IPV screening from the perspective of providers and clients in public healthcare settings. The study conducted in Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi found that routine screening for IPV is acceptable to providers and clients at that location. However, to be effective as a routine service, the system needs to be reinforced in specific ways, including greater assurance of confidentiality, more positive provider attitudes, and higher respect for …
Comprehensive Responses To Gender-Based Violence In Low-Resource Settings: Lessons Learned From Implementation, Jill Keesbury, Ian Askew
Comprehensive Responses To Gender-Based Violence In Low-Resource Settings: Lessons Learned From Implementation, Jill Keesbury, Ian Askew
Reproductive Health
The Population Council undertook a program of technical assistance and research to strengthen the evidence base on sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) programming in sub-Saharan Africa. This project created an active network of implementers and researchers across sub-Saharan Africa, all of whom were charged with developing, implementing, and evaluating core elements of a comprehensive, multisectoral model for strengthening responses for survivors of SGBV, especially survivors of sexual violence. Based on the experiences of these partners, this document reviews the findings, lessons learned, and promising practices in the provision of comprehensive SGBV services in sub-Saharan Africa. The findings are intended to …
Sexual Violence: Setting The Research Agenda For Kenya, Catherine Maternowska, Jill Keesbury, Nduku Kilonzo
Sexual Violence: Setting The Research Agenda For Kenya, Catherine Maternowska, Jill Keesbury, Nduku Kilonzo
Reproductive Health
This research agenda is the result of a stakeholders’ meeting held in Nairobi on June 11–12, 2008, that identified, developed, and prioritized areas for research on sexual violence in Kenya. The meeting was convened by the Population Council, Liverpool VCT, Care & Treatment, and the International Centre of Reproductive Health, Kenya. Kenya’s research agenda is premised on the need to generate the evidence required to impact policy formulation and services strengthening. Knowledge gaps that form the basis of key research areas identified include the need to: 1) Understand the nature, contexts, and prevalence of sexual violence; 2) Document and evaluate …
An Assessment Of Sexual And Gender Based Violence In Wajir District, North Eastern Kenya, Gladys K. Mwangi, Jaldesa Guyo
An Assessment Of Sexual And Gender Based Violence In Wajir District, North Eastern Kenya, Gladys K. Mwangi, Jaldesa Guyo
Reproductive Health
A 2006 baseline survey conducted by CARE Kenya indicated that sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) is widespread throughout Kenya’s North Eastern Province. Other findings revealed that high levels of stigma and gender imbalances are associated with sexual violence and female genital mutilation (FGM) and that a coordinated approach to responding to the service needs of survivors is missing. As noted in this report, there is limited awareness of the legal mechanisms available to survivors. The Population Council’s study in Wajir District ascertained the need for and possible components of an integrated and comprehensive services model that could meet the needs …
The Making Of The Kenya Sexual Offenses Act, 2006: Behind The Scenes, Washington Onyango-Ouma, Njoki Ndung'u, Nancy Baraza, Harriet Birungi
The Making Of The Kenya Sexual Offenses Act, 2006: Behind The Scenes, Washington Onyango-Ouma, Njoki Ndung'u, Nancy Baraza, Harriet Birungi
Reproductive Health
Kenya’s enactment of the Sexual Offenses Bill in 2006 was a milestone in dealing with sexual offenses and gender-based violence. The bill is Kenya’s first legal recognition of the many sex crimes that occur in the country. Among other things, the law criminalizes deliberate transmission of HIV/AIDS and provides rape victims with free medical care and counseling in public institutions. Convicted rapists will now face a minimum sentence of ten years, while a maximum penalty will be life imprisonment. A retrospective study was conducted to document the process leading to the enactment of the law. The objective was to document …
Standards Required In Maintaining The Chain Of Evidence In The Context Of Post Rape Care Services: Findings Of A Study Conducted In Kenya, Carol Ajema, Emily Rogena, Hadley Muchela, Buluma Bwire, Nduku Kilonzo
Standards Required In Maintaining The Chain Of Evidence In The Context Of Post Rape Care Services: Findings Of A Study Conducted In Kenya, Carol Ajema, Emily Rogena, Hadley Muchela, Buluma Bwire, Nduku Kilonzo
Reproductive Health
Sexual violence (SV) is a serious societal problem that creates significant challenges to local communities in their attempt to create an overall plan for meeting the medical, emotional, physical safety, and legal needs of SV survivors. It is important to understand the existing links between the health sector and police as a basis for addressing the complexities surrounding SV. Appropriate management of SV survivors requires a standardized clinical evaluation, an effective interface with law enforcement for the handling of forensic evidence, and coordination of the continuum of care. From the public health perspective, the issues to be addressed revolve around …
An Assessment Of The Alternative Rites Approach For Encouraging Abandonment Of Female Genital Mutilation In Kenya, Jane Chege, Ian Askew, Jennifer Liku
An Assessment Of The Alternative Rites Approach For Encouraging Abandonment Of Female Genital Mutilation In Kenya, Jane Chege, Ian Askew, Jennifer Liku
Reproductive Health
Maendeleo Ya Wanawake (MYWO), with technical assistance from the Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH), has been implementing an Alternative Rite of passage programme as part of its efforts to eradicate the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) in five districts in Kenya. This study addressed the factors that influence some families and individuals to adopt the Alternative Rite while others, exposed to the same messages discouraging FGM, decide not to. It also evaluated the effect of the training component of the Alternative Rite on the girls who participated.