Psychiatry and Psychology Commons^™

Prevalence Of Psychiatric Morbidity In A Community Sample In Western Kenya, Edith Kwobah, Steve Epstein, Ann Mwangi, Debra Litzelman, Lukoye Atwoli

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Background:About 25% of the worldwide population suffers from mental, neurological and substance use disorders but unfortunately, up to 75% of affected persons do not have access to the treatment they need. Data on the magnitude of the mental health problem in Kenya is scarce.

The objectives of this study were to establish the prevalence and the socio-demographic factors associated with mental and substance use disorders in Kosirai division, Nandi County, Western Kenya.

Methods:This was a cross sectional descriptive study in which participants were selected by simple random sampling. The sampling frame was obtained from a data base of …

Substance Use Among Inmates At The Eldoret Prison In Western Kenya, Daniel Wc Kinyanjui, Lukoye Atwoli

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Background:Criminal activity and social problems are recognized as important outcomes of substance use and abuse. Little research has been carried out on substance use among prison inmates in Kenya. General population surveys that have examined drug use usually omit this‘hidden’population which may offer insight into drug related morbidity and invaluable preventive measures. This study is set out to determine the lifetime prevalence and factors associated with substance use, including the most frequently used substances, among inmates at a government prison in Western Kenya.

Methods:Design: A cross-sectional descriptive study, using the WHO model questionnaire and an additional drug use …

The Journey Of Addiction: Barriers To And Facilitators Of Drug Use Cessation Among Street Children And Youths In Western Kenya, Lonnie Embleton, Lukoye Atwoli, David Ayuku, Paula Braitstein

Internal Medicine, East Africa

This mixed-methods study examined barriers to and facilitators of street children’s drug use cessation in Eldoret, Kenya utilizing a cross-sectional survey and focus group discussions with a community-based sample of street-involved children and youth. The primary objective of this study was to describe factors that may assist or impede cessation of drug use that can be utilized in developing substance use interventions for this marginalized population. In 2011, 146 children and youth ages 10–19 years, classified as either children on the street or children of the street were recruited to participate in the cross-sectional survey. Of the 146 children that …