Effects of Training Men on Involvement in Home Based Care for People Living with HIV and AIDS in Kisii County, Kenya

Abstract

HIV and AIDS remains a major health challenge in major parts of Kenya including Kisii County where there is high HIV prevalence of 8.9% compared with national prevalence of 5.9 %. Home based care emerged as an effective method of providing cost-effective and compassionate care to those infected and affected with HIV and AIDS. The need to involve both men and women in home based care programmes has received several mentions in research. Despite this, the level of men involvement in home based care activities is still low compared to women, particularly in Kisii County. This is constrained by many factors including lack of training on home based care activities and socio-cultural practices. The main objective of this study, was to investigate effects of training men on involvement in home-based care for people living with HIV and AIDs in Kisii County, Kenya. The study was conducted in Nyaribari Masaba South, Bomachoge Borabu, Nyaribari Chache and Bochari Sub-counties in Kisii County. A non-equivalent group quasi experimental design was adopted in collecting data quantitatively from a sample size of 160 men using questionnaires and qualitatively using focus group discussions guides and key informant interview guides from 36 respondents. The study used multistage sampling techniques in selecting the study participants. Content and narrative approach were used to analyse the qualitative data. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively and inferentially using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 21. The findings indicate that 35.00% had formal training in home based care activities, 38.75% possessed skills on home based care activities and 61.25% had knowledge of male involvement in home based care activities for people living with HIV and AIDS in Kisii County. Although men believed that most of home based care activities were to be done by women in the community, there was a change in attitude towards men involvement in home based care activities after training. The mean for the intervention group (M= 3.74, SD = 0.24) in the posttest was higher than that for the control group (M = 1.65, SD = 0.37) with regard to attitude scores indicating significant difference in mean attitude F [(1, 157) = 2993.20, p < 0.01] between the groups. Men were to some extent involved in home based care activities, but the level of involvement increased significantly after training F [(1, 157) = 3558.78, p < 0.01], with training explaining for 96% of the variance in involvement. The study also revealed that socio-cultural practices constrained the level of men involvement in Home Based Care activities. However, there was a significant difference in mean socio-cultural practices F [(1, 157) = 166.13, p < 0.01] scores, with training explaining for 51% of the variance. Qualitative analysis reflected that training had effect on men, “I used to depend on my wife to prepare food for us. Now that I have been empowered through the training in HBC, I am a changed person. I can cook for children”. The study demonstrates that training has effects on men involvement in home based care for people living with HIV and AIDS in Kisii County. Men can take proactive roles in home based care activities if their attitude and perceptions about socio-cultural practices can be changed through knowledge empowerment. The study therefore recommends interventions strategies that include training, education and raising social awareness among men on the importance of involvement in home based care activities.