Browsing by Author "Waithima, Abraham K."
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Item Covid-19 Higher Education Driven Elearning: The Digital Divide’s Impact on Access and Quality in the EAC Region(Lexington Books, MD, 2022) Waithima, Abraham K.; Karau, James; Kuria, Mike; Agyapong, Samuel; Waithima, Charity; Ayoo, PhilipOnline Learning, Instruction, and Research in Post-Pandemic Higher Education in Africa, edited by Martin Munyao, argues that beyond survival, universities need to adapt to technology-mediated communication learning in order to thrive. Disruptive technologies have recently proved to be means of thriving for institutions of higher learning. This book reflects on how leveraging on education technology has transformed teaching, learning, and research Higher Education Institutions (HEI) impacting Africa through digital transformation. In particular, HEIs are collaborating more now than ever before. Finally, this book addresses the challenges of teaching STEM programs online in Africa.Item A Descriptive Survey on Knowledge, Attitude, Practices and Beliefs on Kalaazar among the Residents of Marigat Sub-county, Baringo County, Kenya(International Journal of Tropical Medicine and Public Health, 2016) Kiarie, Martha; Nzau, Anastasia; Ngumbi, Philip; Waithima, Abraham K.; Bowen, Michael; Nzunza, Rosemary; Ingonga, Johnstone M.; Ngure, Peter KamauObjective: To establish the level of knowledge, attitude, practices and beliefs related to kala azar among residents of Marigat sub - County, Baringo County. Methods: The sub-County is divided into 37 sub-locations and of these 8 herein referred to as villages were considered for this study. A total of 670 households were randomly drawn from the 8 villages, and this formed the sample population. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and in-depth interviews of key informants. Results: The findings indicated that the respondents were well informed on kala azar; the cause and treatment. They also had favorable attitude toward the disease. They were aware that the disease was curable and sought treatment from health facilities as opposed to traditional alternatives. In seeking treatment, the residents were faced with challenges such as the long distance to health facilities, long period of treatment and the attendant cost of caring for a leishmaniasis patient. The respondents were aware that the disease was spread by an insect; however, they were not aware of preventive measures. Most live in destitute houses which predisposed them to the infective bite of the vector. Most of the respondents are not employed and the cost of treatment, in addition to attendant costs places a heavy economic burden on them. Conclusion: The results showed good awareness of leishmaniasis, positive attitude and practices among the respondents which are important attributes in community participation. These findings are quite encouraging to researchers planning control programs because such a community would be more receptive to suggested control measures.Item Effects of divorce and separation on children(Daystar University, 2015) Waithima, Abraham K.; Waithima, CharityIt also comes out clearly that many couples do not reflect on the effect which their decision to divorce or separate could have on their children. In Chapter Four on the “Effects of Divorce and Separation on Children”, Dr. Abraham Waithima and Charity Waithima provide ample evidence that indicates that children are at the receiving end of marital conflict, and can manifest guilt feeling, poor performance in school, rebellion and negative attitude to marriage, among others. The chapter is a caution to those contemplating leaving each other to give serious consideration to their children.Item The Egg or the Chick First; Saving or GDP Growth: Case for Kenya(KCA Journal of Business Management., 2008) Waithima, Abraham K.This paper adopts the Hendry Model with a two-step method to model a saving function for Kenya. The Model uses a complex dynamic specification that includes lagged dependent and the independent variables. The paper finds that a 1% increase in GDP growth rate leads to a 0.5% increase in private saving in the long run which is consistent with the life cycle hypothesis. A striking result in the saving function is the positive effect that population growth rate seems to have on private savings which puts into question the notion of a smaller population as a mobilization tool for private saving. Even though consumption seems to have a significant negative effect on private savings in the short run, in the long run, it does not seem to have any significant effect. Causality tests support a uni-directional causality from per capita GDP to private saving and a bi-directional causality between Gross Domestic Saving and Investment.Item From Mud and Stick-Walled Houses to Corrugated Iron Sheet Houses: A New Strategy for Preventing Human-Vector Contact in Marigat Sub-County; a Leishmaniasis-Endemic Area in Kenya(Annals of Clinical Cytology and Pathology, 2017) Ngure, Peter Kamau; Nzau, Anastasia; Kiarie, Martha; Waithima, Abraham K.; Bowen, Michael; Ingonga, Johnstone M.; Ngumbi, PhilipObjective: The objective of this study was to assess if improved housing would result in reduced sand fly-human contact which in turn would be assumed to result in reduced chances of leishmaniasis transmission. The transmission of leishmaniasis is heavily influenced by socio-economic factors and this is the main reason why it has been described as the disease of the poor. Methods: This studied compared the sand fly densities in targeted houses before and after improvement. The houses to be improved were selected based on indoor sand fly density, construction materials and economic status of the household. These houses were upgraded to two-roomed corrugated iron sheet houses. Sand fly densities were determined using CDC light traps in the mud and stick-walled grass-thatched houses before moving the occupants to houses made of corrugated iron sheets. 146 houses were used, selected from 670 in the 4 villages. Findings: There were significant differences (p< 0.05) in sand fly densities between the mud, stick-walled houses and the corrugated iron sheet houses; the improved houses had fewer sand flies. The average density of sand flies in stick-walled houses ranged from 32 to 13 compared to 4 to 1 in corrugated iron sheet houses. Conclusion: The improved housing reduces the density of sand flies indoors; in turn reducing the vector–human contact hence reducing the chances of infective bites. This strategy is long lasting and has additional benefits to residents.Item The Impact of Gender, Ethnic Heterogeneity and Harambee on Corruption: Experimental Evidence from Kenya(VDM Publishing House Ltd, 2011-09-13) Waithima, Abraham K.The problems that have held you back are that too many resources are lost to corruption yet not a single high level official has been held to account. Institutions lack faith… Too many times Kenya is torn apart by ethnic violence manipulated by leaders… Too many young people have hit a dead end". This observation made by Joe Biden in his visit to Kenya underpins the problem of corruption in Kenya which is the main focus of this book. In this book, Abraham uses experiments to supplement findings from surveys. Abraham studies the impact of gender composition and ethnic heterogeneity on corruption. He provides evidence on how gender composition and ethnic balance may be used in the fight against corruption. Abraham revisits the impact that the institution of harambee may have on corruption. To the extent that the institution of harambee is viewed as a positive force, and one that should be protected, Abraham suggests that harambee could be utilized to harness efforts aimed at rooting out corruption and ensure the provision of public goods. This book is recommended to policy makers and experimental economistsItem The Influence of Sources of Social Media Communication on Building Brand Equity in Small Medium Enterprises in Kenya: A Case of Dotsavvy Limited(Journal of Marketing & Communication, 2018) Irankunda, Annie; Musau, Celestine; Waithima, Abraham K.The purpose of this study was to establish the influence of sources of social media communication in building brand equity at Dotsavvy Limited. The objectives were to identify the sources of social media communication used at Dotsavvy Limited, to establish how the sources of social media communication influence the building of brand equity at Dotsavvy Limited and to identify the challenges faced in using the sources of social media communication at Dotsavvy Limited. The study used descriptive approach research design to analyze and interpret data. Data collected was derived from a sample size of 10% of the social media sites followers used at Dotsavvy Limited which were: 89 Facebook followers, 126 LinkedIn followers, 62 Twitter followers, and 32 followers from Dotsavvy website blog. The study established the sources of social media communication mostly used was Facebook with 50% of 308 respondents, while 25% of the respondents use Dotsavvy website blog. The study also established that the two sources of social media communication with the most influence in building brand equity at Dotsavvy were Facebook at 50% and the website blog at 25%. The study concluded that social media communication sources have influence on the building of brand equity with a majority influence from Facebook and the website blog. The findings of the study show that Dotsavvy should increase their brand presence on its least used social media communication sources should increase their marketing content and interactions with their social media followers through creative and strategic marketing campaigns. This will increase Dotsavvy’s brand equity across their social media communication sources which are Twitter and LinkedIn.Item Knowledge, Attitude, Practices and Beliefs (KAPBs) on Kala-azar among the Residents of Marigat Sub-County, Baringo County(2015-12) Kiarie, Martha; Nzau, Anastasia; Ngumbi, Philip; Waithima, Abraham K. ; Bowen, Michael; Nzunza, Rosemary; Ingonga, Johnstone M.; Ngure, Peter KamauA survey on knowledge, attitude, practices and beliefs (KAPBs) was conducted in Marigat sub- County, Baringo County. The sub- County is divided into 37 sub-locations and of these 8 herein referred to as villages is considered for this study. A total of 670 households were randomly drawn from the 8 villages and this formed the sample population. Data was collected using structured questionnaires and in depth interviews of key informants. The result findings indicated that the respondents were well informed on kala-azar; the cause and treatment and had favorable attitude towards the disease. They were aware that the disease was curable and sought treatment from health facilities as opposed to traditional alternatives. In seeking treatment, the residents were faced with challenges such as the long distance to the health facility, long period of treatment and the attendant cost of caring for a leishmaniasis patient. The respondents were aware that the disease was spread by an insect however, they were not aware of preventive measures. Most live in destitute houses which predisposed them to the infective bite of the vector. Most of the respondents are not employed and the cost of treatment, in addition to attendant costs places a heavy economic burden on them. The results showed good awareness of leishmaniasis, positive attitude and practices among the respondents which are important attributes in community participation. These findings were quite encouraging to researchers planning control programs because such a community would be more receptive to suggested control measures.Item Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Co-Existing Mental Health Disorders among LGBTQ Population in Selected Support Groups in Kenya(International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology, 2023-05) Waithima, Abraham K. ; Mbeneka, Carolyne; Munene, AlicePosttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is common among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) individuals. In addition to PTSD, the condition is likely to co-exist with additional psychiatric disorders (Livingston, Berke, Scholl, Ruben, & Shipherd, 2020). However, little is known about the additional psychiatric disorders with PTSD among the LGBTQ individuals. Therefore, this current cross-sectional survey examined the estimate of PTSD and other comorbidities among the LGBTQ individuals in selected support groups in Kenya. Researcher-generated sociodemographic questionnaire and standardized psychological tools namely, The Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL-5), Becks Depression Inventory-II, Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST-10) were used as research instruments to collect data from the sample size of 148participants that were recruited using purposive sampling technique. Collected data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, namely Fisher’s Exact test, Chi-square test, Pearson correlation test, and Binary Logistic Regression. Results from the study showed that PTSD was 93% of the LGBTQ with PTSD equally have depressive disorder, 74% of the participants with PTSD similarly have alcohol use disorder, and that 89.3% of LGBTQ individuals with PTSD also use illicit drugs. Pearson correlation test indicated that there was a positive correlation between PTSD and depression, and drug use disorder. Also, a positive correlation was found between alcohol use disorder and depressive disorder. Binary logistic regression showed that LGBTQ individuals with PTSD are 15.9 adjusted odd ratio to developing depressive disorder (AOR: 15.92; 95% CI: 5.517- 45.962). Conversely, alcohol use disorder was found to be a protective factor in this study (AOR: .87; 95% CI: .355 – 2.139). This suggests that participants used alcohol in this study for positive adjustment in coping with PTSD symptoms. In conclusion, the experience of discrimination, victimization, and minority stress by members of LGBTQ in Kenya have led to other psychiatric conditions besides PTSD.Item Psychiatric Morbidity among Adolescents Girls Incarcerated at Kirigiti and Dagoretti Rehabilitation Schools in Kenya(American Journal of Applied Psychology, 2017) Mbiriri, Michael; Waithima, Abraham K.; Omondi, Maxwell PhilipStudies on juvenile delinquents have shown an overlap between delinquency and psychiatric disorder such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD, conduct disorders (CD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This study investigated the prevalence of psychiatric morbidity among adolescent girls in selected rehabilitation schools in Kenya. The study sample had a total of 78 purposely selected adolescents in the two rehabilitation schools. The research found that the overall prevalence of depression was 66.7% that of anxiety disorder was 70.5%, while the prevalence of conduct disorder was 55.1%.In addition. This article has shown high presence of psychiatric morbidity among adolescent girls, incarcerated at Kirigiti and Dagoretti rehabilitation schools. These juvenile needs mental treatment as a key rehabilitation measure.Item Religiosity and Individual-Level Corruption: Experimental Evidence from Kenya(European Scientific Journal, 2012) Waithima, Abraham K.This paper seeks to determine if people’s religious affiliation matters in their propensity to act corruptly. Using a three-person one-shot sequential move corruption game, this paper finds that people internalize their religious beliefs to affect outcomes including acting corruptly. Consistent with findings by Flavin and Ledet (2010), this paper find Catholics to have a higher propensity to offer and accept bribes and be less likely to punish corruption culprits than protestants and muslims. This paper concludes that people’s religious affiliation matters in the fight against corruptionItem The Role of Ethnic Heterogeneity on Corruption: Experimental Evidence from Kenya(Globethics.net, 2014) Waithima, Abraham K.; Burns, JustineUsing a one-shot sequential-move bribery game, this paper investigates the role of ethnic heterogeneity on corruption. The interest is premised on the high levels of corruption in Kenya coupled with the rising ethnicization of politics. When ethnic identity is made salient, when a potential bribe-giver and a third party are co-ethnic, the bribegiver is significantly less likely to offer a bribe to a non-coethnic bribee. Rather, a bribe-giver is more likely to offer a bribe to a co-ethnic bribee when the third party is also co-ethnic. A possible explanation for this behaviour is the bribe-giver's expectation of ingroup reciprocity from both the bribee and the third party. A bribe-giver anticipates that a bribe offered to a non-coethnic bribee might be more likely to be punished by a co-ethnic third party than a bribe offered to another co-ethnic. Thiswould be consistent with the notion of ingroup reciprocity in the sense that when a bribe is offered to a co- ethnic bribee, even though this hurts the third party, the disutility experienced is somehow less than when the bribe is offered to a non-coethnic bribee. In other words, even though the third party is adversely affected in both instances, there is some solace to be found in the fact that a fellow co-ethnic is benefitting from the bribe as opposed to a non-coethnic. The anticipation by a bribe-giver that the bribee makes a decision to accept or reject a bribe on the basis of ethnic consideration is mistaken since the bribee's decision is purely opportunistic. The bribee's decision is mainly based on the initial endowment and bribe amounts.Item The Role of Harambee Contributions in Corruption: Experimental Evidence from Kenya(Investment Climate and Business Environment Research Fund, 2012) Waithima, Abraham K.This paper uses an experiment involving a public good game and a common pool resource game to investigate if individuals compensate their "Harambee" contributions by engaging in corruption. The results show an inverse relationship between public good contributions and common pool resource extractions, in that cooperator in public good contributions extract less from the common pool resource. To the extent that the experiment mimics the alleged link between contributions to harambee and corrupt acts of embezzlement ex-post, the basis for blaming harambee on corruption is not established by the results. Consistent with the findings documented in Henrich et al, 2001 which showed that Kenyan subjects brought their everyday experience of harambee into the public good setting, this paper also documents the fact that participants in the games brought their real life experience of harambee to bear on their decisions. This highlights the important and potentially positive reinforcing role that social norms and institutions can have on individual decisions.Item The Efficacy of Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy in Treating PTSD among LGBTQ Individuals in Selected Support Groups in Kenya(Open Access Library Journa, 2023-07) Waithima, Abraham K. ; Mbeneka, Carolyne; Munene, AliceVirtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) is a digitally assisted psychotherapy that has potential evidence to suggest that VRET may be effective to reduce posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Meanwhile, empirical studies have indicated that LGBTQ+ individuals are at higher risk of developing PTSD, with the prevalence estimates of up to 48%, which is much higher than the general population. This current study therefore sought to investigate whether VRET will be efficacious to treat PTSD among LGBTQ+ individuals. This study is an intervention research using quasi-experimental research design to collect data from 60 LGBTQ+ individuals in selected support groups in Kenya. The samples of 60 LGBTQ+ individuals were screened positive for PTSD symptoms, using the post-traumatic stress disorder checklist (PCL-5). The recruited participants were assigned into two research groups namely, experimental (N = 30), and control (N = 30) groups. Participants at experimental group were treated with VRET, whereas, participants at control group did not go through VRET protocols. Participants were assessed at baseline, midline and a 3-month follow-up assessment at end line. The results from independent sample t test showed that VRET was effective in the treatment of PTSD (p = 0.042). The partial Eta Square effect size of (η2 = 0.080; p = 0.042) at endline is an indication that VRET has a medium effect size. The study concluded that VRET is a potentially effective psychotherapeutic approach for the treatment of PTSD and it can be used to help the LGBTQ+ individuals to mitigate the severity of PTSD among the SGM population in Kenya.Item The Prevalence of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and its Severity among Sexual and Gender Minority Individuals from Selected Support Groups in Kenya(International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology, 2023-04) Waithima, Abraham K. ; Mbeneka, Carolyne; Munene, AliceThe sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals are those who identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer and others such as intersex, asexual, pansexual, and nonbinary (LGBTQ+). Recent survey shows that this population are vulnerable to exhibit higher incidence of mental health conditions such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as opposed to non-LGBTQ+ colleagues (Kassing, Casanova, Griffin, Wood, & Stepleman, 2021). Therefore, this current cross-sectional survey sought to estimate the proportion of PTSD and its severity among the sexual and gender minority individuals from selected support groups in Kenya. The Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL-5) was used to collect data from the sample size of 148 participants using purposive sampling technique. Results from the survey showed 66.9% general prevalence of PTSD and that severity of PTSD was found to be dominant among participants aged 18-23 years at 35.8%, female SGM individuals at 47.3%, the unemployed participants at 41.2%, the singles at 45.9% and among the lesbian participants at 45.9%. This current study concluded that the magnitude of psychiatric conditions such as PTSD among LGBTQ+ individuals was high, hence, mental health service providers working among the LGBTQ+ individuals might consider paying more attention to evaluate PTSD symptoms to provide holistic care to this population