Dieto, Henry Nerious2025-01-272025-01-272024Dieto, H. N. (2024). Social Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) of Integrative Musculoskeletal Health among Elderly Persons in Rural Kenya: A Case of Siaya County. Daystar University, School of Communicationhttps://repository.daystar.ac.ke/handle/123456789/6102MASTER OF ARTS in CommunicationThis study explored how Social Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) could be adapted to promote the integration of traditional and conventional medicine in rural contexts, ultimately improving musculoskeletal health outcomes among elderly persons in Siaya County. The study had three objectives: 1) To explore the understanding and utilization of various treatment options for musculoskeletal conditions among elderly persons, traditional musculoskeletal practitioners, and conventional musculoskeletal health providers in Siaya County, 2) To establish the factors that influence the choice of treatment for musculoskeletal conditions among elderly persons in Siaya County, and 3) To find out how communication tools, channels and strategies can be effectively adapted to the Siaya County rural community health context to promote safer integrative musculoskeletal health treatment among elderly persons. The study was founded on the Social Ecological Model (SEM), particularly to understand the socio-cultural factors influencing the choice treatment approaches for musculoskeletal conditions. The study also adopted an exploratory research design as part of the qualitative research approach. Purposeful and snowball sampling were employed as non-probability sampling methods. Given the qualitative nature of the study and the goal of in-depth exploration of musculoskeletal health issues, these techniques were selected to provide in-depth understanding without the need for statistical inference in the study’s small population. A sample size of 18 participants was utilized, consisting of 6 elderly persons, 6 clinical officers, and 6 traditional practitioners. The study utilized semi-structured focus group discussions (FGDs) with open-ended questions to facilitate a deeper examination of participants' viewpoints and emotions, aiming to gather rich and nuanced qualitative data. Thematic analysis was selected as it aligned effectively with the research design of the study. The findings of this study indicate that elderly persons in Siaya County heavily rely on informal, interpersonal sources to get information on musculoskeletal health issues, and that there is a strong preference for community-based health outreach programs. Key factors influencing the utilization of various treatment options for musculoskeletal conditions among elderly persons in Siaya County include cultural beliefs at the community level, family and friends at the interpersonal level, distant hospitals at the policy level, perceived efficacy at the intrapersonal level, and previous experiences also at the intrapersonal level. The study recommends the critical need for SBCC-oriented health campaigns that are culturally acceptable and acknowledge the place of community health outreaches, social circles, vernacular radio and TV, and dialogue in promoting safer, integrative health approaches.enSocial Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC)Integrative Musculoskeletal HealthElderly PersonsCommunication toolsThesis