The objective was to establish how stakeholders in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) conceptualize child mental health impact. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 stakeholders from disadvantaged urban communities in Kenya, South Africa, Turkey and Brazil. Participants represented education, welfare and health care agencies; as…

While it is well-accepted that mothers play a key role in child health outcomes, the role of the father is less well understood. This study, the first of two investigations of the relationship between the social environment and child health, growth and development, was nested in a child nutrition programme carried out in Kwale County. At present…

Objective: To analyse the production and use of health education films in Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia. Design: Review of community health education films and their use by three partner organisations. Methods: A focused content analysis of 18 community health education films was conducted, and three exemplar films were selected for more detailed…

World Food Programme (WFP) and the Kenyan Ministry of Education introduced school feeding programme in targeted pre-primary and primary schools in 1980. However, its effects in promoting pupils' class participation in early childhood are not clear. The objective of the study was to assess the pupils' class participation in ECDE centres with a…

Based on qualitative research focused on literacy and health from three schools in coastal Kenya, this book examines country, school, and family contexts to develop a dual-generation maternal-child model for literacy learning and to connect local-specific phenomena with national and international policy arenas. In contrast to international…

The thrust of this study was to examine the critical challenges inhibiting effective participation in education by pupils from rural public primary schools in Central Division, Narok North Sub-County, in Narok County, Kenya. The study adopted a descriptive cross-sectional research design. Combinations of stratified and purposive sampling…

The overarching purpose of this study was to ascertain the prevalence of maternal and infant/child health indices that have an established link to childhood disability (CHD) and their association with socio-economic status (SES) in Kenya. Data were drawn from the 2008/2009 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey. Descriptive and weighted Pearson's…

Holistic integrated early childhood policies foster child well-being in the first 3 years of life. The normative framing of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) entrenches segmentation and creates artificial divides between education and health. This segmentation persists yet development processes for children are intertwined and mutually…

Background: Millennium Development Goals are the 21st Century worlds' concern to improve human way of life by 2015. In Kenya the Millennium Development Goals for reduction of maternal and child mortality has been recently powered by the beyond zero initiative which started in the year 2014 with the aim of reducing mortality as well as contributing…

This paper is based on qualitative research undertaken in West Nile Uganda and Coastal Kenya as part of a broader "development" project. A wide range of stakeholders, including government officials, parents, and early childhood practitioners were involved in sharing their perspectives of what life is like for young children (birth to age…

Background: Mother and Child Health handbooks (MCH handbooks) serve as useful health education tools for mothers and sources of information that allow health care professionals to understand patient status. Therefore, it is necessary to clarify the effectiveness of and identify the factors related to possession of an MCH handbook among parents in…

Since 1948, various UN conventions have recognised basic education as a human right. Yet this right continues to be denied to many child labourers across the world. This articles draws on the results of a study examining how children in domestic labour in Kenya access and participate in education. Three issues were explored: (1) the correlates of…

Objective: To compare nutrient intake and indicators of nutritional status of western Kenyan pupil participants and nonparticipants of a parent-supported school lunch program. Design: Pupils and their caregivers were interviewed to assess their 24-hour dietary intake and the socioeconomic status of the family. Pupils' weights and heights were…

Measured the food intake and observed the playground behaviors of Kenyan school-age children. Well-nourished children were more active and happier, showed more leadership behavior, and were less anxious on the school playground than poorly nourished children. Amount of time spent in school was related to decreases in children's solitariness. (BC)

Over 60% of Kenya's secondary schools are nongovernment community-run schools. Analysis of district-level data on adult literacy, secondary enrollment, child health and mortality, malaria prevalence, and rural development indicates that government schooling has few effects. Nongovernment schooling is associated with lower child mortality and other…