Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2007. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Horizons Program/Population Council - November, 2007
National AIDS and STD Control Programme, Ministry of Health, Kenya
The national survey was conducted among medical personnel (n=1,897) in 245 health facilities in 28 districts. Researchers used guided self-administered questionnaires and conducted 24 focus group discussions in selected facilities.
Key findings indicate:
The majority of health workers (88%) were employed in facilities where HIV testing was available. Half the respondents said that they conduct HIV counseling or testing in their facility, and about three-quarters of these had been trained in the procedure. Among those who actually provide HIV counseling and testing, over half still feel a need for further training.
The majority of the health workers feel there is an adequate supply of important infection control supplies, but important gaps remain. The vast majority of Kenyan health workers are concerned about becoming infected at work, yet most say their health facility lacks written guidelines about occupational exposure.
Although most respondents say they know of postexposure prophylaxis (PEP), only half have operational knowledge on how to access and use it. More than half of health workers (55%) who had operational knowledge of PEP and were potentially exposed to HIV infection did not seek PEP following exposure. Major reasons were lack of information and fear.
Nearly a third of health workers in Kenya have never been tested for HIV, including half the enrolled nurses, who represent the bulk of health care providers. Moreover, half of health workers who have a partner report that this individual has not been tested. There is great interest for self-testing among health workers, with 73 percent of respondents desiring this service.
Health workers feel that AIDS patients are not stigmatized; in fact four out of every ten feel that AIDS patients are treated better than other patients due to increased resources directed at the disease. However, focus group discussions suggest that there is still some underlying stigma, with AIDS patients being placed at the back of the wards, or in less-visible areas.
Link: http://www.popcouncil.org/pdfs/horizons/KenyaHealthWorkerSurvey.pdf
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