Perceived Socio-Cultural and Economic Factors Influencing Maternal and Child Health: Qualitative Insights from Mwingi District, Kenya.

Background: Reducing child mortality rates and improving maternal health are Millennium Develop-ment Goals (MDGs) that Kenya is striving to realize by next year, 2015. One way of achieving the MDGs is through identifying and addressing the factors influencing Maternal and Child Health (MCH). The aim of this study was to explore expert opinions on social –cultural and economic factors influencing MCH in Mwingi District, Kitui County in Kenya. Methods: This was a qualitative study which was conducted as part of a larger mixed method study. Data was conducted using Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and in-depth interviews. Three FGDs were conducted with each having 8 respondents (N=24) and nine in-depth interviews were conducted with 9 key informants (N=9). Purposive sampling was used to sample participants in the FGDs while maximum variation sampling was used to select key informants for the in-depth interviews. Framework analysis and quasi statistics were used in data analysis. NVivo software was used in data man-agement and analysis. Results: Social-cultural and economic factors influencing MCH in the district include; 1.Various cultural and religious factors, 2. Various deficiencies in health care service provision, 3. Unreliable transport infrastructure, 4. Poverty, 5. Illiteracy, and 7. Food insecurity. Conclusion and recommendations: Efforts to improve MCH in the district should: address cultural and religious influence on MCH, address deficiencies in health care service delivery, alleviate poverty, improve transport infrastructure, reduce illit-eracy, and improve food security.

Relación de los factores personales biológicos, socioculturales y apoyo social con la responsabilidad en salud a pacientes con Tuberculosis pulmonar / List of personal factors biological, cultural and social support with responsibility for health patients with pulmonary tuberculosis

Introducción: El propósito fue conocer la relación entre factores personales biológicos, socioculturales y el apoyo social con la conducta promotora de salud de responsabilidad en salud. Metodología: Diseño descriptivo-correlacional, muestreo no probabilístico, muestra de 80 sujetos que terminaron el tratamiento. Recolección de la información con una cédula y dos instrumentos de medición con Alpha de Cronbach aceptable. Resultados: Se observó correlación negativa y significativa entre la edad con el apoyo emocional (rs=-.426,p<.001), como con el apoyo tangible (rs=-.436,p<=.001). Se encontró correlación negativa y significativa del índice de masa corporal con el apoyo emocional (rs=-.27,p=.01), y el apoyo tangible (rs=-.22,p=.04). Se encontró correlación positiva y significativa de los años de escolaridad con el apoyo emocional (rs=.42,p=<.001), y el apoyo tangible (rs=.39,p=<.001). El modelo de regresión lineal múltiple de escolaridad, nivel socioeconómico y ocupación mostró efecto significativo sobre la responsabilidad en salud (Fc=2.83,p=.03) con una variación explicada del 13%. Conclusiones: Los factores personales biológicos y socioculturales tienen relación con las influencias interpersonales. Se encontró efecto significativo de los factores socioculturales con la responsabilidad en salud. No se encontró efecto significativo de los factores biológicos con el resultado conductual; y del apoyo social con la responsabilidad en salud.

Introduction: The purpose was to know the relationship among personal, biological and social-cultural factors and the social support with the promote behaviour of health responsibility. Methodology: Descriptive co-related design, non probabilistic sampler, 80 subjects finishing treatment, information collection with schedule and two measurement instruments with Cronbach's Alpha acceptable. Results: Co-relation negative observed and significant between the age with emotional support (rs=-.426,p<.001), as tangible support (rs=-.436,p<.001). Co-relation negative and significant observed with the corporal mass index with the emotional support (rs=-.27,p=.01) and tangible support (rs=-.22,p=.04). Found positive and significant co-relation of the scholarship with the emotional support (rs=.42,p=<.001), and tangible support (rs=.39,p=<.001). Multiple lineal regression of scholarship model, social-economiclevel and living showed significant effect over health responsibility (Fc=2.83,p=.03) with 13%explained variation. Conclusions: The personal, biological and social-cultural factors are related with the interpersonal influences. Significant effect found in social-cultural factors with health responsibility. Significant effect not found with biological factors with conduct result; and the social support with health responsibility.