Browsing by Author "Ochieng, B."

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    A systems approach in the prevention of undernutrition among children under five in Tanzania: Perspectives from key stakeholders
    (MDPI, 2024-05-21) Frumence, Gasto; Jin, Yannan; Kasangala, Amalberga; Bakar, Saidah; Mahiti Reuben Gladys; Ochieng, B.
    Undernutrition among under-fives is one of the major public health challenges in Tanzania. However, there are limited studies assessing the contribution of cultural-related strategies in the prevention of child undernutrition in Tanzania. This study aimed at exploring participants’ experiential views regarding developing culturally sensitive strategies for the elimination of child undernutrition for under-fives in Rukwa, Iringa, Ruvuma, Songwe and Njombe regions located in the Southern Highlands in Tanzania. This study applied focus group discussions (FGDs) with forty practitioners to explore culturally-sensitive strategies for effectively preventing child undernutrition in Tanzania. The study participants were purposively selected, and thematic analysis was used to identify themes within the data. This study revealed that district- and lower-level administrative systems should prioritize nutrition interventions in their plans, allocating adequate resources to implement culturally sensitive nutrition interventions, while national-level organs need to strengthen institutional capacity and ensure the availability of funds, skilled human resources and a legal framework for the effective implementation and sustainability of nutrition interventions at the district and lower-levels. This study highlights that for the successful implementation of culturally sensitive strategies towards the elimination of child undernutrition, there is a need to use a systems approach that allows for collaborative governance whereby different sectors act together to address the persistent malnutrition epidemic.
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    Addressing racial disparities in maternal outcomes for the population of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland
    (Leicester City Council, 2024-07-01) Rajangam, Akshaya; Doshani, Anji; Ochieng, B.; Cowlishaw, Beverley; Siddiqui, Farah; Ruddock, Faye; Cox, Floretta; O'Brady-Henry, Gillian; Chapman, Maxine; Bhavsar, Mina; Darko, Natalie; Archer, Natasha; Ayaz, Rabina; Howard, Rob; Abeyratne, Ruw; Etheridge, Sally; McCue, Steve
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    Adherence to the Eatwell Guide and Population and Planetary Health: A Rank Prize Forum Repor
    (Wiley, 2024-01-31) Shannon, Oliver; Townsend, Rebecca; Malcomson, Fiona; Matu, Jamie; Griffiths, Alex; Jennings, Amie; Ward, Nicola; Papier, Keren; Best, Nicola; French, Chloe; Scheelbeek, Pauline; Kim, Curie; Ochieng, B.; Jay, Fareeha; Shepherd, Kaydee; Corfe, Bernard; Fairley, Andrea; McEvoyd, Claire; Minihane, Ann-Marie; Sim, Yi Jia; Stevenson, Emma; Gregory, Sarah
    This report summarises a Forum conducted in June 2023 to explore the current state of the knowledge around the Eatwell Guide, which is the UK Government’s healthy eating tool, in relation to population and planetary health. The 1.5-day Forum highlighted the limited, albeit promising evidence linking higher adherence to the Eatwell Guide with favourable health outcomes, including reduced overall mortality risk, lower abdominal obesity in post-menopausal women, and improved cardiometabolic health markers. Similarly, evidence was presented to suggest that higher adherence to the Eatwell Guide is associated with reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Presentations were given around cultural adaptations of the Eatwell Guide, including African Heritage and South Asian versions, which are designed to increase acceptability and uptake of the Eatwell Guide in these communities in the UK. Presentations highlighted ongoing work relevant to the applications of the Eatwell Guide in randomised controlled trials and public health settings, including the development of a screening tool to quantify Eatwell Guide adherence. The Forum ended with a World Café-style event, in which strengths and limitations of the Eatwell Guide were discussed, and directions for future research were identified. This Forum report serves as a primer on the current state of the knowledge on the Eatwell Guide and population and planetary health and will be of interest to researchers, healthcare professionals, and public health officials.
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    Advance Care Planning for older people: The influence of ethnicity, religiosity, spirituality and health literacy
    (Sage, 2019-05-03) de Vries, Kay; Banister, E.; Harrison Dening, K.; Ochieng, B.
    Older people from cultural and ethnic minorities have low access to palliative or end-of-life care and there is poor uptake of Advance Care Planning by this group across a number of countries where Advance Care Planning is promoted. For many, religiosity, spirituality and health literacy are significant factors that influence how they make end-of-life decisions. Health literacy issues have been identified as one of the main reasons for a communication gaps between physicians and their patients in discussing end-of-life care, where poor health literacy, particularly specific difficulty with written and oral communication often limits their understanding of clinical terms such as diagnoses and prognoses. This then contributes to health inequalities given it impacts on their ability to use their moral agency to make appropriate decisions about end-of-life care and complete their Advance Care Plans. Currently, strategies to promote Advance Care Planning seem to overlook engagement with religious communities. Consequently, policy makers, nurses, medical professions, social workers and even educators continue to shape Advance Care Planning programmes within the context of a medical model. The ethical principle of justice is a useful approach to responding to inequities; and to promote older peoples’ ability to enact moral agency in making such decisions.
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    Augmented video consultations in care homes during the covid-19 pandemic
    (Royal College of General Practitioners, 2022-06-28) Ochieng, Lorraine; Salehi, Mahan; Ochieng, Rebecca; Nijhof, Dewy; Wong, Richard; Gupta, Vinay; Prasad, Rishabh; Ochieng, B.
    Background: The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated an unprecedented implementation of remote consultations in UK primary care services. Specifically, older adults in care homes had a high need for infection prevention due to their existing health conditions. GP practices in the East Midlands incorporated augmented video consultations with the potential to support remote healthcare assessments for older adults at care homes. Aim: To explore GPs and care home staff experiences of the use of augmented video consultation as a mechanism to perform remote examinations of older adults in care homes. Design and setting: Qualitative interviews were conducted with GPs and care home staff during May-August 2020. Method: A convenience sample of GPs (n=5), nurses (n=12) and senior health care assistants (n=3) were recruited using a purposive approach. Data was collected through semi-structured telephone interviews and was analysed using framework analysis. Results: Findings from participants indicated that augmented video consultation enables real-time patient examinations to aid diagnosis; and promotes person-centred care in meeting the needs of older adults. The participants also discussed the challenges of video consultations for patients with cognitive impairment and those under end-of-life care. Conclusion: Augmented video consultations show great potential in terms of GPs providing primary care services for care homes. However, healthcare staff must be involved in the development of the technology, and consideration should be given to the needs of older adults with cognitive impairment and those under end-of-life care. It is also vital that training is available to encourage confidence and competency in implementing the technology.
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    Black families and child rearing practices
    (Manchester University Press, 2010-05-03) Ochieng, B.
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    Black Families in Britain as the Site of Struggle
    (Manchester University Press, 2010-05-03) Ochieng, B.; Hylton, C.
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    Black families’ lay views on health and the implications for health promotion: A community-based study in the UK
    (International Electronic Journal in Health Education, 2012) Ochieng, B.
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    A Case Study of a Pilot Smart Home Monitoring System with Older Adults Living Alone in East Midlands
    (Athens Institute for Education and Research, 2023-06-16) Chaudhry, Ismail; Chamley, Carol; Nijhof, Dewy; Ochieng, Rebecca; Rogerson, Louise; Wong, Richard; Prasad, Rishabh; Ochieng, B.
    The aim of this project was to examine older adults and their next-of-kins’ experiences of using smart home technology. The technology unobtrusively monitors the older adult’s physical functional ability to undertake their daily activities at home. Using a case study approach, the participants comprised three family units: three older adults with a history of long-term co-morbidities and who lived alone, along with their next-of-kin (n=4). The older adults were all female aged between 72- 82 years of age, while the four next-of-kin were all females aged between 40 and 55 years of age. Participants experiences of using the smart home technology was evaluated at three- and eight-months post installation via in-depth one-to-one interviews with the older adults and their next-of-kin. The older adults described how the smart home sensors reduced their levels of anxiety because they were ‘not feeling alone’. Likewise, their next-of-kin described how the sensors gave them an insight to their older relatives’ activities of daily living, as well as the challenges they experienced. The findings highlighted the benefit of smart home technologies in terms of helping older adults and their next-of-kin monitor their daily activities, reduce social isolation, and adopt positive health and behavioural changes.
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    The Clinical Role of Honey in Treating Foot Ulcers in Diabetic Patients: A Systematic Review
    (The Diabetic Foot Journal, 2014) Asamoah, Byrite; Ochieng, B.; Meetoo, D.
    Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are a major precursor to lower-limb amputations and a prominent cause of morbidity in patients with diabetes. One key element of good wound management is the dressing selection. In recent times, there has been a revival of interest in the value of honey in wound management, spurred by the growing challenge of antibiotic-resistant bacteria or where modern conventional agents have proved futile. Using a systematic approach to literature review, this article explores whether the use of honey as a topical wound dressing is beneficial in healing DFUs.
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    Community group actions: their emergence, continuance and links to social wellbeing
    (Common Ground, 2012) Hylton, C. L. A.; Ochieng, B.
    Community group actions are a process whereby individuals as part of a group, recognise and develop their theoretical and practical abilities, understand their potential and organise themselves to respond to problems, issues and social needs that they share. It supports the establishment of strong communities that control and use intellectual and practical assets to promote social justice and help improve community wellbeing and quality of life. However, explaining group actions is a challenge because of the interplay between psychological and sociological processes. Most psychological explanations seek to determine human activities as an individual cognitive process entailing minimal or negative cultural or group interference in the perceptions of such actions, but group explanations that fall into the orbit of sociology seek to account for such actions by reference to the forces outside the individual. Drawing on data from a study examining African Caribbean community group actions, this paper presents analyses of community group actions in the north of England and explores the reasons for the existence and continuance of such group actions and the links to social wellbeing. Data was generated from ninety-three community groups with extensive information from individuals representing eleven groups. The findings confirmed that group actions are partly determined by the links individuals have with their communities; consequently, social welfare practitioners need to take into account the various characteristics of community group actions in order to adopt and plan effective strategies to mobilise and support community actions that benefit the social wellbeing of particular communities.
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    Conclusion: Can you didgeridoo
    (Manchester University Press, 2010-05-03) Ochieng, B.; Hylton, C.
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    Deep venous thrombosis: an underestimated threat.
    (MA Healthcare, 2014-12-04) Meetoo, D.; Ochieng, B.; Fatani, T.
    Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a clinical term used to describe the formation of a stationary blood clot (thrombus) in a large vein in the leg or the pelvis, causing partial or complete blockage of the circulation. DVT is a significant health and social care problem, costing approximately £640 million per annum to manage. Each year over 25 000 people in England die from this condition contracted in hospital. Early recognition and the subsequent accurate diagnosis of DVT is, therefore, extremely important to prevent potentially fatal acute complication of pulmonary embolism (PE). It is therefore crucial for peri-operative practitioners to have a sound grasp of DVT and PE together with its management to prevent related complications. Furthermore, as part of the clinical team, they need to check that appropriate thrombo-prophylaxis has been prescribed for every patient.
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    Developing healthy weight maintenance through co-creation: a partnership with Black African migrant community in East Midlands
    (Oxford University Press, 2020) Ochieng, Lorraine; Amaugo, Lucky; Ochieng, B.
    Background: Obesity prevalence in the UK varies according to ethnicity, with children from minority ethnic groups experiencing higher levels, and yet, there is a scarcity of projects that involve minority ethnic groups in the design of interventions to promote healthy weight maintenance. This paper presents an account of the involvement of the participants in a co-creation activity to design public health resources for the maintenance of healthy weight. Methods: The material is drawn from a study that involved Black African parents (n=30) and Health Visitors(n=32), residing and working in the East Midlands, UK, respectively. The participants were purposely selected according to an inclusion/exclusion criterion and invited to participate in seven focus groups (FG) conducted for parents (FG-4) and health visitors (FG-3) at a time and place convenient to the participants. Following the focus groups, the Black-African parents participated in three co-creation workshops. Results: The co-creation activities involved the participants, the researcher and a nutritionist. The outcome was an African heritage eatwell guide and a framework to promote healthy weight, which was well-received when presented to members of the community and local health and social care practitioners. Conclusion: The co-creation process went beyond giving the participant a voice in shaping the promotion of healthy weight within their community, as they also became active participants in the design and creation of the specific public health service. The approach offered the potential for improved levels of community satisfaction for a public health intervention.
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    The effect of kin, social network and neighbourhood support on individual wellbeing
    (Wiley, 2011-03-16) Ochieng, B.
    This paper explores the effects of kin, social network and the neighbourhood on an individual’s well-being. The material is drawn from a community-based qualitative study that explored the attitudes and experiences of African-Caribbean adolescents and their families in the north of England towards healthy lifestyles. A convenience sample of 10 African-Caribbean households units comprising 24 adolescents (12–18 years of age) and 18 adults (22–60 years of age) participated in the study with interviews conducted in their homes. The paper focuses on the adult participants’ perception of the role of social support networks and neighbourhood effects on well-being. An in-depth interview schedule was used to explore participants’ perceptions on barriers to health and healthy lifestyles; and factors facilitating and inhibiting good health and healthy lifestyles. Data were subjected to thematic analysis with the aid of a Qualitative Data Analysis software package. Emerging categories were discussed with participants by conducting post interview visits and at community events. Findings indicated that participants believed that being a member of a kin network enhanced one’s well-being, with such networks described as capable of providing protective support for one’s health and well-being. In addition, they preferred to live in neighbourhoods with a high concentration of people of the same ethnicity, despite the effects of neighbourhood deprivation such as poor housing and lack of services. However, participants believed that ethnic segregation leads to marginalisation and further deprivation. These findings suggest that there is a need to explore further the influence of social networks and neighbourhoods on the full spectrum of an individual’s well-being. The study concludes by suggesting that in considering new paradigms for the promotion of well-being, health and social care practitioners need to incorporate ways to promote social support and consider relevant psychosocial and neighbourhood factors in designing models of community well-being.
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    The effectiveness of HIV/AIDS school-based sexual health education programmes in Nigeria: A systematic review
    (Oxford University Press, 2014-02-25) Amaugo, Lucky; Papadopoulos, C.; Ochieng, B.; Ali, Nasreen
    HIV/AIDS is one of the most important public health challenges facing Nigeria today. Recent evidence has revealed that the adolescent population make up a large proportion of the 3.7% reported prevalence rate among Nigerians aged 15–49 years. School-based sexual health education has therefore become an important tool towards fighting this problem. This systematic review assesses the efficacy of these educational programmes and examines how future programmes and their evaluations can improve. Primary literature published between January 2002 and May 2012, which measured sexual health outcomes among school-based Nigerians before and after a sexual health education programme was delivered, was identified. All seven studies that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria showed there had been positive changes in outcomes following these educational programmes. These included increased knowledge, healthier attitudes and safer sexual health behaviour. However, these studies each had methodological flaws which highlighted a range of important design, implementation and evaluation challenges that future programmes need to meet.
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    Engaging young people with sexual health services in general practice surgeries – A qualitative study of health care professionals
    (Wolters Kluwer, 2024-02-09) Adakpa, Itodo; Randhawa, Gurch; Ochieng, B.
    Evidence to date suggests that young people are becoming more sexually active and are forming relationships during the early stages of their lives, sometimes engaging in sexual risk-taking, which contributes to high rates of conception and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Young people at risk of adverse sexual health outcomes are the least likely to engage with reproductive and sexual health promotion programmes and services (RSHPPs), especially in mainstream clinics such as general practice (GP) surgeries. The study aimed to explore the views and experiences of service providers. Materials and Methods: A qualitative approach to explore the views and experiences of designing and implementing RSHPPs for young people in GP surgeries was used. A total of seven participants were interviewed, including four general practitioners (GPs), two of whom were managers at the practice; one nurse; one healthcare and support worker; and one practice manager. Results: The context of RSHPPs such as local health priorities and partnerships to address STIs and unplanned pregnancies among young people contribute to the implementation and engagement of young people with RSHPPs. Training of GPs, nurses, and support workers helps develop confidence and overcome personal factors by promoting effective engagement of young people with RSHPPs. Conclusion: Addressing local health priorities such as reducing teenage pregnancies and STIs requires organisations to provide RSHPPs in both non-clinical and clinical settings to ensure that RSHPPs are accessible to young people. There is room for improvement in access to RSH for young people in GP surgeries by addressing organisational and structural barriers to access.