SU+ Digital Repository

SU+ is an online repository for the preservation and promotion of assorted digital content at Strathmore University

Off-Campus Access to restriced resources (including the ExamsBank) now requires registration using an @strathmore.edu email address

Authentication is NOT required for On-Campus Access to content

Photo by @inspiredimages

Communities in DSpace

Select a community to browse its collections.

Now showing 1 - 5 of 7

Conferences / Workshops / Seminars + 474
Documents and Proceedings of Conferences, Seminars, Workshops (and more) held at Strathmore University
Digital Archives 178
Assorted collections of resources covering various subject themes contributed by Faculty and Library Staff
Reports / Policies + 8
Public reports and policy documents
Research / Researchers / Publications 4190
Researcher Profiles / Conference presentations / Published research articles / Faculty and Corporate research outputs
Strathmore Heritage Collection 41
A digital chronicle of the History of the University presented through a mix of pictures, videos and digitized publications

Recent Submissions

Palliative care interventions on enhancing the quality of life for cancer patients in Trans-Nzoia County
(Strathmore University, 2025) Kipchirchir, B. A.
Amidst the escalating burden of cancer cases in Trans-Nzoia County and Kenya at large, this study addresses the critical issue of the deteriorating quality of life among cancer patients due to the taxing nature of medical treatments. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of palliative care interventions on the quality of life of cancer patients in Trans-Nzoia County by assessing the factors that promote the availability and accessibility of palliative care services, identifying the barriers to implementation, and evaluating the effectiveness of these interventions on the physical, emotional, and social well-being of patients. Through a descriptive research design, primary data were collected from 169 nurses at Kitale Level 5 Hospital using online surveys. The study employed descriptive statistics, including the mean, median, and mode, to analyze the collected data. Additionally, inferential analyses such as correlation and regression analysis, conducted using SPSS version 25, provided deeper insights into the relationships between variables. Notably, correlation analysis clarified the associations between the availability of palliative care, barriers, effectiveness, and patients' quality of life, while regression analysis facilitated the exploration of predictive relationships. The study identified factors enhancing accessibility to palliative care services, delineated barriers to implementation, and evaluated the interventions' effectiveness on patients' quality of life. While healthcare infrastructure and geographical accessibility were identified as promoting factors for palliative care interventions, affordability and government support emerged as significant concerns hindering equitable access. Furthermore, barriers such as inadequate training among healthcare professionals and financial constraints faced by patients were highlighted, emphasizing the complexity of delivering effective care. Despite these challenges, the study demonstrated the positive impact of palliative care interventions, with patients reporting improvements in symptom management, overall comfort levels, and emotional well-being. Key recommendations included the implementation of individualized care plans, adopting a multidisciplinary approach, and establishing mechanisms for continuous evaluation and improvement of palliative care services. By addressing these recommendations, stakeholders could strive to enhance the overall well-being of cancer patients in Trans-Nzoia County and inform broader healthcare strategies in Kenya, ultimately fostering a more compassionate and effective approach to palliative care delivery.
Clinical errors—the unclassified diagnosis; application of TeamSTEPPS tool to examine the impact of teamwork on clinical errors at Gulu Hospital
(Strathmore University, 2025) Abacha, O. G.
Clinical error continues to highlight the shortcomings of the healthcare system, particularly the Healthcare ergonomics and the human system. If it were to be a disease, it would rank the third-leading cause of deaths in the population. They are latent or active events that occur as a result of structural, process, or outcome-based actions ranging from failing of an action on intended objective to using erroneous policy, procedures, processes, and practices in patient care. Healthcare institutions are investing significant resources to reduce the incidence and severity of clinical errors in patients through collaborative team structures and effective communication in order to promotes safe, patient-centred, and equitable healthcare. However, in Uganda and elsewhere the notion of teamwork to reduce clinical error incidence and severity have been low due to poor safety culture, punitive leadership, poor communication ethics, and lack of mutual team support. This study aimed to examine how team structures, leadership and management, mutual support, and communication impacts on the incidence and severity of clinical errors at Gulu Hospital. The study was anchored on two theories and models: Human Error and system error theories and TeamSTEPPS Model and System Engineering Initiatives for Patient Safety (SEIPS). A mixed-method cross-sectional study design using structured and unstructured questionnaires developed from the Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patients Safety (TeamSTEPPS) framework were used to collect primary and secondary data. The collected data were analyzed using Spearman’s Rank Correlation analysis in SPSS Version 10. The result showed that conflict management and effective team communication significantly improves clinical error reporting, resolution, and deaths, however, no significant relationship with team structures, team leadership, and mutual team support. Furthermore, the findings showed clinical error deaths are not significantly related to the different teamwork themes studied except team conflict management. In conclusion, though clinical error is not a classified diagnosis by standard, the results indicate that teamwork may reduce the incidence and severity of clinical error at Gulu Hospital. The study recommends hospital, policy institutions, and healthcare providers to embrace teamwork as an innovative approach to strengthen team collaborations especially in promoting quality of care and patient safety culture in healthcare.
Doctors intention to quit or stay: a multifaceted analysis in Embu County
(Strathmore University, 2025) Wanjala, M. N.
Kenya’s healthcare sector is grappling with a significant shortage of medical doctors, driven by high rates of resignation and emigration in pursuit of better opportunities. Burnout, exhaustion, the need for flexibility, and work-life balance concerns are major factors influencing these career decisions. This study aimed to examine the interplay of financial incentives, working conditions, career progression, and organisational culture on doctors' retention in Embu County, Kenya. Grounded in Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory, which distinguishes between motivators and hygiene factors, and Adams’ Equity Theory, which highlights the importance of fairness in employment, the study employed a quantitative cross-sectional study approach, analysing data from all practicing doctors in the county. Findings revealed a 73.4% response rate, with a workforce predominantly female (67.2%) and aged between 34-44 years. The absence of doctors with over 15 years of service suggests long-term retention challenges, while the significant number of doctors on study leave highlights the value of professional development. Financial incentives emerged as a critical determinant of retention, with many doctors supplementing their income through private practice, underscoring the need for competitive salaries and benefits. Career progression opportunities, particularly paid study leave and internal promotions, were positively linked to job satisfaction, reinforcing the necessity for structured training and promotion systems. Working conditions significantly influenced retention, with manageable workloads and resource availability enhancing job satisfaction. Organizational culture played a pivotal role, with respondents citing supportive leadership and a conducive work environment as key retention factors. However, retention strategies must be multifaceted, incorporating financial incentives, career development, improved working conditions, and a positive work culture. Based on these findings, increasing salaries, expanding professional development opportunities, ensuring adequate staffing and resources, and fostering a supportive organizational culture is recommended as part of the targeted strategies to retain medical professionals and sustain healthcare services in Kenya.
The Effect of technology adoption on healthcare quality improvement at Lamu County Referral Hospital
(Strathmore University, 2025) Bagwasi, G. D. M.
The persistent challenge of inadequate healthcare quality in Kenya, particularly in underserved regions like Lamu County, necessitates urgent attention. Despite global and national advancements in health technology, public facilities such as Lamu County Referral Hospital continue to face infrastructural, operational, and technological deficiencies that hinder effective service delivery. This study aimed to assess the effect of technology adoption on healthcare quality improvement at Lamu County Referral Hospital, with a focus on four key areas: barriers to successful adoption and integration of technology, technological healthcare infrastructure, hospital management systems, and telemedicine. Guided by the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Innovation Diffusion Theory (IDT), the study adopted a positivist philosophy and case study research design. The research was conducted at Lamu County Referral Hospital, targeting all 129 healthcare providers as the study population, using a census sampling procedure. Inclusion criteria required participants to be healthcare professionals with at least six months of work experience at the facility; non-medical staff and those unwilling to consent were excluded. Ethical considerations were strictly adhered to, including informed consent, confidentiality, and voluntary participation. Primary data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire, pretested for clarity and reliability. The quality of the research instrument was confirmed with Cronbach’s alpha values above 0.65 and KMO statistics exceeding 0.67. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analysis. The study achieved a high response rate of approximately 98%. Most respondents were nurses, and over 60% had more than five years of work experience. Results showed that technological healthcare infrastructure had the most substantial effect on healthcare quality (β = 0.442, p < 0.05), followed by hospital management systems (β = 0.378, p < 0.05), and telemedicine (β = 0.264, p < 0.05). Conversely, barriers to technology adoption showed a weak and statistically insignificant influence (β = 0.051, p > 0.05). The study concluded that modernising healthcare infrastructure and strengthening hospital management and telemedicine systems significantly enhance healthcare quality in public hospitals, even when adoption barriers exist. It recommended prioritised investment in physical infrastructure, comprehensive digital training for healthcare staff, expansion of telemedicine access, and process automation within hospital management. The main limitations included the study’s confinement to a single facility and reliance on self-reported data. Future research should explore longitudinal impacts of technology on patient outcomes and replicate the study in diverse settings to strengthen generalisability.
The Effectiveness of electronic media on the utilization of health services in a rural setting
(Strathmore University, 2025) Niwasasira, D.
The media landscape has evolved over time with advancement in information technology. It has not only played a key role in healthcare program design, but also in shaping health behaviour and driving utilization of health services through digital communication channels. Currently, there is special attention drawn to electronic media because of its wide coverage resulting from the presence of new digital platforms like, digital TV, digital radio, social media, internet pages, mobile-based SMS and voice messaging. This evolution of media has spread widely to involve the rural settings due to increased mobile phone and other digital device penetration The goal of this research study was to establish the effectiveness of electronic media on utilization of health services in the context of a rural setting. The health “Belief Model” and “the Planned Behaviour Theory” formed the theoretical basis of this study. This cross-sectional, mixed method sequential explanatory study involved collection and analysis of quantitative and qualitative data from In-patients, Outpatients or their caretakers seeking healthcare services at two medical centres in southwestern Uganda. A close-ended questionnaire was administered (response rate 91.8%) and four focused group discussions were conducted to collect qualitative data. Radio and mobile phone SMS dominate the rural population as accessible electronic media channels for general information. Legacy media electronic media channels radio (42.1%) and TV (25.3%) dominated the general population. Social media and other internet sites were the preferred channels by higher education levels (tertiary level) and professionals. The study found that generally, electronic media has positively influenced the way people utilize healthcare services with social media being the most effective in influencing utilization of health services (OR=9.422, CI: 0.991:3.496, P<0.001) followed by TV (OR=8.207, CI: 0.876:3.334, P<0.001). Electronic media was also more effective among the male gender (OR=1.76, CI:0.214:1.277, P=0.006) than female. Age and education level lacked significant influence on utilization of health services. The study concluded that whereas internet based electronic media is gaining popularity, the legacy electronic media of TV and radio are still widely preferred and used for health information. The effectiveness was more associated with male gender, gainful employment (commercial farming, business and professional work) The study further concluded that even after information has been received, other social determinants of health are still vital and other factors are considered before a final decision was made to visit a health facility. These are; a) confirmation from colleague b) Availability of money, and c) consent from the payer.