Abstract:
Background: In Kenya, the prevalence of alcohol use disorder (AUD) is close to 6%, but a
notable treatment gap persists. AUD is especially pronounced among men, leading to negative
consequences at both individual and family levels. This study examines the experiences of
problem-drinking fathers in Kenya regarding previous treatment-seeking related to alcohol use.
Experiences and dynamics of the family are also explored, as they pertain to treatment-seeking
experiences.
Methods: In Eldoret, Kenya, semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with 11
families with a male exhibiting problem drinking, his spouse, and one child. Thematic content
analysis was used to examine themes related to barriers and facilitators to treatment.
Results: Participants only reported informal help received from family and community members;
they exhibited little awareness of available formal treatments . Families were both deeply affected
by alcohol use and actively involved in help-seeking. Indeed, fathers’ experiences are described as
help-accepting rather than help-seeking. Three overarching themes emerged from the results:
poverty, people, and practices. Poverty could be a motivator to accept help to support one’s family
financially, but stress from lack of work also drove drinking behaviours. People were also crucial,
as both barriers and facilitators, of help-accepting. Negative help strategies or peer influence
deterred the father from accepting help to quit. Positive motivation, social support, and stigma
against drinking were motivators. Practices that were culturally salient, such as religiosity and
gender roles, facilitated help acceptance. Overall, most help efforts were short-term and only lead
to very short-term behaviour change.Conclusion: Families and communities are active in help provision for problem-drinking men in Kenya, though results confirm remaining need for effective interventions. Future interventions could benefit from recognizing the role of family to aid in treatment-engagement and attending to
the importance of poverty, people, and practices in designing treatment strategies.
