Abstract:
The study examined the health communication interventions among
HIV/AIDSNGO’s in Kenya. The researcher identified the health communication
initiatives, assessed their planning and implementation and identified the gaps. The
study was prompted by the fact that although billions of shillings have been spent
fighting HIV/AIDS infections in the past 30 years, there was still very little to show
for the effort considering that Kenya was rated among the five most affected in the
world. A review of relevant literature pointed this failure to the inability of these
efforts to translate to behavior change thus leading to mere provision of information
which creates high awareness levels, but which did not translate to behavior and
social change. This was the knowledge gap the project set to study and contribute to.
The study found out that organizations involved in health communications have not
integrated an effective communication process and the planning of the communication
process is not done in accordance with accepted communication concepts and best
practice. On the basis of the findings, the study recommends changes in the health
communication interventions. The study involved 38 participants who included30
Programme Officers who undertake HIV/AIDS programming and 8 peer educators
and a focus group discussion involving 10 people living with HIV. This study was
informed by relativist-interpretivist paradigm which is consistent with the qualitative
approach and case study method. Data was collected using interviews, document
reviews, observations and focus group discussion. After collection the data was
analyzed thematically and presented in narrative form. All relevant ethical issues were
considered. The study provides a basis upon which health communications among
HIV/AIDSNGOs in Kenya and similar contexts could be based. It also fills a gap in
the existing literature as well as contributing towards the continuing discourse on
HIV/AIDS communication.
