The document summarizes a study on secondary school students' knowledge and attitudes towards the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) and health research in Kilifi, Kenya. The study found that (1) students generally had positive attitudes towards KEMRI and felt the community appreciates its work, (2) students had some misconceptions about KEMRI's work alongside a range of overall knowledge, and (3) limitations included an inability to reach student targets in some schools due to small populations or negative community beliefs influencing participation.

1. SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’
KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES TOWARDS
KEMRI AND HEALTH RESEARCH IN KILIFI
Bethwel O. Onyando
Supervisor: Alun Davies
11th July, 2014

2. BACKGROUND
The School Engagement Programme (S.E.P) was initiated in 2009
through a Participatory Action Research project (Davies et al,2012)
Aims of S.E.P
 Build community wide awareness of health research
 Strengthen awareness and interest in Science, and promote
positive career aspirations among students
 Nurture respect for communities involved in research among
researchers

3. HOW IS S.E.P IMPLEMENTED?
5 schools selected annually:
 Through school visits to the research
laboratories
 Researchers’ support to science
clubs to help students improve their
science projects
 Scientists visit to schools to discuss
health research and career advice

4. 2014 CROSS SECTIONAL SURVEY
General Objective:
 Baseline for the evaluation of the School Engagement Programme
Specific Objectives:
 To find out about students’ attitudes towards KEMRI
 To explore students’ knowledge about KEMRI and Health Research
 To find out about students’ perceptions on the community attitudes
towards KEMRI

5. METHODOLOGY
Sample Selection
 15 schools purposively selected from the
KHDSS
Representation of:
 District/county schools
 Large/small schools
 Range of KCSE performance
 Range of resources (labs and IT)
 Student selection: Up to 60 students from
form 1 and 2 selected (systematic random
sampling)
Number %
Total sampled 906
Participating 704 77.70
Refusals 128 14.13
Absentees 74 8.17

6. METHODOLOGY
Selection of
participating schools
• Principals agreed to
schools participation
through signing MoU
(KEMRI, School
Principals and D.E.O)
Recruitment and
Consenting
•Sampling of students
•Consent letter to parents
•Students assent for survey
Administered Questionnaire
Assessing the following:
• Attitudes towards science subjects
• Students attitudes and
knowledge on KEMRI and Health
Research
• Perceptions on community’s
attitudes towards KEMRI and
Health Research.
• Career aspirations.
Data Analysis
Study phases

7. FINDINGS

8. BASELINE ATTITUDES TOWARDS KEMRI
 Generally positive attitudes towards KEMRI
* Selected results
Agree Disagree
I fear talking to a KEMRI
researcher
144 (20.45%) 560 (79.54%)
The community
appreciates KEMRI’s work
564 (80.23%) 139 (19.78%)
The work KEMRI does is
good for the community
646 (91.76%) 58 (8.24%)
(N=704)

9. BASELINE KNOWLEDGE OF KEMRI’S WORK
 Range of knowledge of KEMRI’s work
* Selected results
Agree Disagree
KEMRI’s main work is to give out msaada (aid) 568
(80.79%)
135
(19.20%)
KEMRI’s main work is to treat sick people
attending Kilifi Hospital
443
(63.02%)
260
(36.99%)
KEMRI’s work addresses serious and common
illnesses in Kenya
503
(71.35%)
201
(28.51%)
KEMRI must get permission from people before
they take part in research in Kilifi
444
(63.06%)
260
(36.94%)
If people are selected for research they can
refuse to take part
262
(37.21%)
442
(62.78%)
(N=704)

10. CONCLUSION
 The majority of students: -had positive attitudes towards KEMRI
- felt the community appreciates KEMRI’s
work
 The students expressed a range of knowledge about KEMRI with
certain misconceptions noted i.e. that KEMRI’s main work is to
give aid and treat sick people at the Kilifi District Hospital, informed
consent (existence of knowledge gap)
Limitations:
Not able to get the 60 students target in some schools due to;
 Small population of the school
 Negative beliefs and perceptions within the community influenced
some students willingness to participate e.g. Rumours on
‘bleeding’, recruitment into a cult etc.
(> 80%)

11. SKILLS LEARNT
 Sampling procedures and methods
 Consenting process
 Research Ethics + (online course-Protecting Human Research
participants-NIH)
 Note-taking and transcription in FGDs
 Community Engagement
 Data analysis

12. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
 Training Dept.
Samson Kinyanjui
Liz Murabu
 Supervisor: Alun Davies
 S.E.P:
Nancy Mwangome
Betty Yeri
 Dept. of Public Health
Research
Vibian Angwenyi
George Okello
Maureen Njue
Irene Jao
Dorothy Oluoch
Kelly Muraya
 Fellow interns