Caregivers’ lived experiences of childhood probable pneumonia through a gendered lens in western Kenya
Background: Gender intersects with multiple forms of socio-cultural, economic and health system factors to influence the overall care-seeking experiences of caregivers. Aim: This study aimed to understand the multiple gendered intersecting factors that shape women caregivers care-seeking experience...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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AOSIS
2025-07-01
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| Series: | African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine |
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| Online Access: | https://phcfm.org/index.php/phcfm/article/view/4758 |
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| author | Sarah Hawi Ngere Charles Olang'o Kennedy Ochola Patience Oduor Caleb K. Sagam Benard Ochieng Dickens Omondi Norbert Peshu Erick Nyambedha |
| author_facet | Sarah Hawi Ngere Charles Olang'o Kennedy Ochola Patience Oduor Caleb K. Sagam Benard Ochieng Dickens Omondi Norbert Peshu Erick Nyambedha |
| author_sort | Sarah Hawi Ngere |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Gender intersects with multiple forms of socio-cultural, economic and health system factors to influence the overall care-seeking experiences of caregivers.
Aim: This study aimed to understand the multiple gendered intersecting factors that shape women caregivers care-seeking experiences for children with probable pneumonia.
Setting: The study was conducted in Karemo, Siaya County in western Kenya.
Methods: In-depth interviews (IDI), participant observation and informal interviews were utilised. The IDI was conducted among purposively selected 12 caregivers out of which 11 were enrolled in participant observation. Data were managed and analysed using Dedoose and hermeneutic phenomenology, respectively.
Results: Women juggle household chores, caregiving and income-generating activities, which sometimes led them to decline child’s hospitalisation because of competing household responsibilities. At the hospital, women experienced long waiting times, poor communication, unfavourable conditions, unfriendly staff and lack of drugs. Some women reported challenges in accessing money from their husbands for their child’s healthcare. They were often required to make difficult choices, such as prioritising work because of financial constraints, prioritising other children because of lack of external support, or opting for over-the-counter medication because of convenience, drug shortages or long waiting times at the hospital.
Conclusion: Lived experiences are shaped by women’s daily realities and constraints. To improve women’s caregiving experiences, a holistic approach that considers the multiple dimensions of caregivers’ lives and gendered dynamics is recommended.
Contribution: This study’s findings emphasise the necessity of a holistic approach when developing intervention geared towards improving healthcare-seeking behaviour by considering the subtler factors beyond structural, social and economic influences. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7f0d9f8538da428ba37c3c25155032db |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2071-2928 2071-2936 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine |
| spelling | doaj-art-7f0d9f8538da428ba37c3c25155032db2025-08-20T03:56:34ZengAOSISAfrican Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine2071-29282071-29362025-07-01171e1e1010.4102/phcfm.v17i1.47581275Caregivers’ lived experiences of childhood probable pneumonia through a gendered lens in western KenyaSarah Hawi Ngere0Charles Olang'o1Kennedy Ochola2Patience Oduor3Caleb K. Sagam4Benard Ochieng5Dickens Omondi6Norbert Peshu7Erick Nyambedha8Kenya Medical Research Institute-Centre for Global Health Research, Kisumu Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Maseno University, Kisumu KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, KilifiDepartment of Sociology and Anthropology, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Maseno University, KisumuKenya Medical Research Institute-Centre for Global Health Research, KisumuAfrica Bioethics Network, NairobiKenya Medical Research Institute-Centre for Global Health Research, KisumuKenya Medical Research Institute-Centre for Global Health Research, KisumuSchool of Health Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Nursing, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology, SiayaKEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, KilifiDepartment of Sociology and Anthropology, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Maseno University, KisumuBackground: Gender intersects with multiple forms of socio-cultural, economic and health system factors to influence the overall care-seeking experiences of caregivers. Aim: This study aimed to understand the multiple gendered intersecting factors that shape women caregivers care-seeking experiences for children with probable pneumonia. Setting: The study was conducted in Karemo, Siaya County in western Kenya. Methods: In-depth interviews (IDI), participant observation and informal interviews were utilised. The IDI was conducted among purposively selected 12 caregivers out of which 11 were enrolled in participant observation. Data were managed and analysed using Dedoose and hermeneutic phenomenology, respectively. Results: Women juggle household chores, caregiving and income-generating activities, which sometimes led them to decline child’s hospitalisation because of competing household responsibilities. At the hospital, women experienced long waiting times, poor communication, unfavourable conditions, unfriendly staff and lack of drugs. Some women reported challenges in accessing money from their husbands for their child’s healthcare. They were often required to make difficult choices, such as prioritising work because of financial constraints, prioritising other children because of lack of external support, or opting for over-the-counter medication because of convenience, drug shortages or long waiting times at the hospital. Conclusion: Lived experiences are shaped by women’s daily realities and constraints. To improve women’s caregiving experiences, a holistic approach that considers the multiple dimensions of caregivers’ lives and gendered dynamics is recommended. Contribution: This study’s findings emphasise the necessity of a holistic approach when developing intervention geared towards improving healthcare-seeking behaviour by considering the subtler factors beyond structural, social and economic influences.https://phcfm.org/index.php/phcfm/article/view/4758genderintersectionalitylived experienceschildrenhermeneutic phenomenologykenya |
| spellingShingle | Sarah Hawi Ngere Charles Olang'o Kennedy Ochola Patience Oduor Caleb K. Sagam Benard Ochieng Dickens Omondi Norbert Peshu Erick Nyambedha Caregivers’ lived experiences of childhood probable pneumonia through a gendered lens in western Kenya African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine gender intersectionality lived experiences children hermeneutic phenomenology kenya |
| title | Caregivers’ lived experiences of childhood probable pneumonia through a gendered lens in western Kenya |
| title_full | Caregivers’ lived experiences of childhood probable pneumonia through a gendered lens in western Kenya |
| title_fullStr | Caregivers’ lived experiences of childhood probable pneumonia through a gendered lens in western Kenya |
| title_full_unstemmed | Caregivers’ lived experiences of childhood probable pneumonia through a gendered lens in western Kenya |
| title_short | Caregivers’ lived experiences of childhood probable pneumonia through a gendered lens in western Kenya |
| title_sort | caregivers lived experiences of childhood probable pneumonia through a gendered lens in western kenya |
| topic | gender intersectionality lived experiences children hermeneutic phenomenology kenya |
| url | https://phcfm.org/index.php/phcfm/article/view/4758 |
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