Gender and E-Health: Communicating and Implementing HIV/AIDS Policies in Kenya

• In Event: Feminist Contributions to Global Communications Governance and Policy

Abstract

The adoption of information communication technologies (ICT) in health and development programs has advanced in the African region and many countries have explored e-health—use of ICTs in health-related fields—specifically to provide healthcare services, surveillance, health education and knowledge more efficiently. In Kenya, e-health strategy implemented in 2011, seeks to exploit the expanding ICT in the country for the healthcare and health communication with a focus on five strategic areas: telemedicine, health information systems, information dissemination, m-health and e-learning. Limited knowledge, however, exists on the challenges for e-health in the less developed nations that face challenges with connectivity, infrastructure, security, expertise in medical informatics and human and financial resources at the same time that they are disproportionately impacted by disease and poor health. The goal of this study is to examine e-health strategy in Kenya and the extent to which health organizations have implemented it in addressing HIV/AIDS among women in Kenya. With 8% HIV prevalence compared to 4.3% among men, women’s infection rate exceeds the national average of 6.2%. The Kenya HIV/AIDS policy promotes gender-centered healthcare, treatment and communication for HIV prevention and it is important to examine how health and non-profit organization have adopted e-health in implementing the policy. Data reported in the study were gathered through in-depth interviews with health organizations in Kenya. Key findings will focus on the organization’s perspectives on gender and HIV/AIDS, gender components of HIV policy, efforts and challenges in implementing the e-health strategy and their views on effectiveness of e-health in HIV/AIDS policy implementation and communication.

Author

• Nancy W. Muturi, Kansas State U