Clinical trials

This study is testing a smartphone-delivered program to help women living in informal settlements in Kenya manage intimate partner violence (IPV) and stress related to extreme weather events. Women in these communities often face high levels of violence from partners, challenges caused by climate-related events, and limited access to support services. Participants will be randomly assigned to either a mobile intervention or a comparison condition. The mobile program provides short, tailored sessions that help women learn safety planning, coping skills, and strategies for adapting to climate-related stress. The program also offers tools to improve communication and strengthen social support. The main goal of the study is to see whether this smartphone-based approach can reduce the frequency and severity of IPV over 12 months. The study will also examine changes in stress levels, self-confidence in handling problems, social support, and safety behaviors. Results from this study may help create accessible, scalable support for women experiencing IPV and climate-related stress in similar settings.

Stigma underlies many health disparities in Kenya, and dementia-related stigma is no different. Preliminary evidence highlights the short-term benefits of a dementia anti-stigma intervention in Kenya. The study aims to ascertain the long-term effectiveness of a locally developed dementia anti stigma intervention in order to establish a community resource that will improve dementia understanding, reduce stigma and improve health behaviours. In AIM 1, the investigators will assess what public stigma towards people with dementia and their carers looks like in Kenya, through a survey (600). Individual interviews with 20 members of the general public who completed the survey will be conducted to explore what stigmatizing beliefs are held and why they form. Triangulation techniques will then be used to integrate quantitative and qualitative data. Reflecting on AIM 1 findings, the investigators will engage 20 key stakeholders to refine an existing anti-stigma intervention, to better target culturally specific misconceptions and negative beliefs about dementia (AIM2). In AIM 3, the investigators will determine the effectiveness of the intervention among members of the general public (n=184), through a stepped wedge cluster randomized trial (SWT).