Thesis:

Effectiveness of pastoral care services in promoting Acceptance of people living with Hiv/aids in Pefa churches in Kajiado county, Kenya

Despite the role of the church in raising awareness about HIV/AIDS in Kenya, the prevalence remains high in most regions all over the country. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of the pastoral care services on the acceptance of people living with HIV/AIDS in PEFA churches in Kajiado County. The specific objectives of the study were; to examine the biblical and theological foundations of pastoral care in promoting acceptance of PLWHA in PEFA churches in Kajiado County, Kenya; to evaluate the effectiveness of information dissemination in promoting acceptance of PLWHA in PEFA churches; to examine the effectiveness of pastoral counseling in promoting acceptance of PLWHA in PEFA churches; to assess the strategies by church leadership of implementing pastoral care services in promoting acceptance of PLWHA in PEFA churches. Borrowing from previous literature, this study was guided by AIDS risk reduction Theory and The Theory of Planned Behavior. The study used a descriptive design. The target population was 10 pastors of PEFA churches, 30 PEFA church leaders and about 352 PLWHA in PEFA churches in Kajiado County. Stratified random sampling method was employed to obtain a sample of 190 respondents. Snowball sampling was employed to reach 150 members of PEFA church living with HIV/AIDs. Questionnaires and interview schedules were used for data collection. A sample of 10 respondents, that is 1 respondent per church, was used for pilot study. Content validity of the instrument was improved through expert judgment while Cronbach’s alpha generated from internal consistency technique was used to ensure reliability of the research instruments. Data was cleaned and entered the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS Version 20) for analysis. Quantitative data generated in the study was analyzed by use of descriptive statistics such as means, standard deviation and frequency distribution. Data presentation was done using pie charts, bar charts and graphs, percentages and frequency tables. Qualitative data was qualitatively analyzed using content analysis based on analysis of meanings and implications emanating from respondents’ information and comparing responses to documented data on pastoral care services influence on PLWHA. The study found that only fewer of PLWHA received support from their respective churches which contrast the biblical and theological requirements that the needy should be helped. The study also reported no significant relationship between information dissemination and acceptance of PLWHA in PEFA churches in Kajiado County, Kenya, P (0.679) > 0.05. However, information dissemination is positively correlated to acceptance of PLWHA. There is significant relationship between pastoral counselling and acceptance of PLWHA in PEFA churches in Kajiado County, Kenya. The key strategies used in pastoral care services included talking to church administrator, counselor, and other leaders, encouraging the PLWHA to be assertive and preaching to the church members to take care of the PLWHA. The results could be useful to the PEFA church leadership for guiding intervention programs related to pastoral care, with the dissemination of information, and addressing impediments in pastoral counseling towards acceptance of the PLWHA