Thesis:

Assessment of factors influencing the occurrence of typhoid fever among adults in Ugunja sub county, Siaya county, Kenya

Typhoid fever is described as a severe gastrointestinal infection that is caused by the gram-negative bacillus Salmonella entericatyphi, and can be transmitted from one individual to another through the fecal-oral route, mostly due to poor hygienic practices especially non-washing of hands before and after meals and upon visiting toilets. The bacteria is also carried on vegetables and fruits and thus consumption of non-properly cooked or washed foods predisposes and individual to typhoid infections. Similarly, the bacteria can easily spread from the intestine through the bloodstream to the intestinal organs like the liver, and spleen through the blood. Globally Typhoid fever disease burden is estimated at 11 to 20 million cases annually which results in about 140,000 deaths a year. In Africa, the typhoid fever disease burden is estimated at 7.6% of typhoid fever cases, where it affects about 12.5 million persons annually. In Kenya, the prevalence of typhoid fever is less than one (1%) annually. The main purpose of this study will be to assessment of factors influencing the occurrence of typhoid fever in Ugunja Sub-county, Siaya County, Kenya. The objective of the study was to find out the Socio-economic factors that influence the occurrence of typhoid, to determine the environmental factors that influence the occurrence of typhoid, and to establish treatment and care factors that influence the occurrence of typhoid fever in the Ugunja sub-county. The study adopted a descriptive cross-sectional research design. The target population was 88,458 people with a sample of 370 households drawn from the total population. The studies employed multistage sampling to achieve the calculated sample size of 370 persons from the total population. Questionnaires and interview guides were used to collect data for the study. The data collected was analyzed using SPSS version 29. Univariate analysis was used to assess the socio-economic, environmental, and facility on the occurrence of typhoid. Data was then presented using frequency tables and graphs. The study revealed that 93% of households were aware of food and water safety management, with 96% using water treatment methods. However, 37% did not practice handwashing, aligning with UNICEF's finding that only 25% of Kenyans have handwashing facilities. Poor sanitation, open defecation, and inadequate health facility testing (67%) contributed to typhoid cases. Encouraging proper hygiene, sanitation, and healthcare access is crucial in reducing typhoid fever in Ugunja Sub-County. The study highlights the strong awareness of food and water safety management among households. However, poor sanitation, inadequate handwashing, and limited diagnostic capacity in health facilities contribute to typhoid cases in Ugunja Sub-County. Enhancing sanitation facilities, promoting handwashing, and improving healthcare diagnostic capabilities are essential to reducing typhoid fever prevalence in the region.