Health and social research to inform programmes and policy
How Kasi research for a global health and development foundation informed programmes on girls' sport participation in Kenya, youth attitudes to feminine hygiene products and COVID-19 response.
Outcomes
- Research on cultural influences on adolescent girls' sport participation in Kenya
- Study of youth use of and attitudes to feminine hygiene products
- Timely COVID-19 research for decision-makers
The question
The foundation needed deeper evidence in specific areas: how culture influences adolescent girls' participation in sport in Kenya, the barriers and attitudes affecting young people's use of feminine hygiene products, and timely research on the COVID-19 pandemic to inform response strategies.
The approach
Kasi combined surveys, interviews and focus groups with analysis of existing data. The team worked closely with local stakeholders, experts and communities to make sure the research was culturally sensitive and relevant to its context, and used analytics tools to interpret the data quickly.
The outcome
The findings informed evidence-based interventions and policies. The sport study helped shape programmes promoting gender equality and empowerment through sport; the feminine hygiene research contributed to targeted education and awareness campaigns; and the COVID-19 research gave decision-makers timely information to guide public health responses.