Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to determine the in-service training needs in selected subject matter areas as perceived by community nutrition educators in Kiambu
District in Kenya. The study also sought to determine if there were significant relationships between selected demographic characteristics and the respondents' perceptions regarding in-service training needs. The sample consisted of 25 community nutrition educators (17 Nutrition Field Workers and 8 Community Nutrition Technicians) who were working in Kiambu District at the time of the study. A questionnaire was developed to collect data concerning the respondents' demographic
characteristics and their perceptions of the importance of in-service training needs in 15 selected subject matter areas. Frequency distributions, percentages, and mean scores
were used for the descriptive analyses. Chi-square analysis was used to determine if there were any significant relationships between selected demographic characteristics
and the respondents' perceptions regarding in-service training needs. The respondents perceived the greatest in-service training needs in the major areas of family health and diet modification. The top 25% of topics with the highest mean scores representing topics perceived to be most important for in-service training were identified. There were
significant relationships with 16 topics when using job title, experience on current job, work place, and age as the determining demographic characteristics. The findings of the study were discussed and recommendations offered to improve future in-service training programs and hence the quality of the community nutrition education program as it is implemented in the communities in Kiambu District in Kenya.
