Consequences of illicit brews on health and family food security in Bungoma county, Kenya’s Bumula and Kanduyi sub-counties.

Abstract

Illicit brew accounts for 60% of alcohol drunk in Kenya, with detrimental effects on health and food security. This study aimed to determine health consequences of illicit local brews on household food security was conducted in Bumula and Kanduyi Sub-Counties, Kenya. Correlational survey research design was used. The 726 respondents were sampled by stratified random sampling where household heads and key informants were purposefully sampled. Interviews, structured questionnaires, and observation were used to collect data after validation by the experts in the subject area. The collected data was analyzed both descriptively and inferentially using Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS) version 26 and expressed as frequencies and percentages in tables. Multiple regression was used to determine the extent to which health effects of illicit brews affected household food security. Chi-square statistic was used to test whether health consequences had significant effect on household food security. From the findings health effects of illicit brews were significant on household food security (P<0.05=0.000). Health effects of illicit brews affected household food security by 59.649%. Conscious efforts by government through its agencies like are required so as to combat instances of illicit brews as a panacea to food insecurity and health problems.