http://localhost:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/1 Thu, 16 Jul 2026 23:21:50 GMT 2026-07-16T23:21:50Z http://localhost:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/12817 A Fairness-Aware Framework for Bias Mitigation in Diagnostic Skin Imaging Using an Adversarial CNN Approach Waithira, Joshua Mwaura The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into dermatological diagnostics offers great potential for improving clinical decision- making and patient outcomes. However, persistent biases in training data and model structures continue to increase disparities in diagnostic accuracy, especially across different skin tones and lesion types. These inequalities emphasize the urgent need for fairness - aware methods that provide equitable performance in clinical settings. Therefore, this study aimed to develop and validate a fairness - aware AI framework for dermatological imaging, designed to reduce bias while maintaining diagnostic accuracy. The framework was guided by three goals: (i) to assess how well adversarial debiasing techniques can remove bias- related features, (ii) to analyze current diagnostic systems and identify fairness gaps, and (iii) to introduce a customized bias mitigation strategy for skin lesion classification. Adversarial debiasing was applied through a Gradient Reversal Layer (GRL) within a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN). The GRL works by reversing gradient signals during training, discouraging the network from encoding bias- related attributes while still optimizing for diagnosis accuracy. This mechanism formed the core of the fairness - aware framework. Performance was evaluated by comparing the framework to a baseline CNN using the ISIC 2020 skin lesion dataset, which includes 33, 126 dermoscopic images from over 2, 000 patients. Preprocessing and augmentation techniques were used to improve data quality and model robustness. External validation utilized the Fitzpatrick 17 k dataset, containing 16, 577 clinical images annotated by skin type, to test demographic generalizability. Expert validation was also performed, with dermatologists reviewing interpretability outputs to confirm clinical relevance and practical use. Model interpretability was improved through SHAP- based feature attribution, helping clinicians visualize decision boundaries and better understand the framework's diagnostic reasoning. The fairness- aware framework significantly reduced the Statistical Parity Difference from. .35 to. .05, while maintaining high diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, and AUC--ROC scores above. .87. Fairness improvements were supported by Equalized Odds metrics, and statistical testing showed that these equity gains did not compromise reliability. These results highlight the clinical potential of fairness- aware AI in dermatology. By combining adversarial debiasing, expert validation, and practical application, the proposed framework offers actionable paths for the ethical use of AI in precision medicine. More broadly, it advances the discussion on bias mitigation in healthcare AI, demonstrating the transformative potential of equity- focused approaches to improve diagnosis outcomes across diverse populations. Thu, 16 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT http://localhost:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/12817 2026-04-16T00:00:00Z http://localhost:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/12814 Influence of Records Management Policies on Service Delivery in County Governments: A Case of County Government of Isiolo Guyo, Tacho Mohamed The “purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of records management policies on service delivery in County Governments, a case of County Government of Isiolo. Records management policy is essential to records management and helps protect the organization from the negative effects of poor service delivery. The study was carried out at the county government of Isiolo headquarters and included respondents from departments of records registry, human resources, finance, audit, supply chain management and ICT. The specific objectives were to: Determine the influence of records creation and capture policy on service delivery; assess the influence of records storage and security policy on service delivery; Evaluate the influence of records retention and disposal policy on service delivery, and propose a records management framework. The study used a descriptive research design and a mixed-method approach incorporating qualitative and quantitative techniques. Both conceptual and empirical literature were reviewed based on findings and comments on existing research, publications and journals by other scholars. Data collection was necessitated by obtaining research authorization letters from relevant institutions. Structured questionnaires and interview schedules were pretested to determine validity and reliability and thereafter employed to collect data. Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy for records creation and capture policy, records storage and security policy, records retention and disposal policy, records management framework and service delivery were 0.634, 0.671, 0.783, 0.735 and 0.652, respectively, thus, construct validity was achieved. On the other hand, Cronbach's alpha value of 0.753, 0.758, 0.766, 0.708, and 0.702 was established for Records creation and capture policy, records storage and security policy, records retention and disposal policy, records management framework and service delivery, respectively. The target population comprised 242 employees at the county headquarters and distributed among the six departments that deal with records directly or indirectly. Stratified sampling technique was used to classify employees into strata. Yamane's simplified formula was used to obtain a sample size of 151 respondents proportionately distributed per department using a random sampling technique. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics with the aid of IBM–SPSS (Version 23), presented in a table and interpreted in mean, frequencies, percentages, and standard deviation. Qualitative data was analyzed using content analysis. Ordinal regression analysis was used to estimate the model. Comparative analysis methods like generalized linear models were further used to investigate the relationship between service delivery and Records Management Policies. The results of this study will assist county government policymakers, records professionals, and researchers by giving insights into the implementation of record management policies in influencing service delivery. The findings revealed an Exp(B), which is the antilog of a regression coefficient (B) in parameter estimate table showed how a change in a predictor affects the outcome in an understandable way. The outcome of 1.912, 2.105, 1.818 and 1.820 for records creation and capture policy, records storage and security policy, records retention and disposal policy, and records management framework, respectively were positively realized, suggesting an increasing probability of being in a higher level of service delivery as values on record creation and capture policy, records storage and security policy, records retention and disposal policy, and records management framework increase. The study concluded that records management policies influenced service delivery in the County Government of Isiolo. The study also recommends adequate consideration and full implementation of records creation and capture policy, records storage and security policy, records retention and disposal policy and records management framework by the County Government of Isiolo to ensure enhanced service delivery. This research is expected to strengthen records management in Isiolo County through adoption and implementation of the proposed framework, thereby improving service delivery.” Wed, 06 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT http://localhost:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/12814 2026-05-06T00:00:00Z http://localhost:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/12807 Audience Focus In Theatre Generic Choice; The Case Of Kenya Universities Perfoming Arts Association (Kupaa) Nyangoga, Josephat Nehemia This study explored the dynamic relationship between audience engagement and the evolution of theatrical genres, focusing on the critical role the audience plays in Kenya Universities Performing Arts Association (KUPAA). The purpose of this study was to explore and analyze the role of the audience in the formation of KUPAA. The study was guided by three objectives: to evaluate how audience feedback and engagement led to the emergence of KUPAA, to evaluate contemporary trends in audience engagement and their implications for genre development, and to examine KUPAA’s strategies in audience engagement for generic diversity. They formed the research questions of this study. The study limited itself to KUPAA and its productions. This study was grounded in qualitative research methodology and guided by the reception theory framework. The research examined how audience feedback and participatory practices had influenced KUPAA's emergence as a significant cultural and academic institution. Literature review for this study was done objectively, and the material was arranged from global to local. The target population of the study was largely the KUPAA officials and audience of the Kenya Universities Performing Arts Association(KUPAA). Data collection methods included interviews with stakeholders, analysis of archival materials, and observation. This study employed document and content analysis to analyze data collected from the field and secondary data sources. By emphasizing the interpretative interplay between audience reception and artistic production, this study demonstrated the critical role of audiences in shaping the trajectory of theatrical expression and genre diversity. The findings provided nuanced insights into how KUPAA’s strategies align with evolving audience expectations, contributing to the broader discourse on the sustainability and adaptability of performing arts in Kenya. Fri, 24 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT http://localhost:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/12807 2026-04-24T00:00:00Z http://localhost:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/12662 EFFECTIVENESS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE ORDERS ON EX-OFFENDERS’ SOCIAL RE-INTEGRATION IN KEIYO NORTH SUB-COUNTY, ELGEYO MARAKWET COUNTY, KENYA. TARAKUS, MERCY NACHUCH Community Service Orders (CSOs) serve to enhance safety in the community by improving relationships between ex-offenders and community members. They have also been verified to be successful in ensuring ex-offenders’ social re-integration by helping them to take responsibility of their deeds and change, provide an opportunity for them to learn new skills, thoughts, and new approaches to deal with problems. However, Community Service Orders have experienced difficulties in ascertaining ex-offenders’ social re-integration. It is in this regard that the current study was designed to determine effectiveness of Community Service Orders on ex-offenders’ social re-integration in Keiyo North Sub-County, Elgeyo Marakwet County, Kenya. The study was guided by the following specific objectives; to examine effectiveness of counselling on social re-integration of ex-offenders serving Community Service Ordersin Keiyo North Sub-County, to determine effectiveness of supervision on social re-integration of ex-offenders serving Community Service Ordersin Keiyo North Sub-County, to assess effectiveness of family support on social re-integration of ex-offenders serving Community Service Orders in Keiyo North Sub-County and to analyse effectiveness of community support on social re-integration of ex-offenders serving Community Service Orders in Keiyo North Sub-County. The theories that informed the study purpose and specific objectives included; The Rehabilitation Theory, Strain Theory and Social Control Theory. In order to effectively achieve these objectives, the study adopted a descriptive and correlational research design with an accessible population of a total of 745 respondents. A sample size of 258 participants was determined using the Yamane formula and stratified random sampling applied to select the ex-offenders, ex-offenders’ families and village elders. Data was collected using structured questionnaires and Focus Group Discussions that were administered by the researcher with the help of two research assistants while secondary data was gathered through document review. Validity was assured by submitting the questionnaires and Focus Group Discussion questions to the supervisors for quality control. Data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics via the help of statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 25. The findings indicated that Community Service Orders were effective on ex-offenders’ social re-integration in Keiyo North sub-county, Elgeyo Marakwet county, Kenya. Counselling was effective on ex-offenders’ social re-integration as indicated by an average mean of 3.669 and SD (Standard deviation) of 0.633. This relationship is also evidenced by correlation coefficient(r) of 0.421 which shows that the association between counselling and ex-offenders’ social re-integration is positive, moderate and significant. The study concluded that supervision of ex-offenders in form of office reporting and home visits was fruitful in ensuring ex- offenders’ social re-integration while insufficiency of resources was noted as a hinderance in ascertaining ex-offenders’ social re-integration. Family members support was also successful in social re-integration of ex-offenders serving CSO as exemplified by an average [mean =3.63, SD = 0.770]. However, community support was generally observed as being ineffective on ex- offenders serving CSO social re-integration as shown by an average [mean =2.09, SD=0.713]. Despite this, spiritual and recreational support were gathered to be effective in ex-offenders’ social re-integration. From the findings and conclusions, it was recommended that all relevant stakeholders who contribute to the social re-integration of ex-offenders on CSO need to continue playing their active role, regular counselling training of Community Service Officers should be adopted, family members need to continue coming on board in support of ex- offenders’ social re-integration while community support should be strengthened. In future, there is need to understand how other forms of supervised non-custodial sentences apart from CSO are effective on ex-offenders’ social re-integration. Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT http://localhost:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/12662 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z