scholarly journals Overlapping needs for sexual and reproductive health and HIV prevention in women with substance use disorders

2022 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
pp. 174550652110705
Author(s):  
Britton Gibson ◽  
Emily Hoff ◽  
Alissa Haas ◽  
Zoe M Adams ◽  
Carolina R Price ◽  
...  

Objectives: Women with substance use disorders have high unmet needs for HIV prevention and drug treatment and face challenges accessing care for other unique health issues, including their sexual and reproductive health. Methods: We did a cross-sectional evaluation of sexual and reproductive health behaviors and outcomes among women with substance use disorders, who were enrolled in one of two concurrent clinical trials of pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV prevention. Descriptive analyses and bivariate logistic regression were used to assess factors driving contraceptive use, and other essential sexual and reproductive health services utilization and outcomes. Results: Among 226 women, 173 (76.5%) were of reproductive age. Most women had histories of unintended pregnancy (79.2%) or miscarriage (45.1%) and high HIV risk behaviors (53.5%). Most (61%) participants did not use any form of contraception at the time of assessment, although few (15%) reported pregnancy intentions. In bivariate models, ongoing criminal justice involvement was associated with 2.22 higher odds of not using contraception (95% confidence interval = 1.09–4.53; p = 0.03) and hazardous drinking was protective against not using contraception (odds ratio = 0.33, 95% confidence interval = 0.13–0.81; p = 0.02). Contraception use was not significantly associated with any other individual characteristics or need factors. Conclusions: This is the first study that identifies the unmet sexual and reproductive health needs of women with substance use disorders who are engaging with pre-exposure prophylaxis. We found that women accessed some health services but not in a way that holistically addresses the full scope of their needs. Integrated sexual and reproductive care should align women’s expressed sexual and reproductive health intentions with their behaviors and outcomes, by addressing social determinants of health.

Author(s):  
Shireen Parker ◽  
Vera Scott

Background: The United Nations Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS of 2006 stressed the need to strengthen policy and programme linkages between HIV and Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH). However, the effectiveness and best practices for strengthening SRH and HIV linkages are poorly researched in the context of family-planning services. In Cape Town, HIV-prevention services have been integrated into family-planning services. There are two models of service configuration: dedicated stand-alone reproductive health clinics and family planning services located in comprehensive primary-care facilities.Objective: To describe how reproductive health services are integrating HIV prevention and care strategies and to measure the coverage and quality of these integrated services.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using structured interviews with facility managers; a facility-based checklist; and a patient record review to assess the availability of resources, training, access, quality and integration.Results: Facilities in Cape Town are equipped adequately to offer integrated HIV-prevention and SRH services. Overall there was poor coverage of integrated services with 54% of family planning clients having a known HIV status; 47% being screened for a sexually transmitted infection and 55% being offered HIV counselling and testing and receiving condoms. Quality and continuity of care seemed better at the dedicated clinics than at the comprehensive facilities,supported by better training coverage.Conclusion: Engaging middle-level management is crucial with regard to improving integration within a well-resourced setting.


2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 7
Author(s):  
GOLDSTEIN NANCY ◽  
CARTER-DAVIS JARED ◽  
C. SEYMOUR ELLEN ◽  
◽  
◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (S1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Asha S. George ◽  
Tanya Jacobs ◽  
Mary V. Kinney ◽  
Annie Haakenstad ◽  
Neha S. Singh ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The Global Financing Facility (GFF) offers an opportunity to close the financing gap that holds back gains in women, children’s and adolescent health. However, very little work exists examining GFF practice, particularly for adolescent health. As momentum builds for the GFF, we examine initial GFF planning documents to inform future national and multi-lateral efforts to advance adolescent sexual and reproductive health. Methods We undertook a content analysis of the first 11 GFF Investment Cases and Project Appraisal Documents available on the GFF website. The countries involved include Bangladesh, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Kenya, Liberia, Mozambique, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda. Results While several country documents signal understanding and investment in adolescents as a strategic area, this is not consistent across all countries, nor between Investment Cases and Project Appraisal Documents. In both types of documents commitments weaken as one moves from programming content to indicators to investment. Important contributions include how teenage pregnancy is a universal concern, how adolescent and youth friendly health services and school-based programs are supported in several country documents, how gender is noted as a key social determinant critical for mainstreaming across the health system, alongside the importance of multi-sectoral collaboration, and the acknowledgement of adolescent rights. Weaknesses include the lack of comprehensive analysis of adolescent health needs, inconsistent investments in adolescent friendly health services and school based programs, missed opportunities in not supporting multi-component and multi-level initiatives to change gender norms involving adolescent boys in addition to adolescent girls, and neglect of governance approaches to broker effective multi-sectoral collaboration, community engagement and adolescent involvement. Conclusion There are important examples of how the GFF supports adolescents and their sexual and reproductive health. However, more can be done. While building on service delivery approaches more consistently, it must also fund initiatives that address the main social and systems drivers of adolescent health. This requires capacity building for the technical aspects of adolescent health, but also engaging politically to ensure that the right actors are convened to prioritize adolescent health in country plans and to ensure accountability in the GFF process itself.


2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lesley Rose Ninsiima ◽  
Isabel Kazanga Chiumia ◽  
Rawlance Ndejjo

Abstract Background Despite the global agreements on adolescents’ sexual and reproductive health and rights, access to and utilisation of these services among the youth/adolescents remain unsatisfactory in low- and middle-income countries which are a significant barrier to progress in this area. This review established factors influencing access and utilisation of youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health services (YFSRHS) among the youth in sub-Saharan Africa to inform programmatic interventions. Methodology A systematic review of studies published between January 2009 and April 2019 using PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Medline, and Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar databases was conducted. Studies were screened based on the inclusion criteria of barriers and facilitators of implementation of YFSRHS, existing national policies on provision of YFSRHS, and youth’s perspectives on these services. Findings A total of 23,400 studies were identified through database search and additional 5 studies from other sources. After the full-text screening, 20 studies from 7 countries met the inclusion criteria and were included in the final review. Structural barriers were the negative attitude of health workers and their being unskilled and individual barriers included lack of knowledge among youth regarding YFSRHS. Facilitators of utilisation of the services were mostly structural in nature which included community outreaches, health education, and policy recommendations to improve implementation of the quality of health services and clinics for adolescents/youth to fit their needs and preferences. Conclusion Stakeholder interventions focusing on implementing YFSRHS should aim at intensive training of health workers and put in place quality implementation standard guidelines in clinics to offer services according to youth’s needs and preferences. In addition, educating the youth through community outreaches and health education programs for those in schools can facilitate utilisation and scale up of the service.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document