scholarly journals South Africa: Providers should encourage sexually active youth to use condoms

2001 ◽  
Author(s):  

To assess the effectiveness of youth centers in reaching adolescents with reproductive health information, life skills, and services, the Reproductive Health Research Unit in KwaZulu Natal and the Population Council conducted an assessment of 12 youth centers and their affiliated peer education programs. The centers were run by the KwaZulu Natal Department of Health, the loveLife program, and the Youth and Adolescent Reproductive Health Program. Researchers also examined young people’s use of condoms as protection against pregnancy and HIV/AIDS. Data sources for this study, conducted in 2000, were an inventory of youth center services, interviews with center staff and clients, service statistics, and community surveys of 1,399 young people aged 12–24 and their parents. As noted in this brief, the study found that many sexually active young people in South Africa are knowledgeable about the sexual transmission of HIV/AIDS but do not use condoms consistently. Service providers can do more to promote condom use among youth by placing condom dispensers in private places and counseling youth on correct condom use and safer sexual practices.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony Ajayi ◽  
Olumuyiwa Omonaiye ◽  
Charlotte Nwogwugwu

Abstract Background Previous studies have examined consistent condom use correlates in South Africa, focusing on sociodemographic factors, HIV risk perceptions, relationship conflict, multiple sexual partners, and masculinity. However, the effect of family financial support, HIV testing, partner communication and self-efficacy for HIV prevention is less studied. We drew from a cross-sectional survey to address this gap and highlight the key barriers and facilitators of consistent condom use among young people. Methods We analysed data obtained from 631 unmarried sexually active male and females students selected using stratified sampling from a university in Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Consistent condom use was defined as regular use of condoms in all sexual encounters in the past year. We used an open-ended question to probe the reasons for inconsistent condom use. Adjusted and unadjusted regression analysis were fitted to examine factors associated with consistent condom use. Results The prevalence of consistent condom use was 39.3% (CI: 35.5%-43.2%), with no significant gender and age differences. After adjusting for relevant covariates, living with foster parents (AOR; 1.80 95% CI; 1.09-2.97), adequate family financial support (AOR; 2.49 95% CI; 1.71-3.62), partner knew status (AOR; 1.91 95% CI; 1.09-3.37) and feeling confident in one's ability to prevent HIV (AOR; 1.77 95% CI; 1.09-2.86) were associated with increased odds of consistent condom use. However, self-report of low condom self-efficacy (AOR; 0.58 95% CI; 0.40-0.85) and alcohol use (AOR; 0.83 95% CI; 0.58-1.19) were associated with lower odds of consistent condom use. Young people who inconsistently used condoms reiterated that sex is often unplanned and condoms are not always available. The desire for maximum pleasure, partner's objection, trust, and use of hormonal contraceptives were further reasons others inconsistently use condoms. Conclusions Inconsistent condom use remains a challenge among unmarried sexually active young people in South Africa. Education of young people on the need for partner communication about HIV, HIV testing uptake, and condom use should happen more rigorously in school and through the media to improve their consistent use of condoms.


2001 ◽  
Author(s):  

In 2000, the Reproductive Health Research Unit in KwaZulu Natal and the Population Council conducted an assessment of 12 youth centers and 7 affiliated peer education programs. The 12 centers, located in urban, peri-urban, and rural areas, offer very different services. The two centers of the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health focus on providing reproductive health (RH) information and services to adolescents. The six centers of the Youth and Adolescent Reproductive Health Project provide a broader range of youth-friendly RH services, including counseling and life skills education, as well as modest recreational activities. The four centers run by loveLife have large multipurpose facilities with a wide range of recreational activities, vocational and life skills training, and RH services. This brief states that less than one-third of local youth have ever visited the youth centers in this study area of South Africa. More than half of the youth center visitors were sexually experienced but visiting a center had little discernible effect on RH knowledge or safer sexual behavior. Youth want friendly, nonjudgmental providers; youth-only facilities and young providers are less important.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilene S. Speizer ◽  
Mahua Mandal ◽  
Khou Xiong ◽  
Ndinda Makina ◽  
Aiko Hattori ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Young people under age 25 years are a key population at risk of unintended pregnancies, HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. School-based programming, focusing on youth under 17 years is strategic given that many in this age group are in school or are required to be in school and spend a considerable amount of their time at school. Prior evaluations of school-based HIV prevention programs for young people often employed weak study designs or lacked biomarkers (e.g., HIV or STI testing) to inform outcomes. Methods This study used longitudinal data collected in 2016 from a cohort of grade-8 girls from Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal Provinces in South Africa. We followed them for 2 years to examine the impact of the South African Department of Basic Education’s revised scripted lesson plans for the HIV and sexual content of a “life orientation” curriculum on knowledge, attitudes, condom use behaviors, pregnancy incidence, and genital herpes incidence. Schools were randomized to intervention and control arms. Multivariable analyses were undertaken using hazard modeling for incidence-based outcomes (genital herpes and pregnancy) and generalized linear latent and mixed modeling for outcomes measured at each time period (knowledge, attitudes, and condom use). Results At end line, 105 schools were included from the two provinces (44 from Mpumalanga and 61 from KwaZulu-Natal). Fifty-five were intervention and fifty were control schools. A total of 2802 girls were surveyed at both time periods (1477 intervention and 1325 control). At baseline, participating girls were about 13.6 years; by end line, they were about 2 years older. Longitudinal data demonstrated few differences between intervention and control groups on knowledge, attitudes, condom use, genital herpes, and pregnancy experience. Monitoring data demonstrated that the program was not implemented as intended. Our results demonstrated 7% incidence of genital herpes in the two-year follow-up period indicating sexual risk-taking among our cohort. Conclusions We did not find significant effects of the revised life orientation curriculum on key outcomes; however, this may reflect poor implementation. Future HIV prevention programs for young people need to be implemented with fidelity to ensure they meet the crucial needs of the next generation. Trial Registration: This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov. The trial registration number is: NCT04205721. The trial was retrospectively registered on December 18, 2019.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Atinuke O Olaleye ◽  
Mary O. Obiyan ◽  
Morenike O. Folayan

Abstract Background To achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 3, street-involved young people (SIYP) require consideration in the strategies for ensuring universal access to sexual and reproductive healthcare. This study aims to determine the age- and sex-specific sexual and reproductive health (SRH) needs of SIYP in Nigeria. Methods This was a cross-sectional study that recruited 1,505 SIYP aged 10-24 years using respondent-driven and time-location sampling. Data were collected on socioeconomic characteristics, access to SRH information, contraceptive knowledge and use, sexual behavior and sexual practice using interviewer-administered questionnaires. The outcome variables were inconsistent condom use, multiple sexual partners and transactional sex. Binomial regression analysis models were developed to determine risk indicators for outcome variables. Results Though 968 (64.3%) participants were sexually active and 1,089 (72.4%) knew about modern contraception, only 300 (31.0%) sexually active respondents use modern contraceptives. Knowledge of modern contraception (AOR: 0.11; 95% C.I: 0.01-0.82, p=0.03) and being employed (AOR: 0.38; 95% C.I: 0.15-0.95, p=0.04) reduced the odds for inconsistent condom use among male SIYPs. For the female SIYPs, knowledge of modern contraception reduced the odds for inconsistent condom use (AOR: 0.26; 95% C.I: 0.08-0.90, p=0.03), while having access to SRH information significantly increased the odds for inconsistent condom use (AOR: 5.06; 95% C.I: 1.67-15.37, p=0.004). Conclusion There are age- and sex- related differences in the factors associated with risky sexual behaviors among SIYP. Addressing these differences in the delivery of targeted interventions to reduce sexual health risk of SIYP may be required.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony Idowu Ajayi ◽  
Olumuyiwa Omonaiye ◽  
Charlotte Nwogwugwu

Abstract Background Previous studies have examined consistent condom use correlates in South Africa, focusing on sociodemographic factors, HIV risk perceptions, relationship conflict, multiple sexual partners, and masculinity. However, the effect of family financial support, HIV testing, partner communication and self-efficacy for HIV prevention is less studied. We drew from a cross-sectional survey to address this gap and highlight the key barriers and facilitators of consistent condom use among young people. Methods We analysed data obtained from 631 unmarried sexually active male and females students selected using stratified sampling from a university in Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Consistent condom use was defined as regular use of condoms in all sexual encounters in the past year. We used an open-ended question to probe the reasons for inconsistent condom use. Adjusted and unadjusted regression analysis were fitted to examine factors associated with consistent condom use. Results The prevalence of consistent condom use was 39.3% (CI: 35.5%-43.2%), with no significant gender and age differences. After adjusting for relevant covariates, living with foster parents (AOR; 1.80 95% CI; 1.09-2.97), adequate family financial support (AOR; 2.49 95% CI; 1.71-3.62), partner knew status (AOR; 1.91 95% CI; 1.09-3.37) and feeling confident in one's ability to prevent HIV (AOR; 1.77 95% CI; 1.09-2.86) were associated with increased odds of consistent condom use. However, self-report of low condom self-efficacy (AOR; 0.58 95% CI; 0.40-0.85) and alcohol use (AOR; 0.83 95% CI; 0.58-1.19) were associated with lower odds of consistent condom use. Young people who inconsistently used condoms reiterated that sex is often unplanned and condoms are not always available. The desire for maximum pleasure, partner's objection, trust, and use of hormonal contraceptives were further reasons others inconsistently use condoms.Conclusions Inconsistent condom use remains a challenge among unmarried sexually active young people in South Africa. Education of young people on the need for partner communication about HIV, HIV testing uptake, and condom use should happen more rigorously in school and through the media to improve their consistent use of condoms.


2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 124-140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanusha Raniga ◽  
Barbara Simpson ◽  
Ntokozo Mthembu

In contemporary South Africa, partnerships between service providers in government, non-governmental organisations, the private sector and community based organisations have been identified as a means to strengthen communities and the sustainability of social services. However, the unequal power relations that exists between and within these organisations often leads to fragmentation, duplication, and lack of coordination of social services. Using Fowler’s (1998) conceptualisation of authentic partnerships, this qualitative phase of a larger study explored the challenges of building authentic partnerships in Bhambayi, a predominantly informal settlement in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Individual interviews and a focus group held with nine service providers revealed that intraorganisational challenges, cross-boundary and inter-organisational relations as well as political influences were obstacles to the development of authentic partnerships. The article suggests that open communication, clarity of roles and mutual trust between service providers is vital.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Melvin Simuyaba ◽  
Bernadette Hensen ◽  
Mwelwa Phiri ◽  
Chisanga Mwansa ◽  
Lawrence Mwenge ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Meeting the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) needs of adolescents and young people (AYP) requires their meaningful engagement in intervention design. We describe an iterative process of engaging AYP to finalise the design of a community-based, peer-led and incentivised SRH intervention for AYP aged 15–24 in Lusaka and the lessons learnt. Methods Between November 2018 and March 2019, 18 focus group discussions, eight in-depth interviews and six observations were conducted to assess AYP’s knowledge of HIV/SRH services, factors influencing AYP’s sexual behaviour and elicit views on core elements of a proposed intervention, including: community-based spaces (hubs) for service delivery, type of service providers and incentivising service use through prevention points cards (PPC; “loyalty” cards to gain points for accessing services and redeem these for rewards). A total of 230 AYP (15 participated twice in different research activities) and 21 adults (only participated in the community mapping discussions) participated in the research. Participants were purposively selected based on age, sex, where they lived and their roles in the study communities. Data were analysed thematically. Results Alcohol and drug abuse, peer pressure, poverty, unemployment and limited recreation facilities influenced AYP’s sexual behaviours. Adolescent boys and young men lacked knowledge of contraceptive services and all AYP of pre and post exposure prophylaxis for HIV prevention. AYP stated a preference for accessing services at “hubs” located in the community rather than the health facility. AYP considered the age, sex and training of the providers when choosing whom they were comfortable accessing services from. PPCs were acceptable among AYP despite the loyalty card concept being new to them. AYP suggested financial and school support, electronic devices, clothing and food supplies as rewards. Conclusions Engaging AYP in the design of an SRH intervention was feasible, informative and considered responsive to their needs. Although AYP’s suggestions were diverse, the iterative process of AYP engagement facilitated the design of an intervention that is informed by AYP and implementable. Trial registration This formative study informed the design of this trial: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04060420. Registered 19 August, 2019.


2020 ◽  
pp. 0044118X2098138
Author(s):  
Eric Y. Tenkorang

This study used the Information Motivation Behavioral (IMB) skills model to examine condom use among rural youth in Edo State, Nigeria. Data were collected from 4,801 youth aged 11 to 17 years attending Junior Secondary Schools. Analysis focused on 1,749 (Male = 1,134, Female = 615) sexually active youth. Random-effects ordinal logit models were used to examine the effects of the various components of the IMB framework on frequency of condom use. Gender-specific models were estimated. Results provided qualified support for the IMB. Specifically, youth who communicated with teachers and peers about condoms and HIV had higher odds of saying they used condoms always than sometimes or never. Compared to males who did not think they could get HIV, those who thought they probably could get infected were less likely to use condoms frequently. Similarly, compared to those who didn’t, females who knew others infected with HIV were less likely to use condoms frequently.


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