scholarly journals Youth clubs’ contributions towards promotion of Sexual and Reproductive Health Services in Machinga District, Malawi

2015 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Adamson Muula ◽  
Alinafe C. Lusinje ◽  
Chetimila Phiri ◽  
Prisca Majawa
Keyword(s):  
Family Planning ◽  
Young People ◽  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Quantitative Data ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Sexual And Reproductive Health ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Hiv And Aids ◽  
Aids Education ◽  
Study Participants

 Background: In Malawi more than 50% of the population are young people less than 24 years old. Adolescents and young people face a lot of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) challenges such as unplanned and early pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV and AIDS and abusive intimate relationships. Provision of SRH services through Youth clubs is one strategy that has potential to contribute to addressing the SRH challenges. We conducted a study in Machinga district, southern Malawi to assess the contributions of youth clubs towards promotion of SRH services.Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted in 2014 among youths aged 15 – 24 years. The participants were drawn from Machinga boma and Liwonde Township. We used both quantitative and qualitative methods.  Quantitative data were collected using questionnaires, while Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and Key informant interviews were used to collect qualitative data. Quantitative data were analysed by estimating proportions and Chi square tests while thematic content analysis was used for qualitative data.  The study was approved by University of Malawi’s College of Medicine Research and Ethics Committee (COMREC).Results: Frequently offered services in youth clubs were HIV and AIDS education reported by 48.4% of the study participants, STI education (16.7%), family planning(16.7%) and life skills education (9.7%). On service utilisation there was no association between attendance to youth clubs and HIV Testing Counselling (χ2 =0.76, p=0.4) and there was no association between attendance to the youth clubs and family planning utilisation (χ2 =3.1, p=0.3). Condom use was the most used contraceptive method among the study participants. Misconception, accessibility and poor attitude of health workers were some of the factors reported as contributing to low utilisation of family planning methods. All youth club participants, reported  by 89 study participants and only 29.4% of club non-attendees had adequate SRH knowledge. The services  provided by health workers to youth clubs reported by study participants were HIV and AIDS education, HIV testing and counselling (HTC) and condom distribution.Conclusion: Our findings highlight the need of youth clubs to promote SRH services.Efforts should be made to ensure that the identified challenges are dealt with to ensure effective participation of youth clubs.

scholarly journals Sources of Information on HIV and Sexual and Reproductive Health for Couples Living with HIV in Rural Southern Malawi

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Belinda Chimphamba Gombachika ◽  
Ellen Chirwa ◽  
Address Malata ◽  
Alfred Maluwa
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Sexual And Reproductive Health ◽  
Cultural Practices ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Hiv And Aids ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Comprehensive Information ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Living With Hiv

With wider access to antiretroviral therapy, people living with HIV are reconsidering their reproductive decisions: remarrying and having children. The purpose of the paper is to explore sources of information for reproductive decision used by couples living with HIV in patrilineal and matrilineal districts of Malawi. Data were collected from forty couples from July to December 2010. Our results illuminate five specific issues: some of the informants (1) remarry after divorce/death of a spouse, (2) establish new marriage relationship with spouses living with HIV, and (3) have children hence the need for information to base their decisions. There are (4) shared and interactive couple decisions, and (5) informal networks of people living with HIV are the main sources of information. In addition, in matrilineal community, cultural practices about remarriage set up structures that constrained information availability unlike in patrilineal community where information on sexual and reproductive health, HIV, and AIDS was disseminated during remarriage counselling. However, both sources are not able to provide comprehensive information due to complexity and lack of up to date information. Therefore, health workers should, offer people living with HIV comprehensive information that takes into consideration the cultural specificity of groups, and empower already existing and accepted local structures with sexual and reproductive health, HIV, and AIDS knowledge.

scholarly journals Integration of HIV prevention into Sexual and Reproductive Health Services in an urban setting in South Africa

2013 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shireen Parker ◽  
Vera Scott
Keyword(s):  
Family Planning ◽  
Hiv Prevention ◽  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Sexual And Reproductive Health ◽  
Cape Town ◽  
Hiv And Aids ◽  
Urban Setting ◽  
Reproductive Health Services ◽  
Family Planning Services

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.

scholarly journals Assessing Current And Preferred Sources Of Information On Adolescents’ Sexual And Reproductive Health In Southeast Nigeria: Improving Adolescent Health Programming

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chibuike Innocent Agu ◽  
Chinyere Ojiugo Mbachu ◽  
Ifunanya Clara Agu ◽  
Chinyere Okeke ◽  
Uchenna Ezenwaka ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Mass Media ◽  
Adolescent Health ◽  
Quantitative Data ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Sexual And Reproductive Health ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Health Programming

Abstract Background: Many adolescents lack appropriate information about their sexual and reproductive health (SRH). Although there are numerous information on SRH, they vary in content and quality, and these have implications for the accuracy and appropriateness of SRH information adolescents can access. This study examined the sources of SRH information for adolescents, the value adolescents place on these sources and their significance for adolescent health programming.Method: This was a mixed methods, community-based, cross-sectional study that was conducted in six local government areas in Ebonyi state, Nigeria. Quantitative data were collected using pre-tested questionnaire that was administered to 1057 unmarried adolescents aged 13-18 years. The qualitative data were: Seventy-seven in-depth interviews (IDIs) with stakeholders; twelve (12) focus group discussions (FGDs) with adolescents; and six FGDs with village head. Descriptive and inferential analyses were performed for quantitative data using Stata software while thematic framework approach was used to analyze qualitative data.Result: It was found that 60.5% and 39.8% of adolescents reported that school teachers and mothers respectively were their major sources of information about pubertal changes, while teachers (36.3%) and friends (29.8%) were the commonest sources of information on relationship with opposite sex. There were statistically significant associations between sources of information about relationships and age category (p≤0.09). Additional common sources of SRH information elicited through IDIs with adolescents include internet, social media and mass media. Although adolescents valued the information provided by teachers and parents, they preferred information on SRH from their friends/peers, social media and mass media because these sources are easy to access with a guarantee of some level of confidentiality. In the opinion of parents and other stakeholders, sources of appropriate SRH information for adolescents were health workers, teachers, parents and adult family members; whereas peers/friends and social media were considered as inappropriate sources of SRH information for adolescents.Conclusion: Efforts at addressing the need of adolescents for SRH information should be targeted at their valued and preferred sources, whilst maintaining a delicate balance with the choices and expectations of their parents and adult family members.

scholarly journals The role of partners in promoting self-care for misoprostol and subcutaneous DMPA in Pakistan

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (S1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Qudsia Uzma ◽  
Nausheen Hamid ◽  
Rizwana Chaudhri ◽  
Nadeem Mehmood ◽  
Atiya Aabroo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Private Sector ◽  
Healthcare System ◽  
Sexual And Reproductive Health ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Self Care ◽  
Essential Element ◽  
Scaling Up ◽  
Reproductive Health Services

Abstract Background Pakistan is among a number of countries facing protracted challenges in addressing maternal mortality with a concomitant weak healthcare system complexed with inequities. Sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) self-care interventions offer the best solution for improving access to quality healthcare services with efficiency and economy. This manuscript documents country experience in introducing and scaling up two selected SRHR self-care interventions. A prospective qualitative study design was used and a semi-structured questionnaire was shared with identified SRHR private sector partners selected through convenience and purposive sampling. The two interventions include the use of misoprostol for postpartum hemorrhage and the use of subcutaneous depomedroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) as injectable contraceptive method. Data collection was done through emails and telephone follow-up calls. Results Nine of the 13 partners consulted for the study responded. The two selected self-care interventions are mainly supported by private sector partners (national and international nongovernmental organizations) having national or subnational existence. Their mandates include all relevant areas, such as policy advocacy, field implementation, trainings, supervision and monitoring. A majority of partners reported experience related to the use of misoprostol; it was introduced more than a decade ago, is registered and is procured by both public and private sectors. Subcutaneous DMPA is a new intervention, having been introduced only recently, and commodity availability remains a challenge. It is being delivered through health workers/providers and is not promoted as a self-administered contraceptive. Community engagement and awareness raising is reported as an essential element of successful field implementation; however, no beneficiary data was collected for the study. Training approaches differ considerably, are standalone or integrated with SRHR topics and their duration varies between 1 and 5 days, covering a range of cadres. Conclusion Pubic sector ownership and patronage is essential for introducing and scaling up self-care interventions as a measure to support the healthcare system in delivering quality sexual and reproductive health services. Supervision, monitoring and reporting are areas requiring further support, as well as the leadership and governance role of the public sector. Standardization of trainings, community awareness, supervision, monitoring and reporting are required together with integration of self-care in routine capacity building activities (pre- and in-service) on sexual and reproductive health in the country.

scholarly journals Factors influencing access to and utilisation of youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health services in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lesley Rose Ninsiima ◽  
Isabel Kazanga Chiumia ◽  
Rawlance Ndejjo
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Sexual And Reproductive Health ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Inclusion Criteria ◽  
Reproductive Health Services ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Youth Friendly

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.

scholarly journals Quick and collaborative response to teenage pregnancies in a poor semi-rural area of Belgium

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
V Déom ◽  
L Ben Abdelhafidh ◽  
N Annez ◽  
C Glorie ◽  
M Roland
Keyword(s):  
Family Planning ◽  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Sexual And Reproductive Health ◽  
Health Clinic ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Reproductive Health Services ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
Victims Of Violence ◽  
The City

Abstract Early pregnancies are often linked to precarious situations. Even if Belgium has seen a decrease in teenage pregnancies, in the former mining region of the Hainaut there are still twice as many births to young women under 20 compared to the national rate. Colfontaine is one of the poorest cities in Belgium. Last year, one of the local high schools counted 10 pregnant teenagers out of 450 students. Médecins du Monde was already present in the city at the time with a mobile health clinic called the Médibus. In response, we carried out a mapping of the local sexual and reproductive health actors. The lack of accessibility to social and health structures capable of welcoming teenagers anonymously and free of charge quickly emerged as a problem, the nearest family planning center being located 30 minutes away by bus. In September 2019, in partnership with 5 local health actors, we decided to reshape the Médibus into the Adobus in order to offer family planning consultations, health promotion and harm reduction activities at the high school once a week. In addition to offering health information services, we also aim to detect teenagers experiencing vulnerable situations such as addiction, violence, gender issues and refer them to appropriate services. Halfway through the project, we met 430 teenagers in 14 afternoons. The most common reasons for consultation (N = 310) were questions related to contraception for 29% and to sexually transmitted infections for 24,5%. 70,9% of teenagers received condoms and 13 girls were tested for pregnancy. One girl received a morning-after pill. 3 teenagers with addiction problems and 17 victims of violence were detected. The teams referred 18 teenagers to other services. The success of this outreach project confirms the need for information regarding sexual and reproductive health for teenagers living in precarious situations as well as the need to develop reachable and affordable sexual and reproductive health services in semi-rural areas. Key messages Outreach is an efficient approach to respond to teenagers’ needs in poor semi-rural areas. Outreach facilitated the detection of early pregnancies, addiction and violence issues among teenagers.

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