scholarly journals A Social Ecological Approach to Exploring Barriers to Accessing Sexual and Reproductive Health Services among Couples Living with HIV in Southern Malawi

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Belinda Chimphamba Gombachika ◽  
Heidi Fjeld ◽  
Ellen Chirwa ◽  
Johanne Sundby ◽  
Address Malata ◽  
...  

With wide access to antiretroviral therapy, people living with HIV are living longer. The reduction in the mother-to-child transmission of HIV has encouraged some people living with HIV to have children and remarry. However, some continue to have limited access to sexual and reproductive health services. The study explores barriers encountered by couples living with HIV in accessing sexual and reproductive health services using the social ecological model. Data were collected using in-depth interviews with twenty couples purposively sampled in matrilineal Chiradzulu and patrilineal Chikhwawa communities in Malawi from July to December 2010. Data were analyzed using framework analysis method. The study findings identify barriers across the five levels of the social ecological model indicating that the use of sexual and reproductive health services is influenced by diverse factors. We suggest three main areas for primary intervention: services must be located closer to their communities and integrated with existing antiretroviral services. In addition, information gatekeepers, both formal and informal, should be empowered with knowledge about sexual and reproductive health, including HIV and AIDS. Finally, there is a need to coordinate the flow of reproductive health, HIV, and AIDS information between Malawi Ministry of Health and formal and informal organizations.

Infection ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 761-768 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. C. Mueller ◽  
C. Walentiny ◽  
U. Seybold ◽  
C. Nöstlinger ◽  
T. Platteau ◽  
...  

AIDS Care ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 303-314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deborah Bain Brickley ◽  
Lucy Almers ◽  
Caitlin E. Kennedy ◽  
Alicen B. Spaulding ◽  
Joy Mirjahangir ◽  
...  

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Belinda Chimphamba Gombachika ◽  
Ellen Chirwa ◽  
Address Malata ◽  
Alfred Maluwa

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.


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.


2012 ◽  
Vol 20 (sup39) ◽  
pp. 27-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa J. Messersmith ◽  
Katherine Semrau ◽  
Tran Lan Anh ◽  
Nguyen Nguyen Nhu Trang ◽  
Dao Mai Hoa ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Lawrence ◽  
Hellen Moraa ◽  
Kate Wilson ◽  
Immaculate Mutisya ◽  
Jillian Neary ◽  
...  

Background: To improve holistic care for adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV), including integration of sexual and reproductive health services (SRHS), the Kenya Ministry of Health implemented an adolescent package of care (APOC). To inform optimized SRH service delivery, we sought to understand the experiences with SRHS for ALHIV, their primary caregivers, and health care workers (HCWs) following APOC implementation.Methods: We completed a mixed methods evaluation to characterize SRHS provided and personal experiences with access and uptake using surveys conducted with facility managers from 102 randomly selected large HIV treatment facilities throughout Kenya. Among a subset of 4 APOC-trained facilities in a high burden county, we conducted in-depth interviews (IDIs) with 40 ALHIV and 40 caregivers of ALHIV, and 4 focus group discussions (FGDs) with HCWs. Qualitative data was analyzed using thematic analysis. Facility survey data was analyzed using descriptive statistics.Results: Of 102 surveyed facilities, only 56% reported training in APOC and 12% reported receiving additional adolescent-related SRHS training outside of APOC. Frequency of condom provision to ALHIV varied, with 65% of facilities providing condoms daily and 11% never providing condoms to ALHIV. Family planning (FP) was provided to ALHIV daily in 60% of facilities, whereas 14% of facilities reported not providing any FP services to ALHIV. Screening and treatment for STIs for adolescents were provided at all clinics, with 67% providing STI services daily. Three key themes emerged characterizing experiences with adolescent SRHS access and uptake: (1) HCWs were the preferred source for SRH information, (2) greater adolescent autonomy was a facilitator of SRH discussions with HCWs, and (3) ALHIV had variable access to and limited uptake of SRHS within APOC-trained health facilities. The primary SRHS reported available to ALHIV were abstinence and condom use education. There was variable access to FP, condoms, pregnancy and STI testing, and partner services. Adolescents reported limited utilization of SRHS beyond education.Conclusions: Our results indicate a gap in SRHS offered within APOC trained facilities and highlight the importance of adolescent autonomy when providing SRHS and further HCW training to improve SRHS integration within HIV care for ALHIV.


Mediscope ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-16
Author(s):  
Subrata Kumar Mallick ◽  
Tuhin Roy

This cross-sectional study aimed at determining the sexual and reproductive health needs as well as to reveal the level and manifestation of stigma and discrimination associated with the daily lives of the people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) at Khulna City Area in Bangladesh. The sample size was 20, which was selected purposively, and data were collected by the interviewers from August 2013 to December 2013. The findings of the study revealed that extra marital sexual relationships, partners’ infection and blood transmission played a dominant role as the medium of HIV infection. NGOs were the predominant source of getting health care facilities for the PLWHA and they had to wait for a month to receive STIs treatment and the counseling support, which increased their vulnerability towards AIDS. A number of respondents were eager to conceive and, in this case, treatment and counseling support before and after conception, proper nutrition support, prevention of mother to child transmission support and high cost medicine support were needed for them. The facts of stigma and discrimination, the restriction placed on their free movement, exclusion from social and religious functions, opportunities and participation on the social and economic processes had direct consequences on their daily lives. Therefore, IGA support, ensure quality treatment in the stigma free environment, and widespread awareness campaign regarding HIV/AIDS related issues were highly recommended by the PLWHA. Mediscope Vol. 7, No. 1: Jan 2020, Page 7-16


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