Exploring the barriers, facilitators, and opportunities to enhance uptake of sexual and reproductive health, HIV and GBV services among adolescent girls and young women in Zambia: a qualitative study.

Autor: Ngoma-Hazemba A; Department of Community and Family Medicine, School of Public Health, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia., Chavula MP; Department of Community and Family Medicine, School of Public Health, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia. paul.malizgani@umu.se.; Department of Epidemiology and Global Health, Umeå University, 901 87, Umea, Sweden. paul.malizgani@umu.se., Sichula N; Ministry of Health, Ndeke House, Haile Selassie Avenue, PO Box, 30205, Lusaka, Zambia., Silumbwe A; Department of Community Education and Lifelong Learning, School of Education, University of Zambia, Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia.; Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia., Mweemba O; Department of Epidemiology and Global Health, Umeå University, 901 87, Umea, Sweden., Mweemba M; Department of Health Promotion, School of Public Health, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia., Simpungwe MK; Department of Health Promotion, School of Public Health, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia., Phiri H; Ministry of Health, Ndeke House, Haile Selassie Avenue, PO Box, 30205, Lusaka, Zambia., Kasengele CT; Ministry of Health, Ndeke House, Haile Selassie Avenue, PO Box, 30205, Lusaka, Zambia., Halwiindi H; Ministry of Health, Ndeke House, Haile Selassie Avenue, PO Box, 30205, Lusaka, Zambia., Munakampe MN; Department of Community Education and Lifelong Learning, School of Education, University of Zambia, Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia.; Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia., Zulu JM; Department of Epidemiology and Global Health, Umeå University, 901 87, Umea, Sweden.; Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: BMC public health [BMC Public Health] 2024 Aug 13; Vol. 24 (1), pp. 2191. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Aug 13.
DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-19663-8
Abstrakt: Introduction: Adolescents and young women in low-middle-income countries face obstacles to accessing HIV, Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH), and related Gender-Based Violence (GBV) services. This paper presents facilitators, opportunities, and barriers to enhance uptake of HIV, GBV, and SRH services among Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) in selected districts in Zambia.
Methods: This study was conducted in Chongwe, Mazabuka, and Mongu Districts among adolescent girls and young women in Zambia. Key informants (n = 29) and in and out-of-school adolescents and young people (n = 25) were interviewed. Purposive sampling was used to select and recruit the study participants. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, and a content analysis approach was used for analysis.
Results: The facilitators that were used to enhance the uptake of services included having access to health education information on comprehensive adolescent HIV and gender-based violence services. Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) were the main source of this information. The opportunities bordered on the availability of integrated approaches to service delivery and strengthened community and health center linkages with referrals for specialised services. However, the researchers noted some barriers at individual, community, and health system levels. Refusal or delay to seek the services, fear of side effects associated with contraceptives, and long distance to the health facility affected the uptake of services. Social stigma and cultural beliefs also influenced the understanding and use of the available services in the community. Health systems barriers were; inadequate infrastructure, low staffing levels, limited capacity of staff to provide all the services, age and gender of providers, and lack of commodities and specialised services.
Conclusion: The researchers acknowledge facilitators and opportunities that enhance the uptake of HIV, GBV, and SRH services. However, failure to address barriers at the individual and health systems level always negatively impacts the uptake of known and effective interventions. They propose that programme managers exploit the identified opportunities to enhance uptake of these services for the young population.
(© 2024. The Author(s).)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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