Understanding orphan and non-orphan adolescents’ sexual risks in the context of poverty: a qualitative study in Nyanza Province, Kenya
Autor: | Jane Alaii, Milka Juma, Ian Askew, Bart Van den Born, L. Kay Bartholomew |
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Přispěvatelé: | Health promotion, RS: CAPHRI School for Public Health and Primary Care |
Jazyk: | angličtina |
Rok vydání: | 2013 |
Předmět: |
Adult
Male Parents Economic growth Adolescent Sexual Behavior Psychology Adolescent Transactional sex Context (language use) Life skills Adolescents Orphan Young Adult Risk Factors Environmental health Non-orphan Medicine Humans Sexual risk behaviour Poverty Reproductive health Aged business.industry Public Health Environmental and Occupational Health Focus Groups Middle Aged Focus group Kenya Caregivers Socioeconomic Factors Evaluation Studies as Topic Female Basic needs business Child Orphaned Qualitative research Research Article |
Zdroj: | BMC International Health and Human Rights BMC International Health and Human Rights, 13:32. BioMed Central |
ISSN: | 1472-698X |
Popis: | Background: Some studies show orphanhood to be associated with increased sexual risk-taking while others have not established this relationship, but have found factors other than orphanhood as predictors of sexual risk behaviours and outcomes among adolescents. This study examines community members' perceptions of how poverty influences adolescent sexual behaviour and outcomes in four districts of Nyanza Province, Kenya. Methods: Eight study sites within the four districts were randomly selected. Focus group discussions were conducted with a purposive sample of adolescents, parents and caregivers. Key informant interviews were undertaken with a purposive sample of community leaders, child welfare and healthcare workers, and adolescents. The two methods elicited information on factors perceived to predispose adolescent orphans and non-orphans to sexual risks. Data were analysed through line-by-line coding, grouped into families and retrieved as themes and sub-themes. Results: Participants included 147 adolescents and parents/caregivers in 14 focus groups and 13 key informants. Poverty emerged as a key predisposing factor to sexual risk behaviour among orphans and non-orphans. Poverty was associated with lack of food, poor housing, school dropout, and engaging in income generating activities, all of which increase their vulnerability to transactional sex, early marriage, sexual experimentation, and the eventual consequences of increased risk of unintended pregnancies and STI/HIV. Conclusion: Poverty was perceived to contribute to increasing sexual risks among orphan and non-orphan adolescents through survival strategies adopted to be able to meet their basic needs. Policies for prevention and intervention that target adolescents in a generalized poverty and HIV epidemic should integrate economic empowerment for caregivers and life skills for adolescents to reduce vulnerabilities of orphan and non-orphan adolescents to sexual risk behaviour. |
Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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