Preferences for accessing sexual and reproductive health services among adolescents and young adults living with HIV/AIDs in Western Kenya: A qualitative study.

Despite the need, adolescents and young adults (AYAs) in resource-limited settings have limited access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care services for improved health outcomes. This is worse for AYAs living with HIV in resource-limited settings where much is unknown about contexts and issu...

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Main Authors: Harriet Fridah Adhiambo, Musa Ngayo, Zachary Kwena
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2022-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0277467
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author Harriet Fridah Adhiambo
Musa Ngayo
Zachary Kwena
author_facet Harriet Fridah Adhiambo
Musa Ngayo
Zachary Kwena
author_sort Harriet Fridah Adhiambo
collection DOAJ
description Despite the need, adolescents and young adults (AYAs) in resource-limited settings have limited access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care services for improved health outcomes. This is worse for AYAs living with HIV in resource-limited settings where much is unknown about contexts and issues inhibiting access to SRHs. We explored adolescents', healthcare workers, and caregivers' preferences for access to sexual and reproductive health services for adolescents and young adults living with HIV. We conducted 30 in-depth interviews and 8 focus group discussions among a subset of AYA aged 14-24 living with HIV, healthcare workers, and caregivers/parents. We recruited participants from Lumumba Sub-County Hospital (KLM) and Kisumu County Referral Hospitals in Kisumu County (KCH). Trained and experienced qualitative research assistants 5-10 years older than the adolescents conducted interviews and facilitated discussions using guides designed to elicit detailed views and perspectives on sex and sexuality, access to SRH services, challenges of AYA living with HIV, and potential interventions to improve access to SRH services. Audio files were transcribed verbatim and translated to English where necessary before coding and analysis. We applied constant comparative analysis for theme and content to arrive at our conclusions. Our analysis yielded two main themes: preferences for a venue for SRH services and choices for qualities of an SRH counsellor. We found that AYAs generally preferred receiving SRH services to be co-situated within clinical facilities. We also observed gender differences in the qualities of SRH providers, with male AYAs preferring older male service providers compared to females who preferred younger female providers close to their age. The study highlighted the preferences of AYAs for accessing SRH, which need to be considered when designing their health programs. Further, AYAs seem to endite health systems to individualize access to SRH for AYAs living with HIV by providing a combination of attributes that meet individual preferences.
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spelling doaj.art-6a62b286fef641ac93ce17eca91db6052023-01-07T05:31:12ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032022-01-011711e027746710.1371/journal.pone.0277467Preferences for accessing sexual and reproductive health services among adolescents and young adults living with HIV/AIDs in Western Kenya: A qualitative study.Harriet Fridah AdhiamboMusa NgayoZachary KwenaDespite the need, adolescents and young adults (AYAs) in resource-limited settings have limited access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care services for improved health outcomes. This is worse for AYAs living with HIV in resource-limited settings where much is unknown about contexts and issues inhibiting access to SRHs. We explored adolescents', healthcare workers, and caregivers' preferences for access to sexual and reproductive health services for adolescents and young adults living with HIV. We conducted 30 in-depth interviews and 8 focus group discussions among a subset of AYA aged 14-24 living with HIV, healthcare workers, and caregivers/parents. We recruited participants from Lumumba Sub-County Hospital (KLM) and Kisumu County Referral Hospitals in Kisumu County (KCH). Trained and experienced qualitative research assistants 5-10 years older than the adolescents conducted interviews and facilitated discussions using guides designed to elicit detailed views and perspectives on sex and sexuality, access to SRH services, challenges of AYA living with HIV, and potential interventions to improve access to SRH services. Audio files were transcribed verbatim and translated to English where necessary before coding and analysis. We applied constant comparative analysis for theme and content to arrive at our conclusions. Our analysis yielded two main themes: preferences for a venue for SRH services and choices for qualities of an SRH counsellor. We found that AYAs generally preferred receiving SRH services to be co-situated within clinical facilities. We also observed gender differences in the qualities of SRH providers, with male AYAs preferring older male service providers compared to females who preferred younger female providers close to their age. The study highlighted the preferences of AYAs for accessing SRH, which need to be considered when designing their health programs. Further, AYAs seem to endite health systems to individualize access to SRH for AYAs living with HIV by providing a combination of attributes that meet individual preferences.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0277467
spellingShingle Harriet Fridah Adhiambo
Musa Ngayo
Zachary Kwena
Preferences for accessing sexual and reproductive health services among adolescents and young adults living with HIV/AIDs in Western Kenya: A qualitative study.
PLoS ONE
title Preferences for accessing sexual and reproductive health services among adolescents and young adults living with HIV/AIDs in Western Kenya: A qualitative study.
title_full Preferences for accessing sexual and reproductive health services among adolescents and young adults living with HIV/AIDs in Western Kenya: A qualitative study.
title_fullStr Preferences for accessing sexual and reproductive health services among adolescents and young adults living with HIV/AIDs in Western Kenya: A qualitative study.
title_full_unstemmed Preferences for accessing sexual and reproductive health services among adolescents and young adults living with HIV/AIDs in Western Kenya: A qualitative study.
title_short Preferences for accessing sexual and reproductive health services among adolescents and young adults living with HIV/AIDs in Western Kenya: A qualitative study.
title_sort preferences for accessing sexual and reproductive health services among adolescents and young adults living with hiv aids in western kenya a qualitative study
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0277467
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