A qualitative investigation of facilitators and barriers to DREAMS uptake among adolescents with grandparent caregivers in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Adolescents with grandparent caregivers have experienced challenges including the death of one or both parents due to HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. They may be left out of existing HIV prevention interventions targeting parents and children. We investigated the facilitators and barriers to DREAMS (Dete...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Dumile Gumede, Anna Meyer-Weitz, Thembelihle Zuma, Maryam Shahmanesh, Janet Seeley
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2022-01-01
Series:PLOS Global Public Health
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0000369
_version_ 1797703679253413888
author Dumile Gumede
Anna Meyer-Weitz
Thembelihle Zuma
Maryam Shahmanesh
Janet Seeley
author_facet Dumile Gumede
Anna Meyer-Weitz
Thembelihle Zuma
Maryam Shahmanesh
Janet Seeley
author_sort Dumile Gumede
collection DOAJ
description Adolescents with grandparent caregivers have experienced challenges including the death of one or both parents due to HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. They may be left out of existing HIV prevention interventions targeting parents and children. We investigated the facilitators and barriers to DREAMS (Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored and Safe) programme uptake among adolescents with grandparent caregivers across different levels of the socio-ecological model in rural South Africa. Data were collected in three phases (October 2017 to September 2018). Adolescents (13-19 years old) and their grandparent caregivers (≥50 years old) (n = 12) contributed to repeat in-depth interviews to share their perceptions and experiences regarding adolescents' participation in DREAMS. Data were triangulated using key informant interviews with DREAMS intervention facilitators (n = 2) to give insights into their experiences of delivering DREAMS interventions. Written informed consent or child assent was obtained from all individuals before participation. All data were collected in isiZulu and audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and translated into English. Thematic and dyadic analysis approaches were conducted guided by the socio-ecological model. Participation in DREAMS was most effective when DREAMS messaging reinforced existing norms around sex and sexuality and when the interventions improved care relationships between the adolescents and their older caregivers. DREAMS was less acceptable when it deviated from the norms, raised SRH information that conflicts with abstinence and virginity, and when youth empowerment was perceived as a potential threat to intergenerational power dynamics. While DREAMS was able to engage these complex families, there were failures, about factors uniquely critical to these families, such as in engaging children and carers with disabilities and failure to include adolescent boys in some interventions. There is a need to adapt HIV prevention interventions to tackle care relationships specific to adolescent-grandparent caregiver communication.
first_indexed 2024-03-12T05:08:04Z
format Article
id doaj.art-c3e3f774cb764b3e97e2404cf3c13fa7
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2767-3375
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-12T05:08:04Z
publishDate 2022-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLOS Global Public Health
spelling doaj.art-c3e3f774cb764b3e97e2404cf3c13fa72023-09-03T08:50:30ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLOS Global Public Health2767-33752022-01-0129e000036910.1371/journal.pgph.0000369A qualitative investigation of facilitators and barriers to DREAMS uptake among adolescents with grandparent caregivers in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.Dumile GumedeAnna Meyer-WeitzThembelihle ZumaMaryam ShahmaneshJanet SeeleyAdolescents with grandparent caregivers have experienced challenges including the death of one or both parents due to HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. They may be left out of existing HIV prevention interventions targeting parents and children. We investigated the facilitators and barriers to DREAMS (Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored and Safe) programme uptake among adolescents with grandparent caregivers across different levels of the socio-ecological model in rural South Africa. Data were collected in three phases (October 2017 to September 2018). Adolescents (13-19 years old) and their grandparent caregivers (≥50 years old) (n = 12) contributed to repeat in-depth interviews to share their perceptions and experiences regarding adolescents' participation in DREAMS. Data were triangulated using key informant interviews with DREAMS intervention facilitators (n = 2) to give insights into their experiences of delivering DREAMS interventions. Written informed consent or child assent was obtained from all individuals before participation. All data were collected in isiZulu and audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and translated into English. Thematic and dyadic analysis approaches were conducted guided by the socio-ecological model. Participation in DREAMS was most effective when DREAMS messaging reinforced existing norms around sex and sexuality and when the interventions improved care relationships between the adolescents and their older caregivers. DREAMS was less acceptable when it deviated from the norms, raised SRH information that conflicts with abstinence and virginity, and when youth empowerment was perceived as a potential threat to intergenerational power dynamics. While DREAMS was able to engage these complex families, there were failures, about factors uniquely critical to these families, such as in engaging children and carers with disabilities and failure to include adolescent boys in some interventions. There is a need to adapt HIV prevention interventions to tackle care relationships specific to adolescent-grandparent caregiver communication.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0000369
spellingShingle Dumile Gumede
Anna Meyer-Weitz
Thembelihle Zuma
Maryam Shahmanesh
Janet Seeley
A qualitative investigation of facilitators and barriers to DREAMS uptake among adolescents with grandparent caregivers in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
PLOS Global Public Health
title A qualitative investigation of facilitators and barriers to DREAMS uptake among adolescents with grandparent caregivers in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
title_full A qualitative investigation of facilitators and barriers to DREAMS uptake among adolescents with grandparent caregivers in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
title_fullStr A qualitative investigation of facilitators and barriers to DREAMS uptake among adolescents with grandparent caregivers in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
title_full_unstemmed A qualitative investigation of facilitators and barriers to DREAMS uptake among adolescents with grandparent caregivers in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
title_short A qualitative investigation of facilitators and barriers to DREAMS uptake among adolescents with grandparent caregivers in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
title_sort qualitative investigation of facilitators and barriers to dreams uptake among adolescents with grandparent caregivers in rural kwazulu natal south africa
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0000369
work_keys_str_mv AT dumilegumede aqualitativeinvestigationoffacilitatorsandbarrierstodreamsuptakeamongadolescentswithgrandparentcaregiversinruralkwazulunatalsouthafrica
AT annameyerweitz aqualitativeinvestigationoffacilitatorsandbarrierstodreamsuptakeamongadolescentswithgrandparentcaregiversinruralkwazulunatalsouthafrica
AT thembelihlezuma aqualitativeinvestigationoffacilitatorsandbarrierstodreamsuptakeamongadolescentswithgrandparentcaregiversinruralkwazulunatalsouthafrica
AT maryamshahmanesh aqualitativeinvestigationoffacilitatorsandbarrierstodreamsuptakeamongadolescentswithgrandparentcaregiversinruralkwazulunatalsouthafrica
AT janetseeley aqualitativeinvestigationoffacilitatorsandbarrierstodreamsuptakeamongadolescentswithgrandparentcaregiversinruralkwazulunatalsouthafrica
AT dumilegumede qualitativeinvestigationoffacilitatorsandbarrierstodreamsuptakeamongadolescentswithgrandparentcaregiversinruralkwazulunatalsouthafrica
AT annameyerweitz qualitativeinvestigationoffacilitatorsandbarrierstodreamsuptakeamongadolescentswithgrandparentcaregiversinruralkwazulunatalsouthafrica
AT thembelihlezuma qualitativeinvestigationoffacilitatorsandbarrierstodreamsuptakeamongadolescentswithgrandparentcaregiversinruralkwazulunatalsouthafrica
AT maryamshahmanesh qualitativeinvestigationoffacilitatorsandbarrierstodreamsuptakeamongadolescentswithgrandparentcaregiversinruralkwazulunatalsouthafrica
AT janetseeley qualitativeinvestigationoffacilitatorsandbarrierstodreamsuptakeamongadolescentswithgrandparentcaregiversinruralkwazulunatalsouthafrica