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Buser JM, Pebolo PF, August E, Rana GK, Gray R, Jacobson-Davies FE, Kumakech E, Endale T, Auma AG, Smith YR. Scoping review of qualitative studies on family planning in Uganda. PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH 2024; 4:e0003313. [PMID: 38959214 PMCID: PMC11221757 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0003313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
Family planning (FP) is an essential component of public health programs and significantly impacts maternal and child health outcomes. In Uganda, there is a need for a comprehensive review of the existing literature on FP to inform future research and programmatic efforts. This scoping review aims to identify factors shaping the use of FP in Uganda. We conducted a systematic search of eight scholarly databases, for qualitative studies on FP in Uganda. We screened the titles and abstracts of identified articles published between 2002-2023 and assessed their eligibility based on predefined criteria. We extracted data from the 71 eligible studies and synthesized the findings using thematic analysis and the Ecological Systems Theory (EST) individual, interpersonal, community, institutional, and policy-level determinants. Findings reveal the interplay of factors at different socio-ecological levels influencing family planning decisions. At the individual level, the most common determinants related to the EST were knowledge and attitudes of FP. Interpersonal dynamics, including partner communication and social support networks, played pivotal roles. Community-level factors, such as cultural norms and accessibility of services, significantly influenced family planning practices. Institutional and policy-level factors, particularly a healthcare system's quality and policies, also shaped use. Other themes included the intersection of HIV/AIDS on FP practice and Ugandan views of comprehensive abortion care. This scoping review underscores the intricate socio-ecological fabric shaping FP in Uganda. The findings highlight the need for targeted interventions to increase knowledge and awareness of FP, improve access to services, and address social and cultural norms that discourage contraceptive use. Policymakers and program implementers should also consider gender dynamics and power imbalances in FP programs to ensure they are equitable and effective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie M. Buser
- Center for International Reproductive Health Training (CIRHT), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Pebalo F. Pebolo
- Department Reproductive Health, Gulu University Faculty of Medicine, Gulu, Uganda
| | - Ella August
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- PREPSS (Pre-Publication Support Service), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Gurpreet K. Rana
- Taubman Health Sciences Library, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Rachel Gray
- Center for International Reproductive Health Training (CIRHT), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Faelan E. Jacobson-Davies
- Center for International Reproductive Health Training (CIRHT), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Edward Kumakech
- Department of Nursing and Midwifery, Lira University, Lira, Uganda
| | - Tamrat Endale
- Center for International Reproductive Health Training (CIRHT), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Anna Grace Auma
- Department of Nursing and Midwifery, Lira University, Lira, Uganda
| | - Yolanda R. Smith
- Center for International Reproductive Health Training (CIRHT), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
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Mpango RS, Ssembajjwe W, Rukundo GZ, Amanyire P, Birungi C, Kalungi A, Rutakumwa R, Tusiime C, Gadow KD, Patel V, Nyirenda M, Kinyanda E. Physical and sexual victimization of persons with severe mental illness seeking care in central and southwestern Uganda. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1167076. [PMID: 37621606 PMCID: PMC10446879 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1167076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose This study established the prevalence of physical and sexual victimization, associated factors and psychosocial consequences of victimization among 1,201 out-patients with severe mental illness at Butabika and Masaka hospitals in Uganda. Methods Participants completed structured, standardized and locally translated instruments. Physical and sexual victimization was assessed using the modified adverse life events module of the European Para-suicide Interview Schedule. We used logistic regression to determine the association between victimization, the associated factors and psychosocial consequences. Results The prevalence of physical abuse was 34.1% and that of sexual victimization was 21.9%. The age group of > = 50 years (aOR 1.02;95% CI 0.62-1.66; p = 0.048) was more likely to have suffered physical victimization, while living in a rural area was protective against physical (aOR 0.59; 95% CI 0.46-0.76; p = <0.001) and sexual (aOR 0.48, 95% CI 0.35-0.65; p < 0.001) victimization. High socioeconomic status (SES) (aOR 0.56; 95% CI 0.34-0.92; p = <0.001) was protective against physical victimization. Females were more likely to have been sexually victimized (aOR 3.38; 95% CI 2.47-4.64; p = <0.001), while being a Muslim (aOR 0.60; 95% CI 0.39-0.90; p = 0.045) was protective against sexual victimization. Risky sexual behavior was a negative outcome associated with physical (aOR 2.19; 95% CI 1.66-2.90; p = <0.001) and sexual (aOR 3.09; 95% CI 2.25-4.23; p < 0.001) victimization. Mental health stigma was a negative outcome associated with physical (aOR 1.03; 95% CI 1.01-1.05; p < 0.001) and sexual (aOR 1.03; 95% CI 1.01-1.05; p = 0.002) victimization. Poor adherence to oral anti-psychotic medications was a negative outcome associated with physical (aOR 1.51; 95% CI 1.13-2.00; p = 0.006) and sexual (aOR 1.39; 95% CI 0.99-1.94; p = 0.044) victimization. Conclusion There is a high burden of physical and sexual victimization among people with SMI in central Uganda. There is need to put in place and evaluate complex interventions for improving detection and response to abusive experiences within mental health services. Public health practitioners, policymakers, and legislators should act to protect the health and rights of people with SMI in resource poor settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Stephen Mpango
- Mental Health Section, MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda
- Brown School, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
- Department of Mental Health, School of Health Sciences, Soroti University, Soroti, Uganda
| | - Wilber Ssembajjwe
- Mental Health Section, MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda
- Statistical Section, MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda
| | - Godfrey Zari Rukundo
- Department of Psychiatry, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Philip Amanyire
- Department of Nursing, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Carol Birungi
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Allan Kalungi
- Mental Health Section, MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda
| | - Rwamahe Rutakumwa
- Mental Health Section, MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda
| | | | - Kenneth D. Gadow
- Department of Psychiatry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States
| | - Vikram Patel
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Moffat Nyirenda
- Mental Health Section, MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda
- Global Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) Section, MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda
| | - Eugene Kinyanda
- Mental Health Section, MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
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Ranganathan M, Stern E, Knight L, Muvhango L, Molebatsi M, Polzer-Ngwato T, Lees S, Stöckl H. Women's economic status, male authority patterns and intimate partner violence: a qualitative study in rural North West Province, South Africa. CULTURE, HEALTH & SEXUALITY 2022; 24:717-734. [PMID: 33535894 DOI: 10.1080/13691058.2021.1880639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
There are conflicting views on the impact of microfinance-only interventions on women's economic empowerment and intimate partner violence in low and middle-income countries. Evidence suggests however that when microfinance is combined with complementary programmes (microfinance plus) it may be effective for empowering women and addressing intimate partner violence. We conducted in-depth interviews with adult women in rural South Africa who had received microfinance loans for more than a year and had recently completed gender training. We explored women's perceptions on income generation; the effects on their relationships, including intimate partner violence; their notions of power; and perspectives on men's reactions to their empowerment. Findings reveal that the notion of 'power within the self' is supported by women's income generation, alongside a sense of financial independence and improved social support. Women reported increased happiness and reduced financial stress, although social norms and gender expectations about women subservience and male headship remain salient, particularly among older women. Furthermore, younger women appeared to tolerate abuse due to financial and caring responsibilities. These findings underpin the importance of complementary gender training programmes and of including men as participants for enhancing the effectiveness of economic strengthening interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghna Ranganathan
- Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Erin Stern
- Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Louise Knight
- Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Lufuno Muvhango
- Intervention with Microfinance and Gender Equity (IMAGE), Johannesburg, South Africa
| | | | | | - Shelley Lees
- Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Heidi Stöckl
- Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
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Arinaitwe I, Amutuhaire H, Atwongyeire D, Tusingwire E, Kawungezi PC, Rukundo GZ, Ashaba S. Social Support, Food Insecurity, and HIV Stigma Among Men Living with HIV in Rural Southwestern Uganda: A Cross-Sectional Analysis. HIV AIDS (Auckl) 2021; 13:657-666. [PMID: 34163254 PMCID: PMC8216066 DOI: 10.2147/hiv.s316174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND HIV stigma is one of the major barriers to HIV care due to the fear of disclosure and social discrimination. HIV stigma among men in sub-Saharan countries, including Uganda, has been linked to the fear about how HIV status might affect their status in society. HIV among men in sub-Saharan settings has been associated with feelings of shame, reduced self-worth, and self-blame for their HIV positive status. Information about HIV stigma and its associated factors among men living with HIV in rural Uganda is limited. This study assessed the burden of HIV stigma and its association with social support and food insecurity among men accessing HIV care at a rural health facility in southwestern Uganda. METHODS We conducted a clinic-based cross-sectional study and consecutively enrolled 252 adult men accessing HIV care at a rural health centre in southwestern Uganda. We collected information on sociodemographic information, HIV stigma, social support, and food insecurity. We fitted modified Poisson regression models to determine the associations between social support, food insecurity, and HIV stigma. RESULTS The mean HIV stigma score of the study participants was 70.08 (SD 19.34) and 75% reported food insecurity 5% of whom were severely food insecure. The risk of HIV stigma was lower among those aged 35 years and above (adjusted risk ratio [ARR]=0.89; 95% CI 0.83-0.96; P=0.003, those who had been on ART for more than 5 years (ARR=0.92; 95% CI=0.84-0.99; P=0.04), and those who had social support (ARR=0.99; 95% CI=0.98-0.99; P=<0.001). Food insecurity was associated with an increased risk of HIV stigma (ARR=1.07; 95% CI 1.00-1.15; P=0.03). Social support moderated the effect of food insecurity on HIV stigma (P=0.45). CONCLUSION Stigma is common among men living with HIV in rural Uganda and is significantly associated with food insecurity. Social support moderated the effect of severe food insecurity on HIV stigma among men living with HIV. Interventions to build social support systems and to economically empower men living with HIV should be incorporated into the mainstream HIV care clinics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Innocent Arinaitwe
- Faculty of Medicine, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Hildah Amutuhaire
- Faculty of Medicine, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Davis Atwongyeire
- Faculty of Medicine, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Esther Tusingwire
- Faculty of Medicine, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Peter Chris Kawungezi
- Department of Community Health, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Godfrey Zari Rukundo
- Department of Psychiatry, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Scholastic Ashaba
- Department of Psychiatry, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
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Vyas S. Women's economic status and sexual negotiation: re-evaluation of the 'normative precedent' in Tanzania. CULTURE, HEALTH & SEXUALITY 2020; 22:1097-1111. [PMID: 31429378 DOI: 10.1080/13691058.2019.1652933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2018] [Accepted: 08/04/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Women's ability to negotiate the conditions and circumstances of sexual relations is central to their sexual and reproductive health, including mitigating HIV risk. In Africa, gender-based power imbalances constrain women's sexual agency. Research has suggested that among couples in sub-Saharan African countries, such as Uganda and Nigeria, sexual decision making is defined by a 'normative precedent' in the form of a set of rules and practices conferring sexual authority on men. Using qualitative data among women in paid work and among men, this study explored interpersonal relations and sexual negotiation in Tanzania. Data were collected in two sites, Dar es Salaam and Mbeya. The normative precedent for sexual decision making was universally understood by men and women. Women did not perceive paid work as giving them greater bargaining power in the domain of sex. In Mbeya, a high-HIV area, some women perceived that refusing sex would encourage men to have additional sexual partners, thus increasing their susceptibility to HIV. Other women, however, believed that suspicions about men's behaviour combined with accurate HIV knowledge, provided leverage for women to refuse sex. In both sites, challenges to the normative precedent were evident, particularly among younger men. Both men and women expressed a preference for equality in sexual decision making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seema Vyas
- Department of Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
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Kilburn K, Hughes JP, MacPhail C, Wagner RG, Gómez-Olivé FX, Kahn K, Pettifor A. Cash Transfers, Young Women's Economic Well-Being, and HIV Risk: Evidence from HPTN 068. AIDS Behav 2019; 23:1178-1194. [PMID: 30415429 PMCID: PMC6510655 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-018-2329-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Despite the large interest in economic interventions to reduce HIV risk, little research has been done to show whether there are economic gains of these interventions for younger women and what intermediary role economic resources play in changing participants' sexual behavior. This paper contributes to this gap by examining the impacts of a conditional cash transfer (CCT) for young women in South Africa on young women's economic resources and the extent to which they play a role in young women's health and behavior. We used data from HIV Prevention Trials Network 068 study, which provided transfers to young women (in addition to their parents) conditional on the young woman attending at least 80% of school days in the previous month. We found that the CCT increased young women's economic wellbeing in terms of having savings, spending money, being unindebted, and food secure. We also investigated heterogeneous effects of the program by household economic status at baseline because the program was not specifically poverty targeted and found that the results were driven by young women from the poorest families. From these results, we examined heterogeneity by baseline poverty for other outcomes related to HIV risk including sexual behavior and psychosocial well-being. We found psychosocial well-being benefits in young women from the poorest families and that economic wellbeing gains explained much these impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly Kilburn
- Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Department of Global Health, School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
| | - James P Hughes
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Statistical Center for HIV/AIDS Research and Prevention (SCHARP), Seattle, USA
| | - Catherine MacPhail
- School of Health and Society, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
- Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt), School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Ryan G Wagner
- MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt), School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Umeå Centre for Global Health Research, Division of Epidemiology and Global Health, Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - F Xavier Gómez-Olivé
- Umeå Centre for Global Health Research, Division of Epidemiology and Global Health, Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana
| | - Kathleen Kahn
- Umeå Centre for Global Health Research, Division of Epidemiology and Global Health, Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana
| | - Audrey Pettifor
- Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt), School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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Kreniske P, Grilo S, Nakyanjo N, Nalugoda F, Wolfe J, Santelli JS. Narrating the Transition to Adulthood for Youth in Uganda: Leaving School, Mobility, Risky Occupations, and HIV. HEALTH EDUCATION & BEHAVIOR 2019; 46:550-558. [PMID: 30791714 DOI: 10.1177/1090198119829197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
School enrollment, mobility, and occupation are each important factors to consider when examining HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) infection risk among youth in sub-Saharan Africa. Through an analysis of narrative life histories from 30 HIV-positive and 30 HIV-negative youth (aged 15-24 years), matched on gender, age, and village and purposively selected and interviewed from the Rakai Community Cohort Study, this article shows the complex connection between leaving school, mobility, and occupation with implications for HIV risk. We identified a pattern of risk factors that was present in many more HIV-positive than HIV-negative youth life stories. These HIV-positive youth shared a similar pathway during their transition to adulthood: After leaving school, they moved in search of occupations; they then engaged in risky occupations before eventually returning to their home village. Linking the lines of inquiry on school enrollment, mobility, and risky occupations, our findings have important implications for adolescent health research, practice, and policy in Uganda and across sub-Saharan Africa and the developing world.
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Mengo C, Okumu M, Ombayo B, Nahar S, Small E. Marital Rape and HIV Risk in Uganda: The Impact of Women's Empowerment Factors. Violence Against Women 2019; 25:1783-1805. [PMID: 30672397 DOI: 10.1177/1077801218821444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
This study used Uganda Demographic Health Survey data (2011) to examine the role of women's empowerment in reducing HIV risk among married women who experienced sexual violence in Uganda. The sample size was 8,674 ever-married women aged 15-49 years. Significant differences were revealed for marital rape, women's empowerment variables, and reducing HIV risk according to sociodemographic characteristics. Women's labor force participation partially mediated the relationship between sexual violence and reducing HIV risk, but decision making did not. Findings highlight the need for the development and implementation of policies and programs to address marital rape and reduce HIV risk within institutions of marriage.
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Davis LM, Kostick KM. Balancing risk, interpersonal intimacy and agency: perspectives from marginalised women in Zambia. CULTURE, HEALTH & SEXUALITY 2018; 20:1102-1116. [PMID: 29764308 DOI: 10.1080/13691058.2018.1462889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Women are most exposed to sexual health risks within their marital relationships, primarily due to the sexually risky behaviours of their spouses. Studies show that expanding agency is critical for women to mitigate both physical and sexual health risks and is linked to increased psycho-social well-being and economic independence. Drawing on qualitative and quantitative primary data collected from a peri-urban community in Zambia, this paper explores how women exert agency in a community where few educational and economic opportunities and substantial food insecurity exacerbate women's risk for HIV within their marital relationships. It also examines how expressions of agency within marital unions can reduce HIV risk exposure and lead to socio-economic benefits. However, expressions of agency can also create physical, psycho-social and sexual health risks, particularly when spouses do not support independent decision-making and actions that women consider necessary to support the household and maintain intimacy. Findings highlight the importance of community involvement and addressing harmful socio-cultural norms to foster the realisation of women's agency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lwendo Moonzwe Davis
- a ICF, International Health Division , University of Connecticut , Rockville , MD , USA
| | - Kristin Marie Kostick
- b Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy , Baylor College of Medicine , Houston , TX , USA
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Starmann E, Heise L, Kyegombe N, Devries K, Abramsky T, Michau L, Musuya T, Watts C, Collumbien M. Examining diffusion to understand the how of SASA!, a violence against women and HIV prevention intervention in Uganda. BMC Public Health 2018; 18:616. [PMID: 29751754 PMCID: PMC5948738 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-018-5508-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2017] [Accepted: 04/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A growing number of complex public health interventions combine mass media with community-based "change agents" and/or mobilisation efforts acting at multiple levels. While impact evaluations are important, there is a paucity of research into the more nuanced roles intervention and social network factors may play in achieving intervention outcomes, making it difficult to understand how different aspects of the intervention worked (or did not). This study applied aspects of diffusion of innovations theory to explore how SASA!, a community mobilisation approach for preventing HIV and violence against women, diffused within intervention communities and the factors that influenced the uptake of new ideas and behaviours around intimate partner relationships and violence. METHODS This paper is based on a qualitative study of couples living in SASA communities and secondary analysis of endline quantitative data collected as part of a cluster randomised control trial designed to evaluate the impact of the SASA! INTERVENTION The primary trial was conducted in eight communities in Kampala, Uganda between 2007 and 2012. The secondary analysis of follow up survey data used multivariate logistic regression to examine associations between intervention exposure and interpersonal communication, and relationship change (n = 928). The qualitative study used in-depth interviews (n = 20) and framework analysis methods to explore the intervention attributes that facilitated engagement with the intervention and uptake of new ideas and behaviours in intimate relationships. RESULTS We found communication materials and mid media channels generated awareness and knowledge, while the concurrent influence from interpersonal communication with community-based change agents and social network members more frequently facilitated changes in behaviour. The results indicate combining community mobilisation components, programme content that reflects peoples' lives and direct support through local change agents can facilitate diffusion and powerful collective change processes in communities. CONCLUSIONS This study makes clear the value of applying diffusion of innovations theory to illuminate how complex public health intervention evaluations effect change. It also contributes to our knowledge of partner violence prevention in a low-income, urban East African context. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov # NCT00790959 . Registered 13th November 2008.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Starmann
- Department of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, UK.
| | - Lori Heise
- Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Nambusi Kyegombe
- Department of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Karen Devries
- Department of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Tanya Abramsky
- Department of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Lori Michau
- Raising Voices, Plot 16 Tufnell Drive, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Tina Musuya
- Center for Domestic Violence Prevention, Plot 16 Tufnell Drive, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Charlotte Watts
- Department of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Martine Collumbien
- Department of Social & Environmental Health Research, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
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Pardue D, Oliveira LAD. City as mobility: a contribution of brazilian saraus to urban theory. VIBRANT: VIRTUAL BRAZILIAN ANTHROPOLOGY 2018. [DOI: 10.1590/1809-43412018v15n1a400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract The article analyzes saraus movement - poetry readings in São Paulo’s periphery - as a cultural phenomenon that over recent years has transformed the city space into a vibrant socio-political project. The movement offers important insights for an anthropology of cities by highlighting the materiality of mobility and spatiality, understood here as a set of social and cultural practices that involve the existential knowledge, social networking, and local community empowerment gained from mobility between predominantly peripheral neighborhoods and urban labor centers. We examine how saraus contribute to the construction of a new imaginary of the city and public space occupied by the socially excluded and racialized peripheries. We provide an analytical and empirical contribution to city production and urban theory, and demonstrate that mobility and the encounter are not simply temporary extraneous interactions, but rather experiences constitutive of social knowledge.
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From patriarchal socialism to grassroots capitalism: The role of female entrepreneurs in the transition of North Korea. WOMENS STUDIES INTERNATIONAL FORUM 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.wsif.2018.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Economic Resources and HIV Preventive Behaviors Among School-Enrolled Young Women in Rural South Africa (HPTN 068). AIDS Behav 2017; 21:665-677. [PMID: 27260180 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-016-1435-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Individual economic resources may have greater influence on school-enrolled young women's sexual decision-making than household wealth measures. However, few studies have investigated the effects of personal income, employment, and other financial assets on young women's sexual behaviors. Using baseline data from the HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) 068 study, we examined the association of ever having sex and adopting sexually-protective practices with individual-level economic resources among school-enrolled women, aged 13-20 years (n = 2533). Age-adjusted results showed that among all women employment was associated with ever having sex (OR 1.56, 95 % CI 1.28-1.90). Among sexually-experienced women, paid work was associated with changes in partner selection practices (OR 2.38, 95 % CI 1.58-3.58) and periodic sexual abstinence to avoid HIV (OR 1.71, 95 % CI 1.07-2.75). Having money to spend on oneself was associated with reducing the number of sexual partners (OR 1.94, 95 % CI 1.08-3.46), discussing HIV testing (OR 2.15, 95 % CI 1.13-4.06), and discussing condom use (OR 1.99, 95 % CI 1.04-3.80). Having a bank account was associated with condom use (OR 1.49, 95 % CI 1.01-2.19). Economic hardship was positively associated with ever having sex, but not with sexually-protective behaviors. Maximizing women's individual economic resources may complement future prevention initiatives.
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Starmann E, Collumbien M, Kyegombe N, Devries K, Michau L, Musuya T, Watts C, Heise L. Exploring Couples' Processes of Change in the Context of SASA!, a Violence Against Women and HIV Prevention Intervention in Uganda. PREVENTION SCIENCE : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR PREVENTION RESEARCH 2017; 18:233-244. [PMID: 27682273 PMCID: PMC5243896 DOI: 10.1007/s11121-016-0716-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
There is now a growing body of research indicating that prevention interventions can reduce intimate partner violence (IPV); much less is known, however, about how couples exposed to these interventions experience the change process, particularly in low-income countries. Understanding the dynamic process that brings about the cessation of IPV is essential for understanding how interventions work (or don't) to reduce IPV. This study aimed to provide a better understanding of how couples' involvement with SASA!-a violence against women and HIV-related community mobilisation intervention developed by Raising Voices in Uganda-influenced processes of change in relationships. Qualitative data were collected from each partner in separate in-depth interviews following the intervention. Dyadic analysis was conducted using framework analysis methods. Study findings suggest that engagement with SASA! contributed to varied experiences and degrees of change at the individual and relationship levels. Reflection around healthy relationships and communication skills learned through SASA! activities or community activists led to more positive interaction among many couples, which reduced conflict and IPV. This nurtured a growing trust and respect between many partners, facilitating change in longstanding conflicts and generating greater intimacy and love as well as increased partnership among couples to manage economic challenges. This study draws attention to the value of researching and working with both women, men and couples to prevent IPV and suggests IPV prevention interventions may benefit from the inclusion of relationship skills building and support within the context of community mobilisation interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Karen Devries
- London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | | | - Tina Musuya
- Center for Domestic Violence Prevention, Kampala, Uganda
| | | | - Lori Heise
- London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
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15
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Winchester MS. Marriage, violence and HIV: the shifting policy context in Uganda. CULTURE, HEALTH & SEXUALITY 2016; 18:1333-1346. [PMID: 27248298 DOI: 10.1080/13691058.2016.1184313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
The policy environment for vulnerable women in Uganda is rapidly changing, with the aim of introducing more punitive measures for violent offenders and more options for women seeking help. This paper examines HIV-positive women who experienced intimate partner violence in two regions of Uganda prior to the enactment of the Domestic Violence Act of 2010. Based on in-depth interviews and observations, it reports on women's views of marriage and relationships, and their strategies for help seeking to show the interaction between the two phenomena within the local cultural and political context. HIV-positive women in Uganda reshape their notions of marriage and love based on experiences of violence, illness management and broader social factors. Their narratives of relationships and conflict reveal an ambivalence toward formal marriage because of both its security and rights and its potential to inhibit leaving, as well as a reluctance to seek help through formal means. This construction of marriage is intertwined with the shifting social backdrop in Uganda, in particular the increasing rollout of antiretroviral treatment for HIV and the development of new policies surrounding violence, marriage and divorce. Women's experiences show potential points of intervention and the need for multi-sectoral responses to violence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret S Winchester
- a Department of Health Policy and Administration , Pennsylvania State University , University Park , PA , USA
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16
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Mtenga SM, Geubbels E, Tanner M, Merten S, Pfeiffer C. 'It is not expected for married couples': a qualitative study on challenges to safer sex communication among polygamous and monogamous partners in southeastern Tanzania. Glob Health Action 2016; 9:32326. [PMID: 27633036 PMCID: PMC5025524 DOI: 10.3402/gha.v9.32326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2016] [Revised: 08/08/2016] [Accepted: 08/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Behavioral change approaches for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention in Tanzania encourage married partners to observe safe sex practices (condom use, avoidance of, or safe sex with multiple partners). To implement this advice, partners need to communicate with each other about safer sex, which is often challenging. Although social-structural factors are crucial in understanding sexual behavior, only a few studies focus on understanding safer sex dialogue in a broader social context. Design Drawing on the WHO-Commission on the Social Determinants of Health (WHO-CSDH) framework, this study explored key social-structural constructs for studying health in the context of improving safer sex dialogue between polygamous and monogamous partners. Twenty-four in-depth interviews (IDIs) and six focus group discussions (FGDs) with 38 men and women aged 18–60 years were conducted in Ifakara town located in Kilombero district, Tanzania. The study was nested within the community health surveillance project MZIMA (Kiswahili: ‘being healthy’). Partners’ experiences of safer sex dialogue in polygamous and monogamous relations were investigated and the challenges to safer sex dialogue explored. Results The study revealed that open safer sex dialogue in marriage is limited and challenged by social norms about marriage (a view that safer sex dialogue imply that partners are ‘not really’ married); marital status (a belief that safer sex dialogue is not practical in polygamous marriages, the elder wife should be exempted from the dialogue since she is at lower risk of engaging in extramarital affairs); relationship quality (marital conflicts, extramarital affairs, trust, and sexual dissatisfaction); and gender power relations (the notion that females’ initiative to discuss condom use and HIV couple counseling and testing may lead to conflict or divorce). Conclusions Implementing safer sex practices requires interventions beyond promotion messages. HIV prevention interventions in Tanzania should be carefully adapted to the local context including respective social norms, gender systems, marital context and relationship uncertainties as aspects that facilitate or hinder safer sex dialogue between partners. The WHO-CSDH framework could be strengthened by explicitly integrating relationship quality, marital status, and social norms as additional determinants of health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally Mmanyi Mtenga
- Ifakara Health Institute (IHI), Ifakara, Tanzania.,Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Basel, Switzerland.,Society Gender and Health, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland;
| | - Eveline Geubbels
- Ifakara Health Institute (IHI), Ifakara, Tanzania.,INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana
| | - Marcel Tanner
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Basel, Switzerland.,Society Gender and Health, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,INDEPTH Network, Accra, Ghana
| | - Sonja Merten
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Basel, Switzerland.,Society Gender and Health, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Constanze Pfeiffer
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Basel, Switzerland.,Society Gender and Health, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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17
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Rao N, Esber A, Turner A, Chilewani J, Banda V, Norris A. The impact of joint partner decision making on obstetric choices and outcomes among Malawian women. Int J Gynaecol Obstet 2016; 135:61-4. [PMID: 27357611 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijgo.2016.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2015] [Revised: 03/16/2016] [Accepted: 05/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine the effects of joint partner decision making on obstetric choices and outcomes in Malawi. METHODS Between July 15, 2014 and February 25, 2015, interviews were performed with women who reported at least one lifetime pregnancy in Lilongwe District, Malawi as part of a cross-sectional study of reproductive decision making. Logistic regression models were applied to examine associations of joint decision making with delivery location and obstetric complications. RESULTS The study population included 860 women. Women who engaged in joint decision making with partners (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 4.9; 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.3-7.2) and women whose partners made obstetric-care decisions alone (aOR 3.2; 95% CI 2.4-4.4) were more likely to undergo delivery at a healthcare facility compared with women who made obstetric-care decisions individually. In comparison with women who made obstetric decisions individually, no difference in the likelihood of experiencing obstetric complications was observed for women who engaged in joint decision making (aOR 1.1; 95% CI 0.7-1.7) or for women whose partners made decisions individually (aOR 0.8; 95% CI 0.5-1.3). CONCLUSION In rural Malawi, partner involvement in obstetric decision making was associated with improved obstetric choices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nisha Rao
- The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
| | - Allahna Esber
- The Ohio State University College of Public Health, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Abigail Turner
- The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio, USA; The Ohio State University College of Public Health, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | | | | | - Alison Norris
- The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio, USA; The Ohio State University College of Public Health, Columbus, Ohio, USA
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18
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Tsai AC, Wolfe WR, Kumbakumba E, Kawuma A, Hunt PW, Martin JN, Bangsberg DR, Weiser SD. Prospective Study of the Mental Health Consequences of Sexual Violence Among Women Living With HIV in Rural Uganda. JOURNAL OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE 2016; 31:1531-1553. [PMID: 25586914 PMCID: PMC4500676 DOI: 10.1177/0886260514567966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The association between sexual violence and depression is well known, but the temporal aspects of the association have not been well established. We analyzed data from a cohort of 173 HIV-positive women in rural Uganda who were interviewed every 3 months for a median of 1.8 years of follow-up. The method of generalized estimating equations (GEE) was used to model the marginal expectation of depression symptom severity (Hopkins Symptom Checklist for Depression), mental health-related quality of life (MOS-HIV Mental Health Summary), and heavy drinking (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) as a function of self-reported forced-sex victimization in the 3 months prior to interview. Estimates were adjusted for variables known to confound the association between victimization and mental health status. To assess any potential reciprocal relationships, we reversed the temporal ordering of the exposures and outcomes and refitted similar GEE models. In multivariable analyses, victimization was associated with greater depression symptom severity (b = 0.17; 95% CI = [0.02, 0.33]) and lower mental health-related quality of life (b = -5.65; 95% CI = [-9.34, -1.96]), as well as increased risks for probable depression (adjusted relative risk [ARR] = 1.58; 95% CI = [1.01, 2.49) and heavy drinking (ARR = 3.99; 95% CI = [1.84, 8.63]). We did not find strong evidence of a reciprocal relationship. Our findings suggest that forced sex is associated with adverse mental health outcomes among HIV-positive women in rural Uganda. Given the substantial mental health-related impacts of victimization, effective health sector responses are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander C Tsai
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Uganda Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | | | - Annet Kawuma
- Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Uganda
| | - Peter W Hunt
- University of California at San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - David R Bangsberg
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Uganda Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
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19
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Schuyler AC, Edelstein ZR, Mathur S, Sekasanvu J, Nalugoda F, Gray R, Wawer MJ, Serwadda DM, Santelli JS. Mobility among youth in Rakai, Uganda: Trends, characteristics, and associations with behavioural risk factors for HIV. Glob Public Health 2015; 12:1033-1050. [PMID: 26313708 DOI: 10.1080/17441692.2015.1074715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Mobility, including migration and travel, influences risk of HIV. This study examined time trends and characteristics among mobile youth (15-24 years) in rural Uganda, and the relationship between mobility and risk factors for HIV. We used data from an annual household census and population-based cohort study in the Rakai district, Uganda. Data on in-migration and out-migration were collected among youth (15-24 years) from 43 communities from 1999 to 2011 (N = 112,117 observations) and travel among youth residents from 2003 to 2008 (N = 18,318 observations). Migration and travel were more common among young women than young men. One in five youth reported out-migration. Over time, out-migration increased among youth and in-migration remained largely stable. Primary reasons for migration included work, living with friends or family, and marriage. Recent travel within Uganda was common and increased slightly over time in teen women (15-19 years old), and young adult men and women (20-24 years old). Mobile youth were more likely to report HIV-risk behaviours including: alcohol use, sexual experience, multiple partners, and inconsistent condom use. Our findings suggest that among rural Ugandan youth, mobility is increasingly common and associated with HIV-risk factors. Knowledge of patterns and characteristics of a young, high-risk mobile population has important implications for HIV interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley C Schuyler
- a Mailman School of Public Health , Columbia University , New York , NY , USA.,b School of Social Work , University of Southern California , Los Angeles , CA , USA
| | - Zoe R Edelstein
- a Mailman School of Public Health , Columbia University , New York , NY , USA
| | - Sanyukta Mathur
- a Mailman School of Public Health , Columbia University , New York , NY , USA
| | - Joseph Sekasanvu
- c Rakai Health Sciences Program , Uganda Virus Research Institute , Kalisizo, Rakai District, Uganda
| | - Fred Nalugoda
- c Rakai Health Sciences Program , Uganda Virus Research Institute , Kalisizo, Rakai District, Uganda
| | - Ronald Gray
- d Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health , Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , Baltimore , MD , USA
| | - Maria J Wawer
- d Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health , Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , Baltimore , MD , USA
| | - David M Serwadda
- c Rakai Health Sciences Program , Uganda Virus Research Institute , Kalisizo, Rakai District, Uganda
| | - John S Santelli
- a Mailman School of Public Health , Columbia University , New York , NY , USA
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20
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Gnauck K, Ruiz J, Kellett N, Sussman A, Sullivan MA, Montoya M, Levin N, Tomedi A, Mwanthi MA. Economic empowerment and AIDS-related stigma in rural Kenya: a double-edged sword? CULTURE, HEALTH & SEXUALITY 2013; 15:851-865. [PMID: 23668536 DOI: 10.1080/13691058.2013.789127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Economic empowerment, HIV risk and AIDS-related stigma appear intricately intertwined for women in Kenya. Their interaction must be understood in order to implement effective economic interventions that also decrease HIV risk and stigma. We conducted a qualitative study amongst women in a rural Kamba-speaking community of southeastern Kenya to pursue whether engagement in an economic empowerment initiative (a basket weaving cooperative) influences women's perspectives and experiences with HIV risk and AIDS-related stigma. We conducted seven women's focus groups: participants in the local basket-weaving cooperative comprised four focus groups and non-participants comprised the remaining three groups. The HIV status of the women was not known. Three dominant themes emerged from the focus groups: empowerment, pervasive vulnerability and unanticipated social paradoxes. Contradictions found in these themes suggest that economic empowerment can become a double-edged sword. Economic empowerment enhanced perceived individual, domestic and social community status. However, this enhancement was not protective of domestic violence and perceived HIV risk. Social perceptions may have paradoxically contributed barriers to HIV testing and treatment putting women at greater HIV risk. In conclusion, economic empowerment initiatives for women in developing countries in the context of the HIV epidemic should be coupled with peer mediated support and HIV-risk education.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine Gnauck
- University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
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21
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Schatz E, Williams J. Measuring gender and reproductive health in Africa using demographic and health surveys: the need for mixed-methods research. CULTURE, HEALTH & SEXUALITY 2012; 14:811-826. [PMID: 22800616 DOI: 10.1080/13691058.2012.698309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Understanding gender in Africa is essential to creating policy and designing interventions to address key reproductive-health issues such as HIV/AIDS and maternal mortality that are particularly pressing for the continent and are strongly related to gender inequality. The addition of questions to capture women's empowerment and autonomy on the MEASURE/Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) in the late-1990s expanded opportunities to examine the relationship between gender and reproductive health. These questions provide valuable information on trends and individual-level associations between gender inequality and health. Given that women's empowerment, status and autonomy are largely dependent on contextually-specific gender systems, however, supplementary qualitative studies to validate and contextualise these data would strengthen analyses significantly. This paper provides examples of how such mixed-methods work would improve understandings of gender and reproductive health in Africa by validating survey questions, providing insights into how to analyse and interpret DHS data and illuminating the processes and mechanisms behind gendered experiences. Additionally, this work could help improve future survey research on gender and reproductive health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enid Schatz
- School of Health Professions, University of Missouri, Columbia, USA.
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22
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Lundberg P, Johansson E, Okello E, Allebeck P, Thorson A. Sexual risk behaviours and sexual abuse in persons with severe mental illness in Uganda: a qualitative study. PLoS One 2012; 7:e29748. [PMID: 22253770 PMCID: PMC3253795 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0029748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2011] [Accepted: 12/03/2011] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Persons with severe mental illness (SMI) engage in risky sexual behaviours and have high prevalence of HIV in high-income countries. Little is known about sexual behaviours and HIV risk among persons with SMI in sub-Saharan Africa. In this qualitative study we explored how SMI may influence sexual risk behaviours and sexual health risks in Uganda. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 7 male and 13 female psychiatric patients aged 18–49 years. Participants were interviewed in hospital when clinically stable and capable of giving informed consent. Interview transcripts were analysed using manifest content analysis, generating the categories: (1) casual sex during illness episodes, (2) rape by non-partners, (3) exploitation by partners, (4) non-monogamous partners, and (5) sexual inactivity. Our findings suggest that SMI exacerbated sexual vulnerability in the women interviewed, by contributing to casual sex, to exploitative and non-monogamous sexual relationships, and to sexual assault by non-partners. No link could be established between SMI and increased sexual risk behaviours in the men interviewed, due to a small sample of men, and given that men's accounts showed little variability. Our findings also suggest that SMI caused sexual inactivity due to decreased sexual desire, and in men, due to difficulties forming an intimate relationship. Overall, our study highlights how SMI and gender inequality can contribute to the shaping of sexual risk behaviours and sexual health risks, including HIV risk, among persons with SMI in this Ugandan setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patric Lundberg
- Division of Social Medicine, Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
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23
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Nobelius AM, Kalina B, Pool R, Whitworth J, Chesters J, Power R. "The young ones are the condom generation": condom use amongst out-of-school adolescents in rural southwest Uganda. JOURNAL OF SEX RESEARCH 2011; 49:88-102. [PMID: 21516591 DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2011.568126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
This article reports on factors influencing condom use among out-of-school adolescents in rural southwest Uganda. Despite an abundance of negative discourses and myths about condoms in the community, these adolescents believe condoms protect them from sexually transmitted infections, HIV, and premarital pregnancies. Girls want partners to use condoms, but most lack the confidence to insist. Girls aged 13 to 14 reported the least difficulty asking for condoms; older girls attributed this to coming-of-age in the era of AIDS when condom use is the norm. Boys under 16 years want to use condoms, but lack confidence in application skills. Boys over 17 years always use condoms with casual partners, but only occasionally for pregnancy prevention with steady partners. Girls need skills training to improve confidence in negotiating condom use. Younger boys require training to improve confidence in skills with condom application. These findings are compared with studies conducted with in-school adolescents in the same study area. Health promotions that provide this skills training and focus on the need to think of the health of future family would be most effective for out-of-school adolescents. This study shows that it is self-confidence, rather than years of schooling, that has the greatest impact on condom use in this cohort.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann-Maree Nobelius
- School of Rural Health, Centre for Medical and Health Sciences Education, Monash University.
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Nyanzi-Wakholi B, Lara AM, Watera C, Munderi P, Gilks C, Grosskurth H. The role of HIV testing, counselling, and treatment in coping with HIV/AIDS in Uganda: a qualitative analysis. AIDS Care 2010; 21:903-8. [PMID: 20024747 DOI: 10.1080/09540120802657498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
HIV/AIDS has had a devastating impact at individual, household and community levels. This qualitative research investigates the role of HIV voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) and treatment in enabling HIV-positive Ugandans to cope with this disease. Twelve predetermined focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted; six with men and six with women. Half of the men and women's groups were receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) and half were not. An FGD was held with the health care providers administering ART. Testing for HIV was perceived as soliciting a death warrant. Participants affirmed that the incentive for testing was the possibility of accessing free ART. They described experiencing gender-variant stigma and depression on confirming their HIV status and commended the role of counselling in supporting them to adopt positive living. For those receiving ART, counselling reinforced treatment adherence. The findings also revealed gender differences in treatment adherence strategies. ART was described to reduce disease symptoms and restore physical health allowing them to resume their daily activities. Additionally, ART was preferred over traditional herbal treatment because it had clear dosages, expiry dates and was scientifically manufactured. Those that were not receiving ART bore myths and misconceptions about the effectiveness and side effects of ART, delaying the decision to seek treatment. Stigma and the attached concern of HIV/AIDS-related swift death, is a major barrier for VCT. Based on this study's findings, ensuring the provision of quality assured and gender conscious VCT and ART delivery services will enhance positive living and enforce compliance to ART programmes.
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25
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Rosenthal L, Levy SR. Understanding Women's Risk for HIV Infection Using Social Dominance Theory and the Four Bases of Gendered Power. PSYCHOLOGY OF WOMEN QUARTERLY 2010. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-6402.2009.01538.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Theoretical models to date have fallen short of accounting for the alarming worldwide rates of HIV infection in women through heterosexual contact. In this article, social dominance theory and the four bases of gendered power—force, resource control, social obligations, and consensual ideologies—are used to organize and explain international research findings on women's risk of contracting HIV from male sexual partners. Research suggests that the four bases of gendered power contribute to women having less power than men in heterosexual relationships, resulting in challenges to preventing HIV transmission from male partners. Social dominance theory also recognizes the intersections among various group-based hierarchies, such as race and class, thereby helping explain why women of color and low-income women are disproportionately affected by HIV. The intergroup focus of social dominance theory points to gender inequality as increasing men's risk of HIV infection as well, and the construct of social dominance orientation helps to explain individual differences in HIV risk behavior. We discuss the ways the current theoretical framework can prove useful in helping to guide future research addressing the connections between power and HIV risk, including exploring mediators and links to other theoretical models. We also discuss the implications the framework has for intervention efforts aimed at reducing HIV rates worldwide, such as supporting efforts at increasing women's representation in hierarchy-enhancing positions, incorporating empowerment issues into current interventions, promoting use of female condoms, and targeting heterosexual men for interventions.
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26
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Chard SE. Routes to government TB treatment: private providers, family support, and the process of TB treatment seeking among Ugandan women. Med Anthropol Q 2009; 23:257-76. [PMID: 19764314 DOI: 10.1111/j.1548-1387.2009.01059.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major source of morbidity and mortality in Uganda. This cross-sectional study explores Ugandan women's TB treatment-seeking processes to determine the routes to effective government TB treatment among a sample of urban, semirural, and rural women. This research focuses on women in particular as Ugandan women with tuberculosis must negotiate their treatment paths in a context where women tend to be politically and economically marginalized, with limited control of household resources and senior family members' health care decisions. The results examine the structural, social, and economic forces similarly guiding treatment seeking across the three research sites and then the specific differences among the settings. The findings suggest that the modest number of nongovernmental health care providers' diagnoses and referrals, particularly for urban and semirural participants, represents a critical barrier to biomedical TB treatment. Private providers' diagnosis delays also carry financial and physical costs, which undermine the resources available for subsequent TB treatment and participants' social and economic well-being. This study indicates that conceptualizations of the political economy of treatment seeking need to more fully acknowledge the dynamic nature of the microlevel political economic context of treatment seeking, including the domino social, economic, and health effects of structurally problematic health care systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Chard
- Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, MD, USA
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27
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Pronyk PM, Harpham T, Morison LA, Hargreaves JR, Kim JC, Phetla G, Watts CH, Porter JD. Is social capital associated with HIV risk in rural South Africa? Soc Sci Med 2008; 66:1999-2010. [DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2008.01.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2007] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Dworkin SL, Ehrhardt AA. Going beyond "ABC" to include "GEM": critical reflections on progress in the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Am J Public Health 2007; 97:13-8. [PMID: 17138923 PMCID: PMC1716252 DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2005.074591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/05/2006] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
A considerable number of studies have sought to identify what factors accounted for substantial reductions in HIV seroprevalence after several countries deployed "ABC" (abstinence, be faithful, condom use) strategies. After much public discourse and research on ABC success stories, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS 2004 epidemic report indicated that nearly 50% of infected people worldwide were women, up from 35% in 1985. In light of the feminization of HIV/AIDS, we critically assess the limitations of ABC strategies. We provide 3 additional prevention strategies that focus on gender relations, economics, and migration (GEM) and can speak to the new face of the epidemic. Pressing beyond ABC, GEM strategies provide the basis for a stronger central platform from which national efforts against HIV/AIDS can proceed to reduce transmission risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shari L Dworkin
- HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies, New York State Psychiatric Institute and Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA.
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Blankenship KM, Friedman SR, Dworkin S, Mantell JE. Structural interventions: concepts, challenges and opportunities for research. J Urban Health 2006; 83:59-72. [PMID: 16736355 PMCID: PMC1473169 DOI: 10.1007/s11524-005-9007-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 329] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Structural interventions refer to public health interventions that promote health by altering the structural context within which health is produced and reproduced. They draw on concepts from multiple disciplines, including public health, psychiatry, and psychology, in which attention to interventions is common, and sociology and political economy, where structure is a familiar, if contested, concept. This has meant that even as discussions of structural interventions bring together researchers from various fields, they can get stalled in debates over definitions. In this paper, we seek to move these discussions forward by highlighting a number of critical issues raised by structural interventions, and the subsequent implications of these for research.
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Affiliation(s)
- K M Blankenship
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS, Yale University, USA.
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