Comparing Youth-Friendly Health Services to the Standard of Care Through "Girl Power-Malawi": A Quasi-Experimental Cohort Study

Characterizing models of adolescent and youth-friendly health services in sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review

This scoping review provides an up-to-date overview of the evidence on adolescent and youth-friendly health services (AYFHS) in sub-Saharan African countries. We conducted a search of four databases and grey literature sources to identify English language publications from January 1, 2005, to December 14th, 2022. The review synthesized evidence on the models and characteristics of AYFHS, the application of World Health Organization (WHO) standards, and whether AYFHS have improved young people's health outcomes. In total, 77 sources were included in the review, representing 47 AYFHS initiatives spanning 19 countries, and three multi-country reports. Most commonly, AYFHS were delivered in public health facilities and focused on sexual and reproductive health, with limited application of WHO standards. Some evidence suggested that AYFHS increased young people's health service utilization and contraceptives uptake. There is a clear need to strengthen and develop innovative and multi-pronged approaches to delivering and evaluating AYFHS in this region.

Policies and Practices Facilitating Access to and Uptake of HIV Testing Services among Adolescents in Sub-Sahara Africa: A Narrative Review

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Expanding access to HIV testing services and linking newly diagnosed positive adolescents to antiretroviral therapy is critical to epidemic control. However, testing coverage and treatment initiation rates continue to lag behind adult counterparts. This article synthesizes evidence on facilitative policies and service delivery practices focused on adolescents to inform programming.

RECENT FINDINGS

Our narrative review found that national policies are growing more adolescent-inclusive but barriers around the age of consent, waiver frameworks and dissemination constrain translate into practice. Facility-based provider-initiated testing through integrated sexual health services and dedicated youth centres demonstrates uptake effectiveness if confidentiality and youth-friendly adaptations are assured. Supportive policies, youth-responsive adaptations across testing models and strengthening age-disaggregated monitoring are vital to improving adolescents' engagement across the HIV testing and treatment cascade. Further implementation research is imperative to expand the reach of adolescent HIV testing in sub-Saharan Africa.

Impact of sexual and reproductive health interventions among young people in sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review

Objectives

The aim of this scoping review was to identify and provide an overview of the impact of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) interventions on reproductive health outcomes among young people in sub-Saharan Africa.

Methods

Searches were carried out in five data bases. The databases were searched using variations and combinations of the following keywords: contraception, family planning, birth control, young people and adolescents. The Cochrane risk-of-bias 2 and Risk of Bias in Non-Randomized Studies-of-Interventions tools were used to assess risk of bias for articles included.

Results

Community-based programs, mHealth, SRH education, counselling, community health workers, youth friendly health services, economic support and mass media interventions generally had a positive effect on childbirth spacing, modern contraceptive knowledge, modern contraceptive use/uptake, adolescent sexual abstinence, pregnancy and myths and misperceptions about modern contraception.

Conclusion

Sexual and reproductive health interventions have a positive impact on sexual and reproductive health outcomes. With the increasing popularity of mHealth coupled with the effectiveness of youth friendly health services, future youth SRH interventions could integrate both strategies to improve SRH services access and utilization.

Experiences of adolescents and youth with HIV testing and linkage to care through the Red Carpet Program (RCP) in Kenya

Adolescents and youth living with HIV (AYLHIV) experience worse health outcomes compared to adults. We aimed to understand the experiences of AYLHIV in care in the youth-focused Red-Carpet program in Kenya to assess the quality of service provision and identify programmatic areas for optimization. We conducted focus group discussions among 39 AYLHIV (15-24 years) and structured analysis into four thematic areas. Within the HIV testing theme, participants cited fear of positive results, confidentiality and stigma concerns, and suggested engaging the community and youth in HIV testing opportunities. Within the HIV treatment adherence theme, participants cited forgetfulness, stigma, adverse side effects, lack of family support, and treatment illiteracy as barriers to adherence. Most participants reported positive experiences with healthcare providers and peer support. In terms of the HIV status disclosure theme, AYLHIV cited concerns about their future capacity to conceive children and start families and discussed challenges with understanding HIV health implications and sharing their status with friends and partners. Youth voices informing service implementation are essential in strengthening our capacity to optimize the support for AYLHIV within the community, at schools and healthcare facilities.

Youth-friendly services was the magic: Experiences of adolescent girls and young women in the community PrEP study, South Africa

Adherence to daily oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention has been challenging for adolescent girls and young women (AGYW). As part of The Community PrEP Study (CPS), AGYW were randomised to HIV-prevention empowerment counselling (intervention) or basic medication pick-up (control). In this qualitative sub-study, we interviewed AGYW participants (n = 39) to explore PrEP use and study experiences by study arm, and study staff (n = 7) to explore study implementation, site environment, and participant engagement. Data were thematically analysed using a constant comparison approach. Comparative matrices assessed similarities and differences in study experiences and PrEP support preferences. Friendly, non-judgmental, non-stigmatizing study staff were described as central to participant's positive experiences. Participants highly valued CPS staff's holistic health support (e.g. physical and psycho-social). Intervention participants described empowerment counselling as helpful in supporting PrEP disclosure. However, control participants also described disclosing PrEP use to trusted individuals. Participants and staff recommended public-sector PrEP services provide holistic, confidential, and integrated sexual and reproductive health services, and community sensitisation. An adolescent and youth-friendly environment was the primary factor motivating AGYW's study engagement. While HIV-prevention empowerment counselling was well received, welcoming, respectful and non-judgmental staff may be the 'secret sauce' for implementing effective PrEP services to AGYW.

Can cash transfer interventions increase contraceptive use and reduce adolescent birth and pregnancy in low and middle income countries? A systematic review and meta-analysis

Becoming pregnant and giving birth under the age of 20 is associated with a range of adverse social, socioeconomic and health outcomes for adolescent girls and their children in Low and middle income countries. Cash transfers are an example of a structural intervention that can change the local social and economic environment, and have been linked with positive health and social outcomes across several domains. As part of a wider review of structural adolescent contraception interventions, we conducted a systematic review on the impact of cash transfers on adolescent contraception and fertility. Fifteen studies were included in the review with eleven studies providing evidence for meta-analyses on contraception use, pregnancy and childbearing. The evidence suggests that cash transfer interventions are generally ineffective in raising levels of contraceptive use. However, cash transfer interventions did reduce levels of early pregnancy (OR 0.90, 95% CI 0.81 to 1.00). There was suggestive evidence that conditional, but not unconditional, cash transfers reduce levels of early childbearing. Given that much of the evidence is drawn from interventions providing cash transfers conditional on school attendance, supporting school attendance may enable adolescent girls and young women to make life choices that do not involve early pregnancy.

How a menu of adherence support strategies facilitated high adherence to HIV prevention products among adolescent girls and young women in sub-Saharan Africa: a mixed methods analysis

INTRODUCTION

Effective use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has been low among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in sub-Saharan Africa. The MTN-034/REACH trial offered AGYW a menu of adherence support strategies and achieved high adherence to both daily oral PrEP and the monthly dapivirine vaginal ring. Understanding how these strategies promoted product use could inform the design of adherence support systems in programmatic settings.

METHODS

REACH was a randomized crossover trial evaluating the safety of and adherence to the ring and oral PrEP among 247 HIV-negative AGYW (ages 16-21) in South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe from January 2019 to September 2021 (NCT03593655). Adherence support included monthly counselling sessions with drug-level feedback (DLF) plus optional daily short message service (SMS) reminders, weekly phone or SMS check-ins, peer support clubs, "peer buddies" and additional counselling. Counsellors documented adherence support choices and counselling content on standardized forms. Through focus groups, serial in-depth interviews (IDIs) and single IDIs (n = 119 total), we explored participants' experiences with adherence support and how it encouraged product use.

RESULTS

Participants received counselling at nearly all visits. DLF was provided at 54.3% of sessions and, across sites, 49%-68% received results showing high adherence for oral PrEP, and 73%-89% for the ring. The most popular support strategies were in-person clubs and weekly calls, followed by online clubs, additional counselling and SMS. Preferences differed across sites but were similar for both products. Qualitative results demonstrated that the REACH strategies supported adherence by providing information about HIV and PrEP, continually motivating participants, and supporting the development of behavioural skills and self-efficacy, aligning with the Information, Motivation, and Behavioural Skills (IMB) model. Effectiveness was supported by three foundational pillars: strong interpersonal relationships with counsellors; ongoing, easily accessible support and resources; and establishing trust in the counsellors and study products through counsellor relationships, peer-to-peer exchange and DLF.

CONCLUSIONS

Implementation programmes could support effective PrEP use by offering a small menu of counsellor- and peer-based support options that are youth-friendly and developmentally appropriate. The same menu options can support both ring and oral PrEP users, though content should be tailored to the individual products.

The impact of community-based, peer-led sexual and reproductive health services on knowledge of HIV status among adolescents and young people aged 15 to 24 in Lusaka, Zambia: The Yathu Yathu cluster-randomised trial

BACKGROUND

The growing population of adolescents and young people (AYP) aged 15 to 24 in sub-Saharan Africa face a high burden of HIV in many settings. Unintended pregnancies among adolescent girls in the region remain high. Nonetheless, the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) service needs of AYP have remained underserved. We conducted a cluster-randomised trial (CRT) to estimate the impact of community-based, peer-led SRH service provision on knowledge of HIV status and other SRH outcomes, including met need for contraceptives.

METHODS AND FINDINGS

Yathu Yathu was a cluster-randomised trial (CRT) conducted from 2019 to 2021 in 2 urban communities in Lusaka, Zambia. The communities were divided into 20 zones (approximately 2,350 AYP/zone) that were randomly allocated to the Yathu Yathu intervention or control arm. In each intervention zone, a community-based hub, staffed by peer support workers, was established to provide SRH services. In 2019, a census was conducted in all zones; all consenting AYP aged 15 to 24 were given a Yathu Yathu card, which allowed them to accrue points for accessing SRH services at the hub and health facility (intervention arm) or the health facility only (control arm). Points could be exchanged for rewards, thus acting as an incentive to use SRH services in both arms. We conducted a cross-sectional survey in 2021 to estimate the impact of Yathu Yathu on the primary outcome: knowledge of HIV status (self-reporting living with HIV or HIV testing in the last 12 months) and secondary outcomes, including use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in the last 12 months, current use of antiretroviral therapy (ART), and met need for contraceptive services. The sampling was stratified on sex and age group, and we analysed data at cluster-level using a two-stage process recommended for CRTs with <15 clusters/arm. A total of 1,989 AYP consented to participate in the survey (50% male); consent was similar across arms (63% consent/arm). Across zones, knowledge of HIV status ranged from 63.6% to 81.2% in intervention zones and 35.4% to 63.0% in control zones. Adjusting for age, sex, and community, knowledge of HIV status was higher in the intervention arm compared to control (73.3% versus 48.4%, respectively, adjusted prevalence ratio (PR) 1.53 95% CI 1.36, 1.72; p < 0.001). By age and sex, results were similar. There was no evidence for impact on any secondary outcomes, including current use of ART and met need for contraceptives. There were no adverse events reported in either arm. A key limitation of our trial is that approximately 35% of the AYP randomly selected for participation in the endline survey could not be reached.

CONCLUSIONS

Delivering community-based, peer-led SRH services increased knowledge of HIV status among AYP, both males and females, compared with the control arm. Scaling up the highly effective Yathu Yathu strategy has the potential to make a substantial contribution to increasing access to HIV prevention and care services for young people. However, additional implementation research is needed to understand how to improve uptake of broader SRH services, beyond uptake of HIV testing.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ISRCTN75609016, clinicaltrials.gov number NCT04060420.

Implementing HIV Prevention in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review of Interventions Targeting Systems, Communities, and Individuals

HIV remains a threat to global public health, disproportionately affecting countries across Sub-Saharan Africa. Although treatment and access to care have improved, prevention remains critical to ending new HIV infections by 2030. A variety of prevention strategies exist, yet their effectiveness is difficult to measure and variable due to the nature of the interventions and vulnerability of the intervention during implementation. This systematic review of 51 studies synthesizes data on the implementation and evaluation of evidence-based HIV prevention interventions across Sub-Saharan Africa. Studies were included if they occurred between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2019, inclusive in Sub-Saharan Africa, were written in English, implemented an HIV prevention intervention in the field, and had reportable results. Using a modified social-ecological model for HIV prevention, we divided studies into three categories: interventions targeting health systems (n = 16), communities (n = 8), and individuals (n = 27). Across all categories, the data emphasized preventing mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT), medical interventions, and psychosocial interventions. The most successful programs bundled several interventions that were integrated into the health system. There is a notable lack of interventions targeting key populations and there are significant rates of loss to follow up (LTFU) across many studies. This review provides insight into the prioritization of evidence-based HIV prevention interventions across Sub-Saharan Africa.

"Pharmacies are Everywhere, and You can get it at any Time": Experiences With Pharmacy-Based PrEP Delivery Among Adolescent Girls and Young Women in Kisumu, Kenya

INTRODUCTION

Many Kenyan adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) with behaviors associated with HIV acquisition access contraception at retail pharmacies. Offering oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in pharmacies could help reach AGYW with PrEP services.

METHODS

We piloted PrEP delivery at 3 retail pharmacies in Kisumu, Kenya. AGYW purchasing contraception were offered PrEP by nurses with remote prescriber oversight. AGYW who accepted were provided with a free 1-month supply. We conducted in-depth interviews with AGYW 30 days postobtaining PrEP. Transcripts were analyzed to explore experiences of AGYW accessing PrEP at pharmacies.

RESULTS

We conducted 41 interviews. AGYW preferred pharmacies for accessing PrEP and they were willing to pay for PrEP even if available for free at clinics. Reasons for this preference included accessibility, lack of queues, and medication stockouts, privacy, anonymity, autonomy, and high-quality counseling from our study nurses.

CONCLUSIONS

Pharmacies may be an important PrEP access option for this population.

Qualitative Analysis Using Social Maps to Explore Young Women's Experiences With Social Support of their Oral PrEP Use in Kenya and South Africa

ABSTRACT

Daily oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) adherence is challenging. We explored African adolescent girls and young women's (AGYW) perceptions of the social influencers of their PrEP use and the social influencers' PrEP knowledge and support (six focus group discussions; 33 South African and Kenyan AGYW) in the Prevention Options for Women Evaluation Research demonstration project. Participants completed a social mapping exercise indicating strength and direction of influence of members in their social networks. Mothers and counselors were identified as positive influencers and most influential by >50% of participants, sex partners were labeled negative influencers or both positive and negative, and best friends were mostly positive influencers. HIV- and PrEP-related stigma were the major reasons influencers were identified as negative. Participants wanted their social networks to be better educated about PrEP by someone other than the AGYW themselves (e.g., clinic staff) and to support their PrEP use. To improve PrEP adherence, community- and peer-based PrEP sensitization and delivery interventions should be evaluated.

Provider–client rapport in pre-exposure prophylaxis delivery: a qualitative analysis of provider and client experiences of an implementation science project in Kenya

Daily oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is being incorporated into services frequented by adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in sub-Saharan Africa who are at a significant risk of HIV. In non-PrEP studies, positive provider–client rapport has been shown to improve patient decision-making and use of medication in clinical care. We examined AGYW and healthcare provider (HCP) perspectives on the value of and strategies for building positive provider–client rapport. We conducted in-depth interviews from January 2018 to December 2019 with 38 AGYW and 15 HCPs from two family planning clinics in Kisumu, Kenya where PrEP was being delivered to AGYW as part of the Prevention Options for Women Evaluation Research (POWER) study. We used semi-structured interview guides and audio-recorded interviews with participant consent. Verbatim transcripts were analysed using thematic content analysis. HCPs and AGYW emphasised the importance of positive provider–client rapport to meet AGYW support needs in PrEP service delivery. HCPs described how they employed rapport-building strategies that strengthened AGYW PrEP uptake and continuation, including: (1) using friendly and non-judgmental tones; (2) maintaining client confidentiality (to build client trust); (3) adopting a conversational approach (to enable accurate risk assessment); (4) actively listening and tailoring counselling (to promote client knowledge, skills, and self-efficacy); and (5) supporting client agency. Positive provider–client relationships and negative experiences identified in this analysis have the potential to facilitate/deter AGYW from using PrEP while at risk. The strategies to enhance provider–client rapport identified in this study could be integrated into PrEP provider training and delivery practices.

Intimate Partner Violence and Contraception among Adolescent Girls and Young Women: A Longitudinal Analysis of the Girl Power-Malawi Cohort

PURPOSE

In sub-Saharan Africa, sexually active adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) experience high rates of intimate partner violence (IPV) and low levels of contraceptive use, but the effect of IPV on contraceptive use is not well understood.

METHODS

In the Girl Power-Malawi study, AGYW aged 15-24 were recruited from 4 health centers in Lilongwe, Malawi, and followed for 1 year. At baseline, AGYW were assessed for IPV using the modified Conflict Tactics Scale. AGYW reported contraceptive method use at 6 and 12 months, characterized as barrier, non-barrier, or any modern method. Modified Poisson regression was implemented to estimate risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to examine the effect of IPV on contraceptive use.

RESULTS

One thousand AGYW were enrolled, and 954 non-pregnant participants were included. Baseline prevalence of IPV with the most recent partner was 35.5% (physical), 46.2% (sexual), and 76.9% (emotional). Baseline IPV did not affect contraceptive use at 6 months (aRR [95% CI]: physical 0.98 [0.91-1.05]; sexual 1.00 [0.94-1.07]; emotional 1.03 [0.94-1.12]) or 12 months (physical 0.95 [0.89-1.02]; sexual 0.96 [0.90-1.02]; emotional 0.98 [0.91-1.05]). None of the 3 IPV categories affected contraceptive use when the outcome was restricted to either barrier or non-barrier methods.

CONCLUSIONS

In this cohort, IPV was not a key driver of contraceptive use in longitudinal analyses. Interventions are needed to address the alarming rates of IPV in this population, but addressing IPV alone might be insufficient to address low contraceptive use, and multifaceted youth-friendly health services might be necessary.

Structural Interventions to Enable Adolescent Contraceptive Use in LMICs: A Mid-Range Theory to Support Intervention Development and Evaluation

Enabling contraceptive use is critical for addressing high adolescent pregnancy rates in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Broader or 'upstream' determinants, such as poverty, education, and social norms, can affect the knowledge, attitudes, motivation, and ability to access and use contraception. Structural interventions aim to address these broader determinants, e.g., through poverty alleviation from livelihood training or cash transfers, increasing school participation, or changing social norms. We conducted an evidence synthesis using intervention component analysis, a case-based approach, following a systematic mapping of the evidence base. We identified 17 studies with 29 structural intervention arms, which reported adolescent contraceptive use outcomes compared to a control group or baseline. It was not possible to identify with certainty which interventions were 'likely effective' or 'likely ineffective' due to the high heterogeneity of the methods. We built on an existing framework of family planning use to propose three steps to designing interventions: (1) tailor interventions to adolescents' life stages; (2) assess the baseline situation; and (3) select appropriate activities to match the gaps. These steps will aid developers and evaluators of structural adolescent contraceptive interventions to develop an evidence base that is of use across a wide range of settings and use scenarios.

Health worker perceptions of stigma towards Zambian adolescent girls and young women: a qualitative study

Background

The high prevalence of HIV among adolescent girls and young women aged 15–24 in Eastern and Southern Africa indicates a substantial need for accessible HIV prevention and treatment services in this population. Amidst this need, Zambia has yet to meet global testing and treatment targets among adolescent girls and young women living with HIV. Increasing access to timely, high-quality HIV services in this population requires addressing the intensified anticipated and experienced stigma that adolescent girls and young women often face when seeking HIV care, particularly stigma in the health facility setting. To better understand the multi-level drivers and manifestations of health facility stigma, we explored health workers’ perceptions of clinic- and community-level stigma against adolescent girls and young women seeking sexual and reproductive health, including HIV, services in Lusaka, Zambia.

Methods

We conducted 18 in-depth interviews in August 2020 with clinical and non-clinical health workers across six health facilities in urban and peri-urban Lusaka. Data were coded in Dedoose and thematically analyzed.

Results

Health workers reported observing manifestations of stigma driven by attitudes, awareness, and institutional environment. Clinic-level stigma often mirrored community-level stigma. Health workers clearly described the negative impacts of stigma for adolescent girls and young women and seemed to generally express a desire to avoid stigmatization. Despite this lack of intent to stigmatize, results suggest that community influence perpetuates a lingering presence of stigma, although often unrecognized and unintended, in health workers and clinics.

Conclusions

These findings demonstrate the overlap in health workers’ clinic and community roles and suggest the need for multi-level stigma-reduction approaches that address the influence of community norms on health facility stigma. Stigma-reduction interventions should aim to move beyond fostering basic knowledge about stigma to encouraging critical thinking about internal beliefs and community influence and how these may manifest, often unconsciously, in service delivery to adolescent girls and young women.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12913-022-08636-5.

Which Structural Interventions for Adolescent Contraceptive Use Have Been Evaluated in Low- and Middle-Income Countries?

Reducing adolescent childbearing is a global priority, and enabling contraceptive use is one means of achieving this. Upstream factors, e.g., gender inequalities, fertility norms, poverty, empowerment and schooling, can be major factors affecting contraceptive use. We conducted a systematic map to understand which structural adolescent contraception interventions targeting these upstream factors have been evaluated in LMICs. We searched eight academic databases plus relevant websites and a 2016 evidence gap map and screened references based on set inclusion criteria. We screened 6993 references and included 40 unique intervention evaluations, reported in 138 papers. Seventeen evaluations were reported only in grey literature. Poverty reduction/economic empowerment interventions were the most common structural intervention, followed by interventions to increase schooling (e.g., through legislation or cash transfers) and those aiming to change social norms. Half of the evaluations were RCTs. There was variation in the timing of endline outcome data collection and the outcome measures used. A range of structural interventions have been evaluated for their effect on adolescent contraceptive use/pregnancy. These interventions, and their evaluations, are heterogenous in numerous ways. Improved understandings of how structural interventions work, as well as addressing evaluation challenges, are needed to facilitate progress in enabling adolescent contraceptive use in LMICs.

Spanish Intimate Partner Violence Survivors Help-Seeking Strategies Across the Life Span

Intimate partner violence (IPV) and its associated factors may vary according to women's age. In this study, we analyze the effect of age on help-seeking behavior and the associated factors among women exposed to IPV in Spain. Using the Spanish Macrosurvey on Gender Violence of 2014, we analyzed the frequency of help-seeking behavior (police report, formal resources, and informal networks of support) in women who were exposed to lifetime physical/sexual or fear-based IPV (n = 1,567 women). We used Poisson regression models to obtain variables associated with support resources. The analysis was carried out in three age groups: young women (16-29 years old), adults (30-49 years old), and older women (50 years and over). Our results show that informal support networks are the most used resource by all women´s age groups. The probability of filing a police complaint increases among women exposured to physical IPV (PR_adult : 1.58; 
PR_elder : 2.17 ). The probability of using formal resources decreased among older women with low family socioeconomic status (PR: 0.80) and in adult women exposed to sexual IPV (PR: 0.78), and increased among young women and adult Spanish women (PR_young: 1.65; PR_adult: 1.34). The use of informal support networks increased among adult women with physical and mental health effects (PR: 1.22). In older women use of informal support networks was associated with the type of IPV (PR_physical: 1.14; PR_sexual: 0.88). The presence of minors who witnessed IPV increased help-seeking behavior among adult and older women.In conclusion, the knowledge of the differences in help-seeking strategies by women in different age groups could contribute to designing strategies to promote women's ability to seek formal help when exposed to IPV.

Interventions to Increase HIV Testing Uptake in Global Settings

Purpose of Review

HIV testing is the critical first step to direct people living with HIV (PLWH) to treatment. However, progress is still being made towards the UNAIDS benchmark of 95% of PLWH knowing their status by 2030. Here, we discuss recent interventions to improve HIV testing uptake in global settings.

Recent Findings

Successful facility-based HIV testing interventions involve couples and index testing, partner notification, and offering of incentives. Community-based interventions such as home-based self-testing, mobile outreach, and hybrid approaches have improved HIV testing in low-resource settings and among priority populations. Partnerships with trusted community leaders have also increased testing among populations disproportionally impacted by HIV.

Summary

Recent HIV testing interventions span a breadth of facility- and community-based approaches. Continued research is needed to engage men in sub-Saharan Africa, people who inject drugs, and people who avoid biomedical care. Interventions should consider supporting linkage to care for newly diagnosed PLWH.

Individual and Relationship-Level Correlates of Transactional Sex Among Adolescent Girls and Young Women in Malawi: A Multilevel Analysis

Transactional sex increases HIV risk among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW). Understanding the individual and dyadic nature of transactional sex may provide evidence for risk reduction interventions. Multilevel logistic regression was used to cross-sectionally examine correlates of transactional sex among AGYW in Lilongwe, Malawi. Participants (N = 920) reported 1227 relationships. Individual-level associations were found between being divorced/widowed (AOR 5.07, 95% CI 1.93, 13.25), married (AOR 0.26, 95% CI 0.09, 0.72), or unstably housed (AOR 7.11, 95% CI 2.74, 18.47) and transactional sex. At the relationship-level, transactional sex occurred in relationships with: non-primary primary partners (AOR 4.06, 95% CI 2.37, 6.94), perceived partner concurrency (AOR 1.85, 95% CI 1.11, 3.08), and feared violence with couples HIV testing (AOR 2.81, 95% CI 1.26, 6.29), and less likely to occur in relationships with children (AOR 0.15, 95% CI 0.06, 0.38). Multiple co-occurring social and structural vulnerabilities increase transactional sex engagement warranting the need for social protection and gender transformative approaches.

Perspectives of Adolescent Girls and Young Women on Optimizing Youth-Friendly HIV and Sexual and Reproductive Health Care in Zambia

Youth-friendly health care delivery models are needed to address the complex health care needs of adolescent girls and young women (AGYW). The aim of this study is to explore the lived experiences of AGYW seeking comprehensive HIV and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care and to elicit their preferences for integrated health care services. We conducted in-depth interviews and focus group discussions in Lusaka, Zambia among 69 AGYW aged 10-20 who were HIV-negative or of unknown status and 40 AGYW aged 16-24 living with HIV. The data were coded through deductive and inductive processes and analyzed thematically using modified World Health Organization (WHO) dimensions of quality for youth-friendly services. AGYW expressed preference for one-stop clinics with integrated services that could provide HIV services along with other services such as pregnancy testing and family planning. AGYW also wanted information on staying healthy and approaches to prevent disease which could be delivered in the community setting such as youth clubs. An integrated clinic should address important attributes to AGYW including short wait time, flexible opening hours, assurance of confidentiality and positive staff attitudes. Youth-friendly, integrated care delivery models that incorporate AGYW preferences may foster linkages to care and improve outcomes among vulnerable AGYW.

Integrating HIV services and other health services: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Integration of HIV services with other health services has been proposed as an important strategy to boost the sustainability of the global HIV response. We conducted a systematic and comprehensive synthesis of the existing scientific evidence on the impact of service integration on the HIV care cascade, health outcomes, and cost-effectiveness.

METHODS AND FINDINGS

We reviewed the global quantitative empirical evidence on integration published between 1 January 2010 and 10 September 2021. We included experimental and observational studies that featured both an integration intervention and a comparator in our review. Of the 7,118 unique peer-reviewed English-language studies that our search algorithm identified, 114 met all of our selection criteria for data extraction. Most of the studies (90) were conducted in sub-Saharan Africa, primarily in East Africa (55) and Southern Africa (24). The most common forms of integration were (i) HIV testing and counselling added to non-HIV services and (ii) non-HIV services added to antiretroviral therapy (ART). The most commonly integrated non-HIV services were maternal and child healthcare, tuberculosis testing and treatment, primary healthcare, family planning, and sexual and reproductive health services. Values for HIV care cascade outcomes tended to be better in integrated services: uptake of HIV testing and counselling (pooled risk ratio [RR] across 37 studies: 1.67 [95% CI 1.41-1.99], p < 0.001), ART initiation coverage (pooled RR across 19 studies: 1.42 [95% CI 1.16-1.75], p = 0.002), time until ART initiation (pooled RR across 5 studies: 0.45 [95% CI 0.20-1.00], p = 0.050), retention in HIV care (pooled RR across 19 studies: 1.68 [95% CI 1.05-2.69], p = 0.031), and viral suppression (pooled RR across 9 studies: 1.19 [95% CI 1.03-1.37], p = 0.025). Also, treatment success for non-HIV-related diseases and conditions and the uptake of non-HIV services were commonly higher in integrated services. We did not find any significant differences for the following outcomes in our meta-analyses: HIV testing yield, ART adherence, HIV-free survival among infants, and HIV and non-HIV mortality. We could not conduct meta-analyses for several outcomes (HIV infections averted, costs, and cost-effectiveness), because our systematic review did not identify sufficient poolable studies. Study limitations included possible publication bias of studies with significant or favourable findings and comparatively weak evidence from some world regions and on integration of services for key populations in the HIV response.

CONCLUSIONS

Integration of HIV services and other health services tends to improve health and health systems outcomes. Despite some scientific limitations, the global evidence shows that service integration can be a valuable strategy to boost the sustainability of the HIV response and contribute to the goal of 'ending AIDS by 2030', while simultaneously supporting progress towards universal health coverage.

Integrating Sexual and Reproductive Health Services Within HIV Services: WHO Guidance

Among the 1.9 billion women of reproductive age worldwide in 2019, 1.1 billion need family planning and 270 million have an unmet need for contraception. For women and adolescent girls living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), using effective contraception reduces the mother-to-child transmission of HIV by preventing unintended pregnancies and enabling the planning and safer conception of desired pregnancies with optimal maternal and child health outcomes. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that sexual and reproductive health services, including contraception, may be integrated within HIV services. Integration is associated with increased offers and uptake of sexual and reproductive health services, including contraception, which is likely to result in improved downstream clinical outcomes. Integrating HIV and sexual and reproductive health services has been found to improve access, the quality of antenatal care and nurse productivity while reducing stigma and without compromising uptake of care. Research is encouraged to identify approaches to integration that lead to better uptake of sexual and reproductive health services, including contraception. Implementation research is encouraged to evaluate different strategies of integration in different health systems and social contexts; such research should include providing contraception, including long-acting contraception, in the context of less frequent clinical and ART refill visits.

When healthcare providers are supportive, 'I'd rather not test alone': Exploring uptake and acceptability of HIV self-testing for youth in Zimbabwe - A mixed method study

INTRODUCTION

In sub-Saharan Africa, less than half of young people know their HIV status. HIV self-testing (HIVST) is a testing strategy with the potential to offer privacy and autonomy. We aimed to understand the uptake and acceptability of different HIV testing options for youth in Harare, Zimbabwe.

METHODS

This study was nested within a cluster randomized trial of a youth-friendly community-based integrated HIV and sexual and reproductive health intervention for youth aged 16-24 years. Three HIV testing options were offered: (1) provider-delivered testing; (2) HIVST on site in a private booth without a provider present; and (3) provision of a test kit to test off site. Descriptive statistics and proportions were used to investigate the uptake of HIV testing in a client sample. A focus group discussion (FGD) with intervention providers alongside in-depth interviews, paired interviews and FGDs with a selected sample of youth clients explored uptake and acceptability of the different HIV testing strategies. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the qualitative data.

RESULTS

Between April and June 2019, 951 eligible clients were tested for HIV: 898 (94.4%) chose option 1, 30 (3.25%) chose option 2 and 23 (2.4%) chose option 3. Option 1 clients cited their trust in the service and a desire for immediate counselling, support and guidance from trusted providers as the reasons for their choice. Young people were not confident in their expertise to conduct HIVST. Concerns about limited privacy, confidentiality and lack of support in the event of an HIV-positive result were barriers for off-site HIVST.

CONCLUSIONS

In the context of supportive, trusted and youth-friendly providers, youth clients overwhelmingly preferred provider-delivered HIV testing over client-initiated HIVST or HIVST off site. This highlights the importance of listening to youth to improve engagement in testing. While young people want autonomy in choosing when, where and how to test, they do not want to necessarily test on their own. They desire quality in-person counselling, guidance and support, alongside privacy and confidentiality. To increase the appeal of HIVST for youth, greater provision of access to private spaces is required, and accessible pre- and post-test counselling and support may improve uptake.

A Multilevel Analysis of Risk and Protective Factors for Adolescent Childbearing in Malawi

Although teenage pregnancy and childbearing has declined throughout sub-Saharan Africa, the recent increase in teenage pregnancy in countries such as Malawi has prompted interest from social researchers. Using Malawi Demographic and Health Survey (MDHS) data from 2004 to 2015, this study employs multilevel logistic regression to examine the magnitude of change over time in risk and protective factors for teenage childbearing. During this period, teenage childbearing declined from 36.1% (C.I.: 31.5–36.7) in 2004 to 25.6% (C.I.: 24.0–27.3) in 2010 before increasing to 29.0% (C.I.: 27.4–30.7) in 2015. Age and being married (compared to never married) were consistently significantly associated with increased odds of teenage childbearing. However, delaying sexual debut, attaining secondary education, belonging to the richest quintile and rural residence offered protective effects against early motherhood, while Muslim affiliation (compared to Christian denominations) was associated with increased likelihood of teenage childbearing among adolescents. Teenage childbearing remains high in the country, largely influenced by adolescents’ early sexual debut and child marriage—risk factors that have hardly changed over time. While individual socioeconomic predictors are useful in explaining the apparent high risk of adolescent fertility among specific subgroups in Malawi, sustained declines in teenage childbearing were not evident at district level.

Implementation Strategies to Enhance Youth-Friendly Sexual and Reproductive Health Services in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review

Introduction: Youth-friendly health service (YFHS) interventions are a promising, cost-effective approaches to delivering sexual and reproductive services that cater to the developmental needs of young people. Despite a growing evidence-base, implementation of such interventions into practice have proven to be challenging in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Thus, the purpose of this review is to synthesize existing evidence on YFHS implementation in SSA and understand which implementation strategies were used, in what context, how they were used, and leading to which implementation outcomes.

Methods: A comprehensive literature search in PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and CINAHL, was conducted to identify peer-reviewed research articles published from database inception up until August 2020. Eligible studies were required to include young people (ages 10–24 years) in sub-Saharan Africa. Studies that described implementation strategies, as conceptualized by the Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change (ERIC) project, used to enhance the implementation of YFHS were included. Implementation outcomes were extracted using Proctor and colleagues' 8 taxonomy of implementation outcomes.

Results: We identified 18 unique interventions (reported in 23 articles) from an initial search of 630 articles, including seven from East Africa, seven from South Africa, and four from West Africa. In most studies (n = 15), youth-friendly health services were delivered within the context of a health facility or clinic setting. The most frequently reported categories of implementation strategies were to train and educate stakeholders (n = 16) followed by infrastructure change (n = 10), to engage consumers (n = 9), the use of evaluative and iterative strategies (n = 8), support clinicians (n = 8), and providing interactive assistance (n = 6). The effectiveness of the strategies to enhance YFHS implementation was commonly measured using adoption (n = 15), fidelity (n = 7), acceptability (n = 5), and penetration (n = 5). Few studies reported on sustainability (n = 2), appropriateness (n = 1), implementation cost (n = 1) and feasibility (n = 0).

Conclusion: Results of the review emphasize the need for further research to evaluate and optimize implementation strategies for promoting the scale-up and sustainability of evidence-based, YFHS interventions in resource-constrained settings. This review also highlights the need to design robust studies to better understand which, in what combination, and in what context, can implementation strategies be used to effectively enhance the implementation of YFHS interventions.

Facilitators and Barriers to Implementation of Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptive Services for Adolescent Girls and Young Women in Gaborone, Botswana

STUDY OBJECTIVE

Botswana has a high pregnancy rate among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW). Long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) use among AGYW in Botswana is low, despite its high effectiveness for preventing pregnancy. Using an implementation science framework, we assessed barriers and facilitators to LARC implementation among AGYW in Botswana.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional mixed methods.

SETTING

Gaborone, Botswana.

PARTICIPANTS

Twenty sexually active AGYW ages 18-24 years; 20 health system stakeholders.

INTERVENTIONS

Surveys and semistructured interviews grounded in the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Themes reflecting barriers and facilitators of LARC implementation.

RESULTS

The median age for AGYW was 22 (interquartile range, 21-23) years. Twenty percent were using an implant and none had ever used an intrauterine device. Barriers and facilitators of LARC implementation spanned factors at each Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research domain: (1) LARC characteristics like side effects; (2) the clinics' inner settings, including availability of youth-friendly services; (3) characteristics of health system stakeholders, such as LARC skills, and AGYW experiences, attitudes, and beliefs about LARCs; (4) the outer setting external to clinics and Botswana's health system including reproductive health law and policy for minor adolescents; and (5) the implementation process level such as the availability of free or low-cost LARCs.

CONCLUSION

We identified multilevel, context-specific factors that affect LARC implementation. Our findings can inform the development of interventions to increase LARC implementation in Botswana by addressing intersecting factors across patient, clinic, health system, and sociopolitical levels, such as providing confidential services to minors and improving LARC training and supply chain pipelines.

A designathon to co-create community-driven HIV self-testing services for Nigerian youth: findings from a participatory event

BACKGROUND

Youth are at high risk for HIV, but are often left out of designing interventions, including those focused on adolescents. We organized a designathon for Nigerian youth to develop HIV self-testing (HIVST) strategies for potential implementation in their local communities. A designathon is a problem-focused event where participants work together over a short period to create and present solutions to a judging panel.

METHODS

We organized a 72-h designathon for youth (14-24 years old) in Nigeria to design strategies to increase youth HIVST uptake. Proposals included details about HIVST kit service delivery, method of distribution, promotional strategy, and youth audience. Teams pitched their proposals to a diverse seven-member judging panel who scored proposals based on desirability, feasibility, potential impact and teamwork. We examined participants' socio-demographic characteristics and summarized themes from their HIVST proposals.

RESULTS

Forty-two youth on 13 teams participated in the designathon. The median team size was 3 participants (IQR: 2-4). The median age was 22.5 years (IQR: 21-24), 66.7% were male, 47.4% completed tertiary education, and 50% lived in Lagos State. Themes from proposals included HIVST integration with other health services, digital marketing and distribution approaches, and engaging students. Judges identified seven teams with exceptional HIVST proposals and five teams were supported for further training.

CONCLUSIONS

The designathon provided a structured method for incorporating youth ideas into HIV service delivery. This approach could differentiate HIV services to be more youth-friendly in Nigeria and other settings.

Communication, social norms, and contraceptive use among adolescent girls and young women in Lilongwe, Malawi

In Malawi, 50% of adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) have had a first child by age 19 and 45% report their pregnancies as unintended or mistimed. Yet, uptake of contraception remains low. Understanding how interactions with social ties impact AGYW contraceptive use might explain low uptake beyond individual and environmental factors. Data are from Girl-Power, a study among sexually active AGYW, aged 15-24, in Malawi. We used logistic regression models to examine whether contraceptive communication and social norms (descriptive and injunctive) were associated with contraceptive use (non-barrier methods and condoms) and how associations differed across social ties (older women in the family, peers, and partners). The sample included 942 participants: 28% reported using non-barrier methods and 66% reported using condoms. Contraceptive communication with older women in the family (aOR: 1.48, 95% CI: 0.99, 2.20), peers (aOR: 3.12, 95% CI: 1.96, 4.96), and partners (aOR 5.15, 95% CI: 3.13, 8.48) was associated with non-barrier method use. Descriptive norms were associated with non-barrier methods among peers (aOR 2.57, 95% CI: 1.63, 4.96) but not among older women in the family (aOR: 1.22, 95% CI 0.80, 1.88). There were no associations among contraceptive communication, social norms, and condom use across older women in the family, peers, and partners. The findings highlight the need to consider the influence of social ties in the design of future family planning interventions and suggest that interventions that encourage interpersonal communication about contraception and target peer-based descriptive norms have the potential to impact uptake of non-barrier methods.

Known HIV status among adolescent women attending antenatal care services in Eswatini, Ethiopia and Mozambique

Background

Antenatal care (ANC) clinics remain important entry points to HIV care for pregnant women living with HIV—including adolescents. Prior knowledge of their HIV status at ANC enrollment is crucial to providing services for prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV. We examined known HIV status of pregnant adolescents and women in other age groups at ANC enrollment.

Methods

A descriptive study of routinely reported PMTCT data from 419 facilities in Eswatini, Ethiopia, and Mozambique, from January through December 2018 was conducted. We assessed knowledge of HIV status by country for three age groups: adolescents aged 15–19 years, young women aged 20–24 years, and older women aged 25–49 years. We report HIV prevalence and proportions of known and newly diagnosed HIV infections in women, by age group and country. The data were summarized by frequencies and proportions, including their 95% confidence intervals.

Results

Among the facilities examined, 52 (12.4%) were in Eswatini, 63 (15.0%) in Ethiopia, and 304 (72.6%) in Mozambique. Across three countries, 488,121 women attended a first ANC visit and 23,917 (4.9%) were HIV-positive. Adolescents constituted 22% of all ANC attendees, whereas young and older women represented 33% and 45%, respectively. HIV prevalence was lowest among adolescents than in other age groups in Eswatini (adolescents 11.9%, young 24.2% and older 47.3%), but comparable to young women in Ethiopia (adolescents 1.6%, young 1.6% and older 2.2%) and Mozambique (adolescents 2.5%, young 2.5% and older 5.8%), However, in each of the three countries, lower proportions of adolescents knew their HIV-positive status before ANC enrollment compared to other age groups: in Eswatini (adolescents 51.3%, young 59.9% and older 79.2%), in Ethiopia (adolescents 42.9%, young 63.7% and older 75.2%), and in Mozambique (adolescents 16.4%, young 33.2% and older 45.6%).

Conclusion

Overall, adolescents made up nearly one-quarter of the women examined and had the least knowledge of their HIV status at ANC enrollment. Their HIV prevalence and known HIV-positive status varied widely across the countries examined. Adolescent-friendly sexual and reproductive health, and PMTCT services, before pregnancy, are needed to improve knowledge of HIV status and support pregnant adolescents and their infants.

Plain English summary

Antenatal care (ANC) clinics are important for HIV testing of pregnant adolescents, who may not know their HIV-positive status at the first ANC visit. We describe data on pregnant adolescents and women in other age groups in ANC services to examine their prior HIV status at ANC enrollment across three African countries.

We examined data from 419 PMTCT sites in Eswatini, Ethiopia, and Mozambique from January-December 2018, to evaluate HIV testing results for adolescents, young and older women aged 15–19, 20–24 and 25–49 years, respectively. We report the number of women living with HIV and the proportions of known and newly identified women living with HIV, by age-group and country.

Across three countries, 488,121 women attended ANC and 23,917 (4.9%) were living with HIV. Adolescents constituted 22% of all ANC attendees, whereas young and older women represented 33% and 45%, respectively. HIV prevalence in each country compared to other age groups was lowest and varied among adolescents from 11.9% in Eswatini, to 1.6% in Ethiopia and to 2.5% in Mozambique. Also, fewer adolescents knew their HIV-positive status before ANC enrollment compared to young and older women from 51.3% in Eswatini, 42.9% in Ethiopia to only 16.4% in Mozambique.

Pregnant adolescents made up nearly one-quarter of all ANC attendees; a majority of them had no previously known HIV-positive status. Adolescent-friendly, sexual and reproductive health services, before pregnancy and in PMTCT services, are needed to support pregnant adolescents and their infants.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12978-021-01090-2.

Identifying Adolescent Girls and Young Women at High Risk for HIV Acquisition: A Risk Assessment Tool From the Girl Power-Malawi Study

BACKGROUND

Prioritizing HIV prevention for adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) at high risk for HIV acquisition in sub-Saharan Africa (typically considered ≥3 per 100 person-years [PYs]) is urgently needed, but identifying these AGYW is challenging. We sought to assess and, if needed, enhance a risk assessment tool from the VOICE trial for identifying AGYW at high risk for HIV in Lilongwe, Malawi.

METHODS

A multisite prospective cohort study was conducted among sexually active AGYW 15 to 24 years old at 4 health centers in 2016 to 2017. The VOICE tool was first applied and then updated by excluding variables that were not predictive and adding variables that were. Incidence rates (IRs), incidence rate ratios, 95% confidence intervals (CIs), area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity were calculated.

RESULTS

Seven hundred ninety-five participants experienced 14 seroconversions for 672 PYs (IR, 2.08 per 100 PYs; 95% CI, 1.23-3.52). The VOICE tool had moderate predictive ability (AUC, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.52-0.75). Maintaining 2 variables (genital ulcers and vaginal discharge), removing 5 sociodemographic variables, and adding 2 variables (ever pregnant and >5-year male-female age gap) enhanced performance (AUC, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.69-0.89). Thirty-five percent had a score of 0, 41% had a score of 1 to 2, and 24% had a score >3. A score >1 resulted in 100% sensitivity, 35.9% specificity, and an IR of 3.25 per 100 PYs. A score >3 resulted in 64.3% sensitivity, 76.8% specificity, and an IR of 5.89 per 100 PYs.

CONCLUSIONS

A simple risk assessment tool identified a subset of AGYW in Malawi at high risk for HIV acquisition who may benefit from biomedical HIV prevention.

Preferred HIV Testing Modalities Among Adolescent Girls and Young Women in Kenya

PURPOSE

To improve testing coverage, it is imperative to determine adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) preferences about HIV testing modality and where they prefer receiving services.

METHODS

Participants were enrolled between May 2017 and April 2018 from three sites in Homa Bay County, Nyanza region, western Kenya. We explored two recruitment approaches (home-based vs. mobile-event based) and three HIV testing options (oral self-test, staff-administered, or referral to health facility). Exact logistic regression compared yield of newly diagnosed HIV and high-risk HIV-negatives from the recruitment and testing option strategies.

RESULTS

A total of 1,198 participants were enrolled, 1,046 (87.3%) at home and 152 (12.7%) at mobile events. Most participants (928, 77.5%) chose staff-aided testing either at home or at a mobile event; 268 (22.4%) chose self-testing; and only 2 (.2%) chose facility referral. Prevalence of newly diagnosed HIV-positives was 2.7% (32/1,198) and 36.8% (429/1,166) of HIV-negative AGYW were identified as high risk. We identified more newly diagnosed HIV infection among AGYW recruited at mobile events than at home (OR = 3.11; 95% CI: 1.33-6.74; p = .02). High-risk status was related to neither recruitment strategy nor testing modality. Older age was associated with increased odds of selecting an oral self-test (OR = 1.85; 95% CI: 1.06-3.22).

CONCLUSIONS

More than one-third of AGYW were at elevated risk of HIV infection, and those unaware of their HIV infection were more likely to be identified at a mobile outreach. Though self-testing was not the dominant preferred strategy, self-tests were performed accurately and with high confidence. These findings can help inform efficient identification of undiagnosed HIV infection and high risk for seroconversion among AGYW in similar settings.

Interventions to improve daily medication use among adolescents and young adults: what can we learn for youth pre-exposure prophylaxis services?

OBJECTIVE

Oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is an important HIV prevention method and studies have shown that young people ages 15-24 have difficulty adhering to daily PrEP. The field of PrEP delivery for young people is relatively nascent and lessons about potential PrEP adherence interventions could be learned from the larger evidence base of adherence interventions for other daily medications among youth.

DESIGN

Systematic review of adherence support interventions for adolescents.

METHODS

We searched PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, and PsycINFO through January 2020 for oral contraceptive pill (OCP), antiretroviral therapy (ART), asthma, and diabetes medication adherence interventions. We reviewed primary articles about OCP adherence interventions and reviewed systematic reviews for ART, asthma, and diabetes medication adherence interventions. Studies were retained if they included participants' ages 10-24 years; measured OCP, ART, asthma, or diabetes medication adherence; and were systematic reviews, randomized trials, or quasi-experimental studies.

RESULTS

Fifteen OCP articles and 26 ART, diabetes, and asthma systematic reviews were included. Interventions that improved medication adherence for OCPs, ART, asthma, and diabetes treatment included reminder text messages, computer-based and phone-based support, and enhanced counseling. Multi-month prescriptions and same-day pill starts also were found to improve OCP adherence and continuation. Adolescent-friendly clinics and peer-based counseling significantly improved ART adherence, and telemedicine interventions improved diabetes medication adherence.

CONCLUSION

Interventions that improve medication adherence among youth include enhanced counseling, extended pill supply, adolescent-friendly services, and text message reminders. PrEP programs could incorporate and evaluate such interventions for their impact on PrEP adherence and continuation among at-risk adolescents.

Youth engagement in HIV prevention intervention research in sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review

INTRODUCTION

Youth engagement in HIV research is generally recognized as essential, but often neglected or minimally implemented in practice. Engagement is a process of working collaboratively with diverse groups of people to address common issues. We conducted a scoping review of youth HIV prevention interventions in sub-Saharan Africa to identify and categorize forms and levels of youth engagement across the lifespan of intervention research.

METHODS

We followed Arksey and O'Malley's framework for organizing a scoping review. We searched seven databases for related articles on identified intervention studies through May 28th 2020. Included studies focused on youth (10 to 24 years old) HIV prevention interventions in sub-Saharan Africa. Two reviewers independently examined citations and full manuscripts for inclusion. Data were extracted on study characteristics, location, description of youth engagement and extent of engagement. Youth engagement approaches were categorized based on Hart's ladder as substantial engagement (strong youth decision-making power), moderate engagement (shared decision making with adults), minimal engagement (no youth decision-making power) or no engagement.

RESULTS

We identified 3149 citations and included 112 studies reporting on 74 unique HIV interventions. Twenty-two interventions were in low-income countries, 49 in middle-income countries, and three were in both. Overall, only nine interventions (12%) had substantial or moderate youth engagement, two-thirds (48, 65%) had minimal youth engagement and 17 interventions (23%) had no youth engagement. We also identified specific engagement strategies (e.g. youth-led research, crowdsourcing) that were feasible in multiple settings and resulted in substantial engagement.

CONCLUSIONS

We found limited youth engagement in youth HIV prevention intervention studies in sub-Saharan Africa. However, several activities resulted in substantial youth engagement and could be relevant in many low-and-middle-income-country (LMIC) settings.

Socioeconomic Predictors of Transactional Sex in a Cohort of Adolescent Girls and Young Women in Malawi: A Longitudinal Analysis

Transactional sex is associated with incident HIV infection among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in sub-Saharan Africa. Evidence on the dimensions of socioeconomic status (SES) which predict transactional sex are mixed and primarily come from cross-sectional studies. This study examined the association between SES and transactional sex in a longitudinal cohort (n = 844) of AGYW ages 15-24 years enrolled in a quasi-experimental study in Lilongwe, Malawi. Prevalence of transactional sex was 22% at baseline, 15% at 6-months and 20% at 12-months. Being divorced or widowed, being food insecure, living in a home without electricity or running water, and having few assets were associated with transactional sex. Higher educational attainment and school enrollment were protective. Having 6-7 socioeconomic risk factors increased odds of transactional sex (AOR = 4.13, 95% CI 2.45, 6.98). Structural interventions which address multiple dimensions of SES may reduce transactional sex and ultimately prevent HIV transmission among AGYW.

Adolescent participation in HIV research: consortium experience in low and middle-income countries and scoping review

Adolescents in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) have a high prevalence of HIV, therefore, it is important that they are included in HIV research. However, ethical challenges regarding consent can hinder adolescent research participation. We examined examples from the Prevention and Treatment Through a Comprehensive Care Continuum for HIV-affected Adolescents in Resource Constrained Settings (PATC3H) research consortium, which investigates adolescent HIV prevention and treatment in seven LMICs: Brazil, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, and Zambia. PATC3H researchers were asked to identify ethical and practical challenges of adolescent consent to research participation in these countries. We also did a scoping review of strategies that could improve adolescent participation in LMIC HIV studies. Examples from PATC3H research highlighted many ethical challenges that affect adolescent participation, including inconsistent or absent consent guidance, guidelines that fail to account for the full array of adolescents' lives, and variation in how ethical review committees assess adolescent studies. Our scoping review identified three consent-related strategies to expand adolescent inclusion: waiving parental consent requirements, allowing adolescents to independently consent, and implementing surrogate decision making. Our analyses suggest that these strategies should be further explored and incorporated into ethical and legal research guidance to increase adolescent inclusion in LMIC HIV research.

Influences on seeking a contraceptive method among adolescent women in three cities in Nigeria

BACKGROUND

Despite international support for increasing access to contraceptives among adolescents, gaps in use still exist worldwide. Past research has identified barriers to use across all levels of the socioecological model including restrictive policies, a lack of youth friendly services, and knowledge gaps. This study was conducted to further identify influences on contraceptive use among adolescent girls in Nigeria in hopes of guiding future policies and programs.

METHODS

In 2018, 12 focus group discussions (FGD) were conducted in three cities in Nigeria with young women ages 15-24 with the objective of determining what and who influence adolescents' contraceptive seeking behaviors. A vignette structure was used to identify perceptions on injunctive and descriptive community norms that influence adolescent contraceptive behaviors. The FGDs were conducted by members of the University of Ibadan Centre for Population and Reproductive Health (CPRH) and analyzed by a researcher at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill's Carolina Population Center using a thematic analysis approach.

RESULTS

Participants identified community level resistance to sex and contraceptive use among unmarried adolescents though also acknowledged that these adolescent behaviors are still occurring despite established norms. Concerns about side effects and the preservation of fertility were frequently attached to contraceptive use and pointed to as a reason for community resistance to contraceptive use among this population. Participants saw peers, parents and partners as influencers on a girl's decision to seek a method, though each were believed to play a different role in that decision.

CONCLUSION

The findings show that that despite barriers created by established injunctive norms, young women with a supportive social network can access contraceptive methods despite these barriers. By harnessing the influence of peers, partners and parents, the Nigerian family planning efforts can strive to improve the health and well-being of young people.

The influence of HIV-related stigma on PrEP disclosure and adherence among adolescent girls and young women in HPTN 082: a qualitative study

Introduction

Stigma and disclosure concerns have been key barriers to oral pre‐exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) adherence for African adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in efficacy trials. We aimed to understand the impact of these factors among African AGYW in an open‐label PrEP study.

Methods

HPTN 082 was an open‐label PrEP study among AGYW (ages 16 to 24) in Harare, Zimbabwe, and Cape Town and Johannesburg, South Africa from 2016 to 2018. Women starting PrEP were randomized to standard adherence support (counselling, two‐way SMS, monthly adherence clubs) or standard support plus drug‐level feedback. Serial in‐depth interviews were conducted among 67 AGYW after 13‐week and 26‐week study visits to explore experiences of stigma, disclosure and PrEP adherence. We analysed data by coding transcripts and memo‐writing and diagramming to summarize themes.

Results

AGYW described stigma related to sexual activity (e.g. “people say I'm a prostitute”) and being perceived to be living with HIV because of taking antiretrovirals (e.g. “my husband's friends say I'm HIV infected”). Participants who anticipated stigma were reluctant to disclose PrEP use and reported adherence challenges. Disclosure also resulted in stigmatizing experiences. Across all sites, negative descriptions of stigma and disclosure challenges were more common in the first interview. In the second interview, participants often described disclosure as an “empowering” way to combat community‐level PrEP stigma; many said that they proactively discussed PrEP in their communities (e.g. became a “community PrEP ambassador”), which improved their ability to take PrEP and encourage others to use PrEP. These empowering disclosure experiences were facilitated by ongoing HPTN 082 study activities (e.g. counselling sessions, adherence clubs) in which they could discuss PrEP‐related stigma, disclosure and PrEP adherence issues.

Conclusions

Stigma and disclosure challenges were initial concerns for African AGYW newly initiating PrEP but many were empowered to disclose PrEP use over their first six months of PrEP use, which helped them cope with stigma and feel more able to take PrEP regularly. PrEP programmes can foster disclosure through community and clinic‐based discussion, adherence clubs and activities normalizing sexual behaviour and PrEP use, which can reduce stigma and improve PrEP adherence and thus effectiveness.

Uptake of HIV testing among adolescents and associated adolescent-friendly services

Background

HIV testing remains low among adolescents. Making public health services more adolescent-friendly is one strategy used to encourage testing. However, it remains unclear whether government-led initiatives have a meaningfully impact.

Methods

The current study is observational and utilizes two sources of data (health-facility and adolescent-level) from one round of data collection of an on-going, longitudinal impact evaluation of a pilot cash plus program targeting adolescents. This study linked data from adolescent surveys (n = 2191) to data collected from nearby government-run health facilities (n = 91) in two rural regions of Tanzania. We used log binomial regression models to estimate the association between specific adolescent-friendly health service (AFHS) characteristics and adolescents’ uptake of 1) HIV testing and 2) visiting a health care facility in the past year for sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services.

Results

Most adolescents (67%) lived in a village with a health facility, and all offered HIV services. We find, however, that AFHS have not been fully implemented. For example, less than 40% of facilities reported that they had guidelines for adolescent care. Only 12% of facilities had a system in place for referral and follow-up with adolescent clients, yet this was an important predictor of both past-year HIV testing (RR = 1.28, p < 0.1) and SRH visits (RR = 1.44, p < 0.05). Less than half (44%) offered services for survivors of gender-based violence (GBV), a significant predictor of past-year HIV testing (RR = 1.20, p < 0.05) and SRH visits (RR = 1.41, p < 0.01) among sexually-active adolescents.

Conclusions

We find that national guidelines on AFHS have not been fully translated into practice at the local level. We highlight particular gaps in adolescent referral systems and GBV services. Scaling up these two essential services could encourage greater HIV testing among a high-risk population, in addition to providing much needed support for survivors of violence.

Comprehensive HIV risk reduction interventions for 2020 and beyond: product choices and effective service-delivery platforms for individual needs and population-level impact

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review summarizes key HIV prevention strategies in the 2020 toolkit and discusses opportunities to maximize the public health impact of these prevention interventions at a population level.

RECENT FINDINGS

HIV prevention has relied on counseling, HIV testing, and condom distribution for the past three decades. Recent exciting work has provided evidence on effective HIV prevention interventions, including antiretroviral therapy for HIV prevention, expanding preexposure prophylaxis modalities, and voluntary medical male circumcision which all reduce individual-level HIV risk. Efficient service-delivery approaches are necessary to deliver these products at scale while addressing population-specific needs. These approaches include: making it easier to get individuals HIV tested and linked to prevention services; de-medicalization to increase access to prevention products; creating welcoming clinic service-delivery environments; and integrating HIV prevention products into existing clinical platforms to support ongoing care engagement.

SUMMARY

The 2020 HIV prevention toolkit includes powerful HIV prevention options, and product choice will be increasingly imperative. Meeting ambitious global HIV reduction targets in the next decade will require improved service-delivery platforms to get prevention choices to persons at risk while layering prevention coverage to achieve population-level impact.

Is it time to RE-AIM? A systematic review of economic empowerment as HIV prevention intervention for adolescent girls and young women in sub-Saharan Africa using the RE-AIM framework

Background

Economic empowerment (EE) HIV prevention programs for adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in sub-Saharan Africa are gaining traction as effective strategies to reduce HIV risk and vulnerabilities among this population. While intervention effectiveness is critical, there are numerous factors beyond effectiveness that shape an intervention’s impact. The objective of this systematic review was to assess the reporting of implementation outcomes of EE HIV prevention programs for AGYW in SSA, as conceptualized in the RE-AIM (reach, efficacy/effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance) framework.

Methods

We searched PubMed, Ovid/MEDLINE, Science Direct, Ebscohost, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science for EE HIV interventions for AGYW in SSA. Study selection and data extraction were conducted according to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses) guidelines. Two researchers coded each article using a validated RE-AIM data extraction tool and independently extracted information from each article. The reporting of RE-AIM dimensions were summarized and synthesized across included interventions.

Results

A total of 25 unique interventions (reported in 45 articles) met the predefined eligibility criteria. Efficacy/effectiveness 19(74.4%) was the highest reported RE-AIM dimension, followed by adoption 17(67.2%), reach 16(64.0%), implementation 9(38.0%), and maintenance 7(26.4%). Most interventions reported on RE-AIM components such as sample size 25(100.0%), intervention location 24(96.0%), and measures and results for at least one follow-up 24(96.0%). Few reported on RE-AIM components such as characteristics of non-participants 8(32.0%), implementation costs 3(12.0%), and intervention fidelity 0(0.0%).

Conclusions

Results of the review emphasize the need for future economic empowerment HIV prevention interventions for AGYW in SSA to report multiple implementation strategies and highlight considerations for translating such programs into real-world settings. Researchers should pay close attention to reporting setting-level adoption, implementation cost, and intervention maintenance. These measures are needed for policy decisions related to the full merit and worth of EE HIV interventions and their long-term sustainability for AGYW.

HIV risk, risk perception, and PrEP interest among adolescent girls and young women in Lilongwe, Malawi: operationalizing the PrEP cascade

INTRODUCTION

As a user-controlled HIV prevention method, oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) holds particular promise for adolescent girls and young women (AGYW). HIV prevention cascades, critical frameworks for the design and evaluation of PrEP programmes, outline the priorities of identifying individuals at greatest HIV risk and motivating them to initiate PrEP through perceived HIV risk. To inform future iterations of these cascades and PrEP delivery for AGYW, the objective of this study was to understand the level of interest in PrEP among AGYW at highest HIV risk, and the potential role of perceived risk in motivating PrEP interest.

METHODS

Using data from a cohort study of HIV-negative AGYW in Lilongwe, Malawi (February 2016 to August 2017), we assessed the relationship between epidemiologic HIV risk (risk index developed in a previous analysis) and PrEP interest, and the extent to which perceived risk explains the relationship between HIV risk and PrEP interest. We further aimed to operationalize the pre-initiation steps of the HIV prevention cascade in the study population.

RESULTS

In total, 825 AGYW were included in analyses, of which 43% met the criterion for high epidemiologic HIV risk. While epidemiologic risk scores were positively associated with PrEP interest, high numbers of AGYW both above and below the high-risk cutoff were very interested in PrEP (68% vs. 63%). Perceived risk partially explained the relationship between HIV risk and PrEP interest; greater epidemiologic HIV risk was associated with high perceived risk, which was in turn associated with PrEP interest. Many more high-risk AGYW were interested in PrEP (68%) than expressed a high level of perceived HIV risk (26%).

CONCLUSIONS

These results highlight key relationships between epidemiologic HIV risk, risk perception and interest in PrEP. While risk perception did partially explain the relationship between epidemiologic risk and PrEP interest, there may be other important motivational mechanisms that are not captured in many HIV prevention cascades. The high number of participants with risk scores below the high-risk cutoff who both expressed high perceived risk and interest in PrEP suggests that demand for PrEP among AGYW may not be well aligned with epidemiologic risk.

Assessing the Impact of a Small-Group Behavioral Intervention on Sexual Behaviors Among Adolescent Girls and Young Women in Lilongwe Malawi: A Quasi-Experimental Cohort Study

Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in sub-Saharan Africa are at high risk of many adverse sexual and reproductive health outcomes. Small-group interventions addressing underlying vulnerabilities may influence risky sexual behaviors associated with these adverse outcomes. Girl Power-Malawi assessed whether a facilitator-led, curriculum-driven small-group behavioral intervention impacted risky sexual behaviors among AGYW in Lilongwe, Malawi. Four Health Centers were selected; two were randomly assigned to provide the intervention. Two-hundred fifty AGYW 15-24 years old were enrolled in each clinic (N = 1000 total), followed for 1 year, and interviewed at baseline and endline. At both time points participants reported on two behaviors in the last month (vaginal sex and ≥ 2 sexual partners) and two behaviors in the last year (age-disparate relationships and transactional relationships). In intervention clinics, there were no declines in risk behaviors between baseline and endline. Endline behaviors were not less risky in intervention clinics than control clinics. This intervention did not have a positive effect on four risk behaviors over a 1-year period.

Scaling Up a Strengthened Youth-Friendly Service Delivery Model to Include Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptives in Ethiopia: A Mixed Methods Retrospective Assessment

BACKGROUND

Donor funded projects are small scale and time limited, with gains that soon dissipate when donor funds end. This paper presents findings that sought to understand successes, challenges and barriers that influence the scaling up and sustainability of a tested, strengthened youth-friendly service (YFS) delivery model providing an expanded contraceptive method choice in one location - the YFS unit - with additional units in Amhara and Tigray, Ethiopia.

METHODS

This retrospective mixed methods study included interviews with key informants (KIs) (qualitative arm) and analysis of family planning (FP) uptake statistics extracted from the sampled health facilities (quantitative arm). A multistage convenience purposive sampling technique was adopted to randomly select 8 health facilities aligned with respective woredas, zones and regional health bureaus (RHBs). A semi-structured interview guide soliciting information on 6 scaling-up elements (stakeholder engagement, roles and responsibility, policy environment, financial resources, quality of voluntary FP services and data availability and use) guided the interviews. Fifty-six KI interviews were conducted with policy-makers, program managers, and clinic staff. Recurring themes were triangulated across administrative levels and implementing partners. Relevant FP data (acceptor status, age and method uptake) were extracted from the 8 sampled health facilities for a thirteen-month period. Qualitative findings triangulated with FP service statistics assessed the influence of the 6 scaling-up elements with trends in long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) uptake before and after training.

RESULTS

Our findings depict that respondents were knowledgeable and supportive of an expanded method mix. Statistically significant increases in long-acting contraceptive uptake were noted at 2 of the 8 health centers. Fidelity to the tested model was operationally constrained; respondents frequently mentioned trained staff absences and turnover as obstacles in offering quality FP services.

CONCLUSION

Despite conducive policy environment, supportive stakeholders, favorable environment, and financial support for trainings, statistically significant increases in LARC uptake occurred at only 2 of the 8 health centers; indicating the influence of weak health systems, poor quality of voluntary FP services and a ceiling effect. Scale-up processes must consider potential bottlenecks of weak health systems and availability of financial resources by addressing these as crucial elements in any systematic scale-up framework.

The relationship between intimate partner violence and probable depression among adolescent girls and young women in Lilongwe, Malawi

This analysis estimates prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) and its association with probable depression among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in Lilongwe, Malawi, and whether partner's controlling behaviour modifies this relationship. Baseline data was utilised from the Girl Power-Malawi study of 1000 15-24-year-old AGYW in Lilongwe. Emotional, physical, and sexual IPV experiences with a current or recent partner were measured using the modified Conflict Tactics Scale. Probable depression was measured by scoring ≥10 on the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies-Short Depression Scale (CES-D-10). Generalised linear models with log-link and binomial distribution estimated prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association between IPV types and probable depression. Partner's controlling behaviour was examined as an effect modifier. Participants' mean age was 19.2 years, with 70% never-married. IPV prevalence varied for emotional (59%), physical (36%), sexual (46%), and all forms (20%). Prevalence of probable depression was 47%. AGYW who experienced each IPV type had a higher prevalence of probable depression: physical (PR:1.54, CI:1.28-1.86), sexual (1.46, CI:1.21-1.75), emotional (1.37, CI:1.14-1.64), all forms (1.72, CI:1.41-2.09). IPV and probable depression were prevalent and strongly associated, especially among AGYW reporting controlling behaviour. Interventions addressing IPV and controlling behaviour may positively impact depression among AGYW.

Perceptions of and interest in HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis use among adolescent girls and young women in Lilongwe, Malawi

BACKGROUND

Oral Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) is an effective HIV prevention strategy for adherent users. Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in sub-Saharan Africa may particularly benefit from PrEP because of the disproportionate burden of HIV in this group. Understanding potential users' perceptions of and interest in using PrEP is critical to promote the utilization of PrEP by individuals at risk of HIV.

METHODS

This qualitative investigation of AGYW's knowledge of and interest in PrEP use was conducted in the context of Girl Power, a quasi-experimental cohort study comparing four models of service delivery at four health centers in Lilongwe, Malawi. We conducted individual in-depth interviews (IDIs) with 40 HIV-negative AGYW ages 15-24 years old six months after enrolment in the parent study. An explanation of PrEP was provided to participants. Interview topics included participants' prior knowledge of, interest in, concerns about, and delivery preferences for PrEP. Analysis consisted of structural coding of interview transcripts corresponding to interview topics, summary of responses within these topics, and identification and description of emerging themes within each topic.

RESULTS

None of the AGYW had knowledge of PrEP prior to the IDIs, but once explained, a majority expressed an interest in using it due to inconsistencies in condom use, condom use errors, their own or their partners' concurrent sexual partnerships, and rape. Most AGYW hoped that PrEP would be available in youth-friendly sections of health centers for easy access and youth-friendly counselling. They suggested that discrete packaging of PrEP would be needed to ensure user privacy. Concerns about relationship destabilization and accusations of promiscuity were raised as potential barriers to use.

CONCLUSION

General interest in PrEP among AGYW was high. Discrete packaging and access to youth-friendly PrEP delivery modalities may facilitate the utilization of PrEP as a prevention strategy among sexually active AGYW. Attention to potential negative reactions from partners and community members to PrEP use will be needed when introducing PrEP to this population.