'This is what is going to help me': Developing a co-designed and theoretically informed harm reduction intervention for mobile youth in South Africa and Uganda

Young migrants in sub-Saharan Africa are particularly vulnerable to HIV-acquisition. Despite this, they are consistently under-served by services, with low uptake and engagement. We adopted a community-based participatory research approach to conduct longitudinal qualitative research among 78 young...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Global public health 2023, Vol.18 (1), p.1953105-1953105
Main Authors: Bernays, Sarah, Lanyon, Chloe, Tumwesige, Edward, Aswiime, Allen, Ngwenya, Nothando, Dlamini, Vuyiswa, Shahmanesh, Maryam, Seeley, Janet
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Co-design
Community based action research
Community participation
Compensation
Frame analysis
Harm Reduction
High risk
HIV
HIV Infections - prevention & control
Human immunodeficiency virus
Humans
Intervention
Migrants
Mobility
participation
Participatory research
Peers
Protective factors
Qualitative Research
Reduction
Resilience
Risk reduction
South Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa
Support networks
Sustainability
Uganda
Uptake
Workshops
Youth
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Summary:Young migrants in sub-Saharan Africa are particularly vulnerable to HIV-acquisition. Despite this, they are consistently under-served by services, with low uptake and engagement. We adopted a community-based participatory research approach to conduct longitudinal qualitative research among 78 young migrants in South Africa and Uganda. Using repeat in-depth interviews and participatory workshops we sought to identify their specific support needs, and to collaboratively design an intervention appropriate for delivery in their local contexts. Applying a protection-risk conceptual framework, we developed a harm reduction intervention which aims to foster protective factors, and thereby nurture resilience, for youth 'on the move' within high-risk settings. Specifically, by establishing peer supporter networks, offering a 'drop-in' resource centre, and by identifying local adult champions to enable a supportive local environment. Creating this supportive edifice, through an accessible and cohesive peer support network underpinned by effective training, supervision and remuneration, was considered pivotal to nurture solidarity and potentially resilience. This practical example offers insights into how researchers may facilitate the co-design of acceptable, sustainable interventions.
ISSN:1744-1692
1744-1706
DOI:10.1080/17441692.2021.1953105