Facilitators and barriers to engaging with the DREAMS initiative among young women who sell sex aged 18-24 in Zimbabwe: a qualitative study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) are at high risk of contracting HIV and exchanging sex for financial or material support heightens their risk. In Zimbabwe, the DREAMS initiative integrated education and employment opportunities within HIV health promotion and clinical services for vulnerable young women, including those who sell sex. While most participants accessed health services, fewer than 10% participated in any social programmes.

Methods

We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with 43 young women aged 18-24 to understand their experiences of engaging with the DREAMS programme. We purposively sampled participants for diversity in level of education, type and location of selling sex. We analysed the data by applying the Theoretical Domains

SUBMITTER: Machingura F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10182710 | biostudies-literature | 2023 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature