Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Objectives
HIV-positive and HIV-vulnerable pregnant adolescent girls and adolescent mothers face significant barriers and vulnerabilities. Infants born to adolescent mothers are also more likely to die and be exposed to life-threatening conditions. This paper presents findings from an evaluation of a programme that used a home visitation model and offered a case-management, team-focused approach to increase family and community supportiveness to enhance health and social service uptake among pregnant adolescent girls and adolescent mothers in Kenya.Methods
The study used a quasi-experimental design with before and after comparisons among a non-randomised population to examine the effectiveness of bi-monthly household visits to 384 enrolled pregnant adolescent girls, adolescent mothers (ages 10-19) and their infants (0-24 months) between March 2018 and February 2019 in three counties in Kenya.Results
During the programme, household support increased from 57% to 85%, while 100% of eligible participants were on ART and virally suppressed (total of 20 adolescents). Nearly all pregnant adolescent girls (94%) delivered under skilled care vs. 78% of those who were post-partum at the time of enrolment (P < 0.001); 100% of infants (total of 17 infants) had an up-to-date PCR test with no seroconversions. Uptake of modern family planning increased from 39% at baseline to 64% at end line (P < 0.001). The referral rate declined from 84% to 78% from baseline to end line with low uptake of referrals for mental health services (17.3%).Conclusions
A team-focused approach of home visits to HIV-vulnerable and HIV-positive pregnant and post-partum adolescent girls and their infants combined with efforts to reduce stigma and increase supportiveness of households and the community can help address critical socio-cultural and behavioural barriers to accessing and using health and social services.
SUBMITTER: Levy M
PROVIDER: S-EPMC9291167 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jun
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Levy Marcy M Duffy Malia M Pearson Jennifer J Akuno Job J Oduong Samuel S Yemaneberhan Aida A Coombs Alexandra A Davis Nicole N Yonga Isabella I Kerubo Mokaya Rose R
Tropical medicine & international health : TM & IH 20210325 6
<h4>Objectives</h4>HIV-positive and HIV-vulnerable pregnant adolescent girls and adolescent mothers face significant barriers and vulnerabilities. Infants born to adolescent mothers are also more likely to die and be exposed to life-threatening conditions. This paper presents findings from an evaluation of a programme that used a home visitation model and offered a case-management, team-focused approach to increase family and community supportiveness to enhance health and social service uptake a ...[more]