Health and development-related priorities and challenges of adolescents and young people: findings from South Africa and Kenya prior to and during COVID-19 pandemic

Gittings, Lesley; Price, Yusra; Kelly, Jane; Kannemeyer, Natasha; Thomas, Angelique; Medley, Sally; Ralayo, Nokubonga; Omollo, Vidalyne; Cluver, Lucie; Logie, Carmen H.; Evalia, Humphres; Toska, Elona

doi:10.1080/13548506.2022.2108084

Cited by 8 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…Furthermore, young people in LMICs can face significant competing priorities that come before engagement with digital health ( Kabiru et al ., 2013 ). They may be more likely to think of health in terms of emergency or acute conditions, rather than prevention and maintaining healthy routines ( Gittings et al ., 2022 ). For instance, in environments where resources are limited and young people may worry considerably about caring for family members, succeeding in education, or working and sustaining themselves financially, healthcare might not emerge as a priority among AYAs who anyway feel strong and healthy.…”

Section: Part 1: Advantages and Barriers For Young People In Adopting...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Digital tools for youth health promotion: principles, policies and practices in sub-Saharan Africa

Ferretti,

Adjei,

Ali

et al. 2024

Health Promotion International

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Although digital health promotion (DHP) technologies for young people are increasingly available in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), there has been insufficient research investigating whether existing ethical and policy frameworks are adequate to address the challenges and promote the technological opportunities in these settings. In an effort to fill this gap and as part of a larger research project, in November 2022, we conducted a workshop in Cape Town, South Africa, entitled ‘Unlocking the Potential of Digital Health Promotion for Young People in Low- and Middle-Income Countries’. The workshop brought together 25 experts from the areas of digital health ethics, youth health and engagement, health policy and promotion and technology development, predominantly from sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), to explore their views on the ethics and governance and potential policy pathways of DHP for young people in LMICs. Using the World Café method, participants contributed their views on (i) the advantages and barriers associated with DHP for youth in LMICs, (ii) the availability and relevance of ethical and regulatory frameworks for DHP and (iii) the translation of ethical principles into policies and implementation practices required by these policies, within the context of SSA. Our thematic analysis of the ensuing discussion revealed a willingness to foster such technologies if they prove safe, do not exacerbate inequalities, put youth at the center and are subject to appropriate oversight. In addition, our work has led to the potential translation of fundamental ethical principles into the form of a policy roadmap for ethically aligned DHP for youth in SSA.

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Section: Part 1: Advantages and Barriers For Young People In Adopting...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Digital tools for youth health promotion: principles, policies and practices in sub-Saharan Africa

Ferretti,

Adjei,

Ali

et al. 2024

Health Promotion International

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…These statistics must be considered with the stipulation that adolescents under age 18 need permission from a legal guardian for vaccination, thus limiting their self-efficacy in healthcare decision-making (8,10). There is ample data on adolescent perceptions of the COVID-19 vaccines around the world including fear of injections/side effects, the safety of the vaccine, misinformation, institutional/drug company distrust, perceived low illness vulnerability and preference for traditional remedies, all of which relate to the concept of vaccine hesitancy (11)(12)(13)(14).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Though much of the extant literature on adolescent acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine focuses on individual and socio-demographic determinants (11,13,(19)(20)(21), past reviews and literature on other types of vaccines have stressed the importance of understanding how all levels of the socioecological model drive vaccine perceptions (17,22,23).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Conversely, a meta-analysis showed that interventions that include health education; vaccine mandates; provider education with performance feedback; class-based school vaccination strategy; multi-component provider interventions and multi-component interventions targeting providers and parents (including social marketing and health education) increase uptake of vaccinations among adolescents (18). Though much of the extant literature on adolescent acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine focuses on individual and socio-demographic determinants (11,13,19–21), past reviews and literature on other types of vaccines have stressed the importance of understanding how all levels of the socio-ecological model drive vaccine perceptions (17,22,23).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Family, community, institutional and policy factors on COVID-19 vaccine perceptions among urban poor adolescents in seven countries: qualitative cross-site analysis

Ramaiya,

Mmari,

Luiza Borges

et al. 2023

Preprint

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PurposeThe number of studies examining family, community, institutional and policy factors on COVID-19 vaccine perceptions is limited, with most concentrating on high-income countries and using predominantly quantitative methods. To address this gap, the goal of this manuscript is to qualitatively explore these factors and how they shape adolescents’ perspectives on COVID-19 vaccines across seven countries.MethodsFocus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted among urban poor adolescent populations (13 - 18 years) across seven countries: Ghent, Belgium; Sao Paulo, Brazil, Shanghai; China, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC); Semarang and Denpasar, Indonesia; Blantyre, Malawi and New Orleans, United States of America (USA). An inductive thematic analytical approach was used to understand the emerging themes across the different countries based on the study’s objectives.ResultsThe study found that all influences were inter-connected and contributed towards vaccine perceptions among adolescents, which were largely positive except in the two African countries and to an extent in the USA. Family and community influences played a large role in vaccine perceptions, however, this differed by context. Our findings suggest adolescents’ perceptions about vaccines were more positive in countries with higher vaccination rates, i.e. China and Indonesia versus countries with lower vaccination rates i.e. Malawi and DRC. Vaccine mandates within schools, offices, and public places were also discussed with varying perceptions based on government trust.ConclusionAdolescents’ perceptions of the Covid-19 vaccine are based on a variety of elements, such as families, community, institutions, and policies. Prioritizing one or another path may not be sufficient to improve vaccine adherence during future pandemics, as we experienced with Covid-19. Strategies to make vaccine perceptions more positive among urban poor adolescents should address both family and community perceptions. However, policies and robust programs around immunization are still needed.

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“…8,10 There is ample data on adolescent perceptions of the COVID-19 vaccines around the world including fear of injections/side effects, the safety of the vaccine, misinformation, institutional/drug company distrust, perceived low illness vulnerability and preference for traditional remedies, all of which relate to the concept of vaccine hesitancy. [11][12][13][14] Vaccine hesitancy is defined as "the delay in acceptance or refusal of vaccination despite the availability of vaccination services". 15 Despite evidence that vaccines can contribute to achieving 14 out of 17 Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs) including ending poverty, reducing hunger, and reducing inequalities, vaccine hesitancy persists globally and was exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding how socioecological factors affect COVID-19 vaccine perceptions among adolescents: qualitative evidence from seven high-, middle- and low-income countries

Ramaiya,

Mmari,

Borges

et al. 2024

Journal of Global Health Reports

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Background The number of studies examining family, community, institutional and policy factors on COVID-19 vaccine perceptions is limited, with most concentrating on high-income countries and using predominantly quantitative methods. To address this gap, the goal of this manuscript is to qualitatively explore these factors and how they shape adolescents’ perspectives on COVID-19 vaccines across diverse contexts. Methods Focus group discussions were conducted among adolescent populations (13 - 18 years) across seven countries: Ghent, Belgium; Sao Paulo, Brazil, Shanghai; China, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC); Semarang and Denpasar, Indonesia; Blantyre, Malawi and New Orleans, United States of America (USA). An inductive thematic analytical approach was used to understand the emerging themes across the different countries based on the study’s objectives. Results The study found that all influences were inter-connected and contributed towards vaccine perceptions among adolescents, which were largely positive except in the two African countries and to an extent in the USA. Family and community influences played a large role in vaccine perceptions, however, this differed by context. Our findings suggest adolescents’ perceptions about vaccines were more positive in countries with higher vaccination rates, i.e. China and Indonesia versus countries with lower vaccination rates i.e. Malawi and DRC. Vaccine mandates within schools, offices, and public places were also discussed with varying perceptions based on government trust. Conclusions Adolescents’ perceptions of the Covid-19 vaccine are based on a variety of elements, such as families, community, institutions, and policies. Prioritizing one or another path may not be sufficient to improve vaccine adherence during future pandemics, as we experienced with Covid-19. Strategies to make vaccine perceptions more positive among urban poor adolescents should address both family and community perceptions. However, policies and robust programs around immunization are still needed.

show abstract

Health and development-related priorities and challenges of adolescents and young people: findings from South Africa and Kenya prior to and during COVID-19 pandemic

Cited by 8 publications

References 25 publications

Digital tools for youth health promotion: principles, policies and practices in sub-Saharan Africa

Digital tools for youth health promotion: principles, policies and practices in sub-Saharan Africa

Family, community, institutional and policy factors on COVID-19 vaccine perceptions among urban poor adolescents in seven countries: qualitative cross-site analysis

Understanding how socioecological factors affect COVID-19 vaccine perceptions among adolescents: qualitative evidence from seven high-, middle- and low-income countries

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