Prevalence of five curable sexually transmitted infections and associated risk factors among tertiary student men who have sex with men in Nairobi, Kenya: a respondent-driven sampling survey†

Mwaniki, Samuel Waweru; Kaberia, Peter Mwenda; Mugo, Peter Mwangi; Palanee‐Phillips, Thesla

doi:10.1071/sh22114

Cited by 3 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 51 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…YMSM for this study (N = 22) were selected from a larger sample (N = 248) that had previously taken part in a quantitative respondent-driven sampling (RDS)-based integrated bio-behavioral survey, whose details are described elsewhere [ 5 , 6 , 28 , 34 ]. YMSM were eligible for the qualitative study if they had taken part in, reported interacting with a HCP in the 12 months preceding, and tested negative for HIV during the RDS-based survey.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For instance, our previous work among Kenyan YMSM found an estimated HIV prevalence of 3.6% which is six times higher than that of Kenyan heterosexual men aged 18–24 years [ 5 ]. We also observed pervasive prevalence of STIs, with more than half (58.8%) of study participants testing positive for at least one of five curable STIs (chlamydia, mycoplasma, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis or syphilis) [ 6 ]. Despite the clear need for reliable services, major inequities persist in access to HIV/STIs prevention, care, and treatment [ 7 ], and mental health [ 8 ] services for MSM, with YMSM reporting significantly lower levels of access to MSM-focused HIV prevention programs, low-cost STI testing and treatment, and mental health services [ 9 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

“What if I get sick, where shall I go?”: a qualitative investigation of healthcare engagement among young gay and bisexual men in Nairobi, Kenya

Mwaniki,

Kaberia,

Mugo

et al. 2024

BMC Public Health

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background Globally, young gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (YMSM) experience a disproportionate burden of disease compared to young heterosexual men and older MSM. However, YMSM experience major inequities in access and use of health services. We sought to gain a detailed understanding of YMSM’s healthcare engagement experiences across public, private, tertiary institution-based and MSM-friendly health facilities in Nairobi, Kenya, to inform development of interventions to improve access and use of health services by YMSM. Methods In September 2021, in-person qualitative in-depths interviews were conducted among 22 YMSM purposively sampled from 248 YMSM who had previously participated in a respondent-driven sampling integrated bio-behavioral survey. Interviews were done in English, transcribed verbatim and analyzed descriptively using NVivo version 12. Results Participants were 18–24 years old, all identified as cisgender male, three-quarters as gay and a quarter as bisexual. Themes that were defined from the analysis included: YMSM’s experiences during healthcare seeking in various clinical settings, priority health needs, desired healthcare provider (HCP) characteristics, and the potential role of digital health interventions in improving access and use of health services. Participants relayed experiences of prejudice, stigma and discrimination when seeking services in public and institution-based health facilities, unlike in community pharmacies, private and MSM-friendly health facilities where they felt they were handled with dignity. Health needs prioritized by YMSM centered on prevention and control of HIV, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), depression and substance abuse. Participants desired HCPs who were empathetic, non-judgmental and knowledgeable about their unique health needs such as management of anorectal STIs. Participants highlighted the usefulness of digital media in offering telehealth consultations and health education on subjects such as HIV/STIs prevention. Conclusion During engagement with healthcare, YMSM experience various barriers that may cause them to postpone or avoid seeking care hence resulting in poor health outcomes. There is need to equip HCPs with knowledge, skills and cultural competencies to enable them offer equitable services to YMSM. Considerations should also be made for use of digital health interventions that may help YMSM circumvent some of the aforementioned barriers to service access and use.

show abstract

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“What if I get sick, where shall I go?”: a qualitative investigation of healthcare engagement among young gay and bisexual men in Nairobi, Kenya

Mwaniki,

Kaberia,

Mugo

et al. 2024

BMC Public Health

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Based on this survey, HIV prevalence among YMSM was estimated to be 3.6% which is six times higher than that of young Kenyan heterosexual men aged 18–24 years [ 36 ]. We also observed pervasive prevalence of STI, with more than half (58.8%) of study participants testing positive for at least one of five curable STIs (chlamydia, Mycoplasma genitalium infection, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis or syphilis) [ 37 ]. During qualitative in-depth interviews, YMSM relayed experiences of prejudice, stigma and discrimination from HCPs when seeking care in public and tertiary institution-based health facilities, but reported being fairly treated in community pharmacies, private and YMSM-friendly health facilities [ 38 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“We must help them despite who they are…”: healthcare providers’ attitudes and perspectives on care for young gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men in Nairobi, Kenya

Mwaniki,

Kaberia,

Mugo

et al. 2023

BMC Health Serv Res

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background Compared to young heterosexual men, young gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (YMSM) face a disproportionate burden of sexual health conditions. This disparity is occasioned by factors such as criminalization and stigmatization of same-sex practices, YMSM’s limited access to non-judgmental and non-discriminatory health services, and challenges associated with healthcare delivery. We explored the attitudes and perspectives of tertiary academic institution-based healthcare providers (HCPs) toward provision of services to YMSM in Nairobi, Kenya. Methods In September 2021, six in-person focus group discussions (FGDs) were held with 36 HCPs drawn from six public tertiary academic institutions within the Nairobi metropolis. HCPs were drawn from six cadres: front office staff, nurses, clinicians, counsellors, laboratory technologists, and pharmaceutical technologists. Discussions were conducted in English, transcribed verbatim and analyzed thematically using NVivo version 12. Results Analysis showed that despite expressing disapproval of same-sex practices, HCPs recognized their professional duty to provide care to YMSM, voiced challenges they experienced when providing care to YMSM, and suggested possible strategies for improving care for YMSM. Disapproval of same-sex practices mainly stemmed from HCPs’ personal values, societal norms and religious beliefs, though some HCPs identified religious principles such as the golden rule of “treating others as one would want to be treated” as motivation to providing care to YMSM. HCPs did not perceive criminalization of same-sex practices as a barrier to providing care to YMSM. Healthcare delivery challenges included inadequate knowledge and skills, a desire to “convert” YMSM’s perceived deviant homosexual to the normative heterosexual orientation, secondary stigma from other HCPs, and healthcare settings that did not support YMSM to disclose same-sex practices. Suggestions for improving care comprised sensitization and training of HCPs, encouraging more HCP-YMSM interaction, providing YMSM-friendly and inclusive services, and advocacy for YMSM services. Conclusion There is need for interventions to improve HCPs’ knowledge of YMSM’s health needs, build skills to respond to these needs, and foster affirming attitudes toward same-sex practices. By so doing, YMSM can hopefully be able to access services that meet their needs, and are non-discriminatory, non-stigmatizing and non-judgmental.

show abstract

“…Moreover, in Mombasa the prevalence of anogenital warts among HIV-uninfected and infected MSM was found to be 2.9% and 9.4% respectively [27]. Additionally, a study conducted among tertiary student men who have sex with men in Nairobi reported prevalence rates of 58.8% for chlamydia, 51.1% for gonorrhoea, 1.5% for trichomoniasis, and 0.7% for latent syphilis [28].…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Sexually transmitted infection knowledge among men who have sex with men in Nairobi, Kenya

Nyasani,

Ondora,

Lunani

et al. 2023

PLoS ONE

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background High rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among men who have sex with men (MSM) have been reported, but there is little research on their STI knowledge. Our study sought to determine participants’ characteristics that contribute to either high or low STI knowledge among MSM in Nairobi, Kenya. Methods We mobilized MSM aged ≥18 years from Nairobi into a cross-sectional study. To determine their understanding of STIs, a pre-tested structured questionnaire was administered. Knowledge score was generated by summing up the number of responses answered correctly by a participant. We dichotomized scores as “low” and “high”, by splitting the group at <12 and ≥12 which was the mean. Results A total of 404 participants were interviewed between March and August 2020. The mean age was 25.2 (SD = 6.4) years. Majority were single (80.4%) and Christians (84.2%). All participants had some formal education ranging from primary to tertiary; the majority (92.3%) had secondary education or more. Most (64.0%) were employed and their monthly income ranged from <50->150 USD. Almost all (98.5%) were Kenyans. Of the 404 (90.6%) self-identified as male and (47.5%) reported to be exclusively top partners. Many (39.9%) reported being versatile, while those reporting to be bottom partners were, (12.6%). The last 12 months, (55.4%) of the participants reported having sex with men only and (88.6%) reported to have had multiple sexual partners. Participants scored an average of 12.2, SD 4.5. Multivariable backward elimination logistic regression revealed that participants who had tertiary education (aOR = 0.50, 95% CI 0.32–0.77), a higher income (aOR = 0.40, 95% CI 0.22–0.75) and were engaging in vaginal sex (aOR = 1.86, 95% CI 1.25–2.78) predicted significantly higher odds of high knowledge in the final multivariable model. Conclusion Participant’s knowledge level regarding STIs was low. We recommend health care workers to continue educating patients about STIs.

show abstract

Prevalence of five curable sexually transmitted infections and associated risk factors among tertiary student men who have sex with men in Nairobi, Kenya: a respondent-driven sampling survey†

Cited by 3 publications

References 51 publications

“What if I get sick, where shall I go?”: a qualitative investigation of healthcare engagement among young gay and bisexual men in Nairobi, Kenya

“What if I get sick, where shall I go?”: a qualitative investigation of healthcare engagement among young gay and bisexual men in Nairobi, Kenya

“We must help them despite who they are…”: healthcare providers’ attitudes and perspectives on care for young gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men in Nairobi, Kenya

Sexually transmitted infection knowledge among men who have sex with men in Nairobi, Kenya

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About