Impact Factor (2025): 6.9
DOI Prefix: 10.47001/IRJIET
It has been decades into the HIV pandemic, the position of
the disease has advanced significantly from death sentence to a chronically
manageable disease that can be lived with for long time. This evolution was
made possible with the advent of antiretroviral therapy which allowed HIV
infected children to reach adulthood. However, sexual, and reproductive needs
of these generations remain unattended in many countries. The study sought to
highlight the sexual and reproductive health issues affecting young people
living with HIV in Chitungwiza and Waterfalls communities, targeting HIV
positive young people aged 15-24 years.
A mixed methods approach was adopted in which, Qualitative and
Quantitative research methods were employed. A survey was conducted with 113
young people to quantify sexual and reproductive health issues affecting young
people living with HIV (YPLWH). To solicitate community perceptions and
opinions on childbearing among the Adolescents and Young persons living with
HIV, 8 focus group discussions and key informant interviews were conducted to
qualify the data from the survey. The
findings indicated that sexual and reproductive health (SRH) knowledge heavily
impacts YPLWH’. Socio-cultural barriers are major inhibiting factors limiting
YPLWH. The study recommends that academic research, NGOs, and other
stakeholders with support from the Ministry of Health, should conduct more
studies on emerging HIV and SRH issues which will help in addressing knowledge
gaps and provide evidence-based knowledge in public health. Overall, this will
improve the reproductive health outcomes of young people living with HIV.
Country : Zimbabwe
IRJIET, Volume 5, Issue 8, August 2021 pp. 506-520