Understanding orphan and non-orphan adolescents’ sexual risks in the context of poverty: a qualitative study in Nyanza Province, Kenya

Content Provider	Semantic Scholar
Author	Juma, Milka Alaii, Jane Bartholomew, Leona K. Askew, Ian D. Born, Bart Van Den
Copyright Year	2013
Abstract	BackgroundSome studies show orphanhood to be associated with increased sexual risk-taking while others have not established this relationship, but have found factors other than orphanhood as predictors of sexual risk behaviours and outcomes among adolescents. This study examines community members’ perceptions of how poverty influences adolescent sexual behaviour and outcomes in four districts of Nyanza Province, Kenya.MethodsEight study sites within the four districts were randomly selected. Focus group discussions were conducted with a purposive sample of adolescents, parents and caregivers. Key informant interviews were undertaken with a purposive sample of community leaders, child welfare and healthcare workers, and adolescents. The two methods elicited information on factors perceived to predispose adolescent orphans and non-orphans to sexual risks. Data were analysed through line-by-line coding, grouped into families and retrieved as themes and sub-themes.ResultsParticipants included 147 adolescents and parents/caregivers in 14 focus groups and 13 key informants. Poverty emerged as a key predisposing factor to sexual risk behaviour among orphans and non-orphans. Poverty was associated with lack of food, poor housing, school dropout, and engaging in income generating activities, all of which increase their vulnerability to transactional sex, early marriage, sexual experimentation, and the eventual consequences of increased risk of unintended pregnancies and STI/HIV.ConclusionPoverty was perceived to contribute to increasing sexual risks among orphan and non-orphan adolescents through survival strategies adopted to be able to meet their basic needs. Policies for prevention and intervention that target adolescents in a generalized poverty and HIV epidemic should integrate economic empowerment for caregivers and life skills for adolescents to reduce vulnerabilities of orphan and non-orphan adolescents to sexual risk behaviour.
Starting Page	32
Ending Page	32
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Alternate Webpage(s)	https://static-content.springer.com/openpeerreview/art:10.1186%2F1472-698X-13-32/12914_2012_265_AuthorComment_V3.pdf
PubMed reference number	23886019
Alternate Webpage(s)	https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-698X-13-32
DOI	10.1186/1472-698X-13-32
Journal	BMC International Health and Human Rights
Volume Number	13
Language	English
Access Restriction	Open
Subject Keyword	Adolescent (age group) Child Welfare Entity Name Part Qualifier - adopted Physiological Sexual Disorders Pregnancy Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article