An inter-disciplinary approach to understanding and intervening on contextual factors that shape HIV-risk for young women and men in South Africa
Medical Research Council
South African Medical Research Council
Background: South Africa remains the epicentre globally of the HIV-epidemic, driven by harsh contexts of gender inequalities, poverty and community violence. Understandings of how these impact on the syndemic of HIV-acquisition risk, intimate partner violence (IPV), poor mental health and substance misuse, for young women and men remain limited, and there remain no effective HIV-prevention interventions for young people who are out of school. Aim: To understand how contextual factors shape the syndemic of HIV-acquisition risk, in South Africa, and how these can be challenged in participatory interventions to reduce HIV-risk. Methods: To understand the relationship between contextual factors and the syndemic of HIV-acquisition risk we will undertake secondary analysis of South African data sets using spatial epidemiological techniques. We will also recruit 16 youth peer research associates (YPRAs) aged 18-24 from two communities, and through participatory methods understand their perspectives. We will then co-develop with the YPRA an intervention that responds to their needs and priorities, and undertake a mixed methods pilot randomised control trial of the intervention. We will assess feasibility, acceptability and potential effects sizes through this pilot. Outcome: At the end of the project we will have an intervention that is ready for a larger scale evaluation, as well as a better understanding of the contextual factors shape the syndemic of HIV-acquisition risk for young people. Expertise: An experienced inter-disciplinary team of social psychologists, statisticians, social epidemiologists, gender, mental health, and violence experts, and HIV-clinicians.
3.1 Primary prevention interventions to modify behaviours or promote well-being / Research Grant