Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Barriers to Sexual and Reproductive Health Programming for Adolescents Living with HIV in Uganda

  • Published:
Population Research and Policy Review Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Despite revising their reproductive health policies in line with the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action, a major challenge facing many developing countries is the inability to fully implement the policies owing to lack of funds, bureaucratic delays, and limited awareness among various stakeholders. In some countries, the policies fail to adequately address sexual and reproductive health (SRH) needs of vulnerable groups. This study examines the barriers to SRH programming for adolescents living with HIV from the perspectives of key stakeholders involved in SRH issues in Uganda. The data are from qualitative interviews conducted in 2007 with 23 key informants from bilateral institutions, government ministries, and civil society organizations. The study findings confirm that policy and programmatic gaps exist in addressing the SRH needs of HIV-positive adolescents. This is attributable to: (1) lack of clear guidelines on how to address the SRH of HIV-positive adolescents; (2) challenges of dealing with adolescent SRH in general; (3) HIV/AIDS treatment, care, and support services that are either pediatric- or adult-oriented; and (4) limited institutional and provider capacity to offer SRH services to HIV-positive adolescents despite recognizing that this is an emerging area that requires intervention. These results suggest the need for: (1) clear guidelines on dealing with SRH of HIV-positive adolescents; (2) establishing transition clinics or youth-friendly corners to cater for the needs of adolescents who cannot fit in either pediatric or adult clinics; and (3) providing training and reorientation on SRH of HIV-positive adolescents to service providers/counsellors.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • African Youth Alliance. (2001). Review of laws, policies, strategies and guidelines relevant to adolescent sexual and reproductive health and HIV/AIDS in Uganda. Uganda: UNFPA, PATH & PATHFINDER.

    Google Scholar 

  • Allen, T. (2006). AIDS and evidence: Interrogating some Ugandan myths. Journal of Biosocial Science, 38(1), 7–28.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bakeera-Kitaka, S., Nabukeera-Barungi, N., Nöstlinger, C., Addy, K., & Colebunders, R. (2008). Sexual risk reduction needs of adolescents living with HIV in a clinical care setting. AIDS Care, 20(4), 426–433.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Birungi, H., Mugisha, J. F., Nyombi, J., Obare, F., Evelia, H., & Nyinkavu, H. (2008). Sexual and reproductive health needs of adolescents perinatally infected with HIV in Uganda. FRONTIERS Final Report. Washington, DC: Population Council.

  • Birungi, H., Mugisha, J. F., Obare, F., & Nyombi, J. (2009a). Sexual behaviour and desires among adolescents perinatally infected with HIV in Uganda: Implications for programming. Journal of Adolescent Health, 44(2), 184–187.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Birungi, H., Obare, F., Mugisha, J. F., Evelia, H., & Nyombi, J. (2009b). Preventive service needs of young people perinatally infected with HIV in Uganda. AIDS Care, 21(6), 725–731.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brock, K., McGee, R., & Ssewakiryanga, R. (2002). Poverty knowledge and policy processes: A case study of Ugandan national poverty reduction policy. Research Report 53. Sussex: Institute of Development Studies.

  • Glenngård, A. H., & Maina, T. M. (2007). Reversing the trend of weak policy implementation in the Kenyan health sector? A study of budget allocation and spending of health resources versus set priorities. Health Research Policy and Systems, 5, 3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haines, A., Kuruvilla, S., & Borchert, M. (2004). Bridging the implementation gap between knowledge and action for health. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 82(10), 724–732.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hardon, A. (2005). Confronting the HIV/AIDS epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa: Policy versus practice. International Social Science Journal, 57(186), 601–608.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Innvaer, S., Vist, G., Trommald, M., & Oxman, A. (2002). Health policy-makers’ perceptions of their use of evidence: A systematic review. Journal Health Services Research and Policy, 7(4), 239–244.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Gender, Labour, Social Development [Uganda]. (2001). The National Youth Policy. Kampala, Uganda: Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Health [Uganda]. (1998). Sexual and reproductive health minimum package. Kampala, Uganda: Ministry of Health.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Health [Uganda]. (2006). The National Policy Guidelines and Service Standards for sexual and reproductive health and rights. Kampala, Uganda: Ministry of Health.

    Google Scholar 

  • Neema, S., Musisi, N., & Kibombo, R. (2004). Adolescent sexual and reproductive health in Uganda: A synthesis of the research evidence. Occasional Report No. 14. New York: The Alan Guttmacher Institute.

  • Parent, F., Fromageot, A., Coppieters, Y., Lejeune, C., Lemenu, D., Garant, M., et al. (2005). Analysis of adequacy levels for human resources improvement within primary health care framework in Africa. Health Research Policy and Systems, 3, 8.

  • Philpott, A., Maher, D., & Grosskurth, H. (2002). Translating HIV/AIDS research findings into policy: Lessons from a case study of ‘the Mwanza trial’. Health Policy and Planning, 17(2), 196–201.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tantchou, J., & Wilson, E. (2000). Post-Cairo reproductive health policies and programs: A study of five Francophone African Countries. Washington, DC: The Futures Group International.

    Google Scholar 

  • United Nations Department of Public Information (UN/DPI). (1995). ICPD ‘94: Summary of the programme of action. Proceedings of the 1994 international conference on population and development, Cairo.

  • World Bank. (2001). Capacity strengthening in environmental and natural resource policy: Lessons from Malawi. Findings, 182.

Download references

Acknowledgements

The project on the sexuality of young people perinatally infected with HIV in Uganda that provided the data for this paper was funded by the Ford Foundation and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The AIDS Support Organization (TASO)—Uganda implemented the study while the Population Council—Nairobi provided technical support. We also acknowledge the support of the research team including the late John Frank Mugisha, the HIV/AIDS treatment, care and support centers, the research assistants, and the study participants toward the successful implementation of the project. The views expressed in the paper are, however, those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the implementing or funding agencies.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Population Council, Ralph Bunche Road, P.O. Box 17643, Nairobi, 00500, Kenya

    Francis Obare & Harriet Birungi

  2. Makerere University, P.O. Box 22418, Kampala, Uganda

    Linda Kavuma

Authors
  1. Francis Obare
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Harriet Birungi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Linda Kavuma
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Francis Obare.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Obare, F., Birungi, H. & Kavuma, L. Barriers to Sexual and Reproductive Health Programming for Adolescents Living with HIV in Uganda. Popul Res Policy Rev 30, 151–163 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11113-010-9182-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11113-010-9182-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation