"Not on the agenda": A qualitative study of influences on health services use among poor young women who use drugs in Cape Town, South Africa

The International Journal on Drug Policy
Bronwyn MyersWendee M Wechsberg

Abstract

Poor young women who use alcohol and other drugs (AODs) in Cape Town, South Africa, need access to health services to prevent HIV. Efforts to link young women to services are hampered by limited information on what influences service initiation. We explored perceptions of factors that influence poor AOD-using young women's use of health services. We conducted four focus groups with young women (aged 16-21) who used AODs and were recruited from two township communities in Cape Town. We also conducted 14 in-depth interviews with health and social welfare service planners and providers. Discussion topics included young women's use of health services and perceived influences on service use. Qualitative data were analysed using a framework approach. The findings highlighted structural, contextual, and systemic influences on the use of health services by young women who use AODs. First, young women were absent from the health agenda, which had an impact on the provision of women-specific services. Resource constraints and gender inequality were thought to contribute to this absence. Second, gender inequality and stigma toward young women who used AODs led to their social exclusion from education and employment opportunities and healt...Continue Reading

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Citations

Mar 22, 2016·The International Journal on Drug Policy·Tim Rhodes, Reychad Abdool
Apr 16, 2019·Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing·Bronwyn MyersKatherine Sorsdahl
Apr 15, 2020·International Journal of Psychology : Journal International De Psychologie·Tara CarneyBronwyn Myers
Aug 24, 2019·Psychotherapy Research : Journal of the Society for Psychotherapy Research·Tara CarneyBronwyn Myers
Dec 3, 2017·Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research·Bronwyn MyersDan J Stein
Apr 2, 2020·International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health·Petal Petersen WilliamsBronwyn Myers
Nov 8, 2019·Substance Abuse : Official Publication of the Association for Medical Education and Research in Substance Abuse·Ilze SlabbertAndrine M Lemieux
Jul 18, 2020·The International Journal on Drug Policy·Stephanie A MeyersDan Werb
Jun 11, 2021·Current HIV/AIDS Reports·Wendee M WechsbergIsa van der Drift
Jul 8, 2021·Health Sociology Review : the Journal of the Health Section of the Australian Sociological Association·Ediomo-Ubong Ekpo Nelson

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