This study from South Africa emphasises that having access to health information is just ‘the first step’. What is critically important is to understand ‘the significance of this information in terms of their actions today and their future goals and achievements’. Personal comment, this helps explain the impact of edutainment as produced by organisations such as the South-Africa-based Soul City Institute for Health and Development Communication, a not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation and the largest social change communication project in Africa. Television and radio drama can show the consequences of unsafe health behaviour in ways that young people can relate to.

CITATION: N Lince-Deroche, A Hargey, K Holt, T Shochet. Accessing Sexual and Reproductive Health Information and Services: A Mixed Methods Study of Young Women’s Needs and Experiences in Soweto, South Africa. African Journal of Reproductive Health March 2015; 19 (1): 73  http://www.ajol.info/index.php/ajrh/article/view/115807

ABSTRACT: Young women and girls in South Africa are at high risk of unintended pregnancy and HIV. Previous studies have reported barriers to contraceptive and other sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services among young women in this context. We aimed to assess young women’s SRH knowledge and experiences and to determine how they get SRH information and services in Soweto, South Africa using quantitative and qualitative methods. Young women, aged 18-24, recruited from primary health clinics and a shopping mall, reported that they have access to SRH information and know where to obtain services. However there are challenges to accessing and utilizing information and services including providers’ unsupportive attitudes, uneven power dynamics in relationships and communication issues with parents and community members. There is a need to assist young women in understanding the significance of SRH information. They need access to age-appropriate, youth-friendly services in order to have healthy sexual experiences.

EXTRACTS (selected by neil PW)

‘Young women and girls in South Africa are at high risk of unintended pregnancy and HIV. By age 17, half of all teenagers are sexually active1. HIV prevalence among 15-19-year-old women was 12.7% in 2011, and among pregnant 15-24-year-olds, it was 20.5%2. A national household survey conducted in 2003 indicated that one third of 15-19 year olds and over half (59%) of 20-24-year-old women had ever been pregnant and that two-thirds of the pregnancies were reported to be “unwanted”… Among 15-24 year olds who were sexually active in the previous year, roughly half used a condom at last sex, and less than 50% of women age 15-24 reported using a condom at first sex.’

One respondent astutely noted that having information does not mean that it is acted upon. “Yes, they can [get information on SRH]. We get newspapers, magazines, and we learn from the TV, it’s just that we ignore these things, but yes, they are informed.”

“… cause we all know, okay, if you don’t want to get AIDS you use a condom, and you, we all know that, but we don’t necessarily do it all the time, I’m not sure why, but ja.”

The authors conclude: ‘The results of this study indicate that young women in this context are exposed to a significant amount of information on SRH, including HIV and GBV. However, there is a need to assist them in understanding the significance of this information in terms of their actions today and their future goals and achievements… Having information or knowing where to obtain it is just the first step. Young women also need support from their families and communities and access to nonjudgmental SRH services in order to make responsible choices and have safe and healthy sexual experiences.’

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