Youth’s Perspectives on a Sustainable Model for the Provision of Youth Friendly Sexual and Reproductive Health Services in Kenya: A Quantitative Approach

Nearly half of the world’s population comprise youths. However, addressing their Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) remains a challenge. Globally countries are mandated to continually provide Youth Friendly Sexual and Reproductive Health services (YFSRHs) to the youth. The objective of this study was to assess and describe youth’s perspectives on a sustainable model for the provision of YFSRHs in Kenya. Data was collected among 400 youths aged 18 - 24 years in Embu and Kirinyaga counties, Kenya. A structured questionnaire was utilized as the data collection tool. Collected data was analyzed using SAS statistical software version 9.4. Statistical threshold of P ≤ 0.05 was used. Overall the mean age of the study participants was ±standard deviation (SD) 21.2 ± 1.86 years. Majority of the participants’ perspective on the health care system sustainability was that the waiting time at the facility should be less than an hour, accessible geographically (less than a kilometre), affordable (≤20 Ksh.), and convenient working hours (weekday and weekends ratio 1:1). Advocacy was on health care provider’s attributes of politeness, welcoming, confidential and non-judgmental. The most preferred locations for the youth friendly centres by the participants were community and school based locations. Similarly, parental and community support was reported to highly contribute to sustained utilization and provision of the YFSRHs (P < 0.001). Unlike popular belief, 99.8% did not see the need for recreational facilities at the youth centres to ensure sustainability of the model. To ensure a sustainable model for the provision of YFSRHs, there is need for a multi-sectoral and stakeholder involvement that is;youth, health care system structure, health care service providers, parents and community. Further research is needed on parents and health care service provider’s perspectives on how to sustain the provision of YFSRH services.

Representations of Child Abuse in Quebec Print Media and the Integration of Child Psychological Ill-Treatment into the Youth Protection Act: When Distancing Abusive Families Matters More

The media has played an important role in raising the public awareness and knowledge on child abuse.Yet,we do not know how child psychological maltreatment was presented in the media and how it might colour our common understanding of the problem.This article presents the results of a qualitative research on social representations of child psychological maltreatment in the Quebec media.More specifically,the study aimed to investigate how child abuse and child psychological maltreatment were presented in the Quebec media when psychological maltreatment was formally integrated into the Youth Protection Act in 2006.85 newspaper articles were analyzed.We identified various forms of anchoring and objectivation of social representations,including the emotional anchoring and objectivation of abuse in moral outrage,compassion,and fear,as well as various metaphors,personifications,and antinomies related to the issue.Cross-sectional analysis of the data revealed the thematic anchoring of representations of child maltreatment in the thêmata self/other and justice/injustice.This article discusses the implications of these results regarding social exclusion and the othering process of marginalized groups.Finally,we will address the repercussions of these thêmata on current solutions and action plans to end child abuse and maltreatment.