Young women’s perceptions of life in urban South Africa:: Contextualising the preconception knowledge gap
Young women’s perceptions of life in urban South Africa:: Contextualising the preconception knowledge gap
Raising awareness to support improved health and well-being of young women in sub-Saharan Africa is critical, particularly in the preconception period in order to achieve improved health for multiple generations. To inform messaging campaign on preconception health, we conducted eight focus group discussions (FGDs) with young women in Soweto to understand their perceptions and access to health messages. Preconception health was generally not a familiar topic for young women. Participants prioritised information seeking for other pressing challenges they faced such as poverty and unemployment. Within this context, mental health was viewed as important, while physical health only gained importance when illness was present or during pregnancy. Television, radio and community health workers were all viewed as useful communication channels for health messaging. Understanding the importance of preconception health of young adults to benefit from the triple dividend of better health now, better health for the future and for children is a critical knowledge gap for young women. Messages aimed to improve preconception physical and mental health could leverage significant health gains. Health messages should be contextualised within the experiences that young women face and should offer information to help young women cope with their challenges. (Afr J Reprod Health 2021; 25[2]: 39-49).
Communication, Health promotion, Soweto, South Africa, Preconception health, Social media
39-49
Bosire, Edna N.
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Ware, Lisa J.
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Draper, Catherine E.
5032d1f5-0c2a-44be-8bdb-6e4967d49e14
Amato, Beth
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Kapueja, Lethu
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Lye, Stephen
7bd9fd30-9358-42fb-a3f3-96de294d1dca
Norris, Shane A.
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April 2021
Bosire, Edna N.
043436e9-f457-4ef9-a1a5-a1179db63f2f
Ware, Lisa J.
74860e6c-ac74-44ae-bb62-a7a2032852ba
Draper, Catherine E.
5032d1f5-0c2a-44be-8bdb-6e4967d49e14
Amato, Beth
3224056d-6f4b-4cdb-89b1-ed1a97ecf667
Kapueja, Lethu
2c5c65c0-6435-4e11-8c10-b8e03590ef16
Lye, Stephen
7bd9fd30-9358-42fb-a3f3-96de294d1dca
Norris, Shane A.
1d346f1b-6d5f-4bca-ac87-7589851b75a4
Bosire, Edna N., Ware, Lisa J., Draper, Catherine E., Amato, Beth, Kapueja, Lethu, Lye, Stephen and Norris, Shane A.
(2021)
Young women’s perceptions of life in urban South Africa:: Contextualising the preconception knowledge gap.
African Journal of Reproductive Health, 25 (2), .
(doi:10.29063/AJRH2021%2FV25I2.4).
Abstract
Raising awareness to support improved health and well-being of young women in sub-Saharan Africa is critical, particularly in the preconception period in order to achieve improved health for multiple generations. To inform messaging campaign on preconception health, we conducted eight focus group discussions (FGDs) with young women in Soweto to understand their perceptions and access to health messages. Preconception health was generally not a familiar topic for young women. Participants prioritised information seeking for other pressing challenges they faced such as poverty and unemployment. Within this context, mental health was viewed as important, while physical health only gained importance when illness was present or during pregnancy. Television, radio and community health workers were all viewed as useful communication channels for health messaging. Understanding the importance of preconception health of young adults to benefit from the triple dividend of better health now, better health for the future and for children is a critical knowledge gap for young women. Messages aimed to improve preconception physical and mental health could leverage significant health gains. Health messages should be contextualised within the experiences that young women face and should offer information to help young women cope with their challenges. (Afr J Reprod Health 2021; 25[2]: 39-49).
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Published date: April 2021
Additional Information:
Funding Information:
Funding The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: Healthy Life Trajectories Initiative (HeLTI) program funded by Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
Funding Information:
This study was supported by the South African Medical Research Council, and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. The authors would like to acknowledge Gugulethu Mabena and Molebogeng Motlhatlhedi who facilitated the focus group discussions, and the young women who participated in the study.
Funding Information:
Acknowledgements This study was supported by the South African Medical Research Council, and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. The authors would like to acknowledge Gugulethu Mabena and Molebogeng Motlhatlhedi who facilitated the focus group discussions, and the young women who participated in the study.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, Women's Health and Action Research Centre. All rights reserved.
Copyright:
Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
Keywords:
Communication, Health promotion, Soweto, South Africa, Preconception health, Social media
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Local EPrints ID: 450883
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/450883
ISSN: 1118-4841
PURE UUID: 30abbee9-6fe7-4720-98c0-bf1702a902c2
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Date deposited: 18 Aug 2021 16:30
Last modified: 18 Mar 2024 03:52
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Contributors
Author:
Edna N. Bosire
Author:
Lisa J. Ware
Author:
Catherine E. Draper
Author:
Beth Amato
Author:
Lethu Kapueja
Author:
Stephen Lye
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