"Youth Photovoice": Promoting Youth-Driven Community Changes for HIV Prevention in Rural Malawi. (21st November 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lofton, Saria; Norr, Kathleen F.; Jere, Diana; Patil, Crystal; Banda, Chimwemwe
• Is Part Of: Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care. Volume 32:Number 6(2021)
• Page Start: e77
• Page End: e90
• Publication Date: 2021-11-21
• Subjects: action research -- community-level outcomes -- HIV prevention -- Photovoice -- sub-Saharan Africa -- youth; AIDS (Disease) -- Nursing -- Periodicals; AIDS (Disease) -- Treatment -- Periodicals; AIDS (Disease) -- Periodicals; HIV infections -- Nursing -- Periodicals; HIV infections -- Treatment -- Periodicals; HIV infections -- Periodicals; 616.97920231
• DOI: 10.1097/JNC.0000000000000262
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1055-3290

Abstract

Abstract: To meet the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS global goal of no new HIV infections by 2030, it is imperative to reduce new infections among youth. Youth Photovoice was a 10-month, participatory, community-action research project developed to engage rural Malawi youth in an HIV prevention project focused on community-level outcomes. In this study, we describe how participants in Youth Photovoice engaged adults and community leaders to implement action plans, as well as the community and individual changes that occurred as a result of these collaborative efforts. Youth Photovoice participants, their parents, and local leaders in the community participated in focus groups and individual interviews. Community-level changes, such as moving initiation ceremonies to churches and changes to local business practices, were observed, along with increased community and parental involvement in youth monitoring for local events and activities. This youth-led project led to changes in the community environment that reduced exposure to situations supporting unsafe sex, uncovered ways that youth can lead collaborations with adults, and informed the implementation of plans for community action.