Dr. Vera Scott (School of Public Health)

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https://hdl.handle.net/10566/2245

Dr. Vera Scott
Position: Senior researcher
Department: School of Public Health
Faculty: Faculty of Community and Health Sciences
Qualifications: MBChB (UCT), DCH (UCT), MPH (UWC)
My publications in this repository
More about me: here , and here.
Tel: + 27 21 959 2872
Email: verascott@mweb.co.za

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Browsing by Subject "HIV prevention"

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
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    Integration of HIV prevention into sexual and reproductive health services in an urban setting in South Africa
    (AOSIS OpenJournals, 2013) Parker, Shireen; Scott, Vera
    Background: The United Nations Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS of 2006 stressed the need to strengthen policy and programme linkages between HIV and Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH). However, the effectiveness and best practices for strengthening SRH and HIV linkages are poorly researched in the context of family-planning services. In Cape Town, HIV-prevention services have been integrated into family-planning services. There are two models of service configuration: dedicated stand-alone reproductive health clinics and familyplanning services located in comprehensive primary-care facilities. Objective: To describe how reproductive health services are integrating HIV prevention and care strategies and to measure the coverage and quality of these integrated services. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using structured interviews with facility managers; a facility-based checklist; and a patient record review to assess the availability of resources, training, access, quality and integration. Results: Facilities in Cape Town are equipped adequately to offer integrated HIV-prevention and SRH services. Overall there was poor coverage of integrated services with 54% of familyplanning clients having a known HIV status; 47% being screened for a sexually transmitted infection and 55% being offered HIV counselling and testing and receiving condoms. Quality and continuity of care seemed better at the dedicated clinics than at the comprehensive facilities, supported by better training coverage. Conclusion: Engaging middle-level management is crucial with regard to improving integration within a well-resourced setting.
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    Knowledge, attitude and practice study of HIV in female adolescents presenting for contraceptive services in a rural health district in the north-east of Namibia
    (OpenJournals Publishing, 2012) Ntumba, Alexis; Scott, Vera; Igumbor, Ehimario U.
    Background: Namibia bears a large burden of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), and the youth are disproportionately affected. Objectives: To explore the current knowledge, attitudes and behaviour of female adolescents attending family planning to HIV prevention. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was used on a sample 251 unmarried female adolescents aged from 13 years to 19 years accessing primary care services for contraception using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Data were analysed using Epi Info 2002. Crude associations were assessed using cross-tabulations of knowledge, attitude and behaviour scores against demographic variables. Chi-square tests and odds ratios were used to assess associations from the cross-tabulations. All p-values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: A quarter of sexually active teenagers attending the family-planning services did not have adequate knowledge of HIV prevention strategies. Less than a quarter (23.9%) always used a condom. Most respondents (83.3%) started sexual intercourse when older than 16 years, but only 38.6% used a condom at their sexual debut. The older the girls were at sexual debut, the more likely they were to use a condom for the event (8% did so at age 13 years and 100% at age 19 years). Conclusions: Knowledge of condom use as an HIV prevention strategy did not translate into consistent condom use. One alternate approach in family-planning facilities may be to encourage condom use as a dual protection method. Delayed onset of sexual activity and consistent use of condoms should be encouraged amongst schoolchildren, in the school setting.