‘You’ll always stay right’: understanding vaginal products and the motivations for use among adolescent and young women in rural KZN

dc.contributor.authorHumphries, Hilton
dc.contributor.authorMehou-Loko, Celia
dc.contributor.authorPhakathi, Sithembile
dc.contributor.authorMdladla, Makhosazana
dc.contributor.authorFynn, Lauren
dc.contributor.authorKnight, Lucia
dc.contributor.authorKarim, Quarraisha Abdool
dc.date.accessioned2018-05-02T10:25:01Z
dc.date.available2018-05-02T10:25:01Z
dc.date.issued2018
dc.description.abstractThe use of vaginal products may increase the risk of HIV infection by affecting the vaginal biome. Understanding what vaginal products young women are using, and why, is key to assessing the complexity of sexual health and risk. This study reports on findings from research with adolescent and young women in rural KwaZulu-Natal about the vaginal products they use and motivations for using them. The study identified over 26 products that young women used to enhance their sexual experience and found some young women spent time preparing and sourcing vaginal products in order to pleasure and retain partners. Opinions differed about vaginal product use. While some women perceived that vaginal products could provide a means of out-performing other women, retaining a partner and providing sexual autonomy, there was a stigma attached to using them. Study findings highlight the social value of using vaginal products, especially in settings where partner retention is linked to economic survival. Expanding our understanding of what products are used and the reasons young women use them warrants continued investigation.en_US
dc.identifier.citationHumphries, H. et al. (2018): ‘You’ll always stay right’: understanding vaginal products and the motivations for use among adolescent and young women in rural KZN. Culture, Health & Sexuality, 2018.en_US
dc.identifier.issn1464-5351
dc.identifier.urihttp://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13691058.2018.1453086
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10566/3627
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.privacy.showsubmitterFALSE
dc.publisherTaylor & Francisen_US
dc.rightsThis is the author-version of the article published online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13691058.2018.1453086
dc.status.ispeerreviewedTRUE
dc.subjectAdolescentsen_US
dc.subjectYoung womenen_US
dc.subjectVaginal practicesen_US
dc.subjectHIVen_US
dc.subjectSocial motivationen_US
dc.subjectSouth Africaen_US
dc.title‘You’ll always stay right’: understanding vaginal products and the motivations for use among adolescent and young women in rural KZNen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US

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