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BMC Health Services Research

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Open Access 01-12-2014 | Research article

Barriers to and facilitators of the provision of a youth-friendly health services programme in rural South Africa

Authors: Rebecca Sally Geary, Francesc Xavier Gómez-Olivé, Kathleen Kahn, Stephen Tollman, Shane Anthony Norris

Published in: BMC Health Services Research | Issue 1/2014

Abstract

Background

Youth-friendly health services are a key strategy for improving young people’s health. This is the first study investigating provision of the Youth Friendly Services programme in South Africa since the national Department of Health took over its management in 2006. In a rural area of South Africa, we aimed to describe the characteristics of the publicly-funded primary healthcare facilities, investigate the proportion of facilities that provided the Youth Friendly Services programme and examine healthcare workers’ perceived barriers to and facilitators of the provision of youth-friendly health services.

Methods

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nurses of all eight publicly-funded primary healthcare facilities in Agincourt sub-district, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. Thematic analysis of interview transcripts was conducted and data saturation was reached.

Results

Participants largely felt that the Youth Friendly Services programme was not implemented in their primary healthcare facilities, with the exception of one clinic. Barriers to provision reported by nurses were: lack of youth-friendly training among staff and lack of a dedicated space for young people. Four of the eight facilities did not appear to uphold the right of young people aged 12 years and older to access healthcare independently. Breaches in young people’s confidentiality to parents were reported.

Conclusions

Participants reported that provision of the Youth Friendly Services programme is limited in this sub-district, and below the Department of Health’s target that 70% of primary healthcare facilities should provide these services. Whilst a dedicated space for young people is unlikely to be feasible or necessary, all facilities have the potential to be youth-friendly in terms of staff attitudes and actions. Training and on-going support should be provided to facilitate this; the importance of such training is emphasised by staff. More than one member of staff per facility should be trained to allow for staff turnover. As one of a few countrywide, government-run youth-friendly clinic programmes in a low or middle-income country, these results may be of interest to programme managers and policy makers in such settings.

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The pre-publication history for this paper can be accessed here:http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6963/14/259/prepub

Title: Barriers to and facilitators of the provision of a youth-friendly health services programme in rural South Africa
Authors: Rebecca Sally Geary
Francesc Xavier Gómez-Olivé
Kathleen Kahn
Stephen Tollman
Shane Anthony Norris
Publication date: 01-12-2014
Publisher: BioMed Central
Published in: BMC Health Services Research / Issue 1/2014
Electronic ISSN: 1472-6963
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6963-14-259

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on sleep in brain health

Springer Medicine

Barriers to and facilitators of the provision of a youth-friendly health services programme in rural South Africa

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on sleep in brain health

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

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