Reframing Inclusion: Cross-cultural interventions for families with Deaf children in Swaziland

Deaf children and their families continue to remain at the margins due to lack of services available. While previous studies acknowledge the necessity of having an Early Identification and Family Intervention program, measures have not been taken to implement such a program in Swaziland. This study emphasized the importance of adopting cross-cultural approaches to bridge the communication and cultural gap between Deaf children and their families. This paper asked the question: What interventions can be implemented in Swaziland in order to encourage the integration and inclusion of Deaf children into their families? The three data collection methods used were: a questionnaire for parents and caregivers at one school for the Deaf, and semi-structured interviews by six parents and eight Deaf students. Findings revealed that there is a gap visible between the existing policies and the practices that are put into place when it comes to inclusiveness. This is largely due to insufficient resources and services available to assist Deaf children and their families, which in turn perpetuates the language and communication gap experienced. The study also revealed the attitudes and beliefs shared by parents and caregivers, and the lack of awareness of the steps to take to ensure inclusiveness. Thus, there is great room for improvement in terms of building the capacity of, and establishing additional services for Deaf children and their families. KEYWORDS: Inclusion, Early Identification, Cross-cultural Competency, Sign Language, Deaf Culture, Deafness, Biculturalism, Communication Barrie

Dataset: Male partners of young women in Uganda: Understanding their relationships and use of HIV testing

Substantial concern exists about the high risk of sexually transmitted HIV to adolescent girls and young women (AGYW, ages 15–24) in Eastern and Southern Africa. Yet limited research has been conducted with AGYWs’ male sexual partners regarding their perspectives on relationships and strategies for mitigating HIV risk. This data set presents results from three regions in Uganda, where findings with partners of AGYW confirm earlier reports of multiple concurrent partnerships, and demonstrate substantial HIV testing. Yet they also unearth the degree to which these partnerships are fluid (switching between casual and/or more long-term partnerships), which complicates potential HIV-prevention strategies. Context-specific findings around these partnerships and risk are critical to further tailor HIV-prevention programs

Male partners of young women in Uganda: Understanding their relationships and use of HIV testing

Background: Substantial concern exists about the high risk of sexually transmitted HIV to adolescent girls and young women (AGYW, ages 15-24) in Eastern and Southern Africa. Yet limited research has been conducted with AGYW’s male sexual partners regarding their perspectives on relationships and strategies for mitigating HIV risk. We sought to fill this gap in order to inform the DREAMS Partnership and similar HIV prevention programs in Uganda. Methods: We conducted 94 in-depth interviews, from April-June 2017, with male partners of AGYW in three districts: Gulu, Mukono, and Sembabule. Men were recruited at community venues identified as potential transmission areas, and via female partners enrolled in DREAMS. Analyses focused on men’s current and recent partnerships and HIV service use. Results: Most respondents (80%) were married and 28 years old on average. Men saw partner concurrency as pervasive, and half described their own current multiple partners. Having married in their early 20s, over time most men continued to seek out AGYW as new partners, regardless of their own age. Relationships were highly fluid, with casual short-term partnerships becoming more formalized, and more formalized partnerships characterized by periods of separation and outside partnerships. Nearly all men reported recent HIV testing and described testing at distinct relationship points (e.g., when deciding to continue a relationship/get married, or when reuniting with a partner after a separation). Testing often stemmed from distrust of partner behavior, and an HIV-negative status served to validate respondents’ current relationship practices. Conclusions: Across the three regions in Uganda, findings with partners of AGYW confirm earlier reports in Uganda of multiple concurrent partnerships, and demonstrate substantial HIV testing. Yet they also unearth the degree to which these partnerships are fluid (switching between casual and/or more long-term partnerships), which complicates potential HIV prevention strategies. Context-specific findings around these partnerships and risk are critical to further tailor HIV prevention programs.</p

Male partners of young women in Uganda: Understanding their relationships and use of HIV testing.

BACKGROUND:Substantial concern exists about the high risk of sexually transmitted HIV to adolescent girls and young women (AGYW, ages 15-24) in Eastern and Southern Africa. Yet limited research has been conducted with AGYW's male sexual partners regarding their perspectives on relationships and strategies for mitigating HIV risk. We sought to fill this gap in order to inform the DREAMS Partnership and similar HIV prevention programs in Uganda. METHODS:We conducted 94 in-depth interviews, from April-June 2017, with male partners of AGYW in three districts: Gulu, Mukono, and Sembabule. Men were recruited at community venues identified as potential transmission areas, and via female partners enrolled in DREAMS. Analyses focused on men's current and recent partnerships and HIV service use. RESULTS:Most respondents (80%) were married and 28 years old on average. Men saw partner concurrency as pervasive, and half described their own current multiple partners. Having married in their early 20s, over time most men continued to seek out AGYW as new partners, regardless of their own age. Relationships were highly fluid, with casual short-term partnerships becoming more formalized, and more formalized partnerships characterized by periods of separation and outside partnerships. Nearly all men reported recent HIV testing and described testing at distinct relationship points (e.g., when deciding to continue a relationship/get married, or when reuniting with a partner after a separation). Testing often stemmed from distrust of partner behavior, and an HIV-negative status served to validate respondents' current relationship practices. CONCLUSIONS:Across the three regions in Uganda, findings with partners of AGYW confirm earlier reports in Uganda of multiple concurrent partnerships, and demonstrate substantial HIV testing. Yet they also unearth the degree to which these partnerships are fluid (switching between casual and/or more long-term partnerships), which complicates potential HIV prevention strategies. Context-specific findings around these partnerships and risk are critical to further tailor HIV prevention programs