Natsayi Chimbindi
Biographic Data
| ID | 1736044 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Natsayi Chimbindi |
| GIVEN NAMES | Natsayi |
| FAMILY NAME | Chimbindi |
| SIGNATURE | CHIMBINDI N |
| AFFILIATIONS | Africa Health Research Institute |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-3125-978X |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 28 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 4 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 28 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2013 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 1 |
Harnessing the social capital of rural communities for adolescent and youth biosocial HIV prevention
Novel interventions are required to reduce risky sexual behavior among adolescents and young people (AYP). We interviewed a purposive sample comprising AYP residing in the Africa Health Research Institute’s surveillance area and individuals involved in delivering a community-based peer navigator support intervention. Interviews were conducted in isiZulu, transcribed and translated into English for thematic analysis. We found that community resili…
Spatial mapping of HIV testing and antiretroviral therapy initiation uptake among the adolescents and youth in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
This study investigated the spatial distribution of HIV testing and antiretroviral therapy initiation among adolescents and youth in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, to inform the optimal allocation of HIV services. The sample included 5,352 participants aged 13-35 years from nested cohort studies within Africa's largest population-based prospective cohorts, with global positioning system data collected for all homesteads. HIV testing prevalenc…
Long-acting HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis integrated with community-based sexual and reproductive health services in South Africa (Lapis)
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier-NCT06250504. Registered: 01 February 2024
The effect of multi-level HIV prevention interventions on common mental disorders among adolescents and young adults in rural South Africa
This study evaluated the effect of multi-level HIV prevention interventions delivered through DREAMS (Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Motivated, and Safe) program on common mental disorders (CMD) among adolescents and young adults (AYA) in rural South Africa. We used longitudinal data from two cohorts of AYA aged 13–35 years (N = 2184 for cohort 1 and N = 3067 for cohort 2), recruited between May 2017 and December 2018, with data col…
Sexual and reproductive health interventions for mobile adolescents and young people in sub-Saharan Africa
Research exploring SRHR interventions for mAYP is limited in sub-Saharan Africa. Future research and interventions should be underpinned by an understanding of young people's health and wellbeing more broadly, and foreground the social, cultural, religious and economic factors shaping mAYP's SRH needs
Challenges and opportunities in achieving sustainable development goal 3 in KwaZulu-Natal
South Africa is committed to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3), which aims to ensure health and well-being for all. However, in rural provinces like KwaZulu-Natal, structural inequalities, socio-cultural challenges, and environmental stressors hinder progress. This study synthesises findings from qualitative research conducted at the Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI) to explore the challenges and opportunities in meeting SDG …
Alcohol Use and the Pre-exposure Prophylaxis Continuum of Care Among Men in Rural South Africa
Despite freely available oral HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), HIV incidence among young men in South Africa remains high. This study explores the impact of alcohol use on PrEP initiation and continuation among South African men. We performed a secondary data analysis from a trial involving men aged 16-29, randomly selected in KwaZulu-Natal. Participants were referred to sexual health services, and those who were HIV negative and sexually act…
Uptake of multi-level HIV interventions and HIV-related behaviours among young people in rural South Africa
Combination HIV prevention packages have reduced HIV incidence and improved HIV-related outcomes among young people. However, there is limited data on how package components interact to promote HIV-related prevention behaviours. We described the uptake of HIV prevention interventions supported by Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Motivated and Safe (DREAMS) Partnership and assessed the association between uptake and HIV-related behavio…
Looking for the future – Hope and adolescent risk behaviour in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
We investigate the relationship between hope and risky behaviour and the role of migration among young people in northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. We use data from a cohort of n = 5248 adolescents and young adults (AYA) aged 13-35 recruited and followed up in 2017-2019. We conducted a structured quantitative survey to assess levels of hope among AYA using a validated tool/scale. 44% of participants were aged 13-17 years, 63% were still in sch…
Incident pregnancy and mental health among adolescent girls and young women in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Pregnancy can place adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) at risk of poor mental health. However, evidence linking youth pregnancy to mental health in resource-limited settings is limited, especially where HIV incidence is high. We analysed a population-representative cohort of AGYW aged 13-25 in rural KwaZulu-Natal to assess how adolescent pregnancy predicts subsequent mental health. Among 1851 respondents, incident pregnancy (self-reported pa…
Impact of DREAMS interventions on experiences of violence among adolescent girls and young women
DREAMS aims to reduce HIV incidence among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) by tackling drivers of HIV risk including gender-based violence. We evaluate the impact of DREAMS on recent experiences of violence perpetuated by men against AGYW. AGYW cohorts were randomly selected from demographic platforms in South Africa (rural KwaZulu-Natal) and Kenya (Nairobi informal settlements and rural Gem sub-county). AGYW aged 13–22 years were enrolled…
Thetha Nami ngithethe nawe (Let’s Talk)
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier-NCT05405582. Registered: 6th June 2022
Impact of the DREAMS Partnership on social support and general self-efficacy among adolescent girls and young women
INTRODUCTION: The Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored and Safe (DREAMS) Partnership aimed to influence psychosocial processes that promote empowerment among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW), and reduce HIV incidence. We estimated the impact of DREAMS on aspects of AGYW's collective and individual agency (specifically, social support and self-efficacy), in three settings where DREAMS was implemented from 2016 until at leas…
A socio-ecological approach to understanding experiences and perceptions of a multilevel HIV prevention intervention
Putting research ethics in context
We investigated conceptual shifts around vulnerability and ethical issues arising in research using a case study embedded within an HIV intervention project targeting adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in a rural district, South Africa. We recruited 77 participants. Sixty-five people participated in focus group discussions (FGDs); nine in in-depth interviews (IDIs) and three in key informant interviews (KIIs). Data were analysed iteratively …
Antiretroviral therapy based HIV prevention targeting young women who sell sex
Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) is a potential game-changer for HIV. We used PrEP introduction for Young Women Who Sell Sex (YWSS) in a rural South Africa district to understand community norms and PrEP coverage in YWSS. Between 2017 and 2018, we measured awareness and uptake of PrEP in a representative cohort of 2184 Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) aged 13-22. We conducted group discussions with young people and community members (19); k…
The sexual and reproductive health needs of school-going young people in the context of Covid-19 in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Background : The impact of school closures due to COVID-19 raised widespread concerns about children's health and well-being. We examine the impact on the sexual health needs of learners in the context of COVID-19 related lockdowns in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Methods : In july-November 2020 and August-November 2021 we conducted 24 in-depth interviews and 8 group discussions with teachers and learners from 4 schools, community members an…
Isisekelo Sempilo study protocol for the effectiveness of HIV prevention embedded in sexual health with or without peer navigator support (Thetha Nami) to reduce prevalence of transmissible HIV amongs…
gov Identifier NCT04532307 . Registered: March 2020
Early impact of the DREAMS partnership on young women’s knowledge of their HIV status
BACKGROUND: Knowledge of one's HIV status is the gateway to treatment and prevention, but remains low among young people. We investigated the early impact (2016-2017) of Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored and Safe (DREAMS), a multisectoral HIV prevention package, on knowledge of HIV status among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW). METHODS: In 2017, randomly selected AGYW were enrolled into surveys, N=1081 aged 15-22 years …
Effect of peer-distributed HIV self-test kits on demand for biomedical HIV prevention in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Study objective We investigated two peer distribution models of HIV self-testing (HIVST) in HIV prevention demand creation compared with trained young community members (peer navigators). Methods We used restricted randomisation to allocate 24 peer navigator pairs (clusters) in KwaZulu-Natal 1:1:1: (1) standard of care ( SOC): peer navigators distributed clinic referrals, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and antiretroviral therapy (ART) informatio…
Measuring transactional sex in different contexts
Background: Adolescent girls and young women across sub-Saharan Africa are at disproportionate risk of HIV infection compared to their male counterparts. Transactional sex has been identified as an important proximate risk for infection in this population. Definitions and measures of transactional sex vary, necessitating improved measures to better estimate prevalence across settings, over time, and to understand the mechanisms through which tran…
Thetha Nami
Local youth were able to use evidence to develop a contextually adapted peer-led intervention to deliver biosocial HIV prevention
Common mental disorders and HIV status in the context of DREAMS among adolescent girls and young women in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
We found high prevalence of probable CMD among AGYW in rural South Africa, but it was only associated with HIV serostatus when not controlling for HIV acquisition risk factors. Our findings highlight that improving mental health service access for AGYW at high risk for HIV acquisition might protect them. Interventions already reaching AGYW with CMD, such as DREAMS, can be used to deliver mental health services to reduce both CMD and HIV risks. Th…
Lives Interrupted
We examine data from young women and men in South Africa and young female sex workers in Uganda to explore the inequalities and hardships experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic and investigate the opportunities and ability presented to navigate in a virtual world to build an inclusive supportive future for young people on the move. We argue that against the backdrop of a fragile past, young people who see their today disturbed, tomorrow reshape…
Young people’s experiences of sexual and reproductive health interventions in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Despite efforts to address HIV-infection, adolescents and young peoples' (AYP) engagement in interventions remains suboptimal. Guided by a risk protection framework we describe factors that support positive and negative experiences of HIV and SRH interventions among AYP in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, using data from: community mapping; repeat semi-structured individual interviews (n= 58 in 2017, n=50 in 2018, n=37 in 2019-2020); and group …
Investigating the affordability of key health services in South Africa
Evaluating the impact of the DREAMS partnership to reduce HIV incidence among adolescent girls and young women in four settings
DREAMS is, to date, the most ambitious effort to scale-up combinations or 'packages' of multi-sectoral interventions for HIV prevention. Evidence of its effectiveness in reducing HIV incidence among AGYW, and demonstrating which aspects of the lives of AGYW were changed, will offer valuable lessons for replication
The impact of ART initiation on household food security over time
Young people’s experiences of sexual and reproductive health interventions in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Despite efforts to address HIV-infection, adolescents and young peoples' (AYP) engagement in interventions remains suboptimal. Guided by a risk protection framework we describe factors that support positive and negative experiences of HIV and SRH interventions among AYP in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, using data from: community mapping; repeat semi-structured individual interviews (n= 58 in 2017, n=50 in 2018, n=37 in 2019-2020); and group …
Effect of peer-distributed HIV self-test kits on demand for biomedical HIV prevention in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Study objective We investigated two peer distribution models of HIV self-testing (HIVST) in HIV prevention demand creation compared with trained young community members (peer navigators). Methods We used restricted randomisation to allocate 24 peer navigator pairs (clusters) in KwaZulu-Natal 1:1:1: (1) standard of care ( SOC): peer navigators distributed clinic referrals, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and antiretroviral therapy (ART) informatio…
Measuring transactional sex in different contexts
Background: Adolescent girls and young women across sub-Saharan Africa are at disproportionate risk of HIV infection compared to their male counterparts. Transactional sex has been identified as an important proximate risk for infection in this population. Definitions and measures of transactional sex vary, necessitating improved measures to better estimate prevalence across settings, over time, and to understand the mechanisms through which tran…
Thetha Nami
Local youth were able to use evidence to develop a contextually adapted peer-led intervention to deliver biosocial HIV prevention
Common mental disorders and HIV status in the context of DREAMS among adolescent girls and young women in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
We found high prevalence of probable CMD among AGYW in rural South Africa, but it was only associated with HIV serostatus when not controlling for HIV acquisition risk factors. Our findings highlight that improving mental health service access for AGYW at high risk for HIV acquisition might protect them. Interventions already reaching AGYW with CMD, such as DREAMS, can be used to deliver mental health services to reduce both CMD and HIV risks. Th…
Lives Interrupted
We examine data from young women and men in South Africa and young female sex workers in Uganda to explore the inequalities and hardships experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic and investigate the opportunities and ability presented to navigate in a virtual world to build an inclusive supportive future for young people on the move. We argue that against the backdrop of a fragile past, young people who see their today disturbed, tomorrow reshape…
Impact of the DREAMS Partnership on social support and general self-efficacy among adolescent girls and young women
INTRODUCTION: The Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored and Safe (DREAMS) Partnership aimed to influence psychosocial processes that promote empowerment among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW), and reduce HIV incidence. We estimated the impact of DREAMS on aspects of AGYW's collective and individual agency (specifically, social support and self-efficacy), in three settings where DREAMS was implemented from 2016 until at leas…
A socio-ecological approach to understanding experiences and perceptions of a multilevel HIV prevention intervention
Putting research ethics in context
We investigated conceptual shifts around vulnerability and ethical issues arising in research using a case study embedded within an HIV intervention project targeting adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in a rural district, South Africa. We recruited 77 participants. Sixty-five people participated in focus group discussions (FGDs); nine in in-depth interviews (IDIs) and three in key informant interviews (KIIs). Data were analysed iteratively …
Antiretroviral therapy based HIV prevention targeting young women who sell sex
Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) is a potential game-changer for HIV. We used PrEP introduction for Young Women Who Sell Sex (YWSS) in a rural South Africa district to understand community norms and PrEP coverage in YWSS. Between 2017 and 2018, we measured awareness and uptake of PrEP in a representative cohort of 2184 Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) aged 13-22. We conducted group discussions with young people and community members (19); k…
The sexual and reproductive health needs of school-going young people in the context of Covid-19 in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Background : The impact of school closures due to COVID-19 raised widespread concerns about children's health and well-being. We examine the impact on the sexual health needs of learners in the context of COVID-19 related lockdowns in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Methods : In july-November 2020 and August-November 2021 we conducted 24 in-depth interviews and 8 group discussions with teachers and learners from 4 schools, community members an…
Isisekelo Sempilo study protocol for the effectiveness of HIV prevention embedded in sexual health with or without peer navigator support (Thetha Nami) to reduce prevalence of transmissible HIV amongs…
gov Identifier NCT04532307 . Registered: March 2020
Early impact of the DREAMS partnership on young women’s knowledge of their HIV status
BACKGROUND: Knowledge of one's HIV status is the gateway to treatment and prevention, but remains low among young people. We investigated the early impact (2016-2017) of Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored and Safe (DREAMS), a multisectoral HIV prevention package, on knowledge of HIV status among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW). METHODS: In 2017, randomly selected AGYW were enrolled into surveys, N=1081 aged 15-22 years …
Impact of DREAMS interventions on experiences of violence among adolescent girls and young women
DREAMS aims to reduce HIV incidence among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) by tackling drivers of HIV risk including gender-based violence. We evaluate the impact of DREAMS on recent experiences of violence perpetuated by men against AGYW. AGYW cohorts were randomly selected from demographic platforms in South Africa (rural KwaZulu-Natal) and Kenya (Nairobi informal settlements and rural Gem sub-county). AGYW aged 13–22 years were enrolled…
Thetha Nami ngithethe nawe (Let’s Talk)
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier-NCT05405582. Registered: 6th June 2022
Uptake of multi-level HIV interventions and HIV-related behaviours among young people in rural South Africa
Combination HIV prevention packages have reduced HIV incidence and improved HIV-related outcomes among young people. However, there is limited data on how package components interact to promote HIV-related prevention behaviours. We described the uptake of HIV prevention interventions supported by Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Motivated and Safe (DREAMS) Partnership and assessed the association between uptake and HIV-related behavio…
Looking for the future – Hope and adolescent risk behaviour in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
We investigate the relationship between hope and risky behaviour and the role of migration among young people in northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. We use data from a cohort of n = 5248 adolescents and young adults (AYA) aged 13-35 recruited and followed up in 2017-2019. We conducted a structured quantitative survey to assess levels of hope among AYA using a validated tool/scale. 44% of participants were aged 13-17 years, 63% were still in sch…
Incident pregnancy and mental health among adolescent girls and young women in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Pregnancy can place adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) at risk of poor mental health. However, evidence linking youth pregnancy to mental health in resource-limited settings is limited, especially where HIV incidence is high. We analysed a population-representative cohort of AGYW aged 13-25 in rural KwaZulu-Natal to assess how adolescent pregnancy predicts subsequent mental health. Among 1851 respondents, incident pregnancy (self-reported pa…
The effect of multi-level HIV prevention interventions on common mental disorders among adolescents and young adults in rural South Africa
This study evaluated the effect of multi-level HIV prevention interventions delivered through DREAMS (Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Motivated, and Safe) program on common mental disorders (CMD) among adolescents and young adults (AYA) in rural South Africa. We used longitudinal data from two cohorts of AYA aged 13–35 years (N = 2184 for cohort 1 and N = 3067 for cohort 2), recruited between May 2017 and December 2018, with data col…
Sexual and reproductive health interventions for mobile adolescents and young people in sub-Saharan Africa
Research exploring SRHR interventions for mAYP is limited in sub-Saharan Africa. Future research and interventions should be underpinned by an understanding of young people's health and wellbeing more broadly, and foreground the social, cultural, religious and economic factors shaping mAYP's SRH needs
Challenges and opportunities in achieving sustainable development goal 3 in KwaZulu-Natal
South Africa is committed to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3), which aims to ensure health and well-being for all. However, in rural provinces like KwaZulu-Natal, structural inequalities, socio-cultural challenges, and environmental stressors hinder progress. This study synthesises findings from qualitative research conducted at the Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI) to explore the challenges and opportunities in meeting SDG …
Alcohol Use and the Pre-exposure Prophylaxis Continuum of Care Among Men in Rural South Africa
Despite freely available oral HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), HIV incidence among young men in South Africa remains high. This study explores the impact of alcohol use on PrEP initiation and continuation among South African men. We performed a secondary data analysis from a trial involving men aged 16-29, randomly selected in KwaZulu-Natal. Participants were referred to sexual health services, and those who were HIV negative and sexually act…
Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (23 works) · HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions (19 works) · Medicine (19 works) · Environmental health (17 works) · Psychology (12 works) · Population (11 works) · Public health (11 works) · Psychological intervention (10 works) · Sociology (10 works) · Geography (9 works)