Herick Aeno
Biographic Data
| ID | 214044 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Herick Aeno |
| GIVEN NAMES | Herick |
| FAMILY NAME | Aeno |
| SIGNATURE | AENO H |
| AFFILIATIONS | Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-7373-541X |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 21 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 2 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 21 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2012 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 1 |
Agency in young people’s unsafe abortion trajectories in Papua New Guinea
Unsafe abortion is a preventable contributor to maternal morbidity and mortality, particularly for young unmarried women in low resource settings. In Papua New Guinea, abortion is legally restricted and highly stigmatised, limiting access to safe abortion and post-abortion care, resulting in unsafe abortion. This paper explores young people's lived experiences and agency in relation to unsafe abortion. We undertook qualitative research between 20…
Socio-structural influences on unintended pregnancy among girls aged 15–17 years in Papua New Guinea
INTRODUCTION: Unintended pregnancy among adolescent girls is a public health priority globally, particularly in Papua New Guinea (PNG), where low contraceptive use among young people has resulted in some of the highest adolescent fertility rates in the Asia-Pacific region. This paper investigates the socio-structural influences on adolescent girls' ability to prevent unintended pregnancies in PNG. METHODS: Qualitative research conducted between 2…
HIV and sexual health needs of young key populations in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea lacks data characterising the sexual health needs of younger key populations (KP): female sex workers (FSW) and commercially and sexually exploited girls (CSE), men who have sex with men (MSM), and transgender women (TGW). Biobehavioural surveys among KP were conducted in three cities. We conducted unweighted and weighted analysis for sample and population proportions, respectively. Variables associated with younger versus older …
Gendered knowledge practices and human-animal-ecological health in Papua New Guinea
There have been consistent calls to incorporate gender frameworks into One Health research and policy. Men's and women's roles in relation to animals in many rural and agricultural communities may influence potential pathogen exposure and transmission patterns of zoonotic infectious diseases. However, men's and women's roles related to animals in rural societies are not static but change over time. This article draws on the results of qualitative…
Young men’s everyday life experiences with contraception and unintended pregnancy in Papua New Guinea
Unintended adolescent pregnancy is a public health priority in Papua New Guinea (PNG), where national policies specify need for easier access to reliable modern contraceptives. To reduce young people’s experiences of unintended pregnancy in PNG, improved understandings of use of modern and other forms of contraception within young people’s relationships is required to support the development of new sexual and reproductive health (SRH) programs an…
Stakeholder views on the relationship between human rights and the law in addressing the HIV epidemic in Papua New Guinea
Community activists, policymakers and researchers have long identified human rights as central to addressing the HIV epidemic. Over the past 10 years, efforts to incorporate human rights into the HIV response have focused on reforming laws which criminalise sex work and male-to-male sex. Laws criminalising sex work and male-to-male sex drive communities underground, making HIV prevention, testing, and treatment efforts more difficult. This articl…
The effects of Covid-19 on maternal, newborn and child health services in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea's health system faces ongoing challenges in the provision of maternal and child health and has some of the poorest health indicators in the world. In this paper, we describe the impact of COVID-19 on maternal and child health, as examples of primary health care services. We conducted 131 semi-structured interviews with different population groups in seven provinces (Jul-Nov 2021). A deductive analysis focused on identifying the i…
Memories of schooling amongst trans women and sexuality diverse men in Papua New Guinea
Drawing from a life history study we examine memories and experience of schooling in Papua New Guinea among 45 trans women and sexuality diverse men. While participants reported regulating their expression of gender and sexuality to 'fit in' and avoid physical and verbal abuse at school, others felt able and supported to express their gender and sexuality diversity more freely beyond stereotypical norms. Schools provided a varietyof experience fo…
Making meaning out of objects
Objects in our everyday lives range from the mundane to the highly significant and can be understood and interpreted in various ways. In a Pacific society such as Papua New Guinea, making meaning out of objects and storytelling provides great insight into (our) culture. However, much of the attention given to material culture historically and culturally in Papua New Guinea is directed at documenting objects from the past, and often the objects po…
A socio-ecological analysis of factors influencing HIV treatment initiation and adherence among key populations in Papua New Guinea
Exploring health promotion messages that highlight the positive health impacts of early treatment initiation and adherence; providing client-friendly services and community-based treatment initiation and supply; and rolling out HIV viral load testing across the country could improve health outcomes for these key populations
Gender diversity among ‘boys’ in Papua New Guinea
Childhood is a time when children begin to constitute themselves as gendered subjects largely according to social norms that are rigidly framed within dominant discourses of heteronormative binary gender. This paper is based on the life histories of 42 sexuality and gender diverse adult men and transgender women conducted in PNG. Findings offer insight into the ways in which boys transgressed gender norms through dress, play, work within the home…
Perpetration of Violence by Female Sex Workers in Papua New Guinea
There is a small but important body of literature on female sex workers’ (FSWs) violence towards others, but little of that focused on low- and middle-income countries. Drawn from a larger biobehavioural study of FSWs in three cities in Papua New Guinea, we analyse the interviews from 19 FSWs who reported having perpetrated physical violence towards four major groups: (1) ex-husbands; (2) clients; (3) other sex workers and (4) other people (mainl…
Gaps in HIV Testing and Treatment Among Female Sex Workers in Lae and Mt. Hagen, Papua New Guinea
One size does not fit all
The large proportion of MSM and TGW with concurrent sexual partnerships, combined with the low testing coverage, indicates strong potential for the spread of HIV. The different correlates of HIV in Port Moresby and Lae highlight the importance of conducting surveys in multiple locations and using data to develop locally appropriate interventions even within a country
Ambiguous bodies, uncertain diseases
Local understandings of cervical cancer reflected the limitations of Tok Pisin as a lingua franca as well as the wider uncertain biomedical environment where diagnoses are assembled and shared. There is a clear need to improve understanding of the female reproductive organs in order that people, women in particular, can be better informed about cervical cancer and ultimately better receptive to intervention strategies
Transgressive women don’t deserve protection
Sexual violence against women and girls is commonplace in Papua New Guinea (PNG). While the experiences of women are rightly given central place in institutional responses to sexual violence, the men who perpetrate violence are often overlooked, an oversight that undermines the effectiveness of prevention efforts. This paper draws on interviews conducted with young men as part of a qualitative longitudinal study of masculinity and male sexuality …
Building social currency with foreskin cuts
BACKGROUND: Recent research as part of a multi-disciplinary investigation on the acceptability and impact of male circumcision for HIV prevention in Papua New Guinea (PNG) has shown that health workers (HWs) undertake unauthorized forms of penile cutting practices in public health facilities or in community settings, at times within a traditional context. Participation in these activities shares common features with coping mechanisms, strategies …
Listening to diverse community voices
Difficulties exist in the implementation of new programs in a pluralistic society such as PNG, particularly if tensions arise between biomedical knowledge and medico-legal requirements, compared to existing socio-cultural interests. Community participatory approaches offer important opportunities to explore and design culturally safe, specific and accessible programs
Why Women Object to Male Circumcision to Prevent HIV in a Moderate-Prevalence Setting
Adult male circumcision has been shown to reduce the transmission of HIV. Women's acceptability of male circumcision is important in Papua New Guinea's preparedness to introduce male circumcision, and in ethical considerations of its use as a biomedical technology for HIV prevention. We conducted 21 focus group discussions and 18 in-depth interviews with women in all four regions of Papua New Guinea. The majority of women objected to the introduc…
More than just a cut
BACKGROUND: Male circumcision (MC) has been shown to reduce vaginal transmission of HIV to men. While community acceptability is important in a countries preparedness to introduce MC, it is equally important to map contemporary MC and other penile cutting practices, and the socio-cultural dimensions underpinning these practices. METHODS: A total of 482 men and women (n = 276 and n = 210, respectively) participated in 82 semi-structured and 45 foc…
"Now we are in a different time; various bad diseases have come." understanding men's acceptability of male circumcision for HIV prevention in a moderate prevalence setting
This is one of the first community-based MC acceptability studies conducted in a moderate prevalence setting outside of Africa. Research findings from this study suggest that a future MC program for HIV prevention would be widely accepted by men in PNG
Building social currency with foreskin cuts
BACKGROUND: Recent research as part of a multi-disciplinary investigation on the acceptability and impact of male circumcision for HIV prevention in Papua New Guinea (PNG) has shown that health workers (HWs) undertake unauthorized forms of penile cutting practices in public health facilities or in community settings, at times within a traditional context. Participation in these activities shares common features with coping mechanisms, strategies …
Why Women Object to Male Circumcision to Prevent HIV in a Moderate-Prevalence Setting
Adult male circumcision has been shown to reduce the transmission of HIV. Women's acceptability of male circumcision is important in Papua New Guinea's preparedness to introduce male circumcision, and in ethical considerations of its use as a biomedical technology for HIV prevention. We conducted 21 focus group discussions and 18 in-depth interviews with women in all four regions of Papua New Guinea. The majority of women objected to the introduc…
More than just a cut
BACKGROUND: Male circumcision (MC) has been shown to reduce vaginal transmission of HIV to men. While community acceptability is important in a countries preparedness to introduce MC, it is equally important to map contemporary MC and other penile cutting practices, and the socio-cultural dimensions underpinning these practices. METHODS: A total of 482 men and women (n = 276 and n = 210, respectively) participated in 82 semi-structured and 45 foc…
"Now we are in a different time; various bad diseases have come." understanding men's acceptability of male circumcision for HIV prevention in a moderate prevalence setting
This is one of the first community-based MC acceptability studies conducted in a moderate prevalence setting outside of Africa. Research findings from this study suggest that a future MC program for HIV prevention would be widely accepted by men in PNG
Listening to diverse community voices
Difficulties exist in the implementation of new programs in a pluralistic society such as PNG, particularly if tensions arise between biomedical knowledge and medico-legal requirements, compared to existing socio-cultural interests. Community participatory approaches offer important opportunities to explore and design culturally safe, specific and accessible programs
Why Women Object to Male Circumcision to Prevent HIV in a Moderate-Prevalence Setting
Adult male circumcision has been shown to reduce the transmission of HIV. Women's acceptability of male circumcision is important in Papua New Guinea's preparedness to introduce male circumcision, and in ethical considerations of its use as a biomedical technology for HIV prevention. We conducted 21 focus group discussions and 18 in-depth interviews with women in all four regions of Papua New Guinea. The majority of women objected to the introduc…
Building social currency with foreskin cuts
BACKGROUND: Recent research as part of a multi-disciplinary investigation on the acceptability and impact of male circumcision for HIV prevention in Papua New Guinea (PNG) has shown that health workers (HWs) undertake unauthorized forms of penile cutting practices in public health facilities or in community settings, at times within a traditional context. Participation in these activities shares common features with coping mechanisms, strategies …
Transgressive women don’t deserve protection
Sexual violence against women and girls is commonplace in Papua New Guinea (PNG). While the experiences of women are rightly given central place in institutional responses to sexual violence, the men who perpetrate violence are often overlooked, an oversight that undermines the effectiveness of prevention efforts. This paper draws on interviews conducted with young men as part of a qualitative longitudinal study of masculinity and male sexuality …
Ambiguous bodies, uncertain diseases
Local understandings of cervical cancer reflected the limitations of Tok Pisin as a lingua franca as well as the wider uncertain biomedical environment where diagnoses are assembled and shared. There is a clear need to improve understanding of the female reproductive organs in order that people, women in particular, can be better informed about cervical cancer and ultimately better receptive to intervention strategies
One size does not fit all
The large proportion of MSM and TGW with concurrent sexual partnerships, combined with the low testing coverage, indicates strong potential for the spread of HIV. The different correlates of HIV in Port Moresby and Lae highlight the importance of conducting surveys in multiple locations and using data to develop locally appropriate interventions even within a country
Gaps in HIV Testing and Treatment Among Female Sex Workers in Lae and Mt. Hagen, Papua New Guinea
A socio-ecological analysis of factors influencing HIV treatment initiation and adherence among key populations in Papua New Guinea
Exploring health promotion messages that highlight the positive health impacts of early treatment initiation and adherence; providing client-friendly services and community-based treatment initiation and supply; and rolling out HIV viral load testing across the country could improve health outcomes for these key populations
Gender diversity among ‘boys’ in Papua New Guinea
Childhood is a time when children begin to constitute themselves as gendered subjects largely according to social norms that are rigidly framed within dominant discourses of heteronormative binary gender. This paper is based on the life histories of 42 sexuality and gender diverse adult men and transgender women conducted in PNG. Findings offer insight into the ways in which boys transgressed gender norms through dress, play, work within the home…
Perpetration of Violence by Female Sex Workers in Papua New Guinea
There is a small but important body of literature on female sex workers’ (FSWs) violence towards others, but little of that focused on low- and middle-income countries. Drawn from a larger biobehavioural study of FSWs in three cities in Papua New Guinea, we analyse the interviews from 19 FSWs who reported having perpetrated physical violence towards four major groups: (1) ex-husbands; (2) clients; (3) other sex workers and (4) other people (mainl…
Making meaning out of objects
Objects in our everyday lives range from the mundane to the highly significant and can be understood and interpreted in various ways. In a Pacific society such as Papua New Guinea, making meaning out of objects and storytelling provides great insight into (our) culture. However, much of the attention given to material culture historically and culturally in Papua New Guinea is directed at documenting objects from the past, and often the objects po…
Young men’s everyday life experiences with contraception and unintended pregnancy in Papua New Guinea
Unintended adolescent pregnancy is a public health priority in Papua New Guinea (PNG), where national policies specify need for easier access to reliable modern contraceptives. To reduce young people’s experiences of unintended pregnancy in PNG, improved understandings of use of modern and other forms of contraception within young people’s relationships is required to support the development of new sexual and reproductive health (SRH) programs an…
Stakeholder views on the relationship between human rights and the law in addressing the HIV epidemic in Papua New Guinea
Community activists, policymakers and researchers have long identified human rights as central to addressing the HIV epidemic. Over the past 10 years, efforts to incorporate human rights into the HIV response have focused on reforming laws which criminalise sex work and male-to-male sex. Laws criminalising sex work and male-to-male sex drive communities underground, making HIV prevention, testing, and treatment efforts more difficult. This articl…
The effects of Covid-19 on maternal, newborn and child health services in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea's health system faces ongoing challenges in the provision of maternal and child health and has some of the poorest health indicators in the world. In this paper, we describe the impact of COVID-19 on maternal and child health, as examples of primary health care services. We conducted 131 semi-structured interviews with different population groups in seven provinces (Jul-Nov 2021). A deductive analysis focused on identifying the i…
Memories of schooling amongst trans women and sexuality diverse men in Papua New Guinea
Drawing from a life history study we examine memories and experience of schooling in Papua New Guinea among 45 trans women and sexuality diverse men. While participants reported regulating their expression of gender and sexuality to 'fit in' and avoid physical and verbal abuse at school, others felt able and supported to express their gender and sexuality diversity more freely beyond stereotypical norms. Schools provided a varietyof experience fo…
Socio-structural influences on unintended pregnancy among girls aged 15–17 years in Papua New Guinea
INTRODUCTION: Unintended pregnancy among adolescent girls is a public health priority globally, particularly in Papua New Guinea (PNG), where low contraceptive use among young people has resulted in some of the highest adolescent fertility rates in the Asia-Pacific region. This paper investigates the socio-structural influences on adolescent girls' ability to prevent unintended pregnancies in PNG. METHODS: Qualitative research conducted between 2…
HIV and sexual health needs of young key populations in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea lacks data characterising the sexual health needs of younger key populations (KP): female sex workers (FSW) and commercially and sexually exploited girls (CSE), men who have sex with men (MSM), and transgender women (TGW). Biobehavioural surveys among KP were conducted in three cities. We conducted unweighted and weighted analysis for sample and population proportions, respectively. Variables associated with younger versus older …
Gendered knowledge practices and human-animal-ecological health in Papua New Guinea
There have been consistent calls to incorporate gender frameworks into One Health research and policy. Men's and women's roles in relation to animals in many rural and agricultural communities may influence potential pathogen exposure and transmission patterns of zoonotic infectious diseases. However, men's and women's roles related to animals in rural societies are not static but change over time. This article draws on the results of qualitative…
Agency in young people’s unsafe abortion trajectories in Papua New Guinea
Unsafe abortion is a preventable contributor to maternal morbidity and mortality, particularly for young unmarried women in low resource settings. In Papua New Guinea, abortion is legally restricted and highly stigmatised, limiting access to safe abortion and post-abortion care, resulting in unsafe abortion. This paper explores young people's lived experiences and agency in relation to unsafe abortion. We undertook qualitative research between 20…
Medicine (17 works) · Sociology (17 works) · New guinea (13 works) · Ethnology (11 works) · Psychology (10 works) · Environmental health (9 works) · Nursing (9 works) · Public health (9 works) · Family medicine (8 works) · Gender Studies (8 works)