Lorraine Sherr
Biographic Data
| ID | 301851 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Lorraine Sherr |
| GIVEN NAMES | Lorraine |
| FAMILY NAME | Sherr |
| SIGNATURE | SHERR L |
| AFFILIATIONS | University College London |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-5902-8011 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 156 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 68 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 156 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1989 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 4 |
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…
Violence Victimisation and Mental Health Distress Among Adolescent Girls Living with HIV in Southern Africa
Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) living with HIV face heightened risks of mental distress, which may be compounded by exposure to violence and socioeconomic vulnerabilities. This study examined whether social protection moderates the relationship between violence exposure and mental distress among AGYW living with HIV in Eswatini, Lesotho, and Namibia. Using data from the Violence Against Children and Youth Surveys (VACS), we analysed 1,00…
Theory of change to develop a health and well-being complex intervention for people with HIV
INTRODUCTION: There is a high prevalence of poor mental health among people with HIV, intersecting with structural inequalities, stigma and co-morbidities. A new person-centred approach to care that utilises health coaching to prioritise health and well-being and connects people to existing sources of support or voluntary sector organisations (social prescribing) could benefit people with HIV. METHODS: Theory of Change (ToC) methodology was used …
Echoes of crisis
The COVID-19 pandemic caused 10.5 million children and adolescents worldwide to lose a caregiver, with South Africa facing this crisis alongside the world's largest HIV epidemic. This study examines how overlapping crises shape HIV-related risk behaviours and mental health among affected young people. Using longitudinal data from 389 participants aged 9-18; researchers assessed HIV risk behaviours, mental health symptoms and social risks at two t…
Measurement of children’s language environments using automated measurement technology in rural Lesotho
The quality of the home language environment and communicative interactions between caregivers and children are crucial components of child language development. We used the Language ENvironment Analysis (LENA) technology to assess children's language environments (adult word count, conversational turns, and child vocalizations) among a sample of children and their caregivers in rural Lesotho. We assessed whether a parenting intervention led to i…
Not one but two
Background Globally, adolescent mothers and their children have poorer health outcomes. However, little is known regarding having multiple children as an adolescent. Analyses explore associations between having multiple versus single children on young mothers’ mental health and having a sibling and child development outcomes for their children. Furthermore, maternal age when having a second child (eg, multipara adolescent or multipara adolescent–…
The impact of creative arts-based interventions for mental health in conflict-affected contexts
In conflict-affected contexts, mental health interventions utilising creative arts methods are increasingly common. However, there is limited information on the effectiveness of these interventions. Building towards an evidence-base, this systematic narrative review applies a realist lens to explore where, for whom, and how arts-based interventions impact mental health in conflict-affected contexts. Academic studies were retrieved from 4 database…
Factors shaping Covid-19 vaccine acceptability among young people in South Africa and Nigeria
Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy among young people can be seen as an acute – but not isolated – phenomenon within an alarming longer-term trend of broader vaccine distrust in Africa. Yet there are still considerable knowledge gaps in relation to the scope and drivers of low vaccine acceptability among young people. Moreover, better frameworks and tools are needed to conceptualise and better understand acceptability in this population group. We applied…
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…
Understanding the mental health of adolescents and young adults in rural South Africa through participatory research
Most mental health problems in adulthood begin during adolescence. Factors such as poverty, violence, and unemployment contribute to the high burden of mental health problems. In Africa, the lack of resources for diagnosis, treatment, and management exacerbates the situation. Research on adolescent mental health has mostly focused on negative psychological effects, while positive attributes like coping, resilience, and emotional growth have been …
Accelerating achievement for Africa’s adolescents
By 2050, one in four people in the world will live in Africa. The region’s adolescents are our present and future but need effective services to support their holistic health and wellbeing, advance their education, allow them to flourish, and protect them from adversity. This paper reviews evidence for a new concept of ‘development accelerators’: interventions that can help achieve multiple Sustainable Development Goals simultaneously. Across 26 …
Mental distress among adolescent girls and young women in Southern Africa
Understanding the burden of Covid-19 orphanhood and caregiver loss among children and adolescents living in South Africa
The effectiveness of Hope Groups, a mental health, parenting support, and violence prevention program for families affected by the war in Ukraine
This study demonstrates preliminary evidence, using a brief survey and pre-post design as is appropriate for acute and early protracted emergency settings, of the feasibility and effectiveness of Hope Groups for war-affected Ukrainian caregivers, on improved mental health, positive parenting, and reduced violence against children
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…
The power for action – now
How do new crises impact HIV risk behaviour – exploring HIV risk behaviour according to Covid-19-related orphanhood status in South Africa
The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in high death rates globally, and over 10.5 million children lost a parent or primary caregiver. Because HIV-related orphanhood has been associated with elevated HIV risk, we sought to examine HIV risk in children affected by COVID-19 orphanhood. Four hundred and twenty-one children and adolescents were interviewed, measuring seven HIV risk behaviours: condom use, age-disparate sex, transactional sex, multiple partn…
Whole of government approaches to accelerate adolescent success
The multiple domains of development covered by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) present a practical challenge for governments. This is particularly acute in highly resource-constrained settings which use a sector-by-sector approach to structure financing and prioritization. One potentially under-prioritized solution is to implement interventions with the potential to simultaneously improve multiple outcomes across sectors, what United Nat…
Innovate! Accelerate! Evaluate! Harnessing the RE-AIM framework to examine the global dissemination of parenting resources during Covid-19 to more than 210 million people
This study highlights the importance of a) establishing an international collaboration to rapidly adapt and disseminate evidence-based content into easily accessible resources that are relevant to the needs of parents; b) creating open-source and agile delivery models that are responsive to local contexts and receptive to further adaptation; and c) using the best methods available to evaluate a rapidly deployed global emergency response in real-t…
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…
Reconstructing theory in mental health and psychosocial support and peacebuilding
Despite wide agreement among practitioners on the need for integration, mental health and peacebuilding practice remain siloed in conflict‐affected contexts. Yet before the integration of these two fields should occur, a revaluation of existing practice is needed. Within the field of mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), critics have long questioned dominant assumptions and treatment models, raising concerns about top‐down implementatio…
Prevalence of pain in women living with HIV aged 45–60
As the population of women with HIV ages, an increasing proportion are experiencing the menopause, with potential associated pain. Among 844 participants in the Positive Transitions Through the Menopause (PRIME) study (72.3% black African; median age 49 (interquartile-range 47-53) years; 20.9%, 44.0% and 35.1% pre-, peri- and post-menopausal), 376 (44.6%) and 73 (8.7%) reported moderate or extreme pain. Women had been diagnosed with HIV for 14 (9…
Thetha Nami ngithethe nawe (Let’s Talk)
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier-NCT05405582. Registered: 6th June 2022
Does pre-Covid impulsive behaviour predict adherence to hygiene and social distancing measures in youths following the Covid-19 pandemic onset? Evidence from a South African longitudinal study
Our data indicate that impulsivity may predict adolescent engagement in hygiene behaviours post COVID-19 pandemic onset in a high risk, sub-Saharan African setting, albeit with a small effect size. For future pandemics, it is important to understand predictors of engagement, particularly in the context of adversity, where adherence may be challenging. Limitations include a small sample size and potential measure shortcomings
Identifying Adolescents at Highest Risk of ART Non-adherence, Using the World Health Organization-Endorsed HEADSS and HEADSS+ Checklists
Brief tools are necessary to identify adolescents at greatest risk for ART non-adherence. From the WHO's HEADSS/HEADSS+ adolescent wellbeing checklists, we identify constructs strongly associated with non-adherence (validated with viral load). We conducted interviews and collected clinical records from a 3-year cohort of 1046 adolescents living with HIV from 52 South African government facilities. We used least absolute shrinkage and selection op…
Pathways from parental Aids to child psychological, educational and sexual risk
Increasing evidence demonstrates negative psychological, health, and developmental outcomes for children associated with parental HIV/AIDS illness and death. However, little is known about how parental AIDS leads to negative child outcomes. This study used a structural equation modelling approach to develop an empirically-based theoretical model of interactive relationships between parental or primary caregiver AIDS-illness, AIDS-orphanhood and p…
E-dating, identity and HIV prevention
This paper addresses how London gay men use the internet to meet sexual partners, or for e-dating. Based on qualitative interviews conducted face-to-face or via the internet, this research develops an account of how information technologies mediate the negotiation of identity and risk in connection with sexual practice. E-dating itself is a bricolage, or heterogeneous DIY practice of internet-based-communication (IBC). A central aspect of IBC is …
Adherence to HIV combination therapy
Developmental challenges in HIV infected children—An updated systematic review
Children with HIV infection are at risk of developmental and behavioural challenges. A systematic review in 2009 set out the extent of delay documented in HIV positive children. This study presents an update and re-analysis. Full searches were conducted in Medline, Cochrane Database and PsycINFO, from which reviewers selected abstracts and followed references to provide detailed studies on HIV and cognitive performance in children under 18 to cov…
Household-based cash transfer targeting strategies in Zimbabwe
Involving Communities in the Targeting of Cash Transfer Programs for Vulnerable Children
We used baseline data, collected in July-September 2009, from a randomized controlled trial of a cash transfer program for vulnerable children in eastern Zimbabwe to investigate the effectiveness, coverage, and efficiency of census- and community-based targeting methods for reaching vulnerable children. Focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with beneficiaries and other stakeholders were used to explore community perspectives on targetin…
A conceptual framework and exploratory model for health and social intervention acceptability among African adolescents and youth
Intervention acceptability has become an increasingly key consideration in the development, evaluation and implementation of health and social interventions. However, to date this area of investigation has been constrained by the absence of a consistent definition of acceptability, comprehensive conceptual frameworks disaggregating its components, and few reliable assessment measures. This paper aims to contribute to this gap, by proposing a conc…
Acceptability of conditions in a community-led cash transfer programme for orphaned and vulnerable children in Zimbabwe
Evidence suggests that a regular and reliable transfer of cash to households with orphaned and vulnerable children has a strong and positive effect on child outcomes. However, conditional cash transfers are considered by some as particularly intrusive and the question on whether or not to apply conditions to cash transfers is an issue of controversy. Contributing to policy debates on the appropriateness of conditions, this article sets out to inv…
The definition of true orphan prevalence
This study utilizes Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) or Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) data to explore paternal, maternal and double orphaning in 38 sub-Saharan African countries. The analysis allows for inclusion of older adolescents (15–17-year-olds) and also looks at predictors of double orphaning. The data suggest a population rate of double orphans of 2.1% in sub-Saharan Africa. This is five- to 10-fold greater than in other r…
Evaluation of welfare rights advice in primary care
Income maximisation may reduce enduring poverty-related health inequalities. Specialist welfare rights advice in primary care has been proposed and, in some areas, implemented, but evaluation data from the general practice perspective is needed. The present study aimed to evaluate the impact on general practice of specialist welfare rights advice, comparing practices with and without in-house provision of welfare advice using a cross-sectional po…
Accelerators for achieving the sustainable development goals in Sub-Saharan-African children and young adolescents – A longitudinal study
Covid-19
Covid-19 infections and related illness and death are rightly at the forefront of our minds. It is critical that we consider how to reduce infections, treat those who are ill and protect health systems. We must, however, also consider how the pandemic is affecting the families of those infected, and how interventions to prevent the spread of the virus come with large negative economic and social consequences. We must begin to identify the ways in…
Vulnerability and resilience of children and youth
Large numbers of young people and children are growing up in situations of extreme difficulty, with poverty, war, disease and migration as major contributory factors. Many children and youth are un
Lifestyle factors for drug users in relation to risks for HIV
Lifestyle factors in drug users may render them particularly vulnerable to HIV infection. This study examined a group of 74 registered drug users at a Drug Dependency Clinic and compared lifestyle factors in those who were HIV-positive and those HIV-negative. Despite HIV status, sharing was extensive (over 90%). Sharing with partners only is not fail-safe as partners in turn shared. Sexual behaviour within this group may exacerbate risk. A number…
HIV testing in antenatal clinics
One hundred and fifty-five women attending antenatal clinics in an inner city area where the rate of AIDS reporting is high were interviewed to examine the acceptability of different modes and purposes of antenatal HIV testing. Eighty-two per cent of women felt the test should be available in antenatal clinics, but only 48% reported that they themselves would take the test. Seventy-four per cent would accept anonymous testing. Potential anxiety l…
Health education
The impact and use of written leaflets as a counselling alternative in mass antenatal HIV screening
Pre-test counselling has been seen as a pre-requisite for HIV screening. As HIV moves into the heterosexual community, the role of HIV screening in ante-natal care has increased. As vertical transmission is the major contributor to perinatal infection HIV screening of pregnant women has become a reality. The pregnant population comprises large numbers, the practical difficulties of routine pre-test counselling and the informational demand from pr…
Pregnancy and paediatrics
Aids care—into the 1990's
San Francisco conference review
Women and children
Aids–ten years on
Testing for HIV in the antenatal clinic
Self administered questionnaires were given to 34 midwives, who regularly counsel parturient women about the HIV antibody test, to investigate their attitudes to the test being offered in the antenatal clinic. Most of the midwives felt that testing should not be compulsory and that the test should be offered to all pregnant women who ask for it, not only those in recognized risk groups. Most also felt that women should be told the results of the …
The child in the family—responding to Aids and HIV
This study examines the psychosocial needs of children with AIDS and HIV infection based on a cohort of 18 infected children. Fifteen of the children live with their mothers, nine of whom are single mothers. For 14 children the mother is HIV +ve and for a further 8 the father is also HIV +ve. Many children have siblings (10), but only one of these is infected. Close family and grandparents are rarely involved in care and only one child, the oldes…
Henry duckett, journal publisher
Aids and the Heterosexual Population
Suicide and Aids
There is growing evidence that HIV infection and AIDS have an impact on a range of suicidal issues. The literature lacks clarity and the subject is traditionally problematic to research. True prevalence is often difficult to gauge and many researchers focus simply on death by suicide rather than exploring the extreme mental health burden brought about by suicidal thoughts, attempts, completions and bereavement. This study was set up to explore th…
Consent and antenatal HIV testing
The mood of nihilism that affected HIV is now changing. The availability of new therapies allows for cautious optimism--especially in relation to mother-to-child transmission of HIV and preventative interventions. This has prompted a widespread policy shift towards HIV testing in pregnancy. In this context, informed consent is an ethical issue which needs to be addressed. This study reports on two sets of data exploring consent policy and practic…
A review of HIV testing policies and procedures for pregnant women in public maternity units of Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
HIV/AIDS is considered one of the major public health issues in Brazil, with 120,399 notified AIDS cases by 1998 (Aristedes Barbosa et al., 1998). Rio Grande do Sul (RS) reports the highest HIV prevalence in women in the country (Louireiro et al., 1998) and local sero-surveillance studies note an increase in HIV prevalence in pregnancy from 2.6% in 1996 (Buchalter et al., 1996) to 3.3% in 1997 (Ferreira & Valente, 1997). As a result, the Ministry…
Adherence - sticking to the evidence
Do gay men discuss HIV risk reduction with their GP
In September/October 1997, 1,004 gay men using one of five gyms in central London completed a confidential anonymous questionnaire which included items on sexual as well as steroid-related injecting behaviour and whether they had ever discussed these behaviours with friends, sexual partners or a general practitioner (GP). Nearly all the men reported having had sex with another man in the previous six months, while a quarter had had unprotected an…
Adherence to HIV combination therapy
Seeking sex on the Internet and sexual risk behaviour among gay men using London gyms
OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between seeking sex on the Internet and sexual risk behaviour among gay men in London. METHODS: In January-February 2000, gay men in London gyms were asked to complete self-administered questionnaires concerning use of the Internet, history of sexually transmitted diseases (STD) and recent unprotected anal intercourse (UAI). Internet sex seekers were compared with other men, also with Internet access, who did…
Peer-led HIV prevention among gay men in London
A peer-led HIV prevention initiative, based on a diffusion of innovation model, was developed for gay men attending gyms in central London. Peer educators were recruited from people who used the gym regularly according to standard selection criteria. After initial training, peer educators agreed to talk to gay men at their gym about HIV prevention, focusing on sexual risk and steroid injecting behaviour. Outcome evaluation revealed that the peer …
An assessment of current HIV treatment adherence services in the UK
The aim of this study was to examine current approaches to supporting adherence to antiretroviral therapy in UK HIV clinics. One hundred HIV/AIDS/GUM physicians were interviewed: 97% were personally involved in discussing adherence, spending 22% of consultation time on this issue and assessing adherence most commonly by patient self-report (88%). Other personnel involved included nurses (74%), other doctors (56%), health advisers (54%) and pharma…
Assessment of health-related quality-of-life in males with Anderson Fabry Disease before therapeutic intervention
Evaluation of welfare rights advice in primary care
Income maximisation may reduce enduring poverty-related health inequalities. Specialist welfare rights advice in primary care has been proposed and, in some areas, implemented, but evaluation data from the general practice perspective is needed. The present study aimed to evaluate the impact on general practice of specialist welfare rights advice, comparing practices with and without in-house provision of welfare advice using a cross-sectional po…
Recruiting London gay men into an HIV vaccine trial
This paper describes a study among HIV-negative gay men in London to examine willingness to volunteer for an HIV vaccine trial. HIV-negative gay men (n=506) were surveyed in central London gyms in February-March 2002. Information was collected on willingness to volunteer for an HIV vaccine trial, attitudes toward HIV vaccines and sexual risk behaviour. Men reporting unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) in the previous three months with a man of unk…
Medicine (115 works) · Psychology (72 works) · HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions (70 works) · Environmental health (61 works) · Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (52 works) · Family medicine (52 works) · Psychiatry (49 works) · Demography (37 works) · Population (33 works) · Nursing (28 works)