Gavin George
Dados Biográficos
| ID | 3802056 |
|---|---|
| NOME | Gavin George |
| PRENOMES | Gavin |
| SOBRENOME | George |
| ASSINATURA | GEORGE G |
| AFILIAÇÕES | University of KwaZulu-Natal |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-7258-8470 |
| VERIFICADO | Sim |
| TOTAL DE OBRAS | 67 |
| TOTAL DE CITAÇÕES | 5 |
| TOTAL COMO AUTOR | 67 |
| TOTAL COMO EDITOR | 0 |
| PRIMEIRO ANO DE PUBLICAÇÃO | 2003 |
| ANO MAIS RECENTE DE PUBLICAÇÃO | 2026 |
| ÍNDICE H | 1 |
Educational Disruption, School Dropout, and Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) Outcomes Among Adolescent Girls and Young Women in South Africa
Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in South Africa continue to experience high rates of HIV, early pregnancy, and gender-based violence (GBV). While schooling is widely recognised as protective, most studies conceptualise educational participation as a binary exposure, overlooking variation in absenteeism and school dropout. This study examined whether school dropout and varying levels of absenteeism were associated with HIV status, early pr…
Relationship power dynamics by partner type among adolescent girls and young women in South Africa
Stakeholder perspectives on adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights in Malawi
Social norms, institutional weaknesses, and gaps between policy commitments and implementation in Malawi continue to pose significant barriers to adolescents' realisation of their sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). Early marriage, gender-based violence, and limited access to contraception and comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) undermine adolescents' wellbeing and future opportunities. This qualitative study examines how actor …
Socio-economic determinants of engaging in a relationship with a Blesser
Transactional sexual relationships are a key driver of adverse sexual and reproductive health outcomes among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in South Africa. A prominent subtype, the "Blessed" relationship, involves older, relatively wealthier men (Blessers) who exchange material support for sexual relationships. While motivations within these partnerships have been studied, limited attention has been paid to the structural and economic f…
Psychosocial and behavioral factors associated with HIV among adolescent girls and young women in DREAMS districts in South Africa
Background High HIV prevalence among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in South Africa is driven by multiple interacting psychosocial risks. Some of these risks include socioeconomic deprivation, poor educational outcomes, poor mental health, alcohol and drug use which are associated with HIV-infection and sexual risk behavior. This article seeks to deepen our understanding of the role of psychosocial and behavioral factors in the HIV epide…
Self-care interventions for sexual and reproductive health
Self-care interventions for sexual and reproductive health (SRH), including HIV self-testing, self-injected contraception and self-managed abortion, offer promising pathways to advance universal health coverage, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. While often framed as cost-saving measures, this paper argues that self-care should be understood as a strategic investment in health system performance. Drawing on costing and financing a…
Determining the sexual health risks for adolescent girls and young women engaging in a transactional relationship with a Blesser
This study examined how relationships with a Blesser, a form of transactional partner, along with age-disparate men, affect sexual health risks among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in South Africa. Using data from a cross-sectional survey of 4932 AGYW aged 15-24 conducted between February and May 2024 across eight provinces, we explored links to HIV, adolescent pregnancy, intimate partner violence (IPV), and sexually transmitted infectio…
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Public Health Expenditures, and Maternal and Child Mortality in Selected African Countries
This study projects the performance of maternal and child mortalities in relation to the SDGs target (70 maternal deaths and 25 child deaths) by year 2030, based on three simulation scenarios of public health expenditures (PHEs). In essence, this study investigates the predictability of PHE in explaining maternal and child mortalities in a bid to confirm the possibility of meeting the SDGs target. The SSA is known to be facing critical health cha…
Preference for Service Delivery for Long-Acting Pre-exposure Prophylaxis for HIV Infection Among Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women in South Africa and Botswana
HIV particularly affects women during pregnancy and postpartum, where they face a two-fold or more increased risk of HIV acquisition. We explored preferences for long-acting PrEP and multipurpose prevention technologies among pregnant and breastfeeding women (PBFW) without HIV. From April to December 2023, we conducted a discrete choice experiment at maternal healthcare clinics in Cape Town, East London (South Africa), and Gaborone (Botswana) inc…
Intimate Partner Violence and Determinants of HIV Seroconversion among Female Caregivers in Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa
Determinants of school dropout in the Asenze cohort study in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
South Africa remains characterised by high rates of school dropout, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The consequences lead to compromised employment opportunities and other negative social and health outcomes associated with out of school youth (OSY). Persistently high dropout rates have prompted calls for more evidence on their underlying causes, to inform interventions that support school retention in South Africa. Data for this paper come…
Balancing risk and reward
Transactional sexual relationships (TSRs) take varied forms, with research emphasizing TSRs’ inherent risks, primarily to women. In South Africa, Blessed relationships have emerged as a prominent type of TSR. Blessers have become coveted male partners due to their relative wealth and willingness to ‘bless’ female partners with financial and material gifts, as well as the improved social status that accompanies such partnerships. Given the limited…
Exposure to comprehensive sexuality education in schools in South Africa
Comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) is seen as a key instrument through which to affect behaviour and improve sexual and reproductive health (SRH) outcomes amongst adolescents. However, few studies have to date evaluated key SRH outcomes following exposure to CSE within a school setting. This study estimates the association between CSE and HIV testing and HIV testing self-efficacy amongst HIV positive adolescent girls. Data were collected fro…
Using the Health Belief Model to Understand Why Making Oral HIV Self-Testing Available to Truck Drivers in Kenya Had Little Impact on Six-Month Testing
Research has found that offering HIV self-testing (HIVST) to truckers in Kenya increased testing rates at baseline but not over 6-month follow-up. We explored possible explanations based on the Health Belief Model by assessing HIV risk perception, self-efficacy, and fatalism as possible effect modifiers of the impact of offering HIVST (intervention n = 150) versus standard of care (SOC n = 155) on 6-month testing on the multiplicative and additiv…
The economic costs and cost-effectiveness of HIV self-testing among truck drivers in Kenya
HIV status awareness is critical for ending the HIV epidemic but remains low in high-HIV-risk and hard-to-reach sub-populations. Targeted, efficient interventions are needed to improve HIV test-uptake. We examined the incremental cost-effectiveness of offering the choice of self-administered oral HIV-testing (HIVST-Choice) compared with provider-administered testing only [standard-of-care (SOC)] among long-distance truck drivers. Effectiveness da…
Evaluating effect modification by HIV testing history to understand the mechanisms behind the impact of announcing HIV self-testing availability in a clinic system in Kenya
Background In sub-Saharan Africa, truckers and female sex workers (FSWs) have high HIV risk and face challenges accessing HIV testing. Adding HIV self-testing (HIVST) to standard of care (SOC) programs increases testing rates. However, the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. HIVST may decrease barriers (inconvenient clinic hours, confidentiality concerns) and thus we would expect a greater impact among those not accessing SOC testing …
Examining the uptake of Covid-19 vaccine booster doses among healthcare workers in South Africa
This study aimed examin the factors associated with the uptake and non-acceptance of COVID-19 vaccine booster doses among healthcare workers (HCWs) in South Africa. We used a mixed-methods design with data from a web-based self-administered survey followed by semi-structured in-depth interviews (IDIs) with selected participants. Of the 6235 HCWs included in our analysis who had fully vaccinated, 3470 (56%) had taken their booster dose with a furt…
When Social and Personal Norms Collide
Due to the negative implications of transactional sexual relationships (TSRs) for women's sexual and reproductive health, studies of social norms in sub-Saharan and South Africa have sought to inform HIV-related risk and interventions in this key population. To date, however, little research has investigated the normative conflicts facing women in African settings when initiating, continuing or abstaining from participation in TSRs. In 2017-2018,…
Improving educational and reproductive outcomes for adolescent mothers in South Africa
Adolescent mothers face numerous challenges. This study aimed to address the operationalisation of the new South African national policy for young mothers by testing the associations of potential protective provisions with three policy goals: School return, grade promotion, and pregnancy/HIV prevention. Adolescent mothers aged 12-24 from rural and urban communities of South Africa's Eastern Cape completed study questionnaires between 2017-2019. U…
Macro-economic determinants, maternal and infant SDG targets in Nigeria
Objectives: . This article examines the combined effect of health expenditure and other key macro-economic factors on health indices such as maternal and newborn and child mortality in Nigeria. Contrary to existing literature, we formulated a model that predicts the level of macro-economic determinants needed to achieve the SDG targets for maternal and newborn and child mortality in Nigeria by 2030. Methodology: The study used Autoregressive Dist…
Preferences, beliefs, and attitudes about oral fluid and blood-based HIV self-testing among truck drivers in Kenya choosing not to test for HIV
Introduction: Clinical trials in sub-Saharan Africa support that HIV self-testing (HIVST) can increase testing rates in difficult-to-reach populations. However, trials mostly evaluate oral fluid HIVST only. We describe preferences for oral fluid vs. blood-based HIVST to elucidate prior trial results and inform testing programs. Methods: Participants were recruited from a HIVST randomized controlled trial in Nakuru County, Kenya, which aimed to te…
Sustainable thresholds, health outcomes, health expenditures and education nexus in selected African countries
BACKGROUND: This study aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 3 which borders on "good health and well-being for people by ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages". It contributes to the health literature by evaluating the roles of health expenditures and educational quality on three health outcomes (infant mortality, maternal mortality and life expectancy at birth). METHODS: The study uses the panel spatial correlat…
Giving condoms to school children
One of the policy goals of the South African Department of Basic Education's National Policy on HIV, STIs and TB of 2017 is to reduce the incidence of HIV and pregnancy among learners. This is expected to be achieved by improving access to prevention services, including the provision of condoms in schools. This study uses street- level bureaucracy theory to explain how educators can play a more productive role in ensuring that policy goals are ac…
Determining HIV risk for Adolescent Girls and Young Women (Agyw) in relationships with “Blessers” and age-disparate partners
Different relationships present different HIV risk to AGYW. AGYW who had engaged in relationships with both a Blesser and an age-disparate partner were at greater HIV risk when examined against these relationships independent of one another. The data reveals the compounded HIV risk of being in both a transactional and age-disparate relationship
Eventually I wanted something more’
The term 'blesser' emerged from social media in South Africa, typically denoting an older man who provides a younger woman with money and/or luxury items in exchange for sex. Within an increasingly consumerist culture, such transactional sexual relationships hold powerful appeal, and remain highly prevalent. An estimated one in three Black South African women have engaged in transactional sex. While these liaisons are associated with negative hea…
Health management’ in the private sector in the context of HIV/Aids
‘Health management’ of employees is becoming a common imperative for companies that do business in regions where there is an HIV epidemic. Private sector initiatives in South Africa have evolved considerably. However, core components of HIV/AIDS‐oriented workplace programmes, voluntary counselling and testing and anti‐retroviral treatment, are not as effective as expected, despite considerable investment in them. There is some evidence to suggest…
They protect us, but are they using protection? The potential impact of HIV on the South African Police Service
The drivers of HIV/AIDS in the South African Police Service (SAPS) and impact of the disease on this workforce are neglected areas of research. Existing evidence suggests that while the occupational risk for contracting HIV is low, there are factors associated with the profession that, if left unmanaged, place police officers at risk of contracting HIV. This study's two aims are to identify the potential pathways of HIV infection within policing …
Comparative economic positions of orphan, non-orphan and mixed households
The HIV and AIDS pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa has orphaned many children, leaving the extended family responsible for their care. We use findings from a longitudinal study on child welfare in South Africa to compare the economic status of households that support only orphaned children (orphan households), those that support both orphan and non-orphan children (mixed households), and households that support only children whose parents are alive …
Through a Glass Darkly
The HIV/AIDS epidemic is the greatest threat to development in much of Africa. It is already the main cause of death in many countries, especially those in Southern Africa. However there is an absence of solid data on the scale and scope of the disease and how it is evolving. In this article we discuss the data on the epidemic – where it comes from and how it is presented. We note the limitations of the use of antenatal clinic surveys – which pro…
Workplace ART programmes
Prevalence data indicates that certain sectors within the private sector are particularly affected by HIV/AIDS. Companies in southern Africa began implementing treatment programmes in early 2002 as the corporate sector came to realise the financial imperative of offsetting employee morbidity and mortality. This article sets about to explain the rationale behind antiretroviral treatment (ART) programmes within the private sector while uncovering s…
Bridging the gap between VCT and HIV/Aids treatment uptake
This qualitative study sought to understand users' perceptions of the voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) and HIV-treatment services offered by a mining company in South Africa, with the intention of making recommendations to improve the rates of uptake. A purposive sample of 75 employees was interviewed and three focus groups were conducted with VCT users as well as with HIV-positive employees currently enrolled in the company's treatment pr…
Health management’ in the private sector in the context of HIV/Aids
‘Health management’ of employees is becoming a common imperative for companies that do business in regions where there is an HIV epidemic. Private sector initiatives in South Africa have evolved considerably. However, core components of HIV/AIDS‐oriented workplace programmes, voluntary counselling and testing and anti‐retroviral treatment, are not as effective as expected, despite considerable investment in them. There is some evidence to suggest…
The impact of ART scale upon health workers
This study explores the effects of antiretroviral treatment (ART) programmes on health-care human resources in South Africa. The study included two parts, a questionnaire-based survey of 269 health workers published earlier and a qualitative study of 21 purposively selected health practitioners involved in ART scale up. Contrary to what has been presented in literature, our survey showed that health workers in ART programmes experienced higher le…
Patterns of disclosure and antiretroviral treatment adherence in a South African mining workplace programme and implications for HIV prevention
Social and psychological barriers to the disclosure of one's seropositive HIV status to significant others and poor adherence to taking medications pose significant challenges to the scaling-up of access to antiretroviral treatment (ART) in the workplace. Such barriers are predictive of sub-optimal treatment outcomes and bedevil HIV-prevention interventions at a societal level. Against this background, this article explores the lived experiences …
HIV prevention in the world of work in sub-Saharan Africa
Keywords: health researchHIV/AIDSinterventionspolicy developmentprevention and controlprivate sectorstrategic planningworkplace
Psychosocial and behavioural correlates of attitudes towards antiretroviral therapy (ART) in a sample of South African mineworkers
Despite being one of the worst affected sectors in South Africa, the mining sector has proven to be one of the most active in intervention efforts in the fight against HIV and AIDS (Ellis, 2007). Owing to low uptake rates of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in mining companies in recent years (Connelly & Rosen, 2006) and the positive relationship between attitudes towards ART and ART uptake (Cooper et al., 2002; Horne, Cooper, Gellaitry, Leake, & Fis…
Weighing up the burden of care on caregivers of orphan children
This paper assesses the burden on orphan caregivers relative to non-orphan caregivers in the context of high HIV/AIDS mortality in South Africa. It presents findings from the third round of a study conducted in the Amajuba District of KwaZulu-Natal between 2003 and 2007. Significant differences were found between orphan and non-orphan caregivers; the former being more likely to care for more children, have poorer health, higher levels of chronic …
The Madikwe Forum
There is a need for actors within the philanthropic sector to pursue collaborative partnerships with developing nations which could result in sustainable country-led responses to HIV and AIDS. There is also a need to evaluate the structures governing these partnerships in order to determine their effectiveness in strengthening national responses to HIV and AIDS. This article presents findings from a qualitative study of a governance structure of …
An exploratory study of the individual determinants of students’ sexual risk behaviour at a South African university
The prevalence of sexual risk behaviour is high on campuses at South African universities, putting many students at risk of HIV infection. This study explores individual influences on students' sexual risk-taking behaviour at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The study collected cross-sectional data obtained between late 2008 and early 2010. A total of 80 in-depth interviews and four focus group discussions were conducted, allowing for an equal re…
Is there really a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? Has the Occupational Specific Dispensation, as a mechanism to attract and retain health workers in South Africa, leveled the playing field
Whilst South African salaries remain lower than their foreign counterparts by and large, the introduction and implementation of the OSD has made significant progress in reducing the gap between salaries of HRH in South Africa (SA) and the rest of the world. Given that the OSD has narrowed the gap between SA and overseas salaries whilst in the context of continued out migration of SA HRH, further research into push factors effecting migration need…
Evaluating traditional healers knowledge and practices related to HIV testing and treatment in South Africa
BACKGROUND: In a context of inadequate human resources for health, this study investigated whether traditional healers have the knowledge and skill base which could be utilised to assist in the scaling up of HIV prevention and treatment services in South Africa. METHODS: Using a cross-sectional research design a total of 186 traditional healers from the Northern Cape province were interviewed. Responses on the following topics were obtained: soci…
Comparative economic positions of orphan, non-orphan and mixed households
The HIV and AIDS pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa has orphaned many children, leaving the extended family responsible for their care. We use findings from a longitudinal study on child welfare in South Africa to compare the economic status of households that support only orphaned children (orphan households), those that support both orphan and non-orphan children (mixed households), and households that support only children whose parents are alive …
A comparison of quality of life between HIV positive and negative diamond miners in South Africa
OBJECTIVE: To analyse the health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) in two groups of diamond miners (HIV negative and positive) in South Africa using three instruments. Two hypotheses were to be tested. One, was that the HR-QOL of HIV positive miners would be lower than that of HIV negative miners; and two, the selected instruments would behave consistently and thus all would confirm hypothesis one. METHODS: In our study, workers were recruited dur…
Barriers and facilitators to the uptake of voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) among adolescent boys in KwaZulu–Natal, South Africa
Epidemiological modelling has concluded that if voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) is scaled up in high HIV prevalence settings it would lead to a significant reduction in HIV incidence rates. Following the adoption of this evidence by the WHO, South Africa has embarked on an ambitious VMMC programme. However, South Africa still falls short of meeting VMMC targets, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal, the epicentre of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. A q…
The influence of biological factors on students’ sexual behaviour at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Studies in South African universities reveal that the prevalence of sexual risk behaviour is very high, putting many students at high risk of HIV infection. This study explored the biological influences on students’ sexual taking behaviour at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. A qualitative approach was used, comprising a total of 80 in-depth interviews and 4 focus group discussions. These were conducted between late 2008 and early 20…
Children’s psychosocial wellbeing in the context of HIV/Aids and poverty
The results muster additional evidence for moving beyond narrow definitions of vulnerability associated exclusively with orphanhood to consider the multitude of material, social and relational factors affecting the psycho-social well-being of children in general who are living in circumstances of poverty and HIV and AIDS
They protect us, but are they using protection? The potential impact of HIV on the South African Police Service
The drivers of HIV/AIDS in the South African Police Service (SAPS) and impact of the disease on this workforce are neglected areas of research. Existing evidence suggests that while the occupational risk for contracting HIV is low, there are factors associated with the profession that, if left unmanaged, place police officers at risk of contracting HIV. This study's two aims are to identify the potential pathways of HIV infection within policing …
Psychosocial and health risk outcomes among orphans and non-orphans in mixed households in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
A growing body of research warns of the social challenges facing orphans. We examined this issue focusing on differences between orphans and non-orphans from mixed households, that is, households that comprise both orphans and non-orphans. We examined whether orphans reported worse psychosocial outcomes, caregiver interactions and health risk behaviours than non-orphans in mixed households. The study sample comprised 134 children (61 non-orphans,…
Strengthening HIV surveillance in the antiretroviral therapy era
The results from HIPSS will provide critical data regarding HIV prevalence and incidence in this community and will establish whether HIV prevention and treatment efforts in a "real world", non-trial setting have an impact on HIV incidence at a population level. Importantly, the study design and methods will inform future methods for HIV surveillance
‘Learning the basics’
School-based sexuality education remains a key response to the HIV epidemic. Drawing on findings from an ethnographic study, this study explores how young people engage with sexuality and HIV- and AIDS-related education as it is delivered through the Life Orientation (LO) learning area in South Africa, in order to understand the dynamics that support or hinder engagement. Focus group discussions were held with Grade 9 and 11 learners (aged 14–18 …
Determining Preferences Related to HIV Counselling and Testing Services Among High School Learners in KwaZulu-Natal
Factors associated with the take-up of voluntary medical male circumcision amongst learners in rural KwaZulu-Natal
Voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) is an integral part of South Africa's HIV prevention programme. School-going males, in particular, are considered a cost-effective target population. However, ambitious policy targets have not been achieved due to the plateau in demand for VMMC. This study documents the factors influencing demand for VMMC amongst school-going males. Data were collected from 750 learners (251 circumcised and 499 uncircumc…
HIV Prevalence and ART Use Among Men in Partnerships with 15–29 Year Old Women in South Africa
Medicine (58 obras) · Environmental health (38 obras) · HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions (36 obras) · Family medicine (35 obras) · Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (26 obras) · Psychology (25 obras) · Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV (23 obras) · Nursing (22 obras) · Population (22 obras) · Public health (21 obras)