Mixed-methods findings from the Ngutulu Kagwero (agents of change) participatory comic pilot study on post-rape clinical care and sexual violence prevention with refugee youth in a humanitarian setting in Uganda

Bibliographic Data

ID15541561
AuthorsCarmen H Logie (0000-0002-8035-433X, University of Toronto, corresponding author), Moses Okumu (0000-0003-2555-3077, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign), Miranda G Loutet (0000-0002-6293-3047, University of Toronto), Isha Berry (0000-0003-3138-664X, University of Toronto), Simon Odong Lukone (0000-0002-6780-1705), Nelson Kisubi (0000-0002-0260-4620), Simon Mwima (0000-0003-2745-2026, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign), Peter Kyambadde (0000-0002-9606-218X, Mulago Hospital)
Year2022
Volume18
Issue1
Pages2092178-2092178
Publication date2022-06-30
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueGlobal Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1744-1692 • E-ISSN: 1744-1706
PublisherTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/17441692.2022.2092178
PMID35770702
OpenAlexW4283753105
LanguageEN
Citations received11
References cited64

There is a dearth of evidence-based post-rape clinical care interventions tailored for refugee adolescents and youth in low-income humanitarian settings. Comics, a low-cost, low-literacy and youth-friendly method, integrate visual images with text to spark emotion and share health-promoting information. We evaluated a participatory comic intervention to increase post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) knowledge and acceptance, and prevent sexual and gender-based violence, in Bidi Bidi refugee settlement, Uganda. Following a formative qualitative phase, we conducted a pre-test post-test pilot study with refugee youth (aged 16-24 years) ( n = 120). Surveys were conducted before (t0), after (t1), and two-months following (t2) workshops. Among participants (mean age: 19.7 years, standard deviation: 2.4; n = 60 men, n = 60 women), we found significant increases from t0 to t1, and from t0 to t2 in: (a) PEP knowledge and acceptance, (b) bystander efficacy, and (c) resilient coping. We also found significant decreases from t0 to t1, and from t0 to t2 in sexual violence stigma and depression. Qualitative feedback revealed knowledge and skills acquisition to engage with post-rape care and violence prevention, and increased empathy to support survivors. Survivor-informed participatory comic books are a promising approach to advance HIV prevention through increased PEP acceptance and reduced sexual violence stigma with refugee youth.Trial registration : ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04656522

Citizen journalism · Environmental health · Family medicine · Participatory action research · Poison control · Political science · Population · Refugee · Reproductive health · Sexual violence · Sociology · Suicide prevention · Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health · Comics and Graphic Narratives · Gender, Feminism, and Media · Medicine · Nursing · Psychology