Gaps and Opportunities for Strengthening In‐School Support for Youth Living With HIV

Bibliographic Data

ID21354534
AuthorsIrene Njuguna (0000-0003-4250-3231, Kenyatta National Hospital, Research and Programs, P.O. Box 20723‐00202, Nairobi, Kenya; Department of Global Health University of Washington Box 359931 Seattle WA 98104), Cyrus Mugo (0000-0001-7516-2168, Kenyatta National Hospital, Research and Programs, P.O. Box 20723‐00202, Nairobi, Kenya; Department of Epidemiology University of Washington Box 359931 Seattle WA 98104), Anne Mbwayo (0000-0003-4888-2375, Department of Psychiatry University of Nairobi P.O. Box 19676‐00202 Nairobi Kenya), Orvalho Augusto (0000-0002-0005-3968, Universidade Eduardo Mondlane Maputo Mozambique), Dalton Wamalwa (0000-0002-5510-462X, Department of Pediatrics and Child Health University of Nairobi P.O. Box 19676‐00202 Nairobi Kenya), Irene Inwani (0000-0002-4912-1028, Kenyatta National Hospital, Research and Programs P.O. Box 20723‐00202 Nairobi Kenya, corresponding author)
Year2024
Volume94
Issue2
Pages178-183
Publication date2024-02-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of School Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0022-4391 • E-ISSN: 1746-1561
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/josh.13403
PMID37919544
OpenAlexW4388302660
LanguageEN
References cited12

OBJECTIVES: With optimized antiretroviral treatment youth living with HIV (YLH) now spend most of their time in schools, making schools an important venue to optimize outcomes. We evaluated school support for YLH. METHODS: We conducted surveys with public secondary/high schools in 3 Kenyan counties (Nairobi, Homa Bay, and Kajiado) to determine policies and training related to HIV. Chi-squared tests and Poisson regression were used to compare policy availability and staff training by county HIV prevalence and school type. RESULTS: Of 512 schools in the 3 counties, we surveyed 100. The majority (60%) of schools surveyed had boarding facilities. The median student population was 406 (IQR: 200, 775). Only half (49%) of schools had medication use policies; more in boarding than day schools (65% vs 30%, p = .003). While most schools (82%) had clinic attendance policies; policy availability was higher in higher HIV prevalence counties (Homa Bay [100%], Nairobi [82%], Kajiado [56%], p < .05). Overall, 64% had confidentiality policies with higher policy availability in higher HIV prevalence regions (p < .05). Few schools had staff trained in HIV-related topics: HIV prevention (37%), HIV treatment (18%), HIV stigma reduction (36%). Few were trained in confidentiality (41%), psychosocial support (40%), or mental health (26%). Compared to day schools, boarding school were more likely to have staff trained in HIV prevention (prevalence ratio: 2.1 [95% confidence interval 1.0, 4.0], p = .037). CONCLUSION: In this survey of Kenyan schools, there were notable gaps in HIV care policy availability and training, despite high HIV burden. Development and implementation of national school HIV policies and staff training as well as strengthening clinic and family support may improve outcomes for YLH.

Attendance · Confidentiality · Environmental health · Family medicine · Kenya · Poisson regression · Political science · Population · Psychiatry · Psychosocial · Public health · Sociology · Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health · Demography · HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions · Medicine · Nursing · Poverty, Education, and Child Welfare · Gerontology

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