01 March 2016 – 28 February 2020
Completed in 2020, this project sought to understand the mechanisms employed by youth and public sector primary healthcare providers to cope with the impact of endemic violence on youth access to HIV services in violence-and-crime vulnerable suburbs in Cape Town. It also explored which initiatives may be helpful in addressing these challenges, relevant for both South Africa as well as other contexts with endemic urban violence.
The in-depth interviews with healthcare providers revealed that the effects of crime and violence impacted on providers at the level of their workplace and within the surrounding communities; and identified levels of resilience. Findings from interviews with youth attending health services revealed fear of encountering crime and violence on their way to visit health services as hindering their access. Despite this, most youth reported devising strategies to access health service when they needed to. The project resulted in a number of publications – like an article in the Journal for Advanced Nursing – and engagements with stakeholders to share findings.
The project was funded by the South African Medical Research Council and a small seed grant from the University of Essex in the UK.