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Food security and mental health nexus: The experiences of high-risk immigrant youth in Canada TRS1 1.2 University of Alberta, Toronto Metropolitan University, University of British Columbia Activity 2025-05-08 Odhiambo, S. ,
Akateh, D. ,
Wong, J. ,
Yohani, S. ,
Saewyc, E. ,
Onyango, E. TRS1 1.2 Exploring the consequences of housing insecurity on HIV treatment outcomes: Qualitative insights from Kisumu, Kenya Housing insecurity (HI) is inextricably linked to poor health outcomes. Evidence suggests people living with HIV are more likely to experience poor psychological, physical, and nutritional health challenges. However, how housing insecurity might impact treatment outcomes among people living with HIV is under-explored. We examined the consequences of HI on treatment outcomes among people living with HIV in rural Kenya. Between July and August 2023. we purposively recruited and conducted 30 in-depth interviews and four focus group discussions (n = 35) with adult men and women living with HIV. Guided by grounded theory, the data were analyzed in Dedoose and organised into themes. The structural violence framework was then used to contextualise the findings. We found that HI exacerbated poor health outcomes through perceived adherence challenges and increased occurrence of opportunistic diseases such as malaria, diarrhoea, and cough due to housing conditions. Additionally, we found that the cost of rebuilding and maintaining took away resources from other household needs. Improving HI thus may play a critical role in enhancing HIV treatment outcomes. Given the variety of ways housing, food, water, and HIV affect health, gaining insight into the relationships between these factors has tremendous implications for care and treatment. University of Alberta Publication 2025-04-17 Patrick Mbullo Owuor, Doreen Obondo, Hellen Nyagol, Wicklife Orero, Joseph Owuor,
Odhiambo, S. , Godfred O Boateng,
Onyango, E. Overcoming structural violence through community-based safe-spaces: Qualitative insights from young women on oral HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in Kisumu, Kenya Biomedical and behavioral interventions have led to significant success in the prevention of HIV/AIDS. However, in rural communities, structural violence persists and continues to create barriers to the uptake and utilization of health services, especially among young women. To overcome these barriers, community-led initiatives have provided a range of interventions, including safe spaces (i.e., vetted meeting venues where girls come together to discuss issues affecting their wellbeing and access health services, such as PreP) for young women. Although these spaces provide a safe haven for at-risk girls and young women, the role of community safe spaces in overcoming structural violence remains under-explored in literature. Using the structural violence framework, this study explored how community-led safe spaces for HIV prevention programs can overcome structural forces – policies, norms, or practices – that perpetuate structural violence and prevent access to healthcare services among young girls and women in Kisumu, Kenya. We purposively recruited young women (n = 36) enrolled in the Pamoja Community-Based Organization’s DREAMS program in Kisumu, Kenya. Data were collected from the 2022–2023 cohort between June and July 2023 using semi-structured, in-depth interviews (n = 20) and two focused group discussions (n = 16). Guided by thematic analysis, data were analyzed in Atlas.Ti and organized into themes. This study found that community approaches such as safe spaces are instrumental in overcoming structural violence among young women by addressing three forms of barriers – institutional, sociocultural, and economic barriers – that limit HIV support service access. Institutional barriers encompassed distance and time to health facilities and provider attitude, while sociocultural barriers included knowledge gaps, stigma, cultural norms, beliefs, and practices, limiting health service access. Lastly, the socioeconomic barriers highlighted inadequate income, financial literacy, and financial dependency. Community safe spaces are vital for decreasing vulnerability and serve as critical points for accessing services and building capacity for young women. This is particularly important in rural areas where retrogressive societal norms create obstacles to obtaining essential health services. To effectively overcome structural violence, however, government support and a suitable policy environment are essential for implementing interventions to address the underlying root causes of structural violence and sustaining community-based safe spaces. University of Alberta Publication 2025-02-24
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