Mapping the Transition of Adolescents to Adult HIV Care: A Mixed-Methods Perspective from the Cape Town Metropole, South Africa
(1) Background: Globally, an estimated 1.7 million adolescents (aged 10–19 years) were living with HIV in 2023, with 82% residing in sub-Saharan Africa. For ALHIV, transitioning to adult care involves assuming responsibility for their own health and disease management, posing significant challenges...
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| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2414-6366/10/1/5 |
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| _version_ | 1832587454689837056 |
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| author | Charné Petinger Brian van Wyk Talitha Crowley |
| author_facet | Charné Petinger Brian van Wyk Talitha Crowley |
| author_sort | Charné Petinger |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | (1) Background: Globally, an estimated 1.7 million adolescents (aged 10–19 years) were living with HIV in 2023, with 82% residing in sub-Saharan Africa. For ALHIV, transitioning to adult care involves assuming responsibility for their own health and disease management, posing significant challenges to persistent engagement in care. There is a paucity in health policies guiding this transition in many sub-Saharan African countries. Overburdened and poorly functioning health systems struggle to provide optimal care for ALHIV amidst the rising HIV pandemic in this priority population. (2) Methods: This study employed a mixed-methods design, comprising a descriptive qualitative study with healthcare workers and managers and a cross-sectional survey to examine the practices and pathways in which the transition to adult HIV care occurs in the Cape Town Metropole, South Africa. (3) Results: We delineate three distinct ways in which transition occurs (transfer-only, adolescent-friendly, and supportive transition). A successful transition involves a sufficient level of self-management of their chronic condition and healthcare journey, which is preceded by adequate preparation pre-transition, and the monitoring of engagement post-transition. This ideally requires developing relevant health policies and implementing guidelines signaling political will and providing the impetus and agency of implementation at the service level in South Africa. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c6191b804c0a4f10bed6feec09471d89 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2414-6366 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease |
| spelling | doaj-art-c6191b804c0a4f10bed6feec09471d892025-01-24T13:51:21ZengMDPI AGTropical Medicine and Infectious Disease2414-63662024-12-01101510.3390/tropicalmed10010005Mapping the Transition of Adolescents to Adult HIV Care: A Mixed-Methods Perspective from the Cape Town Metropole, South AfricaCharné Petinger0Brian van Wyk1Talitha Crowley2School of Public Health, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town 7535, South AfricaSchool of Public Health, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town 7535, South AfricaSchool of Nursing, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town 7535, South Africa(1) Background: Globally, an estimated 1.7 million adolescents (aged 10–19 years) were living with HIV in 2023, with 82% residing in sub-Saharan Africa. For ALHIV, transitioning to adult care involves assuming responsibility for their own health and disease management, posing significant challenges to persistent engagement in care. There is a paucity in health policies guiding this transition in many sub-Saharan African countries. Overburdened and poorly functioning health systems struggle to provide optimal care for ALHIV amidst the rising HIV pandemic in this priority population. (2) Methods: This study employed a mixed-methods design, comprising a descriptive qualitative study with healthcare workers and managers and a cross-sectional survey to examine the practices and pathways in which the transition to adult HIV care occurs in the Cape Town Metropole, South Africa. (3) Results: We delineate three distinct ways in which transition occurs (transfer-only, adolescent-friendly, and supportive transition). A successful transition involves a sufficient level of self-management of their chronic condition and healthcare journey, which is preceded by adequate preparation pre-transition, and the monitoring of engagement post-transition. This ideally requires developing relevant health policies and implementing guidelines signaling political will and providing the impetus and agency of implementation at the service level in South Africa.https://www.mdpi.com/2414-6366/10/1/5ALHIVHIVtransitions of caretransfer pathwaysmixed methods |
| spellingShingle | Charné Petinger Brian van Wyk Talitha Crowley Mapping the Transition of Adolescents to Adult HIV Care: A Mixed-Methods Perspective from the Cape Town Metropole, South Africa Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease ALHIV HIV transitions of care transfer pathways mixed methods |
| title | Mapping the Transition of Adolescents to Adult HIV Care: A Mixed-Methods Perspective from the Cape Town Metropole, South Africa |
| title_full | Mapping the Transition of Adolescents to Adult HIV Care: A Mixed-Methods Perspective from the Cape Town Metropole, South Africa |
| title_fullStr | Mapping the Transition of Adolescents to Adult HIV Care: A Mixed-Methods Perspective from the Cape Town Metropole, South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mapping the Transition of Adolescents to Adult HIV Care: A Mixed-Methods Perspective from the Cape Town Metropole, South Africa |
| title_short | Mapping the Transition of Adolescents to Adult HIV Care: A Mixed-Methods Perspective from the Cape Town Metropole, South Africa |
| title_sort | mapping the transition of adolescents to adult hiv care a mixed methods perspective from the cape town metropole south africa |
| topic | ALHIV HIV transitions of care transfer pathways mixed methods |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2414-6366/10/1/5 |
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