Rumbidzai Gumbie's upgrading seminar on Integrating Sexual and Reproductive Health into clinic-based HIV services in Zimbabwe: co-design with healthcare providers and process evaluation (TSIME Study) will be taking place on Tuesday the 26th of September at 10:00 BST. Please use this Zoom link to join online, meeting ID 951 8626 1626, password 799147.
Abstract:
Lack of available, accessible and acceptable sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services has contributed to the high prevalence of sexually transmitted infections, HIV, unintended/unwanted pregnancies and unsafe abortions in sub-Saharan Africa, including Zimbabwe. Historically, services are delivered in siloes, particularly for HIV, where clients often visit different healthcare facilities or sites within the same facility to access different healthcare services. The value of integrating SRH and HIV services is increasingly recognised, with evidence suggesting that integration can improve engagement, uptake, and acceptability. However, there is limited evidence on how best to deliver integrated services to ensure benefits include improved access, quality of care, health worker satisfaction and productivity, and reduced stigma.
My study aims to co-design, implement and conduct a process evaluation of a clinic-based integrated package of SRH and HIV services with healthcare providers in Zimbabwe. The study has four key objectives: 1. Understand the current context and healthcare provider experiences of delivering existing HIV services; 2. Co-design an integrated SRH and HIV service delivery model within clinic-based HIV services; 3. Provide an integrated package of SRH and HIV services to people living with HIV in one public health clinic; 4. Conduct a mixed-methods process evaluation to understand the acceptability, feasibility, uptake and yield of HIV and SRH services in clinic-based settings. The study will be conducted in the Mazowe rural district of Mashonaland Central, Zimbabwe.
The research will consist of two phases. First, intervention development using qualitative methods to understand the current services, healthcare provider preferences and challenges for integration, and to co-design the intervention with healthcare providers, key stakeholders and clients. Second, implementation of a pilot co-designed intervention within clinic-based HIV services with a mixed methods process evaluation to evaluate the acceptability, feasibility, uptake and yield of the intervention in clinic-based settings.