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Characteristics of enabling healthcare environments to support brief sexuality-related communication (BSC) are understudied in humanitarian settings. We implemented a qualitative study with refugee youth aged 16–24 living in Bidi Bidi Refugee Settlement to understand the feasibility of implementing BSC in a humanitarian context. We examined feelings toward doctor’s visits in general, including types of conversations youth engage in with healthcare providers, as well as comfort, safety, and willingness to talk with healthcare providers about sexual health. We implemented four focus groups with refugee youth in Bidi Bidi, two with young women and two with young men, and applied thematic analysis informed by a social contextual theoretical framework that explores enabling environments for sexual health promotion. Participants (n = 40; mean age: 20 years, standard deviation: 2.2; women: n = 20; men: n = 20) reported relational, symbolic, and material dimensions of context considered important when discussing sexual health. Relational contexts included a) trusting relationship with local healthcare practitioners, including practices that foster comfort and confidentiality, and b) family, friends, and mentors as additional sources of health information. Symbolic contexts refer to values, norms, and beliefs that reflect what is perceived as valuable and worthy, and in turn, what is devalued and stigmatized. Specific to sexual health, participants discussed stigma toward STIs and HIV, devaluation of women in healthcare settings, and generalized fear of doctors and disease as barriers to engaging in dialogue about sexual health with healthcare providers. Material contexts include agency linked with resource access and experiences. Youth narratives revealed that positive experiences accessing medication to manage pain and infections increased their willingness to engage in healthcare discussions, whereby clinic layouts and dynamics that compromised confidentiality and privacy reduced the likelihood of sexual health dialogue. Language barriers and healthcare provider time constraints were additional factors that reduced healthcare engagement. Taken together, findings can inform BSC implementation strategies that consider the inner and outer settings that shape sexual health dialogue and sexual health and wellbeing among refugee youth living in humanitarian settings.

Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) is a persistent concern in humanitarian contexts, yet there is a dearth of SGBV prevention and post-rape clinical care interventions tailored for refugee youth. Graphic medicine, the use of images and text such as in comic books, has been employed to depict lived experiences to promote health, wellbeing, and education. Comic books provide a low-cost, youth-friendly approach to health promotion that is accessible to varying literacy levels. Limited research, however, has described the process of developing graphic medicine approaches for SGBV prevention and sexual violence stigma reduction with and for refugee youth in humanitarian settings. To address this knowledge gap, this paper shares a Qualitative Comic Book Mapping approach, whereby qualitative data alongside theoretical and empirical SGBV literature informed the development of comic book scenarios with refugee youth aged 16-24 in Bidi Bidi refugee settlement, Uganda. Steps included conducting focus groups and in-depth individual interviews with 78 community members (youth, elders, service providers) in Bidi Bidi to explore SGBV lived experiences among refugee youth in Bidi Bidi and ideas for solutions to reduce SGBV and related stigma, in addition to improving post-rape care experiences and engagement. The Qualitative Comic Book Mapping approach involved: a) thematic analysis of qualitative data and identification of overarching themes; b) aligning qualitative themes with theories of change for SGBV prevention and stigma reduction; and c) co-developing comic book scenarios with refugee youth peer navigators and community experts to integrate SGBV prevention and stigma reduction theory with refugee youth lived experiences. The final comic book involved five youth-focused scenarios and was integrated in an intervention with refugee youth, including providing youth with a blank version of the comic book to complete themselves. We share how theoretically-informed comic books can be developed from qualitative data with refugee youth in a humanitarian setting.

Refugee youth disproportionately experience sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and water insecurity, yet their SGBV experiences in the context of water insecurity are understudied. In this qualitative study, we conducted six focus groups (n = 48) and in-depth individual interviews (IDI) (n = 12) with refugee youth aged 16–24, and IDI with refugee elders (n = 8) in Bidi Bidi Refugee Settlement, Uganda. We applied thematic analysis informed by a social contextual framework and found that (1) SGBV is gendered, whereby adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) were targets for violence (symbolic context), and is intertwined with gender norms linked to AGYW's water collection roles (relational context); (2) water scarcity and off-site access to water infrastructure, combined with limited lighting, provide insecure environments that exacerbate AGYW's SGBV risks (material context); (3) participant generated solutions to water insecurity-related SGBV included engaging men and communities in dialogue and water collection (relational context), technology (e.g., solar lighting), improved security, and additional water points (material context). Findings signal the need to integrate water and sanitation hygiene development with SGBV prevention and sexual health (e.g., post-rape care) interventions. Refugee youth and communities should be meaningfully engaged in developing contextually relevant, gender transformative services to mitigate SGBV risks and advance health and rights.

IntroductionRefugees experience HIV vulnerabilities due to the confluence of displacement, violence and poverty. HIV self-testing, understudied with refugees, is a promising method to increase testing uptake, yet challenges remain with linkages to confirmatory testing following a positive HIV self-test. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of HIV self-testing kits and ‘edutainment’ comics in increasing HIV testing and HIV status knowledge among refugee youth aged 16–24 years in Bidi Bidi Refugee Settlement, Uganda.Methods and analysisThis study will be conducted in Bidi Bidi. We conducted a qualitative formative phase with focus groups (n=40) to generate knowledge of barriers and facilitators of HIV prevention, testing and care among refugee youth (aged 16–24) in Bidi Bidi. These findings were used to create comic scenarios aligning with edutainment approaches to health promotion and inform a four-arm cluster randomised controlled trial in Bidi Bidi using a 2×2 factorial design: (1) HIV self-testing alongside edutainment comics, (2) HIV self-testing alone, (3) edutainment comic alone and (4) standard of care. The target sample size will be 120 youth (30 per arm), who will be enrolled in the trial and followed for 3 months. Data will be collected at baseline and 3 months after enrolment. The primary outcomes (HIV testing frequency, HIV status knowledge) and secondary outcomes (linkage to confirmatory HIV testing, HIV care linkage, HIV self-test kit use, HIV-related stigma, HIV knowledge, safer sex efficacy, condom use, adolescent sexual and reproductive health (SRH) stigma, sexual relationship power, access to SRH services) will be evaluated using descriptive statistics and regression analyses.Ethics and disseminationThis study was approved by the University of Toronto Research Ethics Board, Mildmay Uganda Research Ethics Committee and the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology. Results will be shared in peer-reviewed publications and community knowledge sharing.Trial registration numberNCT05213689.

Introduction Humanitarian settings are underserved by HIV self-testing (HIV-ST). Methods We conducted a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of HIV-ST (Arm 1), HIV-ST alongside edutainment comics (Arm 2), and edutainment comics (Arm 3), compared with the standard of care (SOC), in increasing HIV testing with refugee youth aged 16–24 in the Bidi Bidi Refugee Settlement, Uganda. Intervention effects on HIV testing at 3-month follow-up (T2) were assessed using generalized estimating equation models alongside open-ended questions. Results Retention was 98% (n = 117/120) at T2. In adjusted analyses compared with the SOC, HIV testing changes from baseline to T2 were highest in Arm 2 (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 8.46; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.87–24.97), followed by Arm 3 (aOR: 4.14; 95% CI: 1.58–10.87), with no significant differences in Arm 1. Conclusion HIV self-testing is feasible for refugee youth in Uganda and can be supplemented with edutainment comics to advance HIV prevention efforts. Plain Language Summary: Findings from an HIV self-testing and comic intervention with refugee youth in a humanitarian setting in Uganda.

IntroductionHeterogeneity in definitions of severe infection, sepsis and serious bacterial infection (SBI) in infants limits the comparability of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of infection prevention interventions. To inform the design of infection prevention RCTs for infants in low-resource settings, we estimated the incidence of severe infection and death among Bangladeshi infants aged 0–60 days using variations in case definitions.MethodsAmong 1939 infants born generally healthy in Dhaka, Bangladesh, severe infection was identified through up to 12 scheduled community health worker home visits from 0 to 60 days of age or through caregiver self-referral. The primary severe infection case definition combined physician documentation of standardised clinical signs and/or diagnosis of sepsis/SBI, plus either a positive blood culture or parenteral antibiotic treatment for ≥5 days. Incidence rates were estimated for the primary severe infection definition, the WHO definition of possible SBI, blood culture-confirmed infection and five alternative definitions including non-injury death.ResultsSevere infection incidence per 1000 infant-days was 1.2 (95% CI 0.97 to 1.4) using the primary definition, 0.84 (0.69 to 1.0) using the WHO definition of possible SBI, 0.026 (0.0085 to 0.081) using blood culture-confirmed infection and 0.061 (0.029 to 0.13) for death. One-third of cases met criteria for the primary severe infection definition through physician diagnosis of sepsis/SBI rather than the standardised clinical signs, and 85% of cases were identified following caregiver self-referral despite frequent scheduled visits.ConclusionsSevere infection incidence in infants varied considerably by case definition. Using a clinical sign-based definition may miss a substantial proportion of cases identified by physician diagnosis of sepsis/SBI. A consensus definition of severe infection in infants that balances permissiveness and stringency and can be operationalised in low-resource countries would improve the comparability of RCTs. If health facilities are accessible and caregivers readily seek care for infant illness, frequently scheduled home assessments may not be necessary.

Background We aimed to estimate associations between human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) and infant growth (length-for-age (LAZ) and weight-for-length (WLZ) z -scores) at 12 months postnatal age. Methods In this secondary analysis of data from a maternal vitamin D trial in Dhaka, Bangladesh ( N  = 192), absolute concentrations of HMOs were measured in 13 ± 1 week(s) postpartum milk samples, infant anthropometric measurements were obtained soon after birth and at 12 months postpartum, and infant feeding was classified during 6 months postpartum. Associations between individual HMOs or HMO groups and LAZ or WLZ were estimated by multivariable linear regression adjusting for infant feeding pattern, maternal secretor status, and other potential confounders. Results The concentrations of 6’sialyllactose, lacto- N -neotetraose, and the non-fucosylated non-sialylated HMOs were inversely associated with LAZ at 12 months of age, whereas the fucosylated non-sialylated HMO concentration was positively associated with LAZ at 12 months. These associations were robust in analyses restricted to infants who were primarily exclusively/predominantly fed human milk during the first 3 (or 6) months. Conclusions Since HMOs are both positively and negatively associated with postnatal growth, there is a need for randomized trials to estimate the causal benefits and risks of exogenously administered HMOs on infant growth and other health outcomes. Impact 6’sialyllactose, lacto- N -neotetraose, and the non-fucosylated non-sialylated human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) were inversely associated with length-for-age z -scores (LAZ) at 12 months, whereas the fucosylated non-sialylated HMO concentration was positively associated with LAZ at 12 months among Bangladeshi infants. Associations between individual and grouped HMOs with infant length growth at 12 months were as strong or stronger in analyses restricted to infants who were exclusively or predominantly fed human milk up to 3 (or 6) months. Randomized trials are needed to characterize the effects of specific HMOs on infant growth, particularly in countries where postnatal linear growth faltering is common.

Background There is growing evidence of associations between extreme weather events (EWE) and HIV vulnerabilities, yet this is understudied in humanitarian settings. We examined associations between EWE and HIV vulnerabilities among refugee youth in Bidi Bidi Refugee Settlement, Uganda. Methods We collected baseline (February to March 2024) cohort data with refugee youth aged 16-24years in Bidi Bidi. We conducted linear and logistic regression to assess associations between (a) number of past-year EWE types (e.g. extreme rain/flooding, changes in expected rain patterns, drought, extreme heat, fire, changes in expected temperature), and (b) frequency of past-year EWE, with HIV vulnerabilities (sexual relationship power, reproductive autonomy, condom use self-efficacy, transactional sex, intimate partner violence, multiple sex partners), adjusted for age, gender, education and employment. Results Among 400 participants (50% women; mean age: 19 years, standard deviation: 2.3), a higher number of past-year EWE types (vs 1) was significantly associated with reduced sexual relationship power (2-4 EWE: adjusted beta [aβ] = -2.96, P =0.009; ≥5 EWE: aβ = -4.92, P P =0.006; ≥5 EWE: aβ = -0.42, P =0.001) and condom use self-efficacy (2-4 EWE: aβ = -3.02, P P P =0.040), intimate partner violence (≥5 EWE: aOR 3.13, P =0.007) and multiple sex partners (≥5 EWE: aOR 4.70, P =0.002). Increased EWE frequency was significantly associated with lower sexual relationship power, reproductive autonomy and condom use self-efficacy. Conclusions EWE experiences were associated with multiple HIV vulnerabilities among refugee youth. Climate-informed, youth-tailored HIV prevention strategies are urgently needed.

Preventing early and forced marriage is a global priority, however, sexual and reproductive health (SRH) among youth remains understudied in humanitarian settings. This study examined child, early and forced marriage and partnership (CEFMP) among young refugees in Bidi Bidi refugee settlement, Uganda, and associations with SRH outcomes among young women. This mixed-methods study involved a qualitative phase with young (16-24 years) sexual violence survivors (n=58), elders (n=8) and healthcare providers (n=10), followed by a quantitative phase among refugee youth (16-24 years; n=120) during which sociodemographic and SRH data were collected. We examined SRH outcome differences by CEFMP using Fisher's exact test. Qualitative data showed that CEFMP was a significant problem facing refugee young women driven by stigma, gender norms and poverty. Among youth refugee survey participants, nearly one-third (31.7%) experienced CEFMP (57.9% women, 42.1% men). Among women in CEFMP compared to those who were not, a significantly higher proportion reported forced pregnancy (50.0% vs. 18.4%, p-value=0.018), forced abortion (45.4% vs. 7.0%, p-value=0.002), and missed school due to sexual violence (94.7% vs. 63.0%, p-value=0.016). This study illustrates the need for innovative community-engaged interventions to end CEFMP in humanitarian contexts in order to achieve sexual and reproductive health and rights for youth. (Afr J Reprod Health 2022; 26[12s]: 66-77).

Preventing early and forced marriage is a global priority, however, sexual and reproductive health (SRH) among youth remains understudied in humanitarian settings. This study examined child, early and forced marriage and partnership (CEFMP) among young refugees in Bidi Bidi refugee settlement, Uganda, and associations with SRH outcomes among young women. This mixed-methods study involved a qualitative phase with young (16-24 years) sexual violence survivors (n=58), elders (n=8) and healthcare providers (n=10), followed by a quantitative phase among refugee youth (16-24 years; n=120) during which sociodemographic and SRH data were collected. We examined SRH outcome differences by CEFMP using Fisher’s exact test. Qualitative data showed that CEFMP was a significant problem facing refugee young women driven by stigma, gender norms and poverty. Among youth refugee survey participants, nearly one-third (31.7%) experienced CEFMP (57.9% women, 42.1% men). Among women in CEFMP compared to those who were not, a significantly higher proportion reported forced pregnancy (50.0% vs. 18.4%, p-value=0.018), forced abortion (45.4% vs. 7.0%, p-value=0.002), and missed school due to sexual violence (94.7% vs. 63.0%, p-value=0.016). This study illustrates the need for innovative community-engaged interventions to end CEFMP in humanitarian contexts in order to achieve sexual and reproductive health and rights for youth.