Sexual and Reproductive Health Service Provision to Adolescents in Edmonton: A Qualitative Descriptive Study of Adolescents’ and Service Providers’ Experiences

The goal of adolescent sexual reproductive health (SRH) services is to provide information, education and healthcare to promote safe health practices and protect adolescents from negative health outcomes;however, access to timely, effective, and affordable SRH services by adolescents in Edmonton, Canada remains relatively unknown. Our study sought to understand the perspectives and experiences of adolescent girls and service providers in relation to availability, accessibility, and quality of SRH services available in Edmonton. The study objectives were to explore SRH services adolescents seek, uncover barriers in accessing SRH services and identify areas to improve accessibility. Qualitative description design was employed to conduct this study. Five service providers specializing in SRH, and eight females (ages 17–20 years) that access SRH services were recruited from the Alberta Health Services Birth Control Centre (BCC). Semi-structured interviews took place via Zoom. Thematic analysis was conducted using NVIVO software. Findings consisted of four primary themes: (1) views and current SRH practices;(2) barriers to accessibility;(3) the effects of COVID-19 on accessibility;(4) identified gaps in SRH care. The findings from our study support the development of knowledge translation strategies and make recommendations to improve the present quality of SRH services in Edmonton.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Adolescents' Sexual and Reproductive Health in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

Adolescents living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are struggling with accessing sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services, and COVID-19 has escalated the problem. The purpose of this review was to identify and assess the existing literature on the impact of the pandemic on SRH needs and access to services by adolescents in LMICs. A scoping review was conducted to collate findings on the topic. Searches were performed on eight databases. Data were extracted and categorized into various themes. After removing duplicates and performing a full-text reading of all articles, nine articles were included in our review. Our findings generated several themes related to adolescents' sexual and reproductive health during the COVID-19 pandemic. These include (1) limited access to sexual and reproductive health services, (2) school closure and increased rate of early marriages, (3) sexual or intimate partner violence during COVID-19, (4) disruption in maternity care, (5) adolescents' involvement in risky or exploitative work, (6) intervention to improve sexual and reproductive health services during COVID-19, and (7) policy development related to adolescent sexual and reproductive health. Several recommendations were made on policies-for instance, the use of telemedicine and community-based programs as a way to deliver SRH services to adolescents during and after a pandemic.

Challenges in Conducting Online Videoconferencing Qualitative Interviews with Adolescents on Sensitive Topics

In the wake of COVID-19, researchers are seeking innovative data-collection methods. Computer-mediated communication platforms have played a pivotal role among these pursuits. However, conducting online interviews present challenges to both researchers and participants. Online data-collection forces researchers to give up control over the study environment due to the varying location participants partake in interviews. Consequently, researchers can no longer fully guarantee the confidentiality and privacy of the researcherparticipant conversations. Participants may face difficulties if being asked to disclose private information in the presence of family members. These challenges are heightened when conducting online interviews with adolescents on sensitive topics. Thus, attention to the rigour of qualitative research is a fundamental consideration given these limitations in technical and social conventions with the use of online data-collection methods. Despite the host of challenges, online interviewing creates valuable opportunities for researchers to rise to the challenge of social distancing in their data-collection efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Qualitative Report is the property of Qualitative Report and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Developing COVID-19 emergency response centres in geographically challenged areas of Pakistan: A case study of the Aga Khan Development Network.

The inevitable COVID-19 global pandemic has severely affected Pakistan's fragile healthcare system. The system was already facing a significant burden of noncommunicable and other infectious diseases, and the pandemic further exacerbated the disease and the healthcare burden in Pakistan. In such a situation, people who live in geographically challenged areas with limited healthcare infrastructure and resources are more vulnerable to the impacts of a pandemic. The authors share the experience of the development of emergency response centres (ERCs) in the rural remote mountainous regions of Pakistan-Chitral, an initiative that the Government of Pakistan and Aga Khan Health Service Pakistan (AKHSP) implemented to manage the increasing rates of COVID-19 cases in these areas. The authors outline the processes that need to be undertaken to develop such healthcare facilities in a short period of time and discusses the challenges of establishing and operating these centres and the lessons learnt during and after the development of these centres in the remote mountainous regions of Pakistan.

Mental Health of Children and Adolescents Amidst COVID-19 and Past Pandemics: A Rapid Systematic Review.

Background: The COVID­19 pandemic and associated public health measures have disrupted the lives of people around the world. It is already evident that the direct and indirect psychological and social effects of the COVID­19 pandemic are insidious and affect the mental health of young children and adolescents now and will in the future. The aim and objectives of this knowledge-synthesis study were to identify the impact of the pandemic on children's and adolescent's mental health and to evaluate the effectiveness of different interventions employed during previous and the current pandemic to promote children's and adolescents' mental health. Methodology: We conducted the systematic review according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and included experimental randomized and nonrandomized controlled trials, observational studies, and qualitative studies. Results: Of the 5828 articles that we retrieved, 18 articles met the inclusion criteria. We thematically analyzed them and put the major findings under the thematic areas of impact of the pandemic on children's and adolescents' mental health. These studies reported that pandemics cause stress, worry, helplessness, and social and risky behavioral problems among children and adolescents (e.g., substance abuse, suicide, relationship problems, academic issues, and absenteeism from work). Interventions such as art-based programs, support services, and clinician-led mental health and psychosocial services effectively decrease mental health issues among children and adolescents. Conclusion: Children and adolescents are more likely to experience high rates of depression and anxiety during and after a pandemic. It is critical that future researchers explore effective mental health strategies that are tailored to the needs of children and adolescents. Explorations of effective channels regarding the development and delivery of evidenced-based, age-appropriate services are vital to lessen the effects and improve long-term capacities for mental health services for children and adolescents. Key Practitioner Message: The COVID-19 pandemic's physical restrictions and social distancing measures have affected each and every domain of life. Although the number of children and adolescents affected by the disease is small, the disease and the containment measures such as social distancing, school closure, and isolation have negatively impacted the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents. The impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of children and adolescents is of great concern. Anxiety, depression, disturbances in sleep and appetite, as well as impairment in social interactions are the most common presentations. It has been indicated that compared to adults, this pandemic may continue to have increased long term adverse consequences on children's and adolescents' mental health. As the pandemic continues, it is important to monitor the impact on children's and adolescents' mental health status and how to help them to improve their mental health outcomes in the time of the current or future pandemics.