Climate change, resource insecurities and sexual and reproductive health among young adolescents in Kenya: a multi-method qualitative inquiry
Introduction Growing evidence supports linkages between climate change and extreme weather events (EWEs) and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) among adults. Yet knowledge gaps persist regarding climate-related experiences and pathways to SRH among young adolescents (YA). We conducted a multi-meth...
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BMJ Publishing Group
2025-05-01
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| Online Access: | https://gh.bmj.com/content/10/5/e016637.full |
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| author | Robert Hogg Peter A Newman Sheri Weiser Carmen H. Logie Lesley Gittings Aryssa Hasham Julia Kagunda Humphres Evelia Clara Gachoki Beldine Omondi Mercy Wanjiru Sarah Van Borek Esme Fuller-Thomson Lina Taing Isabel Sternthal Janet Turan |
| author_facet | Robert Hogg Peter A Newman Sheri Weiser Carmen H. Logie Lesley Gittings Aryssa Hasham Julia Kagunda Humphres Evelia Clara Gachoki Beldine Omondi Mercy Wanjiru Sarah Van Borek Esme Fuller-Thomson Lina Taing Isabel Sternthal Janet Turan |
| author_sort | Robert Hogg |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction Growing evidence supports linkages between climate change and extreme weather events (EWEs) and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) among adults. Yet knowledge gaps persist regarding climate-related experiences and pathways to SRH among young adolescents (YA). We conducted a multi-method qualitative study to explore climate change-related factors and linkages with SRH among YA aged 10–14 years in Kenya.Methods This six-site study was conducted in Nairobi’s urban slum Mathare; Naivasha’s flower farming community; Kisumu’s fishing community; Isiolo’s nomadic and pastoralist community; Kilifi’s coastal smallholder farms and Kalobeyei refugee settlement. Methods involved: n=12 elder focus groups, n=60 YA walk-along interviews (WAIs) and n=12 2-day YA participatory mapping workshops (PMWs). We conducted codebook thematic analysis informed by the resource insecurity framework.Results Participants (n=297) included: elders (n=119; mean age: 60.6 years, SD: 7.9; men: 48.7%, women: 51.3%), YA WAI participants (n=60; mean age: 13.4, SD: 1.5; boys: 51.4%, girls: 48.6%) and YA PMW participants (n=118; mean age: 12.1, SD: 1.3; boys: 50.8%, girls: 49.2%). Narratives identified climate-related changes and EWEs increased existing resource insecurities that, in turn, were linked directly and indirectly with SRH vulnerabilities. Food and water insecurity contributed to YA missing school, sexual violence, transactional sex and exploitative relationships. Sanitation insecurity produced challenges regarding menstrual hygiene, sexual violence risks and transactional sex. Transactional sex and exploitative relationships were linked with unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection risks. Gender inequities increased girls’ risks for violence and sexual exploitation, whereas boys were more prone to running away.Conclusion We found that climate change exacerbated resource insecurities that may drive SRH outcomes among YA in Kenya. We developed a conceptual model to illustrate these pathways linking climate change, EWEs, resource insecurities and SRH. Climate-informed interventions should consider these pathways within larger social environmental contexts to advance young adolescent SRH in Kenya. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-600769f92d26403a816d31d48357a35c |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2059-7908 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-600769f92d26403a816d31d48357a35c2025-08-20T02:16:05ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Global Health2059-79082025-05-0110510.1136/bmjgh-2024-016637Climate change, resource insecurities and sexual and reproductive health among young adolescents in Kenya: a multi-method qualitative inquiryRobert Hogg0Peter A Newman1Sheri Weiser2Carmen H. Logie3Lesley Gittings4Aryssa Hasham5Julia Kagunda6Humphres Evelia7Clara Gachoki8Beldine Omondi9Mercy Wanjiru10Sarah Van Borek11Esme Fuller-Thomson12Lina Taing13Isabel Sternthal14Janet Turan159 Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada1 Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada8 Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA1 Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada7 School of Health Studies, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada1 Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada5 Department of Communication Studies, Daystar University, Nairobi, Kenya6 Centre for the Study of Adolescence, Nairobi, Kenya4 Elim Trust, Nairobi, Kenya6 Centre for the Study of Adolescence, Nairobi, Kenya4 Elim Trust, Nairobi, Kenya1 Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada1 Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada2 United Nations University Institute for Water Environment and Health, Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada1 Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada10 Department of Health Policy and Organization, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USAIntroduction Growing evidence supports linkages between climate change and extreme weather events (EWEs) and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) among adults. Yet knowledge gaps persist regarding climate-related experiences and pathways to SRH among young adolescents (YA). We conducted a multi-method qualitative study to explore climate change-related factors and linkages with SRH among YA aged 10–14 years in Kenya.Methods This six-site study was conducted in Nairobi’s urban slum Mathare; Naivasha’s flower farming community; Kisumu’s fishing community; Isiolo’s nomadic and pastoralist community; Kilifi’s coastal smallholder farms and Kalobeyei refugee settlement. Methods involved: n=12 elder focus groups, n=60 YA walk-along interviews (WAIs) and n=12 2-day YA participatory mapping workshops (PMWs). We conducted codebook thematic analysis informed by the resource insecurity framework.Results Participants (n=297) included: elders (n=119; mean age: 60.6 years, SD: 7.9; men: 48.7%, women: 51.3%), YA WAI participants (n=60; mean age: 13.4, SD: 1.5; boys: 51.4%, girls: 48.6%) and YA PMW participants (n=118; mean age: 12.1, SD: 1.3; boys: 50.8%, girls: 49.2%). Narratives identified climate-related changes and EWEs increased existing resource insecurities that, in turn, were linked directly and indirectly with SRH vulnerabilities. Food and water insecurity contributed to YA missing school, sexual violence, transactional sex and exploitative relationships. Sanitation insecurity produced challenges regarding menstrual hygiene, sexual violence risks and transactional sex. Transactional sex and exploitative relationships were linked with unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection risks. Gender inequities increased girls’ risks for violence and sexual exploitation, whereas boys were more prone to running away.Conclusion We found that climate change exacerbated resource insecurities that may drive SRH outcomes among YA in Kenya. We developed a conceptual model to illustrate these pathways linking climate change, EWEs, resource insecurities and SRH. Climate-informed interventions should consider these pathways within larger social environmental contexts to advance young adolescent SRH in Kenya.https://gh.bmj.com/content/10/5/e016637.full |
| spellingShingle | Robert Hogg Peter A Newman Sheri Weiser Carmen H. Logie Lesley Gittings Aryssa Hasham Julia Kagunda Humphres Evelia Clara Gachoki Beldine Omondi Mercy Wanjiru Sarah Van Borek Esme Fuller-Thomson Lina Taing Isabel Sternthal Janet Turan Climate change, resource insecurities and sexual and reproductive health among young adolescents in Kenya: a multi-method qualitative inquiry BMJ Global Health |
| title | Climate change, resource insecurities and sexual and reproductive health among young adolescents in Kenya: a multi-method qualitative inquiry |
| title_full | Climate change, resource insecurities and sexual and reproductive health among young adolescents in Kenya: a multi-method qualitative inquiry |
| title_fullStr | Climate change, resource insecurities and sexual and reproductive health among young adolescents in Kenya: a multi-method qualitative inquiry |
| title_full_unstemmed | Climate change, resource insecurities and sexual and reproductive health among young adolescents in Kenya: a multi-method qualitative inquiry |
| title_short | Climate change, resource insecurities and sexual and reproductive health among young adolescents in Kenya: a multi-method qualitative inquiry |
| title_sort | climate change resource insecurities and sexual and reproductive health among young adolescents in kenya a multi method qualitative inquiry |
| url | https://gh.bmj.com/content/10/5/e016637.full |
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