Hair salons as a promising space to provide HIV and sexual and reproductive health services for young women in Lesotho: a citizen scientist mixed-methods study
Abstract Introduction Adolescent girls and young women in southern Africa are disproportionately affected by HIV and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) challenges. There is a need for more accessible and de-medicalized community spaces to offer HIV/SRH services for this key population. We aimed to...
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2025-07-01
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| author | Malena Chiaborelli Mamaswatsi Kopeka Pontšo Sekhesa Madeleine Sehrt Tsepang Mohloanyane Tala Ballouz Dominik Menges Jennifer A. Brown Jennifer M. Belus Felix Gerber Fabian Raeber Andréa Williams David Jackson-Perry Meri Hyöky Donaldson F. Conserve Karen Hampanda Alain Amstutz and the Hair SALON Citizen Scientist Working Group |
| author_facet | Malena Chiaborelli Mamaswatsi Kopeka Pontšo Sekhesa Madeleine Sehrt Tsepang Mohloanyane Tala Ballouz Dominik Menges Jennifer A. Brown Jennifer M. Belus Felix Gerber Fabian Raeber Andréa Williams David Jackson-Perry Meri Hyöky Donaldson F. Conserve Karen Hampanda Alain Amstutz and the Hair SALON Citizen Scientist Working Group |
| author_sort | Malena Chiaborelli |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Introduction Adolescent girls and young women in southern Africa are disproportionately affected by HIV and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) challenges. There is a need for more accessible and de-medicalized community spaces to offer HIV/SRH services for this key population. We aimed to assess the acceptability and feasibility of offering HIV/SRH services at hair salons in Lesotho. Methods We used an innovative citizen scientist mixed-methods approach, whereby hair stylists were recruited through social media, completed questionnaires, and recruited women clients aged 15–35 years as respondents. A stepwise verification process including GPS, pictures, and a local mobile payment system ensured data quality. Subsequently, we conducted individual in-depth interviews among 14 stylists and clients, following the rapid thematic analysis framework, supported by natural language processing. Clients and stylists were involved at the design, implementation, and results interpretation stage. Results We recruited 157 hair stylists (median age 29; [interquartile range 25–33]; across all ten districts of Lesotho) and 308 women clients (median age 26 [22–30]). Among stylists, 93.6% were comfortable offering oral HIV self-testing (HIVST), 92.4% pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and 91.7% post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). Among clients, 93.5%, 88.3%, and 86.4% felt comfortable receiving the above-mentioned services, respectively. Immediate demand for the three services was 30.8%, 22.1%, and 14.9%. Acceptability and demand were higher for family planning methods and menstrual health products. 90.4% of stylists thought that offering HIV/SRH services would positively impact their business. The majority of clients visit their salon once or twice a month. Salons were more accessible than the nearest health facility in terms of cost and time, but only 21.0% have an additional confidential space. Qualitative analysis confirmed high acceptability of hair salons as an accessible, less judgemental space than clinics, but raised concerns regarding confidentiality and stylists’ roles. Conclusions This study suggests that offering HIV/SRH services in hair salons in Lesotho seems to be largely acceptable and feasible with some addressable barriers, based on survey data. A pilot intervention, guided by this study’s recommendations, is warranted to translate these findings into practice. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a30bf3c0071a42eb84e1f6c26c34506d |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
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| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-a30bf3c0071a42eb84e1f6c26c34506d2025-08-20T03:04:17ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582025-07-0125111310.1186/s12889-025-23435-3Hair salons as a promising space to provide HIV and sexual and reproductive health services for young women in Lesotho: a citizen scientist mixed-methods studyMalena Chiaborelli0Mamaswatsi Kopeka1Pontšo Sekhesa2Madeleine Sehrt3Tsepang Mohloanyane4Tala Ballouz5Dominik Menges6Jennifer A. Brown7Jennifer M. Belus8Felix Gerber9Fabian Raeber10Andréa Williams11David Jackson-Perry12Meri Hyöky13Donaldson F. Conserve14Karen Hampanda15Alain Amstutz16and the Hair SALON Citizen Scientist Working GroupDivision of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Clinical Research, University Hospital Basel and University of BaselDepartment of Prevention and Community Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington UniversityThe HUBColorado School of Public Health, University of ColoradoCentral University of TechnologyEpidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, University of ZurichEpidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, University of ZurichDivision of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Clinical Research, University Hospital Basel and University of BaselDivision of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Clinical Research, University Hospital Basel and University of BaselDivision of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Clinical Research, University Hospital Basel and University of BaselDivision of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Clinical Research, University Hospital Basel and University of BaselDivision of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Clinical Research, University Hospital Basel and University of BaselInfectious Diseases Service, Lausanne University HospitalThe HUBDepartment of Prevention and Community Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington UniversityDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical CampusDivision of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Clinical Research, University Hospital Basel and University of BaselAbstract Introduction Adolescent girls and young women in southern Africa are disproportionately affected by HIV and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) challenges. There is a need for more accessible and de-medicalized community spaces to offer HIV/SRH services for this key population. We aimed to assess the acceptability and feasibility of offering HIV/SRH services at hair salons in Lesotho. Methods We used an innovative citizen scientist mixed-methods approach, whereby hair stylists were recruited through social media, completed questionnaires, and recruited women clients aged 15–35 years as respondents. A stepwise verification process including GPS, pictures, and a local mobile payment system ensured data quality. Subsequently, we conducted individual in-depth interviews among 14 stylists and clients, following the rapid thematic analysis framework, supported by natural language processing. Clients and stylists were involved at the design, implementation, and results interpretation stage. Results We recruited 157 hair stylists (median age 29; [interquartile range 25–33]; across all ten districts of Lesotho) and 308 women clients (median age 26 [22–30]). Among stylists, 93.6% were comfortable offering oral HIV self-testing (HIVST), 92.4% pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and 91.7% post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). Among clients, 93.5%, 88.3%, and 86.4% felt comfortable receiving the above-mentioned services, respectively. Immediate demand for the three services was 30.8%, 22.1%, and 14.9%. Acceptability and demand were higher for family planning methods and menstrual health products. 90.4% of stylists thought that offering HIV/SRH services would positively impact their business. The majority of clients visit their salon once or twice a month. Salons were more accessible than the nearest health facility in terms of cost and time, but only 21.0% have an additional confidential space. Qualitative analysis confirmed high acceptability of hair salons as an accessible, less judgemental space than clinics, but raised concerns regarding confidentiality and stylists’ roles. Conclusions This study suggests that offering HIV/SRH services in hair salons in Lesotho seems to be largely acceptable and feasible with some addressable barriers, based on survey data. A pilot intervention, guided by this study’s recommendations, is warranted to translate these findings into practice.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-23435-3HIVYoung womenSexual and reproductive healthHair salonCitizen scienceLesotho |
| spellingShingle | Malena Chiaborelli Mamaswatsi Kopeka Pontšo Sekhesa Madeleine Sehrt Tsepang Mohloanyane Tala Ballouz Dominik Menges Jennifer A. Brown Jennifer M. Belus Felix Gerber Fabian Raeber Andréa Williams David Jackson-Perry Meri Hyöky Donaldson F. Conserve Karen Hampanda Alain Amstutz and the Hair SALON Citizen Scientist Working Group Hair salons as a promising space to provide HIV and sexual and reproductive health services for young women in Lesotho: a citizen scientist mixed-methods study BMC Public Health HIV Young women Sexual and reproductive health Hair salon Citizen science Lesotho |
| title | Hair salons as a promising space to provide HIV and sexual and reproductive health services for young women in Lesotho: a citizen scientist mixed-methods study |
| title_full | Hair salons as a promising space to provide HIV and sexual and reproductive health services for young women in Lesotho: a citizen scientist mixed-methods study |
| title_fullStr | Hair salons as a promising space to provide HIV and sexual and reproductive health services for young women in Lesotho: a citizen scientist mixed-methods study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Hair salons as a promising space to provide HIV and sexual and reproductive health services for young women in Lesotho: a citizen scientist mixed-methods study |
| title_short | Hair salons as a promising space to provide HIV and sexual and reproductive health services for young women in Lesotho: a citizen scientist mixed-methods study |
| title_sort | hair salons as a promising space to provide hiv and sexual and reproductive health services for young women in lesotho a citizen scientist mixed methods study |
| topic | HIV Young women Sexual and reproductive health Hair salon Citizen science Lesotho |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-23435-3 |
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