Browsing by Author "Githaiga, Jennifer"

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    An exploration of parents' and guardians' perspectives on facilitators and barriers to menstrual cup usage amongst adolescent girls in De Doorns, Cape Winelands
    (2024) Ruya, Natasha; Githaiga, Jennifer; Perera, Shehani
    Adolescent girls in low-income communities in South Africa often cannot afford to buy disposable sanitary pads. Though menstrual cups are considered relatively cost-effective, uptake in South Africa remains low. This qualitative study investigated parents' and guardians' perspectives on factors that enable or hinder menstrual cup use among adolescent girls. Two focus group discussions and 10 individual interviews were conducted with study participants in De Doorns, a farming community in Cape Winelands. Data were uploaded onto NVivo 14 and analysed thematically. The study findings indicate that parents and guardians viewed menstrual cups as a viable option for upholding adolescent girls' dignity and alleviating the financial burden of purchasing menstrual products. This emerged as a supportive factor for adolescent girls' adoption. Further, parents and guardians believed that adolescent girls are a diverse group with varying needs, emphasising the importance of promoting their autonomy in choosing menstrual products. However, they encountered various challenges in adapting to menstrual cups, which left them feeling ill equipped to provide support to their adolescent girls. Concerns related to menstrual cup sizing and fears about potential impacts on virginity were common issues that contributed to their hesitation in endorsing usage among adolescent girls. To facilitate adoption, manufacturers of menstrual cups and community organisations involved in supporting the use of the same should consider parents' and guardians' perspectives, bearing in mind their pivotal roles as caregivers of adolescent girls. Further, there is a need for further knowledge dissemination to increase community buy-in.
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    Open Access
    Identifying barriers to accessing healthcare for chronic wounds in the Khayelitsha sub-district: a mixed methods study
    (2025) Stofberg, Anronel; Githaiga, Jennifer; Chu, Kathryn
    Background: Chronic wounds impose a significant burden on health systems, as delayed access to care contributes to poorer clinical outcomes and increased healthcare costs. These delays are particularly pronounced within resource-constrained systems such as the South African public healthcare system. Identifying barriers to accessing care can contribute to developing interventions to optimise pathways to chronic wound care. Aim: To map existing services, resources, and referral pathways for chronic wounds at each level of care and identify barriers to accessing care in the Khayelitsha health district. Methods: A mixed methods study was conducted in the Khayelitsha health district between November 2020 and May 2021. Quantitative data was obtained through surveys in all 12 healthcare facilities offering chronic wound care across three levels of care. Qualitative data was gathered through semi-structured individual interviews with 10 chronic wound care providers and 10 patients. The Four Delays framework (seeking, reaching, receiving, and remaining in care) was utilised to identify and map barriers to accessing care. Results: Nine overlapping barriers were identified, each contributing to multiple delays across all three levels of care. Seeking care was delayed by personal beliefs and the fear of amputation. Reaching care was delayed by transportation costs and safety concerns. Receiving care was delayed by chronic wound care provider and stock shortages, together with the non-utilisation of treatment and referral protocols. Remaining in care was delayed by deficient health information and lengthy waiting times at healthcare facilities. Conclusion: This study underscores the complexity of pathways to chronic wound care and emphasises the need for a holistic approach to improve access. Key recommendations include: (1) community health education campaigns, (2) subsidies for transportation to healthcare facilities, (3) increasing the nursing workforce, and (4) ensuring adherence to treatment and referral protocols.