Browsing by Author "Mavondo, G.A."

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    Accessibility to and utilization of maternal, neonatal and child health (MNCH) services by rural women: A case study of health centres in Mutare district based on the 3 delays model
    (Academic Journals, 2022) Ndhlovu-Ncube, N.P.; Mavondo, G.A.; Moyo, O.; Chikuse F. F.; Ndhlovu, T.C.; Mavondo, J.; Mkhwanazi, B. N.; Musarurwa, C.; Chaibva, C.N.
    High maternal, neonatal and child mortality rate constituting about 70% of the population in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwean rural women have faced challenges in accessing and utilizing Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health (MNCH) services. Rural areas in Zimbabwe have had high prevalence of home deliveries and pregnancy related complications associated with lack of access to and utilization of MNCH services, resulting in high maternal, stillbirths, new-born, neonatal and infant mortality rates. Access to and utilisation of MNCH services and facilities by rural based pregnant women has been limited by several issues that have been explored and assessed in the Primary Health Care clinics. However, the 3 delays (seek, access and receive health service) effects on the factors affecting health care and outcomes remain largely unclear in rural settings. Qualitative and quantitative methods research was conducted in Mutare district, Manicaland Province, Zimbabwe. Data collection tools including interviews questionnaires and focus group discussion guides were used to show how the three delays affected health service access in the district. GraphPad InStat Software and Statistical Package for Social Science were used for data analysis. Religious and cultural beliefs contributed to patient delays in seeking healthcare. With long distances and lack of transport attributed to Delays 1 and 2 with, drug unavailability, up-to date equipment and delay causing Delay 3. The patient, the provider and health systems were critical in accessibility, utilization and linkages of MNCH with other health services being crucial for achieving 4th and 5th Millennium Development Goals the targets.
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    Community Perceptions on the Services Offered to Gender-Based Violence Survivors in Safe Shelter of Buhera District, Zimbabwe
    (2020) Maripfonde, T.L.; Mavondo, G.A.; Chamisa, J.A.
    Introduction: Gender Based Violence (GBV) has become a topical issue in the development field being a reality in life which is happening in all societies regardless of race, class, culture and income status. Safe shelters are set up as free services given to desperate GBV survivors and their use need to be explored from the stand point of beneficiaries.Methods: A qualitative research design was adopted using semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions (FDGs) and carried out on Gender Forum Members, GBV survivors, GBV key informants and stakeholders on their perceptions on the protective measures associated with GBV victims safe shelters. A total of 42 participants were recruited. Fourteen females and twelve males were involved FDGs (n = 26), six females GBV (n = 6) survivors and ten Gender Forum Members (n = 10) participated in in depth interviews. Results: All participants were willing to give their perceptions on the subject under study. Perceptions were that women in GBV were empowered at the safe shelters where protection, counselling and sociopsychological support was given. Women were reintegrated with their families when ready to do so. Stakeholders were appreciative of the services offered to those who fell victim to GBV as shown by FDGs, in-depth interviews and document reviews. This acceptability was taken despite cultural and religious factors that are still hindering the uptake of safe shelter services being rendered. Conclusion: It is prudent that an integrated and holistic approach is taken to issues of GBV is key to the management of survivors of GBV. The shelters provided much needed respite from GBV. The church, traditional structures, Gender Forum membership and the Ministry of Women Affairs Gender and Community Development (MWAGCD) should collaborate. A dedicated transport mechanism in responding to cases of GBV is needed. However, the use of the safe shelters seems not to be able to carter for male adult GBV victims
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    HIV knowledge, risky behaviours and public health care services attendance among adolescents from the Grassroot soccer Zimbabwe programme
    (2020) Mzingwane, M.L.; Mavondo, G.A.; Mantula, F.; Mapfumo, C.; Gwatiringa, C.; Moyo, B.; Dube, P.; Chaibva, C.N.
    Background: Interventions aimed at improving accessing of health care services, including HIV testing, remain a priority in global HIV eradication efforts. Grassroot Soccer Zimbabwe (GRSZ) is an adolescent health organisation that uses the popularity of soccer to promote healthy behaviours. We assessed HIV knowledge levels, riskybehaviours and attitudes in school going adolescents and young adults who attended GRSZ programmes and determined if HIV knowledge levels were associated with increased levels of accessing of health care services by youths. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study carried out on 450 participants aged 13–30 years who attended at least one of the three programmes offered by GRSZ. Self-administered and self-reporting questionnaires were used to collect information on participants’ demographics, knowledge on HIV and reproductive health, sources of information, access to HIV and reproductive health services and attitudes and risky behaviours. Results: A total of 392 (87.1%) responses were received. High HIV and reproductive health knowledge levels were recorded (77.7%) on our scale with females recording higher levels (81.1%) than males (71.1%). The majority of participants (72%) indicated willingness to abstain from risky behaviours such as use of drugs and attending youth sex parties. However about 33.3% of the participants who had sexual intercourse reported having condomless sex. There was marginal association between high HIV and reproductive health knowledge levels and accessing health care services in the past 24 months (p = 0.045). Conclusions: HIV and reproductive health knowledge levels were relatively high among adolescents and were associated with accessing health care services in the past 24 months. There however are some gaps associated with engaging in risky sexual behaviours such as condomless sex which could be addressed by using these findings to assist organizations working with adolescents, educators and policy makers in developing programmes that address adolescent sexual behaviours.
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    Secondary School Teachers, Their Views and Roles in Grassroots Soccer as an Intervention Anti-HIV/AIDS Propagation Tool
    (2020) Mavondo, G.A.; Mzingwnane, M.L.; Chaibva, C.N.; Gwatiringa, C.; Mapfumo, C.; Mantula, F.
    The GRSZ projects were aimed at bridging the gap between adolescents’ unwanted social behaviours and societal norms and values fashioned by the breakdown of family and society cultural practices, as a measure to militate against the spread of HIV/AIDS amongst adolescents, adolescent unwanted pregnancy and gender-based violence using soccer as a medium of learning. The program deliberately circumvented involvement of Secondary School Teacher during planning and implementation hoping to have a clean intervention strategy without the encumbrances and confounders possibly introduced by the societal authority figure. However, a for continuity and adaptation of the program into the school curriculum as a behaviour change catalyst, the Secondary School Teacher is pivotal. The evaluation sought to delineate the views and roles of this cadre as determinants and guidelines towards the successful translating of GRSZ experimental work into the real-life school environment. Methods: In-depth interviews were conducted by trained and qualified interviewers who formed the team of evaluators at various selected school during the teacher’s working hours. A pre-prepared interview guide constructed and reviewed by the panel of evaluators as well as the Medical Research Council of Zimbabwe was used to conduct the guided interview. The researchers brought the interview guides to selected schools where appointments had been made prior by the Key Researcher. The interviews were held on the same day other surveys at the school. A total of 11 (five females and six males) Secondary Schools Teachers with more had in-depth interviews carried out after which saturation was reached. Results: The majority of adolescents (62.2%) reported the teacher as their source of information on HIV and reproductive health and the mother followed a close second at 57.7% reflecting possibly contact hours as the factor. Teachers corroborated this information showing high eagerness to be involved in the GRSZ at the earliest given opportunity. Both males and females did agree that they were the closest role models and gave varied reasons as to why their influences were not adequate in shaping the life skills of adolescents under their watch. It was clear that teacher embraced and endorsed the GRSZ program expansion and their involvement in future cohorts. Conclusion and Recommendations: Teachers had high anticipation of involvement and showed dismay at not having been involved in the initial phases of the program where their contributions were most likely to have had a high impact through their possible engagement with the community to cement the gains of the program. They recommended that lifelong learning on HIV/AIDS prevention, unwanted pregnancies and gender-based violence need to be incorporated into all areas of learning at school and beyond. Expanding the program to other schools in Zimbabwe beyond Bulawayo was seen as an overdue process.