Giving a voice to adolescents about their sexual and reproductive health

Dr. Cari Miller’s research with young people from British Columbia to Soweto, South Africa brings the voices of adolescents into discussions regarding their sexual and reproductive health. Dr. Miller is currently partnered with Soweto’s Perinatal HIV Research Unit (PHRU), one of the largest HIV/AIDS research centres in Africa. Recently the PHRU launched the Kganya Motsha Adolescent Centre for adolescents between 14 and 19 years of age. The centre, whose name translates to “Shine Young Ones” in SeSotho, is the first of its kind in South Africa to specifically address the sexual and reproductive health of young people by providing HIV counseling and testing and a range of other health services in an adolescent-friendly and accessible way.

Dr. Miller is employing mixed and participatory methodologies to gain a better understanding of what adolescents are consenting to HIV testing in Soweto and why? This research will assist health professionals in understanding the complicated socio-structural and gendered relationships between HIV risk and being a young person situated in middle of an HIV endemic community. For Dr. Miller, working with the young people themselves is a highlight of conducting her research. “I always come back from South Africa so excited,” she says. “They are such a great age group to work with – so full of excitement and hope for the future, and curious about the conditions of young people in Canada.”

While there are some major differences between the experiences of Soweto’s youth and those in BC, Dr. Miller sees commonalities as well, particularly in her work with the Cedar Project, a local community based research initiative that addresses hepatitis C and HIV vulnerabilities among young Aboriginal people who use illicit drugs. Dr. Miller sees both projects as vital opportunities to dialogue with young people about the contentious issues of sex, drugs and the social norms and inequities that influence their behaviours. “Adolescence is an important time to be having these conversations,” she notes. “It’s when we initiate behaviours and establish life-long patterns of action.”

To learn more about Dr. Cari Miller and other FHS faculty members making a difference in their field, please visit http://www.fhs.sfu.ca/People-in-FHS/faculty-members.

For more information on the Cedar Project please visit http://www.cedarproject.ca/

For more information about the Perinatal HIV Research Unit please visit http://www.phru.co.za/