RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 A Participatory Comic Book Workshop to Improve Youth-Friendly Post-Rape Care in a Humanitarian Context in Uganda: A Case Study
JF Global Health: Science and Practice
JO GLOB HEALTH SCI PRACT
FD Johns Hopkins University- Global Health. Bloomberg School of Public Health, Center for Communication Programs
SP e2200088
DO 10.9745/GHSP-D-22-00088
VO 11
IS 3
A1 Logie, Carmen H.
A1 Okumu, Moses
A1 Loutet, Miranda
A1 Berry, Isha
A1 McAlpine, Alyssa
A1 Lukone, Simon Odong
A1 Kisubi, Nelson
A1 Mwima, Simon
A1 Kyambadde, Peter
YR 2023
UL http://www.ghspjournal.org/content/11/3/e2200088.abstract
AB Key FindingsYouth-friendly post-rape care services can increase engagement in health services among sexual violence survivors, yet there are knowledge gaps in effective training approaches in humanitarian contexts.Graphic medicine approaches, such as comic books, offer a medium for training health care providers to improve clinical care practices but are understudied in relation to post-rape care services in humanitarian contexts.Health care providers engaged in a participatory comic post-rape care intervention in a humanitarian context in Uganda reported that this approach facilitated the provision of youth-friendly health services and identified areas for future training and program development.Key ImplicationsQualitative data collection can help generate insights from multiple stakeholders on graphic medicine tools and inform the development and evaluation of youth-centered post-rape care training, particularly in humanitarian contexts.Innovative and low-cost methods for training, such as participatory comic books, can meaningfully engage health care providers in addressing the post-rape care needs among refugee youth in humanitarian contexts.Background:Graphic medicine formats, such as comic books in which health information is presented alongside images, may be a useful learning tool to improve post-rape care and youth-friendly service provision among health care providers in humanitarian contexts. We describe the development and pilot-testing of a workshop using a comic book to improve youth-friendly post-rape care with providers in Bidi Bidi refugee settlement, Uganda.Program Development and Piloting:We conducted 6 focus groups with refugee young men (n=3) and women (n=3) aged 16–24 years and 28 in-depth individual interviews (refugee youth: n=12; health care providers: n=8; elders: n=8). Findings informed the development of a workshop that included a participatory comic book on sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and youth, SGBV stigma, youth-friendly health care, and post-exposure prophylaxis. Comic book illustrations specifically addressed health care confidentiality and examples of being a supportive health care provider. Then, we conducted a 1-day workshop with health care providers (n=20) that included structured activities addressing SGBV impacts and related stigma and included comic book discussions. Open-ended survey data were collected 8 weeks after the workshop to explore health care providers’ experiences with the workshop, perceived impact of the intervention on their work, and support required to implement youth-friendly services for SGBV survivors. Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic approaches. Open-ended response data indicated that: comic book methods were informative and interactive; health care providers felt more empowered to offer youth-friendly services and spaces; and health care providers want additional SGBV training and institutional support for youth-friendly spaces and community engagement.Implications:A comic book intervention has the potential to meaningfully engage health care providers in humanitarian contexts to provide youth-friendly health care, acquire skills for engaging in SGBV prevention, create youth-friendly clinic spaces, and identify health care and community SGBV prevention needs.