Adolescents and young people experience a range of mental health challenges, which are influenced (or associated with risky behaviors) by a number of factors, including sexual and reproductive health (SRH) issues. Poor mental health is associated with negative SRH outcomes in adolescent girls and young women such as early pregnancy, and increased risk behaviours for HIV. Despite this, limited attention and investment are given to mental health of young people in general, and in developing countries/LMICs, in particular. Emerging evidence suggests that investments in mental health can have positive impacts on both the economic development of countries, and the wellbeing of young people. During adolescence especially, mental health plays a critical role in adolescents’ decision-making and risky or protective behaviours which in turn, contribute to their overall health and wellbeing outcomes in their youth throughout adulthood. There has been an increase in stress, anxiety and depression among adolescents and young people, as well as an increase in unintended pregnancies, contributing to slow declining of maternal and child morbidity and mortality rates in sub-Saharan Africa. There is a need to deepen understanding of syndemic interactions between psychosocial vulnerability, mental health, HIV infection, and poor SRH outcomes amongst adolescents and young people.
This collection hopes to collate evidence on available psychosocial and behavioural research, including interventions to improve mental, sexual and reproductive health and wellbeing of adolescents and young people .
Key subject topics will include any of the following related topics:
- Experiences of adolescents and young people in accessing mental health care
- Experiences of young people with mental health challenges in accessing SRH services
- Primary and/or secondary studies focusing on psychosocial measures to address mental and wellbeing, including SRH of young people
- Interventions addressing mental health and wellbeing, including SRH of young people
- Reviews of psychosocial determinants and consequences of risk behaviors affecting youth mental health, SRH, and general wellbeing
- Socio-cultural contexts of health and illness affecting mental health of young people
Dr. Kim Jonas holds a PhD in Public Health from Maastricht University. She is Specialist Scientist in the Health Systems Research Unit at the SAMRC, where she leads research in sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services for young people, including HIV prevention, contraceptive use, teenage pregnancy, mental health, and universal health coverage (UHC). She has over 10 years working experience and has been a PI, co-PI on several large cross-sectional household surveys and research projects. Kim Jonas | SAMRC
Dr. Zoe Duby is a Qualitative Specialist Scientist in the Health Systems Research Unit, at the South African Medical Research Council in Cape Town, and an Honorary Research Associate at the Division of Social and Behavioural Sciences in the School of Public Health and Family Medicine at the University of Cape Town. Dr Duby’s focal areas include HIV, and sexual and reproductive health more broadly, gender and sexuality diversity, health care access and health rights, with a focus on women, adolescents, and key populations.
Links to institutional pages:
https://www.samrc.ac.za/intramural-reerventisearch-units/HealthSystems-HERStory
https://www.samrc.ac.za/intramural-research-units/HealthSystems-imagine-evaluation
Disclosure Statement: Dr. Jonas and Dr. Duby have no conflicts of interest to disclose.
All manuscripts submitted to this Article Collection will undergo a full peer-review; the Guest Advisor for this collection will not be handling the manuscripts (unless they are an Editorial Board member). Please review the journal scope and author submission instructions prior to submitting a manuscript.
The deadline for submitting manuscripts is 29th March 2024.
