Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37789339›Full record

ArticleBMC health services research2023

"We must help them despite who they are…": healthcare providers' attitudes and perspectives on care for young gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men in Nairobi, Kenya.

Samuel Waweru Mwaniki, Peter Mwenda Kaberia, Peter Mwangi Mugo, Thesla Palanee-Phillips

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC health services research, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
3.3field-weighted citation impact, top 8% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 10 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. We are treated differently: Experiences of men who have sex with men in South African clinics.South African family practice : official journal of the South African Academy of Family Practice/Primary Care · 2025
    Article
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 3 institutions in 3 countries.

Samuel Waweru MwanikiSchool of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. smwaniki@cartafrica.org.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8682-311X
Peter Mwenda KaberiaDepartment of Mathematics, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya.
Peter Mwangi MugoKenya Medical Research Institute - Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Nairobi, Kenya.
Thesla Palanee-PhillipsWits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
University of Nairobi · KEKenya Medical Research Institute · KEUniversity of the Witwatersrand · ZA

Funding

Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa (CARTA) Multi-funded
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCompared to young heterosexual men, young gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (YMSM) face a disproportionate burden of sexual health conditions. This disparity is occasioned by factors such as criminalization and stigmatization of same-sex practices, YMSM's limited access to non-judgmental and non-discriminatory health services, and challenges associated with healthcare delivery. We explored the attitudes and perspectives of tertiary academic institution-based healthcare providers (HCPs) toward provision of services to YMSM in Nairobi, Kenya.

methodsIn September 2021, six in-person focus group discussions (FGDs) were held with 36 HCPs drawn from six public tertiary academic institutions within the Nairobi metropolis. HCPs were drawn from six cadres: front office staff, nurses, clinicians, counsellors, laboratory technologists, and pharmaceutical technologists. Discussions were conducted in English, transcribed verbatim and analyzed thematically using NVivo version 12.

resultsAnalysis showed that despite expressing disapproval of same-sex practices, HCPs recognized their professional duty to provide care to YMSM, voiced challenges they experienced when providing care to YMSM, and suggested possible strategies for improving care for YMSM. Disapproval of same-sex practices mainly stemmed from HCPs' personal values, societal norms and religious beliefs, though some HCPs identified religious principles such as the golden rule of "treating others as one would want to be treated" as motivation to providing care to YMSM. HCPs did not perceive criminalization of same-sex practices as a barrier to providing care to YMSM. Healthcare delivery challenges included inadequate knowledge and skills, a desire to "convert" YMSM's perceived deviant homosexual to the normative heterosexual orientation, secondary stigma from other HCPs, and healthcare settings that did not support YMSM to disclose same-sex practices. Suggestions for improving care comprised sensitization and training of HCPs, encouraging more HCP-YMSM interaction, providing YMSM-friendly and inclusive services, and advocacy for YMSM services.

conclusionThere is need for interventions to improve HCPs' knowledge of YMSM's health needs, build skills to respond to these needs, and foster affirming attitudes toward same-sex practices. By so doing, YMSM can hopefully be able to access services that meet their needs, and are non-discriminatory, non-stigmatizing and non-judgmental.

Indexed as

HIV InfectionsSexual and Gender MinoritiesHealth PersonnelHomosexuality, MaleHumansKenyaMaleChallengesHealthcare workersKey populationsOpportunitiesSensitizationTrainingYoung men who have sex with men (YMSM)

Identifiers

PMID37789339
PMCPMC10546658
OpenAlexW4387310101

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.