South Africa launched a mass COVID-19 vaccination campaign in May 2021, targeting 40 million adults. Understanding predictors of COVID-19 vaccine intentions was required to achieve this goal. We conducted a population-based survey in June–July 2021 using the WHO Behavioral and Social Drivers (BeSD) of COVID-19 Vaccination tool to determine predictors of vaccine hesitancy, defined as intention to refuse or uncertainty whether to accept COVID-19 vaccination. There were 1193 participants, mean age 39 (standard deviation 15) years, and 53% women, of whom 58% trusted information provided by healthcare workers and 32% were vaccine hesitant. Independent predictors of vaccine hesitancy included concerns about side effects (odds ratio (OR) 11.41; 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.5–50.80), lack of access to the online vaccine registration platform (OR 4.75; CI 2.15–10.37), distrust of government (OR 3.0; CI 1.33–6.77), belief in conspiracy theories (OR 3.01; CI 1.32–6.77), having no monthly income (OR 1.84; CI 1.12–3.07), and depending on someone else to make vaccination decision (OR 2.47; CI 1.06–5.77). We identified modifiable predictors of vaccine hesitancy at the start of South Africa’s COVID-19 vaccination rollout. These factors should be addressed by different stakeholders involved in the national immunization program through tailored communication and other effective strategies that increase vaccine literacy, reach low-income households, and engender confidence in government.

Adolescents continue to face challenges to their sexual and reproductive health (SRH) both locally and internationally. Digital technologies such as the Internet, text messaging, and social media are often viewed as valuable tools for disseminating information on SRH. Mobile health, also known as mHealth, is a medical and public health practise that uses these digital technologies to communicate information. The literature has revealed that mHealth interventions have a positive outcome in delivering SRH information to adolescents. This review aimed to synthesise empirical studies that evaluate mHealth interventions and assess the extent to which these mHealth interventions promote sexual and reproductive health outcomes among young people. This scoping review reviewed the literature across four databases, including EBSCOhost, Scopus, Proquest, and Cochrane, and included 12 articles. The findings have shown that mHealth interventions are effective in enhancing sexual and reproductive health (SRH) knowledge and attitudes among young people in both low-middle and high-income countries. However, comprehensive longitudinal studies are necessary to measure the sustainability and long-term influence of mHealth interventions on behaviour. It is recommended that with artificial intelligence (AI) improvements, there is a possible path to bolstering mHealth interventions.

Background and study aim: Adolescent substance abuse significantly impacts on the lives of mothers. This paper explores the coping responses of mothers whose adolescents have been admitted to treatment for substance abuse. Design and method: A multiple case study design was adopted and the data were collected through one-on-one interviews facilitated by the Lifegrid. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to interrogate the data. Results: Coping emerged as a complex construct in our analysis. The mothers’ used problem-focused and emotion-focused coping in different combinations of withdrawing, tolerating and engaged coping responses. The mothers’ coping responses were also influenced by individual and relational factors like subjective distress and the mother–adolescent relationship. Conclusions: We argue that research and practice initiatives should consider using a multidimensional perspective of parental coping that recognises the heterogeneity of mothers’ coping responses. Impact statement: The current paper offers new insights into the complexities of mothers’ coping responses to adolescent substance abuse.

National policy documents are important platforms for the prioritisation of social issues which is likely to spur research into the development of evidence-based practice guidelines that are effective and cost-efficient. In relation to the impact of substance abuse on the family, carefully designed policies that magnify support for the family can help lessen the burden of substance abuse on families. Using the Family Impact Lens (FIL) framework, this paper explored how family issues in relation to substance abuse are addressed within three South African policy and strategic documents: the Prevention of and Treatment for Substance Abuse (PTSA) Act (2008), the National drug master plan (NDMP; 2013–2017) and the White paper on families in South Africa (2012). In keeping with the framework of the FIL, we evaluated whether the policies (1) mention the effects of substance abuse on the family, (2) recognise the importance of the family in the relative’s rehabilitation and (3) address the needs of family members by providing policy directives to support families who are affected by substance abuse (affected family members (AFMs)). Although all three policies recognise that families are negatively impacted by a relative’s substance abuse, the policies are overly focussed on individual approaches to deal with substance abuse and fail to adequately address the support needs of AFMs. Research on the support needs of AFMs is warranted in addition to the evaluation or development of evidence-based strategies to support AFMs. Further implications and recommendations for policy-makers, researchers and practitioners are provided in the paper.

Researchers exploring sensitive topics need to identify appropriate methodologies to encourage open expression. We used poetic inquiry to explore the lived realities of transwomen in Namibia, a socially marginalised group globally. We conducted two focus group discussions with 15 transwomen and developed found poems. The poems captured issues of identity and belonging and illustrated the transwomen’s journeys of self-acceptance, experiences of violence, rejection, agency and relationships. In order to enhance participant voice and enrich the poems, they were shared with some transwomen in a feedback and reflection session. This article unpacks this collaborative poetics approach. We share selected poems, explore their impact on participants, and discuss how this engagement with the poetry allowed for deeper discussion of participants’ experiences. The collaboration around the poems allowed researchers and participants to find new ways to explore and address issues of discrimination and marginalization, and to actively engage larger and more diverse audiences.