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Reducing Hiv Risk Among Young Women And Their Partners: Highlights From The Dreams Implementation Science Research Portfolio, Population Council
Reducing Hiv Risk Among Young Women And Their Partners: Highlights From The Dreams Implementation Science Research Portfolio, Population Council
HIV and AIDS
The Population Council, with funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the U.S. Agency for International Development through Project SOAR, led a set of implementation science studies to capture multiple perspectives that reflect the innovative aspects of DREAMS. These mixed-method studies conducted across seven countries (Eswatini, Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia) provide critical evidence that fill knowledge gaps on how to reduce HIV risk among AGYW and their male partners. This brief presents key findings grouped around four areas of inquiry: 1) HIV vulnerability and risk; 2) social drivers of HIV risk; 3) effects of …
Evidence Around Engaging Men In Hiv Prevention And Treatment, Julie Pulerwitz, Ann Gottert, Jerry Okal, Sanyukta Mathur
Evidence Around Engaging Men In Hiv Prevention And Treatment, Julie Pulerwitz, Ann Gottert, Jerry Okal, Sanyukta Mathur
HIV and AIDS
No abstract provided.
Evidence To Support Hiv Prevention For Adolescent Girls And Young Women (Agyw) And Their Male Partners: Results From Malawi Dreams Studies With Agyw, Male Partners Of Agyw, Men Living With Hiv, And Program Implementing Partners, Nanlesta Pilgrim, Victor Mwapasa, Effie Chipeta, Wanangwa Chimwaza, Nrupa Jani, Tracy Mcclair, Lyson Tenthani, Sanyukta Mathur
Evidence To Support Hiv Prevention For Adolescent Girls And Young Women (Agyw) And Their Male Partners: Results From Malawi Dreams Studies With Agyw, Male Partners Of Agyw, Men Living With Hiv, And Program Implementing Partners, Nanlesta Pilgrim, Victor Mwapasa, Effie Chipeta, Wanangwa Chimwaza, Nrupa Jani, Tracy Mcclair, Lyson Tenthani, Sanyukta Mathur
HIV and AIDS
Project SOAR, led by the Population Council, in partnership with the Center of Reproductive Health at the University of Malawi College of Medicine, conducted a research portfolio to generate evidence to reduce HIV risk among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) and their male partners. The objectives of this implementation research were to generate evidence for describing HIV-related risk factors among AGYW; assess the extent to which the overall DREAMS project contributed toward the goal of reducing HIV risk among AGYW; and understand the characteristics of male partners and how to link them to HIV services, as well as retain …
Strengthening Capacity For Assessment Of Hiv-Related Data Needs Among Key Populations To Inform Evidence-Based Responses, Amrita Rao, Nikita Viswasam, Stefan Baral
Strengthening Capacity For Assessment Of Hiv-Related Data Needs Among Key Populations To Inform Evidence-Based Responses, Amrita Rao, Nikita Viswasam, Stefan Baral
HIV and AIDS
Defining the HIV prevention and treatment needs of key populations who have disproportionate HIV acquisition and transmission risks has been particularly difficult in the context of generalized HIV epidemics where less attention has historically been placed on the HIV prevention and treatment needs of these groups. There is a gap in our understanding of the specific needs of—and ultimately the investment case for the added value of supporting—disproportionately burdened key populations in these settings. In response to this gap, Johns Hopkins University under the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Project SOAR implemented a project in partnership with collaborators, …
Implementing And Scaling-Up Stepping Stones In Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa: Lessons From Working In Informal Settlements, Cecilia Milford, M. Mtshali, Mags Beksinska, Julie Pulerwitz
Implementing And Scaling-Up Stepping Stones In Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa: Lessons From Working In Informal Settlements, Cecilia Milford, M. Mtshali, Mags Beksinska, Julie Pulerwitz
HIV and AIDS
KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), a major epicenter of the South African HIV epidemic, has large informal settlements where thousands of people live. The settlements are often underserved by municipal services and lack accessible health care. Given high rates of HIV, there is a critical need to assess the successes and challenges of implementing HIV prevention and treatment in this context. Stepping Stones is a widely used life-skills training intervention focused on curbing gender-based violence and reducing HIV risk. The program addresses issues such as communication about HIV, relationship skills, and assertiveness. The manual-based curriculum encourages participants to engage in critical reflection through …
Strengthening Capacity To Prevent Hiv Among Adolescent Girls And Young Women: Supporting Dreams Programming, Project Soar
Strengthening Capacity To Prevent Hiv Among Adolescent Girls And Young Women: Supporting Dreams Programming, Project Soar
HIV and AIDS
The Population Council, with funding from Girl Effect, worked in seven Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored, and Safe (DREAMS) Partnership countries to strengthen the capacity of implementing partners to develop new approaches to reach AGYWs at highest risk of HIV infection, link them with essential resources, and empower them with social and protective assets for a safe and healthy entry into adulthood. This technical assistance was informed by the Population Council’s decades of research and experience determining “what works”—and what doesn’t work—in girl-centered programming. Through Project SOAR, the Population Council provided technical assistance to implementing partners in five additional countries …
Women And Hiv: Understanding And Addressing Stigma—Evidence From The Population Council, Population Council
Women And Hiv: Understanding And Addressing Stigma—Evidence From The Population Council, Population Council
HIV and AIDS
Over the last 20 years, the Population Council has carried out extensive work examining the intersection of stigma and gender and its impact on HIV-related outcomes. This brief summarizes key Population Council findings from a range of studies which elucidate the experiences of stigma among women and highlights avenues for addressing stigma to mitigate women’s risk and burden of HIV.
Engaging Male Partners Of Adolescent Girls And Young Women In Hiv Services In Malawi: Findings From Dreams Implementation Science Research, Project Soar
HIV and AIDS
Important contributors to adolescent girls' and young women's (AGYWs') vulnerability to HIV are the power differentials in their sexual relationships with male partners. Therefore, engaging male partners of AGYWs is important in reducing HIV incidence among these women. Project SOAR, in collaboration with the Center of Reproductive Health at the University of Malawi College of Medicine, conducted qualitative research in the districts of Zomba and Machinga in Malawi to: 1) identify and locate the types of men who have sexual relationships with AGYW; 2) understand the challenges to and facilitators of accessing HIV services among AGYWs’ male partners; and 3) …
Male Partners Of Adolescent Girls And Young Women: Relationship Characteristics And Hiv Risk—Findings From Dreams Implementation Science Research, Population Council
Male Partners Of Adolescent Girls And Young Women: Relationship Characteristics And Hiv Risk—Findings From Dreams Implementation Science Research, Population Council
HIV and AIDS
Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in South Africa, as in many countries, are particularly vulnerable to HIV for a variety of reasons, including economic disadvantage and unequal power dynamics in sexual relationships with their male partners—many of whom are older and engage in high-risk behaviors. In an effort to learn more about men’s relationships with AGYW and how HIV services can better engage them, the Population Council is conducting implementation science research in KwaZulu-Natal Province. This brief reports findings from a 2017 baseline survey with nearly 1,000 men. An endline survey is planned for mid-late 2018, and will focus …
What Do We Know About The Hiv Risk Characteristics Of Adolescent Girls And Young Women In Kenya? Findings From Dreams Implementation Science Research, Population Council
What Do We Know About The Hiv Risk Characteristics Of Adolescent Girls And Young Women In Kenya? Findings From Dreams Implementation Science Research, Population Council
HIV and AIDS
The Population Council is conducting implementation science research in Kenya to build needed evidence to inform community-based, girl-centered interventions. DREAMS programs in Kenya are implementing a core package of interventions in the highest HIV-burden areas to address HIV risk among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW)—a population in which AIDS is the leading cause of death in the region. This brief summarizes key findings from a survey of 1,778 AGYW, more than half of whom are enrolled in DREAMS programming.
Characterizing The Unmet Hiv Prevention Needs And Hiv Risk Vulnerabilities Of Adolescent Girls And Young Women In Ethiopia, Project Soar
Characterizing The Unmet Hiv Prevention Needs And Hiv Risk Vulnerabilities Of Adolescent Girls And Young Women In Ethiopia, Project Soar
HIV and AIDS
Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in Ethiopia, as well as across Eastern and Southern Africa, experience a disproportionate level of new HIV infections. AGYW who are out of school face a particular set of vulnerabilities, especially those living away from parents. Unfortunately, data characterizing unmet HIV prevention needs and risk vulnerabilities among AGYW, especially out-of-school AGYW, are lacking given the challenges in reaching and studying this population. To address this gap, Project SOAR is conducting an integrated HIV biobehavioral survey focused on out-of-school AGYW in three high HIV prevalence settings of Ethiopia. Study findings will inform HIV prevention and …
Strengthening Capacity To Prevent Hiv Among Adolescent Girls And Young Women: Supporting Dreams-Like Programming, Project Soar
Strengthening Capacity To Prevent Hiv Among Adolescent Girls And Young Women: Supporting Dreams-Like Programming, Project Soar
HIV and AIDS
Many adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) lack opportunities and access to resources, and experience the harms of discriminatory gender norms. Despite decades of investment in HIV prevention, many AGYW remain invisible, underserved, and at disproportionate risk of HIV infection. The DREAMS (Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored, and Safe) Partnership aims to significantly reduce HIV infections among AGYWs. DREAMS originally launched in 2014 focusing on 10 high-burden countries in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2017, five additional countries known as DREAMS-Like countries—Botswana, Cote d’Ivoire, Haiti, Namibia, and Rwanda—received support for DREAMS activities. This brief describes the technical assistance Project SOAR is providing …
What Do We Know About The Hiv Risk Characteristics Of Adolescent Girls And Young Women In Zambia? Findings From Dreams Implementation Science Research, Population Council
What Do We Know About The Hiv Risk Characteristics Of Adolescent Girls And Young Women In Zambia? Findings From Dreams Implementation Science Research, Population Council
HIV and AIDS
The Population Council is conducting implementation science research in Zambia and other countries across sub-Saharan Africa to build needed evidence to inform community-based, girl-centered HIV-prevention programming. Critical to this process is understanding adolescent girls’ and young women’s (AGYWs’) knowledge, attitudes, sexual behaviors, and characteristics of their sexual partnerships that may put them at risk of HIV acquisition. This results brief summarizes key findings from a cross-sectional survey of 1,915 AGYW, half of whom were 15–19 years old and the other half 20–24 years old, residing in urban districts of Lusaka and Ndola. The findings in this brief were shared at …
Evaluation Of The Pepfar/Usaid Asibonisane Community Responses Program In Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa, Project Soar
Evaluation Of The Pepfar/Usaid Asibonisane Community Responses Program In Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa, Project Soar
HIV and AIDS
Few programs intended to improve HIV outcomes or modulate gender norms have been rigorously evaluated in South Africa’s informal settlements where nearly 400,000 people live in KwaZulu Natal province alone. There is limited evidence on how to implement large-scale HIV-prevention programming in these contexts. Project SOAR and partners are addressing these knowledge gaps by conducting an evaluation of the PEPFAR/USAID-funded Asibonisane Community Responses Program in South Africa. Specifically, the study will assess the effectiveness of this community-based HIV-prevention program in informal settlements throughout KwaZulu-Natal—one of four provinces where the program is being carried out. This study aims to influence the …
Men's Perceptions Of Prep Use By Their Adolescent And Young Adult Female Partners In Tanzania In Tanzania: Findings From Implementation Science Research, Population Council
Men's Perceptions Of Prep Use By Their Adolescent And Young Adult Female Partners In Tanzania In Tanzania: Findings From Implementation Science Research, Population Council
HIV and AIDS
Prevailing gender norms about sexuality and relationship power dynamics have been shown to affect how women make decisions about the use of sexual and reproductive health products, including microbicides, condoms, and other contraceptives. It is therefore important to understand male partners’ views of oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to inform how to effectively introduce PrEP among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in Tanzania to ensure they use it correctly and consistently. The Population Council, in collaboration with the National AIDS Control Programme and CSK Research Solutions Ltd., conducted implementation science research in Tanzania to identify key considerations for introducing PrEP …
Considerations For Prep Introduction To Adolescent Girls And Young Women: Implementation Science Research In Tanzania, Population Council
Considerations For Prep Introduction To Adolescent Girls And Young Women: Implementation Science Research In Tanzania, Population Council
HIV and AIDS
In collaboration with the National AIDS Control Programme and CSK Research Solutions Ltd., a Tanzania-based research organization, the Population Council is conducting implementation science research in Tanzania to build needed evidence to inform decisionmaking around the introduction of oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to adolescent girls and young women (AGYW), ages 15–24. This research will actively engage key stakeholders throughout the study, including gaining their insights on key study questions, interpreting the findings, crafting initial programming recommendations based on findings, and supporting their adoption in Tanzania and beyond. Findings from this study and other observational studies and demonstration trials in progress …
Effect Of A Family-Centered Model Of Hiv Care On Viral Suppression And Care Retention Among Hiv-Positive Children In Swaziland, Project Soar
Effect Of A Family-Centered Model Of Hiv Care On Viral Suppression And Care Retention Among Hiv-Positive Children In Swaziland, Project Soar
HIV and AIDS
The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF) has been supporting the Kingdom of Swaziland since 2003 to prevent mother-to-child transmission and to provide care and treatment services to HIV-positive children and adults. Project SOAR and the Swaziland Ministry of Health are leveraging EGPAF’s establishment of a family-centered care service delivery program (FAM-CARE) and a national rollout of viral load monitoring to assess their implementation and effect on viral suppression and retention in care among children living with HIV. This implementation science study is important because it will provide critical data to national and global policymakers about the model’s feasibility, acceptability, …
Effective Engagement Of Male Partners Of Adolescent Girls And Young Women In Hiv Services: Implementation Science Research In Swaziland, Population Council
Effective Engagement Of Male Partners Of Adolescent Girls And Young Women In Hiv Services: Implementation Science Research In Swaziland, Population Council
HIV and AIDS
The Population Council is conducting implementation research in Swaziland, in collaboration with local partner organizations, to learn more about men’s relationships with adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) and how HIV services can better engage them—two neglected areas of research. Similar studies are being conducted in South Africa, Uganda, and Malawi. Learnings from these studies will be valuable for informing ongoing programming in Swaziland and the region, as well as HIV prevention, care, and treatment efforts for AGYW and their male partners globally, particularly in this era of test and start.
Introducing Oral Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis To Adolescent Girls And Young Women In Tanzania: Overview Of Findings From Implementation Science Research, Population Council
Introducing Oral Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis To Adolescent Girls And Young Women In Tanzania: Overview Of Findings From Implementation Science Research, Population Council
HIV and AIDS
The Population Council in collaboration with Tanzania’s National AIDS Control Program and CSK Research Solutions Limited conducted implementation science research in one urban district and one rural district in the country, to provide needed evidence for informing decisionmaking on whether and how to introduce oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in Tanzania. The aims of the research were to: assess the acceptability of PrEP among AGYW, their male partners, their parents/guardians, healthcare providers, and policymakers; determine the feasibility of and opportunities for providing PrEP to AGYW; and identify key facilitators and barriers to PrEP introduction …
Effective Engagement Of Male Partners Of Adolescent Girls And Young Women In South Africa, Population Council
Effective Engagement Of Male Partners Of Adolescent Girls And Young Women In South Africa, Population Council
HIV and AIDS
The Population Council is conducting implementation research in South Africa, in collaboration with local partner organizations, to learn more about men’s relationships with adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) and how HIV services can better engage them—two neglected areas of research. Similar studies are being conducted in Uganda, Swaziland, and Malawi. Learnings from these studies will be valuable for informing ongoing programming in South Africa and the region, as well as HIV prevention, care, and treatment efforts for AGYW and their male partners globally, particularly in this era of test and start.
Evaluating Community-Facility Linkage Models To Promote Mother-Infant Retention Along The Hiv Care Continuum, Project Soar
Evaluating Community-Facility Linkage Models To Promote Mother-Infant Retention Along The Hiv Care Continuum, Project Soar
HIV and AIDS
In Malawi, and other resourced-constrained, sub-Saharan African countries with a high HIV burden, several service delivery models have emerged to increase prevention of mother-to-child transmission care retention by strengthening connections between health facilities and their surrounding communities. Yet there has been little documentation of the unique characteristics of each model and their comparative impact on mother-infant pair (MIP) care retention and other health outcomes. This brief describes how Project SOAR is responding to these knowledge gaps by conducting research to identify components of community-based MIP support that are associated with maternal care retention and infant HIV-free survival. This research will …
Policymakers' Perceptions Of Oral Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Introduction In Tanzania: Findings From Implementation Science Research, Population Council
Policymakers' Perceptions Of Oral Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Introduction In Tanzania: Findings From Implementation Science Research, Population Council
HIV and AIDS
There is limited evidence from Tanzania to inform decisionmaking on whether and how to introduce oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to adolescent girls and young women (AGYW). To help fill this evidence gap, the Population Council in collaboration with the National AIDS Control Program and CSK Research Solutions Limited conducted implementation science research in one urban district (Dar es Salaam) and one rural district (Mbeya) in Tanzania to explore policymakers’ and key stakeholders’ perceptions and attitudes toward the introduction of PrEP to different groups, including AGYW, as well as to identify key issues that must be considered prior to its introduction. …
Private Sector Costing Of Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision In South Africa, Michel Tchuenche, Steven Forsythe
Private Sector Costing Of Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision In South Africa, Michel Tchuenche, Steven Forsythe
HIV and AIDS
In 2010, after voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) had been shown to be one of the most cost-effective strategies for preventing HIV infections, South Africa initiated a VMMC program with an ambitious target of performing 4.3 million circumcisions by 2016. However, because of a gap in knowledge concerning the overall cost of scaling up services, the South African National Department of Health requested that Project SOAR—Supporting Operational AIDS Research—conduct a private-sector costing of providing VMMC services in South Africa. The findings presented in this report provide a detailed investigation, through a comprehensive bottom-up approach, of the costs to private providers …
Status Of Sexual And Reproductive Health And Rights In Zambia: Violence Against Women And Hiv/Aids Prevention And Treatment, Population Council
Status Of Sexual And Reproductive Health And Rights In Zambia: Violence Against Women And Hiv/Aids Prevention And Treatment, Population Council
Reproductive Health
In 1994, the International Conference on Population and Development affirmed that sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) are human rights. The Government of the Republic of Zambia has fully committed to fulfilling the SRHR of all people by ratifying 11 international instruments of law. This brief is Part 3 of a three-part series entitled “Status of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in Zambia,” reporting on progress, gaps, and existing challenges in SRHR. Using a human rights–based approach, the Government of Zambia and collaborators, with technical facilitation by the Population Council, conducted an assessment of the status of SRHR …
Adolescent Girls And Young Women’S Perceptions Of Oral Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Introduction In Tanzania: Findings From Implementation Science Research, Population Council
Adolescent Girls And Young Women’S Perceptions Of Oral Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Introduction In Tanzania: Findings From Implementation Science Research, Population Council
HIV and AIDS
The Population Council, in collaboration with the National AIDS Control Programme and CSK Research Solutions Ltd., conducted implementation science research in Tanzania to identify key considerations for introducing pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) antiretroviral medication to adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) at substantial risk of HIV infection. This brief presents results from qualitative in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with AGYWs. Based on the findings, the brief recommends including sensitization and education of communities, parents, and male partners of AGYWs in demand-creation activities; training providers to deliver adequate education about PrEP to avoid misperceptions about its intended use, side effects, and …
Effective Engagement Of Male Partners Of Adolescent Girls And Young Women In Uganda, Population Council
Effective Engagement Of Male Partners Of Adolescent Girls And Young Women In Uganda, Population Council
HIV and AIDS
The Population Council is conducting implementation research in Uganda, in collaboration with local partner organizations, to learn more about men’s relationships with adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) and how HIV services can better engage them—two neglected areas of research. Similar studies are being conducted in South Africa, Swaziland, and Malawi. Learnings from these studies will be valuable for informing ongoing programming in Uganda and the region, as well as HIV prevention, care, and treatment efforts for AGYW and their male partners globally, particularly in this era of test and start.
Evaluation Of The “One Community” Program In Malawi, Project Soar
Evaluation Of The “One Community” Program In Malawi, Project Soar
HIV and AIDS
“One Community” is the United States Agency for International Development’s flagship community-based response to Malawi’s HIV epidemic. The primary objective of One Community is to support the government’s efforts to reduce new infections and to mitigate the impact of HIV among orphans and vulnerable children, out-of-school adolescent girls and young women, and other at-risk populations in eight districts in the southern region of Malawi. Project SOAR is conducting a rigorous evaluation of One Community in five of the eight program districts. The results from this evaluation will be used to inform Malawi’s support strategies for at-risk populations, improve the United …
Parents' And Guardians' Perceptions Of Oral Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Introduction In Tanzania: Findings From Implementation Science Research, Population Council
Parents' And Guardians' Perceptions Of Oral Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Introduction In Tanzania: Findings From Implementation Science Research, Population Council
HIV and AIDS
The Population Council, in collaboration with the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) and CSK Research Solutions Ltd., conducted implementation science research in two research sites in Tanzania to identify key considerations for introducing oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to adolescent girls and young women (AGYW). The NACP and members of the study’s research utilization committee recognized the importance of learning about parents’ and guardians’ attitudes and perceptions of PrEP use by their adolescent and young adult daughters and peers to inform the PrEP implementation process in Tanzania. Moreover, existing research in Tanzania finds that parents communicate with their children about sexual …
Understanding Married Women's Vulnerability To Hiv Infection In Egypt: An Exploratory Study, Doaa Oraby, Nahla G. Abdel-Tawab
Understanding Married Women's Vulnerability To Hiv Infection In Egypt: An Exploratory Study, Doaa Oraby, Nahla G. Abdel-Tawab
Reproductive Health
This study examines the behavioral, sociocultural, economic, programmatic, and legal factors that aggravate Egyptian women’s vulnerabilities to HIV/AIDS. The study concludes that in low-prevalence settings like Egypt, targeted interventions are the most strategic and cost-effective: for example, HIV awareness-raising with a special focus on the preventive role of consistent, correct condom use, and creating a cadre of peers that could provide psychosocial support and HIV counseling to migrant workers. Furthermore, premarital and antenatal care programs should include HIV awareness-raising and provider-initiated counseling and testing after screening of women to identify those at risk for HIV infection. Concurrently, efforts should be …
Addressing Adolescent Girls' Vulnerability To Hiv/Aids: Lessons From The Meri Life Meri Choice Project, Sunil Mehra, Rajesh R. Singh, Vandana Nair, K.G. Santhya, A.J. Francis Zavier
Addressing Adolescent Girls' Vulnerability To Hiv/Aids: Lessons From The Meri Life Meri Choice Project, Sunil Mehra, Rajesh R. Singh, Vandana Nair, K.G. Santhya, A.J. Francis Zavier
Poverty, Gender, and Youth
This report details findings from an assessment of the Meri Life Meri Choice (MLMC) project in India, implemented by MAMTA—Health Institute for Mother and Child, with the support of the Elton John AIDS Foundation. The MLMC project sought to reduce the vulnerability of rural adolescent girls to HIV by enhancing their knowledge about sexual and reproductive matters and equipping them with skills that enable them to address vulnerability to HIV; increasing their utilization of sexual and reproductive health services from the public sector; and developing a supportive environment that enables adolescent girls to adopt protective actions to reduce vulnerability to …