Young women’s life experiences and perceptions of sexual and reproductive health in rural KwaZulu-Natal South Africa

Women in South Africa bear a disproportionate burden of the HIV epidemic. Female-controlled HIV prevention methods offer promising interventions to reduce this burden but cannot be effectively employed without a better understanding of young women’s perceptions of their sexual and reproductive health. This study examines social, environmental and cultural factors contributing to young women’s perceptions of, and experiences with, sexual and reproductive health to identify the challenges of engaging adolescent girls in HIV prevention. Twenty-five 15–19-year-old women were interviewed using semi-structured in-depth interview questions to discover their life context, future goals and relationships with men, and to understand how these factors influence their sexual and reproductive health decisions and outcomes. A thematic analysis of interview findings indicates that although participants are aware of the risks posed by engaging in risky sexual behaviour, life context shapes their perceptions and prioritisation of their health, which presents a barrier to achieving healthy behaviours and positive health outcomes. These findings may influence future research into how young women’s health perceptions influence their sexual health behaviours, and how they utilise sexual and reproductive health services in a clinical setting. This has implications for introducing forms of female-controlled HIV prevention for this population.