“WHAT ARE HEALTHY FUTURES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE?” – AN EXPLORATORY STUDY
1
Family, Community and Emergency Care, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):A1495
ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT:
This research project addresses the prospects of young people and their potential roles in the health system, with a view towards people-centred universal health coverage. No interventions can proceed without the voice of young people themselves significantly informing the design and development of potential interventions, in terms of the aphorism “Nothing about us, without us”. The aim was therefore to explore and understand the perspectives of young people in one sub-district with regard to their health, their present circumstances, future prospects, and their experiences of the health system, in order to inform possible future interventions. The following research questions guided the study: - How do young people experience health and healthcare in their lives and communities? - What do young people envisage as a “healthy future”, one in which they can thrive? - How might young people participate in “people-centred care”? The study was designed using longitudinal mixed methods with an initial qualitative descriptive exploratory study, presented here, and subsequent quantitative studies to track trends longitudinally. The target population was 18 to 35 year olds in the Knysna-Bitou sub-district of the Garden Route Health District in Western Cape, South Africa as a case study. Participants were invited to join the research project through existing youth groups, non-governmental organizations and social media. Data were collected with an emphasis on story-telling and emic narratives by trained qualitative interviewers, through 10 key informant interviews, 4 focus group discussions, and a photovoice project with 10 participants. Reflexivity was addressed through regular research team meetings as data was collected and analyzed, acknowledging how researchers’ biases and perspectives influence data interpretation. The data analysis produced detailed insights into participants’ experiences and social contexts through reflexive thematic analysis. The results will be presented using images from the photovoice project alongside narratives of young people’s experiences and perspectives.
This research project addresses the prospects of young people and their potential roles in the health system, with a view towards people-centred universal health coverage. No interventions can proceed without the voice of young people themselves significantly informing the design and development of potential interventions, in terms of the aphorism “Nothing about us, without us”. The aim was therefore to explore and understand the perspectives of young people in one sub-district with regard to their health, their present circumstances, future prospects, and their experiences of the health system, in order to inform possible future interventions. The following research questions guided the study: - How do young people experience health and healthcare in their lives and communities? - What do young people envisage as a “healthy future”, one in which they can thrive? - How might young people participate in “people-centred care”? The study was designed using longitudinal mixed methods with an initial qualitative descriptive exploratory study, presented here, and subsequent quantitative studies to track trends longitudinally. The target population was 18 to 35 year olds in the Knysna-Bitou sub-district of the Garden Route Health District in Western Cape, South Africa as a case study. Participants were invited to join the research project through existing youth groups, non-governmental organizations and social media. Data were collected with an emphasis on story-telling and emic narratives by trained qualitative interviewers, through 10 key informant interviews, 4 focus group discussions, and a photovoice project with 10 participants. Reflexivity was addressed through regular research team meetings as data was collected and analyzed, acknowledging how researchers’ biases and perspectives influence data interpretation. The data analysis produced detailed insights into participants’ experiences and social contexts through reflexive thematic analysis. The results will be presented using images from the photovoice project alongside narratives of young people’s experiences and perspectives.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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