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Background: In children, HIV can be acquired from the mother during pregnancy, delivery and through breast milk. The WHO recommends exclusive breast feeding or exclusive replacement feeding for the first 6 months after birth for HIV-exposed infants. Barriers such as HIV-related stigma, inadequate resources, lack of access to safe water and negative cultural beliefs have been shown to influence infant feeding among HIV-exposed infants in some settings. In Kenya, there is limited literature on the barriers. The purpose of this study was to identify barriers to optimal feeding among HIV-exposed infants 0-5 months of age attending a mission hospital in Bomet County, Kenya.Methods: A cross-sectional qualitative study was conducted at a referral mission hospital in Bomet County, Southwest Kenya. Four focused group discussions were conducted among mothers/caregivers of HIV-exposed infants aged 0-5 months in accordance with their infant feeding practices, while two key informant interviews were also held with healthcare workers. All sessions were audio recorded and later transcribed verbatim. Content analysis was performed, and conclusions were made based on identified themes.Results: Factors influencing the infant feeding choices were: financial constraints, cultural beliefs and practices, HIV-related stigma and conflicting knowledge among mothers/caregivers and healthcare workers on the recommendations for feeding HIV-exposed infants 0-5 months of age.Conclusions: Health worker retraining in and reinforcement of WHO guidance on feeding HIV exposed/infected infants will clarify misconceptions around feeding HIV exposed/infected infants, though there remain social and economic barriers to full implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Mainstream media, such as newspapers, play a critical role during a public health crisis by shaping public perceptions and behaviors. • Analyzing editorial cartoons is useful to rapidly gather information on public opinion. • We analyzed editorial cartoons on COVID-19 vaccines over 32 months of the pandemic. • There was a shift in attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination from high hopes to disenchantment. • Recent editorial cartoons illustrate vaccine fatigue, which can be a challenge to maintaining confidence and high vaccination rates. In Canada, the first COVID-19 vaccine was approved for use in December 2020, marking the beginning of a large vaccination campaign. The campaign was not only unprecedented in terms of reach, but also with regards to the amount of information about vaccines that circulated in traditional and social media. This study's aim was to describe COVID-19 vaccine related discourses in Canada through an analysis of editorial cartoons. We collected 2 172 cartoons about COVID-19 published between January 2020 and August 2022 in Canadian newspapers. These cartoons were downloaded and a first thematic analysis was conducted using the WHO-EPIWIN taxonomy (cause, illness, treatment, interventions, and information). From this, 389 cartoons related to COVID-19 vaccines were identified under the treatment category. These were subjected to a second thematic analysis to assess main themes (e.g., vaccine development, campaign progress, etc.), characters featured (e.g., politicians, public figures, public) and position with respect to vaccine (favorable, unfavorable, neutral). Six main themes emerged: Research and development of vaccines; Management of the vaccination campaign; Perceptions of and experiences with vaccination services; Measures and incentives to increase COVID-19 vaccine uptake; Criticism of the unvaccinated; and Effectiveness of vaccination. Our analysis revealed a shift in attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination from high hopes to disenchantment, which may reflect some vaccine fatigue. In the future, public health authorities could face some challenges in maintaining confidence and high COVID-19 vaccine uptake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to better understand barriers and enabling conditions for HPV vaccination in school-based vaccination programs in Canada. Semi-structured interviews were conducted by telephone or in person with parents, nurses, and school staff (n = 50) in three Canadian provinces. Interviews explored views on HPV and HPV vaccination, strengths and weaknesses of the school-based HPV vaccination programs and proposed interventions to increase uptake. Interview transcripts were coded and analyzed thematically using the socio-ecological model. Participants had positive views towards HPV vaccination and school-based offer. They identified barriers and enabling conditions at the individual and interpersonal level (e.g., knowledge, attitudes, behaviours of – and relationships between – parents, nurses, and school personnel), at the organizational level (e.g., allocated resources, information provision, process to ensure informed consent, vaccination setting and environment) and at the community and policy level (e.g., social group values and norms, media coverage around the HPV vaccine). Participants also suggested strategies to reduce identified barriers (e.g., communication interventions, simpler inform consent process). Different layers of barriers and enabling conditions of HPV vaccination in school settings were identified. Tailored interventions remain key to enhance vaccine acceptance and uptake. • Different barriers and facilitators of HPV vaccination in school settings were identified by using the socio-ecological model. • Strategies to improve HPV vaccination include communication interventions and simplification of the information and consent process. • Enhanced collaboration between public health nurses and school personnel are key in achieving greater vaccine acceptance and uptake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the vast number of Canadian young adults who consume sexually explicit Internet movies (SEIM), the potential influences SEIM consumption has on overall sexual health remains understudied. This study aimed to develop insight into what Canadian young adults perceive to be the influences of consuming SEIM on six components of sexual health: Sexual Knowledge, Sexual Self-Perception, Sexual Activity, Sexual Partner Relations, Perceptions of Sexuality, and Overall Wellbeing. Employing an exploratory qualitative approach, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 12 urban, heterosexual young adults (ages 19-29), who self-identified as having consumed SEIM for a period of at least one year. All interviews were audio-taped with permission, transcribed verbatim and analyzed using principles of constructivist grounded theory. Young adults described a wide range of influences that encompassed topics beyond physical reactions, to include experiences with overall sexuality and sexual self. These influences were perceived to result in both health benefits and health challenges. The disparities between this study's findings and other empirical SEIM studies suggest that conceptualizing SEIM consumption using person-centred, holistic perspectives may help researchers more effectively capture the multitude of diverse ways SEIM can influence Canadians' sexual health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]