Table 2 Included study characteristics

Baumgartner et al., 2010 [37]

Qualitative

To understand how Tanzanian adolescents think about and understand the concepts of faithfulness and partner reduction in the context of both HIV and pregnancy prevention

Tanzania

This study included 20 focus group discussions (FGDs) with 158 adolescents, aged 14 20

158

14–20

Bosmans et al., 2006 [38]

Qualitative

To explore adolescents’ access to condom information and supplies.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Focus group discussions were conducted with 11 groups of adolescents. Two interviews were conducted with programme officers of one SRH peer education programme. In addition they had an focus group with a group of 34 adolescent peer educators in Bukavu.

60%

40%

117

Butts et al., 2018 [39]

Qualitative

To identify sources of HIV prevention knowledge among young women aged 10–14 years and community-based strategies to enhance HIV prevention in Zambia.

Zambia

Focus group discussions were conducted with 114 young women in Zambian provinces with the highest rates (~ 20%) of HIV

100%

114

10–14

Capurchande, et al., 2016 [40]

Qualitative

To explore adolescents and young adults’ experiences with contraception in Mozambique

Mozambique

Four focus group discussions, 16 in-depth interviews, four informal conversations, and observations were equally divided between two study sites.

62

15–24

Casale,et al., 2010 [41]

Qualitative

To explore the complexities facing a faith based organization during its delivery of an HIV-prevention programme for adolescents.

South Africa

11 focus group discussions: two groups with parents (n = 34), two with teachers (n = 16), four with learners (n = 48) and three with programme facilitators (n = 6).

104

Cockcroft et al., 2010 [42]

Qualitative

To explore community views of inter-generational sex

Botswana, Namibia and Swaziland

The study included 12 focus group discussions with women aged 15–24 years

between 60 and 120

15–24

Groes-Green et al., [43]

Qualitative

To examine how class, gender and peer education affects safe sex in male youth and identifies the reasons behind condom use

Mozambique

52 boys who qualified as consistent condom users between the ages of 18 and 23

52

18–23

Klinger & Ramin, 2017 [44]

Qualitative

Evaluate perceptions, attitudes, and misconceptions regarding STIs and contraception among female and male adolescents

Madagascar

Data was collected from female and male adolescents ages 15–19 years (n = 43) in Northern Madagascar in 2014 using focus group discussions

53%

47%

43

15–19

Lusey,et al., 2014 [45]

Qualitative

To explore discourses of young churchgoers from deprived areas of Kinshasa regarding masculinity and sexuality in the era of HIV.

Congo

This study included 16 semi-structured interviews with unmarried young churchgoers

16

16

15–24 (mean 19.6)

MacPhail & Campbell, 2001 [46]

Qualitative

To increase our understandings of the influences on adolescent sexuality within a broader interest in HIV-prevention in Southern Africa.

South Africa

Study informants comprised 44 young women and men in the 13–25 year age group.

50%

50%

44

13–25

Manuel, 2005 [47]

Qualitative

To explore how urban youth in Mozambique perceive their sexual behaviour and identifies the factors that hinder them from having safer sex in the context of HIV/AIDS, with special emphasis on the condom use.

Mozambique

Data was collected from high school students in Maputo, Mozambique. Using a combination of focus group discussions, interviews and informal conversations

Not reported

16–18

Mavhu et al., [48]

Qualitative

Follow on to a quantitative survey that sought to characterize male sexual partners and sexual behaviours of sexually active HIV positive AGYW in Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe

In-depth interviews were conducted with purposively sampled 28 adolescent girls and young women (16–24 years).

100%

28

16–24

McCleary-Sills, et al., 2013 [49]

Qualitative

To examine Gendered norms, sexual exploitation and adolescent pregnancy in rural Tanzania

Tanzania

A participatory research and action project (Vitu Newala) conducted formative research in a rural district on the dynamics of sexual risk and agency among 82 girls aged 12–17.

100%

82

12–17

McHome et al., 2015 [50]

Qualitative scripted scenarios

To examine staff perceptions of adolescent sexual health and reproductive services in Tanzania

Tanzania

Health service staff from 33 health care facilities

Between 41 and 48

18–19

Meekers et al., 2001 [51]

Qualitative

To understand constraints to adolescent condom procurement. Including condom use negotiation, consistency of condom use, and condom distribution amongst adolescents.

Botswana

Eight focus groups were conducted which included four to six participants per group (male and female) between the ages of 14–20.

Between 32 and 48

14–20

Moyo & Rusinga, 2017 [52]

Qualitative

To understand the importance of reproductive health education to contraceptive use among adolescents

Zimbabwe

A total of 185 adolescents aged 15–19 years were sampled.

96

89

185

15–19 (mean 17)

Mulumeoderhwa, 2018 [53]

Qualitative

To investigate young men’s perspectives about condom use, concurrent sexual partnerships and sex in the context of HIV/AIDS.

Democratic Republic of Congo

28 boys aged 16–20 from two urban and two urban high schools in South Kivu provinces.

100%

28

16–20

Mwalabu et al., 2017 [54]

Qualitative

To explore the sex and relationship experiences of young women growing up with perinatally-acquired HIV in order to understand how to improve SRH care and associated outcomes

Malawi

Data was collected for 14 cases through in-depth interviews (i.e. a total of 42 participants)

100%

42

15–19

Nash et al., 2019 [55]

Qualitative

To understand how and what sexual and reproductive health information is shared with girls, in Malawi, and perceptions of such information among key informants

Malawi

Forty semi-structured interviews were conducted with three participant groups: adolescent girls (n = 18), mothers/female guardians of adolescent girls (n = 12), and leaders of initiation rites (n = 10).

40

10–18

Self et al., 2018 [56]

Qualitative

To explore the perspectives of youth and adults about the drivers and barriers to youth accessing family planning in Malawi and their ideas to improve services

Malawi

34 focus groups were conducted with youth 34 FGDs with 255 youth and 40 parent/guardian participants.

255

15–24

Sommer et al., 2015 [57]

Qualitative

To explored the masculinity norms shaping pubescent boys perceptions of and engagement in (unsafe) sexual behaviours

Tanzania

In-depth interviews with adolescent boys in and out of school, key informant interviews (e.g. parents, teachers, religious leaders), focus groups with teachers, and participatory activities with adolescent boys in and out of school (n = 160)

100%

160

16–19

Sommer et al., 2019 [58]

Qualitative

To explore structural and environmental factors influencing young people’s access to and use of alcohol, and subsequent engagement in safe or unsafe sexual behaviours, from their own perspectives

Tanzania

The study included 177 adolescent girls and boys in and out of school in four sites across Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

177

15–19

Winskell, et al., 2011 [59]

Qualitative

In order to inform education and communication efforts to increase condom use, we examined social representations of condoms among young people aged 10–24 in six African countries/regions with diverse HIV prevalence rates

Swaziland, Namibia, Kenya, South-East Nigeria, Burkina Faso, and Senegal

A unique data source was used, namely 11,354 creative ideas contributed from these countries to a continent-wide scriptwriting contest, held from 1st February to 15th April 2005, on the theme of HIV/AIDS. We stratified each country sample by the sex, age (10–14, 15–19, 20–24), and urban/rural location of the author and randomly selected up to 10 narratives for each of the 12 resulting strata, netting a total sample of 586 texts for the six countries.

Not clear (586 texts)

10–24