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Two new publications by Prof Jo-Ann Passmore reveal a critical gap between scientific knowledge and women’s lived realities – where silence, stigma and power dynamics limit the impact of even the best research. By calling for ethical, community-driven design, the work points to a future where science is not only rigorous, but truly usable in women’s everyday lives.

text: Prof Jo-Ann Passmore  photos: Supplied

At first glance, these two pieces of work might seem quite different – but for me, they are really about the same core issue: how do we make science that actually works for women in real life, not just on paper?

One paper focuses on young South African women and  the very real challenges they face in talking about sex and sexual health. The other looks at microbiome science more broadly and asks whether the way we conduct research is fair, relevant, and grounded in the contexts where it will eventually be used. Together, they highlight a gap that feels very urgent – between what we know scientifically, and what women are actually able to do in their daily lives.

What really stands out to me is how much silence shapes risk. Many of the young women we work with understand sexual health at some level but feel unable to talk about it – with their partners, families, or even healthcare professionals. That silence isn’t just about lack of knowledge; it’s about fear, judgement, power dynamics, and trying to hold onto relationships. So even the best scientific knowledge doesn’t help if women don’t feel able to act on it.

That’s where ethical design comes in. In simple terms,  it means doing science differently: working with communities, not just studying them, and making sure research reflects real lives and real needs. It’s about asking: who is this for, and will it actually work for them?

If we want to truly improve women’s health, we need to  go beyond developing new tools. We need healthcare systems that are respectful, spaces where women feel safe to speak, and research that listens as much as it measures.

At the Women’s Health Programme at CERI, this is exactly where my work is heading – bringing together biology, behaviour, and women’s lived experience to co-create solutions that are not only scientifically strong, but genuinely usable and meaningful.

ABSTRACT 1:
‘The not talking is actually what kills you’ –  young South African women’s communication barriers about sexual health

Authors: Felicity Hartleya, Jill Trapplerc, Katherine Gilld, Linda-Gail Bekkerd, Virginia MacKennye, Lucia Knight, and Jo-Ann Passmore

Conversations about sex and sexual health are often stigmatised and shaped by socio-cultural influences.  For young women, lack of adequate communication can influence access to information, knowledge and behaviour and therefore increase vulnerability to negative outcomes such as sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unintended pregnancy. This qualitative study investigated the barriers young women face when seeking dialogue about sex, their sexual health and relationships. Seven isiXhosa-speaking young women (aged 21–25) participated in a six-session art-based engagement, creating large-format paintings reflecting their sexual health experiences. Data collection included in-depth interviews and a focus group discussion, which were transcribed, translated and thematically analysed. Findings revealed that communication about sex and sexual health was hindered by the attitudes of family, partners communities and health care providers. The need to please and retain partners also restricted young women’s ability to express their sexual health needs and desires. Young women felt that with age and maturity they gained confidence, agency and capacity to navigate difficult conversations. Empowering tools and strategies to improve communication could enhance young women’s agency, enabling them to overcome barriers for communication and actively seek sexual health information and services.

Read the full publication here: https://ceri.org.za/publication/?token=589

 

ABSTRACT 2:
Ethical design as a prerequisite for translational microbiome science

Authors: Jo-Ann Passmore, Abigail Nieves Delgado, and Anna-Ursula Happel

Human microbiome research is expanding globally, yet remains dominated by samples, institutions, and leadership from the Global North. This imbalance undermines scientific validity, as microbiomes are shaped by socioecological context and temporal dynamics, and risks producing diagnostics and therapeutics that are not applicable across diverse populations. In this comment, we engage with van Daele et al.’s framework of colaboration and argue for ethical, interdisciplinary, and locally-led research models that center community participation, context-rich metadata, and equitable authorship. We outline structural requirements – governance tools, funding mechanisms, and accountability systems – needed to ensure these frameworks are implemented and advance both scientific integrity and global health equity.

Read full publication here: https://ceri.org.za/publication/?token=588

News date: 2026-05-13

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