Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Impact Of Covid-19 Mitigation Measures On Sexual And Reproductive Health In Low- And Middle-Income Countries: A Rapid Review, Elizabeth Ochola, Maheshwari Andhavarapu, Poppy Sun, Abdu Mohiddin, Ferdinand Okwaro, Marleen Temmerman

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Pandemic mitigation measures can have a negative impact on access and provision of essential healthcare services including sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services. This rapid review looked at the literature on the impact of COVID-19 mitigation measures on SRH and gender-based violence (GBV) on women in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) using WHO rapid review guidance. We looked at relevant literature published in the English language from January 2020 to October 2021 from LMICs using WHO rapid review methods. A total of 114 articles were obtained from PubMed, Google Scholar and grey literature of which 20 met the eligible criteria. …

Ethical Considerations For Conducting Sexual And Reproductive Health Research With Female Adolescents Engaged In High-Risk Behaviours In China, Xu-Dong Zhang, Sabrina Ching Yuen Luk, Yue-Hong Han, Gui-Rong Chen, Bao-Sheng Zhu, Stanley Luchters

Population Health, East Africa

Background: Chinese female adolescents engaged in sex trade and substance use are often criminalized and stigmatized. As a result of these cultural, legal and political constraints, ethical concerns can discourage investigators from engaging these adolescents in research. This paper aims to address the ethical tensions between protection and inclusion in conducting sexual and reproductive health (SRH) research with adolescents engaged in high-risk behaviours. Processes of moral reasoning, and examples and practical mechanisms in managing such ethical challenges were presented in the hope of advancing the research ethics policies and practice with adolescents.

Methods: We extracted ethical issues from three previously …

Women And Substance Use: A Qualitative Study On Sexual And Reproductive Health Of Women Who Use Drugs In Delhi, India, Vartika Sharma, Avina Sarna, Waimar Tun, Lopamudra Ray Saraswati, Ibou Thior, Ira Madan, Stanley Luchters

Population Health, East Africa

Objectives: To explore contextual factors that increase vulnerabilities to negative sexual and reproductive health (SRH) outcomes and possible differences in SRH-related behaviours and the needs of women who use drugs (WUD) through non-injecting and injecting routes.

Design: Qualitative study design using semi-structured in-depth interviews.

Participants: Twenty women who injected drugs in the past 3months and 28 women who reported using drugs through non-injecting routes in the past 1month.

Setting: Interviews were conducted at community-based, drop-in centres in Delhi, India.

Results: Study findings illustrate that WUD were sexually active and had multiple sex partners including clients of sex work. Transient relationships …

Lessons Learnt From The Cerca Project, A Multicomponent Intervention To Promote Adolescent Sexual And Reproductive Health In Three Latin America Countries: A Qualitative Post-Hoc Evaluation., Olena Ivanova, Kathya Cordova Pozo, Zoyla Esmeralda Segura, Bernardo Vega, Venkatraman Chandra-Mouli, Michelle J. Hindin, Marleen Temmerman, Peter Decat, Sara De Meyer, Kristien Michielsen

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

The Community-Embedded Reproductive Health Care for Adolescents (CERCA) Project was implemented in Bolivia, Ecuador and Nicaragua (2011–2014) to test the effectiveness of interventions preventing teenage pregnancies. As the outcome evaluation showed limited impact, a post-hoc process evaluation was carried out to determine if and how CERCA’s design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation affected the results. We did a document analysis and conducted 18 in-depth interviews and 21 focus group discussions with stakeholders and beneficiaries. Transcripts were analyzed using directed content analysis.

Data showed that CERCA sensitized stakeholders and encouraged the discussion on this sensitive issue. In terms of design, a strong …

Sexual And Reproductive Health Risks Amongst Female Adolescents Who Use Amphetamine-Type Stimulants And Sell Sex: A Qualitative Inquiry In Yunnan, China, Xu-Dong Zhang, Angela Kelly-Hanku, Jia-Jia Chai, Jian Luo, Marleen Temmerman, Stanley Luchters

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Background: China, as other Southeast Asian countries, has witnessed an increased use in amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) amongst urban youth. Amongst female adolescents who both sell sex and use ATS, risk behaviours are compounded resulting in even poorer health outcomes. However, limited knowledge exists on ATS use patterns and ATS-related risk behaviours, particularly in this context. This research aimed to improve the understanding of these issues amongst female adolescents who use ATS and sell sex, and to inform future programming.

Method: This study utilised monthly focus group discussions (four in total) with the same study participants in Yunnan, China. From within …

Sexual And Reproductive Health Research And Research Capacity Strengthening In Africa: Perspectives From The Region., Richard Adanu, Michael T. Mbizvo, Adama Baguiya, Vincent Adam, Beyene W. Ademe, Augustine Ankomah, Godwin N. Aja, Ademola J. Ajuwon, Olapeju A. Esimai, Taofeek Ibrahim, Dintle K. Mogobe, Özge Tunçalp, Venkatraman Chandra-Mouli, Marleen Temmerman

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Developing the capacity to effectively carry out public health research is an integral part of health systems at both the national and global levels and strengthening research capacity is recognized as an approach to better health and development in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Especially fields such as sexual and reproductive health (SRH) would require inter-disciplinary teams of researchers equipped with a range of methodologies to achieve this. In November 2013, as part of the International Family Planning Conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, a group of African researchers came together to discuss the gaps and strategies to improve sexual and …

Systematic Review Of Facility-Based Sexual And Reproductive Health Services For Female Sex Workers In Africa, Ashar Dhana, Stanley Luchters, Lizzie Moore, Yves Lafort, Anuradha Roy, Fiona Scorgie, Matthew Chersich

Population Health, East Africa

Background: Several biological, behavioural, and structural risk factors place female sex workers (FSWs) at heightened risk of HIV, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and other adverse sexual and reproductive health (SRH) outcomes. FSW projects in many settings have demonstrated effective ways of altering this risk, improving the health and wellbeing of these women. Yet the optimum delivery model of FSW projects in Africa is unclear. This systematic review describes intervention packages, service-delivery models, and extent of government involvement in these services in Africa.

Methods: On 22 November 2012, we searched Web of Science and MEDLINE, without date restrictions, for …

Parent-Child Communication About Sexual And Reproductive Health In Rural Tanzania: Implications For Young People's Sexual Health Interventions, Joyce Wamoyi, Angela Fenwick, Mark Urassa, Basia Zaba, William Stones

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Background

Many programmes on young people and HIV/AIDS prevention have focused on the in-school and channeled sexual and reproductive health messages through schools with limited activities for the young people's families. The assumption has been that parents in African families do not talk about sexual and reproductive health (SRH) with their children. These approach has had limited success because of failure to factor in the young person's family context, and the influence of parents. This paper explores parent-child communication about SRH in families, content, timing and reasons for their communication with their children aged 14-24 years in rural Tanzania.

Methods …