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. 2023 Nov 24;20(1):174.
doi: 10.1186/s12978-023-01715-8.

Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) needs for forcibly displaced adolescent girls and young women (10-24 years old) in humanitarian settings: a mixed-methods systematic review

Rachel E Soeiro  1 , José Paulo de Siqueira Guida  1 , Juliana da-Costa-Santos  1 , Maria Laura Costa  2
Affiliations

Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) needs for forcibly displaced adolescent girls and young women (10-24 years old) in humanitarian settings: a mixed-methods systematic review

Rachel E Soeiro et al. Reprod Health. .

Abstract

Background: Globally, there are 42 million women and girls estimated to be forcibly displaced. Adolescent girls and young women in humanitarian settings have their sexual and reproductive health (SRH) neglected. This systematic review aimed to describe SRH obstacles that adolescent girls and young women (10-24 years old) face in humanitarian settings in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.

Methods: We conducted a mixed-methods systematic review in six databases, focusing on migrant women ages 10 - 24and their SRH outcomes. The mixed-methods appraisal tool was used to evaluate the quality of the studies. This review follows PRISMA and the Systematic Review Guidelines from the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination recommendations.

Results: Among the 1290 studies screened by abstracts, 32 met the eligibility criteria: 15 were qualitative, 10 were quantitative and seven were mixed-methods studies. Most studies were performed in the last four years, in African countries. They discussed the increased frequency of adolescent pregnancies (16-23%), lack of contraceptive use and access (8-32%), poor menstrual hygiene management (lack of water, shortage of menstrual hygiene supplies), ignorance and stigma about sexually transmitted infections and HIV, a higher number of child, early and forced marriage or partnership and sexual and gender-based violence, challenging to obtain SRH information/knowledge/access, and unmet SRH needs.

Conclusion: Migration is a current issue. Although there is a growing number of studies on adolescent girls and young women's SRH in humanitarian settings, this population remains overlooked, and face several challenges in SRH. There is a need for targeting interventions on SRH.

Keywords: Adolescent; Knowledge; Migrant; Refugee; Sexual and reproductive health; Systematic review; Young women.

Plain language summary

This systematic review describes the available evidence on the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) challenges faced by adolescent girls and young women in humanitarian settings. Thirty-two studies were analyzed, demonstrating poor SRH outcomes: higher incidence of adolescent pregnancy, lack of access to contraceptives and low rates of its use, precarious menstrual hygiene management (MHM), ignorance and stigma about sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV, higher rates of child, early and forced marriage or partnership (CEFMP) and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). Identifying these challenges can help humanitarian actors address the SRH needs of these populations.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
PRISMA 2020 flow diagram: process of the integrative review
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees). UNHCR: A record 100 million people forcibly displaced worldwide [Internet]. May. 2022. https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/05/1118772. Accessed 7 Jan 2023.
    1. Christelle Cazabat. WOMEN AND GIRLS in internal displacement. UN Women,IMPACT Initiat Int [Internet]. 2020;1–5. http://www.internationalinspiration.org/women-and-girls
    1. United Nations (UN). 2030 Sustainable Development Goals [Internet]. https://sdgs.un.org/goals. Accessed 2 Apr 2023.
    1. Ivanova O, Rai M, Kemigisha E. A systematic review of sexual and reproductive health knowledge, experiences and access to services among refugee, migrant and displaced girls and young women in Africa. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018;15(8):1–12. - PMC - PubMed
    1. World Health Organization. World report on the health of refugees and migrants [Internet]. 2022. 344 p. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240054462

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