scholarly journals Barriers Facing Persons with Disability in Accessing Sexual and Reproductive Health Services in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
JOHN GANLE ◽  
Leonard Baatiema ◽  
Reginald Quansah ◽  
Anthony Danso-Appiah
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Sexual And Reproductive Health ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Reproductive Health Services ◽  
Sub Saharan

scholarly journals Factors influencing access to and utilisation of youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health services in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lesley Rose Ninsiima ◽  
Isabel Kazanga Chiumia ◽  
Rawlance Ndejjo
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Sexual And Reproductive Health ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Inclusion Criteria ◽  
Reproductive Health Services ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Youth Friendly

Abstract Background Despite the global agreements on adolescents’ sexual and reproductive health and rights, access to and utilisation of these services among the youth/adolescents remain unsatisfactory in low- and middle-income countries which are a significant barrier to progress in this area. This review established factors influencing access and utilisation of youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health services (YFSRHS) among the youth in sub-Saharan Africa to inform programmatic interventions. Methodology A systematic review of studies published between January 2009 and April 2019 using PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Medline, and Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar databases was conducted. Studies were screened based on the inclusion criteria of barriers and facilitators of implementation of YFSRHS, existing national policies on provision of YFSRHS, and youth’s perspectives on these services. Findings A total of 23,400 studies were identified through database search and additional 5 studies from other sources. After the full-text screening, 20 studies from 7 countries met the inclusion criteria and were included in the final review. Structural barriers were the negative attitude of health workers and their being unskilled and individual barriers included lack of knowledge among youth regarding YFSRHS. Facilitators of utilisation of the services were mostly structural in nature which included community outreaches, health education, and policy recommendations to improve implementation of the quality of health services and clinics for adolescents/youth to fit their needs and preferences. Conclusion Stakeholder interventions focusing on implementing YFSRHS should aim at intensive training of health workers and put in place quality implementation standard guidelines in clinics to offer services according to youth’s needs and preferences. In addition, educating the youth through community outreaches and health education programs for those in schools can facilitate utilisation and scale up of the service.

scholarly journals Trends in utilisation and inequality in the use of reproductive health services in Sub-Saharan Africa

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gordon Abekah-Nkrumah
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Health Facility ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Good News ◽  
Reproductive Health Services ◽  
Modern Contraceptives ◽  
Inequality In Health ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Ssa Countries

Abstract Background The paper argues that unlike the income literature, the public health literature has not paid much attention to the distribution of substantial improvements in health outcomes over the last decade or more, especially, in the Sub-Saharan African (SSA) context. Thus, the paper examines current levels of utilisation, changes in utilisation as well as inequality in utilisation of reproductive health services over the last 10 years in SSA. Methods The paper uses two rounds of Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data from 30 SSA countries (latest round) and 21 countries (earlier round) to compute simple frequencies, cross-tabulated frequencies and concentration indices for health facility deliveries, skilled delivery assistance, 4+ antenatal visits and use of modern contraceptives. Results The results confirm the fact that utilisation of the selected reproductive health services have improved substantially over the last 10 year in several SSA countries. However, current levels of inequality in the use of reproductive health services are high in many countries. Interestingly, Guinea’s pro-poor inequality in health facility delivery and skilled attendance at birth changed to pro-rich inequality, with the reverse being true in the case of use of modern contraceptives for Ghana, Malawi and Rawanda. The good news however is that in a lot of countries, the use of reproductive health services has increased while inequality has decreased within the period under study. Conclusion The paper argue that whiles income levels may play a key role in explaining the differences in utilisation and the levels of inequality, indepth studies may be needed to explain the reason for differential improvements and stagnation or deterioration in different countries. In this way, best practices from better performing countries can be documented and adapted by poor performing countries to improve their situation.

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