Interventions aiming to improve menstrual, sexual, reproductive, and mental health among out-of-school girls: a systematic review.

Farquharson, Karinn, Quinn-Savory, Alexandra, Zulaika, Garazi, Mason, Linda, Nungo, Susan, Nyothach, Elizabeth, Unger, Holger, Sivakami, Muthusamy, Spinhoven, Philip, Phillips-Howard, Penelope ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1018-116X and vanEijk, Anna ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1635-1289 (2024) 'Interventions aiming to improve menstrual, sexual, reproductive, and mental health among out-of-school girls: a systematic review.'. Frontiers in Public Health, Vol 12.

Preview

Text fpubh-2-1440930.pdf - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (1MB) | Preview

Abstract

Purpose: Out-of-school adolescent girls (OoSGs) can lack education on menstrual, sexual, reproductive, and mental health (SRMH) and be more vulnerable to SRMH harms. Targeted interventions could reduce these risks. We assessed interventions and their effectiveness among OoSGs globally.

Methods: Six online databases were searched for interventional studies targeting SRMH problems in OoSGs. Two coders independently abstracted data from each eligible study, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. We summarized results using forest plots.

Results: A total of 1,244 studies were screened; eight studies with sufficient information on SRMH outcomes were included (9,084 OoSGs, range 100–3,026 per study, overall study quality low-to-moderate). Six were educational programmes, and two were cash interventions; no study was directed at mental health. Participants were recruited through village census, outreach workers, and work locations. Some improvements were seen in indicators of SRMH knowledge (four studies), attitudes (one study), and risky sexual behaviors (four studies); however, no reduction was seen in human immunodeficiency virus or herpes simplex virus-2 incidence (two studies).

Discussion: This review suggests that programmes can improve OosG’s SRMH knowledge, attitudes, and practices and can be delivered in low resource contexts. Effective interventions are needed to support OoSGs, including interventions focusing on SRMH support incorporating elements of cash-transfer, and comprehensive sexual education, and to aid local policy and programming.

Item Type:	Article
Subjects:	W General Medicine. Health Professions > Health Services. Patients and Patient Advocacy > W 84 Health services. Delivery of health care QV Pharmacology > Reproductive Control Agents > QV 170 Reproductive system agents WA Public Health > Health Problems of Special Population Groups > WA 305 Mental health of special population groups WA Public Health > Health Problems of Special Population Groups > WA 309 Women's health
Faculty: Department:	Clinical Sciences & International Health > Clinical Sciences Department Clinical Sciences & International Health > International Public Health Department
Digital Object Identifer (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1440930
Depositing User:	Jane Rawlinson
Date Deposited:	16 Dec 2024 09:10
Last Modified:	16 Dec 2024 09:10
URI:	https://archive.lstmed.ac.uk/id/eprint/25527

Statistics

View details

Actions (login required)

Edit Item