A Scoping Review to Assess Sexual and Reproductive Health Outcomes, Challenges and Recommendations in the Context of Climate Migration

The association between gender equality and climate adaptation across the globe

INTRODUCTION

Climate change has a disproportionate impact on women in comparison to men, and women have a key role to play in climate adaptation. However, evidence is lacking on how gender inequalities may be associated with climate vulnerability and ability to respond at country level.

METHODS

This ecological study investigated the association between climate adaptation, measured by the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative Country Index (ND-GAIN), and gender equality, measured by the Global Gender Gap Index (GGGI) developed by the World Economic Forum and the Gender Inequality Index (GII) developed by the United Nations. Simple linear regression was used to estimate the associations between the indices and their subdomains for 146 countries.

RESULTS

There was an approximately linear association between the GGGI and climate adaptation. Each 1% increase in gender equality was associated with a 0.6% increase in the ND-GAIN score (the slope was 0.59, with a 95% confidence interval [0.33 to 0.84]). This was driven by a negative association between gender equality and vulnerability (-0.41 [-0.62 to -0.20]), and a positive association between gender equality and readiness (0.77 [0.44 to 1.10]). The strongest associations between gender equality and climate adaptation were observed for the education domain of the GGGI. There was a strong negative linear association between the GII and climate adaptation, which explained most (86%) of the between-country variation in climate adaptation. Each 1% increase in gender inequality was associated with a 0.5% decrease in the ND-GAIN score (-0.54 [-0.57 to -0.50]). The association between gender inequality and readiness was stronger than the association with vulnerability (0.41 [0.37 to 0.44] for vulnerability versus - 0.67 [-0.72 to -0.61] for readiness).

CONCLUSIONS

Gender inequality, measured broadly across different domains of life, is associated with climate adaptation at country level, both in terms of vulnerability to impact and readiness to respond.

Sexual and reproductive health among forcibly displaced persons in urban environments in low and middle-income countries: scoping review findings

BACKGROUND

Most forcibly displaced persons are hosted in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). There is a growing urbanization of forcibly displaced persons, whereby most refugees and nearly half of internally displaced persons live in urban areas. This scoping review assesses the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) needs, outcomes, and priorities among forcibly displaced persons living in urban LMIC.

METHODS

Following The Joanna Briggs Institute scoping review methodology we searched eight databases for literature published between 1998 and 2023 on SRH needs among urban refugees in LMIC. SHR was operationalized as any dimension of sexual health (comprehensive sexuality education [CSE]; sexual and gender based violence [GBV]; HIV and STI prevention and control; sexual function and psychosexual counseling) and/or reproductive health (antental, intrapartum, and postnatal care; contraception; fertility care; safe abortion care). Searches included peer-reviewed and grey literature studies across quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods designs.

FINDINGS

The review included 92 studies spanning 100 countries: 55 peer-reviewed publications and 37 grey literature reports. Most peer-reviewed articles (n = 38) discussed sexual health domains including: GBV (n = 23); HIV/STI (n = 19); and CSE (n = 12). Over one-third (n = 20) discussed reproductive health, including: antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal care (n = 13); contraception (n = 13); fertility (n = 1); and safe abortion (n = 1). Eight included both reproductive and sexual health. Most grey literature (n = 29) examined GBV vulnerabilities. Themes across studies revealed social-ecological barriers to realizing optimal SRH and accessing SRH services, including factors spanning structural (e.g., livelihood loss), health institution (e.g., lack of health insurance), community (e.g., reduced social support), interpersonal (e.g., gender inequitable relationships), and intrapersonal (e.g., low literacy) levels.

CONCLUSIONS

This review identified displacement processes, resource insecurities, and multiple forms of stigma as factors contributing to poor SRH outcomes, as well as producing SRH access barriers for forcibly displaced individuals in urban LMIC. Findings have implications for mobilizing innovative approaches such as self-care strategies for SRH (e.g., HIV self-testing) to address these gaps. Regions such as Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean are underrepresented in research in this review. Our findings can guide SRH providers, policymakers, and researchers to develop programming to address the diverse SRH needs of urban forcibly displaced persons in LMIC. Most forcibly displaced individuals live in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), with a significant number residing in urban areas. This scoping review examines the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) outcomes of forcibly displaced individuals in urban LMICs. We searched eight databases for relevant literature published between 1998 and 2023. Inclusion criteria encompassed peer-reviewed articles and grey literature. SRH was defined to include various dimensions of sexual health (comprehensive sexuality education; sexual and gender-based violence; HIV/ STI prevention; sexual function, and psychosexual counseling) and reproductive health (antenatal, intrapartum, and postnatal care; contraception; fertility care; and safe abortion care). We included 90 documents (53 peer-reviewed articles, 37 grey literature reports) spanning 100 countries. Most peer-reviewed articles addressed sexual health and approximately one-third centered reproductive health. The grey literature primarily explored sexual and gender-based violence vulnerabilities. Identified SRH barriers encompassed challenges across structural (livelihood loss), health institution (lack of insurance), community (reduced social support), interpersonal (gender inequities), and individual (low literacy) levels. Findings underscore gaps in addressing SRH needs among urban refugees in LMICs specifically regarding sexual function, fertility care, and safe abortion, as well as regional knowledge gaps regarding urban refugees in Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Self-care strategies for SRH (e.g., HIV self-testing, long-acting self-injectable contraception, abortion self-management) hold significant promise to address SRH barriers experienced by urban refugees and warrant further exploration with this population. Urgent research efforts are necessary to bridge these knowledge gaps and develop tailored interventions aimed at supporting urban refugees in LMICs.

Addressing the Impact of Climate Change on Sexual and Reproductive Health Among Adolescent Girls and Young Women in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

There is an urgent need to better understand the role of climate change on sexual and reproductive health outcomes, particularly among adolescent girls and young women in low- and middle-income countries. Stakeholders at all levels should apply a rights-based, gendered approach to climate action and adaptation.

The Climate Crisis and Breastfeeding: Opportunities for Resilience

The climate crisis is an emerging global challenge that poses potential risks to breastfeeding practices and outcomes. There are multifaceted effects of climate change affecting the breastfeeding dyad across environmental, societal, and human health dimensions. Breastfeeding support in the face of climate change will require solutions at the structural level-healthcare, community, and workplace settings-and at the mother-infant dyad level. Breastfeeding can additionally be an adaptive response to crisis situations and can mitigate some of the environmental challenges associated with climate change. Despite the undeniable significance of climate change on breastfeeding (and vice versa), our perspective as experts in the field is that this topic has not been systematically addressed. Although we highlight some of the challenges, potential solutions, and co-benefits of breastfeeding in the context of climate change, there are numerous issues that could be further explored and necessitate additional preparedness planning.

Drawing the Linkage Between Women's Reproductive Health, Climate Change, Natural Disaster, and Climate-driven Migration: Focusing on Low- and Middle-income Countries - A Systematic Overview

Background

One of the most important aspects of women's well-being and welfare is RSH (reproductive and sexual health). Reproductive health is not an exception to the threat that CCC (climate change and climate crisis) poses to numerous facets of public health. Firstly, the present review seeks to identify the influence of climatic changes, natural disasters, and climate-driven migration on RSH. Secondly, to identify knowledge gaps regarding the same.

Material and Methods

Two databases (Scopus and PubMed) were scanned using Boolean operation. The literature search aimed to find records pertaining to topics of RSH and climate change. Using the PRISMA-ScR method, records were screened and shortlisted based on established inclusion criteria. This literature search was carried out in November 2022. In the shortlisted records, preference for the comprehensive review articles was given.

Results

The present review is based on 38 records that collectively revealed that climate crisis and natural disasters have many negative impacts on female reproductive health. These effects are observed in different phases of life, ranging from teenage to menopause. The unique strength of the present review is that it draws a relationship between female reproductive health and the direct as well as indirect effects of the CCC. The available literature about LMICs is predominantly confined to drought, flood, and earthquake. Disasters like tsunamis, cyclones, and avalanches remain unexplored.

Conclusion

From the available literature, it is quite evident that CCC has an adverse effect on a woman's reproductive life as well as a bearing on future generations' health. Filling these knowledge gaps is pivotal for designing more effective disaster and health policies. Policymakers should take into consideration these detrimental effects while designing health schemes and policies for females.

Associations between climate change-related factors and sexual health: A scoping review

There is growing attention to the ways in which climate change may affect sexual health, yet key knowledge gaps remain across global contexts and climate issues. In response, we conducted a scoping review to examine the literature on associations between climate change and sexual health. We searched five databases (May 2021, September 2022). We reviewed 3,183 non-duplicate records for inclusion; n = 83 articles met inclusion criteria. Of these articles, n = 30 focused on HIV and other STIs, n = 52 focused on sexual and gender-based violence (GBV), and n = 1 focused on comprehensive sexuality education. Thematic analysis revealed that hurricanes, drought, temperature variation, flooding, and storms may influence HIV outcomes among people with HIV by constraining access to antiretroviral treatment and worsening mental health. Climate change was associated with HIV/STI testing barriers and worsened economic conditions that elevated HIV exposure (e.g. transactional sex). Findings varied regarding associations between GBV with storms and drought, yet most studies examining flooding, extreme temperatures, and bushfires reported positive associations with GBV. Future climate change research can examine understudied sexual health domains and a range of climate-related issues (e.g. heat waves, deforestation) for their relevance to sexual health. Climate-resilient sexual health approaches can integrate extreme weather events into programming.

Climate change vulnerability, and health of women and children: Evidence from India using district level data

OBJECTIVE

To understand how climate change vulnerability is associated with women and children's health (WCH) at the district level in India.

METHODS

The district-specific climate change vulnerability index was mapped to the district level NFHS-5 data (N = 674). Fractional regression and spatial analyses were performed to examine the strength of association and the presence of geographic clustering.

RESULTS

Bivariate analysis revealed that the levels of WCH indicators were lower in districts with a high vulnerability index than in those with a low vulnerability index. Multivariable analyses suggested that with a 1% increase in the vulnerability index, the proportion of modern contraceptive use was reduced by 0.22, four or more prenatal care visits by 0.14, postnatal care by 0.11, and full immunization by 0.12; whereas wasting and underweight proportions increased by 0.07 and 0.10, respectively. The spatial analysis found that in about 70-118 districts, mostly in eastern India, where climate vulnerability was high the WCH outcomes were also poor.

CONCLUSION

There is a macro-level association between climate change vulnerability and WCH, as districts that had high levels of climate change vulnerability also performed poorly in WCH. There is a need for an integrated approach that considers geography-specific climate change threats to develop health programs.

Bibliometric and Visualization Analysis of the Ecology of Men's Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare Research in MENA (1985-2022): Outputs, Trends, Shortcomings and Hotspots

Background

To date, no previous research assessed the bibliometrics of men's sexual and reproductive healthcare (SRHC) across Arab countries. This study appraised the current standing of men's SRHC research in the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region.

Methods

We performed a bibliometric analysis to assess qualitatively and quantitatively the peer-reviewed articles published from Arab countries from inception to 2022. In addition, we conducted a visualization analysis, and assessed outputs, trends, shortcomings and hotspots over the given time period.

Results

There was a generally low numbers of publications, 98 studies were identified, all with cross-sectional design, and two thirds explored prevention and control of HIV/other STDs. Studies were published in 71 journals, of which the Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal, Journal of Egyptian Public Health Association, AIDS Care and BMC public health were most common. The Journal of Adolescent Health, Fertility Sterility and Journal of Cancer Survivorship were among the highest IF ranking. Publishers were commonly USA or UK-based, median journal IF was 2.09, and five articles were in journals of IF > 4. Saudi Arabia had the highest published output followed by Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon, while 10 Arab countries had no publications on the topic. Corresponding authors expertise fields were most commonly public health, infectious diseases and family medicine). Collaborations in-between MENA countries were notably low.

Conclusions

There is general paucity of published outputs on SRHC. More research across MENA is needed, with more inter-MENA collaborations, and with inclusion of countries that currently have no outputs on SRHC. In order to accomplish such goals, R&D funding and capacity building are required. Research and published outputs should address SRHC burdens.

Extreme events and gender-based violence: a mixed-methods systematic review

The intensity and frequency of extreme weather and climate events are expected to increase due to anthropogenic climate change. This systematic review explores extreme events and their effect on gender-based violence (GBV) experienced by women, girls, and sexual and gender minorities. We searched ten databases until February, 2022. Grey literature was searched using the websites of key organisations working on GBV and Google. Quantitative studies were described narratively, whereas qualitative studies underwent thematic analysis. We identified 26 381 manuscripts. 41 studies were included exploring several types of extreme events (ie, storms, floods, droughts, heatwaves, and wildfires) and GBV (eg, sexual violence and harassment, physical violence, witch killing, early or forced marriage, and emotional violence). Studies were predominantly cross-sectional. Although most qualitative studies were of reasonable quality, most quantitative studies were of poor quality. Only one study included sexual and gender minorities. Most studies showed an increase in one or several GBV forms during or after extreme events, often related to economic instability, food insecurity, mental stress, disrupted infrastructure, increased exposure to men, tradition, and exacerbated gender inequality. These findings could have important implications for sexual-transformative and gender-transformative interventions, policies, and implementation. High-quality evidence from large, ethnographically diverse cohorts is essential to explore the effects and driving factors of GBV during and after extreme events.

Impact of conditional and unconditional cash transfers on health outcomes and use of health services in humanitarian settings: a mixed-methods systematic review

BACKGROUND

Cash transfers, payments provided by formal or informal institutions to recipients, are increasingly used in emergencies. While increasing autonomy and being supportive of local economies, cash transfers are a cost-effective method in some settings to cover basic needs and extend benefits of limited humanitarian aid budgets. Yet, the extent to which cash transfers impact health in humanitarian settings remains largely unexplored. This systematic review evaluates the evidence on the effect of cash transfers on health outcomes and health service utilisation in humanitarian contexts.

METHODS

Studies eligible for inclusion were peer reviewed (quantitative,qualitative and mixed-methods). Nine databases (PubMed, EMBAS, Medline, CINAHL, Global Health, Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection, SciELO and LiLACS) were searched without language and without a lower bound time restriction through 24 February 2021. The search was updated to include articles published through 8 December 2021. Data were extracted using a piloted extraction tool and quality was assessed using The Joanna Briggs Critical Appraisal Tool. Due to heterogeneity in study designs and outcomes, results were synthesised narratively and no meta-analysis was performed.

RESULTS

30 673 records were identified. After removing duplicates, 17 715 were double screened by abstract and title, and 201 in full text. Twenty-three articles from 16 countries were included reporting on nutrition outcomes, psychosocial and mental health, general/subjective health and well-being, acute illness (eg, diarrhoea, respiratory infection), diabetes control (eg, blood glucose self-monitoring, haemoglobin A1C levels) and gender-based violence. Nineteen studies reported some positive impacts on various health outcomes and use of health services, 11 reported no statistically significant impact on outcomes assessed and 4 reported potential negative impacts on health outcomes.

DISCUSSION

Although there is evidence to suggest a positive relationship between cash transfers and health outcomes in humanitarian settings, high-quality empirical evidence, that is methodologically robust, investigates a range of humanitarian settings and is conducted over longer time periods is needed. This should consider factors influencing programme implementation and the differential impact of cash transfers designed to improve health versus multipurpose cash transfers.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42021237275.