Barriers and facilitators to accessing and utilising sexual and reproductive health services during the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Abstract Background Ensuring uninterrupted access and utilisation of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services remains crucial for preventing adverse SRH outcomes. However, the unprecedented emergence of the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) significantly disrupted most of these services in Af...
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BMC
2024-12-01
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| Series: | BMC Health Services Research |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-024-12028-2 |
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| author | Obasanjo Afolabi Bolarinwa Clifford Odimegwu Kobi V. Ajayi Tosin Olajide Oni Rajeeb Kumar Sah Akanni Akinyemi |
| author_facet | Obasanjo Afolabi Bolarinwa Clifford Odimegwu Kobi V. Ajayi Tosin Olajide Oni Rajeeb Kumar Sah Akanni Akinyemi |
| author_sort | Obasanjo Afolabi Bolarinwa |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Ensuring uninterrupted access and utilisation of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services remains crucial for preventing adverse SRH outcomes. However, the unprecedented emergence of the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) significantly disrupted most of these services in Africa. Thus, we systematically reviewed and examined barriers and facilitators to accessing and utilising SRH services during the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa. Methods We systematically searched five databases for relevant articles published between January 2020 to December 2022, and the articles were screened following the JBI and PRISMA guidelines. Meta-synthesis of barriers and facilitators to accessing and utilising SRH services during the COVID-19 pandemic were reported, while a meta-analysis of the pooled prevalence of barriers to accessing and utilising SRH services during the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa was analysed using R. Results The pooled prevalence of barriers to accessing and utilising SRH services during the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa was 26%. Seven themes were developed for the identified barriers (disruption of healthcare services, fear and misinformation, limited availability of resources, place & region of residence, healthcare staff attitude/manpower, limited access to transportation, and stigma and discrimination), whilst six themes were developed for the identified facilitators (support for vulnerable populations, socio-demographic characteristics, community outreach programs, policy adaptations, telemedicine and digital health, and change in choice of sexual and reproductive commodities). Conclusion This study found that the COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted SRH service access and utilisation in Africa. We recommend that future research consider a longitudinal examination of the pandemic on African SRH services. Trial registration PROSPERO registration number: CRD42022373335. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7cc80d9e2fc34a7d953e9548903f3ff1 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1472-6963 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Health Services Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-7cc80d9e2fc34a7d953e9548903f3ff12024-12-08T12:23:08ZengBMCBMC Health Services Research1472-69632024-12-0124111610.1186/s12913-024-12028-2Barriers and facilitators to accessing and utilising sexual and reproductive health services during the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysisObasanjo Afolabi Bolarinwa0Clifford Odimegwu1Kobi V. Ajayi2Tosin Olajide Oni3Rajeeb Kumar Sah4Akanni Akinyemi5Department of Public Health, York St John UniversityDemography and Population Studies Programme, Schools of Public Health and Social Sciences, University of the WitwatersrandDepartment of Health Behavior, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University College StationDepartment of Demography and Social Statistics, Obafemi Awolowo UniversitySchool of Human and Health Sciences, University of HuddersfieldDepartment of Demography and Social Statistics, Obafemi Awolowo UniversityAbstract Background Ensuring uninterrupted access and utilisation of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services remains crucial for preventing adverse SRH outcomes. However, the unprecedented emergence of the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) significantly disrupted most of these services in Africa. Thus, we systematically reviewed and examined barriers and facilitators to accessing and utilising SRH services during the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa. Methods We systematically searched five databases for relevant articles published between January 2020 to December 2022, and the articles were screened following the JBI and PRISMA guidelines. Meta-synthesis of barriers and facilitators to accessing and utilising SRH services during the COVID-19 pandemic were reported, while a meta-analysis of the pooled prevalence of barriers to accessing and utilising SRH services during the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa was analysed using R. Results The pooled prevalence of barriers to accessing and utilising SRH services during the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa was 26%. Seven themes were developed for the identified barriers (disruption of healthcare services, fear and misinformation, limited availability of resources, place & region of residence, healthcare staff attitude/manpower, limited access to transportation, and stigma and discrimination), whilst six themes were developed for the identified facilitators (support for vulnerable populations, socio-demographic characteristics, community outreach programs, policy adaptations, telemedicine and digital health, and change in choice of sexual and reproductive commodities). Conclusion This study found that the COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted SRH service access and utilisation in Africa. We recommend that future research consider a longitudinal examination of the pandemic on African SRH services. Trial registration PROSPERO registration number: CRD42022373335.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-024-12028-2BarriersFacilitatorsAccessUtilisationSexual and reproductive health servicesCOVID-19 |
| spellingShingle | Obasanjo Afolabi Bolarinwa Clifford Odimegwu Kobi V. Ajayi Tosin Olajide Oni Rajeeb Kumar Sah Akanni Akinyemi Barriers and facilitators to accessing and utilising sexual and reproductive health services during the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis BMC Health Services Research Barriers Facilitators Access Utilisation Sexual and reproductive health services COVID-19 |
| title | Barriers and facilitators to accessing and utilising sexual and reproductive health services during the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis |
| title_full | Barriers and facilitators to accessing and utilising sexual and reproductive health services during the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis |
| title_fullStr | Barriers and facilitators to accessing and utilising sexual and reproductive health services during the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Barriers and facilitators to accessing and utilising sexual and reproductive health services during the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis |
| title_short | Barriers and facilitators to accessing and utilising sexual and reproductive health services during the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis |
| title_sort | barriers and facilitators to accessing and utilising sexual and reproductive health services during the covid 19 pandemic in africa a systematic review and meta analysis |
| topic | Barriers Facilitators Access Utilisation Sexual and reproductive health services COVID-19 |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-024-12028-2 |
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