Journal Article

Scoping review of sexual and reproductive healthcare for men in the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region: a handful of paradoxes?

El Ansari, Walid, Al Ansari, Abdulla, AlRumaihi, Khalid, Mahdi, Mohammed, Arafa, Mohamed, Majzoub, Ahmad, Albakr, Ahmed, Elbardisi, Haitham

2023

Overview

Background No study appraised the knowledge gaps and factors impacting men’s sexual and reproductive health (SRH) in MENA (Middle East and North Africa). The current scoping review undertook this task. Methods We searched PubMed and Web of Science (WoS) electronic databases for original articles on men’s SRH published from MENA. Data was extracted from the selected articles and mapped out employing the WHO framework for operationalising SRH. Analyses and data synthesis identified the factors impacting on men’s experiences of and access to SRH. Results A total of 98 articles met the inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis. The majority of studies focused on HIV and other sexually transmissible infections (67%); followed by comprehensive education and information (10%); contraception counselling/provision (9%); sexual function and psychosexual counselling (5%); fertility care (8%); and gender-based violence prevention, support/care (1%). There were no studies on antenatal/intrapartum/postnatal care and on safe abortion care (0% for both). Conceptually, there was lack of knowledge of the different domains of men’s SRH, with negative attitudes, and many misconceptions; as well as a deficiency of health system policies, strategies and interventions for SRH. Conclusion Men’s SRH is not sufficiently prioritized. We observed five ‘paradoxes’: strong focus on HIV/AIDS, when MENA has low prevalence of HIV; weak focus on both fertility and sexual dysfunctions, despite their high prevalence in MENA; no publications on men’s involvement in sexual gender-based violence, despite its frequency across MENA; no studies of men’s involvement in antenatal/intrapartum/postnatal care, despite the international literature valuing such involvement; and, many studies identifying lack of SRH knowledge, but no publications on policies and strategies addressing such shortcoming. These ‘mismatches’ suggest the necessity for efforts to enhance the education of the general population and healthcare workers, as well as improvements across MENA health systems, with future research examining their effects on men’s SRH.

• Publisher: BioMed Central,BioMed Central Ltd,Springer Nature B.V,BMC
• Subject: Abortion / Acquired immune deficiency syndrome / Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Africa, Northern - epidemiology / Aggression / AIDS / Attitudes / Biostatistics / Birth control / Contraception / Counseling / Delivery of Health Care / Demographic aspects / Disorders / Education / Environmental Health / Epidemiology / Female / Fertility / Gays & lesbians / Gender / Gender-based violence / Health aspects / Health behavior / Health care / Health care policy / Health planning / Health services / Health surveillance / HIV / Human immunodeficiency virus / Humans / Infections / Knowledge / Male / Medical personnel / Medical tests / Medicine / Medicine & Public Health / Men / Mens health / Middle East - epidemiology / Middle East and North Africa / Misconceptions / Paradoxes / Participation / Postpartum period / Pregnancy / Prenatal care / Prevention / Public Health / Reproductive Health / Reproductive healthcare / Secondary schools / Sexual Behavior / Sexual disorders / Sexual dysfunction / Sexual health / Sexual medicine / Sexually transmitted diseases / Sociopolitical factors / STD / Vaccine / Violence