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Gender equity and sexual and reproductive health in Eastern and Southern Africa: a critical overview of the literature

BACKGROUND: Gender inequalities are important social determinants of health. We set out to critically review the literature relating to gender equity and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) in Eastern and Southern Africa with the aim of identifying priorities for action. DESIGN: During November 201...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: MacPherson, Eleanor E., Richards, Esther, Namakhoma, Ireen, Theobald, Sally
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Co-Action Publishing 2014
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4074359/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24972916
http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/gha.v7.23717
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author MacPherson, Eleanor E.
Richards, Esther
Namakhoma, Ireen
Theobald, Sally
author_facet MacPherson, Eleanor E.
Richards, Esther
Namakhoma, Ireen
Theobald, Sally
author_sort MacPherson, Eleanor E.
collection PubMed
description BACKGROUND: Gender inequalities are important social determinants of health. We set out to critically review the literature relating to gender equity and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) in Eastern and Southern Africa with the aim of identifying priorities for action. DESIGN: During November 2011, we identified studies relating to SRH and gender equity through a comprehensive literature search. RESULTS: We found gender inequalities to be common across a range of health issues relating to SRH with women being particularly disadvantaged. Social and biological determinants combined to increase women's vulnerability to maternal mortality, HIV, and gender-based violence. Health systems significantly disadvantaged women in terms of access to care. Men fared worse in relation to HIV testing and care with social norms leading to men presenting later for treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Gender inequity in SRH requires multiple complementary approaches to address the structural drivers of unequal health outcomes. These could include interventions that alter the structural environment in which ill-health is created. Interventions are required both within and beyond the health system.
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spelling pubmed-40743592014-07-11 Gender equity and sexual and reproductive health in Eastern and Southern Africa: a critical overview of the literature MacPherson, Eleanor E. Richards, Esther Namakhoma, Ireen Theobald, Sally Glob Health Action Gender and Health BACKGROUND: Gender inequalities are important social determinants of health. We set out to critically review the literature relating to gender equity and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) in Eastern and Southern Africa with the aim of identifying priorities for action. DESIGN: During November 2011, we identified studies relating to SRH and gender equity through a comprehensive literature search. RESULTS: We found gender inequalities to be common across a range of health issues relating to SRH with women being particularly disadvantaged. Social and biological determinants combined to increase women's vulnerability to maternal mortality, HIV, and gender-based violence. Health systems significantly disadvantaged women in terms of access to care. Men fared worse in relation to HIV testing and care with social norms leading to men presenting later for treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Gender inequity in SRH requires multiple complementary approaches to address the structural drivers of unequal health outcomes. These could include interventions that alter the structural environment in which ill-health is created. Interventions are required both within and beyond the health system. Co-Action Publishing 2014-06-26 /pmc/articles/PMC4074359/ /pubmed/24972916 http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/gha.v7.23717 Text en © 2014 Eleanor E. MacPherson et al. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
spellingShingle Gender and Health
MacPherson, Eleanor E.
Richards, Esther
Namakhoma, Ireen
Theobald, Sally
Gender equity and sexual and reproductive health in Eastern and Southern Africa: a critical overview of the literature
title Gender equity and sexual and reproductive health in Eastern and Southern Africa: a critical overview of the literature
title_full Gender equity and sexual and reproductive health in Eastern and Southern Africa: a critical overview of the literature
title_fullStr Gender equity and sexual and reproductive health in Eastern and Southern Africa: a critical overview of the literature
title_full_unstemmed Gender equity and sexual and reproductive health in Eastern and Southern Africa: a critical overview of the literature
title_short Gender equity and sexual and reproductive health in Eastern and Southern Africa: a critical overview of the literature
title_sort gender equity and sexual and reproductive health in eastern and southern africa: a critical overview of the literature
topic Gender and Health
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4074359/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24972916
http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/gha.v7.23717
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