Sexual and Gender Minorities Inclusion and Uptake of Sexual and Reproductive Health Services: A Scoping Review of Literature.

Abstract

Despite the efforts to ensure that sexual and reproductive health services are integrated into global, regional, and national initiatives, a significant number of countries are overwhelmed by frames of exclusion and violations of fundamental human rights, particularly for sexual and gender minority groups such as lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgender people. This study sought to review the literature on access and barriers faced by sexual and gender minorities. A scoping literature review was conducted on literature that focused on sexual and gender minorities and sexual and reproductive health services and published in the English language. Studies were independently screened and coded, categorizing themes such as policies, uptake of services, barriers to sexual and reproductive health access, and strategies to aid the uptake of services. The search yielded 1,148 literature sources, of which 39 met the inclusion criteria and were reviewed. The average sexual and reproductive health service uptake was generally low overall and was influenced by factors such as clinical settings, punitive laws, and availability of services specific to sexual and gender minorities. Noted strategies to aid sexual and reproductive health uptake include education, friendly health care facilities, availability of specific services, and legislative reform. The sexual and reproductive health program is an important component of short-term and long-term sexual and reproductive health needs. Health intervention initiatives targeted at improving or increasing sexual and reproductive health uptake must be supported by suitable legal and regulatory framework contexts and based on context-specific evidence.