Understanding the sexuality and sexual health of Muslim young people in Canada and other Western countries: A scoping review of research literature

Abstract

Muslim communities comprise one of the fastest growing populations in Canada and other Western countries. Healthcare providers and educators point to the lack of relevant and inclusive sexual health information as a major barrier in promoting Muslim young people's sexual health. Since evidence-based knowledge is critical to the development of relevant sexual health resources, we undertook a scoping review of primary and secondary research literature on sexuality and sexual health of Muslim young people. For the purpose of identifying relevant literature, we include studies of youth and young adults aged 12 to 30. We searched nine electronic databases encompassing multiple disciplines to identify recent peer-reviewed journal articles and grey literature published in English between 2005 and 2015. The search yielded 1187 articles; 306 duplicated articles were removed; 859 did not meet the inclusion criteria of Muslim young people and sexuality or sexual health; and a total of 22 articles were included in this review. This paper reports on the major themes identified through the review: (1) sexual health knowledge and perspectives on sex education; (2) socialization and conflicting values about sexuality; (3) gender, risks and sexual practices; and (4) sexual health information and service needs. We conclude that the lack of research on sexuality and sexual health of Muslim young people poses a challenge for policy-makers, service providers, sex educators and other stakeholders to gain sufficient understanding to guide the development of effective and inclusive sexual health programming for Muslim young people in Canada and other Western countries.