Reproductive Health Literacy and Knowledge Among Female Refugees: A Scoping Review of Measurement Methodologies and Effect on Health Behavior
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Methods
2.1. Study Design
2.2. Study Aim
2.3. Definitions and Inclusion Criteria
2.4. Data Sources and Search Strategy
2.5. Study Selection
2.6. Data Extraction and Analysis
3. Results
3.1. Study Characteristics
3.2. Reproductive Health Literacy and Knowledge: Measurement Methods
3.2.1. Reproductive Health Literacy
3.2.2. Cervical Cancer and Screening
3.2.3. Contraception and Family Planning
3.2.4. HIV
3.2.5. Maternal Health and Pregnancy
3.2.6. Other Domains
3.3. Reproductive Health Literacy and Knowledge: Relation to Behavior, Decision-Making, and Outcomes
3.3.1. Cervical Cancer and Screening
3.3.2. Contraception and Family Planning
3.3.3. HIV
3.3.4. Maternal Health and Pregnancy
3.3.5. Other Domains
4. Discussion
4.1. Measurement of Reproductive Health Literacy and Knowledge
4.2. The Influence of Reproductive Health Knowledge on Decision-Making, Behavior, and Outcomes
4.3. Promoting Reproductive Health Literacy and Knowledge
4.4. Limitations
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
Abbreviations
HCP | Healthcare provider |
LMIC | Low- or middle-income country |
RH | Reproductive health |
RHL | Reproductive health literacy |
SRH | Sexual and reproductive health |
Appendix A
Section | Item | PRISMA-ScR Checklist Item | Reported on Page # |
---|---|---|---|
Title | 1 | Identify the report as a scoping review. | 1 |
Abstract | |||
Structured summary | 2 | Provide a structured summary that includes (as applicable): background, objectives, eligibility criteria, sources of evidence, charting methods, results, and conclusions that relate to the review questions and objectives. | 1 |
Introduction | |||
Rationale | 3 | Describe the rationale for the review in the context of what is already known. Explain why the review questions/objectives lend themselves to a scoping review approach. | 1–3 |
Objectives | 4 | Provide an explicit statement of the questions and objectives being addressed with reference to their key elements (e.g., population or participants, concepts, and context) or other relevant key elements used to conceptualize the review questions and/or objectives. | 3 |
Methods | |||
Protocol and registration | 5 | Indicate whether a review protocol exists; state if and where it can be accessed (e.g., a Web address); and if available, provide registration information, including the registration number. | 3 |
Eligibility criteria | 6 | Specify characteristics of the sources of evidence used as eligibility criteria (e.g., years considered, language, and publication status), and provide a rationale. | 3 |
Information sources * | 7 | Describe all information sources in the search (e.g., databases with dates of coverage and contact with authors to identify additional sources), as well as the date the most recent search was executed. | 3 |
Search | 8 | Present the full electronic search strategy for at least 1 database, including any limits used, such that it could be repeated. | 3–4 |
Selection of sources of evidence † | 9 | State the process for selecting sources of evidence (i.e., screening and eligibility) included in the scoping review. | 4 |
Data charting process ‡ | 10 | Describe the methods of charting data from the included sources of evidence (e.g., calibrated forms or forms that have been tested by the team before their use, and whether data charting was done independently or in duplicate) and any processes for obtaining and confirming data from investigators. | 4 |
Data items | 11 | List and define all variables for which data were sought and any assumptions and simplifications made. | 5, Table 1 and Table 2 |
Critical appraisal of individual sources of evidence § | 12 | If done, provide a rationale for conducting a critical appraisal of included sources of evidence; describe the methods used and how this information was used in any data synthesis (if appropriate). | NA |
Synthesis of results | 13 | Describe the methods of handling and summarizing the data that were charted. | 4 |
Results | |||
Selection of sources of evidence | 14 | Give numbers of sources of evidence screened, assessed for eligibility, and included in the review, with reasons for exclusions at each stage, ideally using a flow diagram. | 8 |
Characteristics of sources of evidence | 15 | For each source of evidence, present characteristics for which data were charted and provide the citations. | Table 1 and Table 2 |
Critical appraisal within sources of evidence | 16 | If done, present data on critical appraisal of included sources of evidence (see item 12). | NA |
Results of individual sources of evidence | 17 | For each included source of evidence, present the relevant data that were charted that relate to the review questions and objectives. | Table 1 and Table 2 |
Synthesis of results | 18 | Summarize and/or present the charting results as they relate to the review questions and objectives. | 9–12 |
Discussion | |||
Summary of evidence | 19 | Summarize the main results (including an overview of concepts, themes, and types of evidence available), link to the review questions and objectives, and consider the relevance to key groups. | 12–15 |
Limitations | 20 | Discuss the limitations of the scoping review process. | 15–16 |
Conclusions | 21 | Provide a general interpretation of the results with respect to the review questions and objectives, as well as potential implications and/or next steps. | 16 |
Funding | 22 | Describe sources of funding for the included sources of evidence, as well as sources of funding for the scoping review. Describe the role of the funders of the scoping review. | 18 |
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N | Author | Year | Country | Population (n) | Design | Findings |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Agbemenu et al. [25] | 2018 | USA | Somali Bantu refugee women (30) | Qualitative | Accurate and high levels of knowledge on birth control options did not increase contraceptive uptake. |
2 | Agbemenu et al. [26] | 2022 | USA | African refugee women (101) | Quantitative | Study population had overall low levels of knowledge. Accurate knowledge did not override stigma. |
3 | Allen et al. [27] | 2018 | USA | Somali Bantu refugee women with >1 child (31) | Qualitative | Low knowledge about HPV was associated with low HPV vaccination rates. |
4 | Anaman et al. [28] | 2017 | Australia | African refugee (144) and non-refugee (110) women | Quantitative | Low health literacy and low levels of knowledge regarding cervical cancer and screening were associated with low Pap smear uptake. |
5 | Anaman et al. [29] | 2018 | Australia | African refugee (144) and non-refugee (110) women | Quantitative | Refugees in the study population had significantly lower levels of knowledge about cervical cancer and Pap smear screening. |
6 | Anaman-Torgbor et al. [30] | 2017 | Australia | African refugee (10) and non-refugee (9) women | Qualitative | Low knowledge was identified as a barrier to cervical cancer screening participation. |
7 | Dalla et al. [31] | 2022 | Greece | Syrian refugee women (176) | Quantitative | Study population had extreme low levels of knowledge regarding cervical cancer, screening methods, and HPV vaccination, assessed using cervical CAM. |
8 | Dean et al. [32] | 2017 | Australia | Sudanese refugee-background youth, aged 16–24 (80 female and 149 male) | Quantitative | Low levels of STI and HIV knowledge were associated with higher sexual risk behavior. Knowledge was measured using NSASSSH. |
9 | Dhar et al. [33] | 2017 | USA | Bhutanese refugee female youth (14) | Qualitative | Study population had low levels of knowledge across RH domains. |
10 | Feresu et al. [34] | 2013 | USA | Sudanese (86) and Somali Bantu (14) immigrant women from predominantly refugee community | Mixed methods | Knowledge on different aspects of HIV (transmission, protection, testing, etc.) was generally low and associated with low rate of condom usage. |
11 | Gele et al. [35] | 2020 | Norway | Somali immigrant women (21) | Qualitative | Low levels of knowledge regarding contraceptives was associated with nonuse. |
12 | Haworth et al. [36] | 2014 | USA | Bhutanese refugee women (69) | Mixed methods | Limited knowledge was identified as a barrier to Pap test utilization. History of Pap smear was associated with increased knowledge. |
13 | Henry et al. [37] | 2020 | Germany | Iraqi, Syrian, and Palestinian refugee women (12) | Qualitative | Low health literacy and knowledge regarding maternal care was associated with delays in seeking care. |
14 | Inci et al. [38] | 2020 | Germany | Refugee women from various countries (307) | Quantitative | History of sexual education was associated with contraceptive usage, but not associated with preference for more effective contraceptive methods. |
15 | Kaneoka et al. [39] | 2020 | Scotland | Asylum-seeking and refugee women from various countries (14) | Qualitative | RH literacy was low in the study population, which was identified as a barrier to RH decision-making. |
16 | Kuru Alici and Ogüncer [40] | 2024 | Turkey | Afghan refugee women (20) | Qualitative | Low and inaccurate knowledge was not associated with nonuse of contraceptives. |
17 | Lor et al. [41] | 2018 | USA | Refugee women from Burma (31) and Bhutan (27) | Qualitative | Low cervical cancer knowledge was associated with low rates of screening. Health information was identified as a facilitator of health behavior and independent health decision-making. |
18 | Madeira et al. [42] | 2019 | USA | Somali women from a predominantly refugee community (21) | Mixed methods | Participation in group prenatal care was associated with increased knowledge. Increased knowledge was associated with increased engagement in prenatal care. |
19 | Metusela et al. [43] | 2017 | Australia, Canada | Migrant and refugee women from Afghanistan (35), Iraq (27), Somalia (38), South Sudan (11), Sudan (20), India (9), Sri Lanka (12), and South America (17) | Qualitative | Study population had inadequate knowledge across multiple RH domains. Inaccurate knowledge was a barrier to RH behavior. |
20 | Napier-Raman et al. [44] | 2024 | Australia | Migrant and refugee youth, aged 16–26 (42 female and 13 male) from various countries (68) | Mixed methods | Study participants had lack of RH knowledge and education. Relational factors were more influential in the decision-making process than knowledge. |
21 | Napier-Raman et al. [45] | 2025 | Australia | Migrant and refugee youth, aged 16–26 (74 female and 32 male) from various countries (107) | Quantitative | Females had greater knowledge and awareness of contraceptive methods than males, but misconceptions persisted in both genders. Contraceptive utilization was not different between genders. Women had higher rates of sexual coercion, STIs, and unplanned pregnancy. |
22 | Ngum Chi Watts et al. [46] | 2014 | Australia | Refugee teenagers and women from Sudan (10), Liberia (3), Ethiopia (1), Burundi (1), and Sierra Leone (1) with h/o teenage pregnancy (16) | Qualitative | Low knowledge surrounding contraceptives was identified as a deterrent to contraceptive uptake. |
23 | Ngum Chi Watts et al. [47] | 2015 | Australia | Refugee teenagers and women from Sudan (10), Liberia (3), Ethiopia (1), Burundi (1), and Sierra Leone (1) with h/o teenage pregnancy (16) | Qualitative | Low and inaccurate knowledge was associated with nonuse of contraceptives. |
24 | Ornelas et al. [48] | 2017 | USA | Karen-Burmese (20) and Nepali–Bhutanese (20) refugee women | Quantitative | Increased knowledge after watching cervical cancer educational videos was not consistently associated with increased intention to pursue Pap screening. |
25 | Rauf et al. [49] | 2025 | USA | Afghan refugees (184), specifically Dari (67), Arabic (53), and Pashto (64) speakers | Quantitative | Reproductive health literacy scale made of HLS-EU-Q6, eHEALS, C-CLAT, and SHELA showed good inter-item reliability for this population. |
26 | Royer et al. [50] | 2019 | USA | Somali (41) and Congolese (25) refugee women | Qualitative | High levels of knowledge regarding available methods of contraception was not associated with contraceptive usage. |
27 | Zhang et al. [51] | 2020 | USA | Somali refugee women of reproductive age (53) | Qualitative | Inaccurate knowledge was a barrier to contraceptive uptake. |
Agbemenu et al., 2018 [25] | Agbemenu et al., 2022 [26] | Allen et al., 2018 [27] | Anaman et al., 2017 [28] | Anaman et al., 2018 [28] | Anaman-Torgbor et al., 2017 [30] | Dalla et al., 2022 [31] | Dean et al., 2017 [32] | Dhar et al., 2017 [33] | Feresu et al., 2013 [34] | Gele et al., 2020 [35] | Haworth et al., 2014 [36] | Henry et al., 2020 [37] | Inci et al., 2020 [38] | Kaneoka et al., 2020 [39] | Kuru Alici & Ogüncer, 2024 [40] | Lor et al., 2018 [41] | Madeira et al., 2019 [42] | Metusela et al., 2017 [43] | Napier-Raman et al., 2024 [44] | Napier-Raman et al., 2025 [45] | Ngum Chi Watts et al., 2014 [46] | Ngum Chi Watts et al., 2015 [47] | Ornelas et al., 2017 [48] | Rauf et al., 2025 [49] | Royer et al., 2019 [50] | Zhang et al., 2020 [51] | ||
Domain | Abortion | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Cervical Cancer | X | X | X | X | CAM | X | X | X | X | ReproNet ** | ||||||||||||||||||
Family Planning | X | NSASSSH | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | NSASSSH | X | X | ReproNet ** | X | ||||||||||||||
Gender-Based Violence | X | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
HIV | X | X | WHO * | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Maternal Health and Obstetric Care | X | X | ReproNet ** | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Menstruation and Gynecological Health | X | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
STIs | X | X | X | X | X |
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Tseng, K.W.; Mohabbat, H.; Adachi, A.; Calaguas, A.; Kaur, A.; Salem, N.; Goliaei, Z. Reproductive Health Literacy and Knowledge Among Female Refugees: A Scoping Review of Measurement Methodologies and Effect on Health Behavior. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2025, 22, 1121. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22071121
Tseng KW, Mohabbat H, Adachi A, Calaguas A, Kaur A, Salem N, Goliaei Z. Reproductive Health Literacy and Knowledge Among Female Refugees: A Scoping Review of Measurement Methodologies and Effect on Health Behavior. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2025; 22(7):1121. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22071121
Chicago/Turabian StyleTseng, Kimberly W., Henna Mohabbat, Anne Adachi, Angela Calaguas, Amardeep Kaur, Nabeala Salem, and Zahra Goliaei. 2025. "Reproductive Health Literacy and Knowledge Among Female Refugees: A Scoping Review of Measurement Methodologies and Effect on Health Behavior" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 22, no. 7: 1121. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22071121
APA StyleTseng, K. W., Mohabbat, H., Adachi, A., Calaguas, A., Kaur, A., Salem, N., & Goliaei, Z. (2025). Reproductive Health Literacy and Knowledge Among Female Refugees: A Scoping Review of Measurement Methodologies and Effect on Health Behavior. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 22(7), 1121. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22071121