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Reproductive and Sexual Health: Addressing Understudied Areas in Public Health...
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Reproductive and Sexual Health: Addressing Understudied Areas in Public Health and Primary Care

A special issue of Healthcare (ISSN 2227-9032).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2026 | Viewed by 1104

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Harpal S. Randeva

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
2. Warwickshire Institute for the Study of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism (WISDEM), University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, Coventry CV2 2DX, UK
3. Centre for Sport, Exercise and Life Sciences, Research Institute for Health & Wellbeing, Coventry University, Coventry CV1 5FB, UK
Interests: endocrinology; PCOS; women’s health; metabolism; diabetes; obesity; primary care; health inequalities; reproductive health
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Chris Kite

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. School of Health and Society, University of Wolverhampton, Millennium City Building, City Campus, Wulfruna Street, Wolverhampton WV1 1LY, UK
2. Warwickshire Institute for the Study of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism (WISDEM), University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, Coventry CV2 2DX, UK
3. Faculty of Health, Medicine and Society, Division of Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing University of Chester, Chester CH1 4BJ, UK
Interests: public health; women’s health; reproductive and sexual health; PCOS; exercise; obesity; mental health
Dr. Alexander Dallaway

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. School of Health and Society, University of Wolverhampton, Millennium City Building, City Campus, Wulfruna Street, Wolverhampton WV1 1LY, UK
2. Warwickshire Institute for the Study of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism (WISDEM), University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, Coventry CV2 2DX, UK
Interests: public health; reproductive and sexual health; older age; sarcopenia; women’s health; mental health
Dr. Lukasz Lagojda

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor Assistant
1. Sheffield Centre for Health and Related Research, School of Medicine and Population Health, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S1 4DA, UK
2. Warwickshire Institute for the Study of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism (WISDEM), University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, Coventry CV2 2DX, UK
Interests: public health; reproductive and sexual health; women’s health; mental health

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Both reproductive and sexual health are fundamental to individual well-being and societal health, yet these areas remain significantly understudied and are often marginalized within public health and primary care research. Limited knowledge and research in this domain hinder the development of relevant effective interventions and perpetuate health disparities.

This Special Issue seeks to address this critical gap by bringing together the perspectives of researchers and experts when it comes to understudied aspects of reproductive and/or sexual health in public health and primary care. This Special Issue in Healthcare provides a platform for disseminating reliable and comprehensive information about sexual health to a broad audience, including healthcare professionals, researchers, policymakers, and other stakeholders.

We are delighted to serve as the editors for this Special Issue, which is titled “Reproductive and Sexual Health: Addressing Understudied Areas in Public Health and Primary Care”. We invite submissions of original research articles, as well as of reviews, including systematic reviews, meta-analyses, scoping reviews, narrative reviews, and rapid reviews.

Aims and Scope

This Special Issue aims to accomplish the following goals:

  • Investigate the prevalence, determinants, and consequences of reproductive and/or sexual health issues in diverse populations.
  • Explore and evaluate innovative approaches to promoting reproductive and/or sexual health, including prevention strategies, health education programs, and clinical interventions.
  • Examine the social, economic, and cultural factors contributing to disparities in reproductive and/or sexual access and outcomes, particularly in vulnerable and marginalized communities.
  • Provide evidence-based recommendations for improving reproductive and/or sexual health services, integrating these into primary care, and developing effective public health policies.
  • Create a forum for researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and community stakeholders to share knowledge, collaborate on research initiatives, and translate research findings into practice.

Potential Topics

Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • Reproductive and/or sexual health integration in primary care settings.
  • Health promotion and education strategies for diverse populations regarding reproductive and/or sexual health.
  • Public health interventions to prevent sexually transmitted infections and promote sexual well-being.
  • Female reproductive and sexual health across lifespan [e.g., maternal health/care, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, menopause, cancer, and infertility).
  • Male reproductive and/or sexual health (e.g., infertility, erectile dysfunction).
  • Reproductive and/or sexual health disparities and needs of under-served groups, including LGBTQ+ individuals and ethnic minority groups (examples of this can be found at www.nihr.ac.uk/improving-inclusion-under-served-groups-clinical-research-guidance-include-project).
  • Sexualized drug use and its impact on physical and mental health, and social functioning.
  • The impact of reproductive and/or sexual health on quality of life and/or mental health.
  • High-risk sexual behaviors and their impact on reproductive and/or sexual health (e.g., sexualized drug use and its impact on physical and mental health, and social functioning).
  • Access to and utilization of reproductive and/or sexual services, including contraception and abortion care.
  • The role of technology (e.g., AI) in improving reproductive and/or sexual health.
  • Ethical, legal, and social aspects/implications in reproductive and/or sexual health (e.g., surrogacy and the experiences of surrogate mothers, intended parents, and children born through surrogacy).

Dr. Harpal S. Randeva
Dr. Chris Kite
Dr. Alexander Dallaway
Guest Editors

Dr. Lukasz Lagojda
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Healthcare is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • prevention
  • reproductive health
  • sexual health
  • public health
  • primary care
  • health disparities
  • health inequalities

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 484 KB  
Article
The Development and Validation of a Satisfaction and Emotional Perception Scale for Women Undergoing Fertility Treatment
by Laura de la Torre García, Andrés Arias Astray, Iria Osa Subtil, Concepción del Pino Ortega, Reyes Velázquez Barbado, Carlos González Duque and María José Dios-Duarte
Healthcare 2025, 13(19), 2416; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13192416 - 24 Sep 2025
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Abstract
Background/Objectives: It is known that assisted human reproduction in infertility causes psychological and mental instability in those undergoing this treatment. Patient satisfaction, personal experiences with assisted reproduction treatment (IVF) and self-perception of emotional distress require a comprehensive study using complete and scientifically [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: It is known that assisted human reproduction in infertility causes psychological and mental instability in those undergoing this treatment. Patient satisfaction, personal experiences with assisted reproduction treatment (IVF) and self-perception of emotional distress require a comprehensive study using complete and scientifically validated instruments. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a scale enabling nurses to assess patient satisfaction with the care they receive, personal satisfaction with the assisted reproduction treatment process, and self-perceptions of emotional discomfort. Methods: This study employed a mixed research strategy. Initially, a systematic literature review informed the qualitative phase, which involved expert focus groups in formulating the questionnaire items. Subsequently, the developed scale underwent psychometric analysis in the quantitative phase and was given to women undergoing fertility treatment. Results: The scale was found to have an acceptable level of factorial validity and reliability. The items were consistent and homogeneous, with high saturation in their respective factors (3). A negative covariance was observed between factors 1 and 2, and between factors 2 and 3, along with a positive covariance between factors 1 and 3. Furthermore, it was found that satisfaction with nursing care (F1) was associated with a lower need for professional psychological help and that a greater perception of emotional well-being (F2) was associated with a greater need for this type of help (F1: β = −0.07, p = 0.002; F2: β = 0.10, p = 0.004). Conclusions: This scale is a robust and dependable instrument, demonstrating its validity and reliability. Most notable are its user-friendly nature, ease of administration, and minimal time needed. Moreover, the scale proves effective in identifying women who require professional psychological support, which is a critical distinction with significant implications for patient care. In practical terms, the scale equips nurses with a powerful tool for conducting a thorough and efficient assessment of women undergoing fertility treatment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reproductive and Sexual Health: Addressing Understudied Areas in Public Health and Primary Care)
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Other

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19 pages, 892 KB  
Systematic Review
Exploring the Impact of Health Literacy on Fertility Awareness and Reproductive Health in University Students—A Systematic Review
by Viktória Prémusz, Melese Dereje Mesfin, Leman Atmaca, Shalini Chauhan, Zoltán Tándor, Lili Andrea Bodor, Ákos Várnagy and Dahabo Adi Galgalo
Healthcare 2025, 13(18), 2342; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13182342 - 17 Sep 2025
Viewed by 318
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Health literacy has an impact on students’ reproductive health. Therefore, the objective of our study is to systematically examine, identify, and summarize all research on the role of health literacy in fertility awareness and reproductive health among university students in order to [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Health literacy has an impact on students’ reproductive health. Therefore, the objective of our study is to systematically examine, identify, and summarize all research on the role of health literacy in fertility awareness and reproductive health among university students in order to understand how health literacy influences reproductive health outcomes in this population. Methods: Using the PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive systematic search was conducted using electronic databases, such as PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Scopus, and Google Scholar. The protocol was registered in the Prospective Register for Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO, CRD 42024566268). All studies were imported into EndNote software and screened using a two-level title/abstract screening process. The included studies were narratively summarized. Results: The database search identified 1360 articles; 116 duplicates were removed, and thus, 1244 were initially screened, leading to 1133 exclusions. A total of 111 articles underwent full screening, and 94 were then excluded. A total of 14 articles were included for data extraction. Health literacy impacts university students’ behaviour, fertility awareness, and reproductive health knowledge. Students with higher health literacy show more understanding of critical topics such as fertility and emergency contraception. Socioeconomic factors play a crucial role in shaping health literacy and reproductive choices, while gender disparities highlight the need for targeted educational interventions, particularly for male students. Effective educational programs have been shown to enhance health literacy. Additionally, technology integration serves as a valuable tool for disseminating reproductive health information. Cultural context also plays a vital role in influencing health literacy. Conclusions: The findings of this study emphasize the importance of comprehensive strategies to enhance health literacy among university students, and future research should focus on developing and evaluating targeted educational programs that address gender disparities and socioeconomic factors influencing health literacy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reproductive and Sexual Health: Addressing Understudied Areas in Public Health and Primary Care)
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