JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Effective and accessible instructional methods are needed to address the surge of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) concerns among adolescents worldwide. Adolescents, particularly those in the African region, experience major challenges to getting accurate and comprehensive sexual and reproductive health information because of socio-cultural norms, stigma, and limited SRH educational resources. Digital educational tools, leveraging the widespread use of mobile phones and internet connectivity, present a promising avenue to overcome these barriers and enhance sexual and reproductive health education among adolescents in the sub-Saharan Africa region.

Objective:

To conduct a narrative review to examine existing research on the availability, content, and impact of digital educational tools on the sexual and reproductive health of adolescents in the sub-Saharan Africa region.

Methods:

The review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, using databases such as Ovid-MEDLINE, Google Scholar, PubMed, and ERIC to conduct literature searches. The selection criteria focused on studies that specifically addressed digital educational tools used to assess or deliver sexual and reproductive health education, their implementation, and their effectiveness among the adolescent population in the African region. We used the JBI critical appraisal tools for quality assessment of papers included in the review.

Results:

The review identified 22 studies across the African region that met the inclusion criteria, revealing a diverse range of digital tools, including social media platforms, mobile applications, and gamified learning experiences for a broad age range of adolescent youth. These methods were proven to be successful in engaging adolescents by providing them with accessible and relevant sexual and reproductive health information. The studies highlighted the potential of digital tools to improve knowledge on sexual and reproductive health topics, influence attitudes towards sexual and reproductive health, and encourage healthy behaviors among adolescents. However, challenges such as the digital divide, cultural sensitivity of material, and the necessity for a thorough examination of these tools' long-term influence on behavior modification were noted.

Conclusions:

Digital educational tools provide a great potential to improve sexual and reproductive health education among adolescents in the sub-Saharan Africa region. These technologies can help enhance relevant health outcomes and accessibility by delivering information that is easy to understand, interesting, and tailored to their needs. Future research should focus on addressing the identified challenges, including bridging the digital divide, ensuring cultural and contextual relevance of content, and assessing the long-term impact of digital sexual and reproductive health education on adolescent behavior and health outcomes. Policymakers, and educators, are encouraged to integrate digital tools into sexual and reproductive health educational strategies that target adolescents, to improve sexual and reproductive health of this age group and contribute to improving public health in the sub-Saharan Africa region.