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An Empty Scoping Review on the Roles of mHealth Interventions on Menstrual Hygiene in Africa: Implications for Sexual
Kafayat Aminu1, Precious Chika Nnannah2, Oluwatobi Emmanuel Adegbile3
1Centre for Evidence Synthesis and Implementation Research Cephas Health Research Initiative Inc Ibadan Nigeria.
Background And Aims:
Menstrual hygiene remains a critical public health issue in Africa, where many women and girls face inadequate water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities, limited access to menstrual products, and persistent social stigma. Mobile health (mHealth) interventions have been effective at addressing systemic issues in other health domains, yet their role in improving menstrual hygiene in African contexts remains unclear. This scoping review aimed to identify and map empirical evidence on mHealth interventions for menstrual hygiene in Africa, assess reported impacts, and highlight research and policy gaps.
Methods:
This scoping review followed the Arksey and O'Malley framework and adhered to the PRISMA-ScR reporting guidelines. A comprehensive search of nine databases was conducted to retrieve all relevant studies published from inception to April 7, 2025. Eligible studies were to be empirical, peer-reviewed studies conducted in Africa, and published in English. Screening and selection were undertaken independently by two reviewers, with conflicts resolved by consensus. Data extraction, collation, and summarization could not be done as no study was found eligible for inclusion into this review.
Results:
A total of 687 records were retrieved; however, none of them met the inclusion criteria, primarily due to non-relevance of the population, context, or outcomes of interest. Hence, this scoping review is empty.
Conclusions:
The absence of published empirical research on mHealth interventions for menstrual hygiene in Africa highlights a critical knowledge gap. Considering the significant menstrual health challenges across the continent and the proven potential of mHealth in other public health areas, this represents a missed opportunity for policy intervention and public health innovation. There is an urgent need for context-specific research, community engagement, and multisectoral collaboration to design, implement, and evaluate mHealth strategies that address menstrual hygiene needs in Africa, informing both local and global sexual and reproductive health policies.
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