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Voices, Choices, and Access: A Narrative Review of Reproductive Health Awareness and Strategic Schemes in India and
Rohit Raj1, Jarina Begum1, Syed Irfan Ali1
1Department of Community Medicine, Manipal Tata Medical College, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India.
Introduction:
Reproductive health awareness is a fundamental component of public health, gender equity, and human rights. This narrative review aimed to systematically describe and synthesise evidence on reproductive health awareness among tribal women and adolescent girls in India and internationally, examine major reproductive health schemes implemented in India, and identify strategies to strengthen awareness and service utilisation.
Material And Methods:
A structured narrative review was conducted in accordance with the Scale for the Assessment of Narrative Review Articles (SANRA) guidelines. Literature published between January 2005 and January 2026 was identified through PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Peer-reviewed articles, review papers, policy documents, and relevant grey literature published in English were eligible for inclusion. Studies focusing on reproductive health awareness among tribal or Indigenous women and/or adolescent girls were screened and synthesised thematically. A total of 36 evidence sources were included in the review.
Results:
A total of 36 studies were included. International and Indian evidence consistently demonstrates lower reproductive health awareness among tribal populations. Awareness of at least one modern contraceptive method among tribal women ranged from approximately 55-90% across studies, while utilisation remained substantially lower (20-60%), highlighting a persistent awareness-utilisation gap. Partial knowledge, menstrual stigma, gendered decision-making, and reliance on traditional practices were common across contexts. Although awareness of government schemes such as JSY, JSSK, and PMMVY was moderate to high, utilisation remained variable, revealing a persistent awareness-utilisation gap.
Conclusion:
Reproductive health awareness among tribal women and adolescent girls is shaped by complex socio-cultural and structural determinants. Strengthening culturally responsive health communication, adolescent-friendly services, community engagement, and frontline health worker capacity is essential to improve awareness and equitable utilisation of reproductive health services and schemes. The findings provide policy-relevant evidence to guide tribal health programmes and support progress toward reproductive health equity.
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