Salam RA, Faqqah A, Sajjad N, Lassi ZS, Das JK,
Kaufman M, Bhutta ZA.
Abstract
Adolescents
have special sexual and reproductive health needs (whether or not they are
sexually active or married). This review assesses the impact of interventions
to improve adolescent sexual and reproductive health (including the
interventions to prevent female genital mutilation/cutting [FGM/C]) and to
prevent intimate violence. Our review findings suggest that sexual and
reproductive health education, counseling, and contraceptive provision are
effective in increasing sexual knowledge, contraceptive use, and decreasing
adolescent pregnancy. Among interventions to prevent FGM/C, community
mobilization and female empowerment strategies have the potential to raise
awareness of the adverse health consequences of FGM/C and reduce its
prevalence; however, there is a need to conduct methodologically rigorous
intervention evaluations. There was limited and inconclusive evidence for the
effectiveness of interventions to prevent intimate partner violence. Further
studies with rigorous designs, longer term follow-up, and standardized and
validated measurement instruments are required to maximize comparability of
results. Future efforts should be directed toward scaling-up evidence-based
interventions to improve adolescent sexual and reproductive health in low- and middle-income
countries, sustain the impacts over time, and ensure equitable outcomes.
