SynthesisJMIR public health and surveillance2025
Exploring the Use of Digital Educational Tools for Sexual and Reproductive Health in Sub-Saharan Africa: Systematic Review.
Synthesis in JMIR public health and surveillance, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed.
- Infodemic as a structural barrier to sexual and reproductive health service utilization in Africa: a rapid critical narrative review.Frontiers in reproductive health · 2026Review
- Development of an mHealth App Prototype for LGBTQIA+ Individuals' Sexual and Reproductive Health in Gauteng Province, South Africa: Design Science Research Study.JMIR formative research · 2025Article
- Health care Experiences of Educated Young Adults With Blindness in the Digital Age: Qualitative Study.Journal of medical Internet research · 2025Article
- Youth Uptake of Digital Sexual and Reproductive Health Services Across Sociodemographic Groups (2018-2022): A Total Population Study from Stockholm, Sweden.Mayo Clinic proceedings. Digital health · 2025Article
- The heroes among us: Leveraging Africa's youth for effective digital health implementation in communities.PLOS digital health · 2025Article
- Digital empowerment of women in the South African public sector.Frontiers in sociology · 2025Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundAdolescents, particularly those in Sub-Saharan Africa, experience major challenges in getting accurate and comprehensive sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information because of sociocultural 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 SRH education among adolescents in Sub-Saharan Africa.
objectiveWe conducted a systematic review to describe (1) the geographic and demographic distributions (designated objectives 1a and 1b, respectively, given their interrelatedness) and (2) the types and relevant impacts of digital educational tools (objective 2).
methodsWe followed the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) 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 SRH education, their implementation, and their effectiveness among the adolescent population in Sub-Saharan Africa. We used the JBI critical appraisal tools for the quality assessment of papers included in the review.
resultsThe review identified 22 studies across Sub-Saharan Africa that met the inclusion criteria. The 22 studies spanned populations in West, Central, East, and South Africa, with an emphasis on youth and adolescents aged 10-24 years, reflecting the critical importance of reaching these age groups with effective, accessible, and engaging health education (objectives 1a and 1b). There was a diverse range of digital tools used, including social media platforms, mobile apps, and gamified learning experiences, for a broad age range of adolescent youth. These methods were generally successful in engaging adolescents by providing them with accessible and relevant SRH information (objective 2). However, challenges, such as the digital divide, the cultural sensitivity of the material, and the necessity for a thorough examination of the long-term influence of these tools on behavior modification, were noted.
conclusionsDigital educational tools provide great potential to improve SRH education among adolescents in Sub-Saharan Africa. 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 SRH education on adolescent behavior and health outcomes. Policymakers and educators are encouraged to integrate digital tools into SRH educational strategies that target adolescents in order to improve the SRH of this age group and contribute to improving public health in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.