Men of refugee and migrant backgrounds in Australia: a scoping review of sexual and reproductive health research

Abstract

Australia's National Men's Health Strategy 2020-2030 identifies refugee and migrant men from culturally and lingustically diverse backgrounds as priority groups for sexual and reproductive health (SRH) interventions. The paucity of SRH research focusing on refugee and migrant men is a significant gap to advance men's health and policy. Hence, this review aimed to synthesise the available evidence on refugee and migrant men's SRH needs, understandings and experiences of accessing services after resettlement in Australia. A systematic search of peer reviewed literature in PubMed, Scopus, and PsyInfo was made. A World Health Organization framework for operationalising sexual health and its relationship with reproductive health was used to map the identified studies. The socio-ecological framework was applied to thematically synthesise data extracted from individual studies and identify factors that influence the SRH of refugee and migrant men. We included 38 papers in the review. The majority of sexual health studies ( 16) were about sexually transmitted infections (STIs), mainly HIV ( 12), followed by sexual health education and information (5) and sexual functioning (3). Reproductive health studies focused on contraceptive counselling and provision (3), antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal care (1) and safe abortion care (1). Several factors influenced refugee and migrant men's SRH, including a lack of access to SRH information, language barriers and stigma. We found that SRH literature on refugee and migrant men focuses on STIs, meaning other areas of SRH are poorly understood. We identified key gaps in research on experiences of, and access to, comprehensive SRH care.

Emerging sexual and reproductive health in Australia and New Zealand: gaps, challenges and solutions

“…A scoping review by Menesha et al synthesises the evidence on men's SRH health needs in Australia and found there is a focus on STIs and HIV but other areas of reproductive health are poorly understood. 13 Studies of migrant and refugee men in Australia indicated varying levels of knowledge about SRH but also about where to access SRH services. Cost of services and navigating the healthcare system exacerbate difficulties in accessing care, as do communication barriers (which are often not ameliorated by translation services as privacy concerns impede uptake of these services).…”

Editorial: Contemporary strategies: advancing healthcare for HIV, STIs, and beyond

“…The various dimensions which contribute to this particular health right being actualised, include disease screening, disease prevention, health management, education, and counselling services ( 1 ). As a result, sexual and reproductive health interventions require integrated participation across several levels; from individual to policy levels ( 2 , 3 ). This collection of articles facilitates reporting of some of the key issues pertaining to HIV, sexually transmitted infections, maternal health, and health systems, with a particular focus on emerging technologies and strategies to expedite the provision of appropriate health solutions.…”