Page 29 - IJPS-10-1

International Journal of
Population Studies SRH services among young people during COVID-19

(ii) To identify strategies adopted by countries in SSA to (ii) Concept: The concept focused on SRH services,
mitigate the effects of the demand-supply gap for SRH including maternal health care, contraceptive use,
among AYA during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic HIV/AIDS treatment, and abortion services.
and afterward. (iii) Context: The review considered the demand and supply
(iii) To identify lessons learned across SSA countries to of SRH services for AYA, specifically examining the
strengthen resilience in meeting AYA’s needs for SRH availability of sexual and reproductive commodities
services during health emergencies. (drugs, pills, contraceptives, pre-exposure prophylaxis
[PrEP], HIV drug therapy, abortion drugs, or
2. Data and methods treatment).
This study represents a scoping review aimed at examining 2.1. Study selection
evidence related to the demand and supply of SRH services
for AYA during the COVID-19 pandemic in SSA. This study The study selection process occurred in three stages. First,
adopted the updated methodological guidance provided title screening was performed on resources retrieved
by Joana Briggs Institute (JBI) (2020) (Peters et al., 2020) from the previously mentioned databases. Second, I.O.O
and followed the Arksey & O’Malley (2005) procedure for and A.T.K performed a two-level screening, eliminating
conducting a scoping review. In addition, we adhered to studies that did not align with the study objectives. Finally,
the guidelines outlined in the Preferred Reporting Items O.I.O was engaged to verify all studies deemed eligible
for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for abstract and full-text consideration and to resolve
for Scoping Review (PRISMA-ScR) (Tricco et al., 2018), any discrepancies that emerged during the initial two
and all literature searches were imported to Covidence reviewers’ assessments.
((Producer)) (https://www.covidence.org/) for extensive
screening and data extraction. 2.2. Eligibility criteria
The reviewers systematically searched for articles 2.2.1. Inclusion criteria
reporting on SRH and corresponding service utilization for The study exclusively considered published research,
AYA during the COVID-19 pandemic in SSA published encompassing both peer-reviewed and gray literature,
between January 2020 and December 2021. To ensure an which presented primary and secondary data. Additionally,
exhaustive and comprehensive search, the following databases only literature published in the English language was
were searched: Medline Complete, Africa-Wide, SocINDEX, included. The scope of literature reviewed extended to
Academic Search Complete (all through EBSCOhost), Public materials reporting on SRH services for AYA during the
Health, Social Science & Sociology databases, the Middle COVID-19 pandemic in SSA, with a publication timeframe
East & Africa Database (all through ProQuest), and Web of from January 2020 to December 2021. The justification for
Science. In addition, a hand search of all identified articles was including articles within this specific timeframe is rooted
carried out to locate other studies reporting on SRH services in our intention to capture research conducted during
for AYA during the COVID-19 pandemic in SSA. Original the COVID-19 period, regardless of whether COVID-19
studies in the English language were screened and considered was the main focus of the study. For the purpose of this
for inclusion following the JBI recommendations. Two review, adolescents were defined as individuals within the
independent reviewers meticulously screened all citations, age range of 10 to 19, while young adults were considered
full-text articles, and abstract data. A narrative summary of to be those aged 20 to under 24 years. Both quantitative
findings was conducted, synthesized, and presented. In the and qualitative study designs were deemed eligible for
electronic database search, medical subject headings (MeSH) inclusion in this review.
were used, and Boolean terms (NOT/OR/AND) were used
to separate keywords. The search strings included a range 2.2.2. Exclusion criteria
of relevant combinations of search terms and keywords, Studies published between 2020 and 2021 that collected
encompassing “COVID-19,” “SRH services,” “adolescents,” data before 2019 were excluded from consideration.
“young people,” “young adults,” and “sub-Saharan Africa.” Additionally, case reports, correspondence, commentaries,

In accordance with JBI guidelines, the inclusion criteria opinion pieces, case series, and editorials were excluded
for the studies were outlined in the following sub-sections, due to their tendency to offer relatively limited evidence
namely population, concept, and context. for review. Comprehensive reviews, including systematic
(i) Population: The population under consideration reviews and scoping reviews, were also excluded from the
included female AYA aged 15 – 24 years in all SSA study selection process. Furthermore, guidelines issued by
countries. the governmental and other agencies were excluded.

Volume 10 Issue 1 (2024) 23 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.366