Sexual and Reproductive Health Program and AnkaSmart!
Team members: Liz, Olivia, Angela, and Roni
AnkaSmart! is a novel IoT (Internet of Things) solution for young women and gender diverse populations globally. It democratizes access to personalized sexual and reproductive healthcare and linked clinical services, while providing evidence-based information. It aims to empower young people to make smart decisions and become advocates for their health and wellness.
Project Summary
In conjunction with the AnkaSmart! project, the Pant Pai lab is composing a series of four systematic reviews to evaluate digital sexual and reproductive health (SRH) innovations and interventions aimed at influencing a spectrum of outcomes in young populations. Young people are particularly vulnerable to sexually transmitted infections, with HIV being the number two cause of death among adolescents, and STI infection rates rising. Likewise, adolescent pregnancies are a global concern, with approximately 10 million unintended pregnancies occurring each year among adolescent girls between 15-19 years of age in low- and middle-income countries. There is also a lack of information provided to young people regarding menstruation, which leaves them unprepared for menarche. In recent years, the field has turned to digital platforms for SRH education delivery, recognizing the many advantages they confer compared to more traditional methods. We aim to explore how these digital interventions have been implemented, and where there is room for improvement and advancement. The PROSPERO registered protocol (CRD42021258889) can be found online.
