Understanding risk factors linking women’s health and urogenital schistosomiasis in urban and rural Ghana

Urogenital schistosomiasis (UGS) disproportionately impacts the sexual and reproductive health of women. Studies have explored the social and physical factors contributing to female genital schistosomiasis (FGS) infection risks in rural settings. However, comprehensive examinations of women’s lived experiences around these risk factors are notably scarce in existing literature. This is particularly the case among women residing in schistosomiasis-endemic urban areas.

• To understand how women in rural and urban areas experience risk related to contracting FGS
• To explore women’s knowledge, attitude and practices of UGS
• To explore factors that influence health-seeking behaviour among reproductive aged women in rural and urban communities
• To explore health workers’ knowledge and perspectives about factors influencing women’s health-seeking behaviour for UGS
• To understand if migration influences women’s risk of UGS

The outputs will help to generate evidence-based recommendations on:

1.  Interventions to address the gaps in knowledge, identification and management of UGS
2. Approaches for the integration of UGS into routine health services, especially at the primary healthcare level

• Quantitative
• Qualitative
• Mixed