Social determinants of health: Social forces that shape women and men's knowledge of reproductive health in a resource-limited setting

abstract

Social forces shape people's reproductive health in many ways. We examined people's knowledge about reproductive health using focus group data collected from 93 participants in rural districts of Malawi. Participants' perspectives were contextualized by explaining the socioeconomic, cultural, and gender factors that determine reproductive health for rural Malawians. Strategies to improve reproductive health care in environments lacking in health infrastructure, staff, and economic resources are then provided. We call for a reproductive health agenda to target preventive care by providing information about anatomy and biology, communicating information in culturally competent ways, and educating men and women over the life course.