Health of women students in Indian higher education institutions: protocol for a scoping review of emerging issues, gaps and future research guidelines

Ankita Chakravarty; Shankar Das

doi:10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20264243

Authors

Ankita Chakravarty Sociology, West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Shankar Das School of Health Systems Studies, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, (TISS) Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20264243

Keywords:

Women students’ health, Higher educational institutions, Scoping review protocol, University student, India

Abstract

Background: Globally, women students in higher educational institutions (HEIs) face disproportionate health problems compared to men. Indian women, whose participation in HEIs has increased remarkably in recent years, endure major health burdens, stressors and challenges during this period. However, existing literature on their health is inadequate. This scoping review aims to systematically map and analyse the existing literature on the issues of women’s health in Indian HEIs by, comprehensively focusing on physical, mental, social and sexual health, and identifying associated individual, interpersonal and environmental factors.

Methods: The research strategy will be informed by Joanna Briggs Institute methodology with the population, concept, and context (PCC) framework and reported using guidelines of PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews). After primary search on PubMed, SCOPUS, EMBASE, Web of Science and Google Scholar, study selection will be done by abstracts and full-text screening by two independent reviewers using Rayyan, and quality assessment by the mixed methods appraisal tool 2018 version, followed by data extraction using a standardised form, assessment and analysis. Main findings will be presented in tables and figures using descriptive statistics.

Conclusions: The scoping review will provide valuable insights on the health needs of women in HEIs in India, underscoring the emerging themes, identifying areas for future research and evidence-informed policy expansion for developing support systems to address diverse health needs of this population, thus expected to make a meaningful contribution to health of women in Indian higher education.

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