Equity in Sexual and Reproductive Health in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Determinants, Disparities, and Health System Responses

Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) remains central to achieving Universal Health Coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals. Although service coverage has expanded across many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), inequities in access and utilization persist within and between populations. Disparities are consistently observed across socioeconomic status, gender, age, education, geographic location, disability, and other intersecting vulnerabilities.Evidence from demographic surveys and country-level analyses shows that improvements in aggregate indicators often mask substantial within-country inequalities in contraception, maternal healthcare, adolescent SRH services, HIV prevention, and safe abortion care (where legal). Adolescents, rural residents, displaced populations, and economically disadvantaged groups remain disproportionately underserved.While a considerable body of research documents disparities, there is a need to consolidate multidisciplinary evidence that examines:• Structural and social determinants of inequity • Gender and life-course dimensions of access • Health financing and financial protection gaps • Provider-level and system-level barriers • Policy implementation and governance challenges • Context-specific health system responses This Research Topic aims to bring together diverse methodological approaches to deepen understanding of inequities in SRH and identify pathways toward more equitable service delivery.This Research Topic seeks to:• Examine determinants of inequitable access to SRH services.• Quantify and measure disparities using innovative or established equity metrics. • Explore gender, adolescent, and life-course dimensions of inequity.• Assess health system responses and policy frameworks. • Identify scalable and context-sensitive strategies to improve equity.We encourage submissions including:1. Measurement and Inequality Analysis• Secondary data analyses (e.g., DHS, MICS, national surveys) • Concentration indices and equity metrics • Spatial or geographic disparity analysis 2. Social and Structural Determinants• Gender norms and autonomy • Poverty and financial barriers • Education and youth vulnerability • Disability and marginalization 3. Adolescents and Life-Course Perspectives• Stage-specific inequities • Transition from adolescence to adulthood • Early marriage and adolescent pregnancy 4. Health Systems and Policy Responses• Financing and insurance mechanisms • Service integration models • Provider bias and quality of care • Governance and accountability 5. Context-Specific Case Studies• National reforms • Community-based models • Digital health innovations Accepted methodologies include quantitative, qualitative, mixed-methods, policy analysis, realist reviews, systematic reviews, and program evaluations. The focus is not limited to intervention studies. Descriptive, analytical, policy-oriented, and evaluative research are all welcome. Topic editors: Babatunde Adelekan, Adesegun Fatusi Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/79155/equity-in-sexual-and-reproductive-health-in-low--and-middle-income-countries-determinants-disparities-and-health-system-responses