June 24th marks the beginning of Self Care Month each year, ending on July 24th, which is celebrated as the International Self Care Day. This month and day is an opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of self-care and self-care interventions, to recognize their benefits to people’s lives and health, and to call for the expansion of health systems to include and promote interventions self care.
Self-care interventions are evidence-based tools that support self-care, including the use of medications, devices, diagnostic and digital tools, and educational resources, to equip people to be more empowered over their health.
Why is self-care important?
Often, relying solely on healthcare institutions and professionals can be cost-effective, time-consuming and inconvenient. In addition, health care institutions may not serve people of all socioeconomic classes, widening the gap. Taking responsibility for their own health and well-being empowers individuals as they can play a greater role in their own treatment and make informed choices about their future course of action. More importantly, self-care interventions can also reduce health disparities by increasing access to affordable health care options.
Self-care and sexual and reproductive health
Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) is an integral aspect of our lives, and self-care interventions that increase the availability of resources, information, and treatment options can help foster high-quality, holistic SRH, making it attainable for all. In several regions of the world, such as countries in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, there are still considerable differences in access and quality of SRHR.
SRHM Journal has published several high-quality articles on self-care interventions for quality SRH. In 2022, the magazine published an issue about Self-care interventions and rights-based access.
The issue contains articles that explore many important aspects, such as education as a means to ensure self-care for all, social responsibility in expanding self-care for SRHR, the potential and effectiveness of digital self-care tools in expanding access to legitimate care for abortion and strengthening family planning decisions, especially for vulnerable populations, self-administration of sex-affirming hormones and more. These articles also discuss the challenges in implementing and accepting such interventions in different cultural and political contexts, especially in the Global South, drawing on the lived experiences of local communities.
SRHM is committed to using knowledge and evidence to increase action that can enable the optimal implementation of self-care interventions for SRHR. We are also calling for papers on this topic for Open Issue 2024. More information can be found on the Call for Papers page.
Please find below a list of articles published by SRHM over the past 10 years on the topic of self-care and sexual and reproductive health.
2023
Acre, VN, Küng, SA, Arce, C., Yapu, A., Iriondo, D., & Morales, M.
Uysal, J., Boyce, SC, Undie, CC, et al.
Missed period? The Importance of Period Tracking Apps in a Post-Roe America
Kelly, BG, & Habib, M.
2022
Reproductive empowerment and contraceptive self-care: a systematic review
Burke, HM, Ridgeway, K., Murray, K., et al.
Logie, CH, Berry, I., Ferguson, L., et al.
Ferguson, L., Narasimhan, M., Gutierrez, J., et al.
Centralizing rights-based access to self-care interventions
Ferguson, L., & Narasimhan, M.
Hémono, R., Packel, L., Gatare, E., et al.
Education as an enabler, not a requirement: ensuring access to self-care options for all
Corneliess, C., Gray, K., Kidwell Drake, J., et al.
Kibira, D., Boydell, V., Mworeko, L., & Kiarie, J.
Kalamar, A., Bixiones, C., Jaworski, G., et al.
Luigi-Bravo, G., & Gill, RK
Bercu, C., Filippa, S., Jayaweera, R., et al.
Kristianingrum, IA, Nmezi, S., Zurbriggen, R., et al.
2021
Bercu, C., Moseson, H., McReynolds-Pérez, J., et al.
Shrestha, S., Thapa, S., Sims, P., et al.
Self-administered abortion: a constellation of actors, a cacophony of laws?
Berro Pizzarossa, L., & Nandagiri, R.
2020
Narasimhan, M., Logie, CH, Gauntley, A., et al.
Because self-administered abortion is much more than a temporary solution for times of pandemic
Assis, MP, & Larrea, S.
2019
Kerestes, C., Sheets, K., Stockdale, CK, et al.
2016
Self-management of medical abortion: a qualitative evidence synthesis
Wainwright, M., Colvin, CJ, Swartz, A., & Leon, N. et al.
2013
Mburu, G., Hodgson, I., Teltschik, A., et al.
