Journal of Reproductive Health, Gender, and HIV in Africa | 23 April 2002
A Scoping Review of Mobile Application-Based Sexual Consent Education and Its Potential for Mitigating Coerced Sexual Encounters Among University Students in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Focus on the Dar es Salaam Study
E, l, i, z, a, b, e, t, h, B, r, o, w, n, ,, N, a, d, i, a, E, l, A, m, r, a, n, i, ,, A, b, i, g, a, i, l, G, o, d, f, r, e, y
Abstract
Sexual coercion is a significant public health concern among university students in Sub-Saharan Africa. Traditional educational interventions have limited reach. Mobile application-based delivery of sexual consent education presents a novel approach, but its scope and potential in this specific context are not well understood. This scoping review aimed to map and synthesise existing literature on mobile application-based sexual consent education. Its primary objective was to examine the potential of such interventions for mitigating coerced sexual encounters, with a specific focus on insights applicable to university students in Sub-Saharan Africa. A scoping review was conducted following established frameworks. A systematic search was performed across relevant electronic databases in medicine, public health, and social sciences. Studies were screened by two independent reviewers. Data were extracted and charted to identify key concepts, evidence types, and gaps. The review identified a scarcity of literature specifically evaluating mobile app-based consent education in Sub-Saharan Africa. Available evidence, largely from high-income settings, indicates such interventions can improve knowledge and attitudes regarding consent. Interactive, scenario-based learning was a recurring theme. Direct evidence on reducing reports of coerced sex remains limited. Mobile application-based education is a promising but under-researched tool for promoting sexual consent in this setting. While it offers potential for scalable, engaging intervention, significant evidence gaps persist, particularly regarding direct impact on behavioural outcomes like coerced sex within Sub-Saharan African universities. Future research should prioritise developing and rigorously evaluating culturally adapted, mobile-based consent interventions within Sub-Saharan Africa. Studies should employ robust designs to measure impacts on behavioural outcomes. Collaboration with local students and institutions is essential for relevance and uptake. sexual consent, coercion, mobile applications, education, universities, Sub-Saharan Africa, scoping review. This review consolidates the current evidence on mobile app-based sexual consent education and highlights a critical research gap in the Sub-Saharan African context, providing direction for future intervention development and evaluation.