Sexual, Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn and Adolescent Health

Programme Overview

This programme aims to equip students with knowledge and skills of how to design, implement, monitor and evaluate sexual, reproductive, maternal, adolescent health (SRMNAH) programmes in low- and middle-income countries.

This programme prepares students for leadership roles in improving sexual, reproductive, maternal, adolescent health (SRMNAH) in a range of settings in low-and middle-income countries. It covers a wide breadth of contemporary issues in SRMNAH and explores approaches to reducing health inequities by enhancing policy and practice based upon sound, evidence-based principles. It gives graduates key transferable knowledge and skills in situational analysis, quality improvement and monitoring and evaluation in SRMNAH.

Following the taught component, students will complete a policy brief and present a poster based on situational analysis. The module is underpinned by LSTM’s mission to reduce the burden of sickness and mortality among vulnerable communities in low- and middle-income countries through the design and delivery of effective evidence-based interventions to improve human health.

Academic Credit

For an additional fee of £95, you can be entered for full Academic Credits for this course (20 Masters level credits). The academic credits are offered to provide choice and flexibility to all of our students and students who do not wish to do the assessments will be awarded a Certificate of Attendance. Applicants wishing to find out more about the assessment should contact MyLSTM@lstmed.ac.uk(link sends e-mail).

30% Poster Presentation – Oral presentation based on directed reading/coursework on the design of a monitoring & evaluation or QI strategy within a SRMNAH programme. in a named LMI country setting. Must reference specific principals adopted in development of the strategy.

70% Policy Brief – Individual written assignment in a policy brief format that outlines evidence-based interventions identified in the situational analysis.

Programme Structure

The syllabus below outlines the broad themes and some of the content that will be covered as a guide. However, it is not exhaustive as we are keen to address priority SRMNAH issues in global health that may change over time and we would like to adapt the curriculum to accommodate for these changes. Legislation and ethics underpin all aspects of SRMNAH and will therefore be incorporated in all the broad themes.

Overview of sexual health and wellbeing throughout the life course, with a focus on LMICs

• Human sexuality
• Adolescent sexual and reproductive health
• Rights-based approach to human sexuality and reproductive health

Overview of major sexual and reproductive health priorities for populations living in LMICs, linking this to values, attitudes, social and cultural perspectives.

• Adolescent sexual and reproductive health
• Family planning (Contraception, Infertility, termination of pregnancy)
• Sexually transmitted infections (HIV, syphilis etc)
• Care of mothers, newborns, families (male)
• Stillbirths
• Maternal and newborn morbidity and mortality
• Sexual and gender-based violence
• (Quality of Care should underpin all the above)

Evidence base for the development of context specific SRH, adolescent health programmes (co-development) and issues around practical delivery of services for sexual health services

• Accessibility, availability, acceptability, quality of health services for SRH/MNH
• Supply and demand (what do they want?) e.g. community engagement in developing services-
• Services linked to pregnancy and childbirth
• Services for STIs (e.g. HIV, syphilis), cervical cancer and HPV
• Financing of SRH/MNAH services (Core module: PH practice)

Case studies from LMICs will be drawn from throughout.

Aims

LSTM education courses are taught within a dynamic environment by staff working at the cutting-edge of research in tropical medicine and global health. They are designed to enable the professional development of the student, to be relevant to students from both the UK and overseas and to promote approaches to study that will enable students to continue their learning into the future.

This course aims to:

Critically review the epidemiology, social, biological, environment, political and ethical issues that impact on sexual reproductive maternal, newborn and adolescent health and wellbeing in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Critique government and non-governmental responses to key issues in sexual and reproductive health in LMICs.

Appraise ethical, legal and other factors that have a major influence on human sexuality, sexual health practices and the development of services in LMICs.

Analyse global and national strategies for sexual and reproductive health and design context relevant solutions to sexual reproductive maternal, newborn and adolescent health challenges in LMICs.

Entrance requirements

Work experience

Equivalent learning/previous experience of working in a sexual and reproductive health, maternal and newborn health or adolescent programme as a clinician, public health practitioner or policymaker are useful backgrounds for this programme.

English language requirements

LSTM accept a wide variety of evidence of English language including IELTS, TOEFL and international school certificates.