Factors associated with sexual and reproductive health (SRH) stigma among women (19-25 years) with partners in Bangladesh: a cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION

Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) stigma remains a major barrier to young women's access to reproductive health information and services, particularly in settings where discussions of sexuality and reproductive rights are constrained by social and cultural norms. Evidence on the prevalence and determinants of SRH stigma among young women in Bangladesh remains limited. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of SRH stigma and identify factors associated with SRH stigma among women aged 19-25 years with male partners in Bangladesh.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional study and collected data through both online and offline methods. This study includes a total of 414 women (19-25 years) who reported having a male partner. We conducted univariate and bivariate analyses to explore the association between the background factors and SRH stigma. We fitted a binary logistic regression to estimate adjusted associations.

RESULTS

Among 414 participants, the overall prevalence of SRH stigma was 50.97%; almost one in two women (19-25 years) with male partners were stigmatised. Results from multivariable logistic regression showed that SRH stigma was significantly associated with several factors, for example, level of education (adjusted OR (AOR): 2.00; 95% CI 1.14 to 3.51), sexual interaction with male partners (AOR: 0.29; 95% CI 0.11 to 0.77) and history of abortion (AOR: 0.38; 95% CI 0.19 to 0.77).

CONCLUSIONS

More research is necessary to comprehend the factors that lead to the stigma surrounding SRH among young Bangladeshi women. These findings may help inform interventions and policies aimed at reducing SRH stigma and improving young women's access to reproductive health information and services.