161 Sexual and reproductive health needs of refugee women on Lesbos, Greece - a participatory crosssectional study

Sep 30, 2026

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Objective: describe the prevalence of common sexual and reproductive health (SRH) indicators among women of reproductive age living in the Closed Controlled Access Centre (CCAC) Mavrovounion, Lesbos, Greece, and assess healthcare access. Methods: a household survey of 247 women used 119 questions across nine SRH domains, co-developed with nine refugee co-researchers during June–July 2023. Results: antenatal care and assisted births were high, but postpartum care was poor, screening for STIs and cervical cancer was low, and abuse and pushbacks were widespread. Conclusion: urgent, comprehensive SRH services are needed.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages1

Reading Time3 min

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Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusion

vi46 European Journal of Public Health, Vol. 35, Supplement 6, 2025 1 Abstract citation ID: ckaf180.127 161 Sexual and reproductive health needs of refugee women on Lesbos, Greece: a participatory crosssectional study Jamilah Sherally1, Audrey Benson, Celine Chen, Zainab Alhamari, Laila Bar Bari, Ekram Beshir, Zahra Hosseini, Habibe Jafari, Masume Jafari, Kowthar Mohamed, Semira Mohammadyasin, Francis Mutemba, Spyros Sapounas, Evika Karamagioli, Agis Terzidis, Nima Yaghmaei, Marielle Le Mat, Maria van den Muijsenbergh, Thomas van den Akker 1VU Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands OP 17: Refugees and Asylum Seekers 1, B210 (FCSH), September 4, 2025, 13:30-14:30 Objective: To describe the prevalence of common sexual and reproductive health (SRH) indicators among women of reproductive age residing in Closed Controlled Access Centre (CCAC) Mavrovounion Lesbos, Greece, and describe to what extent these women access healthcare. Methods: A household survey comprising 119 questions across nine SRH domains was completed by 247 refugee women of reproductive age residing in CCAC Mavrovouni. Nine refugee co-researchers were engaged in question development, recruitment, data collection, and analysis in June and July 2023 . Results: Most women reported adequate antenatal care (89%, 25/28) and healthcare-assisted births (100%, 14/14), but postpartum care was suboptimal with 44%(7/16) not accessing any services despite 63%(10/16) reporting complications. About half (47%, 56/120) of women with children were single mothers. Two women had a child die at sea. Family planning showed considerable unmet need, with only 24%(42/178) of women using modern contraception and over 25% (17/66) desiring fertility treatment but none accessing it. Despite 83%(173/208) reporting adequate access to menstrual materials, only 14%(29/207) were able to consistently alleviate pain. Of 246 women, 146 (61%) experienced gynaecological symptoms, yet 60 (43%) did not access healthcare. Low screening for sexually transmitted infections (18%, 43/240) and cervical cancer (0.4%, 1/246) was reported. Of 244 women, 74%(180/244) experienced verbal, 52% (127/244) physical, and 36% (87/244) sexual abuse in their lifetime. Gender-based violence was most reported in home countries, during travel and during pushbacks. 54%(133/147) of women experienced at least one pushback and 23%(57/247) reported denial of medical care. Across all domains, most women (67%-91%) had not received healthcare information. Conclusion: In refugee camp Mavrovouni, there is an urgent need for comprehensive SRH services that address diverse health needs. Participatory household surveys, with refugees in the lead, enhance the relevance and accuracy of findings.

FAQs

What was the study objective in Mavrovouni, Lesbos?

The study aimed to describe the prevalence of common SRH indicators among reproductive-age women living in CCAC Mavrovounion and to determine how much they accessed healthcare.

How was the survey conducted and with whom?

A household survey with 119 questions across nine SRH domains was completed by 247 women. Nine refugee co-researchers were involved in question development, recruitment, data collection, and analysis in June and July 2023.

What key findings were reported about healthcare access and SRH services?

Antenatal care and healthcare-assisted births were high, but postpartum care was suboptimal, family planning showed substantial unmet need, and access to treatments (including fertility treatment) was near zero. Screening for STIs and cervical cancer was also low.

What does the conclusion recommend for Mavrovouni?

The study concludes that there is an urgent need for comprehensive SRH services addressing diverse health needs, and that participatory household surveys with refugees leading the work improve relevance and accuracy.

Sep 30, 2026

Uploaded by Mimi