What does this research mean for the field?

Economic autonomy, digital engagement, and rejection of gender-based violence are associated with better food security and fewer healthcare access barriers for women in sub-Saharan Africa, while rural-urban disparities in these outcomes persist. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

To examine how distinct dimensions of women's empowerment associate with household food insecurity and barriers to healthcare access across 34 Sub-Saharan African countries.

September 2, 2026BMC Public HealthOpen Access

Do women’s participation in public life, alongside other empowerment dimensions, associate with healthcare access and food security in sub-Saharan Africa? Evidence from the 2023 Afrobarometer survey

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Authors

SOSamiratou OuédraogoUniversité Joseph Ki-Zerbo NENarges EbadiUniversité Laval DADavod AhmadiGlobal Institute for Water Security

Discussion

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Implication

Cross-sectional study reveals varied impacts of empowerment dimensions on healthcare access and food security in African women, highlighting gaps in social support.

Key Points

To examine how distinct dimensions of women's empowerment associate with household food insecurity and barriers to healthcare access across 34 Sub-Saharan African countries.
Secondary analysis of cross-sectional 2023 Afrobarometer Survey data across 34 Sub-Saharan African nations, analyzing 23,726 women (12,915 rural and 10,811 urban).
Multivariable logistic regression models evaluated associations between empowerment dimensions (public participation, economic autonomy, digital engagement, attitudes toward gender-based violence) and the outcomes (p ≤ 0.05).
Low participation in public life was associated with reduced odds of food insecurity (rural OR = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.30–0.67; urban OR = 0.67, 95% CI: 0.46–0.98) and fewer healthcare access barriers (rural OR = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.38–0.86; urban OR = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.41–0.90).
Digital access was associated with increased likelihood of food insecurity in both rural (OR = 2.22, 95% CI: 1.97–2.50) and urban settings (OR = 1.73, 95% CI: 1.57–1.91).
Justification of gender-based violence was linked to higher odds of food insecurity (rural OR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.18–1.56; urban OR = 1.62, 95% CI: 1.38–1.91) and greater healthcare barriers (rural OR = 1.22, 95% CI: 1.05–1.40; urban OR = 1.56, 95% CI: 1.32–1.84).

Cite This Study

Ouédraogo et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a97e237c562ede874ec63ba https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-026-29276-y

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Implication

Cross-sectional study reveals varied impacts of empowerment dimensions on healthcare access and food security in African women, highlighting gaps in social support.

Do women’s participation in public life, alongside other empowerment dimensions, associate with healthcare access and food security in sub-Saharan Africa? Evidence from the 2023 Afrobarometer survey

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

Do women’s participation in public life, alongside other empowerment dimensions, associate with healthcare access and food security in sub-Saharan Africa? Evidence from the 2023 Afrobarometer survey

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

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