{
  "abstract": "Introduction Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) is a fundamental aspect of overall well-being, shaped not only by sociocultural and institutional barriers faced by patients, but also by healthcare providers’ information-seeking behaviours, attitudes and clinical practices. Evidence examining these provider-level determinants remains limited in low- and middle-income settings. This study aimed to assess healthcare providers’ knowledge, attitudes and practices related to SRH and to identify key obstacles and opportunities for improving service delivery.Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted from June 2023 to March 2024 across tertiary care hospitals in Pakistan. Healthcare providers completed a structured, self-administered questionnaire capturing sociodemographic information, SRH-related knowledge, attitudes, practices and perceived barriers to care. Descriptive statistics and Pearson’s χ 2 tests were used to assess associations between categorical variables. Multivariable logistic regression identified factors associated with positive SRH-related knowledge-seeking behaviours, attitudes and practices.Results Among 319 participants, 59.6% reported counselling patients on SRH, though only 38.2% had attended relevant workshops. Fear of stigmatisation (60.8%), religious beliefs (48.6%) and lack of knowledge (47.3%) were reported as major barriers to SRH access. While participants generally expressed progressive attitudes, such as support for comprehensive sex education (86.5%) and youth access to contraception (75.6%), engagement in related practices remained limited. Positive SRH attitudes were significantly associated with employment in private institutions (OR 3.93, 95% CI 1.18 to 13.14), higher confidence in personal SRH knowledge (OR 1.97, 95% CI 1.08 to 3.58), and ease in discussing SRH with male guardians (OR 2.20, 95% CI 1.22 to 3.97).Conclusions Despite encouraging attitudes among healthcare providers, substantial gaps in SRH education and proactive engagement persist. Addressing these deficiencies through structured training programmes, supportive institutional environments and policy-level reforms is essential to advancing SRH equity and quality in Pakistan.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "The Aga Khan University Medical College Pakistan, Karachi, Pakistan"
      ],
      "name": "Faiza Qureshi"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "The Aga Khan University Medical College Pakistan, Karachi, Pakistan"
      ],
      "name": "Shahzil Abdur Rehman Malik"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "The Aga Khan University Medical College Pakistan, Karachi, Pakistan"
      ],
      "name": "Asad Saulat Fatimi"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "The Aga Khan University Medical College Pakistan, Karachi, Pakistan"
      ],
      "name": "Muhammad Abbas Raza"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "The Aga Khan University Medical College Pakistan, Karachi, Pakistan"
      ],
      "name": "Syeda Kainaat Fatima"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "The Aga Khan University Medical College Pakistan, Karachi, Pakistan"
      ],
      "name": "Sajjan Raja"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "The Aga Khan University Medical College Pakistan, Karachi, Pakistan"
      ],
      "name": "Adam Khan Mohmand"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "The Aga Khan University Medical College Pakistan, Karachi, Pakistan"
      ],
      "name": "Mahnoor Sarfraz"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "The Aga Khan University Medical College Pakistan, Karachi, Pakistan"
      ],
      "name": "Akmal Shahzad"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "The Aga Khan University Medical College Pakistan, Karachi, Pakistan"
      ],
      "name": "Abdul Rahim Farooq"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "The Aga Khan University Medical College Pakistan, Karachi, Pakistan"
      ],
      "name": "Maha Muzzamil Chaipiwala"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "The Aga Khan University Medical College Pakistan, Karachi, Pakistan"
      ],
      "name": "Rohaid Ali"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "The Aga Khan University Medical College Pakistan, Karachi, Pakistan"
      ],
      "name": "Nimarta Heman"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "The Aga Khan University Medical College Pakistan, Karachi, Pakistan"
      ],
      "name": "Sangeen Khan"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Community Health Sciences, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan"
      ],
      "name": "Asaad Ahmed Nafees"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Information-seeking behaviours, attitudes and practices on sexual and reproductive health among healthcare providers in Pakistan",
  "uid": "8a0fa136-4286-59d6-8aae-099a8efafd10"
}