Experiences of Female Informal Traders With Access to Health Care Services in Africa: Protocol for a Scoping Review.

Abstract

The African continent has witnessed a notable shift in its economic landscape, marked by a significant rise in unemployment and a parallel surge in informal trading activities. In response to economic challenges, a substantial number of women within the informal trading sector in African countries have ventured beyond their home settings to engage in trading, aiming to alleviate poverty within their households. However, this pursuit is often characterized by conditions of poverty and socioeconomic difficulties. These women frequently lack access to fundamental health care and social protection services, and they operate within environments that are suboptimal for health and safety. This highlights a gap in knowledge regarding their challenges and barriers in accessing health care and an opportunity for better understanding. This scoping review aims to synthesize the existing evidence related to the accessibility of health care services for women who engage in informal trade. This scoping review will adhere to the methodological guidelines outlined in the JBI framework, and the results will be presented in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews) guidelines. Eligibility criteria will include studies focusing on women engaged in informal trading as the primary population of interest, articles published in English or French, and studies conducted in African countries. To achieve this, relevant scholarly literature will be identified through comprehensive keyword-based searches across several databases, including PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, Web of Science, EBSCOhost, and SA ePublications, spanning from January 1995 to June 2026. The review's focus will be constrained to research evidence originating in Africa. All identified records will be collated and uploaded into EndNote X25 for management. Eligible studies will be screened by 2 independent reviewers, and disagreements will be resolved through discussion and the intervention of a third reviewer. Data will be independently extracted by 2 reviewers using a validated data extraction form developed for this review and will be analyzed using content analysis. The findings will be presented in a narrative format. The initial database search was completed in October 2025 and updated in June 2026. The review is currently in the screening stage. The review is expected to be completed by October 2026. The scoping review aims to identify and map the evidence regarding the physical, financial, cultural, and social barriers that female informal traders in Africa face in accessing health care services, particularly financial constraints that may limit their enrollment in national health insurance. The findings will offer insights into these challenges, helping to inform future strategies to improve health care access and enhance the well-being of female informal traders. OSF Registries 10.17605/OSF.IO/V9KJX; https://osf.io/v9kjx/overview. PRR1-10.2196/89997.