# Health Education and Promotion Interventions to Mitigate Geophagic Practise: A Scoping Review

## TL;DR

This review examines health education strategies to reduce geophagy, a harmful practice linked to health risks, especially among women of reproductive age.

## Contribution

The study identifies gaps in current interventions and suggests the need for stronger community-level education on geophagy and nutrition.

## Key findings

- Current interventions like iron therapy and education on geophagy risks are used but are not effective.
- More community-based health education programs are needed to address geophagy.
- Geophagy is commonly practiced by women of reproductive age, highlighting a need for targeted interventions.

## Abstract

This study aimed to review health education and promotion interventions that will assist in mitigating the practise of geophagy to reduce the potential health risks, mortalities and morbidities that are linked to geophagic practise.

A scoping review was carried out guided by Arksey and O’Malley’s (2005) methodological framework and PRISMA reporting flowchart.

This scoping review found that health education and promotion interventions focusing on geophagy, nutrition, the uptake of iron and folic acid supplements, the potential health risks of geophagy, anaemia risk during pregnancy, oral and intravenous iron therapy and randomised trials are some of the methods that are currently used to prevent and control the practise of geophagy amongst women of reproductive age at antenatal care units, school and community level.

It is concluded that the existing health education and promotion interventions that can assist women of reproductive age to cease the practise of geophagia are not effective. More emphasis should be given to the establishment of health education awareness programmes on the practise of geophagy, nutrition, and iron and folic acids uptake at community level.