Left-Behind Women in the Context of International Migration: A Scoping Review

Introduction:Despite the research on left-behind children, less is known about left-behind women across transnational spaces. The purpose of this scoping review was to assess the extent, range, and nature of the existing body of literature on left-behind women whose partners have migrated across borders.Method:This scoping review was guided by the five-step approach of Arksey and O'Malley. Fifty-four articles that focused on left-behind women across transnational spaces were included. Data were synthesized using descriptive statistics and conventional content analysis.Results:Left-behind women were primarily from Mexico (n= 13) and the migrants' place of destination was primarily the United States (n= 14). We identified two major themes: (a) women'ssocial, economic and cultural conditionsand (b)women's well-being.Discussion:We identified significant knowledge gaps regarding left-behind women in the context of transnational migration. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.