Menstrual Hygiene Management Research Articles

Social media exposure, interpersonal network, and tampon use intention: A multigroup comparison based on network structure.

The scarcity of tampons in China has attracted scholarly attention. Extending the theory of planned behavior with social network structure, this cross-sectional online survey (N = 763) found that exposure to tampon-related information on social media was positively related to Chinese women's tampon use intentions. This association was mediated through attitudes, descriptive norms, and self-efficacy toward using tampons. Furthermore, the effects of social media exposure differed among people with different network structures. Our findings shed light on the promotion of nonconventional feminine hygiene products, which, in turn, may enhance Chinese women's well-being and gender equity across the globe.

Cost-Effectiveness and Cost-Benefit Analyses of Providing Menstrual Cups and Sanitary Pads to Schoolgirls in Rural Kenya.

Objective:To analyze the relative value of providing menstrual cups and sanitary pads to primary schoolgirls.Design:Cost-effectiveness and cost–benefit analyses of three-arm single-site open cluster randomized controlled pilot study providing menstrual cups or sanitary pads for 1 year.Participants:Girls 14–16 years of age enrolled across 30 primary schools in rural western Kenya.Methods:Cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted based on the health effects (reductions in disability-adjusted life years [DALYs]) and education effects (reductions in school absenteeism) of both interventions. The health and education benefits were separately valued and compared with relative program costs.Results:Compared with the control group, the cost of menstrual cups was estimated at $3,270 per year for 1000 girls, compared with $24,000 for sanitary pads. The benefit of the menstrual cup program (1.4 DALYs averted, 95% confidence interval [CI]: −4.3 to 3.1) was higher compared with a sanitary pad program (0.48 DALYs averted, 95% CI: −4.2 to 2.3), but the health effects of both interventions were not statistically significant likely due to the limited statistical power. Using point estimates, the menstrual cup intervention was cost-effective in improving health outcomes ($2,300/DALY averted). The sanitary pad intervention had a cost-effectiveness of $300/student-school year in reducing school absenteeism. When considering improvements in future earnings from reduced absenteeism, the sanitary pad program had a net benefit of +$68,000 (95% CI: −$32,000 to +$169,000).Conclusions:The menstrual cup may provide a cost-effective solution for menstrual hygiene management in low-income settings. This study outlines a methodology for future analyses of menstrual hygiene interventions and highlights several knowledge gaps that need to be addressed. Trial registration: ISRCTN17486946.

Menstrual hygiene management and its determinants among adolescent girls in low-income urban areas of Delhi, India: a community-based study.

ObjectivesMenstrual hygiene management (MHM) in developing countries is linked to human rights, social justice, and the education and empowerment of young girls. The objective of this study was to assess menstrual hygiene practices and their determinants among adolescent girls, including school dropouts, and the effects of pad distribution programs in urban resettlement areas of Delhi, India.Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted from March 2019 to February 2020 in urban resettlement colonies and 2 villages of Delhi among 1,130 adolescent girls aged 10 to 19 years, who were interviewed face to face.Results In total, 954 participants (84.4%) used only disposable sanitary pads, 150 (13.3%) used both sanitary pads and cloths, and 26 (2.3%) used only cloths (n=1,130). Most school-going girls utilized the scheme for pad distribution, but only two-thirds of the girls who were out of school utilized the scheme. In the adjusted analysis, girls with lower educational status, those who had dropped out of school, and those from the Muslim religious community were more likely to use cloths for MHM.Conclusion More than 4 out of 5 adolescent girls in Delhi in low-income neighborhoods preferred sanitary pads for MHM. The government free pad scheme reached near-universal utilization among school-going girls (97%), but the subsidized pad scheme for girls who did not attend school was insufficiently utilized (75%).

Menstrual Hygiene Management in Adolescent Girls Amid Covid-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study in Bangladesh

Menstrual Hygiene Management in Adolescent Girls Amid Covid-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study in Bangladesh

Lend-Lease: delivery of medical products from the United States of America to the USSR during the Great Patriotic War

This article discusses the emergence of the idea of Lend-Lease, as a method with the implementation of which, in conditions of force majeure, there was an opportunity to optimally solve important pressing problems. A fragment is given - the quintessence of the correspondence of the British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill, calling on the President of the United States of America Franklin Roosevelt and insisting on the need to introduce Lend-Lease. On the basis of archival documents and sources of literature, the role and share of medical products received during the Great Patriotic War in the USSR under Lend-Lease was established. The great importance of lend-lease is confirmed by a letter from F. Roosevelt dated November 4, 1941, addressed to Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin. The author discloses not the decisive, but significant, assistance provided in the provision of medicines, medical and sanitary products to the Soviet Union, especially over the first period of the war in 1941-1942, when some of the medical enterprises remained in the territories occupied by the Nazis. The largest number of deliveries was shown to be made by the United States of America, in comparison with the UK and Canada. The ways and logistics of incoming supplies are investigated. Products were proven to be received not free of charge, but under certain conditions. The USSR had to pay for the goods received until 2030. The Russian Federation, the legal successor of the USSR, managed to repay the debt in 2006. The role of public organizations that came to the aid of the Soviet people earlier than the governments of Western countries fighting Germany was emphasized. Behind the decisions taken on this issue, the policy of the Anglo-American allies in relation to the USSR, to the state, which must be helped in the fight against the common enemy, but in moderation, without strengthening its potential, is seen.

AN OVERVIEW OF PERIOD POVERTY AND THE PUBLIC HEALTH BENEFIT IMPACT OF PROVIDING FREE FEMININE HYGIENE PRODUCTS

Feminine hygiene products such as tampons, pads, and sanitary tissues are crucial to a menstruating person’s health. Feminine hygiene products are a multi-billion-dollar industry, and over the course of a menstruator’s life, they spend between roughly $3000-$5000 on over 16,000 feminine hygiene products. Many financial barriers exist that prevent menstruators, most of whom self-identify as women, from accessing safe and healthy menstrual hygiene products. A disproportionately high number of women, especially women of color, live in poverty. As a result, purchasing feminine hygiene products often poses a substantial financial burden, sometimes preventing women from being able to buy feminine hygiene products at all or forcing them to choose between purchasing food or feminine hygiene products. This phenomenon is referred to as “period poverty.” Due to a lack of access to appropriate menstrual products, many women report substituting debris items, which lead to severe health complications such as toxic shock syndrome and cervical cancer. In addition to potential health risks, there are often negative social consequences associated with menstruation as many women report having to leave their workplace or school due to experiencing an emergency menstruation event and not finding feminine hygiene products publicly available. A plethora of slang words and negative cultural connotations are frequently associated with menstruation, and many women report feelings of stress and anxiety due to the many facets of menstruation symptom management and resource allocation. New York City made feminine hygiene products free in public schools, prisons, and homeless shelters, providing 323,000 menstruators with free products at a cost of roughly $5.88 per person per year, which is cost-effective. Nations such as Kenya, Australia, New Zealand, and Scotland have also led initiatives highlighting the cost-effective public health benefit of improving access to menstrual hygiene products.

Factors influencing period poverty among female adolescent students in public secondary schools in EDE North, Osun State

Background: Period poverty, which includes a lack of access to menstrual products, can lead to poor menstrual hygiene by wearing pads or tampons for too long to manage what they have, absorbing menstrual blood with newspapers or dirty clothes, and not washing or washing the vagina with dirty water these unhealthy practices can lead to things like fungal infection, bacterial infection, yeast infection and Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs). Period poverty is a serious issue in Nigeria but is overlooked and understudied. The study assessed the level of period poverty among the respondents and the factors influencing period poverty. Methods: This study adopted a descriptive design to describe the factors associated with period poverty among public secondary school students in Ede, Osun state. A multistage sampling technique was used for the study. Descriptive and bivariate statistics were used to analyze the quantitative data, and the level of significance was α0.05. Results: The mean age was 14.2 ± 3.8 years. 29.8% were from JSS1, 25.3% were from JSS2, 25.0% were from SSS1, and 19.9% were from SSS2. Results revealed that the majority 79.5% experienced intense period poverty, 14.1% were rated average, and 6.4% experienced less intense period poverty. 72.4% had personal factors that can influence period poverty, while 27.6% had personal factors that might not influence period poverty. 70.6% gave responses that show the school having conditions that can contribute to period poverty while 29.4% gave responses that show the school having conditions that would not contribute to period poverty. 76.6% had background factors that could influence Period Poverty, while 23.4% had background factors that might not influence period poverty. Conclusion: Curbing these factors that influence (increase) the rate of period poverty would reduce its effects.

Menstrual health and period poverty in Lebanon during economic crisis: A qualitative analysis of the challenges and recommendations

ObjectiveRecently, severe period poverty has had a dramatic spread throughout Lebanon as a result of several crises: the COVID-19 pandemic, the Beirut explosion, and the economic collapse. Period poverty is the lack of access to menstrual hygiene materials, comfortable environments, and adequate education about menstrual health. Due to the great implications of period poverty on Lebanese women's health, our study aims to explore stakeholder's perspective on the Lebanese public health policy regarding menstrual health, the evolving challenges it faces in the context of the current economic collapse, and to suggest recommendations for solutions.MethodsOur study is qualitative in nature, where data collection was done via online semi-structured interviews with stakeholders from the public and private sectors of the Lebanese healthcare system in addition to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and physicians. Data were then analyzed based on themes and subthemes that emerged from the interviews.ResultsNine stakeholders were interviewed: five from NGOs, two obstetrics and gynecology physicians, and two public sector representatives. The challenges to menstrual health were subcategorized into previously existing and new ones. The consequences of poor menstrual health were tackled on the mental, physical, and social levels. Stakeholders suggested both short-term and long-term recommendations. Short-term recommendations included decreasing the monetary burden by subsidizing menstrual products or via a coupon system. Long-term recommendations included proper education on multiple levels, cooperation between key players in the private and public sectors, and encouragement of local production to ensure future sustainability.ConclusionMenstrual health is a neglected public health issue in Lebanon, causing detrimental effects on girls and women residing in the country. Proper planning and collaboration between the private and public sectors are required to address this human rights issue.

Menstrual Stigma Rearticulated as Environmental Pollution in Contemporary Scottish Policy-Making

Scotland is a global leader in public policy concerning menstrual products. We bring Critical Menstruation Studies concepts and textual analysis methods to a corpus of Scottish reports on menstrual product access and waste, along with interviews with regional experts. Our analysis indicates that while promotion of reusable menstrual products is intended to dismantle menstrual stigma, this stigma can become displaced via environmental concerns to other contexts, retaining key characteristics. The notion that menstrual blood is unhygienic and transgressive leaks into the discourse, which uses the same fundamental concepts to identify disposable menstrual products as environmental hazards affecting waterways and beaches.

Briefing Paper: Assessing the Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act 2021 as Model Menstruation Legislation

This briefing paper discusses how to include historical perspectives to assess the potential success for current and future menstruation legislation. The case of Scotland provides an instructive example of law-making about free period products and period poverty. While commercial products are perceived as a solution, historical research suggests that cultural attitudes, lingering stigma, and regional differences affect opportunities for passing laws. To predict the likelihood that proposed menstrual product legislation might be adopted in other locations, historical factors related to attitudes about menstruation, including stigma, must be considered and understood to effect lasting change.

Menstruation Hygiene Management among Adolescent School Girls of Inaruwa Municipality

INTRODUCTION: Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) for girls has long been a neglected issue in low income countries however there is increasing recognition that it should be included in research, programming, education and health policies. The aim of the study was to assess the menstrual hygiene management among adolescent school girls residing Inaruwa Municipality of Sunsari district. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study design was conducted on 211 respondents and self-administered questionnaire used as data collection tool. Epi-data version 3.1 and SPSS version IBM 22 was used for data entry and analysis software respectively RESULTS: Majority 74.4% had their first menstruation at the age between 13-15years. In the first menstrual period, the girls were frightened (40.3%) and confused (36%). Entire girls revealed that they were using any type of absorptive materials during menstrual period. Nearly three-fifth of the girls (55.5%) only used sanitary napkin/pad as a protective material during menstruation and 14.2 percent of the girls were using old piece of cloth. Half of the girls (50.9%) used to change their absorptive materials twice a day and 32.5 percent of them changed thirst a day during their menstrual period. After the used of absorptive material, nearly two-third of the girls reported that they used to bury absorptive materials in separate place secretly, while 37.3 percent of girls reported that they used to burn. CONCLUSIONS: The menstrual hygiene practices at home seem to be satisfactory. However, in school, the insufficient toilets, dustbins were the reasons for making the menstruation hygiene difficult and impossible during the school hours. This lead to missing of classes, and school absenteeism during the periods.

Periods and the Menstrualscape: Menstrual Products and Menstrual Manifestations in Scotland, 1870–2020

The Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act 2021 is the first national legislation of its kind and makes provision for menstrual products at no cost to menstruators throughout Scotland. While the act is welcome, and ensconced public conversation about menstruation, it also simultaneously nationalized the practice of physical concealment through use of menstrual products. This article explores the historical debut of manufactured menstrual products in Scotland during the 20th century, and the junctures at which they rose to national significance. It does so through the concept of the menstrualscape. This term serves as shorthand to refer to the ephemera, material artefacts, and visual representations of menstrual products in relation to social and cultural beliefs. The menstrualsape sheds light on the historically relevant ideas and factors that undergird Scotland’s Free Provision Act.

Access to Menstrual Resources as a Public Health Issue in the US and Scotland

The objective of this paper is to answer the research question: in what ways is access to resources related to menstruation a public health issue in the United States (US) and Scotland? Resources will be understood to mean, for example, menstrual products, education, safe restroom facilities, and appropriate and accessible healthcare. The Social Ecological Model (SEM), a conceptual model consisting of four levels of consideration (individual, interpersonal, institutional/community, and societal), was used to structure a narrative review of the factors related to access to menstrual resources. The SEM offers a novel approach within Critical Menstruation Studies that leads to a better understanding of how access to resources affects menstrual health and the menstrual experience in the US and Scotland. This review is intended as an initial step towards collecting data about access to menstrual resources that can inform policy and legislation. It calls for advocates, activists, policymakers, and other interested stakeholders to explore opportunities for change at each of the levels of the SEM: individual, interpersonal, institutional/community, and societal.

Perbandingan Hygiene Menstruasi Pada Wanita Usia Reproduksi Antara yang menggunakan Pembalut Dengan Menstrual Cup

Hygiene is a component of hygiene that has a significant influence in defining a person's health state, particularly in preventing infection of the reproductive organs. During menstruation, women utilize menstrual products to absorb the blood that is expelled. The most prevalent period products include disposable pads, tampons, cloth pads, and menstrual cups. Inadequate personal cleanliness and infrequent changes of sanitary napkins result in prolonged blood contact with the vagina, making it susceptible to bacterial infection. The alternative to the menstrual cup is regarded as the most effective method for collecting menstrual blood due to its ability to reduce fishy odors and the occurrence of infection, irritation, and rashes. Determine whether or not there is comparison hygiene between those who use sanitary napkins and menstrual cups. This research is included in the type of non-experimental research and comparative research design which aims to compare one group with another group. Based on the results of the study the average value of hygiene in sanitary napkin users was 38.80, and the average value of hygiene using menstrual cups was 41.00, statistical test results p-value 0.021<0.05. The conclusion show there are differences in results hygiene on the use of sanitary pad with menstrual cups, where the average results obtained hygiene menstrual menstrual cups are better than hygiene on those using sanitary pad.

A Qualitative Content Analysis of Rural and Urban School Students' Menstruation-Related Questions in Bangladesh.

Nearly half of Bangladeshi girls reach menarche without knowledge of menstruation and many fear seeking support due to pervasive menstrual stigma. We aimed to explore the types of menstruation-related information and support adolescent female and male students want but may be uncomfortable verbalising. We installed a locked box in four school classrooms in rural and urban Bangladesh as part of a menstrual hygiene management pilot intervention between August 2017 and April 2018. Trained teachers provided puberty education to female and male students in classes 5–10 (ages 10–17 years) and encouraged students to submit questions anonymously to the boxes if they did not want to ask aloud. We conducted a content analysis of the 374 menstruation-related questions from a total of 834 submissions. Questions regarded experiences of menstrual bleeding (35%); menstrual symptoms and management (32%); menstrual physiology (19%); behavioural prescriptions and proscriptions (6%); concerns over vaginal discharge (4%); and menstrual stigma, fear, and social support (4%). Students wanted to understand the underlying causes of various menstrual experiences, and concern over whether particular experiences are indicative of health problems was pervasive. Ensuring comprehensive school-based menstruation education and strengthening engagement among schools, parents, and healthcare providers is important for improving access to reliable menstrual health information and may relieve adolescents’ concerns over whether their menstrual experiences are ’normal’.

Differential Uses Pattern of Menstrual Material among Non-Tribal and Tribal Community in selected rural areas of West Bengal: A case study

Menstruation and menstrual activities are still subjected to a slew of social, cultural, and religious constraints,which pose a significant impediment to proper menstrual hygiene management. In addition, women inrural areas either do not have access to sanitary products or do not know anything about the differentforms to maintain menstrual hygiene. A descriptive and cross-sectional study of adolescent girls in thechosen districts was conducted. The sampling technique was used to choose 788 women who had menstrualflow for at least three consecutive menstrual cycles as a sample. There are 435 non-tribal women and 353tribal women among the population, and data is being collected. After that, the information is presented ina comparative analytical format. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0 was used toanalyze the data, including descriptive and inferential statistics. Result: determinants of the significantdifferences of access to menstrual material between the Non-tribal & Tribal community. There is a significantdifference in the access to menstrual material between non-tribal and tribal communities. Public awarenessshould be raised to promote reusable sanitary products or natural sanitary products made from eco-friendlynatural materials to enjoy fearless, shameless and affordable menstruation.

Sustainable menstrual products: a classic or a fad?

PurposeThis all-inclusive bibliometric study aims to highlight the importance and shift of the researchers and the society towards the sustainable menstrual products (SMPs). This study also provides insights for this taboo topic which needs to be addressed for improving the menstrual hygiene of women.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopts a trio of systematic literature review, bibliometric analysis and content analysis of the research articles taken from the SCOPUS database. The influential journals, authors and countries were established with the bibliometric analysis. Most prestigious research articles were identified based on the page-rank analysis. The intellectual structure was established with bibliographic coupling through which various themes were identified. For the content analysis, thematic mapping and author keyword analysis was performed to gain deeper understanding of themes.FindingsIt was established that the taboo yet novel research domain of SMPs is a necessary step towards the improvement of hygiene of women as well as the economy. The products are here to stay making them a Classic; hence, more research normalizing their usage is necessary. From this analysis, research gaps providing directions to the researchers were identified.Originality/valueTo the best knowledge of the authors, this is the first study that provides a comprehensive review of the SMPs. The research methodology applied in this review involves the triad of systematic literature review, bibliometric and content analyses study that establishes an intellectual structure and provides an all-inclusive overview of this taboo research area.

Practices and predictors of menstrual hygiene management material use among adolescent and young women in rural Pakistan: A cross-sectional assessment.

BackgroundIn low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), women often use inappropriate materials to manage menstruation, which can threaten their health. Improper practices can also have critical downstream consequences beyond physiologic health, including restricting adolescent girls’ access to academic pursuits.MethodsWe used cross-sectional data collected through a structured questionnaire from the menstruating adolescents and young women 15-23 years of age living in rural Pakistan (n = 25 305). We aimed to describe menstrual hygiene management (MHM) practices and generate a predictive model of the socioeconomic and demographic factors related to the use of MHM materials. Beliefs and barriers around MHM were also summarized. The outcome variable included: those who practiced appropriate and inappropriate MHM practices. Logistic regression was used to generate the predictive model, with results presented as odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI).ResultsInappropriate MHM practices were reported by 75% (n = 19 006) of participants. The majority 61.9% (n = 15 667) reported using old cloths, 12.6% (n = 3191) used nothing, and 0.5% (n = 136) used old cloth with a sanitary pad. One-fourth of participants reported appropriate MHM material use, including 16.2% (n = 4087) sanitary pads, 8.6% (n = 2167) new cloth, and a few reported using sanitary pads with new cloth 0.2% (n = 45). Inappropriate MHM practices were more common in lowest wealth quintile (OR = 4.41; 95% CI = 2.77-7.01, P < 0.0001), followed by those with no education (OR = 3.9; 95% CI = 3.36-4.52, P < 0.0001).ConclusionsThe study indicates the need for multi-sectoral efforts to introduce MHM-specific and MHM-sensitive interventions to improve MHM practices, ranging from the availability of low-cost MHM materials to the inclusion of MHM education in school curriculums and within the community platforms.

Determinants of Menstrual Hygiene Management Practices among Schoolgirls: A Cross-Sectional Study in the Savannah Region of Ghana

Introduction Menstruation is crucial in the reproductive lives of all women. The advent of menses in most settings is accompanied by physical and psychological health, religious, social, and cultural implications. The research intends to identify determinants of menstrual hygiene management (MHM) practices among adolescent girls in Junior High Schools in the West Gonja Municipality of the Savannah Region of Ghana. Methods The study employed an analytical cross-sectional design with 430 adolescent schoolgirls selected through multistage sampling techniques. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data and analyzed using STATA version 14. A logistic regression model was run to determine the predictors of MHM practices. Results The study discovered that 63.7% of the girls had sufficient knowledge of menstruation and menstrual hygiene. Almost all girls (97%) used some form of absorbent materials during menses, with over half of these girls (58.6%) using commercial sanitary pads, 30.5% using cloth, 3.7% using cotton, and 4.2% using tissue papers with 3.0% reported not using any absorbent material. Only 44.4% reported reusing their absorbent materials. Out of which, the majority (88.5%) of the schoolgirls cleaned their reusable absorbent material using soap and water with 77.5% drying absorbent materials in the sun. Overall, 84.9% practiced good MHM. Type of school [Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) =6.0; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) (2.64-13.59)], pocket money [AOR =2.5; 95% CI (1.27-4.86)], and residence [AOR =2.8 95% CI (1.55-5.18)] were the most significant determinants of menstrual hygiene management practice. Conclusion About two-thirds of the schoolgirls are knowledgeable in menstrual hygiene but access to management materials is problematic whereas approximately half of the girls have access to sanitary pads and the rest resort to the use of cloth and cotton. Pocket money and residential status were the most important predictors of the menstrual hygiene management. The government initiative to provide schoolgirls with sanitary pads could go a long way to improve menstrual hygiene management if implemented across all schools in Ghana, particularly in rural areas.

Estimating the impact of menstrual poverty on adolescents in Nova Scotia.

Menstrual poverty is defined as the inability of people who menstruate to obtain menstrual products due to financial burden. The impact of menstrual poverty is not well studied in developed countries. This study aims to estimate the impact of menstrual poverty on adolescents who reside in Nova Scotia (NS), Canada. A web-based, 25-item questionnaire, the adolescent Menstrual Poverty Questionnaire (aMPQ), was developed and distributed via social media. Adolescents less than 18 years of age, English-speaking and living in NS were eligible to complete the questionnaire. Data were analysed using descriptive analysis. Four hundred and twenty adolescents completed the questionnaire, with a mean age of 16.1 years (14.4-17.9 years). Results revealed that 65% of respondents do not always have enough money to buy menstrual products. This led to unsafe menstrual hygiene practices including using alternatives for menstrual products (e.g., rags), washing disposable menstrual products, and/or wearing products for longer than intended. Forty percent of respondents reported lack of affordability of menstrual products as a cause for school absenteeism and lack of participation in sport/social activities. Seventy percent of respondents felt embarrassed to ask for products even when they are provided for free, and almost all supported the idea of having freely available menstrual products in public washrooms. This study determined that menstrual poverty impacts adolescents in Nova Scotia. To address menstrual poverty, menstrual products should be freely available in all public washrooms, as this will provide unrestricted access to menstruators and promote their full participation in society.