Results from a literature review of menstruation-related restrictions in the United States and Canada

Perceptions, Beliefs, and Experiences about the Menstrual Cycle and Menstruation among Young Women: A Qualitative Approach

The experience of menstruation is often associated with negative connotations and gender stereotypes, which results in making it invisible. This research aimed to explore the perceptions, beliefs, and knowledge of young Spanish women regarding the menstrual cycle and menstruation and their impact on their lives. The study delves into their understanding, menstrual management practices, the types of menstrual products employed, and their experiences related to menstrual health. Qualitative methodology was used with discussion groups as a data collection technique. The participants comprised 45 young Spanish women, aged between 18 and 23, hailing from both rural and urban areas. The majority were university students, with some engaged in part-time work, and one participant working full-time. While many experienced menstrual pain ranging from mild to debilitating, a normalization of this pain often led them to forego seeking specialist assistance. Disposable menstrual products (DMPs) are the most used by participants, despite limited awareness of their absorption capacity. Regarding reusable menstrual products (RMPs), menstrual cup users emphasized comfort but expressed a need for proper training. Negative menstruation experiences could evoke fear and difficulties, underscoring the importance of providing comprehensive menstrual health education encompassing both theoretical and practical components.

Family physicians and menstrual care: An analysis of CERA 2023

BACKGROUND

Menstrual health is an important indicator of overall health and has large impacts on quality of life. Despite number and impact, discussion of menstruation remains largely taboo within health care. Patients and physicians are not engaging in regular, meaningful discussions on menstruation. Family physicians, as primary care providers, can facilitate these important conversations.

OBJECTIVES

We sought to understand the profile of menstrual care providing family physicians and assessed physician comfort, knowledge, training, and perceived importance regarding menstrual care.

DESIGN/METHODS

This is a cross-sectional analysis of the 2022 Council of Academic Family Medicine Educational Research Alliance survey. The survey included actively practicing US physicians who are members of the Council of Academic Family Medicine organizations. Descriptive demographic statistics were calculated; chi-square tests were generated for menstrual care-specific items; logistic regression models were fit to determine the association between receiving formal menstrual care training, importance of physician training in menstrual care, and demographic factors.

RESULTS

Eighty-five percent of respondents report frequently providing menstrual care. Participants of younger age, or who had earned their degree more recently, were significantly more likely to provide frequent menstrual care. Respondents who earned their medical degree at an earlier year were significantly more likely to believe that physician training in menstrual care was of limited importance (OR = 1.02, 95% CI = 1.00, 1.03).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings show that family physicians are providing menstrual care, despite non-uniform training, and recognize its importance to patients. By understanding physician profile and the care they provide, we can work toward comprehensive physician education in menstrual care and providing appropriate menstrual care to patients.

Menstrual hygiene access and practices in Latin America: scoping review

OBJECTIVE

to synthesize available evidence related to menstrual hygiene access and practices in Latin America and the Caribbean.

METHOD

literature scoping review with research protocol registered in the Open Science Framework, carried out in the bibliographic databases: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Portal Regional da Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde. Data were analyzed using simple descriptive statistics and thematic analysis.

RESULTS

15 publications were included, the majority of which addressed adolescents in Brazil: 12 articles, two technical reports and a course conclusion monograph. As recurring themes in the publications, the following stand out: Access to dignified conditions for managing menstrual hygiene; Need for access to information on menstrual hygiene management; and Practices for managing menstrual hygiene.

CONCLUSION

adolescents report difficulties in accessing toilets, water and absorbent materials, and lack of information about menstrual health, including in schools, leading to school absenteeism. Thus, gaps in the Latin American scientific literature reveal inequalities and diversity in menstrual experiences intersected by categories such as gender, social class and ethnicity.

HIGHLIGHTS

(1) Lack of access to hygiene products, toilets and water for personal hygiene. (2) Invisibility of the problem of period poverty in Latin America. (3) Lack of physical structure in schools aggravates and leads to school absenteeism. (4) Menstrual health literacy was insufficient for the demands of adolescents. (5) Primary studies on menstrual hygiene in Latin America are scarce.

Period Poverty: an Epidemiologic and Biopsychosocial Analysis

In the United States, approximately one in five persons experience period poverty, defined as the inability to obtain resources needed for healthy, safe, and dignified menstrual management. Limited access to an inadequate number of menstrual supplies may lead to longer-than-recommended use, which can increase skin chafing, disruption of vaginal flora, and intravaginal toxin overgrowth. However, period poverty goes beyond simply having enough menstrual products and can encompass the embarrassment, stigma, shame, and barriers in conversation surrounding menstruation. Discussion and critical examination of the multilayered attributes surrounding period poverty have been intermittent in academic literature, particularly from a domestic lens. Thus, this narrative review and theoretical analysis aimed to describe the epidemiology of period poverty and analyze its biological, socio-emotional, and societal implications. We applied a descriptive epidemiology approach of person, place, and time, and employed a social-ecological lens to examine risk factors. Our findings describe the incidence, distribution, and possible ways to alleviate period poverty. Practitioners, medical providers, and public health professionals may have limited knowledge of period poverty, what it entails, and who it impacts, but they have great potential to address it and associated menstrual inequities in their work. With its widespread implications for psychosocial and community-level health, this phenomenon needs urgent attention to promote menstrual equity as an issue of human rights and social justice. We conclude with research and policy recommendations for alleviating period poverty.

Teacher Perceptions of and Experiences with Student Menstruation in the School Setting

BACKGROUND

Menstrual hygiene management is an important public health issue for adolescents. The objective of this study was to explore teacher perceptions and experiences addressing adolescent menstruation experiences at school and examine their perception of the impact of menstruation on student learning.

METHODS

Teachers in a Midwest school district participated in an online survey about their perceptions of adolescent school-based menstruation experiences, including: experience and comfort-level with providing menstruation assistance, presence of menstrual products in classroom/office for students, perceptions about adolescent school-based menstruation experiences, and perceptions on the impact of menstruation on student learning.

RESULTS

Two hundred and nine teachers participated in this study. Teachers perceived students' school-based menstruation experiences to be mostly negative, stressful, embarrassing, and focused on concealment. Teachers described school-based menstruation events as a distraction to learning and responded by offering emotional support and menstrual products, typically purchased by teachers.

CONCLUSION

Teachers' negative perception of about menstruation and distractions in the classroom are amplified by social norms associated with overall menstruation-related stigma. Findings emphasize the importance of educating teachers on how to more positively address student menstruation experiences to foster a more supportive environment conducive to learning for these students.