Wealthy, urban, educated. Who is represented in population surveys of women’s menstrual hygiene management

Datos Bibliográficos

ID14950992
AutoresJulie Hennegan (0000-0003-2011-1595, Postdoctoral Fellow, The Water Institute, Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Baltimore, MD, USA, autor de correspondencia), Alexandra K Shannon (0000-0003-2879-0991, WASH Program Officer, Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA), Kellogg J Schwab (0000-0002-4966-8517, Professor, The Water Institute, Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA), On behalf of PMA investigators
Año2018
Volumen26
Número52
Páginas81-91
Fecha de publicación2018-01-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaReproductive Health Matters (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0968-8080 • E-ISSN: 1460-9576
EditorialInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/09688080.2018.1484220
PMID30027825
OpenAlexW2883038993
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas4
Referencias citadas9

Inadequate menstrual hygiene presents a barrier to women's dignity and health. Recent attention to this marginalised challenge has resulted in the first national assessments of menstrual practices. Intuitively, surveys require women to have had a recent menses to be eligible. This study seeks to determine if there are demographic differences between women who are eligible and ineligible to answer questions about their menstrual hygiene during these assessments. Secondary analyses were undertaken on nationally or state representative data collected by the Performance Monitoring and Accountability 2020 survey programme across eight countries (Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Kenya, Niger, Nigeria, and Uganda). Female respondents were included in the study and compared on whether they had a menstrual period within the past three months and thus were eligible to answer questions regarding menstrual practices. On average, 29% of surveyed women across samples were ineligible to be asked menstrual hygiene questions. Higher levels of education, wealth, and urban residence were associated with higher odds of eligibility. Young and unmarried women were also more likely to be eligible. Demographic differences between eligible and ineligible women were consistent across all countries. Wealthy, urban, and educated women are more likely to be eligible to answer survey questions about menstrual hygiene. While population surveys may be representative of menstruating women, proportions of menstrual hygiene practices reported underrepresent the experiences of more vulnerable groups. These groups are likely to have greater struggles with menstrual hygiene when they are menstruating

Environmental health · Family medicine · Hygiene · Population · Residence · Breastfeeding Practices and Influences · Demography · Medicine · Menstrual Health and Disorders · Reproductive Health and Contraception