Enablers and barriers of implementing a whole school approach to ovulatory menstrual health literacy
A case study of a single-sex school in Western Australia
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21522415 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Felicity Roux (0000-0003-0982-149X, Curtin University, corresponding author), Jan Hendriks (0000-0002-1177-8980, Curtin University), Huijun Chih (0000-0001-9294-0996, Curtin University), Sharyn Burns (0000-0002-1551-2805, Curtin University) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 52 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 1707-1730 |
| Publication date | 2025-04-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | The Australian Educational Researcher (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0311-6999 • E-ISSN: 2210-5328 |
| Publisher | Springer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1007/s13384-024-00782-5 |
| OpenAlex | W4404244452 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 44 |
My Vital Cycles® is a holistic ovulatory menstrual health literacy program for adolescent females. A whole school approach was used when trialled in one single-sex secondary school in Perth Australia. This study investigated the enablers and barriers for its future implementation from the perspective of the school’s teachers, nurses and psychologists. The design was a pre-trial survey of ovulatory menstrual health knowledge and attitudes, followed by post-trial interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs). In the pre-trial survey, 12 school staff demonstrated positive attitudes to ovulatory menstrual health; sound anatomical knowledge; but limited knowledge of cycle patterns. There were two FGDs with five participants and eight post-trial semi-structured interviews, giving 13 school staff in total. Deductive thematic analysis identified 14 themes within a whole school approach framework, specifically: policies and resources; community partnerships; curriculum; social-emotional environment; and school health services. Enablers included school staff’s positive attitudes; the program’s validated materials; its curricular alignment; and address of stigma. Barriers included school staff’s need for professional development; extending the program over years; Health and Science silos; dependence on school leadership; and challenges of building community partnerships. Co-design with school leadership and staff to enhance opportunities for a whole school approach is recommended for future implementation
Developmental psychology · Environmental health · Health care · Health literacy · Literacy · Medical education · Pedagogy · Political science · Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health · Breastfeeding Practices and Influences · Medicine · Menstrual Health and Disorders · Psychology
The World Health Organization’s Health Promoting Schools framework
Variations in pattern of pubertal changes in girls.
Health literacy as a public health goal
Thematic Analysis
Content analysis and thematic analysis
A teacher professional development programme to enhance students’ critical health literacy through school-based health and physical education programmes
Health Promoting Schools—a complex approach and a major means to health improvement
An ovulatory menstrual health literacy program within a Health Promoting School framework
“What’s going on in my body?”
What can Australian schools do better? Supporting students during menstruation
School‐Based Health Literacy Programs for Children (2‐16 Years)
Health literacy in school-based health programmes
Championing Health Promoting Schools
Enacting critical health literacy in the Australian secondary school curriculum
Mixed Method Evaluation of My Vital Cycles®
A case for critical literacy analysis of the advertising texts of menstruation
Nuancing the critique of commercialisation in schools
The Constant Comparative Analysis Method Outside of Grounded Theory
Three Approaches to Qualitative Content Analysis
The evolving concept of health literacy
| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |