'It's like a burden on the head': Redefining adequate menstrual hygiene management throughout women's varied life stages in Odisha, India.

ABSTRACT: There has been growing recognition of menstrual hygiene management (MHM) as a significant public health issue. However, research has predominately focused on the experiences of adolescent girls in school settings. The purpose of this research is to examine detailed accounts of menstruation for women in rural Odisha, India at various life stages with a view toward improving international monitoring of MHM. Focus group discussions and in-depth interviews were conducted to understand women's experiences of menstruation across four life stages (unmarried women, recently married women, married women, and older women). Thematic analysis was used to identify menstruation-related challenges and needs. We found women voiced needs that aligned with those captured by the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring P

SUBMITTER: MacRae ER 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6675075 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature