Menstrual health communication among Indian adolescents: A mixed-methods study
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Authors
Gundi, Mukta
Subramanyam, Malavika A.
Issue Date
2019-10-17
Type
Article
Language
en_US
Keywords
Menstrual Health Communication , Menstruation , Adolescents
Alternative Title
Abstract
Background:
Research in health communication frequently views it as an information dissemination strategy, thus neglecting the intricacies involved in communicating a sensitive topic such as menstruation. The social patterning in menstrual communication, a taboo in India, and its consequent health-effects on adolescents are under-studied.
Methods:
We studied the social determinants of menstrual communication influencing menstrual- health through semi-structured interviews of 21 boys and girls each, 12 key-respondent interviews, followed by a cross-sectional survey of 1421 adolescents from Nashik district, India. We thematically analysed the qualitative data and fit multivariable logistic regression to model risk ratios.
Findings:
We found social disparities in adolescents’ experiences of communication taboo regarding menstruation. While boys curbed their curiosity about the topic, girls too faced resistance to their experience-sharing and treatment-seeking for menstrual illnesses. The inequality in menstruation-related communication was evident as more boys than girls faced avoidance to their questions [IRR at 95%CI: 2.75 (2.04, 3.71)]], and fewer tribal than rural girls were communicated severe taboos (OR at 95% CI: 0.18 (0.09, 0.36))]. Girls who had been communicated severe (versus no/mild) taboos reported greater stress about menstrual staining (IRR at 95% CI: 1.31 (1.10, 1.57)], emphasizing the health consequences of such communication inequalities.
Conclusions:
Our study highlights the need to address gender and setting-specific communication experiences of adolescents in India, a patriarchal society. The inequality in communication needs attention as it creates unequal patterns in Indian adolescents’ menstrual health and experiences, which may manifest as inequities in reproductive health-related outcomes even in their adult-lives.
Description
Citation
Gundi, M., & Subramanyam, M. A. (2019). Menstrual health communication among Indian adolescents: A mixed-methods study. PloS one, 14(10), e0223923. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0223923
Publisher
PloS One