Secor-Turner Molly, Schmitz Kaitlin, Benson Kristen
Molly Secor-Turner, PhD, MS, RN, is Associate Professor, School of Nursing and Department of Public Health, North Dakota State University, Fargo. Kaitlin Schmitz, MPH, RN, is Community Education Specialist, Planned Parenthood of Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Fargo, North Dakota. Kristen Benson, PhD, LMFT, is Associate Professor, Department of Human Development and Family Science, North Dakota State University, Fargo.
Nurs Res. 2016 Jul-Aug;65(4):301-5. doi: 10.1097/NNR.0000000000000161.
Although menstruation is a universal experience, girls in resource-poor areas face unique challenges related to menstruation management. In Kenya, girls miss nearly 3.5 million learning days per month because of limited access to sanitary products and lack of adequate sanitation. Global priorities to address gender inequality-especially related to education-often do not consider the impact of poverty on gendered experiences, such as menstruation.
The aim of the study was to describe the experiences of menstruation from the perspective of adolescent girls living in rural Kenya.
Data for this qualitative study were collected through 29 individual interviews with adolescent girls and separate field observations. Descriptive content analysis was used to identify themes reflective of the data from the individual interviews and field notes.
Four themes were developed to summarize the data: (a) receiving information about menstruation, (b) experiences of menstruation, (c) menstrual hygiene practices, and (d) social norms and the meaning of menstruation.
Findings from this study describe the impact of menstruation on the lives of adolescent girls in rural Kenya. Menstrual hygiene management and its associated challenges may impact girls' academic continuity. Experiences of menstruation also reinforce gender inequality and further marginalize girls in low-income, rural areas of Kenya. Consideration of menstruation is critical to promote health and academic continuity for girls in rural Kenya.
尽管月经是一种普遍现象，但资源匮乏地区的女孩在经期管理方面面临独特挑战。在肯尼亚，由于难以获得卫生用品且缺乏适当的卫生设施，女孩们每月缺课近350万天。解决性别不平等问题（尤其是与教育相关的问题）的全球优先事项往往没有考虑到贫困对诸如月经等性别化经历的影响。
本研究旨在描述肯尼亚农村地区青春期女孩的月经经历。
本定性研究的数据通过对青春期女孩进行的29次个人访谈以及单独的实地观察收集。采用描述性内容分析法，从个人访谈和实地记录中识别反映数据的主题。
总结出四个主题来概括数据：（a）获取月经信息，（b）月经经历，（c）经期卫生习惯，以及（d）社会规范与月经的意义。
本研究结果描述了月经对肯尼亚农村地区青春期女孩生活的影响。经期卫生管理及其相关挑战可能会影响女孩的学业连续性。月经经历也强化了性别不平等，并使肯尼亚低收入农村地区的女孩进一步边缘化。考虑月经问题对于促进肯尼亚农村地区女孩的健康和学业连续性至关重要。
