Casola Allison R, Medley Lynette, Kunes Brianna C, McGlone Nya, Silverio Alexis
Department of Family and Community Medicine, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
No More Secrets Mind Body Spirit Inc., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Perspect Sex Reprod Health. 2024 Dec;56(4):378-388. doi: 10.1111/psrh.12277. Epub 2024 Jul 29.
Although menstruation is a natural biological process, many people feel embarrassed of their menses and struggle to discuss it. To mitigate menstrual communication stigma, it is necessary to first elucidate communication experiences and perceptions. Thus, we qualitatively explore menstrual communication among cisgender women who menstruate and their family, friends, healthcare providers, and community.
In partnership with No More Secrets (NMS), a Philadelphia menstrual health non-profit, we conducted a community-based participatory research (CBPR) project in Fall 2020. Cisgender, menstruating individuals ages 18-45 recruited from NMS' catchment in Philadelphia participated in semi-structured interviews about their menstrual experiences and communication (N = 20). A deductive, theory-driven approached based on the social-ecological model was used to analyze the data.
Varying emotional responses arose across social-ecological levels: communication was awkward and simplistic with family; positive and supportive with friends and community members; and uncomfortable and frustrating with healthcare providers. Participants echoed the importance of menstrual communication as a means of sharing information, feeling less alone, and decreasing menstrual stigma.
Findings can inform future CBPR workshops that address stigma in familial, healthcare, and community-based discussions to improve menstrual health and experiences for cisgender girls and women, transgender men, and gender non-binary individuals who menstruate.
尽管月经是一个自然的生理过程，但许多人对自己的月经感到尴尬，难以启齿谈论它。为了减轻月经交流的污名化，首先有必要阐明交流经历和观念。因此，我们对有月经的顺性别女性及其家人、朋友、医疗服务提供者和社区之间的月经交流进行了定性研究。
2020年秋季，我们与费城的一家月经健康非营利组织“不再有秘密”（NMS）合作，开展了一个基于社区的参与性研究（CBPR）项目。从费城NMS服务区域招募的18至45岁有月经的顺性别个体参与了关于她们月经经历和交流的半结构化访谈（N = 20）。采用基于社会生态模型的演绎式、理论驱动方法对数据进行分析。
在社会生态的各个层面出现了不同的情绪反应：与家人交流尴尬且简单；与朋友和社区成员交流积极且相互支持；与医疗服务提供者交流则感到不适和沮丧。参与者认同月经交流作为分享信息、减少孤独感和减少月经污名化手段的重要性。
研究结果可为未来的CBPR研讨会提供参考，这些研讨会将解决家庭、医疗和社区讨论中的污名化问题，以改善有月经的顺性别女孩和女性、跨性别男性以及非二元性别人群的月经健康和体验。
