King Aisha S, Sikkema Kathleen J, Rubli Jennifer, DeVries Britt, Cherenack Emily M
Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York, USA.
Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
J Adolesc. 2025 Jun;97(4):901-916. doi: 10.1002/jad.12463. Epub 2025 Jan 10.
Girls in Tanzania often experience menstrual restrictions (i.e., expectations about behaviors prohibited during menstruation) and menstrual stigma (i.e., negative attitudes toward people who menstruate). A better understanding of sociocultural contexts contributing to menstrual stigma and restrictions is needed.
In 2018, two conceptually linked quantitative and qualitative studies were conducted to describe menstrual restrictions and stigma among girls in Tanzania, examine how sociocultural contexts influence menstrual restrictions and stigma, and investigate the relationship between menstrual restrictions and stigma. A cross-sectional survey of 509 post-menarche girls from five schools assessed associations between religion, religion-based menstrual restrictions, and menstrual stigma while controlling for differences between schools. In-depth interviews with 10 adolescent girls and 10 adult key informants explored broader menstrual experiences. We analyzed themes pertaining to sociocultural contexts and other mechanisms that shape menstrual restrictions and stigma, their impacts on girls, and opportunities for intervention.
In the surveys, 52% of Christian girls and 76% of Muslim girls experienced religion-based menstrual restrictions. Some restrictions, such as prohibitions against praying during menstruation, were more common among Muslim girls, who also had higher menstrual stigma. Menstrual stigma differed by school. Although menstrual restrictions did not show an association with stigma in the surveys, interview participants described how menstrual restrictions contribute to stigma and indicated that religion, tribe, education, family support, and menstrual resources influence menstrual restrictions and stigma.
Sociocultural contexts influence menstrual restrictions and stigma. Working with religious, school, and family leaders may provide opportunities to implement interventions to reduce menstrual stigma.
坦桑尼亚的女孩经常经历经期限制（即对经期禁止行为的期望）和经期污名（即对经期女性的负面态度）。需要更好地了解导致经期污名和限制的社会文化背景。
2018年，开展了两项概念相关的定量和定性研究，以描述坦桑尼亚女孩的经期限制和污名，研究社会文化背景如何影响经期限制和污名，并调查经期限制与污名之间的关系。对来自五所学校的509名初潮后女孩进行横断面调查，评估宗教、基于宗教的经期限制和经期污名之间的关联，同时控制学校之间的差异。对10名青春期女孩和10名成年关键信息提供者进行深入访谈，探讨更广泛的经期经历。我们分析了与塑造经期限制和污名的社会文化背景及其他机制、它们对女孩的影响以及干预机会相关的主题。
在调查中，52%的基督教女孩和76%的穆斯林女孩经历了基于宗教的经期限制。一些限制，如经期禁止祈祷，在穆斯林女孩中更为常见，她们的经期污名也更高。经期污名因学校而异。尽管在调查中经期限制与污名没有关联，但访谈参与者描述了经期限制如何导致污名，并指出宗教、部落、教育、家庭支持和经期资源会影响经期限制和污名。
社会文化背景影响经期限制和污名。与宗教、学校和家庭领袖合作可能为实施减少经期污名的干预措施提供机会。
