EMPOWERING DISABLED GIRLS AND WOMEN IN MANAGING MENSTRUATION AMONG LOW MIDDLE-INCOME COUNTRIES: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Abstract

There is still a stigma attached to talking about menstrual hygiene and health among many women, particularly those who struggle with either physical or mental health conditions. Research is being conducted on adolescents with disabilities and their families in countries with low and moderate incomes with the goals of better understanding their challenges with menstrual health and hygiene and finding ways to alleviate such challenges.

In order to find as many articles as possible, the search was limited to papers published in 2001 and beyond; nevertheless, information that was published as recently as 2019 was taken into account for this analysis. The researchers referred to Google Scholars and PubMed as research tools throughout their work. After finishing the database searches, further research was discovered by browsing through the study's references and doing internet searches for content that was relevant to the topic.

The vast bulk of the research, which totaled 14 and made up 70 percent, were not released until 2021. Except for one study that used a cross-sectional approach, all of the research was either qualitative or quantitative in nature. n equals six, with thirty percent of the research being quantitative and qualitative. Inaccessible restrooms, the challenge of remembering period hygiene information, and the stigma associated with menstruation products are a few of the challenges that disabled people experience. Other tactics, such as restricting the mobility of disabled women when they are menstruating, conducting occupational therapy training in groups, and depending on the environment, were also included in the article.

In spite of the various challenges that MHM must contend with, very few viable solutions have been discovered. One of the most important takeaways from the study was that people who have impairments need early training so that they may be ready for whatever that life throws at them.

This study focuses on the management of menstruation health, the empowerment of girls who are handicapped, and washroom and sanitation (WASH).