Indian journal of psychological medicine
October 12, 2026 · via Europe PMC
Challenges in Menstrual Hygiene Management Faced by Women with Serious Mental Illness: A Descriptive Phenomenological Qualitative Study.
Ravingston H, Saravanan S, Samuel R.
AI summary — for doctors, generated from the abstract only
Women with serious mental illness and their caregivers described substantial, overlooked difficulties managing menstruation, shaped by culture and stigma.
What was studied
A descriptive phenomenological qualitative study with 25 in-depth interviews (12 women with serious mental illness and 13 caregivers), analysed with systematic text condensation until thematic saturation.
Key findings
- Three major themes emerged: the experience of menarche, the current experience of menstruation, and socio-cultural influences on menstrual practices
- The authors conclude menstrual health is integral to daily functioning and well-being
- Cultural practices need respectful exploration, including those that may limit recovery or independence
Clinical relevance
Clinicians can include menstrual health in person-centred assessment and support to promote menstrual dignity and informed choice.
Who should care
Limitations
The abstract does not describe the detailed content of themes or setting, and a small purposive qualitative sample limits generalisability.
Menstrual hygiene is an overlooked part of care for women with serious mental illness.
This is an AI-generated summary of the published abstract, not a clinical recommendation. It may not reflect the full text or subsequent updates — verify against the original source before acting on it.
Abstract
Background
Menstrual hygiene management (MHM) is essential to women's health and well-being. Women with serious mental illnesses face challenges in self-care, including MHM, due to impairments in cognition, emotional regulation, and functioning. This is further aggravated by stigma and lack of support. This study aims to explore the challenges and experiences of women with serious mental illnesses in MHM.
Methods
We used a descriptive phenomenological qualitative study design. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with women with serious mental illnesses and their caregivers using a purposive, maximum variation sampling method. Twenty-five interviews were conducted with 12 women and 13 caregivers until thematic saturation was achieved. The data obtained were transcribed, translated, and coded. Systematic text condensation was used to identify key experiences and cultural practices.
Results
The results are organized into three major themes: The experience of menarche, the current experience of menstruation, and socio-cultural influences on menstrual practices.
Conclusions
Our findings underscore the importance of recognizing menstrual health as integral to daily functioning and overall well-being. Understanding how the menstrual cycle affects mood, routine, and participation can help guide more person-centered assessment and therapy. This would enhance menstrual dignity, informed choice, and fair support for women living with serious mental illness. It is also important to explore cultural practices respectfully and identify those that may limit recovery or independence. This study highlights an overlooked issue relevant to clinical practice, policy, and future research.
DOI
10.1177/02537176261491916
PMID
42871331
Research metadata (titles, abstracts, authors, publication dates) is sourced from Europe PMC, which aggregates content from PubMed/MEDLINE, PubMed Central, and other providers under the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM/NCBI). NLM does not claim copyright on abstracts; the original journal publishers or authors may hold rights to the full articles. AI-generated summaries are derived only from the abstract, never the full text, and are always labeled as AI-generated.
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