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Menstrual hygiene management strategies used by women who are blind or have low vision
Formerly from Vision Australia, Kooyong, Australia.
Jönköping University, School of Health and Welfare, HHJ, Dept. of Rehabilitation.ORCID iD: 0000-0001-6430-2823
2022 (English)In: Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy, ISSN 1103-8128, E-ISSN 1651-2014, Vol. 29, no 7, p. 598-610Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Background: Menstrual hygiene management is a global public health issue that requires local and individualized support to reduce activity limitations and enable safe, independent task performance for people with impaired body functions.

Aim: How do women with blindness or low vision self-manage their menstrual hygiene to promote independence, and what do they recommend occupational therapists incorporate in education for young women when working in this field?

Methods: Phenomenological design revealing lived experience expertise. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six women who are blind or have low vision aged 16–70 in Australia. The resulting data transcripts were coded and analyzed thematically using the Person-Environment Occupation Performance Model as an organizing framework.

Results: Participants reported a range of personal (touch) and organizational strategies relying on environmental cues such as regular times for changing sanitary items, lining up pads using underwear seams and wearing dark clothing to disguise leaks. Participants suggested that group occupational therapy education sessions be used to promote self-management.

Conclusions and significance: The lived experience of women who successfully self-manage menstrual hygiene with blindness or low vision has generated evidence to inform the development of therapist-mediated interventions and resources that could be applied with women across a range of clinical populations.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Taylor & Francis, 2022. Vol. 29, no 7, p. 598-610
Keywords [en]
disability, low vision, Menstrual health, menstruation, self-care, vision impaired
National Category
Public Health, Global Health and Social Medicine
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-54250DOI: 10.1080/11038128.2021.1954995ISI: 000681124500001PubMedID: 34347580Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85111846694Local ID: ;intsam;1585263OAI: oai:DiVA.org:hj-54250DiVA, id: diva2:1585263
Available from: 2021-08-16 Created: 2021-08-16 Last updated: 2025-02-20Bibliographically approved

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Unsworth, Carolyn

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