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Menstrual hygiene access and practices in Latin America: scoping review

Objective:

to synthesize available evidence related to menstrual hygiene access and practices in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Method:

literature scoping review with research protocol registered in the Open Science Framework, carried out in the bibliographic databases: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Portal Regional da Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde. Data were analyzed using simple descriptive statistics and thematic analysis.

Results:

15 publications were included, the majority of which addressed adolescents in Brazil: 12 articles, two technical reports and a course conclusion monograph. As recurring themes in the publications, the following stand out: Access to dignified conditions for managing menstrual hygiene; Need for access to information on menstrual hygiene management; and Practices for managing menstrual hygiene.

Conclusion:

adolescents report difficulties in accessing toilets, water and absorbent materials, and lack of information about menstrual health, including in schools, leading to school absenteeism. Thus, gaps in the Latin American scientific literature reveal inequalities and diversity in menstrual experiences intersected by categories such as gender, social class and ethnicity

Descriptors:
Health Knowledge; Attitudes; Menstrual Hygiene Products; Menstruation; Public Health Nursing; Reproductive Health; Review


Objetivo:

sintetizar la evidencia disponible relacionada con el acceso y las prácticas de higiene menstrual en América Latina y el Caribe.

Método:

revisión de alcance de la literatura con protocolo de investigación registrado en el Open Science Framework, realizada en las bases de datos bibliográficas: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science y Portal Regional da Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde. Los datos fueron analizados mediante estadística descriptiva simple y análisis temático.

Resultados:

se incluyeron 15 publicaciones, la mayoría de las cuales trataban sobre adolescentes en Brasil: 12 artículos, dos informes técnicos y una monografía de trabajo de conclusión de curso. Como temas recurrentes en las publicaciones se destacan: acceso a condiciones dignas para el manejo de la higiene menstrual; necesidad de acceso a información sobre el manejo de la higiene menstrual; y prácticas para el manejo de la higiene menstrual.

Conclusión:

adolescentes informan dificultades para acceder a baños, agua y materiales absorbentes, y falta de información sobre la salud menstrual, incluso en las escuelas, lo que lleva al ausentismo escolar. De esta manera, las lagunas en la literatura científica latinoamericana revelan desigualdades y diversidad en las experiencias menstruales interseccionadas por categorías como género, clase social y etnia.

Descriptores:
Conocimientos; Actitudes y Práctica en Salud; Productos para la Higiene Menstrual; Menstruación; Enfermería en Salud Pública; Salud Reproductiva; Revisión


Objetivo:

sintetizar evidências disponíveis relacionadas ao acesso e práticas de higiene menstrual na América Latina e Caribe.

Método:

revisão de escopo da literatura com protocolo de pesquisa registrado no Open Science Framework, realizada nas bases de dados bibliográficas: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science e Portal Regional da Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde. Os dados foram analisados por estatística descritiva simples e análise temática.

Resultados:

foram incluídas 15 publicações, cuja maioria abordava adolescentes no Brasil: 12 artigos, dois relatórios técnicos e uma monografia de trabalho de conclusão de curso. Como temas recorrentes nas publicações, destacam-se: acesso a condições dignas para o manejo da higiene menstrual; necessidade de acesso à informação sobre manejo da higiene menstrual; e práticas para manejo da higiene menstrual.

Conclusão:

adolescentes relatam dificuldades de acesso a sanitários, água e materiais absorventes, e falta de informação sobre saúde menstrual, inclusive nas escolas, levando ao absenteísmo escolar. Assim, lacunas na literatura científica latino-americana revelam desigualdades e diversidade nas experiências menstruais interseccionadas por categorias como gênero, classe social e etnia.

Descritores:
Atitudes e Prática em Saúde; Produtos de Higiene Menstrual; Menstruação; Enfermagem em Saúde Pública; Saúde Reprodutiva; Revisão


Highlights:

(1) Lack of access to hygiene products, toilets and water for personal hygiene.

(2) Invisibility of the problem of period poverty in Latin America.

(3) Lack of physical structure in schools aggravates and leads to school absenteeism.

(4) Menstrual health literacy was insufficient for the demands of adolescents.

(5) Primary studies on menstrual hygiene in Latin America are scarce.

Introduction

Menstrual health can be understood as a complete state of physical, mental and social well-being in relation to the menstrual cycle ( 11. Hennegan J, Winkler IT, Bobel C, Keiser D, Hampton J, Larsson G, et al. Menstrual health: a definition for policy, practice, and research. Sex Reprod Health Matters. 2021;29:31-8. https://doi.org/10.1080/26410397.2021.1911618
https://doi.org/10.1080/26410397.2021.19...
). Having menstrual health can have different meanings, depending on the lifestyle of people who menstruate. In general, they are related to access to information, supports - material and symbolic - to take care of their bodies according to their particular needs, diagnosis, treatment and appropriate care for discomforts and disorders related to the menstrual cycle, and positive contexts, respectful and free from exclusion, discrimination, coercion or violence ( 11. Hennegan J, Winkler IT, Bobel C, Keiser D, Hampton J, Larsson G, et al. Menstrual health: a definition for policy, practice, and research. Sex Reprod Health Matters. 2021;29:31-8. https://doi.org/10.1080/26410397.2021.1911618
https://doi.org/10.1080/26410397.2021.19...
).

Several cultures have stigmas and beliefs related to menstruation that result in negative repercussions, such as the lack of dialogue on the subject ( 22. Rubinsky V, Gunning JN, Cooke-Jackson A. “I Thought I Was Dying:” (Un)Supportive Communication Surrounding Early Menstruation Experiences. Health Commun. 2020;35:242-52. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2018.1548337
https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2018.15...
), and the difficulty in accessing information about the physiology of menstruation, body care and accessible and appropriate practices to absorb or collect menstrual blood ( 33. Medina-Perucha L, Jacques-Aviñó C, Valls-Llobet C, Turbau-Valls R, Pinzón D, Hernández L, et al. Menstrual health and period poverty among young people who menstruate in the Barcelona metropolitan area (Spain): protocol of a mixed-methods study. BMJ Open. 2020;10:e035914. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2019-035914
https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2019-035...
). Therefore, access to menstrual health education by the young population could contribute to the deconstruction of these stigmas and discrimination, in addition to facilitating the identification of diseases, such as dysmenorrhea and endometriosis ( 44. Holmes K, Curry C, Sherry, Ferfolja T, Parry K, Smith C, et al. Adolescent Menstrual Health Literacy in Low, Middle and High-Income Countries: A Narrative Review. IJERPH. 2021;18:2260. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18052260
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18052260...
). However, the literacy of this population has been shown to be inadequate and insufficient to meet the demand of young women in the global scenario ( 55. Lancet Regional Health–Americas. Menstrual health: a neglected public health problem. Lancet Reg Health Americas. 2022;15:100399. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lana.2022.100399
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lana.2022.1003...
).

This study will address one of the aspects of menstrual health, menstrual hygiene management (MHM), defined as “access to information and education on ways to manage menstruation, clean materials to absorb and/or collect menstrual blood, and privacy to change them as many times as necessary”, including access to clean water and soap for body hygiene ( 66. Sommer M, Hirsch JS, Nathanson C, Parker RG. Comfortably, Safely, and Without Shame: Defining Menstrual Hygiene Management as a Public Health Issue. Am J Public Health. 2015;105:1302-11. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2014.302525
https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2014.302525...
- 77. Loughnan L, Mahon T, Goddard S, Bain R, Sommer M. Monitoring Menstrual Health in the Sustainable Development Goals. In: Bobel C, Winkler IT, Fahs B, Hasson KA, Kissling EA, Roberts TA, editors. The Palgrave Handbook of Critical Menstruation Studies. Singapore: Springer Singapore; 2020. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-0614-7_44
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-0614-...
). The lack of these inputs has been conceptualized as period poverty, a term that refers to barriers (financial, social, cultural and political) in accessing products for menstrual hygiene, sexuality education, including information on menstrual management, free of taboos, and access to health services ( 66. Sommer M, Hirsch JS, Nathanson C, Parker RG. Comfortably, Safely, and Without Shame: Defining Menstrual Hygiene Management as a Public Health Issue. Am J Public Health. 2015;105:1302-11. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2014.302525
https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2014.302525...
). It is estimated that globally more than 500 million people who menstruate do not have access to MHM ( 55. Lancet Regional Health–Americas. Menstrual health: a neglected public health problem. Lancet Reg Health Americas. 2022;15:100399. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lana.2022.100399
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lana.2022.1003...
).

Recently, menstruation management has been more widely discussed as a public health issue on the global stage, especially in lower middle income countries (LMICs ( 66. Sommer M, Hirsch JS, Nathanson C, Parker RG. Comfortably, Safely, and Without Shame: Defining Menstrual Hygiene Management as a Public Health Issue. Am J Public Health. 2015;105:1302-11. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2014.302525
https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2014.302525...
, 88. Chandra-Mouli V, Patel SV. Mapping the knowledge and understanding of menarche, menstrual hygiene and menstrual health among adolescent girls in low- and middle-income countries. Reprod Health. 2017;14:30. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-017-0293-6
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-017-0293-...
). In these settings, for example, the lack of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) affects spheres of people’s daily lives ( 99. Bookshelf: Menstrual Hygiene Matters: a resource for improving menstrual hygiene around the world by Sarah House, Thérèse Mahon, Sue Cavill Co-published by WaterAid and 17 other organisations, 2012. Reprod Health Matters. 2013;21:257-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0968-8080(13)41712-3
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0968-8080(13)41...
) and is responsible, in part, for period poverty, as already noted and documented in African ( 1010. Hennegan J, Kibira SPS, Exum NG, Schwab KJ, Makumbi FE, Bukenya J. ‘I do what a woman should do’: a grounded theory study of women’s menstrual experiences at work in Mukono District, Uganda. BMJ Glob Health. 2020;5:e003433. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2020-003433
https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2020-00343...
- 1111. Benshaul-Tolonen A, Aguilar-Gomez S, Batzer NH, Cai R, Nyanza EC. Period teasing, stigma and knowledge: A survey of adolescent boys and girls in Northern Tanzania. PLoS One. 2020;15:e0239914. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0239914
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.023...
) and Asian ( 1212. Ram U, Pradhan MR, Patel S, Ram F. Factors associated with disposable menstrual absorbent use among young women in India. Int Perspect Sex Reprod Health. 2020;46:223-34. https://doi.org/10.1363/46e0320
https://doi.org/10.1363/46e0320...
- 1313. Alam MU, Luby SP, Halder AK, Islam K, Opel A, Shoab AK, et al. Menstrual hygiene management among Bangladeshi adolescent schoolgirls and risk factors affecting school absence: results from a cross-sectional survey. BMJ Open. 2017;7:e015508. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2016-015508
https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2016-015...
) countries. However, few studies have investigated the topic in Latin America and the Caribbean, where sanitation problems are also challenging ( 1414. Sommer M, Kjellén M, Pensulo C. Girls’ and women’s unmet needs for menstrual hygiene management (MHM): the interactions between MHM and sanitation systems in low-income countries. J Water Sanitat Hyg Dev. 2013;3:283-97. https://doi.org/10.2166/washdev.2013.101
https://doi.org/10.2166/washdev.2013.101...
). In addition to those factors, historical negligence related to menstrual health, silence and social etiquette marked by discretion on the subject in all spaces ( 66. Sommer M, Hirsch JS, Nathanson C, Parker RG. Comfortably, Safely, and Without Shame: Defining Menstrual Hygiene Management as a Public Health Issue. Am J Public Health. 2015;105:1302-11. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2014.302525
https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2014.302525...
), as well as androcentrism ( 33. Medina-Perucha L, Jacques-Aviñó C, Valls-Llobet C, Turbau-Valls R, Pinzón D, Hernández L, et al. Menstrual health and period poverty among young people who menstruate in the Barcelona metropolitan area (Spain): protocol of a mixed-methods study. BMJ Open. 2020;10:e035914. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2019-035914
https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2019-035...
), could also partly explain the unmet needs and the scarcity of studies on the subject in the region.

Therefore, it can be inferred that MHM is an unattended aspect of sexual and reproductive health (SRH), especially in settings of greater social vulnerability such as LMICs, constituting an additional challenge for adolescents and women, as well as other aspects of SRH have been neglected in these contexts, such as teenage pregnancy ( 1515. Bicalho MLC, Araújo FG, Andrade GND, Martins EF, Felisbino-Mendes MS. Trends in fertility rates, proportion of antenatal consultations and caesarean sections among Brazilian adolescents. Rev Bras Enferm. 2021;74:e20200884. https://doi.org/10.1590/0034-7167-2020-0884
https://doi.org/10.1590/0034-7167-2020-0...
), abortion ( 1616. Gonzaga P, Aras L. Latin American Women and the Struggle for Reproductive Rights: the panorama of the political and legal conjuncture of abortion in Latin American countries. Repam [Internet]. 2015 [cited 2023 Abr 25]. Available from: https://periodicos.unb.br/index.php/repam/article/view/16040
https://periodicos.unb.br/index.php/repa...
) and contraception ( 1717. Alves JED, Cavenaghi S. Progress and setbacks in the achievement of gender equality in Brazil. Rev USP. 2019;0(122):11-26. https://doi.org/10.11606/issn.2316-9036.v0i122p11-26
https://doi.org/10.11606/issn.2316-9036....
). In addition, the Latin American scenario is marked by political, economic and social inequalities, and identifying and mapping studies that seek to investigate MHM and the impacts related to period poverty can contribute to the discussion in society, as well as allow the construction of more effective measures related to SRH, mainly related to menstrual health. In 2019, there was a global call and few countries in the Americas, for example, established actions in favor of menstrual health, such as Mexico, the United States of America and Brazil ( 55. Lancet Regional Health–Americas. Menstrual health: a neglected public health problem. Lancet Reg Health Americas. 2022;15:100399. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lana.2022.100399
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lana.2022.1003...
). With that, the methodology of this study was selected because it allows a broader view of this complex and expanding subject, and mainly because it allows the identification and analysis of possible gaps in knowledge.

Therefore, considering that menstrual hygiene is increasingly recognized as a public health issue that is closely related to the fulfillment of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs ( 77. Loughnan L, Mahon T, Goddard S, Bain R, Sommer M. Monitoring Menstrual Health in the Sustainable Development Goals. In: Bobel C, Winkler IT, Fahs B, Hasson KA, Kissling EA, Roberts TA, editors. The Palgrave Handbook of Critical Menstruation Studies. Singapore: Springer Singapore; 2020. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-0614-7_44
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-0614-...
, 1818. Sommer M, Torondel B, Hennegan J, Phillips-Howard PA, Mahon T, Motivans A, et al. How addressing menstrual health and hygiene may enable progress across the Sustainable Development Goals. Glob Health Action. 2021;14:1920315. https://doi.org/10.1080/16549716.2021.1920315
https://doi.org/10.1080/16549716.2021.19...
), we sought to synthesize the available evidence related to access and practices of menstrual hygiene in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) and, with that, contribute to the visibility and dimension of this basic human need of women, which lack is configured in a public health problem called period poverty.

Method

Type of study

This is a systematic review, of the scoping review type, with a research protocol registered in the Open Science Framework ( https://osf.io/eg3pu/). This study was developed and structured according to the recommendations of the JBI ( 1919. Peters MDJ, Godfrey C, McInerney P, Munn Z, Tricco AC, Khalil, H. Chapter 11: Scoping Reviews (2020 version) [Internet]. In: Aromataris E, Munn Z, editors. JBI Manual for Evidence Synthesis. Adelaide: JBI; 2020 [cited 2022 Sep 8]. Available from: https://synthesismanual.jbi.global
https://synthesismanual.jbi.global...
) and the checklist Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-Scr) ( 2020. Tricco AC, Lillie E, Zarin W, O’Brien KK, Colquhoun H, Levac D, et al. PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR): Checklist and Explanation. Ann Intern Med. 2018;169:467-73. https://doi.org/10.7326/M18-0850
https://doi.org/10.7326/M18-0850...
). We comply with the Sex and Gender Equity in Research (SAGER) guidelines ( 2121. Heidari S, Babor TF, Castro P, Tort S, Curno M. Sex and Gender Equity in Research: rationale for the SAGER guidelines and recommended use. Res Integr Peer Rev. 2017;26:665-76. https://doi.org/10.5123/S1679-49742017000300025
https://doi.org/10.5123/S1679-4974201700...
), which indicate the careful use of sex and gender in scientific publications and the standardization of these definitions. In this study, we used gender identities “girl” and “woman” and “female” as a search category. Although female gender, assigned at birth, may include transmasculine gender identities, these identities were not highlighted in the search.

Information sources

A bibliographic survey was carried out in the following databases: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Portal Regional da Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde.

Population

The study population consisted of 1,981 publications found in searches carried out in the databases and from the references of documents read integrally.

Eligibility criteria

Articles from peer-reviewed journals and grey literature (not peer-reviewed), including online reports, published in scientific journals, and book chapters available online, were considered eligible. To be included, studies and documents should present: primary data on menstrual hygiene management practices or access to menstrual hygiene management; portray people who live in Latin American and Caribbean countries; documents in English, Portuguese and Spanish, published between January 2011 and July 2022.

It was considered that the specific descriptor “Menstrual Hygiene Products” was introduced to Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) in 2007, and that until 2010 there were no records of publications in the PubMed database that met the eligibility criteria.

Study variables

The variables collected from each study were: year of publication, country of origin, affiliation of the authors, authors’ education, indexed journal, type of publication, methodological design, characteristics of the population, sample size, and the results found on the menstrual hygiene access and practices.

Selection of evidence sources and data extraction process

The extraction of data from the scientific production analyzed in this study was performed using an instrument adapted from the JBI form ( 1919. Peters MDJ, Godfrey C, McInerney P, Munn Z, Tricco AC, Khalil, H. Chapter 11: Scoping Reviews (2020 version) [Internet]. In: Aromataris E, Munn Z, editors. JBI Manual for Evidence Synthesis. Adelaide: JBI; 2020 [cited 2022 Sep 8]. Available from: https://synthesismanual.jbi.global
https://synthesismanual.jbi.global...
), prepared by the researchers in the Microsoft Excel 2016 ® program.

For the search and selection of studies, we used the mnemonic combination PCC ( 1919. Peters MDJ, Godfrey C, McInerney P, Munn Z, Tricco AC, Khalil, H. Chapter 11: Scoping Reviews (2020 version) [Internet]. In: Aromataris E, Munn Z, editors. JBI Manual for Evidence Synthesis. Adelaide: JBI; 2020 [cited 2022 Sep 8]. Available from: https://synthesismanual.jbi.global
https://synthesismanual.jbi.global...
, 2222. Araújo WCO. Recuperação da informação em saúde: construção, modelos e estratégias. ConCI. 2020;3(2):100-34. https://doi.org/10.33467/conci.v3i2.13447
https://doi.org/10.33467/conci.v3i2.1344...
): P Population - People of the female gender (women, girls, teenagers); C Concept 1 - Access to menstrual hygiene; period poverty; C Concept 2 - Menstrual hygiene practices; C Context - Countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. Thus, the following guiding question was established: “How are menstrual hygiene access and practices for adolescent girls and women in Latin America and the Caribbean?”.

Initially, for the recognition of the descriptors, a non-systematized search was carried out in databases and, with this, an overview of the knowledge produced on the subject was obtained. In addition, it was possible to identify the index terms used to describe the topic under study, which contributed to outline the search strategy of this research more specifically.

The searches were carried out in August 2022, through remote access to the databases, from the registration in the journal portal of the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES), via Comunidade Acadêmica Federada (CAFe), with the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG) login.

The results obtained in the bases were exported to the Rayyan reference manager, developed by the Qatar Computing Research Institute (QCRI) ( 2323. Ouzzani M, Hammady H, Fedorowicz Z, Elmagarmid A. Rayyan - a web and mobile app for systematic reviews. Syst Rev. 2016;5(1):1-10. http://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-016-0384-4
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-016-0384-...
), for the removal of duplicate documents, selection and screening of studies, by two researchers independently and blindly. Using a previously prepared guide for the selection of studies and in the event of disagreements, the researchers discussed until consensus. The documents that met the inclusion criteria were analyzed by reading the manuscripts integrally. Finally, manual searches were performed in the references of the included studies.

Search strategy

The construction of the search strategy was carried out using Boolean operators AND and OR, descriptors included in the MeSH of the United States National Library of Medicine and in Health Sciences Descriptors (DeCS), in addition to some free terms, namely : Puberty, Girl, Teenager, Woman, Female, Menarche, Menstruation, “Menstrual Cycle”, Pads, “Menstrual Hygiene Products”, “Menstrual Hygiene”, “Menstrual Health”, “Period Poverty”, “Menstrual Pads”, “Vaginal Tampon”, “Menstrual Hygiene Management”, “Health Education”, “Sexual Education”, “Health Knowledge, Attitudes and Practice”, Access, Practice, “Health-Related Behavior”, “Health Attitudes and Practice”, “Health Behavior”, and their counterparts in Spanish and Portuguese.

Summary of results

Initially, the data were analyzed using simple descriptive statistics of the main characteristics of the included documents. In addition, a thematic analysis ( 2424. Maguire M, Delahun B. Doing a thematic analysis: a practical, step-by-step guide for learning and teaching scholars. AISHE-J [Internet]. 2017 [cited 2023 Mar 8];9(3):3351-4. Available from: http://ojs.aishe.org/index.php/aishe-j/article/view/335
http://ojs.aishe.org/index.php/aishe-j/a...
- 2525. Bardin L. Análise de conteúdo. São Paulo: Edições 70; 2011. ) of the included documents was carried out, involving six steps: 1. Familiarization with data; 2. Initial encoding generation; 3. Search for themes; 4. Review of themes; 5. Definition of themes; and 6. Writing. These steps were carried out from discussions between the researchers and the codification of themes, which was based on the literature on menstrual health. The categories were selected by observing their recurrence, and because they are capable of covering the conceptual universe of the studies and the large groups of themes that they describe.

Ethical aspects

This study used data available from public domain. Therefore, there was no need to submit the study to the Research Ethics Committee.

Results

1,993 articles were selected for screening, 1,981 retrieved through the search and 12 identified through the search in the references. Of the total, 247 publications were identified in Web of Science, 493 in Scopus, 396 in PubMed and 845 in Biblioteca Virtual de Saúde. After excluding duplicate publications (n= 675), 1,306 remained for the first selection stage (reading titles and abstracts). A total of 85 publications were selected for the second selection stage (complete reading of the texts), remaining at the end 15 publications that integrated the review ( Figure 1).

Figure 1 -
Flowchart of the study selection process. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil, 2022

Of the 15 publications included in this review, 10 were published in the last 5 years. In 12 of them, the authors were linked to higher education institutions, and in 3 the authors were linked to a non-governmental organization, namely: United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Fourteen main authors were identified among the analyzed publications, with their education (graduation) in: biological sciences (n=3), psychology (n=2), anthropology/sociology (n=2), nursing (n=2), medicine (n=2), physiotherapy (n=1), occupational therapy (n=1), and economics (n=1).

Regarding the methodology used in the studies, 60.0% (n=9) adopted a quantitative methodological approach, in which data were collected through questionnaires and analyzed with the aid of statistics. Of these, cross-sectional studies predominated (n=5), followed by cohort studies (n=4). Most studies were conducted in Brazil (n=7, 46.7%), with adolescents (n=8, 53.3%) and adult women (n=6, 40.0%), and published in international journals, exclusively in English (n=9, 60.0%). The characteristics of the studies are presented in Figure 2.

Figure 2 –
Characteristics of the studies that were part of the scoping review. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil, 2022

The scope of scientific production on access and practices of menstrual hygiene was analyzed and organized by observation of recurrence, that is, by similarity of content, emerging three categories: 1) Access to dignified conditions for MHM ( 2626. Marván ML, Molina-Abolnik M. Mexican adolescents’ experience of menarche and attitudes toward menstruation: role of communication between mothers and daughters. J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol. 2012;25:358-63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpag.2012.05.003
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpag.2012.05.0...
, 2828. Long JL, Caruso BA, Lopez D, Vancraeynest K, Sahin M, Andes KL, et al. WASH in schools empowers girls’ education in rural Cochabamba, Bolivia: an assessment of menstrual hygiene management in schools [Internet]. New York, NY: United Nations Children’s Fund; 2013 [cited 2022 Nov 7]. Available from: https://resourcecentre.savethechildren.net/document/wash-schools-empowers-girls-education-rural-cochabamba-bolivia-assessment-menstrual-hygiene/
https://resourcecentre.savethechildren.n...

29. Marván ML, Alcalá-Herrera V. Age at menarche, reactions to menarche and attitudes towards menstruation among mexican adolescent girls. J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol. 2014;27:61-6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpag.2013.06.021
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpag.2013.06.0...
- 3030. Ariza-Ruiz LK, Espinoza-Menéndez MJ, Rodriguez-Hernández JM. Challenges of menstruation in girls and adolescents from rural communities of the Colombian Pacific. Rev Salud Pública. 2017;19:833-41. https://doi.org/10.15446/rsap.v19n6.71741
https://doi.org/10.15446/rsap.v19n6.7174...
, 3838. Long JL, Haver J, Mendoza P, Kotasek SMV. The more you know, the less you stress: menstrual health literacy in schools reduces menstruation-related stress and increases self-efficacy for very young adolescent girls in Mexico. Front Glob Womens Health. 2022;3:859797. https://doi.org/10.3389/fgwh.2022.859797
https://doi.org/10.3389/fgwh.2022.859797...
); 2) Need for access to information ( 1414. Sommer M, Kjellén M, Pensulo C. Girls’ and women’s unmet needs for menstrual hygiene management (MHM): the interactions between MHM and sanitation systems in low-income countries. J Water Sanitat Hyg Dev. 2013;3:283-97. https://doi.org/10.2166/washdev.2013.101
https://doi.org/10.2166/washdev.2013.101...
, 2828. Long JL, Caruso BA, Lopez D, Vancraeynest K, Sahin M, Andes KL, et al. WASH in schools empowers girls’ education in rural Cochabamba, Bolivia: an assessment of menstrual hygiene management in schools [Internet]. New York, NY: United Nations Children’s Fund; 2013 [cited 2022 Nov 7]. Available from: https://resourcecentre.savethechildren.net/document/wash-schools-empowers-girls-education-rural-cochabamba-bolivia-assessment-menstrual-hygiene/
https://resourcecentre.savethechildren.n...

29. Marván ML, Alcalá-Herrera V. Age at menarche, reactions to menarche and attitudes towards menstruation among mexican adolescent girls. J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol. 2014;27:61-6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpag.2013.06.021
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpag.2013.06.0...

30. Ariza-Ruiz LK, Espinoza-Menéndez MJ, Rodriguez-Hernández JM. Challenges of menstruation in girls and adolescents from rural communities of the Colombian Pacific. Rev Salud Pública. 2017;19:833-41. https://doi.org/10.15446/rsap.v19n6.71741
https://doi.org/10.15446/rsap.v19n6.7174...

31. Coker-Bolt P, Jansson A, Bigg S, Hammond E, Hudson H, Hunkler S, et al. Menstrual education and personal hygiene supplies to empower young women in Haiti. OTJR. 2017;37:210-7. https://doi.org/10.1177/1539449217719866
https://doi.org/10.1177/1539449217719866...

32. Khan SM, Bain RES, Lunze K, Unalan T, Beshanski-Pedersen B, Slaymaker T, et al. Optimizing household survey methods to monitor the Sustainable Development Goals targets 6.1 and 6.2 on drinking water, sanitation and hygiene: A mixed-methods field-test in Belize. PLoS One. 2017;12:e0189089. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0189089
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.018...
- 3333. Coswosk ÉD, Neves-Silva P, Modena CM, Heller L. Having a toilet is not enough: the limitations in fulfilling the human rights to water and sanitation in a municipal school in Bahia, Brazil. BMC Public Health. 2019;19:137. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-6469-y
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-6469-...
, 3636. Santos CCM. Pobreza menstrual no Brasil: desigualdade e violações de direito [Internet]. Brasília: Fundo de População das Nações Unidas; Fundo das Nações Unidas para a Infância; 2021 [cited 2022 Nov 7]. Available from: https://www.unicef.org/brazil/relatorios/pobreza-menstrual-no-brasil-desigualdade-e-violacoes-de-direitos
https://www.unicef.org/brazil/relatorios...
- 3737. Soeiro RE, Rocha L, Surita FG, Bahamondes L, Costa ML. Period poverty: menstrual health hygiene issues among adolescent and young Venezuelan migrant women at the northwestern border of Brazil. Reprod Health. 2021;18:238. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-021-01285-7
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-021-01285...
, 3939. Rocha L, Soeiro R, Gomez N, Costa ML, Surita FG, Bahamondes L. Assessment of sexual and reproductive access and use of menstrual products among Venezuelan migrant adult women at the Brazilian-Venezuelan border. J Migration Health. 2022;5:100097. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmh.2022.100097
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmh.2022.10009...
); and 3) Practices for MHM ( 2727. Bardin MG, Giraldo PC, Pinto CLB, Piassaroli VP, Amaral RLG, Polpeta N. Association of sanitary pads and clothing with vulvovaginitis. Braz J Sexually Transm Dis [Internet]. 2013 [cited 2022 Nov 10];25(3):123-7. Available from: https://bjstd.org/revista/article/view/350
https://bjstd.org/revista/article/view/3...
, 3131. Coker-Bolt P, Jansson A, Bigg S, Hammond E, Hudson H, Hunkler S, et al. Menstrual education and personal hygiene supplies to empower young women in Haiti. OTJR. 2017;37:210-7. https://doi.org/10.1177/1539449217719866
https://doi.org/10.1177/1539449217719866...
, 3434. Ernandes CC, Cruz RC, Weber MAA. A quebra de tabus sobre menstruação e práticas sustentáveis [Trabalho de Conclusão de Curso]. São Gabriel: Universidade Federal do Pampa; 2018 [cited 2022 Nov 10]. Available from: https://dspace.unipampa.edu.br/handle/riu/4529
https://dspace.unipampa.edu.br/handle/ri...
- 3535. Araujo MP, Brigido BP, Chimello L, Sartori MG, Ejnisman B, Pochini AC. Evaluation of the safety and comfort of menstrual cup during physical exercise: a prospective cohort study. Femina [Internet]. 2020 [cited 2022 Nov 10];48(11):680-4. Available from: https://docs.bvsalud.org/biblioref/2020/12/1140184/femina-2020-4811-680-684.pdf#:~:text=A%20inser%C3%A7%C3%A3o%20e%20a%20remo%C3%A7%C3%A3o,p%20%3E%200%2C05
https://docs.bvsalud.org/biblioref/2020/...
). The summary of the results identified by the studies in this review is presented in Figure 3.

Figure 3 –
Themes of studies on menstrual hygiene in Latin America and the Caribbean. Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil, 2022

Discussion

This scoping review showed the existence of a small number of studies and documents about access and practices of menstrual hygiene in LAC. The findings reinforce the invisibility of the public health problem that is period poverty in the region, and point to an important gap in the scientific literature on the subject, indicating insufficient delimitation of issues related to MHM and, consequently, difficulty in recognizing this problem in society in all areas. In addition, it corroborates the scenario of vulnerability of women and adolescent girls living in LAC.

The results of the documents analyzed in this review corroborate those of other studies in which the lack of physical structure for MHM in schools is evident, mainly in LMICs ( 1212. Ram U, Pradhan MR, Patel S, Ram F. Factors associated with disposable menstrual absorbent use among young women in India. Int Perspect Sex Reprod Health. 2020;46:223-34. https://doi.org/10.1363/46e0320
https://doi.org/10.1363/46e0320...
, 4040. Secor-Turner M, Huseth-Zosel A, Ostlund R. Menstruation experiences of middle and high school students in the Midwest: a pilot study. J School Nurs. 2022;38:504-10. https://doi.org/10.1177/1059840520974234
https://doi.org/10.1177/1059840520974234...

41. Girod C, Ellis A, Andes KL, Freeman MC, Caruso BA. Physical, social, and political inequities constraining girls’ menstrual management at schools in informal settlements of Nairobi, Kenya. J Urban Health. 2017;94:835-46. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-017-0189-3
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-017-0189-...

42. Tegegne TK, Sisay MM. Menstrual hygiene management and school absenteeism among female adolescent students in Northeast Ethiopia. BMC Public Health. 2014;14:1118. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-14-1118
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-14-111...
- 4343. Progress on drinking water, sanitation and hygiene: 2017 update and SDG baselines [Internet]. Geneva: World Health Organization; United Nations Children’s Fund; 2017 [cited 2022 Nov 7]. Available from: https://data.unicef.org/resources/progress-drinking-water-sanitation-hygiene-2017-update-sdg-baselines/
https://data.unicef.org/resources/progre...
), such as: lack of clean water and soap to wash hands, products for MHM, such as disposable pads and often even toilet paper, in addition to privacy. They also highlight the lack of basic sanitation and the negative impact on issues of daily life, education, health and well-being ( 1414. Sommer M, Kjellén M, Pensulo C. Girls’ and women’s unmet needs for menstrual hygiene management (MHM): the interactions between MHM and sanitation systems in low-income countries. J Water Sanitat Hyg Dev. 2013;3:283-97. https://doi.org/10.2166/washdev.2013.101
https://doi.org/10.2166/washdev.2013.101...
, 3131. Coker-Bolt P, Jansson A, Bigg S, Hammond E, Hudson H, Hunkler S, et al. Menstrual education and personal hygiene supplies to empower young women in Haiti. OTJR. 2017;37:210-7. https://doi.org/10.1177/1539449217719866
https://doi.org/10.1177/1539449217719866...
). These are basic inputs for a dignified life, which historically have been problems faced by LAC countries ( 4343. Progress on drinking water, sanitation and hygiene: 2017 update and SDG baselines [Internet]. Geneva: World Health Organization; United Nations Children’s Fund; 2017 [cited 2022 Nov 7]. Available from: https://data.unicef.org/resources/progress-drinking-water-sanitation-hygiene-2017-update-sdg-baselines/
https://data.unicef.org/resources/progre...
).

The findings of studies on access to information showed that adolescent girls who talked to their mothers ( 2626. Marván ML, Molina-Abolnik M. Mexican adolescents’ experience of menarche and attitudes toward menstruation: role of communication between mothers and daughters. J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol. 2012;25:358-63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpag.2012.05.003
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpag.2012.05.0...
, 3030. Ariza-Ruiz LK, Espinoza-Menéndez MJ, Rodriguez-Hernández JM. Challenges of menstruation in girls and adolescents from rural communities of the Colombian Pacific. Rev Salud Pública. 2017;19:833-41. https://doi.org/10.15446/rsap.v19n6.71741
https://doi.org/10.15446/rsap.v19n6.7174...
) and who received information in schools ( 3838. Long JL, Haver J, Mendoza P, Kotasek SMV. The more you know, the less you stress: menstrual health literacy in schools reduces menstruation-related stress and increases self-efficacy for very young adolescent girls in Mexico. Front Glob Womens Health. 2022;3:859797. https://doi.org/10.3389/fgwh.2022.859797
https://doi.org/10.3389/fgwh.2022.859797...
) were considered more likely to feel prepared to experience menstruation. They were also those who related menstruation to a positive experience ( 2626. Marván ML, Molina-Abolnik M. Mexican adolescents’ experience of menarche and attitudes toward menstruation: role of communication between mothers and daughters. J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol. 2012;25:358-63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpag.2012.05.003
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpag.2012.05.0...
). Thus, access to information and knowledge about menstruation and ways of managing it constitute a fundamental and essential human right for quality of life and health outcomes ( 44. Holmes K, Curry C, Sherry, Ferfolja T, Parry K, Smith C, et al. Adolescent Menstrual Health Literacy in Low, Middle and High-Income Countries: A Narrative Review. IJERPH. 2021;18:2260. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18052260
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18052260...
). However, studies do not really address the quality of information that adolescent girls receive from family and/or school, as they are often not prepared to meet the needs of girls. Added to this is the evidence that menstrual health literacy has been shown to be insufficient and unable to meet the demands of adolescents living in low, middle and high income countries ( 44. Holmes K, Curry C, Sherry, Ferfolja T, Parry K, Smith C, et al. Adolescent Menstrual Health Literacy in Low, Middle and High-Income Countries: A Narrative Review. IJERPH. 2021;18:2260. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18052260
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18052260...
).

The difficulty of accessing menstrual hygiene products was also shown in the studies, but incipiently in LAC. It is known that in low- and middle-income countries women and girls cannot choose the product or material they wish to manage their menstruation. In these contexts, families often report not being able to afford basic hygiene items and, therefore, the disposable pad is considered an item of difficult access ( 4444. Chebii SJ. Menstrual Issues: How adolescent schoolgirls in the Kibera Slums of Kenya negotiate their experiences with menstruation. Women Reprod Health. 2018;5:204-15. https://doi.org/10.1080/23293691.2018.1490534
https://doi.org/10.1080/23293691.2018.14...

45. Jewitt S, Ryley H. It’s a girl thing: menstruation, school attendance, spatial mobility and wider gender inequalities in Kenya. Geoforum. 2014;56:137-47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoforum.2014.07.006
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoforum.2014....

46. Lahme AM, Stern R, Cooper D. Factors impacting on menstrual hygiene and their implications for health promotion. Glob Health Promot. 2018;25:54-62. https://doi.org/10.1177/1757975916648301
https://doi.org/10.1177/1757975916648301...
- 4747. Wall LL, Belay S, Bayray A, Salih S, Gabrehiwot M. A community-based study of menstrual beliefs in Tigray, Ethiopia. Int J Gynecol Obst. 2016;135:310-3. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijgo.2016.05.015
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijgo.2016.05.0...
). This review found only two studies that address this issue in LAC ( 3737. Soeiro RE, Rocha L, Surita FG, Bahamondes L, Costa ML. Period poverty: menstrual health hygiene issues among adolescent and young Venezuelan migrant women at the northwestern border of Brazil. Reprod Health. 2021;18:238. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-021-01285-7
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-021-01285...
, 3939. Rocha L, Soeiro R, Gomez N, Costa ML, Surita FG, Bahamondes L. Assessment of sexual and reproductive access and use of menstrual products among Venezuelan migrant adult women at the Brazilian-Venezuelan border. J Migration Health. 2022;5:100097. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmh.2022.100097
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmh.2022.10009...
), carried out with immigrant women and adolescents living in Brazil. It is known that for women of reproductive age, menstrual hygiene products are an important part of life, and the lack of these perpetuates negative experiences and unhygienic practices related to menstruation, with repercussions on their daily lives and human dignity. Studies show, for example, that period poverty is associated with a higher occurrence of sexual and urinary infections, in addition to issues in the field of mental health, related to stigma, taboo, fear, exclusion and shame of menstruation ( 55. Lancet Regional Health–Americas. Menstrual health: a neglected public health problem. Lancet Reg Health Americas. 2022;15:100399. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lana.2022.100399
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lana.2022.1003...
). Likewise, it is associated with school absenteeism, as reported by some studies in LAC regions ( 55. Lancet Regional Health–Americas. Menstrual health: a neglected public health problem. Lancet Reg Health Americas. 2022;15:100399. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lana.2022.100399
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lana.2022.1003...
, 2828. Long JL, Caruso BA, Lopez D, Vancraeynest K, Sahin M, Andes KL, et al. WASH in schools empowers girls’ education in rural Cochabamba, Bolivia: an assessment of menstrual hygiene management in schools [Internet]. New York, NY: United Nations Children’s Fund; 2013 [cited 2022 Nov 7]. Available from: https://resourcecentre.savethechildren.net/document/wash-schools-empowers-girls-education-rural-cochabamba-bolivia-assessment-menstrual-hygiene/
https://resourcecentre.savethechildren.n...
, 3030. Ariza-Ruiz LK, Espinoza-Menéndez MJ, Rodriguez-Hernández JM. Challenges of menstruation in girls and adolescents from rural communities of the Colombian Pacific. Rev Salud Pública. 2017;19:833-41. https://doi.org/10.15446/rsap.v19n6.71741
https://doi.org/10.15446/rsap.v19n6.7174...
, 3636. Santos CCM. Pobreza menstrual no Brasil: desigualdade e violações de direito [Internet]. Brasília: Fundo de População das Nações Unidas; Fundo das Nações Unidas para a Infância; 2021 [cited 2022 Nov 7]. Available from: https://www.unicef.org/brazil/relatorios/pobreza-menstrual-no-brasil-desigualdade-e-violacoes-de-direitos
https://www.unicef.org/brazil/relatorios...
), a problem also faced in other LMICs ( 4242. Tegegne TK, Sisay MM. Menstrual hygiene management and school absenteeism among female adolescent students in Northeast Ethiopia. BMC Public Health. 2014;14:1118. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-14-1118
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-14-111...
), which may further increase gender inequality and contribute to perpetuate the cycle of poverty.

There are several products available on the market for MHM, with varying degrees of quality, accessibility and acceptability. However, this study recognizes a limited view of the range of practices used to manage menstruation, because they were poorly reported in the identified studies ( 2727. Bardin MG, Giraldo PC, Pinto CLB, Piassaroli VP, Amaral RLG, Polpeta N. Association of sanitary pads and clothing with vulvovaginitis. Braz J Sexually Transm Dis [Internet]. 2013 [cited 2022 Nov 10];25(3):123-7. Available from: https://bjstd.org/revista/article/view/350
https://bjstd.org/revista/article/view/3...
, 3434. Ernandes CC, Cruz RC, Weber MAA. A quebra de tabus sobre menstruação e práticas sustentáveis [Trabalho de Conclusão de Curso]. São Gabriel: Universidade Federal do Pampa; 2018 [cited 2022 Nov 10]. Available from: https://dspace.unipampa.edu.br/handle/riu/4529
https://dspace.unipampa.edu.br/handle/ri...
- 3535. Araujo MP, Brigido BP, Chimello L, Sartori MG, Ejnisman B, Pochini AC. Evaluation of the safety and comfort of menstrual cup during physical exercise: a prospective cohort study. Femina [Internet]. 2020 [cited 2022 Nov 10];48(11):680-4. Available from: https://docs.bvsalud.org/biblioref/2020/12/1140184/femina-2020-4811-680-684.pdf#:~:text=A%20inser%C3%A7%C3%A3o%20e%20a%20remo%C3%A7%C3%A3o,p%20%3E%200%2C05
https://docs.bvsalud.org/biblioref/2020/...
). These studies point out that disposable pads seem to be the most used for MHM, which can be explained by their wide availability in different commercial points, and because they are provided free of charge by some governmental programs and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). However, this review did not find studies with people who reported using homemade materials (cotton fabric) or improvised materials (paper towel, toilet paper or others) for MHM, as evidenced by studies conducted in African ( 99. Bookshelf: Menstrual Hygiene Matters: a resource for improving menstrual hygiene around the world by Sarah House, Thérèse Mahon, Sue Cavill Co-published by WaterAid and 17 other organisations, 2012. Reprod Health Matters. 2013;21:257-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0968-8080(13)41712-3
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0968-8080(13)41...
, 4343. Progress on drinking water, sanitation and hygiene: 2017 update and SDG baselines [Internet]. Geneva: World Health Organization; United Nations Children’s Fund; 2017 [cited 2022 Nov 7]. Available from: https://data.unicef.org/resources/progress-drinking-water-sanitation-hygiene-2017-update-sdg-baselines/
https://data.unicef.org/resources/progre...
), South Asian ( 4848. Shah SP, Nair R, Shah PP, Modi DK, Desai SA, Desai L. Improving quality of life with new menstrual hygiene practices among adolescent tribal girls in rural Gujarat, India. Reprod Health Matters. 2013;21:205-13. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0968-8080(13)41691-9
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0968-8080(13)41...
- 4949. Angeline GG, Arunkumar M, Umadevi R. Menstrual hygiene practices of women in a rural area of Kancheepuram district, India: a cross sectional study. Int J Community Med Public Health. 2019;6:1734. https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20191414
https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmp...
) and North American ( 1212. Ram U, Pradhan MR, Patel S, Ram F. Factors associated with disposable menstrual absorbent use among young women in India. Int Perspect Sex Reprod Health. 2020;46:223-34. https://doi.org/10.1363/46e0320
https://doi.org/10.1363/46e0320...
, 5050. Riley AH, Slifer L, Hughes J, Ramaiya A. Results from a literature review of menstruation-related restrictions in the United States and Canada. Sex Reprod Healthc. 2020;25:100537. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.srhc.2020.100537
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.srhc.2020.1005...
) countries. Therefore, these materials cannot be discarded as practices of people living in rural communities or in low-income environments, the reality of many countries in LAC ( 55. Lancet Regional Health–Americas. Menstrual health: a neglected public health problem. Lancet Reg Health Americas. 2022;15:100399. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lana.2022.100399
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lana.2022.1003...
). Likewise, some subgroups that are more socially vulnerable and that probably experience period poverty were also not represented in the documents, such as people deprived of liberty or homeless, reinforcing the invisibility of the problem and of women in the region. Thus, future studies and research on menstrual health in the region should consider the investigation of these unsafe practices and vulnerable population groups, and could also seek to measure the cost of period poverty for society.

The findings of this review indicate that access to information and dignified conditions for MHM are essential for the menstrual health of people who menstruate. Therefore, it is crucial to understand menstrual health as a tool for health promotion, and its promotion as something that also contributes to achieving gender equality ( 33. Medina-Perucha L, Jacques-Aviñó C, Valls-Llobet C, Turbau-Valls R, Pinzón D, Hernández L, et al. Menstrual health and period poverty among young people who menstruate in the Barcelona metropolitan area (Spain): protocol of a mixed-methods study. BMJ Open. 2020;10:e035914. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2019-035914
https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2019-035...
) and increasing the population’s literacy on the subject ( 44. Holmes K, Curry C, Sherry, Ferfolja T, Parry K, Smith C, et al. Adolescent Menstrual Health Literacy in Low, Middle and High-Income Countries: A Narrative Review. IJERPH. 2021;18:2260. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18052260
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18052260...
), which in turn reinforces the important role of health care and education in achieving this. It is known that nurses are professionals who assist women in all stages of life, including the school environment, in which nursing care is related to providing items for MHM ( 5151. Alexander KT, Zulaika G, Nyothach E, Oduor C, Mason L, Obor D, et al. Do water, sanitation and hygiene conditions in primary schools consistently support schoolgirls’ menstrual needs? A longitudinal study in rural western Kenya. IJERPH. 2018;15:1682. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15081682
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15081682...
), carrying out actions of health education, promoting access to information about the physiology of puberty ( 5252. Salau OR, Ogunfowokan AA. Pubertal communication between school nurses and adolescent girls in Ile-Ife, Nigeria. J School Nurs. 2019;35:147-56. https://doi.org/10.1177/1059840517727831
https://doi.org/10.1177/1059840517727831...
) and contributing to the creation of facilitating school environments that support adolescents to experience the menstrual period with dignity ( 4040. Secor-Turner M, Huseth-Zosel A, Ostlund R. Menstruation experiences of middle and high school students in the Midwest: a pilot study. J School Nurs. 2022;38:504-10. https://doi.org/10.1177/1059840520974234
https://doi.org/10.1177/1059840520974234...
). These actions can benefit people who menstruate and also constitute windows of opportunity to promote other aspects in the field of reproductive health that may be equally neglected.

A limitation of this scoping review is the non-use of specific terms to include the transgender public in the search strategy. However, if articles were found that addressed this theme, this would not be considered an exclusion criterion. This group may have been underrepresented in the study.

Methodological limitations were identified in the body of evidence. Most studies relied primarily on self-reported measures of exposure or outcome ( 2626. Marván ML, Molina-Abolnik M. Mexican adolescents’ experience of menarche and attitudes toward menstruation: role of communication between mothers and daughters. J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol. 2012;25:358-63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpag.2012.05.003
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpag.2012.05.0...
, 2929. Marván ML, Alcalá-Herrera V. Age at menarche, reactions to menarche and attitudes towards menstruation among mexican adolescent girls. J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol. 2014;27:61-6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpag.2013.06.021
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpag.2013.06.0...

30. Ariza-Ruiz LK, Espinoza-Menéndez MJ, Rodriguez-Hernández JM. Challenges of menstruation in girls and adolescents from rural communities of the Colombian Pacific. Rev Salud Pública. 2017;19:833-41. https://doi.org/10.15446/rsap.v19n6.71741
https://doi.org/10.15446/rsap.v19n6.7174...
- 3131. Coker-Bolt P, Jansson A, Bigg S, Hammond E, Hudson H, Hunkler S, et al. Menstrual education and personal hygiene supplies to empower young women in Haiti. OTJR. 2017;37:210-7. https://doi.org/10.1177/1539449217719866
https://doi.org/10.1177/1539449217719866...
, 3333. Coswosk ÉD, Neves-Silva P, Modena CM, Heller L. Having a toilet is not enough: the limitations in fulfilling the human rights to water and sanitation in a municipal school in Bahia, Brazil. BMC Public Health. 2019;19:137. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-6469-y
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-6469-...
, 3737. Soeiro RE, Rocha L, Surita FG, Bahamondes L, Costa ML. Period poverty: menstrual health hygiene issues among adolescent and young Venezuelan migrant women at the northwestern border of Brazil. Reprod Health. 2021;18:238. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-021-01285-7
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-021-01285...
, 3939. Rocha L, Soeiro R, Gomez N, Costa ML, Surita FG, Bahamondes L. Assessment of sexual and reproductive access and use of menstrual products among Venezuelan migrant adult women at the Brazilian-Venezuelan border. J Migration Health. 2022;5:100097. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmh.2022.100097
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmh.2022.10009...
). Self-reported information on menstrual management and health outcomes is subject to reporting bias, as menstruation is taboo in most countries and participants may prefer not to answer questions about this topic, or feel embarrassed ( 5353. Sumpter C, Torondel B. A systematic review of the health and social effects of menstrual hygiene management. PLoS One. 2013;8:e62004. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0062004
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.006...
), which may constitute a conservative bias of underestimation of the identified access problems. However, self-reporting about menstruation, hygiene and other related aspects is essential for the development of studies on the subject, as it allows knowing the experience of individual and collective experience related to menstruation.

Conclusion

This scoping review enabled the mapping of published documents related to menstrual hygiene access and practices in LAC. The evidence found suggests that MHM is an understudied aspect in the field of SRH, and that women and adolescent girls in LAC experience significant challenges, especially when they suffer from lack of access to hygiene products, clean toilets with privacy and clean water for body and hand hygiene. Period poverty is a public health problem that has contributed to perpetuate negative experiences related to menstruation.

The results obtained in this review also contribute to reaffirming the role of nurses in addressing basic human needs, whose nursing care should be focused on the promotion and prevention of physical and emotional health individually and collectively for people who menstruate, in the field of SRH. This study demonstrated the existence of inequalities and diversity in menstrual experiences intersected by categories such as gender, social class and ethnicity, in addition to the scarcity of primary studies on MHM in LAC, reinforcing the invisibility of period poverty. Understanding the range of practices that women and adolescent girls use to manage menstruation makes it possible to envision ways and strategies for nursing care, and this is an indication of the need for more attention to the subject in society and science, in order to advance in understanding and in the complexity of the theme, closely related to meeting the SDG agenda.

Acknowledgment

To Gabriella Braga Andrade Martins for the support in building the search strategy.

  • How to cite this article

    Oliveira VC, Pena ED, Andrade GN, Felisbino-Mendes MS. Menstrual hygiene access and practices in Latin America: scoping review. Rev. Latino-Am. Enfermagem. 2023;31:e4029 [cited year mon day]. Available from: URL . https://doi.org/10.1590/1518-8345.6736.4029
  • All authors approved the final version of the text.

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Edited by

Editora Asociada:

Maria Lúcia Zanetti

Publication Dates

  • Publication in this collection
    23 Oct 2023
  • Date of issue
    2023

History

  • Received
    08 Mar 2023
  • Accepted
    27 July 2023
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