Menstrual health and hygiene in Brazil: A literature review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v12i9.42700Keywords:
Menstrual Hygiene Products; Menstruation; Women's Health.Abstract
Menstruation is a physiological process that affects approximately 52% of women of reproductive age. Menstrual health, including proper hygiene management, is neglected in many communities and by public agencies. Improper management of menstrual hygiene can lead to health problems such as female reproductive tract infections, as well as social impacts. Research is needed to better understand these phenomena and raise awareness of the topic. This study seeks to analyze the Brazilian literature on menstrual hygiene and its implications for women's health. An integrative review was performed on the PUBMED and Google Scholar databases. The following descriptors were used: “Hygiene”, “Menstruation”, “Impacts on Health”; “Poverty” and “Brazil”. Eleven original works were included, published between 2018 and April 2023. The analyzed studies involved populations from different Brazilian regions. Concerns related to lack of access to menstrual hygiene products, menstrual health awareness and sanitary services were found in five papers. Another five surveys highlighted the importance of menstrual dignity as a fundamental aspect of the right to health for vulnerable women. And one study reported a significant advance in menstrual hygiene through the introduction of menstrual cups. In conclusion, the research revealed challenges faced by the Brazilian female population, such as the shortage of adequate menstrual products, lack of awareness about menstrual hygiene, and inadequate sanitary facilities. These findings highlight the need for adequate public interventions to improve this issue in Brazil.
References
Adinma, E. D., & Adinma, J. I. (2008). Perceptions and practices on menstruation amongst Nigerian secondary school girls. African journal of reproductive health, 12(1), 74–83.
Amorim, C. M., Marinho, W. S., Figueredo Fortes, C. H., & Nunes Araújo, L. C. (2021). Os impactos da pobreza menstrual na saúde da mulher. SEMPESq - Semana De Pesquisa Da Unit - Alagoas, (9). Recuperado de https://eventos.set.edu.br/al_sempesq/article/view/14972.
Aniebue, U. U., Aniebue, P. N., & Nwankwo, T. O. (2009). The impact of pre-menarcheal training on menstrual practices and hygiene of Nigerian school girls. The Pan African medical journal, 2, 9.
Atashili, J., Poole, C., Ndumbe, P. M., Adimora, A. A., & Smith, J. S. (2008). Bacterial vaginosis and HIV acquisition: a meta-analysis of published studies. AIDS (London, England), 22(12), 1493–1501. https://doi.org/10.1097/QAD.0b013e3283021a37.
Azevedo, D. B. (2021). “A dignidade menstrual como componente do direito fundamental de proteção à saúde das mulheres em situação de vulnerabilidade”. Trabalho de Conclusão de Curso (Bacharelado em Direito) - Faculdade de Direito de Vitória, Vitória, ES, Brasil. http://191.252.194.60:8080/handle/fdv/1296.
Bhatti, L. I., & Fikree, F. F. (2002). Health-seeking behavior of Karachi women with reproductive tract infections. Social science & medicine (1982), 54(1), 105–117. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0277-9536(01)00012-0.
Boof, R. A., Brum, J. B., Oliveira, A. N., & Sueli, M. C. (2021). Pobreza menstrual e sofrimento social: a banalização da vulnerabilidade social das mulheres no brasil. Revista de Psicologia, Educação e Cultura, 25 (3): 133-147.
Bussinguer, E.C.A., & Salvador, R.L. (2022). O impacto da pobreza menstrual e da desinformação da dignidade da pessoa humana e do direito à saúde das mulheres no Brasil. Revista de Gênero, Sexualidade e Direito, 8(1), 49–64.
Coswosk, É. D., Neves-Silva, P., Modena, C. M., & Heller, L. (2019). 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, 19(1), 137.
Critchley, H. O. D., Babayev, E., Bulun, S. E., Clark, S., Garcia-Grau, I., Gregersen, P. K., Kilcoyne, A., Kim, J. J., Lavender, M., Marsh, E. E., Matteson, K. A., Maybin, J. A., Metz, C. N., Moreno, I., Silk, K., Sommer, M., Simon, C., Tariyal, R., Taylor, H. S., Wagner, G. P., … Griffith, L. G. (2020). Menstruation: science and society. American journal of obstetrics and gynecology, 223(5), 624–664. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2020.06.004.
Dasgupta, A., & Sarkar, M. (2008). Menstrual Hygiene: How Hygienic is the Adolescent Girl? Indian journal of community medicine: official publication of Indian Association of Preventive & Social Medicine, 33(2), 77–80. https://doi.org/10.4103/0970-0218.40872.
de Sena, M. T., Costa, M. M., Ferreira, G. A., Nery, R. M. R., Iocca, D. C., da Costa, L. S., Pinto, G. P., & Pegoraro, V. A. (2023). O manejo inadequado da higiene menstrual e seus impactos à saúde da mulher. Brazilian Journal of Development, 9(3), 9884–9901. https://doi.org/10.34117/bjdv9n3-068.
El-Gilany, A. H., Badawi, K., & El-Fedawy, S. (2005). Menstrual hygiene among adolescent schoolgirls in Mansoura, Egypt. Reproductive health matters, 13(26), 147–152. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0968-8080(05)26191-8.
Figueiredo, M. O. (2021). "O cárcere feminino brasileiro e seus aliados: abandono, violência simbólica e institucional". Dissertação de Mestrado em Sociologia. Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil. Disponível em: https://repositorio.pucsp.br/jspui/handle/handle/24709. Acesso em: [15/05/2023].
Fundo de População das Nações Unidas, & UNICEF – Fundo das Nações Unidas para a Infância. (2021). Pobreza Menstrual no Brasil: desigualdade e violações de direitos. https://www.unicef.org/brazil/media/14456/file/dignidade-menstrual_relatorio-unicefunfpa_maio2021.pdf.
Geertz, A., Iyer, L., Kasen, P., Mazzola, F., &¨Peterson, K. (2016). An Opportunity to Address Menstrual Health and Gender Equity.
Gillet, E., Meys, J. F., Verstraelen, H., Bosire, C., De Sutter, P., Temmerman, M., & Broeck, D. V. (2011). Bacterial vaginosis is associated with uterine cervical human papillomavirus infection: a meta-analysis. BMC infectious diseases, 11, 10. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2334-11-10.
House, S., Mahon,T., and Cavill, S. (2012). Menstrual Hygiene Matters: A Resource for Improving Menstrual Hygiene around the World. Rep. N.p.: WaterAid, Print.
Johnson, L. F., & Lewis, D. A. (2008). The effect of genital tract infections on HIV-1 shedding in the genital tract: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sexually transmitted diseases, 35(11), 946–959. https://doi.org/10.1097/OLQ.0b013e3181812d15.
Khanna, A., Goyal, R., & Bhawsar, R. (2005). Menstrual Practices and Reproductive Problems A Study of Adolescent Girls in Rajasthan. Journal of health management,7:91–107.
Lima, A. I. S., Carvalho, A. L. P., Arantes, A. P. B., Feltrin, B. D. B., Souza, I. P. de, Krein, J. H., & Machado, L. C. de S. (2023). Pobreza menstrual entre adolescentes de uma escola estadual em Rio Verde – Goiás. Research, Society and Development, 12(5), e15112541629. https://doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v12i5.41629.
Majeed, J., Sharma, P., Ajmera, P., & Dalal, K. (2022). Menstrual hygiene practices and associated factors among Indian adolescent girls: a meta-analysis. Reproductive health, 19(1), 148. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-022-01453-3.
McMahon, S. A., Winch, P. J., Caruso, B. A., Obure, A. F., Ogutu, E. A., Ochari, I. A., & Rheingans, R. D. (2011). 'The girl with her period is the one to hang her head' Reflections on menstrual management among schoolgirls in rural Kenya. BMC international health and human rights, 11, 7. https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-698X-11-7.
Mendes, K. D. S., silveira, R. C. C. P., & Galvão, C. M. (2008). Revisão integrativa: método de pesquisa para a incorporação de evidências na saúde e na enfermagem. Texto & Contexto Enfermagem, 17, 758-764.
Rocha, L., Soeiro, R., Gomez, N., Costa, M. L., Surita, F. G., & Bahamondes, L. (2022). Assessment of sexual and reproductive access and use of menstrual products among Venezuelan migrant adult women at the Brazilian-Venezuelan border. Journal of migration and health, 5, 100097.
Santos Neta, F. P. (2022). “Relatório da grande reportagem "Pobreza menstrual e seus impactos: relatos de uma Natal que sangra". Trabalho de Conclusão de Curso (Graduação em Jornalismo) – Departamento de Comunicação do Social. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brasil. https://repositorio.ufrn.br/handle/123456789/48481.
Schuh, C. L. (2022). “A pobreza menstrual: um problema social que impede a efetivação dos direitos fundamentais de estudantes que já atingiram a menarca.” Trabalho de Conclusão de Curso (Bacharelado em Direito) - Universidade de Santa Cruz do Sul, Santa Cruz do Sul, RS, Brasil. http://hdl.handle.net/11624/3408.
Sharma, A., McCall-Hosenfeld, J. S., & Cuffee, Y. (2022). Systematic review of menstrual health and hygiene in Nepal employing a social ecological model. Reproductive health, 19(1), 154. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-022-01456-0.
Soeiro, R. E., Rocha, L., Surita, F. G., Bahamondes, L., & Costa, M. L. (2021). Period poverty: menstrual health hygiene issues among adolescent and young Venezuelan migrant women at the northwestern border of Brazil. Reproductive health, 18(1), 238. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-021-01285-7.
Soeiro, R. E., Rocha, L., Surita, F. G., Bahamondes, L., & Costa, M. L. (2021). Period poverty: menstrual health hygiene issues among adolescent and young Venezuelan migrant women at the northwestern border of Brazil. Reproductive health, 18(1), 238.
Sommer, M. (2010). Where the education system and women's bodies collide: The social and health impact of girls' experiences of menstruation and schooling in Tanzania. Journal of adolescence, 33(4), 521–529. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2009.03.008.
Sommer, M., & Sahin, M. (2013). Overcoming the taboo: advancing the global agenda for menstrual hygiene management for schoolgirls. American journal of public health, 103(9), 1556–1559. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2013.301374.
Sousa, V. K. S. (2022). “Pobreza menstrual no Brasil e os impactos no direito à educação das mulheres – uma violação de direitos humanos”. Trabalho de Conclusão de Curso (Bacharelado em Direito) - Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, Mossoró, RN, Brasil. Disponível em: https://repositorio.ufersa.edu.br/handle/prefix/8504. Acesso em: [15/05/2023].
Sumpter, C., & Torondel, B. (2013). A systematic review of the health and social effects of menstrual hygiene management. PloS one, 8(4), e62004. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0062004.
Sweet R. L. (2000). Gynecologic conditions and bacterial vaginosis: implications for the non-pregnant patient. Infectious diseases in obstetrics and gynecology, 8(3-4), 184–190. https://doi.org/10.1155/S1064744900000260.
Wons, L. (2020). "Introduzindo o primeiro produto menstrual que não absorve nada": Coletores menstruais e transformações nas ordens prático-simbólicas da menstruação. Dissertação de Mestrado em [Nome do programa, se aplicável]. Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, BA, Brasil. https://repositorio.ufba.br/handle/ri/32194.
Xavier, G. L. A. (2022). “Da pobreza à dignidade menstrual: uma análise da legislação e das políticas públicas no Brasil”. Trabalho de Conclusão de Curso (Bacharelado em Direito) - Faculdade de Direito de Alagoas, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Maceió, AL. Brasil. http://www.repositorio.ufal.br/jspui/handle/123456789/10350.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2023 Daniel Damasceno de Campos; Victor Emanoel Dias Correa; Lívia Barros de Sousa; Aline Costa de Almeida; Ana Caroline Gomes Baia; Angelo Valentim Martins; Lilian Mesquita Moura; Vitoria Camile Araujo Sobrinho; Francisco Matheus Sousa Araujo; Alberto Martins Navarro; Visilvane dos Santos Silva; Darlen Cardoso de Carvalho
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
1) Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
2) Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
3) Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.
