Menstrual problems and health seeking in Sri Lanka
Abstract
Menstruation is associated with some morbidity, although it is a normal physiological event. In this article, we draw on qualitative research conducted in Sri Lanka in 2006-2007, which included eight key informant interviews with healthcare providers, six focus group discussions with eight women in each, and five case studies. We describe and analyze women's perceptions of menstruation and menstrual problems, their help-seeking behaviors to reduce these health problems, and the consequences of them on their lives. The majority of women perceived menstruation as a physiological process and related problems to changes in hormone levels, pathological conditions of the uterus, and the side effects of contraceptive methods. Menstrual problems significantly affected their daily activities, mental well-being, social life, and sexual life, but few sought medical advice to resolve these problems. Implications of the findings included the need for health care providers and educators to provide accurate information on menstruation to girls and women to enable them to identify normal variation of menstruation and to take appropriate action regarding health care.
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Where investigated, women and girls lacked clarity on what constituted normal and abnormal (i.e., disordered) menstruation.
“Where investigated, women and girls also lacked clarity on what constituted normal and abnormal (i.e., disordered) menstruation”
From Women’s and girls’ experiences of menstruation in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review and qualitative metasynthesis (2019) · cites this paper as [105]
Others reported pursuing multiple avenues such as doctors and herbalists or community healers in attempts to receive effective treatment for their pain.
“Others reported pursuing multiple avenues such as doctors and herbalists or community healers in attempts to receive effective treatment for their pain”
From Women’s and girls’ experiences of menstruation in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review and qualitative metasynthesis (2019) · cites this paper as [105]
Studies of those with menstrual disorders highlighted feelings of powerlessness in addressing dysmenorrhea or associated symptoms that may negatively impact psychological outcomes for these individuals.
“Studies of those with menstrual disorders highlighted feelings of powerlessness in addressing dysmenorrhea or associated symptoms that may negatively impact psychological outcomes for these individuals [60, 103–105].”
From Women’s and girls’ experiences of menstruation in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review and qualitative metasynthesis (2019) · cites this paper as [105]
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Hennegan, J., Shannon, A. K., Rubli, J., Schwab, K. J., & Melendez-Torres, G. J. (2019) · PLOS Medicine · doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1002803 · Cited by 577 · see citing works
“…[103, 104]; Budhathoki 2018 [40]; Caruso 2017 [16]; Chebii 2018 [43]; Chinyama 2019 [44]; Crichton 2013 [10]; Daniels 2016 [51]; Girod 2017 [58]; Hemachandra 2009 [105]; Lahme 2017 [68, 69]; Mason 2013 [11]; Morrison 2016 [72]; Rheinlander 2018 [81]; Schmitt 2017 [83]; Scorgie 2016 [84]; Sommer…”
BackgroundInfluential
- Authors
- Hemachandra, D. K. N. N., & Manderson, L.
- Affiliations
- Ministry of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine (LK)
- Monash University (AU)
- ORCID
- Manderson, Lenore
- Venue
- Women & Health
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2009-10-19
- Volume
- 49
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 405-421
- ISSN
- 0363-0242 (ISSN-L)
- 1541-0331
- OpenAlex
- W2055694500
- Cited by
- 11
- References
- 41
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 1 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2013: 1
- FWCI
- 0.00
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Women & Health (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Menstrual Health and Disorders
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Reproductive Health and Contraception
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Hypothalamic control of reproductive hormones
- Keywords
- menstrual disorders, menstrual health, health-seeking behavior, contraceptive side effects, menstrual education, Sri Lanka
- MeSH terms
- Activities of Daily Living, Adolescent, Adult, Contraception, Contraception Behavior, Female, Health Services Needs and Demand, Humans, Interviews as Topic, Menstruation, Menstruation Disturbances, Middle Aged, Patient Acceptance of Health Care, Sri Lanka, Health Behavior, Women's Health, Patient Satisfaction, Focus Groups, Qualitative Research
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