Global Menstrual Health Literacy

Puberty is a challenging time for adolescents due to multiple social, physical and psychological changes. For female adolescents, the onset of menstruation is a pivotal life-event that can have a significant impact on their education and overall quality of life during puberty and beyond. Health literacy is defined as the degree to which individuals can understand, obtain and process health information and services. Menstrual health literacy is particularly important for those of school age, as it is during these years that adolescents will usually first experience menstruation. The ability to manage menstrual health with dignity and have access to healthcare and adequate sanitation facilities without any stigma is every human’s right, ensuring sufficient menstrual health literacy is vital. This will ensure that young people have the knowledge and tools to manage their menstrual cycle effectively and to reduce any negative impact menstruation may have (e.g. period pain, heavy bleeding or reduced confidence and self-esteem).

Previous research has shown that menstrual health literacy is often low, regardless of the economic status of the country, with adolescents in low-, middle- and high-income countries all demonstrating limited understanding of menstrual health in relation to accessing health services and beyond. There are different challenges to improving menstrual health literacy in different countries and regions. In some contexts, ongoing menstrual stigma and sociocultural beliefs hold menstruation as a taboo topic, shrouded in silence, with a lack of information, products and infrastructure to manage it. Even where there may not be a cultural barrier, poor quality information is common, and many young people learn the mechanisms of menstruation without any focus on how to determine if their menstrual cycle is ‘normal’, and how to effectively manage their menstrual symptoms. The aim of this Research Topic is to provide a forum to discuss the challenges of improving menstrual health literacy amongst low-, middle- and high-income countries and share the latest insights on effective strategies to improve menstrual health literacy amongst adolescents and other key stakeholders such as teachers, parents and carers.

In this Research Topic, we welcome Original Research and Review papers that explore the prevalence and impact of current menstrual health literacy and research that addresses the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of interventions to improve menstrual health literacy in young people and/or in other key stakeholders such as parents, teachers and peers. Of particular interest is any changes in outcomes, such as improved awareness of risk factors for secondary dysmenorrhea, changes in mental health and other areas of quality of life, absenteeism from school or higher education or participation in social, sporting, cultural or religious activities. Submissions are welcome from anywhere in the world, with priority given to research originating from low- or middle- income countries.