Improving recognition of menstrual health in inpatient settings
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Improving recognition of menstrual health in inpatient settings
IRAS ID
323731
Contact name
hattie porter
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
NSUN National Survivor User Network
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 1 months, 13 days
Research summary
Research results
This is a mixed-methods research project to gather qualitative data relating to people’s experience of the menstrual cycle and how their needs related to this were supported whilst in an inpatient hospital setting in the UK. This includes learning disability, mental health and forensic inpatient settings.
The research has three phases which aim to generate understanding of people’s current experiences of menstrual health whilst in inpatient to inform guidelines which reflect how patients would like these needs to be supported in inpatient settings.
The study will involve an initial questionnaire to provide scope of experiences. Following this in-depth interviews will be conducted to build on the knowledge and understanding generated in the first phase. Finally, once the qualitative data has been gathered and analysed, focus groups will be held to facilitate patient involvement in finalising guidance for practitioners around supporting menstrual health in inpatient settings.
The initial questionnaire will be completed with two samples: people with lived experience and people who work in inpatient settings. The primary focus of this research is to prioritise lived-experience perspectives. However, involvement of professionals in the first phase of research aims to understand perceived professional, service level and system level barriers in supporting menstrual health needs.Lay summary of study results
This research highlights that patients in psychiatric hospitals are often insufficiently supported with their menstrual health, which was described as degrading, dehumanising and distressing. This failure to meet patients’ needs could be viewed as amounting to neglect and menstrual injustice, which seems to arise from a combination of an overreliance on restrictive practices and an oversight of the importance of menstruation.
Patients reported limited access to a choice of good quality menstrual materials and products, including pain management medications and products, that met individual needs and preferences. Prohibition of access to materials was often described as being related to the perceived risks of these items, with rules and restrictions applied in a blanket way. Patients also described the impact of the loss of independence and privacy relating to menstruating in psychiatric inpatient settings, particularly when on continuous observations.
Psychiatric inpatient settings were described as amplifying feelings of shame and stigma associated with menstruation, which appeared to be shaped by institutional restrictions and unmet needs, as well as the responses and attitudes of staff toward menstruation. Patients’ physical health needs relating to menstruation were also often overlooked. Staff lacked knowledge about menstrual health and the majority of the staff sampled had never received training on this topic.
Many participants shared their experiences of navigating menstruation while mentally unwell, highlighting how illness, distress, and trauma influenced their relationship with menstruation. Considering the intricate interplay between shame and trauma, mental health wards should strive to be environments that actively promote healing by addressing and challenging feelings of shame, including in relation to the body and to menstruation.
REC name
East of England - Cambridge East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/EE/0018
Date of REC Opinion
20 Mar 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion