Date on Master's Thesis/Doctoral Dissertation

5-2023

Document Type

Doctoral Dissertation

Degree Name

Ph. D.

Department

Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences

Degree Program

Public Health Sciences with a specialization in Health Promotion, PhD

Committee Chair

Harris, Muriel

Committee Co-Chair (if applicable)

Brown, Aishia

Committee Member

Brown, Aishia

Committee Member

Peiper, Nicholas

Committee Member

Zhao, Jianhua

Author's Keywords

menstruation; stigma; Nepali women; taboos; discriminations; lived experiences

Abstract

Despite the numerous challenges and barriers that menstruation taboos and stigma pose to the health and well-being of Nepali women and girls, this problem has received little attention in Nepal and has been under-researched. This study fills a critical gap in our understanding of the lived menstruation experience of Nepali women utilizing a qualitative descriptive approach in Kathmandu, Nepal. The data collection comprised in-depth, semi- structured interviews with 22 Nepali women. The findings provide various influencing socio- cultural factors at multiple levels of socioecological model that shapes the lived menstruation experiences of Nepali women and the impact on their mental, social, and physical health. Participants recommended targeted education programs and strategies, awareness programs, increasing mental health professionals, female health providers, and policy reforms. This study justifies the need for significant changes in knowledge, attitude, and deeply ingrained cultural and religious practices that influence the period during menstruation of women and girls in Nepal.

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