Reconceptualizing menstrual health and hygiene among young women in India
Abstract This study advances the understanding of menstrual health and hygiene (MHH) by integrating access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities and period product usage. Using a cross-sectional design and data from the National Family Health Survey-5 (n = 205,861 women aged 15–24 year...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-02-01
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| Series: | npj Women's Health |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s44294-025-00056-0 |
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| author | Mahashweta Chakrabarty Karan Babbar Aditya Singh |
| author_facet | Mahashweta Chakrabarty Karan Babbar Aditya Singh |
| author_sort | Mahashweta Chakrabarty |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract This study advances the understanding of menstrual health and hygiene (MHH) by integrating access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities and period product usage. Using a cross-sectional design and data from the National Family Health Survey-5 (n = 205,861 women aged 15–24 years), we examined factors associated with adequate MHH access and its geographical distribution across Indian districts via bivariate and multivariate logistic regression and Fairlie decomposition. We found substantial geographical disparities in access, ranging from 2.3% to 89.4%. Key predictors included household asset index, education, place of residence, and region. These factors, especially asset index, region, and urban/rural residence, explained a large portion of the observed disparities between high (top 25%)- and low-performing (bottom 25%) districts, indicating that socioeconomic disadvantage and geographical inequities significantly shape MHH access. These findings demonstrate the critical need for geographically targeted interventions promoting MHH in India, particularly by improving WASH infrastructure and affordability of products in socioeconomically marginalized areas. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b3b0e12e011c4b9982d283fe71641805 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2948-1716 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | npj Women's Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-b3b0e12e011c4b9982d283fe716418052025-02-09T13:00:36ZengNature Portfolionpj Women's Health2948-17162025-02-01311910.1038/s44294-025-00056-0Reconceptualizing menstrual health and hygiene among young women in IndiaMahashweta Chakrabarty0Karan Babbar1Aditya Singh2Banaras Hindu UniversityCentre for Development Studies, Jindal Global Business School, OP Jindal Global UniversityBanaras Hindu UniversityAbstract This study advances the understanding of menstrual health and hygiene (MHH) by integrating access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities and period product usage. Using a cross-sectional design and data from the National Family Health Survey-5 (n = 205,861 women aged 15–24 years), we examined factors associated with adequate MHH access and its geographical distribution across Indian districts via bivariate and multivariate logistic regression and Fairlie decomposition. We found substantial geographical disparities in access, ranging from 2.3% to 89.4%. Key predictors included household asset index, education, place of residence, and region. These factors, especially asset index, region, and urban/rural residence, explained a large portion of the observed disparities between high (top 25%)- and low-performing (bottom 25%) districts, indicating that socioeconomic disadvantage and geographical inequities significantly shape MHH access. These findings demonstrate the critical need for geographically targeted interventions promoting MHH in India, particularly by improving WASH infrastructure and affordability of products in socioeconomically marginalized areas.https://doi.org/10.1038/s44294-025-00056-0 |
| spellingShingle | Mahashweta Chakrabarty Karan Babbar Aditya Singh Reconceptualizing menstrual health and hygiene among young women in India npj Women's Health |
| title | Reconceptualizing menstrual health and hygiene among young women in India |
| title_full | Reconceptualizing menstrual health and hygiene among young women in India |
| title_fullStr | Reconceptualizing menstrual health and hygiene among young women in India |
| title_full_unstemmed | Reconceptualizing menstrual health and hygiene among young women in India |
| title_short | Reconceptualizing menstrual health and hygiene among young women in India |
| title_sort | reconceptualizing menstrual health and hygiene among young women in india |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s44294-025-00056-0 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mahashwetachakrabarty reconceptualizingmenstrualhealthandhygieneamongyoungwomeninindia AT karanbabbar reconceptualizingmenstrualhealthandhygieneamongyoungwomeninindia AT adityasingh reconceptualizingmenstrualhealthandhygieneamongyoungwomeninindia |