Assessing Socioeconomic Inequalities in Menstrual Hygiene: Evidence from Asia and Africa

Swayamsiddha Mohanta, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)

Background: Menstruation, a vital marker of reproductive health, remains a neglected public health issue. Despite different developmental trajectories as well as different existing menstrual policies, many women and girls still practice unhygienic menstrual methods, negatively impacting their health and well-being. This study aims to examine socioeconomic inequalities in menstrual hygiene practices (MHP) across six low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in Asia and Africa. Methods: This study is based on the most recent Demographic Health Survey (DHS) datasets of some Asian and African countries; India, Nepal, Cambodia, Philippines, Kenya and Tanzania. Women aged 15-24 years from all these six countries were included in the study. Bivariate analysis explored the distribution of MHP, while Wagstaff Decomposition Analysis assessed socioeconomic inequalities in menstrual hygiene. Results: MHP is higher among women with higher education and women from urban areas across all countries. In all countries except Tanzania, over 90% of affluent women use hygienic methods, with significant wealth disparities observed in other countries. Conclusion: This study uncovers cross-country differences and socioeconomic inequalities in MHP. While economic development often correlates with improved MHP, the findings indicate that this trend is not consistent across all countries. Keywords: Menstruation, Menstrual Hygiene Practice, Socio-economic Inequality, Menstrual Hygiene Management

Keywords: Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, Inequality, Disadvantage and Discrimination

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