Menstrual health and genital hygiene status in adolescent girls and young women with cerebral palsy

Türker D., Doğan H., Coban O., Goksuluk M., Özengin N., Ün Yıldırım N.

Women and Health, vol.63, no.4, pp.243-250, 2023 (SSCI) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 63 Issue: 4
  • Publication Date: 2023
  • Doi Number: 10.1080/03630242.2023.2171175
  • Journal Name: Women and Health
  • Journal Indexes: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, IBZ Online, Periodicals Index Online, AgeLine, CAB Abstracts, CINAHL, Educational research abstracts (ERA), EMBASE, Gender Studies Database, MEDLINE, PAIS International, Psycinfo, Public Affairs Index, Social services abstracts, Sociological abstracts, Violence & Abuse Abstracts
  • Page Numbers: pp.243-250
  • Keywords: Adolescent, cerebral palsy, menstruation, menstruation disturbances, pain
  • Erciyes University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Menstrual health and genital hygiene behavior in patients with cerebral palsy (CP) is underrecognized, undertreated, and negatively affects quality of life. The aim of this case-control study is to compare menstrual health and genital hygiene behaviors in adolescent girls and young women with CP to a healthy women control group. Participants were invited to study via social media tools between August 2021 and February 2022. The study included 74 adolescent girls and young women with CP and 89 healthy women. Menstrual status with semi-structured questions, menstrual symptoms with “Menstrual Symptom Questionnaire (MSQ),” genital hygiene behavior with “Genital Hygiene Behavior Scale (GHBS)” were evaluated. The control group scored significantly higher on the MSQ sub-dimensions of “negative effects somatic complaints” (r = 0.396; p <.001), “menstrual pain” (r = 0.287; p <.001), “coping methods” (r = 0.291; p <.001), and total score (r = 0.395; p <.001), as well as the GHBS sub-dimensions of “awareness of abnormal findings” (r = 0.270; p =.001) and “menstrual hygiene” (r = 0.495; p <.001) and total score (r = 0.393; p <.001). People with CP had worse genital hygiene behavior, had less menstrual symptoms, and behaved differently about the menstruation symptoms. This study focused on adolescent girls and young women with CP who cannot easily express their own experiences and concerns, emphasized that their needs should be identified by determining their menstrual health and genital hygiene behaviors. Clinical Registration Name, Registration Number, Registration Date: Menstrual Health and Genital Hygiene Status in Cerebral Palsy and NCT04985045, August 2,2021.