Dignity everyday: Exploring a women’s health issue with students of Western Cape, Queensland
Dignity everyday: Exploring a women’s health issue with students of Western Cape, Queensland
- Author(s): King, M, Hall, N, Wigginton, B, Krusz, E
- Published: 2020
- Publisher: The University of Queensland
Abstract: Around the world, women and girls experience inequities that have cascading socioeconomic and health repercussions (1). Menstruation is a healthy biological process that impacts approximately half of the global population throughout her lifetime (2). Despite its regularity and prevalence, many girls and women manage their monthly period with significant disruptions to their lives due to factors including access to resources, environmental challenges, and cultural taboos (2, 3). Initial research into the area of Menstrual Health and Hygiene (MHH) has primarily been conducted in developing countries and has not yet considered challenges experienced by underrepresented groups living in developed countries such as Australia (3, 4). Anecdotal findings from research conducted in Central Australia indicates that school-aged girls living in remote Australian communities may be experiencing similar menstrual challenges to those living in low-and middle-income countries, which may be influencing school attendance (5, 6). These findings initiated a local women’s group in the Western Cape, Queensland, to investigate the state of MHH for female students living in their own community. Following a yarning circle discussion gathering Indigenous Australian women leaders from across the country to discuss MHH (7), Minnie King (Indigenous Australian researcher) invited Nina Hall (non-Indigenous academic), to work together with Indigenous Australian and non-Indigenous students at Western Cape College in Western Cape, Queensland. The research project was developed to begin a discussion around female student-defined challenges and options for addressing menstrual health and hygiene (MHH), including how these challenges and options may relate to school attendance (Stage 1). In order to gather multiple perspectives, Stage 1 also included 15 interviews with school staff, health workers, and representatives from the community and other organisations. The results from Stage 1 informed a second visit (Stage 2), which involved engagement with both female and male students, and six (6) interviews with Western Cape College’s staff and key stakeholders.
- Urls: https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:d3bacb5/UQd3bacb5_OA.pdf?dsi_version=21ef71546185ec59f915fc64d562a947
- Publisher Location: Brisbane