Determining the impact of menstruation experiences on the health and well-being of American Indian adolescent females

项目总结/摘要 美国印第安人（AI）青春期女孩在美国遭受显着的健康差距， 非人工智能的白色同伴。性风险行为增加，性初次较早，青少年性行为发生率较高 怀孕和性传播感染率较高，在AI青少年中更为普遍， 与非人工智能的同龄人相比大平原地区青少年AI的健康状况不佳 贫困率高，高中毕业率低。总的来说，这些风险因素 AI青少年面临更大的负面健康和教育结果风险。以前的研究描绘了 在资源匮乏的环境中管理月经的挑战，并表现出健康状况不佳， 与负面月经经历相关的结果。这项研究的目的是获得 了解月经对人工智能少女健康和教育的影响。具体 目的是（1）描述生活在农村的AI青春期女孩的在校学习相关经历， 保留社区和（2）描述的经验，看法，和舒适水平的中，高 部落学校的教师对学生的月经经历做出反应。目标1将使用 社区知情的焦点小组研究，以了解人工智能青少年女性的以下问题：（1） 学习和谈论月经;（2）学校的月经教育;（3）第一次月经;（4） 月经准备;（5）月经观念;（6）传统月经习俗;（7）学习 如何使用月经产品;（8）学校为基础的月经经验，包括教师行为， 感知态度;和（9）月经的好处。目标1a的目的是尽早进行比较/对比 和青春期月经后期的经历。目标2还将使用社区知情的焦点小组研究 了解以下问题，为教育工作者在保留地为基础的初中或高中：（1）频率 他们帮助学生解决与月经有关的问题;（2）月经产品的存在 （3）对在校女生月经经历的看法;（4）对 与学生讨论与月经有关的问题;（5）当女孩经历月经时采取的行动 课堂;（6）传统月经习俗;（7）月经对学生学习的影响。 目标2a将侧重于比较和对比教师的经验、看法和舒适度 目标2b将比较和对比教师的经验和看法， 那些青少年。研究结果将用于确定未来的干预重点和方法，以解决 与此相关的人口问题。这项研究的重点是创新性的，填补了努力的一个关键空白 进一步了解和消除AI青春期女孩之间的健康差异，其研究结果将奠定 为设计和实施文化上适当的月经干预措施奠定基础， AI青春期女孩的相关差异。

Project Summary/Abstract American Indian (AI) adolescent girls in the United States suffer from significant health disparities as compared to their non-AI White peers. Increased sexual risk behaviors, earlier sexual debut, higher rates of teen pregnancy, and higher rates of sexually transmitted infectious are more prevalent among AI adolescents as compared to their non-AI peers. Poor health outcomes for adolescent AIs in the Great Plains are compounded by high rates of poverty perpetuated by low high school graduation rates. Collectively, these risk factors place AI adolescents at greater risk for negative health and educational outcomes. Previous studies have portrayed the challenges of managing menstruation in low-resource settings and demonstrated poor health and well- being outcomes associated with negative menstruation experiences. The goal of this proposed study is to gain an understanding of the impact of menstruation on health and education for AI adolescent girls. The specific aims are to (1) describe the in-school menstruation-related experiences of AI adolescent girls living in rural, reservation communities and (2) describe the experiences, perceptions, and comfort level of middle and high school teachers in tribal schools in responding to the menstrual experiences of their students. Aim 1 will use community-informed focus group research to understand the following issues for AI adolescent females: (1) learning and talking about menstruation; (2) menstruation education at school; (3) getting their first period; (4) preparing for menstruation; (5) menstruation perceptions; (6) traditional menstruation customs; (7) learning how to use menstrual products; (8) school-based menstruation experiences, including teacher behaviors and perceived attitudes; and (9) menstruation benefits. The purpose of Aim 1a will be to compare/contrast early and late adolescent menstruation experiences. Aim 2 will also use community-informed focus group research to understand the following issues for educators at reservation-based middle or high schools: (1) frequency with which they have assisted a student with a menstruation-related issue; (2) presence of menstrual products within the classroom; (3) perceptions of menstruation experiences for girls at school; (4) comfort with addressing menstruation-related issues with students; (5) actions taken when a girl experiences their period in the classroom; (6) traditional menstruation customs; and (7) the impact of menstruation on student learning. Aim 2a will focus on comparing and contrasting the experiences, perceptions, and comfort levels of teachers by demographic, while Aim 2b will compare and contrast the experiences and perceptions of teachers with those of the adolescents. The findings will be used to identify future intervention foci and methods to address menstruation-related issues for this population. This study's focus is innovative and fills a crucial gap in efforts to further understand and eliminate health disparities among AI adolescent girls and its findings will lay the groundwork for designing and implementing culturally-appropriate interventions addressing menstruation- related disparities for AI adolescent girls.