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

项目摘要/摘要 美国印第安人(AI)青春期女孩在美国遭受着显著的健康差距 给他们的非AI White同龄人。性危险行为增加，更早的首次性行为，更高的青少年比率 怀孕和较高的性传播感染率在人工智能青少年中更普遍，因为 与他们的非人工智能同龄人相比。美国大平原青少年人工智能不良的健康状况加剧 由于高中毕业率低而持续存在的高贫困率。总而言之，这些风险因素 人工智能青少年健康和教育结果负面的风险更大。之前的研究已经描绘了 在资源匮乏的环境下管理月经的挑战，并显示出健康状况不佳和健康状况良好 是与负面月经经历相关的结果。这项拟议的研究的目标是获得 了解月经对人工智能青春期女孩健康和教育的影响。具体的 目的是(1)描述生活在农村的人工智能青春期女孩在校内月经相关的经历， 保留社区和(2)描述中高级社区的体验、感知和舒适度 部落学校的学校教师对学生的月经经历作出反应。AIM 1将使用 社区知情焦点小组研究，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)第一次来月经；(4) 准备月经；(5)月经观念；(6)传统月经习俗；(7)学习 如何使用经期产品；(8)校本经期体验，包括教师行为和 感知的态度；以及(9)月经益处。目标1a的目的将是及早比较/对比 和青春期月经后期的经历。Aim 2还将使用社区知情的焦点小组研究 为了解保留制初中或高中教育工作者应注意的以下问题：(1)频率 帮助学生解决与月经有关的问题；(2)月经产品 在教室内；(3)对在校女生月经经历的看法；(4)安慰 与学生解决与月经有关的问题；(5)当女孩经历他们的经期时采取的行动 (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、感知和舒适度 根据人口统计学，而目标2b将比较和对比教师的经验和看法与 青少年的问题。这些发现将被用来确定未来的干预重点和解决方法 这一人群的月经相关问题。这项研究的重点是创新的，填补了努力中的一个关键空白 进一步了解和消除人工智能青春期女孩的健康差距及其研究结果将为 设计和实施文化上适当的月经干预措施的基础-- 人工智能青春期女孩的相关差距。

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.