ArticlePilot and feasibility studies2020
Menstrual product choice and uptake among young women in Zimbabwe: a pilot study.
Article in Pilot and feasibility studies, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT03719521 (Community Based Interventions to Improve HIV Outcomes in Youth), which is not on this map. Cited by 14 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Community Based Interventions to Improve HIV Outcomes in Youth: a Cluster Randomised Trial in Zimbabwe (CHIEDZA)
Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed, 34 citations in OpenAlex.
- Menstrual product preference and factors associated with use of freely-distributed reusable products among secondary students in Uganda: a longitudinal study.BMC women's health · 2026Trial
- Trial
- Defined by blood: lived experiences of menstrual health through the lifecourse among women in Zimbabwe - a qualitative study.BMJ open · 2026Article
- Breast cancer awareness and preferences for screening messaging on menstrual hygiene products in Ghana and Tanzania.Communications medicine · 2026Article
- The relationship between women's awareness of sustainable menstrual cups, their menstrual attitudes, and genital hygiene behaviors: a cross-sectional study.BMC women's health · 2026Article
- Understanding menstrual factors associated with poor mental health among female secondary school students in Uganda: a cross-sectional analysis.Child and adolescent psychiatry and mental health · 2024Article
- Article
- High uptake of menstrual health information, products and analgesics within an integrated sexual reproductive health service for young people in Zimbabwe.Reproductive health · 2024Article
- High uptake of menstrual health information, products and analgesics within an integrated sexual reproductive health service for young people in Zimbabwe.Research square · 2023Article
- Article
- Integration of a menstrual health intervention in a community-based sexual and reproductive health service for young people in Zimbabwe: a qualitative acceptability study.BMC health services research · 2022Article
- Access to menstrual hygiene products through incentivised, community-based, peer-led sexual and reproductive health services before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: findings from the Yathu Yathu trial.BMC public health · 2022Article
- The More You Know, the Less You Stress: Menstrual Health Literacy in Schools Reduces Menstruation-Related Stress and Increases Self-Efficacy for Very Young Adolescent Girls in Mexico.Frontiers in global women's health · 2022Article
- Menstrual Cup use among Nulliparous Women: Breaking Taboos and Empowering Communities - A Scoping Review.Indian journal of community medicine : official publication of Indian Association of Preventive & Social MedicineReview
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
11 authors at 3 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundMenstrual health and hygiene (MHH) is a human rights issue; yet, it remains a challenge for many, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). MHH includes the socio-political, psychosocial, and environmental factors that impact women's menstrual experiences. High proportions of girls and women in LMICs have inadequate MHH due to limited access to menstrual knowledge, products, and stigma reinforcing harmful myths and taboos. The aim of this pilot was to inform the design of an MHH sub-study and the implementation and scale-up of an MHH intervention incorporated into a community-based cluster-randomized trial of integrated sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services for youth in Zimbabwe. The objectives were to investigate (1) uptake of a novel MHH intervention, (2) menstrual product preference, and (3) the factors that informed uptake and product choice among young women.
methodsFemale participants aged 16-24 years old attending the community-based SRH services between April and July 2019 were offered the MHH intervention, which included either a menstrual cup or reusable pads, analgesia, and MHH education. Descriptive statistics were used to quantitatively assess uptake and product choice. Focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with participants and the intervention team were used to investigate the factors that influenced uptake and product choice.
resultsOf the 1732 eligible participants, 1414 (81.6%) took up the MHH intervention at first visit. Uptake differed by age group with 84.6% of younger women (16-19 years old) compared to 79.0% of older women (20-24 years old) taking up the intervention. There was higher uptake of reusable pads (88.0%) than menstrual cups (12.0%). Qualitative data highlighted that internal factors, such as intervention delivery, influenced uptake. Participants noted the importance of access to free menstrual products, analgesics, and MHH education in a youth-friendly environment. External factors such as sociocultural factors informed product choice. Barriers to cup uptake included fears that the cup would compromise young women's virginity.
conclusionsPilot findings were used to improve the MHH intervention design and implementation as follows: (1) cup ambassadors to improve cup promotion, sensitization, and uptake; (2) use of smaller softer cups; and (3) education for community members including caregivers and partners.
trial registrationRegistry: Clinicaltrials.gov Registration Number: NCT03719521 Registration Date: 25 October 2018.
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