Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40238439›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of environmental research and public health2025

The Socio-Cultural Construction of Menstruation in the Ghanaian Context: A Qualitative Study of the Perspectives of Parents, Teachers, and Adolescent Girls.

Sitsofe Gbogbo, Israel Wuresah, Emmanuel Gbogbo, Wisdom Kudzo Axame, Priscilla Klutse, Robert Kokou Dowou, Sarah Odi Mantey, Sarah Abena Yeome Ayitey, Ishmael Boateng, Paramount Eli Nelson and 5 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in International journal of environmental research and public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Sitsofe GbogboFred N. Binka School of Public Health, University of Health and Allied Sciences, PMB 31 Ho, Ghana.ORCID 0000-0003-1577-4554
Israel WuresahFred N. Binka School of Public Health, University of Health and Allied Sciences, PMB 31 Ho, Ghana.ORCID 0000-0002-0611-758X
Emmanuel GbogboFred N. Binka School of Public Health, University of Health and Allied Sciences, PMB 31 Ho, Ghana.
Wisdom Kudzo AxameFred N. Binka School of Public Health, University of Health and Allied Sciences, PMB 31 Ho, Ghana.ORCID 0000-0002-8857-5778
Priscilla KlutseFred N. Binka School of Public Health, University of Health and Allied Sciences, PMB 31 Ho, Ghana.
Robert Kokou DowouFred N. Binka School of Public Health, University of Health and Allied Sciences, PMB 31 Ho, Ghana.ORCID 0000-0003-4260-9618
Sarah Odi ManteyFred N. Binka School of Public Health, University of Health and Allied Sciences, PMB 31 Ho, Ghana.
Sarah Abena Yeome AyiteyFred N. Binka School of Public Health, University of Health and Allied Sciences, PMB 31 Ho, Ghana.
Ishmael BoatengFred N. Binka School of Public Health, University of Health and Allied Sciences, PMB 31 Ho, Ghana.
Paramount Eli NelsonFred N. Binka School of Public Health, University of Health and Allied Sciences, PMB 31 Ho, Ghana.
Nuworza KugbeySchool of Natural and Environmental Sciences, University of Environment and Sustainable Development, PMB Somanya, Ghana.ORCID 0000-0002-0413-0350
Victor Christian Korley DokuFaculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London WC2R 2LS, UK.
Julie HenneganMaternal, Child and Adolescent Health Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria 3001, Australia.
Frank BaidenFred N. Binka School of Public Health, University of Health and Allied Sciences, PMB 31 Ho, Ghana.
Fred Newton BinkaFred N. Binka School of Public Health, University of Health and Allied Sciences, PMB 31 Ho, Ghana.

Funding

Reckitt Global Hygiene Institute 20221202SGbogbo
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

(1) Background: Menstruation, experienced by 1.8 billion girls and women globally, is often misunderstood and surrounded by taboos and misconceptions, particularly in low-income countries like Ghana. This study explores the Ghanaian socio-cultural representation of menstruation and the cultural experiences of young girls during menarche. (2) Methods: This qualitative exploratory study was conducted in five Senior High Schools in Ghana's Volta Region, using purposive and convenience sampling. Fifteen Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were conducted, including five FGDs each for female students, teachers, and parents, with 10-12 participants per group. All FGDs were audio-recorded, transcribed, translated, and imported into MAXQDA 2022 for thematic analysis. (3) Results: This study identified various socio-cultural beliefs and practices surrounding menstruation in Ghana, including the celebration of menarche, viewing menstrual blood as unclean, and cultural taboos like household, religious, and social restrictions. (4) Conclusion: Despite shifting beliefs and practices, cultural and social practices/restrictions regarding menstruation are persistent in the Volta Region of Ghana, and these practices often determine how society interacts with menstruating women. These practices often determine how society interacts with menstruating girls and women and hinder optimal menstrual health and hygiene.

Indexed as

Health Knowledge, Attitudes, PracticeMenstruationParentsSchool TeachersAdolescentAdultCultureFemaleFocus GroupsGhanaHumansMaleQualitative ResearchbeliefGhanamenarchemenstruationsocio-culturaltaboo

Identifiers

PMID40238439
PMCPMC11941808

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.