Country of origin disparities in sub-optimal menstrual hygiene management and intersecting reproductive health concerns: a pilot study from the Dominican republic.

Introduction: Due to long-standing systemic xenophobia in the Dominican Republic (DR), women of Haitian descent are underrepresented in national health data. This study examined menstrual hygiene management (MHM) and other reproductive health concerns in a migrant-dense community to inform future health studies and potential interventions. Methods: An anonymous cross-sectional survey was offered in a low-income community near Santo Domingo over two, one-week periods from October 2023 to April 2024. Eligible participants were at least 14 years old. Reproductive health-related factors were assessed among participants who had menstruated in the last 12 months. Multivariable adjusted modified Poisson regression was used to identify factors associated with sub-optimal MHM, defined by lack of water and/or soap, privacy, or safe menstrual products. Results: Among 148 participants who menstruated in the past 12 months, over half (53.0%) reported that menstrual materials were unaffordable sometimes (43.5%) or always (9.5%), and more than one-third (38.1%) reported menses interfering with regular duties. Overall, 21.6% had sub-optimal MHM; although 94% of women reported using disposable pads to manage menses, 14.2% were also using cloth ( Conclusions: Sub-optimal MHM and its association with other reproductive health concerns was common in this migrant-dense community, notably appearing more frequently among Haitian-born women. Our preliminary findings suggest opportunities for future research and context-appropriate approaches addressing structural barriers to menstrual and reproductive health-particularly for migrant populations.