Feasibility Study of a Menstrual Hygiene Management Intervention for People with Intellectual Impairments and Their Carers in Nepal

Jane Wilbur, Thérèse Mahon, Belen Torondel, Shaffa Hameed and Hannah Kuper
Additional contact information
Jane Wilbur: International Centre for Evidence in Disability, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
Thérèse Mahon: WaterAid, 47-49 Durham Street, London, SE11 5JD, UK
Belen Torondel: Environmental Health Group, Department of Clinical Research, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
Shaffa Hameed: International Centre for Evidence in Disability, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
Hannah Kuper: International Centre for Evidence in Disability, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 19, 1-14

Abstract: Background: The Bishesta campaign is a menstrual hygiene management (MHM) intervention developed to meet the specific needs of people with intellectual impairments and their carers. It was designed and delivered in the Kavre district, Nepal. This paper explores the campaign’s feasibility and acceptability. Methods: The Bishesta campaign was delivered to ten people with an intellectual impairment and their eight carers. Data on the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention was collected through: Structured questionnaire to participants before and after the intervention, process monitoring data, post-intervention in-depth interviews with all carers, observation of people with intellectual impairments, key informant interviews with all facilitators and staff involved in the campaign, as well as ranking of the perceived appropriateness and acceptability of campaign components by carers and facilitators. Results: The Bishesta campaign was acceptable for the target groups, facilitators, and implementers. It was largely delivered with fidelity. Participants used most of the campaign components; these made the target behaviours attractive and enabled participants to carry them out with ease. There were improvements across all target behaviours. The focus of this study was feasibility, not limited-efficancy; however, indicative positive outcomes from this small sample were observed, such as an increase in young people’s levels of confidence, comfort, and autonomy during menstruation. Conclusion: Within the sample, the Bishesta campaign appears to be a feasible intervention to ensure that one of the groups most vulnerable to exclusion from MHM interventions is not left behind.

Keywords: menstrual hygiene management; intellectual impairment; carers; adolescent; young people; disability; behaviour change; feasibility study; behaviour-centred design (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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