Peer-reviewed article
A qualitative study on the experiences of caregivers on menstrual management of adolescent girls with developmental disabilities in selected special schools of Karveer Taluka, Maharashtra.
Bhosale MM, Prabhakaran A, Rao AP ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This qualitative study explores how caregivers support adolescent girls with developmental disabilities in managing menstruation in special schools in Maharashtra, India. Researchers interviewed 14 family caregivers and 13 school staff members about their experiences and challenges. The study identified major barriers faced by caregivers, how girls respond to menstruation, long-term concerns, and recommendations for better support. The findings highlight that both family and school staff need targeted training and resources to help these girls manage menstrual health effectively.
Key points
- The study involved 27 caregivers (14 informal/family, 13 formal/school staff) of adolescent girls aged 10-19 with developmental disabilities
- Four main themes emerged: challenges faced by family caregivers, patterns of menstrual acceptance and behavioural changes in girls, long-term concerns of caregivers, and recommendations for support
- An additional theme identified the important role of formal caregivers (school staff) in training girls with developmental disabilities in menstruation management
- The research used in-depth interviews conducted in Marathi and thematic analysis with both deductive and inductive coding approaches
- The study emphasizes the need for targeted training and support programs for both informal and formal caregivers
Limitations
This is a qualitative study based on interviews from three special schools in one taluka (administrative division) of Maharashtra, so findings may not be generalisable to other regions or settings. The study captures caregiver perspectives and experiences but does not directly assess the outcomes or well-being of the adolescent girls themselves.
Abstract
Background Adolescent Girls with Developmental Disabilities (AGDD) face unique challenges in menstruation management, requiring care and support from both informal and formal caregivers. Limited research has explored the experiences of these caregivers in managing AGDD's menstrual health, particularly in this study setting. Objective This study seeks to explore the experiences and perspectives of the informal and formal caregivers on the menstruation management of adolescent girls with developmental disabilities in selected special schools in Karveer Taluka, Maharashtra. Methods A qualitative study was conducted among informal caregivers (family members) and formal caregivers (special school staff) of those AGDD, who were aged 10-19 years, had attained menarche, and were attending three selected special schools of Karveer Taluka, Maharashtra, India. In-depth interviews (IDI), in the local language, Marathi, using an IDI guide developed based on a conceptual framework, were conducted among 14 informal and 13 formal caregivers. Interviews were audio-recorded with consent and transcribed verbatim. A thematic analysis using deductive and inductive approaches was carried out using MAXQDA software. Some codes and themes were deductively generated from the interview guide/conceptual framework, and others were generated inductively from the data. The transcripts were coded line by line and later grouped under relevant categories. Categories were grouped into subthemes, and broader themes were derived from the subthemes. The themes were interpreted and analyzed, and appropriate conclusions were drawn. Results Four deductive and one inductive theme were generated: The deductive themes are challenges faced by informal caregivers in managing menstruation of AGDD, patterns of menstrual acceptance and behavioural changes among AGDD, long-term concerns of the informal caregivers and perspectives on menstrual management, and recommendations given by the informal and formal caregivers for supporting AGDD. The inductive theme generated is the role of formal caregivers in training AGDD in menstruation management. Conclusion The study underscores the critical role of informal and formal caregivers and their challenges in managing AGDD's menstrual health, highlighting the need for targeted training and support programs.