Sociocultural aspects of menstrual attitudes and premenstrual experiences in India

Soc Sci Med. 1991;32(3):349-51. doi: 10.1016/0277-9536(91)90114-r.

Abstract

Menstrual attitudes were studied in a group of 48 Indian women using the Menstrual Attitude Questionnaire, modified and adapted for Indian background. Attitudinal factors of menstruation being a natural, bothersome and debilitating event were studied, as also denial of the event and healthy/unhealthy attitudes. High rating was seen in menstruation being perceived as a natural event and least as a debilitating one. Older women considered menstruation as a natural event. Relating premenstrual experiences to attitudes, it was observed that distressful symptoms correlated significantly with debilitating and unhealthy attitudes. Similarly, premenstrual well-being correlated highly with naturalness attitudes, thereby suggesting that the personal experiences are likely to influence the menstrual attitudes.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Attitude to Health*
  • Culture
  • Female
  • Humans
  • India
  • Marriage
  • Menstruation*
  • Premenstrual Syndrome / psychology*
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Surveys and Questionnaires