Measuring Menstruation-Related Absenteeism Among Adolescents in Low-Income Countries

Benshaul-Tolonen et al. shine a light on two methodological issues impacting a research question that has received much attention recently: whether the provision of menstrual hygiene products reduces schoolgirls’ absenteeism in low-income countries. First, they identify bias in data sources, such as school records and recall data. Second, they show that limiting the focus to menstrual-related absenteeism obscures other threats that menstruation poses to educational attainment, health, and psychosocial well-being. To address these issues, the authors recommend the use of mixed methods, pre-analysis plans, and thoughtful consideration and validation of variables prior to study implementation. They also caution policymakers against overreliance on absenteeism as the sole outcome and overinterpreting results from existing studies that often lack scope and precision. They conclude with a call for more research on the links between menstruation and concentration, learning, self-esteem, and pain management.