Research priorities for improving menstrual health across the life-course in low- and middle-income countries

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundResearch on menstrual health is required to understand the needs of girls, women, and others who menstruate; and to strengthen programmes with evidence-based interventions to improve health, wellbeing, and productivity. The identification of research priorities is an important process to help researchers, policymakers, programmers, and funding agencies decide where to invest their efforts and resources.MethodsA modified version of the Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative (CHNRI) approach was utilized to reach consensus on a set of research priority questions. Multisector stakeholders with expertise in policy, programming, financial support, and/or research relating to menstrual health were identified through networks and the literature. Individuals were invited to submit priority questions through survey monkey online on i) understanding the problem; ii) designing and implementing interventions; iii) integrating and scaling up interventions. Responses were consolidated and individuals were then invited to rank these questions based on i) novelty; ii) potential for intervention; and iii) importance/impact. Research priority scores were calculated from these responses and analyzed to evaluate associations with social and occupational characteristics of participating respondents.ResultsEighty-two participants, of whom 89% were female and 39.0% from low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), proposed a total of 1135 research questions: 45.9% on understanding the problem, 39.7% on designing and implementing interventions, 12.7% on integrating and scale-up, plus 1.5% on other aspects. Questions were consolidated into a final list of 91 unique research questions. Sixty-six participants, of whom 80.3% were women and 39.4% from LMIC, ranked these questions. Top ten-ranked research priority questions comprised four questions on ‘understanding the problem’, four on ‘designing and implementing interventions’, one on ‘integrating and scaling up’, and one on ‘measurement and research’. Academics gave higher prioritization to ‘designing and implementing interventions,’ and lower prioritization to questions on ‘understanding the problem,’ ‘integrating and scaling up,’ and ‘measurement and research.ConclusionsUse of CHNRI generated unique research priority questions from expertise internationally. The top-ranking research priorities can be utilized by policymakers, programmers, researchers, and funders to guide future research in menstrual health.