An exploration of parents' and guardians' perspectives on facilitators and barriers to menstrual cup usage amongst adolescent girls in De Doorns, Cape Winelands

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dc.contributor.advisorGithaiga, Jennifer
dc.contributor.advisorPerera, Shehani
dc.contributor.authorRuya, Natasha
dc.date.accessioned2025-04-01T10:45:57Z
dc.date.available2025-04-01T10:45:57Z
dc.date.issued2024
dc.date.updated2025-04-01T10:41:33Z
dc.description.abstractAdolescent girls in low-income communities in South Africa often cannot afford to buy disposable sanitary pads. Though menstrual cups are considered relatively cost-effective, uptake in South Africa remains low. This qualitative study investigated parents' and guardians' perspectives on factors that enable or hinder menstrual cup use among adolescent girls. Two focus group discussions and 10 individual interviews were conducted with study participants in De Doorns, a farming community in Cape Winelands. Data were uploaded onto NVivo 14 and analysed thematically. The study findings indicate that parents and guardians viewed menstrual cups as a viable option for upholding adolescent girls' dignity and alleviating the financial burden of purchasing menstrual products. This emerged as a supportive factor for adolescent girls' adoption. Further, parents and guardians believed that adolescent girls are a diverse group with varying needs, emphasising the importance of promoting their autonomy in choosing menstrual products. However, they encountered various challenges in adapting to menstrual cups, which left them feeling ill equipped to provide support to their adolescent girls. Concerns related to menstrual cup sizing and fears about potential impacts on virginity were common issues that contributed to their hesitation in endorsing usage among adolescent girls. To facilitate adoption, manufacturers of menstrual cups and community organisations involved in supporting the use of the same should consider parents' and guardians' perspectives, bearing in mind their pivotal roles as caregivers of adolescent girls. Further, there is a need for further knowledge dissemination to increase community buy-in.
dc.identifier.apacitationRuya, N. (2024). <i>An exploration of parents' and guardians' perspectives on facilitators and barriers to menstrual cup usage amongst adolescent girls in De Doorns, Cape Winelands</i>. (). ,Faculty of Health Sciences ,Department of Public Health and Family Medicine. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41323en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationRuya, Natasha. <i>"An exploration of parents' and guardians' perspectives on facilitators and barriers to menstrual cup usage amongst adolescent girls in De Doorns, Cape Winelands."</i> ., ,Faculty of Health Sciences ,Department of Public Health and Family Medicine, 2024. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41323en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationRuya, N. 2024. An exploration of parents' and guardians' perspectives on facilitators and barriers to menstrual cup usage amongst adolescent girls in De Doorns, Cape Winelands. . ,Faculty of Health Sciences ,Department of Public Health and Family Medicine. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41323en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Ruya, Natasha AB - Adolescent girls in low-income communities in South Africa often cannot afford to buy disposable sanitary pads. Though menstrual cups are considered relatively cost-effective, uptake in South Africa remains low. This qualitative study investigated parents' and guardians' perspectives on factors that enable or hinder menstrual cup use among adolescent girls. Two focus group discussions and 10 individual interviews were conducted with study participants in De Doorns, a farming community in Cape Winelands. Data were uploaded onto NVivo 14 and analysed thematically. The study findings indicate that parents and guardians viewed menstrual cups as a viable option for upholding adolescent girls' dignity and alleviating the financial burden of purchasing menstrual products. This emerged as a supportive factor for adolescent girls' adoption. Further, parents and guardians believed that adolescent girls are a diverse group with varying needs, emphasising the importance of promoting their autonomy in choosing menstrual products. However, they encountered various challenges in adapting to menstrual cups, which left them feeling ill equipped to provide support to their adolescent girls. Concerns related to menstrual cup sizing and fears about potential impacts on virginity were common issues that contributed to their hesitation in endorsing usage among adolescent girls. To facilitate adoption, manufacturers of menstrual cups and community organisations involved in supporting the use of the same should consider parents' and guardians' perspectives, bearing in mind their pivotal roles as caregivers of adolescent girls. Further, there is a need for further knowledge dissemination to increase community buy-in. DA - 2024 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town KW - medicine LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PY - 2024 T1 - An exploration of parents' and guardians' perspectives on facilitators and barriers to menstrual cup usage amongst adolescent girls in De Doorns, Cape Winelands TI - An exploration of parents' and guardians' perspectives on facilitators and barriers to menstrual cup usage amongst adolescent girls in De Doorns, Cape Winelands UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41323 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/41323
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationRuya N. An exploration of parents' and guardians' perspectives on facilitators and barriers to menstrual cup usage amongst adolescent girls in De Doorns, Cape Winelands. []. ,Faculty of Health Sciences ,Department of Public Health and Family Medicine, 2024 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41323en_ZA
dc.language.isoen
dc.language.rfc3066eng
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Public Health and Family Medicine
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Health Sciences
dc.subjectmedicine
dc.titleAn exploration of parents' and guardians' perspectives on facilitators and barriers to menstrual cup usage amongst adolescent girls in De Doorns, Cape Winelands
dc.typeThesis / Dissertation
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationlevelMPH
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