Location
Fieldhouse
Start Date
24-4-2025 3:30 PM
End Date
24-4-2025 4:30 PM
Description
Menstrual health management skills are important for participation in meaningful occupations, particularly for students with intellectual disabilities (ID). In Occupational Therapy, menstrual health management is an activity of daily living under the category of toilet and toilet hygiene. Occupational therapy can educate on these skills and can adapt to students’ understanding to promote the generalization of skills to manage their menstrual health. The aim of this research is to understand if adapted menstrual hygiene management intervention for students with ID will promote the acquisition of skills needed to manage menses. The investigators conducted a systematic review on this critically appraised topic through specific search terms and engines following inclusion criteria, such as an age range of 10-21, ID, and menstrual health management as a keyword. Four peer-reviewed journal articles within the last six years were selected after six were reviewed. Moderate quality evidence supports individualized and group menstrual hygiene management interventions such as demonstrating pad placement on dolls, peer training, social stories, and video modeling. More high-quality research on practical follow-ups of adapted interventions with this population is needed to determine the generalizability and application of menstrual health management skills longterm. Future research should be conducted to determine the benefits of occupational therapy’s role in increasing independence in menstrual health management for students with ID.
Recommended Citation
Gaskin, Lillian; Godbout, Hailey; Murphy, Ashley; Neumann, Shannon; Alvarez, Kayla; Murguia, Laura; Guillen, Isabel; and Chaput, Audre, "Menstrual Hygiene Management for Students with Intellectual Disabilities" (2025). Celebration of Scholarship. 2.
https://digitalcommons.lewisu.edu/cos/2025/poster_c/2
Presentation Type
Event
Included in
Disability Studies Commons, Occupational Therapy Commons, Public Health Education and Promotion Commons
Menstrual Hygiene Management for Students with Intellectual Disabilities
Fieldhouse
Menstrual health management skills are important for participation in meaningful occupations, particularly for students with intellectual disabilities (ID). In Occupational Therapy, menstrual health management is an activity of daily living under the category of toilet and toilet hygiene. Occupational therapy can educate on these skills and can adapt to students’ understanding to promote the generalization of skills to manage their menstrual health. The aim of this research is to understand if adapted menstrual hygiene management intervention for students with ID will promote the acquisition of skills needed to manage menses. The investigators conducted a systematic review on this critically appraised topic through specific search terms and engines following inclusion criteria, such as an age range of 10-21, ID, and menstrual health management as a keyword. Four peer-reviewed journal articles within the last six years were selected after six were reviewed. Moderate quality evidence supports individualized and group menstrual hygiene management interventions such as demonstrating pad placement on dolls, peer training, social stories, and video modeling. More high-quality research on practical follow-ups of adapted interventions with this population is needed to determine the generalizability and application of menstrual health management skills longterm. Future research should be conducted to determine the benefits of occupational therapy’s role in increasing independence in menstrual health management for students with ID.
