The hidden WASH needs of perimenopausal women

Meeting the needs of an ageing population, particularly in the global South, is increasingly an issue for WASH service provision. An ageing-related issue for women, warranting specific attention from the WASH sector, is the perimenopause, but this is often not discussed publicly. Drawing on data fro...

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Autores principales:	Amita Bhakta, Harold Esseku, Yvonne Esseku, Julie Fisher, Brian Reed
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	IWA Publishing 2021
Materias:	bathing laundry menstrual hygiene perimenopause sanitation water Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering TD1-1066
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/add71e0fdd584cf5af93c005d66e2900
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id	oai:doaj.org-article:add71e0fdd584cf5af93c005d66e2900
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:add71e0fdd584cf5af93c005d66e29002021-11-23T18:22:57ZThe hidden WASH needs of perimenopausal women2043-90832408-936210.2166/washdev.2021.101https://doaj.org/article/add71e0fdd584cf5af93c005d66e29002021-11-01T00:00:00Zhttp://washdev.iwaponline.com/content/11/6/1016https://doaj.org/toc/2043-9083https://doaj.org/toc/2408-9362Meeting the needs of an ageing population, particularly in the global South, is increasingly an issue for WASH service provision. An ageing-related issue for women, warranting specific attention from the WASH sector, is the perimenopause, but this is often not discussed publicly. Drawing on data from the UK and Ghana, this paper provides recommendations for meeting the additional WASH needs of women as they experience the perimenopause (the transition period to menopause). Finding these ‘hidden’ needs involved a UK-based phenomenological review and mixed feminist methods in two low-income urban communities in Accra and Kumasi, Ghana. The hidden WASH needs of perimenopausal women included understanding the perimenopause, menstrual hygiene management, urine incontinence management, bathing, and laundry. Community awareness, engagement and empowerment, and ensuring good perimenopausal health can begin to address these needs. Infrastructural measures for perimenopausal women include a continuous water supply, user-friendly bathing and laundry infrastructure, and gender-sensitive, accessible toilets with discrete sanitary disposal bins. High-absorbency sanitary products are important for managing heavy menstruation. A better understanding of the needs of perimenopausal women and training on how to meet these would benefit the WASH sector in ensuring that perimenopausal women are not left behind in efforts to meet the Sustainable Development Goals. HIGHLIGHTS The perimenopause has not been considered in WASH.; Perimenopausal women's WASH needs are ‘hidden’ and targeted techniques are needed to reveal them.; Erratic menstruation patterns at perimenopause require changes in menstrual products and sanitation behaviour change.; Perimenopausal women's practices highlight bathing and laundry as neglected in WASH.; Existing WASH solutions can meet perimenopausal women's needs.;Amita BhaktaHarold EssekuYvonne EssekuJulie FisherBrian ReedIWA Publishingarticlebathinglaundrymenstrual hygieneperimenopausesanitationwaterEnvironmental technology. Sanitary engineeringTD1-1066ENJournal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development, Vol 11, Iss 6, Pp 1016-1025 (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	bathing laundry menstrual hygiene perimenopause sanitation water Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering TD1-1066
spellingShingle	bathing laundry menstrual hygiene perimenopause sanitation water Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering TD1-1066 Amita Bhakta Harold Esseku Yvonne Esseku Julie Fisher Brian Reed The hidden WASH needs of perimenopausal women
description	Meeting the needs of an ageing population, particularly in the global South, is increasingly an issue for WASH service provision. An ageing-related issue for women, warranting specific attention from the WASH sector, is the perimenopause, but this is often not discussed publicly. Drawing on data from the UK and Ghana, this paper provides recommendations for meeting the additional WASH needs of women as they experience the perimenopause (the transition period to menopause). Finding these ‘hidden’ needs involved a UK-based phenomenological review and mixed feminist methods in two low-income urban communities in Accra and Kumasi, Ghana. The hidden WASH needs of perimenopausal women included understanding the perimenopause, menstrual hygiene management, urine incontinence management, bathing, and laundry. Community awareness, engagement and empowerment, and ensuring good perimenopausal health can begin to address these needs. Infrastructural measures for perimenopausal women include a continuous water supply, user-friendly bathing and laundry infrastructure, and gender-sensitive, accessible toilets with discrete sanitary disposal bins. High-absorbency sanitary products are important for managing heavy menstruation. A better understanding of the needs of perimenopausal women and training on how to meet these would benefit the WASH sector in ensuring that perimenopausal women are not left behind in efforts to meet the Sustainable Development Goals. HIGHLIGHTS The perimenopause has not been considered in WASH.; Perimenopausal women's WASH needs are ‘hidden’ and targeted techniques are needed to reveal them.; Erratic menstruation patterns at perimenopause require changes in menstrual products and sanitation behaviour change.; Perimenopausal women's practices highlight bathing and laundry as neglected in WASH.; Existing WASH solutions can meet perimenopausal women's needs.;
format	article
author	Amita Bhakta Harold Esseku Yvonne Esseku Julie Fisher Brian Reed
author_facet	Amita Bhakta Harold Esseku Yvonne Esseku Julie Fisher Brian Reed
author_sort	Amita Bhakta
title	The hidden WASH needs of perimenopausal women
title_short	The hidden WASH needs of perimenopausal women
title_full	The hidden WASH needs of perimenopausal women
title_fullStr	The hidden WASH needs of perimenopausal women
title_full_unstemmed	The hidden WASH needs of perimenopausal women
title_sort	hidden wash needs of perimenopausal women
publisher	IWA Publishing
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/add71e0fdd584cf5af93c005d66e2900
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The hidden WASH needs of perimenopausal women

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