Menstrual hygiene practice needs, and depression among refugee women in Jordan: a cross-sectional study

Objectives: To investigate menstrual hygiene practices among women residing in Jordanian refugee camps, and explore their potential relationships with mental health and other sociodemographic characteristics.

Design: Descriptive cross-sectional study.

Setting and participants: A total of 387 women were included between January and March 2023, using a convenience sampling method, from five main refugee camps in Jordan.

Main outcome measures: Menstrual hygiene practices assessed by the Menstrual Practice Needs Scale (MPNS-36) and mental health assessed by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9).

Results: The study included 387 women with an average age of 33.16±9.52 years. The mean±SD MPNS-36 score for the sample was 1.92±0.52. The mean (SD) PHQ-9 score was 10.77±5.94. Moreover, the MPNS-36 overall score had a significant negative correlation with PHQ-9 scores (r=-0.368, p<0.001). Multivariable linear regression found that PHQ-9 score (B=-0.0279, p<0.001), and number of children (B = -0.0423, p=0.004) were negative predictors of the MPNS-36 score, while income was a positive predictor of the MPNS-36 score (B=0.0004, p=0.013).

Conclusion: The study highlights potential associations between menstrual hygiene habits and mental health among refugee women, alongside other sociodemographic traits. This highlights the importance of improving the accessibility of menstrual products and promoting menstrual health management among underserved populations, particularly those in refugee camps.