Abstract
Purpose
To determine military women's attitudes toward menstruation and menstrual suppression
with oral contraceptives in the deployed environment.
Methods
A cross-sectional descriptive design with the administration of the Menstrual Attitude
Questionnaire (MAQ) and the 55-item Military Women's Attitudes Towards Menstrual Suppression
Scale (MWATMS) to a convenience sample (n = 278) of women in the U.S. Army with deployment experience.
Findings
The MAQ's five subscales' mean scores ranged from 3.4 (±1.11) to 5.1 (±1.06), indicating
neutral to moderate attitudes toward menstruation. Measurement development on the
MWATMS produced a nine-item scale with three components: stress effects, benefits
to self, and environmental barriers.
Conclusion
Menstrual attitudes were generally neutral in this sample; however, military women
favor menstrual suppression during deployment owing to the effects of stress during
deployment, benefits that suppression would provide, and the barriers to menstrual
hygiene in the deployed environment. Women who perceived menstruation as bothersome
and debilitating had positive attitudes toward menstrual suppression. These findings
can contribute to appropriate predeployment women's health care and improve the readiness
for deployment in female soldiers. Providers should educate women on the risks and
benefits of menstrual suppression methods and provide guidance on impact that the
deployed environment can have on their menstrual experiences.
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Biography
Dr. Trego holds a PhD in Nursing Science from the University of Washington and has 18 years of experience in military nursing and women's health. She is a Nurse Scientist at a regional military medical center and has served in Iraq.
Biography
Dr. Jordan holds a PhD in experimental psychology from the University of Rhode Island. She currently works as a methodologist, grantwriter, and statistician in Honolulu, Hawaii. Her expertise is in biomedical technologies, health behavior change, psychophysiological monitoring, and women's health.
Article info
Publication history
Published online: June 04, 2010
Accepted:
March 2,
2010
Received in revised form:
March 1,
2010
Received:
December 18,
2009
Footnotes
Sponsored by the TriService Nursing Research Program, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences; however, the information or content and conclusions do not necessarily represent the official position or policy of, nor should any official endorsement be inferred by, the TriService Nursing Research Program, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government. The views expressed in this manuscript are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Army, Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.
Identification
Copyright
Published by Elsevier Inc.
