Additional Menstrual Health Research

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Our team’s research extends into many other facets related to menstrual health including, but not limited to:

Research on the women’s and girls’ experiences of menstruation, including at home, school, and places of work
Identifying research and practice priorities for menstrual health
Review of MH-related Policy in the US
Measurement development and indicator prioritization for menstrual health
Commentaries on menstruation and gender equality

A list of additional papers related to menstrual health from our team can be found below.

Journal articles

Ballard, A.M., Wallace, E., Kaza, P., Self-Brown, S., Freeman, M.C., Caruso, B.A. ‘Mapping menstrual health and hygiene progress in US schools: A systematic policy review and comparison across states,’ Frontiers in Reproductive Health.

Starr, M. Harding, R., Ataíde, R., Von Dinklage, N., Sinharoy, S.S., Jayasinghe, Y., Manda-Taylor, L., Fisher, J., Braat, S., and Pasricha, S-R. 2025. ‘Epidemiology of menstrual-related absenteeism in 44 low- and middle-income countries,’ The Lancet Global Health. 13:e285-97
Plesons, M., Torondel, B., Caruso, B. A., Hennegan, J., Sommer, M., Haver, J., Keiser, D., van Eijk, M., Zulaika, G., Mason, L., & Phillips-Howard, P. A. (2023). ‘Research priorities for improving menstrual health across the life-course in low-and middle-income countries,’ Global Health Action. 16(1), 2279396.
Hennegan, J., Caruso, B. A., Torondel, B., Phillips-Howard, P. A., Zulaika, G., Valdez, J., Haver, J., Gruer, C.L., Mahon, T., Sommer, M. (2023). ‘Indicators for National and Global Monitoring of Girls’ Menstrual Health and Hygiene: Development of a Priority Shortlist,’ Journal of Adolescent Health.’ 73(6), 992-1001.
Torondel, B., Ferma, J., Francis, S.C., Caruso, B.A., Routray, P., Reese, & Clasen, T. (2022) ‘Effect of a combined household-level piped water and sanitation intervention on reported menstrual hygiene practices and symptoms of urogenital infections in rural Odisha, India,’ International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health. 239: 113866.
Dupuis S, Hennink M, Wendt AS, Waid JL, Kalam A, Gabrysch S, Sinharoy SS. ‘Women’s empowerment through homestead food production in rural Bangladesh,’ BMC Public Health. 2022 Jan;22(134).
Waid JL, Wendt AS, Sinharoy SS, Kader A, Gabrysch S. ‘Impact of a homestead food production program on women’s empowerment: Pro-WEAI results from the FAARM trial in Bangladesh,’ World Development. 2022 Oct;(158).
Ballard, A.M., Cooper, H.L.F. Young, A.M., & Caruso, B.A. (2022). ‘”You feel how you look”: Exploring the impacts of unmet water, sanitation, and hygiene needs among rural people experiencing homelessness,’ PLOS Water, 1(5), e0000019.
Ballard, A.M., Hoover, A.T., Rodriguez, A.V. & Caruso, B.A. (2021). ‘Emphasizing choice and autonomy in personal hygiene, menstrual hygiene, and sexual health product distribution to people experiencing homelessness in Atlanta, Georgia during COVID-19,’ Health Promotion Practice. [Menstrual Health] [Gender & ENV]
Sommer, M., Torondel, B., Hennegan, J., Phillips-Howard, P.A., Mahon, T., Motivans, A., Zulaika, G., Gruer, C., Haver, J., Monitoring Menstrual Health and Hygiene Group, Caruso, B.A. (2021). ‘How addressing menstrual health and hygiene may enable progress across the Sustainable Development Goals,’ Global Health Action. 14(1). [Menstrual Health]
Plesons, M., Patkar, A., Babb, J., Balapitiya, A., Carson, F., Caruso, B.A., Franco, M., Hansen, M.M., Haver, J., Jahangir, A., Kabiru, C.W., Kisangala, E., Phillips-Howard, P., Sharma, A., Sommer, M., & Chandra-Mouli, V. (2021). ‘The state of adolescent menstrual health in low-and middle-income countries and suggestions for future action and research,’ Reproductive Health. 18(1), 1-13.
Sommer, M., Caruso, B. A., Torondel, B., Warren, E. C., Yamakoshi, B., Haver, J., Long, J., Mahon, T., Nalinponguit, E., Okwaro, N., & Phillips-Howard, P. A. (2021). ‘Menstrual hygiene management in schools: midway progress update on the “MHM in Ten” 2014–2024 global agenda,’ Health Research Policy and Systems. 19(1), 1-14.
Caruso, B. A., Portela, G., McManus, S., & Clasen, T. (2020). ‘Assessing women’s menstruation concerns and experiences in rural India: Development and validation of a menstrual insecurity measure,’ International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 17(10), 3468.
Caruso, B.A., Sommer, M., Phillips-Howard, P. A. (2019). ‘All of women’s health needs are worthy of attention,’ The Lancet. 393(10186), 2119.
MacRae, E.R., Clasen, T., Daspohapatra, M., & Caruso, B.A. (2019) ‘”It’s like a burden on the head”: Redefining adequate menstrual hygiene management throughout women’s life course in Odisha, India,’ PLoS One. 14(8), e0220114.
Wilson, E., Haver, J., Torondel, B., Rubli, J., & Caruso, B. A. (2018). ‘Dismantling menstrual taboos to overcome gender inequality,’ The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, 2(8), e17.
Haver, J., Long, J., Caruso B.A., & Dreibelbis, R.D. (2018). ‘New directions for assessing MHM in Schools: a bottom-up approach to measuring program success,’ Studies in Social Justice. 12 (2): 372-381.
Baker, K. K., Padhi, B., Torondel, B., Das, P., Dutta, A., Sahoo, K. C., Das, B., Dreibelbis, R., Caruso, B.A., Freeman, M.C., Sager, L., & Panigrahi, P. (2017). ‘From menarche to menopause: A population-based assessment of water, sanitation, and hygiene risk factors for reproductive tract infection symptoms over life stages in girls and women in India,’ PLoS One. 12(12), e0188234.
Caruso, B. A., Clasen, T., Hadley, C., Yount, K., Haardöerfer, R., Rout, M., Daspohapatra, M., & Cooper, H.L.F. (2017). ‘Understanding and defining sanitation insecurity: women’s gendered experiences of urination, defecation and menstruation in rural Odisha, India,’ BMJ Global Health. 2(4), e000414.
Girod, C., Ellis, A., Andes, K., Freeman, M.C. & Caruso B.A. (2017) ‘Physical, social, and political inequities constraining girls’ menstrual management at schools in informal settlements of Nairobi, Kenya,’ Journal of Urban Health. 1-12.
Sommer, M., Phillips-Howard, P. A., Mahon, T., Zients, S., Jones, M., & Caruso, B. A. (2017). ‘Beyond menstrual hygiene: addressing vaginal bleeding throughout the life course in low and middle-income countries,’ BMJ Global Health. 2(2), e000405.
Caruso, B. A., Clasen, T., Yount, K. M., Cooper, H. L., Hadley, C., & Haardörfer, R. (2017). ‘Assessing women’s negative sanitation experiences and concerns: The development of a novel sanitation insecurity measure. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14(7), 755.
Phillips-Howard, P., Caruso, B. A., Torondel, B., Zulaika, G., Sahin, M., & Sommer, M. (2016). ‘Menstrual hygiene management among adolescent schoolgirls in low- and middle-income countries: research priorities.’ Global Health Action. 9.
Ellis, A., Haver, J., Villasenor, J., Parawan, A., Venkatesh, M., Freeman, M. C., & Caruso, B.A. (2016). ‘WASH challenges to girls’ menstrual hygiene management in Metro Manila, Masbate, and South Central Mindanao, Philippines,’ Waterlines. 35(3), 306-323.
Sommer, M., Caruso, B. A., Sahin, M., Calderon, T., Cavill, S., Mahon, T., & Phillips-Howard, P. A. (2016). ‘A time for global action: Addressing girls’ menstrual hygiene management needs in schools,’ PLoS Medicine. 13(2), e1001962.
Hulland, K. R., Chase, R. P., Caruso, B.A., Swain, R., Biswal, B., Sahoo, K. C., Panigrahi, P., & Dreibelbis, R. (2015). ‘Sanitation, stress, and life stage: A systematic data collection study among women in Odisha, India,’ PloS One, 10(11), e0141883.
Sahoo, K. C., Hulland, K. R., Caruso, B.A., Swain, R., Freeman, M. C., Panigrahi, P., & Dreibelbis, R. (2015). ‘Sanitation-related psychosocial stress: A grounded theory study of women across the life-course in Odisha, India,’ Social Science & Medicine. 139, 80-89.
Long J.L., Caruso B.A., Mamani M, Camacho G, Vancraeynest K, & Freeman, M.C. (2015). ‘Developing games as a qualitative method for researching menstrual hygiene management in rural Bolivia,’ Waterlines. 34(1).
Trinies, V., Caruso, B.A., Sogore, A., Toubkiss, J., & Freeman, M. C. (2015). ‘Uncovering the challenges to menstrual hygiene management in schools in Mali,’ Waterlines, 34(1). doi: 10.3362/1756-3488.2015.004.
Caruso, B. A., Sevilimedu, V., Fung, I. C. H., Patkar, A., & Baker, K. K. (2015). ‘Gender disparities in water, sanitation, and global health,’ The Lancet. 386 (9994), 650-651.
McMahon, S. A., Winch, P. J., Caruso, B. A., Obure, A. F., Ogutu, E. A., Ochari, I. A., & Rheingans, R. D. (2011). ‘”The girl with her period is the one to hang her head” Reflections on menstrual management among schoolgirls in rural Kenya,’ BMC International Health and Human Rights. 11(1), 7.

Reports

Global MHH Monitoring Group [Global MHH monitoring group in alphabetical order: Caruso, B.A., Gruer, C., Haver, J., Hennegan, J., Phillips-Howard, P., Mahon, T., Sommer, M., Torondel, B., Zulaika, G.]. Priority List of Indicators for Girls’ Menstrual Health and Hygiene: Technical Guidance for National Monitoring. (2021). Columbia University. New York.
Caruso, B.A., Ellis, A., & Sahin, M. (2015). WASH in Schools for Girls E-Course: Increasing national capacity to conduct research on menstrual hygiene management in schools. New York: United Nations Children’s Fund.
Caruso, B.A. (2014). WASH in Schools Empowers Girls’ Education: Tools for Assessing Menstrual Hygiene Management in Schools. New York: United Nations Children’s Fund.
Caruso, B.A., Fehr, A., Inden, K., Sahin, M., Ellis, A., Andes, K.L., & Freeman, M.C. (2013). WASH in Schools Empowers Girls’ Education in Freetown, Sierra Leone: An Assessment of Menstrual Hygiene Management in Schools. New York: United Nations Children’s Fund.
Haver, J., Caruso, B.A., Ellis, A., Sahin, M., Villasenor, J.M., Andes, K.L., & Freeman, M.C. (2013). WASH in Schools Empowers Girls’ Education in Masbate Province and Metro Manila, Philippines: An Assessment of Menstrual Hygiene Management in Schools. New York: United Nations Children’s Fund.
Long, J., Caruso, B.A., Lopez, D., Vancraeynest, K., Sahin, M., Andes, K.L., & Freeman, M.C. (2013). WASH in Schools Empowers Girls’ Education in Rural Cochabamba, Bolivia: An Assessment of Menstrual Hygiene Management in Schools. New York: United Nations Children’s Fund.