Factors associated with menstrual cognition development among menarche, menstruating, and menopausal women in Coimbatore, Tamil nadu, India.

Abstract

Several decades of research resulted in an abundance of cultural, social, clinical, logical understanding of menstrual practices. From these researches it was understood that the society encompass itself many socio-cultural norms, customs, beliefs, taboos, stigmas and behaviours related to menstruation. Menstrual practices and restrictions have been transmitted through generations. Girls who attain puberty are bound to adopt theses cultural belief systems as it is the nomenclature put forth by the family, friends, religion and other social institutions that shapes the society. According to (Sellers, Machluf, & Bjorklund, 2018) How a person perceives, thinks, and comprehends the world through the interaction of genetic and learning factors is known as cognitive development. Objective: To identify the factors that helped in menstrual cognition development among Menarche, menstruating and menopause women in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. Methodology: A Cross-sectional study was carried out among 450 women. The samples were divided into 3 categories, 150 women who attains puberty recently (menarche), 150 menstruating women, and 150 menopause women from Coimbatore, Tamilnadu. Results and Analysis: The significance of each factor was assessed using the KMO value of 0.915, and the factors were categorized into four categories namely “Micro system”, “Meso system”, “Exo system”, and “Macro system”. The reliability of the data was also assessed using the Cronbach's Alpha with the value of 0.716, 0.790, 0.832 and 0.940 respectively. Understanding these systems and their complex interactions is essential. More insights can be gained by, parents, teachers, institutions, social organizations developers, and policymakers to develop supportive interventions that promote healthy cognitive development among individuals. The identified factors “Micro system”, “Meso system”, “Exo system” and “Macro system” plays a vital role in acquiring information and knowledge about menstrual practices which helps them to develop their menstrual cognition. This study tries to prove the relationship between the four factors identified by Urie Bronfenbrenner.