CULTURAL MEANING OF MENSTRUATION AMONG SPANISH WOMEN

Abstract

The objective of the research was to know what cultural meanings exist in our society regarding menstruation, from the perspective of transcultural nursing, and to analyze whether past false beliefs have been overcome. Method: Qualitative study with a design based on Grounded Theory and whose research techniques were semistructured interviews and discussion groups. 47 women from different regions of Spain participated. Age and place of residence were established as segmentation criteria and educational level, mothers or women without children and the profession were established as the variability criteria. The categories of analysis were menarche, menstruation, knowledge about their own bodies and gender. Results: The menarche is lived in a different way
depending on the degree of prior knowledge; presence of taboo in different degrees depending on the age of the woman, associated to ignorance and false ideas; the transfer of erroneous popular beliefs, by oral transmission, is still present. Conclusion: Transcultural nursing care should be aimed at banishing false beliefs, using group workshops to eradicate erroneous beliefs and help women to clarify any doubts they may have.