Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing (한국보건간호학회지)

Korean Society of public Health Nursing (한국보건간호학회)
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"It Should Be Me Who Decides What to Use.": Experiences of Using Menstrual Cups in South Korea

"선택권은 나에게 있어야 해요.": 한국 내 생리컵 사용자의 경험

  • Kim, Da Hye (Department of Nursing, Inha University) ;
  • Im, Boae (Department of Nursing, Inha University) ;
  • Park, Sihyun (Red Cross College of Nursing, Chung-Ang University)
  • Received : 2021.02.05
  • Accepted : 2021.03.30
  • Published : 2021.04.30
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Abstract

Purpose: Safety concerns regarding the use of disposable sanitary pads have emerged as a social issue in Korea, and some have advocated alternatives to alleviate these concerns. However, menstrual cups are rarely viewed as an option because of the sociocultural climate. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of Korean women that use menstrual cups. Methods: Hermeneutic phenomenology as suggested by Van Manen was utilized for the study. Fourteen women, who had been using menstrual cups, were recruited and asked to participated in face-to-face interviews. Interview data were transcribed and coded by lifeworld existentials. Results: Four fundamental themes were emerged from the data: adaption to menstrual cups, body's various responses towards the menstrual cups, the menstrual cups being unwelcomed in Korean society, and our various perspectives towards menstrual cups. Conclusion: We could observe not only the positive experiences in terms of using menstrual cups but also the various difficulties and challenges of using those menstrual cups in Korean society. We hope that the findings could be used as the evidence for developing health education contents and policies to promote women's health.

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References

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