The experiences of menstrual symptom changes among international students studying in China during the acculturation period: A phenomenology study  

作　　者：Asem Alkhatib Weizi Wu Hoda Alshikh Ahmad Ratee Pakwan Suwal Zhao Ni Xianhong Li 

机构地区：[1]Xiangya School of Nursing,Central South University,Changsha,Hunan,China [2]Faculty of Nursing,Hama University,Hama,Syria [3]School of Nursing,University of Connecticut,Storrs,Connecticut,USA [4]Xiangya School of Public Health,Central South University,Changsha,Hunan,China [5]National Academy of Medical Science,Bir Hospital(NAMS),Mahaboudha,Kathmandu,Nepal [6]School of Nursing,Yale University,New Haven,CT,USA [7]Yale Institute for Global Health,Yale University,New Haven,CT,USA

出　　处：《International Journal of Nursing Sciences》2023年第2期221-229,共9页国际护理科学（英文）

摘　　要：Objectives Menstruation is a normal physiological phenomenon among female which could be influenced by the process of acculturation.Few studies have explored the experience of menstrual symptom changes among international female students studying in China.Therefore,this paper aims to summarize international female students’experiences of menstrual symptom changes when they were studying in China and interpret these changes through considering the influence of acculturation on their social and academic lives.Methods We used a descriptive phenomenology approach.Structured in-depth face-to-face interviews were conducted between May and November 2019 among ten international female students studying in one Province located in south central China.Participants were those who reported having experienced menstrual symptom changes during the acculturation period,which was defined as the first six months of living in China.All interviews were audio-recorded,transcribed verbatim,and analyzed using NVivo 11.0 with the guidance of Colaizzi's seven-step method.Results The international female students’experiences of menstrual symptom changes were summarized and grouped into five main categories and 13 subcategories.The main categories include:1)demonstration of menstrual symptom changes,2)challenges of maintaining menstrual function in the new setting,3)coping styles to take care of menstrual health,4)consequences of the menstrual symptom changes,and 5)culture-based attitude toward menstruation.Conclusions International female students reported experiences of menstrual symptom changes,including somatic and psychological symptoms during the acculturation period.Culture barriers,academic stress,and sleep patterns are common factors influencing their menstrual symptom changes.More culturally-tailored interventions should be explored to improve the menstrual health of international female students in China.

关 键 词：ACCULTURATION Female International students Life change events MENSTRUATION 

分 类 号：R711[医药卫生—妇产科学]