title: Pubescent male students' attitudes towards menstruation in Taiwan: implications for reproductive health education and school nursing practice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore male students' attitudes towards menstruation.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Menstruation is a biological event that is often surrounded by secrecy and social stigma that causes anxiety amongst many young girls. A key element of this is the attitudes of young males towards this reproductive health issue. However, the literature around what young males think and feel about menstruation is limited.
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative.
  
  
  METHODS
  A sample of 27 male students aged between 10-12 years participated in five focus groups. Data were then subject to a thematic analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five themes emerged from the data analysis that reflected the boys' feelings, experiences and attitudes towards menstruation: 'A silent topic', 'An unimportant issue', 'Errant information about menstruation'. In addition, according to their experience, participants gradually came to see menstruation from the 'menstrual stereotype' viewpoint. In their social life, they made choices that resulted in gradually regulating their behaviour that affected their 'relationships with girls'.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Young boys have misguided knowledge about menstruation and this helps to perpetuate the stigma surrounding this element of reproductive health. Boys also express a desire to learn more but are often restricted in this by home and school. School nurses are the best placed professionals to address this issue.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Menstrual education with boys should take a greater prominence than it often does in sexual health education in schools. Such inclusion will provide boys with a balanced and accurate knowledge base and therefore help towards reducing the social stigma around menstruation that is often experienced by young girls.
authors: Department of Nursing, Tzu Chi College of Technology, Hualien, Taiwan, ROC. yuting@tccn.edu.tw
authors: Yu-Ting
authors: YT
authors: Chang
authors: Mark
authors: M
authors: Hayter
authors: Mei-Ling
authors: ML
authors: Lin
mesh_terms: D001290:Attitude; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008598:Menstruation / Q000523:psychology*; D012573:School Nursing; D013624:Taiwan