title: Puberty Experiences of Low-Income Girls in the United States: A Systematic Review of Qualitative Literature From 2000 to 2014.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Puberty is a critical period of development that lays the foundation for future sexual and reproductive health. It is essential to learn about the puberty experiences of low-income girls in the United States given their increased vulnerability to negative sexual and reproductive health outcomes. To understand the present-day puberty experiences of this population, we conducted a qualitative systematic review.
  
  
  METHODS
  We systematically searched the peer-reviewed literature published between 2000 and 2014 on the puberty experiences of low-income girls in the United States. Reviewers screened titles, abstracts, and the full texts of articles. Using standardized templates, reviewers assessed the methodologic quality and extracted data. Data were synthesized using thematic analysis. Confidence in each finding was assessed using Confidence in the Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative research.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty qualitative articles were included. They described the experiences of mostly African-American, Caucasian, and Hispanic girls living primarily in urban areas of Northeastern United States. Five overarching themes emerged: content of girls' puberty experiences, quality of girls' puberty experiences, messages girls receive about puberty, other factors that shape girls' puberty experiences, and relationships that shape girls' experiences of puberty.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The limited existing evidence suggests that low-income girls in the United States are unprepared for puberty and have largely negative experiences of this transition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland. Electronic address: annherb@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ann C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Herbert
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Ana Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Ramirez
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Grace
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Savannah J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: North
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Melanie S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Askari
authors.affiliation: Heilbrunn Department of Population and Family Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Rebecca L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: West
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Marni
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sommer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000067697:Adolescent Health / Q000191:economics / Q000208:ethnology; D001741:Black or African American; D003142:Communication; D005219:Father-Child Relations / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice / Q000208:ethnology; D054625:Healthcare Disparities / Q000191:economics / Q000208:ethnology; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008572:Menarche / Q000208:ethnology / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D054525:Minority Health / Q000191:economics; D009034:Mother-Child Relations / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D010379:Peer Group; D011203:Poverty; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012736:Sex Education; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000208:ethnology / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D000074384:Sexual Health / Q000191:economics / Q000208:ethnology; D012801:Sibling Relations / Q000208:ethnology; D012944:Social Support; D014481:United States; D014504:Urban Health; D044465:White People
keywords: Adolescence; Early adolescence; Menarche; Menstruation; Puberty; Qualitative literature; Reproductive and sexual health; Systematic review