AI-enabled Qualitative Analysis of Menstrual Health

According to PLOS One, the study "Unspoken cycles" (Alam & Al-Mamun) published 24 July 2026 conducted 18 in-depth interviews and 5 key informant interviews between 1 September and 31 October 2025 to document menstrual experiences in Khulna Railway Slum.

• 18 in-depth interviews and 5 KIIs (data collected 01/09/2025–31/10/2025) identified three analytic domains: structural-environmental constraints, socio-cultural stigma, and gendered inequities in resource access.
• The sample (n = 18) included participants aged 15–45 and reported that 39% of respondents were aged 20–30 and 72% had lived in the slum districts for more than eight years, showing long-term exposure to inadequate WASH conditions.
• Published 24 July 2026, the PLOS One study documents concrete barriers (water scarcity, lack of private toilets, and no menstrual waste systems) that link period poverty to education and livelihood losses in Khulna.
• Direct participant testimony included: "When water stops coming from the tap, I wait for hours. If it doesn’t come, I can’t clean myself properly." (IDI-08, Housewife) and an NGO observation: "For poor women in slum areas, water is a luxury." (KII-03, NGO Program Officer).

What happened: the PLOS One study by Alam and Al-Mamun documented lived menstrual experiences in Khulna Railway Slum by conducting 18 in-depth interviews and 5 key informant interviews between 1 September and 31 October 2025.

According to the PLOS One article published 24 July 2026, the research followed the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research and used semi-structured interviews in Bengali, with transcripts translated and back-checked for accuracy.

According to the PLOS One study, analysis used Braun and Clarke’s six-phase thematic approach in a combined deductive and inductive fashion, with NVivo v.12 used for coding and two independent coders resolving discrepancies through consensus.

Key findings reported in PLOS One show three interrelated domains shaping menstrual experiences: (1) structural-environmental constraints such as water scarcity, lack of private toilets, and no disposal systems; (2) socio-cultural stigma that enforces silence and restricted mobility; and (3) gendered inequities in access to products and information.

Implication: qualitative researchers and program teams should combine rigorous field methods with analytic transparency to translate narratives into policy actions.

• Design studies for contextual depth: the PLOS One study (published 24 July 2026) used purposive sampling and triangulated IDIs and KIIs to surface system-level drivers rather than population prevalence.
• Prioritize WASH-linked measures: PLOS One participants repeatedly linked water scarcity and lack of disposal to both health risks and social exclusion, so program evaluations should embed specific WASH indicators.
• Measure stigma and mobility: PLOS One documents absenteeism and restricted movement; qualitative coding that tracks mentions of school or work absenteeism yields actionable program metrics.
• Protect participants: PLOS One obtained IRB approval (Approval No. 473478-FY 2024–2025; 10 August 2025) and anonymized transcripts, a model researchers should follow for sensitive topics.

The PLOS One study published 24 July 2026 documents how structural WASH failings, stigma, and gendered poverty shape menstrual experiences in Khulna Railway Slum, based on 18 IDIs and 5 KIIs collected in Sept–Oct 2025.

For qualitative researchers and program teams, the study demonstrates the value of rigorous thematic coding, contextual metadata, and ethical data handling for turning lived narratives into policy actions.

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