Interview study, 2022
Can menstruation tracking apps help women manage PMS?
Women who used tracking apps reported learning to control and predict PMS symptoms and to appreciate their bodies more, though the app's accuracy and design were important.
What they did
Interviewed 5 women in New Zealand who reported benefiting from menstruation tracking apps. Analyzed their experiences using a theoretical framework to understand how the apps affected them.
What they found
Three main patterns emerged: women reported learning to control, predict, and manage symptoms; learning to value their menstruating bodies; and some found the apps unreliable, inaccurate, or intrusive.
What it means for you
Menstruation tracking apps could help women feel more in control of PMS and challenge the stigma around periods, but they must be accurate and not intrusive. The study is limited to five women in one country who already benefited from using apps.
5
women interviewed
About the study
- Original title
- A post-phenomenological analysis of using menstruation tracking apps for the management of premenstrual syndrome
- Authors
- Riley S, Paskova K
- Journal
- Digital health
- Year
- 2022
- Study design
- Interview study
- What was tested
- Menstruation tracking applications
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1177/20552076221144199
Topics
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