Empower Women and Girls through Menstrual Health

1. Overview

BARKA Foundation has successfully completed the qualitative data collection phase of the Menstrual Cups Project. Following interviewer training and a debriefing session, fieldwork commenced on 24 July and has now been concluded.

The qualitative phase achieved all planned targets for individual in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. Additional interviews were also incorporated into the dataset following quality review, while continuous quality assurance measures helped maintain the integrity and reliability of the data collected.

2. Key Achievements and Outputs

The following outputs were achieved upon completion of qualitative fieldwork:

• In-depth individual interviews: All 45 of the 45 interviews planned were successfully completed.
• Focus group discussions: All 6 of the 6 planned focus group discussions were conducted.
• Additional pre-test interviews: Four pre-test interviews were reviewed and deemed suitable for inclusion in the final dataset.
• Current menstrual cup users: Three current users were interviewed to document their experiences, perceptions, and menstrual cup use practices.
• Quality assurance: Quality-control procedures and ongoing reviews were implemented throughout data collection. Only two interviews required repetition to meet the established quality standards.
• Transcription and data processing: Transcription and data processing activities are already underway in preparation for the analysis phase.

3. Data Quality and Validation

Quality assurance was integrated throughout the fieldwork process to ensure that the data collected met the project's quality standards. Interview reviews and follow-up procedures enabled the identification and correction of issues requiring additional attention.

The four additional pre-test interviews were assessed and approved for inclusion in the final dataset. Furthermore, the three interviews with current menstrual cup users provide complementary insights into actual user experiences and practices. These additional contributions strengthen the breadth of the qualitative dataset.

4. Next Steps

With qualitative fieldwork completed, the project will focus on the following activities:

1. Complete transcription and data processing to prepare the qualitative dataset for analysis.
2. Conduct qualitative data analysis to identify key themes, experiences, perceptions, and findings related to menstrual cup use.
3. Initiate the quantitative research phase, which remains outstanding, in accordance with the project's research plan.
4. Integrate findings from both research phases to support a comprehensive understanding of the project's research objectives.

5. Conclusion

The qualitative data collection phase of BARKA Foundation's Menstrual Cups Project has been successfully completed, achieving all planned targets for individual interviews and focus group discussions. The inclusion of additional pre-test interviews and interviews with current menstrual cup users further enriches the dataset.

The implementation of quality assurance measures throughout fieldwork helped maintain data quality, with only two interviews requiring repetition. With transcription and data processing already underway, the project is well positioned to advance toward qualitative analysis and the subsequent quantitative research phase.

Overall status: Qualitative fieldwork is complete. Transcription and data processing are in progress, while the quantitative research phase remains to be conducted.