"Islamically, I am not on my period": A Study of Menstrual Tracking in Muslim Women in the US

Title of the Paper

"Islamically, I am no longer on my period: A Study of Menstrual Tracking in Muslim Women in the US"

Paper Information

• Research Domain: Women's health, personal information tracking, religion and human-computer interaction (HCI)
• Keywords: menstrual tracking, women's health, HCI, Muslim women, personalized health technology, religious beliefs, privacy concerns, inclusive design, diversity research, faith and technology

Research Background and Issues

• Identified Problems or Challenges:

  • Menstrual tracking applications are widely used, but their design often fails to consider the impact of religious identity on user behavior.
  • For Muslim women in the US, menstrual tracking is not only related to physiological health but also deeply influences religious practices (e.g., prayer, fasting).
  • Current menstrual tracking app designs tend to overlook the needs of minority groups, such as those from faith-based communities and diverse cultural backgrounds.

• Significance:

  • Existing menstrual tracking technologies may lead to implicit inequities and usage difficulties, with insufficient exploration of the integration of religious beliefs and health needs.
  • Supporting the health needs of users with religious beliefs is crucial for advancing technology and society in the broader context of technological design and cultural integration.

• Research Motivation and Related Work:

  • This study addresses a gap in the HCI field regarding the intersection of religion and health technology design.
  • Building on prior research into menstrual tracking behaviors among women in the Global South, the authors focus on the health tracking needs and design challenges faced by faith-driven minority groups—particularly Muslim women in Western societies.

Solution

• Proposed Solution:

  • The study focuses on the experiences of Muslim women in the US using menstrual tracking apps, exploring the connection between religious practices and health technologies.
  • Through a three-phase research design (preliminary survey, semi-structured interviews, and post-Roe v. Wade investigation), the study analyzes the complex needs of Muslim women and the design challenges of menstrual tracking apps.
  • It proposes design recommendations for religious contexts and calls on the tech design community to reduce "othering" and achieve inclusive design.

• Innovative Aspects:

  • Incorporating religious identity into the perspective of health technology design, offering specific design recommendations to meet the unique needs of Muslim women.
  • Academically emphasizing the integration of technology design with religion and culture to promote inclusivity and social equity in HCI.

• Implementation Steps and Key Techniques:

  1. Three-Phase Research Design:
     • Phase 1: Surveys to collect data on Muslim women's menstrual tracking habits and motivations.
     • Phase 2: Interviews to gain deeper insights into Muslim women's experiences with menstrual tracking apps and their relationship to religious practices.
     • Phase 3: Data collection on changes in technology usage following the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
  2. Data Analysis: Using Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis method, combined with affinity diagramming to construct key themes.
  3. Design Recommendations: Proposing inclusive and educational design techniques to improve existing apps, particularly for users with religious beliefs.

Research Outcomes

• Specific Findings:

  • Muslim women's menstrual tracking behaviors are primarily driven by religious practices, such as mechanisms for excluding prayer and fasting and compensatory requirements.
  • Identified design shortcomings in existing menstrual apps, including conflicts between community forum content and religious values, lack of guidance based on Islamic jurisprudence (Fiqh), and difficulties in coordinating menstrual tracking with religious calendars.

• Advantages Over Existing Solutions:

  • Deeper consideration of the impact of religious values on health data tracking, with extended and modified design recommendations.
  • Differentiated design strategies for faith-based users from diverse cultural backgrounds, promoting technological equity.

• Experimental or Evaluation Results:

  • The study revealed various needs among Muslim women, such as more accurate cycle predictions, integration of religious and health information, and privacy protection.
  • Data showed that over 87% of respondents continued using menstrual tracking apps but expressed concerns about privacy and potential data selling.

• Limitations and Future Directions:

  • The study sample is largely concentrated on practicing Muslim groups and Muslim women in Western cultural contexts; future research should expand the scope.
  • Calls for extending research to explore cultural intersections in the Global North and South, examining shared or conflicting design values across different religious systems.
  • Suggests advancing interdisciplinary research in HCI and health sciences to explore the intersection of religion and health technology, reducing cultural biases in technology.