A new article titled “‘Smile, even though it hurts’: A photovoice study exploring the practices, experiences and spaces for menstrual care in Spain” has been published in Social Science & Medicine – Qualitative Research in Health, with Astrid Boe Hüttel of the AFIN Group as first author and Laura Medina Perucha of the Institut Universitari d’Investigació en Atenció Primària (IDIAP Jordi Gol) as last author.
The study uses the photovoice method to analyse how white and cis-heteropatriarchal social structures worsen experiences of menstrual discomfort and often hinder menstrual care practices. Through photographs and personal accounts, participants reveal the social pressure to hide and suppress their menstrual discomfort, highlighting a critical lack of menstrual knowledge and a systemic dismissal of their experiences.
However, by focusing the analysis on the concept of menstrual care, the research also highlights the positive aspects of menstrual experiences: they are meaningful moments of creativity, introspection, rest and opportunities to give and receive care.
This work is part of the project Salud menstrual, salud mental y calidad de vida en España, led by the Institut Universitari d’Investigació en Atenció Primària (IDIAP Jordi Gol) in collaboration with the AFIN Group.
The article is available open access here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmqr.2026.100771