Awareness and practices regarding menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls residing in the village of Rasulabad in Wardha district

Abstract

Background: Menstruation and menstrual practices in rural areas are still a matter of concern. Knowledge and awareness about menstrual hygiene is lacking among rural adolescent girls. Increase in knowledge in their early childhood may help to mitigate sufferings of many women. With this background, this study was conducted in a small village of Wardha district. Aims and Objectives: The aims of this work were to study awareness and practices regarding menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls residing in a village of Wardha district, to assess the awareness about menarche, to find out the prevailing practices for menstrual hygiene, and to ascertain the association of awareness of menstruation before menarche and practices for menstruation hygiene with educational status of respondents and their mothers. Materials and Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among adolescent girls in the age group 12–19 years, who were personally interviewed based on a predesigned structured questionnaire. Data for this survey were collected by house-to-house visits using a structured questionnaire through interviewing and observation during Community Health Check Program from Mahatma Gandhi Ayurveda College, Hospital & Research Centre. Results: Age of menarche of most of the girls was between 12 and 16 years. 63% girls were unaware about knowledge of menstruation before menarche. In this study, mothers were found to be the source of knowledge of 71% girls. 74% girls knew that menstruation is a physiological process. 79% girls used sanitary napkins. Conclusion: Many are still unaware about knowledge of menstruation before menarche and source of bleeding. There is a need to create awareness among young girls about menstruation hygiene and its process.