Abstract
Self care practices as well as menstrual hygiene are basic requirements for promoting a satisfied life and personal esteem in a woman. It is therefore necessary to investigate the self care practice of menstrual hygiene among female school going adolescents who have attained menarche in Amassoma community, Bayelsa State. A survey was designed with systematic sampling which involves selection of girls from government and private secondary schools. A total of two hundred and nine (n = 209) students participated in the study after the aim of the study was explained, and their consent obtained. A carefully constructed questionnaire was administered to the related classes. Results indicated that adolescent’s girls have an average level of self care and menstrual hygiene, even though age and educational status did not significantly impact on the effect of self care practice and menstrual hygiene. This therefore calls for more education about this special aspect of these adolescent school girls’ life and reproductive life. Key words: Menstrual hygiene, self care practice, adolescent girls, Bayelsa.
Highlights
Adolescent has been defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the period between 10 to 19 years of age, in their second decade of life (WHO, 2007)
This implies that some adolescent girls in Amassoma community have poor perception of the meaning of menstruation, as almost (45.5%) of them do not know that menstruation is the physiological menstrual flow of blood, and over half (58.9%) of them thought menstruation is bleeding from vagina, and less than half (48.3%) knew menstruation to be synonymous with the period
Menstrual hygiene and self care practices have been investigated among adolescent school going girls in Amassoma community, Bayelsa State
Summary
Adolescent has been defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the period between 10 to 19 years of age, in their second decade of life (WHO, 2007). Adolescent girlhood is a critical time of identity formation and a period of transition from childhood to womanhood (Kirk and Sommer, 2005) and of great challenge to the parents, as well as the child and those concerned for the upbringing of the adolescent. It is characterized by physical, psychological, mental and social changes that are critical to wellbeing (Szilagyi, 2003). Adolescent menstrual hygiene and self care is a critical issue that determines the health status of the adolescent and the eventual practices that are inculcated into adult life (Uzochukwu et al, 2009). Studies have shown that superstitions, illogical beliefs and misinterpretation are more common than accurate understanding of the process of menstruation, menstrual hygiene and self care practices (Uzochukwu et al, 2009)
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