Exploring women's hygiene practices in underserved communities: A case study in Elapatha rural area, Sabaragamuwa province, Sri Lanka

Abstract

The results of this case study focus on the prevalence of exploring women's hygiene practices regarding “period poverty" in selected areas of Sri Lanka, which is defined as a lack of resources for menstruation management, cultural stigma, and insufficient financial means. In the Elapatha rural area of the Rathnapura district in the Sabaragamuwa province of Sri Lanka, we carried out a cross-sectional case study regarding 4 MOH areas in 2023. Data on girls and women's menstrual histories, health-seeking behaviors, sample size (427), access to sanitary materials, and financial status were gathered for the study. According to overall findings, the average value of women who use pads is 17.28% and that of women who use clothes is 72.35%, respectively. While the percentage of school-aged children who use pads is less than 26%, most upper-middle-aged women use cloth. Over 75% of the women reported having menstrual problems and using "old clothes" as a sanitary product at some point in their lives, underscoring the dearth of availability of appropriate menstrual hygiene products. Studies recorded that living in distant and MOH regions, not having a government hospital in the Elapatha secretarial division, having low finances, and having less education were all linked to poor facilities. The study on period poverty becomes even more pertinent in light of Sri Lanka's current economic struggles, underscoring the necessity of reducing the cost of menstrual hygiene products. To help women in Sri Lanka better manage their menstruation, we suggest measures to lower the cost of menstrual hygiene products and to provide comprehensive reproductive health education to adolescent girls and women.