Menstrual Hygiene Management Practices Research Articles

IJCM_60A: Menstrual hygiene management practices in tribal areas of Mysore district: A cross-sectional study

Background: Menstrual Health Management is defined as women and adolescent girls using a clean menstrual management material to absorb or collect blood that can be changed in privacy as often as necessary for the duration of menstruation period, using soap and water for washing the body as required and having access to facilities to dispose of menstrual management materials. Since considerable amount of tribal population belong to Mysore district it is important to study the practices among the most vulnerable population. Objectives: 1. To estimate the knowledge on menstrual hygiene among the study population. 2. To measure the impact of socio-demographic and cultural determinants on menstrual hygiene management practices among the study population. Methodology: A community based cross-sectional study on menstruating women residing in tribal areas of Mysuru district was conducted from July to September 2023. Sample size was calculated using single proportion formula and it was estimated to be 130. All menstruating women/girls who were present during the time of visit were included in the study after getting their consent/ ascent. Multistage sampling was adopted to select the study participants. A validated semi-structured questionnaire was used for collection of data. Data was entered in MS Excel and analysed using SPSS v29 trial version. Results: 99% of the study population knew that menstruation is a physiological process and poor menstrual hygiene causes urinary and reproductive tract infections. More than 80% of the study population have access to sanitary napkins for managing their menstrual cycles. Conclusion: Majority of the study participants are aware about menstruation as a physiological process and have access to sanitary napkins for management. But the disposal of sanitary waste and cultural barriers that persists in the society are still existing as a roadblock for improving reproductive health.

Menstrual hygiene management and menstrual problems among adolescent girls in an urban area in north India: A cross-sectional study.

Most adolescent women face many restrictions, which become much more severe during menstruation. In India, millions of adolescent girls drop out of school every year due to menstruation-related problems and restrictions. Despite extensive research, a paucity of literature was observed on the level of knowledge, attitude, and practices of adolescent girls regarding menstruation. Hence, we proceeded to undertake the present study, to have a deeper understanding of the menstrual hygiene management of adolescents. To describe the menstrual hygiene management among adolescent school girls. (a) To examine the association, if any, between menstrual hygiene management and school absenteeism during menstruation in adolescent school girls. We conducted a school-based cross-sectional analytical study in an urban area in north India. The study population comprised adolescent school girls of all the high schools in the urban area. With a 95% confidence interval, and 5% margin of error, the sample size was calculated to be 369. However, an even larger sample size of 600 was actually studied. The probability proportional to size sampling approach was followed based on the number of adolescent girls in each school class/section. Participants were selected through a stratified proportionate sampling method. Ethical approval was obtained from the ethical committee of the district director of education of the urban area where the study was conducted before the commencement of the study. Confidentiality of the information collected was ensured. The data collected was quantitative in nature, using a pretested self-administered questionnaire consisting of both open-ended and close-ended questions. Data was checked for its completeness, coded, and entered into Microsoft Excel 2021 Spreadsheet. Subsequently, the data was imported into IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Statistics for Windows, Version 23.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp. for data analysis. Standard statistical methods were utilized for data analysis. The mean age (standard deviation [SD]) of the study participants was 13.68 (1.29). The mean age (SD) at menarche was 13.29 (0.96). Based on the overall menstrual hygiene management score, 377 (62.83%) of the study participants were engaged in good menstrual hygiene management, while 223 (37.17%) were engaged in poor menstrual hygiene management. The mean score (SD) was 7.80 (±0.43). Compared to those aged 17-19 years, those aged 10-13 years had a 0.36 (95% CI 0.17-0.75) decreased odds of good menstrual hygiene, while those aged 14-16 years had a 0.29 (95% CI 0.14-0.59) decreased odds of good menstrual hygiene. The adjusted odds ratios were 0.32 (95% CI 0.19-0.65) and 0.25 (95% CI 0.12-0.41) respectively. Out of 600 study participants, 229 (38.17%) reported school absenteeism at least once in the last 1 year because of menstruation. The mean (standard deviation) duration of school absenteeism was 2.4 (0.78) days per menstrual cycle. The commonest reason for menstruation-related school absenteeism was pain, wherein 105 (45.85%) study participants reported this reason. In our study, we observed that over two-thirds of the study participants were engaged in good menstrual hygiene practices, while ~40% of them reported menstrual-related school absenteeism. Our study also found evidence that the age of the school girls was associated with their menstrual hygiene management practices. We recommend further research on the impact of menstruation and its management on the academic performance of adolescent school girls. Efforts are also required to develop the capacity of teachers to teach menstrual hygiene education.

MENSTRUAL HYGIENE EDUCATION FOR ADOLESCENT GIRLS IN INDONESIA: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW

Introduction: Implementing Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) among Indonesian adolescents is still low due to a lack of knowledge. The impact of this quiet MHM practice is the risk of reproductive tract infections, so various educational efforts are needed to improve the knowledge and skills of adolescents in MHM practices.
 Objectives: to identify educational interventions to improve adolescent girls' menstrual hygiene.
 Method: This study used a systematic literature review method with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) approach in selecting articles from various previous studies. Research articles were obtained by accessing six electronic databases published in 2013-2023 with a population of adolescent girls. Fifteen papers that met the criteria were received.
 Results: Menstrual health education interventions carried out individually were the use of bibliotherapy, and in groups were peer education and snakes and ladders edutainment, while in mass were counselling, lectures and demonstrations. Educational interventions in terms of the media used were printed media, including bibliography, index card matches, modules, pocketbooks, leaflets, booklets, and electronic media, namely slides and videos.
 Conclusion: The educational interventions improved MHM's knowledge, attitudes, and practices, and each intervention carried out had different results in each improvement aspect. The most widely used method was peer education, and the most commonly used media were videos and leaflets.

An epidemiological study of period poverty among females of reproductive age group in Lucknow (U.P.).

Females in developing countries face brunt of lack of access to affordable menstrual supplies and inequitable distribution of menstrual health education and are victims of period poverty. The objective of the present study was to estimate prevalence of period poverty and to determine association of period poverty with socio-demographic determinants, menstrual knowledge, menstrual hygiene management practices, and reproductive health. This was an analytical cross-sectional study, conducted at an urban primary health care centre. Reproductive age group (20-49 years) females attending the primary health care centre from December 2022 to May 2023 were selected for study. Data were collected on semi-structured, pre-tested questionnaires. The collected data were entered in M.S Excel and analysed in STATA version 17.0. Chi-square test was used for comparison of qualitative data, and for quantitative data, unpaired t-test was used. The prevalence of period poverty in the present study was 92 (29.7%). The mean age of females with period poverty was 29.72 ± 7.13 years, and it was 26.45 ± 6.62 years with no period poverty (P 0.001). Period poverty was significantly associated with socio-demographic variables. Period poverty had significant association with menstrual knowledge, menstrual hygiene management practices, and reproductive health. Many females cannot afford menstrual health products to meet their monthly needs, and this may affect their education and socio-economic status. Improved access to affordable sanitary products is requisite of females.

The Knowledge, Pattern and Practice of Menstrual Hygiene among Female Secondary School Students in Ogbomoso, South-west Nigeria

Background: Adolescent girls in developing countries may lack appropriate information, meansor materials, and access to the right sanitary facilities to manage menstruation. Hence, they haveadopted unsafe hygienic practices during menstruation that in turn have a negative impact ontheir health and education. Aim: Thus, this study aimed to assess the pattern and practices ofmenstrual hygiene and its associated factors among secondary school girls in Ogbomoso.Methodology: A school-based cross-sectional study was conducted in February 2022 amongsecondary school girls. A total of 460 girls were selected randomly and interviewed using astructured interviewer-administered questionnaire. Logistic regression analysis was employed toidentify predictors of good menstrual hygiene management practices. Results: Overall, 76.3% ofthe girls had satisfactory menstrual hygiene management practices. (88%) of them usedcommercial sanitary pads as absorbent, 56.4% changed sanitary materials more than three timesa day, 22% of them experienced restrictions and 68.3% cleaned their external genitalia dailyduring their menstruation. 37.1% of the respondents reused the absorbent material and 86.8 usedsoap and water to wash the absorbent material being reused, while 58.9% dried the absorbentmaterials indoors. 51% of the respondents change the absorbent material thrice a day and above70% change in the bathroom. The majority of the respondents disposed of the absorbentmaterial by burning (64.8%) while 27.9% disposed of the materials in the toilet. Conclusion: Inthis study, the practice of proper menstrual hygiene management of secondary schoolgirls wasquite satisfactory when compared with findings in previous studies in the same geographicalarea. The majority of the respondents had mothers with tertiary education and these motherswere mainly responsible for the provision of information about menstruation and its hygienemanagement. Hence, it is important to state that the role of mothers, their level of education andthe information about menstrual hygiene cannot be overemphasized as it pertains to knowledgeof menstruation and the practice of menstrual hygiene.

Influence of Menstrual Hygiene Management Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices and School Attendance among Girls in Public Primary Schools in Kisumu West Sub-County, Kisumu County, Kenya

School based comprehensive sexuality education that addresses Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) knowledge practices – including hygiene practices and management of menstrual pain may be an avenue for addressing both poor MHM practices and absenteeism, if they are locally adapted and practiced. Inadequate knowledge, lack of access to quality sanitary materials, cultural beliefs and taboos around menstruation and MHM, are common challenges that can negatively affect Education, Employment, Health and psychosocial outcomes. The study aimed at examining Menstrual Hygiene Management Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices in public primary schools in public Primary schools in Kisumu west sub-county. The respondents consisted of class 6-8 girls, teachers, Head teachers, and MoE officials who were key informants for the study. Data was collected using structured questionnaires and interview schedules. The data analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22 software. Both quantitative and qualitative findings were presented in the study. The study revealed that there is high prevalence of poor MHM among adolescent girls, and there exist a strong association between poor MHM and low knowledge. The study concluded that menstrual hygiene management in public primary schools is greatly influenced by knowledge, attitudes and practices of school management and girls’ perceptions. The study recommends the need for comprehensive education interventions in school settings, delivered during early adolescence to reach pre-menarche girls, particularly in rural settings for improve menstrual hygiene practices. The government should have a clear monitoring tool to ensure pupils receive accurate and timely information on menstruation and menstrual hygiene management.

The Influence of School Based Menstrual Hygiene Management Programs on School Attendance among Girls in Public Primary Schools in Kisumu West Sub-County, Kisumu County, Kenya

Most governments have prioritized Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) practices for safe schools. However, girls and women in Low and Middle-Income Countries (LMIC) still face significant challenges in managing their menstruation. This study examined the influence of school based MHM Programs on school attendance among girls in public Primary schools in Kisumu west sub-county, Kisumu County, Kenya. The study was anchored on the Sanitary Hardware theory. The study employed descriptive survey research design where both qualitative and quantitative methods were used. Questionnaires were administered to a selected sample of 356 respondents drawn from a target population of 3233. The sample size was arrived at using the Yamane (1967) formula. The respondents consisted of class 6-8 girls, teachers, Head-Teachers, and MoE officials who were key informants for the study. The collected data was filtered, organized, coded and later analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22 software. Analysis was done in form of descriptive and inferential statistics. From the findings, the F ratio is 111.855, which means that improvement due to fitting the model is much greater than the model inaccuracies (F (1, 336) = 111.855, p=0.001). This implies that Menstrual Hygiene Management school-based programs are useful predictor of school attendance. The researcher therefore recommends that schools should be able to ensure consistent availability of water for use by girls during menstruation. They should be empowered to involve themselves in making reusable pads to assist those who cannot afford disposable pads use locally available materials in menstrual management.

Menstrual hygiene management and associated factors among adolescent school girls in gursum district, Eastern Ethiopia: Institution-based a cross-sectional study

BackgroundIn 2017 WHO reported that due to a lack of menstrual hygiene management (MHM) facilities, high costs, and ignorance, 2.3 billion girls and women worldwide do not manage their menstruation properly. This leads to the use of other options, such as old clothes or other unhygienic materials, which may make them a risk group for infections and other health consequences. Despite the significant role of appropriate menstrual hygiene practices, it is still a missed opportunity to address the hygienic practice of menstruation among girls in many low-and middle-income countries, including Ethiopia.ObjectivePrimarily, this study was aimed at investigating menstrual hygiene management (MHM) practice and determinant factors among young adolescent school girls in eastern Ethiopia, Gursum District 2021.MethodAn institutional-based cross-sectional survey was conducted among adolescent school girls in Gursum, Eastern Ethiopia, in 2021. 577 girls participated in this study and a multi-stage sampling procedure was employed so as to select a fair and representative sample of female students who experienced menarche. After controlling for confounding variables, binary logistic regression was fitted to identify factors affecting MHM among adolescent girls.ResultThis study revealed that 58.41% of adolescent school girls practice unsafe MHM practices. It was also reported that 193(33.45%) of the girls use reusable sanitary pads. Of those, 182(31.5%) of them keep the pads in hidden places as it is a shame to be seen Seventy-six (13.17%) of the respondents had experienced vaginal infections during menarche. Having knowledge about menstruation prior to experiencing menstruation [AOR 0.28 CI: (0.1476132, 0.5613692)], being over 15 years old [AOR 1.56, CI: (1.020577, 2.387646)], living in rural areas [AOR 1.23 CI: (1.1563013, 1.3562546)], and having infection around their vagina during menarche [AOR 4.6 CI: (2.633405, 8. 273,883)] were significant determinants of MHM practice.ConclusionThe majority of the adolescent girls who participated in this study practice unsafe MHM practices. Results suggest that school health education focusing on improving the hygienic practices of adolescent girls during menstruation should be provided.

Determinants of Menstrual Hygiene Among Adolescent School Girls in Indonesia.

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of menstrual hygiene management (MHM) and its associated factors among adolescent girls in Tangerang District, Indonesia. This study was a cross-sectional study of 409 female students aged 12-15 years old from 3 junior high schools selected using multistage sampling. The data were collected through a self-reported questionnaire both online and offline that was administered from April to May 2022. Bivariate and multivariable analysis using binary logistic regression were performed to determine the factors and predictors between sociodemographic characteristics, menstruation variables, knowledge, attitude, enabling environment, and the practice on MHM. Our study revealed a prevalence of good MHM practices among 52.3% of students, as well as moderate knowledge (48.9%) and neutral attitudes (70.4%). With regard to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities at school, most girls reported access to hand washing soap, a hook, a mirror, and a covered bin, but at home, the least available facilities were a mirror and a covered bin. Significant predictors of healthy MHM practices were having reached grade 8 (AOR = 1.80, 95% CI = 1.10-2.95), having ever received information about menstruation at school (AOR = 1.95, 95% CI = 1.19-3.18), having a positive attitude (AOR = 4.21, 95% CI = 1.78-9.96), having access to a private home toilet (AOR = 2.71, 95% CI = 1.36-5.42), and having a home toilet with a covered bin (AOR = 2.15, 95% CI = 1.38-3.37). The girls in this study showed a high prevalence of good MHM practices, but access to WASH facilities at school and at home was still a challenge. Positive attitude was the most significant factor associated with good MHM among female students. Therefore, we suggest establishing menstruation-focused education related to attitudes, particularly sociocultural norms, myths, and misconceptions and WASH facilities provided at home.

Menstrual Hygiene Management Practices and Associated Factors among Primary Second Cycle Female Students in Boset District of East Shoa Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia

<i>Background</i>: In adolescents who experienced menstruation for the first time, menstrual hygiene management is constrained by practical, social, economic, and cultural factors such as the expense of commercial sanitary pads, lack of water and latrine facilities, lack of private rooms for changing sanitary pads, and limited education about the facts of menstrual hygiene. Therefore the Objective of this study is to menstrual hygiene management practices and associated factors among primary second-cycle female students in Boset district of east Shoa zone, Oromia regional state, central Ethiopia from March 28, 2022, to April 28, 2022. Methods: School-based cross-sectional study was conducted by multistage random sampling technique among 629 female students from the Primary second cycle. Data were collected using Self-administered pre-tested and semi-structured questionnaires. The data were coded, checked for completeness, entered into Epi-Info-7, and then exported to SPSS Version 22 for analysis. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression with Crude and adjusted odds ratios with 95% CI was calculated, and p-values <0.05 was considered to indicate statistical significance. <i>Results</i>: The overall proportion of good menstrual hygiene management practices account for 51.2% (95% CI: 47.4–55.3). This study found that: being urban residence [AOR]: 1.84, 95% CI: (1.20, 2.80)], secondary and above the educational status of mothers [AOR]: 3.399, 95% CI: (2.07,5.57)], receiving pocket money for modes [AOR]: 2.19, 95% CI: (1.45,3.313)], freely discussing menstruation with parents [AOR]: 3.65, 95% CI: (2.327,5.727)], learning in school about menstrual hygiene [AOR]: 3.12, 95% CI: (2.096,4.628)], presence of water supply in school compound [AOR]: 1.71, 95% CI: (1.15,2.53)] and presence of functional toilets and hand washing facilities [AOR]: 1.789, 95% CI: (1.17,2.73] were significant predictors of Menstrual Hygiene Management Practices. Conclusion: In this study, the practice of good menstrual hygiene management among primary second-cycle school girls was low. Factors independently influencing menstrual hygiene management practices were girls’ place of residence, mothers’ educational status, pocket money, discussions with parents, water supplies, functional toilets, and hand washing facilities. Hence students’ parents should give pocket money and freely discuss with their female students and also government and other stakeholders should take action to improve and sustain water supply, functional toilets, and hand washing facilities for schools.

Assessment of menstrual hygiene management practice and associated factors among prisoners in South Nation Nationalities and peoples region, Ethiopia

IntroductionMenstrual hygiene management practice is the requirements and necessities; such as the use of a sanitary pad or clean and mushy absorbents, sufficient washing of the genital area, proper disposal of the used absorbents, and other special needs for the women during menstruation. ObjectiveTo assess menstrual hygiene management practice and associated factors among prisoners in south Nation Nationalities and Peoples Region, Ethiopia, 2022. MethodsAn institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from May 1 to July 30/2022. The total sample size was 605 and a simple random sampling technique was used to select prison institutions and women. The data were collected through face-to-face interviews. Data were entered using Epi data 4.6 version and analyzed by using SPSS version 26 software. Multicollinearity was checked and the goodness of fit test was done by using the Hosmer Lemeshow model of goodness fit test. Univariate analysis was done and variables with p value less than 0.25 were taken to bivariate logistic regression analysis. Adjusted odds ratio with the 95% confidence interval was considered and statistical significance was at a p-value less than 0.05 in bivariate logistic regression analysis. ResultThe prevalence of menstrual hygiene management practice was 50.6% (95% CI 47.3–54.4). Age 19–29 years old [AOR: 5.03, 95% CI 1.73–14.62], educational status; not formally educated [AOR: 0.05, 95% CI 0.02–0.13], educational status; primary level [AOR: 0.17, 95% CI 0.07–0.39], previous occupation; student [AOR: 2.56, 95% CI 1.06–6.21], previous occupation; a private employee [AOR: 4.11, 95% CI 1.48–11.42], previous occupation; government employee [AOR: 3.46, 95% CI 1.18–10.14], absence of support from family [AOR: 0.14, 95% CI 0.08–0.24] and absence of work engagement in prison [AOR: 0.44, 95% CI 0.25–0.78] were associated with MHMP. ConclusionIn this study, about five from ten women in prison practice menstrual hygiene management. Age, educational status, previous occupation, support from family, and work engagement in prison were important risk factors for MHMP. Therefore, support from family and engaging the women to work in prison institutions may increase the MHMP in prison institutions.

Menstrual hygiene management practices and determinants among schoolgirls in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: The urgency of tackling bottlenecks - Water and sanitation services

BackgroundMenstrual hygiene management (MHM) service provision and improving schoolgirls' hygienic practices in schools are among the major challenges for low and middle income countries, including Ethiopia, in meeting the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. This study was conducted to assess schoolgirls’ MHM practices and what influences those practices in Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia. MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted on 401 adolescent schoolgirls and 98 school directors that were selected using a multistage sampling method. Pretested semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaires and observational checklists were used to collect data. ResultsDuring menstruation, about 90% of schoolgirls used commercially made disposable sanitary pads. However, only 45.9% of girls had access to emergency pads from their schools. Of the 98 directors, 79 (80.6%) responded that they had MHM provisions for schoolgirls. However, 42 (42.9%) schools had no water and soap in the pad changing rooms/toilets, and 70% lacked a covered dustbin for disposal/storage of soiled sanitary pads. Besides, more than 55% of the schools practiced open burning and dumping to dispose of used menstrual materials. More than half of the schools had no sanitary pad changing rooms, three-quarters of them lack MHM education, and only 2.5% had a bathing area. The location of schools (AOR = 5.44, 95% CI: (2.34–12.66)), health club availability (AOR = 3.14, 95% CI: (1.53, 6.42)), being informed about MHM before menarche (AOR = 2.04, 95% CI: (1.04, 4.00)), and availability of emergency sanitary pad at schools (AOR = 2.59, 95% CI: (1.36, 4.91)) were significantly associated with the status of schoolgirls menstrual hygiene practices. ConclusionsAbout one-quarter of the schoolgirls had poor menstrual hygiene practices. Being a student in inner-city schools, attending a school that had a health club, being informed about MHM before menarche, and having access to emergency pads from schools were the determinant factors for good menstrual hygiene practices. However, most schools lack water, soap, and a covered dustbin in the pad changing rooms/toilets. Moreover, only a few schools provided MHM education and emergency pads. Improving water and sanitation services along with tailored MHM education are urgently needed to circumvent unsafe MHM practices among adolescent schoolgirls.

The Increasing Cost of Sanitary Products and the Potential Impact on Menstrual Hygiene Management Practices in Ghana

The “Type of Article” of this paper is “Letter to the Editor”. This paper discuses about: “The Increasing Cost of Sanitary Products and the Potential Impact on Menstrual Hygiene Management Practices in Ghana”. No formal abstract is available. Readers are requested to read the full article.

Menstrual hygiene management practice and its associated factors among in-school adolescent girls in Western Ethiopia

BackgroundAdolescent girls should practice good menstrual hygiene to enhance their health and educational attainment. However, socio-cultural restrictions and limited water, sanitation, and hygiene in school environments continued to make it difficult for in school adolescent females to practice good menstrual hygiene management. So, the main aim of this study was to assess menstrual hygiene management practice and its associated factors among in-school adolescent girls in the secondary schools of Gimbi town, western Ethiopia.MethodsA school-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 378 adolescent girls in Gimbi town secondary schools. The study participants were selected by using stratified random sampling techniques. Pretested self-administered Afan Oromo questionnaire with sociodemographic characteristics, information and knowledge about menstruation, and practice of menstrual hygiene management, as well as observational checklist to assess school environment were used to collect the data. Data were cleaned, coded, and entered into Epi-info version 7.2.0.4 and exported to SPSS version 25 for statistical analysis. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with the practice of menstrual hygiene management and P-values less than 0.05 was used to declare statistical significance.ResultsOut of 378 respondents, 163 (43.1%) (38–48) of adolescent girls had good menstrual hygiene management practice. Being urban resident (AOR = 3.48, (95% C.I:1.99–6.08), having mother with secondary level of education (AOR = 2.71, 95%CI: 1.15,6.42), having mother with educational level of college and above (AOR = 3.30, 95%CI1.28,8.50), having discussion about menstruation with parents (AOR = 2.42,95%CI:1.45,4.04), and having knowledge about menstruation (AOR = 2.94, 95% CI: 1.69–5.13) were factors associated with good menstrual hygiene management practice.ConclusionIn this study, good menstrual hygiene management practice is low among in school adolescent girls. Place of residence, maternal educational level, discussion about menstrual issue with parent, and having knowledge about menstruation were factors associated with good menstrual management practice. Stakeholders should give appropriate awareness and health education related to menstrual hygiene for adolescent girls at all levels.

A COMPARATIVE STUDY TO EVALUATE MENSTRUAL HYGIENE AMONG RURAL AND URBAN ADOLESCENT GIRLS - A MIXED METHODOLOGY STUDY

Objective: The objective of this study is to evaluate and compare menstrual hygiene management practice, sources of information, attitudes, and impact on social life due to menstruation in rural and urban adolescent girls. Methods: A mixed methodology study was conducted in one rural and one urban school in Jhalawar district of Rajasthan. Quantitative data were collected from the girls using semi-structured, self-responding questionnaire and qualitative data were collected by focused group discussion. The quantitative data were collected and entered in MS Excel and analyzed using SPSS software version 23. Results: In the urban area, 100% girls use sanitary napkins as absorbent while in the rural areas 90.5% use sanitary napkins while rest use new/old cloth as absorbent. In rural area, 17.5% had knowledge about menstruation before menarche compared to 57.8% in urban areas. Almost all (98.9%) girls in urban area had toilet facility at home with proper water supply while in rural areas 54% have no toilet facility. Many myths and taboos were prevalent in both rural and urban areas. Conclusion: Free supply of sanitary napkins, access to water and toilet facility, increased awareness, and facility for disposal of sanitary napkins are important for girls to manage menstruation hygienically. Adolescents from urban area have better knowledge about menstruation and better menstrual hygiene practices than adolescents from rural area. Educational status of mother carries major impact on daughter’s menstrual hygiene practices.

Menstrual Hygiene Management Practices among Female Secondary School Students in Umuahia, South-Eastern Nigeria

Proper menstrual hygiene management is essential for the good health of women. Access to clean water and sanitary facilities is essential for maintaining good hygiene. The objective of this study was to assess the menstrual hygiene management practices among female secondary school students in Umuahia, South-Eastern Nigeria. This study was a cross-sectional descriptive study of which a well-structured questionnaire was administered among secondary school girls in Umuahia, Nigeria. Results showed that for “washing of hands with soap and running water”, 20 students representing 9.52% indicated very high level (VH) of practice, 28 students representing 13.33% indicated high level (H) of practice, while 64(30.48%) and 98 (46.67%) indicated low level (LL) and very low level (VL) of practice respectively. For “washing of hands before meals” 107 (50.95%) and 62 (29.52%) indicated that they did it to a VH and H respectively, while 29 (13.81%) and 12 (5.71%) respectively indicated LL and VL of practice. The results also showed that the absorbent most used was a disposable sanitary pad. The most common frequency of change of absorbent was twice a day. Ten (10) students representing 7.14% very often used reusable cloth/towel, 4(2.86%) very often used tampon, 78 representing 55.71% very often used disposable sanitary pad, 0(0.00%) very often used menstrual cup, while 8 representing 5.71% very often used toilet paper/tissue. The most frequently adopted rate of changing absorbents by students was twice a day (morning and night). The results showed that 68 (48.57%) of the students very often (VOF) changed their absorbents twice a day, while 16 (11.43%) rarely changed their absorbent twice a day. The findings of this study indicated that the menstrual hygiene management practices among the students were very poor. Adequate health promotion for secondary school girls and provision of basic toilet facilities at these schools was recommended. Keywords: Menstruation, Hygiene, Hand-washing, Absorbents, Sanitation.

Assessment of Free Sanitary Pad Intervention Programme for Girls’ Education and School Retention in Tolon District in the Northern Region of Ghana

The purpose of this study was to examine the Free Sanitary Pad Intervention Programme for Girls’ Education and School Retention in Tolon District in the Northern Region of Ghana. Quantitatively, a descriptive cross-sectional research design was adopted for the study. The study population consist of female menstruating school adolescent girls from these five St, Monica’s R/C, Nyankpala D/A, Nizamia E/A, Islamia E/A and Nawaria E/A junior high schools between the ages of 10 to 22 years who were beneficiaries of CAMFED intervention programmes in the Tolon district. A homogeneous purposive sampling technique was used to select the five junior high schools and the one-hundred and fifty (150) adolescent girls in their menstrual cycle stage. The main instrument for data collection was a semi-structured questionnaire. The data entry and analysis were done by using the SPSS version 20 software package. The data was edited, coded and analysed into frequencies, percentages with interpretations. The study concluded that, there were frequent distribution of free sanitary pads among the beneficiaries’ schools. The study also indicated that the education given to the respondents during the distribution of the free sanitary pads led to improved menstrual hygiene management practices. It is recommended that, schools within the Tolon district should put in place the necessary and adequate toiletry and disposal systems to ensure menstrual hygiene among students especially, girls, during that time of the month. It is also recommended that, Government should make it a priority to provide every school with some sanitary products and drugs to cater for the female student taken by surprise with her monthly flow or the pain associated with mensuration not interfering with her academic work.

Relationship between Menstrual Hygiene Management and Lower Reproductive Tract Infections among Adolescent Girls in Informal Settlements in Nakuru County, Kenya

Infections of the lower reproductive tract are a public-health concern. However, in Sub-Saharan Africa, the link between menstrual hygiene, water, sanitation and hygiene variables and lower reproductive tract infection has not been appropriately explored. This study sought to determine the menstrual hygiene management practices associated with occurrence of lower reproductive tract infections among adolescent girls in Informal Settlements in Nakuru County. The study used a community-based cross-sectional design targeting adolescent girls in informal settlements in Nakuru County. Multi-stage and simple random sampling methods were used to obtain a sample size of 385 adolescent girls. The findings showed that the proportion of lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) among the participants was 59.71% Regarding the menstrual hygiene management practices, adolescents who changed absorbent material more than twice a day were 0.22 times less likely to report experiencing a LRTI compared to those who changed once a day, (p=0.005), those who dried their reusable absorbent material outside the house were 0.26 times less likely to be infected with LRTI compared to those who dried inside the house, (p=0.014), and those who reported bathing  3times during menstruation were 0.27 less likely to report occurrence of LRTI compared to those who bath once, (p=0.012). The study found significant association between type of absorbent material, frequency of changing absorbent material, frequency of bathing, presence of hand washing equipment and presence of anal cleansing material in toilets and lower reproductive tract infections. A study in this population that incorporate comprehensive microbiological and clinical assessments so as to get a better estimate of the prevalence of LRTI would be recommended, this will also support development of public health interventions. Keywords: Menstrual Hygiene Management, Lower Reproductive Tract Infections, Adolescent Girls

Menstrual hygiene management practices among secondary school girls in Ifakara Town, Kilombero District, Tanzania

Background: In developing countries many adolescent girls lack appropriate information, materials and access to the right sanitary facilities to manage menstruation. Therefore, this study aimed to assess menstrual hygiene management practices among secondary school girls in Ifakara Town, Kilombero District, Tanzania. Methods: A school based cross-sectional study was conducted from April to June 2021 among secondary school girls Ifakara Town, Kilombero District, Tanzania. A total of 138 girls were selected randomly and interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Results: Overall, 67.4% of the girls had good knowledge on menstrual hygiene management practices. Out of these, 94.2% used commercial disposable sanitary pads as absorbents, 92.7% Changed pads more than three times a day during menstruation, 96.4% Cleaned external genitalia with soap and water during menstruation. Conclusion: In this study, the practice of menstrual hygiene management of secondary school girls was good. This highlights the need of education on menstrual hygiene management to all secondary school girls country wide.

Practices and predictors of menstrual hygiene management material use among adolescent and young women in rural Pakistan: A cross-sectional assessment.

BackgroundIn low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), women often use inappropriate materials to manage menstruation, which can threaten their health. Improper practices can also have critical downstream consequences beyond physiologic health, including restricting adolescent girls’ access to academic pursuits.MethodsWe used cross-sectional data collected through a structured questionnaire from the menstruating adolescents and young women 15-23 years of age living in rural Pakistan (n = 25 305). We aimed to describe menstrual hygiene management (MHM) practices and generate a predictive model of the socioeconomic and demographic factors related to the use of MHM materials. Beliefs and barriers around MHM were also summarized. The outcome variable included: those who practiced appropriate and inappropriate MHM practices. Logistic regression was used to generate the predictive model, with results presented as odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI).ResultsInappropriate MHM practices were reported by 75% (n = 19 006) of participants. The majority 61.9% (n = 15 667) reported using old cloths, 12.6% (n = 3191) used nothing, and 0.5% (n = 136) used old cloth with a sanitary pad. One-fourth of participants reported appropriate MHM material use, including 16.2% (n = 4087) sanitary pads, 8.6% (n = 2167) new cloth, and a few reported using sanitary pads with new cloth 0.2% (n = 45). Inappropriate MHM practices were more common in lowest wealth quintile (OR = 4.41; 95% CI = 2.77-7.01, P < 0.0001), followed by those with no education (OR = 3.9; 95% CI = 3.36-4.52, P < 0.0001).ConclusionsThe study indicates the need for multi-sectoral efforts to introduce MHM-specific and MHM-sensitive interventions to improve MHM practices, ranging from the availability of low-cost MHM materials to the inclusion of MHM education in school curriculums and within the community platforms.