Background: Menstrual hygiene is very important aspect for adolescent girls and proper men­strual hygiene has not been sufficiently addressed in developing countries including Nepal. This study aimed to assess the knowledge on menstruation and menstrual hygiene practices among adolescent girls.
Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among adolescent girls studying in selected schools of Chitwan district. A total 193 girls who had menstrual flow experience for at least three consecutive menstrual cycles were selected as sample using the consecutive sampling technique. Data were analyzed in Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16.0 using descriptive and inferential statistics.
Results: Most of the girls knew about menstruation as physiological process, normal age of men­struation, and causes of menstruation as hormonal change. Overall, 66.8% of girls had adequate level of knowledge on menstruation. Regarding practice, 94.8% cleaned their genitalia properly, 93.8% used the sanitary pads, and 97.4% wrapped and disposed the pads in dustbin after use. Over­all, 72.5% of girls had good level of menstrual hygiene practices. Adolescent girl’s age and grade, and occupation status of their father were significantly associated (p < 0.05) with menstrual hygiene practice. Further, significant positive relationship found between knowledge on menstruation and menstrual hygiene practice.
Conclusions: One third of adolescent girls have inadequate knowledge on menstruation and one fourth have poor menstrual hygiene practice. Therefore, an awareness and advocacy programs on menstruation and menstrual hygiene practices are needed for the adolescent girls to safeguard themselves against reproductive tract infections.

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Knowledge on menstruation and menstrual hygiene practices among adolescents girls of selected schools, chitwan

Introduction menstrual hygiene (MH) is important for all women, yet it is still a neglected issue in many parts of the world. In most traditional African contexts, including Ghana, menstruation is largely treated as a taboo and humiliating topic that is rarely discussed openly. The main aim of this study is to assess perceived factors influencing menstrual hygiene management among adolescent girls in Ghana´s Savannah Region, West Gonja Municipality. Methods we conducted a descriptive exploratory qualitative study among adolescents who had reached menarche. Purposive sampling was used to conduct 24 interviews with 18 teenagers and 6 mothers. Data were analyzed using the thematic content analysis. Results the majority (55.5%) of respondents were ≥15 years with maximum and minimum ages being 19 and 13 years respectively. The mean age was 15.7, with a standard deviation of 1.8. A higher proportion (38.9%) of respondents were in their final year (JHS 3). Before menarche, all adolescent girls had heard about menstruation, mostly from their mothers, then from instructors and friends. During menstruation, all of the girls in this study used absorbent products. The cost, comfort, heaviness of menstrual flow, and accessibility influenced the choice of absorbent material, with some respondents utilizing multiple absorbent materials. Some girls were forced to dry their reusable absorbent material in their room because of shyness. Girls thought that reusing absorbent materials after drying them in the sun would have killed germs and removed unpleasant odours. During menstruation, girls are barred from participating in social and religious activities. Conclusion culture and religion have very dire consequences on effective menstrual hygiene management. There is therefore urgent need to dispel the growing myths and misconception on menstrual hygiene as well as providing support for adolescent girls for practicing good menstrual hygiene.

https://doi.org/10.11604/pamj.2022.41.146.33492

Perceived factors influencing menstrual hygiene management among adolescent girls: a qualitative study in the West Gonja Municipality of the Savannah Region, Ghana

Background Previous studies on menstrual hygiene practice were largely inconsistent and single national evidence is required. Thus, this study aimed to assess the pooled prevalence of menstrual hygiene and its association with knowledge about menstrual hygiene among female adolescents in Ethiopia. Methods The study was designed based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-2015 Guidelines). This systematic review included studies conducted on female adolescents in Ethiopia irrespective of their publication and study period until the end of July 1, 2020. The data extracted in the Microsoft Excel sheet format was exported into the STATA/SE14 version statistical software for further analysis. I2 test was used to test heterogeneity and publication bias was assessed by using Egger's weighted regression test. Results Thirteen full-text articles including 6907 participants were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. Using the random effect model, the pooled prevalence of poor menstrual hygiene practice was 48.98% [95% CI: (36.42, 61.53)]. Those female adolescents who had poor knowledge were 2.6 times more likely to have poor menstrual hygiene practice as compared to counterparts [AOR = 2.61, 95% CI: (1.45, 4.72)]. Conclusions The prevalence of poor menstrual hygiene practice was high and knowledge regarding menstrual hygiene was significantly associated with poor menstrual hygiene practice. Information education communication and behavioral change communication at all levels of education should be the primary focus area of the government.

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Menstrual hygiene practice among female adolescents and its association with knowledge in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives Menstrual hygiene management (MHM) has become a growing public health concern in many low-income and middle-income nations for its association with several health risks. This study observed types of menstrual absorbents used among women in Bangladesh and analysed the associated sociodemographic factors with the hypothesis that mass media can increase awareness regarding MHM. The study includes recommendations for possible intervention strategies designed to address this lack of awareness. Design and participants The analysis used the data from the nationally representative Bangladesh Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2019 that employed a two-stage, stratified cluster sampling approach, with a study sample of 54 242 women aged between 15 and 49 years. A generalised linear model was fitted to the data adjusting for survey weights and cluster/strata variations along with bivariate analyses and spatial mapping. Results Only a quarter of women (24.3%) used modern absorbents for MHM with most resorting to unhygienic traditional practices. Spatial distribution showed that the use of modern absorbent of MHM was limited to the major cities. The women who had mobile phones and regular access to the media were nearly 43% (adjusted OR (AOR) 1.43 with 95% CI 1.33 to 1.54) and 47% (AOR 1.47 with 95% CI 1.35 to 1.60) more likely to use the modern absorbents of MHM, respectively. Furthermore, educated women living in urban solvent households with educated house heads were also found to use modern absorbents of MHM. Conclusions There appeared to be scope for interventions through a combined national effort to raise awareness using multifaceted media channels regarding MHM among women in order to meet the Sustainable Development Goals 3.7 and 6.2 of addressing women's healthcare and hygiene needs.

https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/bmjopen/11/4/e042134.full.pdf

Awareness on menstrual hygiene management in Bangladesh and the possibilities of media interventions: using a nationwide cross-sectional survey

Aims: To explore the knowledge of menstrual hygiene management among adolescent girls in different domains like culture, social learning and belief. \n Methods: This review paper explored the knowledge of menstrual hygiene management under several domains. Literature published in Pub Med, Medline, Google Scholar and HINARI from 2010 to 2020 was reviewed to prepare this paper. \nResults: The studies revealed that there is a general silence about menstruation. Adequate and accurate information about menstruation and the need for good menstrual hygiene management is limited. It further revealed that girls are not provided with comprehensive information before menarche while growing up, and therefore the first experience of menstruation is without any preparation and usually comes as a shock. Menstruation is widely regarded as a curse from God or as a disease or as being impure or as a taboo. Schools are doing very little to impart education on Menstrual Hygiene Management to adolescents. A majority of the teachers themselves are least or unprepared to address this issue with the girls, even when it is part of the school curriculum. The studies provide a wealth of information for designing interventions to improve menstrual hygiene management. \nConclusions: Young girls are not well aware of the menstrual event and the hygienic measures. They are neither well informed nor properly taught by elders and teachers. Effective interventions must be contextualized, designed, and implemented to generate awareness and change the mindset of people surrounding menstruation. \nKeywords: adolescents, knowledge, menstrual hygiene management, reproductive health

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Knowledge of menstrual hygiene management among adolescent girls: what does evidence show?

Introduction: Every year, different batches of adolescent girls between the ages of 10-19 years experience menarche often unprepared to manage the menstruation hygienically. In Ghana, most girls enter adolescence when they are in basic schools, which make menstrual hygiene among girls in Junior High Schools very important. This study examined the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of menstrual hygiene management among both premenarcheal and post-menarcheal adolescent students in basic schoolsin the Yendi Municipality in Ghana. Methods: the study was cross sectional and used quantitative research methods. Semi-structured questionnaires were used to collect data from the female adolescent students aged 10-19 years. A total of 412 female adolescents from 9 basic schools in the Yendi Municipality participated in the study. Students were scored for their level of knowledge, attitude and practices of menstrual hygiene management. Results: The study found that although awareness of menstruation was universal, the Likert scores showed that 67.5% had adequate knowledge of menstrual hygiene management. About a tenth (13.6%) of the adolescent female students had a positive attitude towards menstrual hygiene management and a third (31.1%) practised good menstrual hygiene management. Older age and living with both parents were the main predictors of knowledge of menstrual hygiene management (P < 0.05). Similarly, age, staying with both parents, staying with mother only, access to funds and having adequate knowledge of menstruation were the main determinants of good menstrual hygiene management practice among adolescent girls in basic schools in Yendi Municipality (P < 0.05). Conclusions and recommendations: more than half of the respondents have adequate knowledge but their awareness and knowledge did not translate to positive attitude towards good menstrual hygiene management practices due to negative socio-cultural norms and practices among others that tend to stigmatise menstruation.

https://eujournal.org/index.php/esj/article/download/11625/11092

Assessing the Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Menstrual Hygiene Management Among Junior High Schools Adolescent Females in the Yendi Municipality in the Northern Region of Ghana

Marian Fairuza Salifu

Papers

Assessing the Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Menstrual Hygiene Management Among Junior High Schools Adolescent Females in the Yendi Municipality in the Northern Region of Ghana