Menstrual Hygiene Awareness and Practice Among School Going Girls in a Rural Municipality

Abstract

Background: Menstruation is a normal physiological cycle of adolescent girls whereby uterus sheds blood and tissues through the vagina. Menstrual hygiene means adolescent girls using clean menstrual management materials to absorb blood, privacy in changing pad, soap and water for washing the body, and accessibility to dispose of used menstrual absorbent. The objective of this study was to assess awareness and practices on menstrual hygiene among
school going girls in a rural municipality.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was done using multistage sampling technique in government schools of Jahada Rural Municipality, Morang Nepal. Data were collected among 327 school going girls of grade 8, 9 and 10 using self-administered questionnaire. Tool was validated by calculating I-CVI and S-CVI for awareness (0.93) and practices (0.88). Data were analyzed in SPSS 26 by using the descriptive and inferential statistics.

Results: The study findings revealed that mean age of respondents was 14.70±1.21 years. Most (86.2 %) of respondents had adequate awareness on menstrual hygiene with mother as major (92.7%) source of information. Almost all (95.4%) respondents had appropriate practice on Menstrual Hygiene. Majority (66.4%) of respondents used both disposable sanitary pad and clean cloth pad and one third (28.4%) used only disposable sanitary pad during menstruation. Awareness on menstrual hygiene was significantly associated with mother’s education and occupation with (p=.013) and (p=.032) respectively and father’s education (p=.000). Practices on Menstrual Hygiene of respondents was significantly associated with respondent’s age (p=.041), father’s education (p=.000), and mother’s occupation (p=002).

Conclusion: It is concluded that most of the school girls had adequate awareness and practices on menstrual hygiene. There are some inappropriate practices on disposal of pad which can be improved by education.