A research report on menstrual hygiene management and sanitation practices: A cross-sectional study among adolescent girls at Itahari sub-metropolitan city.
ABSTRACT ABSTRACT: Background: Menstruation is the recurring peeling of inner part of the uterus in a regular basis in the reproductive aged females during monthly menstrual cycle. Menarche is a significant milestone in the development journey of an adolescent. Poor personal hygiene and defective...
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| Format: | Book |
| Language: | English |
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c2020.
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| Online Access: | Visit NHRC Library |
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| Summary: | ABSTRACT ABSTRACT: Background: Menstruation is the recurring peeling of inner part of the uterus in a regular basis in the reproductive aged females during monthly menstrual cycle. Menarche is a significant milestone in the development journey of an adolescent. Poor personal hygiene and defective menstrual management practices give rise to repeated reproductive tract infections (RTIs), which are otherwise preventable. Menstrual hygiene management is an everyday challenge to the adolescent girl globally. Poor MHM can adversely affect them and likewise positive menstrual hygiene management is important to all adolescent girls. Menstruation is generally considered as unclean in the society there is substantial lacuna in the practice during menstruation among adolescent girls. Good hygiene practice such as use of sanitary pads and adequate maintenance of personal hygiene are essential during menstruation. The general objective of this study is assessing the menstrual hygiene management and sanitation practice of adolescent school girls. Methods: School based cross sectional study was done in selected schools of Itahari Sub- Metropolitan City to identify the menstruation hygiene management among 400 adolescent school girls in selected 10 public and private schools. For quantitative data collection a structured, pretested survey questionnaire was used, verbal and written consent was taken prior to the survey. Similarly for qualitative data Key informant interview, observation was done. Along with that documents review was also done for the review of policy and laws. Quantitative responses to questionnaires was coded and entered into the SPSS for statistical analysis, similarly qualitative analysis was done by thematic review. Results: The total population of the study was 400, among them 200 studied at public school and 200 at private school. Among them all the participants had attained menarche. Mean age of menarche was at 12 years ± 0.89 (SD). Most of the respondents (72%) were aware about menstruation before menarche and the major source of information about menstruation was Mother (57%). The 61% respondents find first menstruation frightening and confusing. Dysmennrohea (84%) is the major health problem faced by adolescent girls during menstruation and majority (80%) of them believed that maintaining personal hygiene will combat the health problem . Still restriction practices are prominently followed by large number of adolescent girls (68%) in which religion has a significant relation with it. Among restriction practices almost all girls are restricted on attending religious functions and puja followed by restriction on cooking food, doing household chores. Sanitary pad is prominently used as a protective material during menstruation by adolescent girls i.e. 54%. Majority of the respondents (96%) finds hygiene is important during menstruation. Class absenteeism due to menstruation is 29% in which majority of them missed one day class during menstruation and pain and discomfort along with fear of leakage was the reason maximum respondent gave. Still proper availability of sanitary materials in toilet is lacking. Conclusion: The study found that Menstrual hygiene Management among adolescent school girls of Itahari Sub- Metropolitan city was satisfactory, with socio- economic factors contributing to the use of commercial sanitary pads during menstruation. This research has shown that many girls experience shame, fear, confusion, teasing and lack of accurate information, advice and support with regards to their menstruation. This results in many girls being unable to confidently and effectively manage their menstruation due to these factors, as well as prevailing negative socio-cultural restrictions and practical and logistical reasons including; shortage of soap and water, sanitary products, sanitation and waste disposal facilities in school environments. These barriers in turn can impact girls' learning and education opportunities and undermines gender equality and empowerment. The school setting is an ideal intervention setting for providing information and the impetuous for change opportunities and the cultural and structural elements of this issue are increasingly being recognized internationally, nationally and locally; and institutions, providers and relevant stakeholders are beginning to address these barriers. The qualitative assessments on menstrual hygiene management and sanitation practices provided valuable insights into the range of key issues and challenges related to MHM in Itahari metro city. The "MHM" was primarily understood as, use of sanitary pad and maintaining personal hygiene during menstruation by majority of the respondent during KII. Majority of them focused MHM as a matter of the provision of sanitary materials, rather than a mainstreaming of MHM into various relevant sectoral response efforts (e.g. WASH, Protection, Health, Education). Key words: Menstruation, MHM, Policy, Restriction, sanitation |
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| Item Description: | Research Report. |
| Physical Description: | 71p. |