A comparative study of menstrual health and hygiene among school going and out of school adolescent girls in urban slum area

Abstract

Background Out of school adolescent girls unlike school going girls don’t get an opportunity to gain information about menstruation and may remain more prone for poor menstrual hygiene. This study was conducted aimed at comparative assessment of menstrual health and hygiene among school going and out of school adolescent girls. Objectives To compare the knowledge regarding puberty changes and menstruation, menstrual hygiene practices, genital hygiene and health problems related to menstruation among school going and out of school adolescent girls. Materials and Methods A cross sectional analytical study was conducted in urban slums for a period of 2 years among 115 school going adolescent girls (age 10-19 years) and 115 out of school girls, who never attended the school, who left the school before completing 10th or who were not attending the school for at least last one year using a semi structured validated interview schedule containing assessment of knowledge about menstruation, menstrual and genital hygiene and menstrual health problems. Data analysis was done by SPSS software version 24. Results Pre-menarcheal awareness of menstruation, adequate knowledge about menstruation and usage of sanitary napkin were significantly higher in school going girls (63.5%, 37.4% and 67.8% respectively), as compared to out of school girls (26.7%, 4.3% and 20% respectively). Health problems like itching in groin region, lesions in groin, per vaginal discharge and lower abdominal pain other than menstrual pain was faced more by out of school girls with less health seeking behavior than school going girls. Conclusion Role of schooling is very important for knowledge as well as practice pertaining to menstrual health and hygiene of adolescent girls. Special attention is needed to address the menstrual health needs of out of school adolescent girls.

Keywords

• Menstrual Hygiene, Adolescent Girls, Out of School, Genital Hygiene