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.