Menstrual hygiene practices among high school girls in urban areas in Northeastern Ethiopia: A neglected issue in water, sanitation, and hygiene research

Autor: Ayechew Ademas, Yitayish Damtie, Bereket Kefale, Tilaye Matebe Yayeh, Gete Berihun, Melaku Yalew, Zinabu Fentaw, Tadesse Sisay, Helmut Kloos, Asmamaw Malede, Alelgne Feleke, Adinew Gizeyatu, Mastewal Arefaynie, Leykun Berhanu, Metadel Adane, Yohannes Habtegiorgis, Tarikuwa Natnael, Masresha Abebe, Elsabeth Addisu, Tesfaye Birhane Tegegne, Mistir Lingerew, Fitsum Dangura
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2021
Předmět:
Sanitation
Physiology
0208 environmental biotechnology
Social Sciences
02 engineering and technology
Amhara People
Menstruation
Geographical Locations
Families
0302 clinical medicine
Endocrinology
Sociology
Hygiene
Reproductive Physiology
Water Quality
Medicine and Health Sciences
Medicine
Ethnicities
Public and Occupational Health
030212 general & internal medicine
media_common
Multidisciplinary
Schools
Checklist
Chemistry
Physical Sciences
Menarche
Female
Environmental Health
Research Article
Adolescent
media_common.quotation_subject
Science
education
Developing country
Mothers
Soaps
Education
03 medical and health sciences
Intervention (counseling)
Environmental health
Humans
Menstrual Hygiene Products
Menstrual Cycle
African People
Endocrine Physiology
business.industry
Chemical Compounds
Biology and Life Sciences
020801 environmental engineering
Health Care
Cross-Sectional Studies
People and Places
Africa
Observational study
Salts
Population Groupings
Ethiopia
business
Zdroj: PLoS ONE
PLoS ONE, Vol 16, Iss 6, p e0248825 (2021)
ISSN: 1932-6203
Popis: Background Poor menstrual hygiene practices influence school girls’ dignity, well-being and health, school-absenteeism, academic performance, and school dropout in developing countries. Despite this, menstrual hygienic practices are not well understood and have not received proper attention by school WASH programs. Therefore, this study examined the extent of good menstrual hygiene practices and associated factors among high school girls in Dessie City, Amhara Region, northeastern Ethiopia. Methods A school-based cross-sectional study was employed to examine 546 randomly selected high school students in Dessie City, northeastern Ethiopia. Pretested interviewer-administered questionnaires and a school observational checklist were used for data collection. EpiData Version 4.6 and the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences Version 25.0 were used for data entry and analysis, respectively. Bivariate and multivariable logistics regression analyses were employed to identify factors associated with good menstrual hygiene practices. During bivariable analysis, variables with P-values less than 0.25 were retained for multivariable analysis. In the multivariable analysis, variables with a P-value less than 0.05 were declared to be significantly associated with good menstrual hygiene practices. Results Of the respondents, 53.9% (95% CI [49.6, 58.2]) reported good menstrual hygiene practices. The following factors were found to be significantly associated with good menstrual hygiene practices: age range 16–19 years (AOR = 1.93, 95% CI: [1.22–3.06]); school grade level 10 (AOR = 1.90, 95% CI: [1.18–3.07]); maternal education (primary) (AOR = 3.72, 95% CI: [1.81–7.63]), maternal education (secondary) (AOR = 8.54, 95% CI: [4.18–17.44]), maternal education (college) (AOR = 6.78, 95% CI: [3.28–14.02]) respectively]; having regular menses [AOR = 1.85, 95% CI: (1.03–3.32); good knowledge regarding menstruation (AOR = 2.02, 95% CI: [1.32–3.09]); discussing menstrual hygiene with friends (AOR = 1.79, 95% CI: [1.12–2.86]), and obtaining money for pads from the family (AOR = 2.08, 95% CI: [1.15–3.78]). Conclusion We found that more than half of high school girls had good menstrual hygiene practices. Factors significantly associated with good menstrual hygiene practices include high school girls age 16–18 years, girls grade level 10, maternal education being completed primary, secondary and college level, having regular menses, good knowledge regarding menstruation, discussing menstrual hygiene with friends and obtaining money for pads from the family. Therefore, educating of high school student mothers about MHP should be a priority intervention area to eliminate the problem of menstrual hygiene among daughters. Furthermore, in order to improve the MHP among high school girls, further attention is needed to improving knowledge regarding menstruation among high school girls, encouraging high school girls’ families to support their daughters by buying sanitary pads and promoting discussions among friends about menstrual hygiene. Schools need to focus on making the school environment conducive to managing menstrual hygiene by increasing awareness of safe MHP and providing adequate water/sanitation facilities.
Databáze: OpenAIRE
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