Back to Search
Start Over
Menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls in junior high schools in rural northern Ghana.
- Source :
-
The Pan African medical journal [Pan Afr Med J] 2020 Oct 29; Vol. 37, pp. 190. Date of Electronic Publication: 2020 Oct 29 (Print Publication: 2020). - Publication Year :
- 2020
-
Abstract
- Introduction: the issue of menstrual hygiene is inadequately acknowledged and efforts to address the gaps has been unsatisfactory. Hygienic menstrual practice such as the use of sanitary pads is crucial during menstruation. Lack of sanitation facilities, especially for school girls, makes them vulnerable to emotional and physical challenges during their menstrual days. This study sought to investigate menstrual hygiene management among adolescent girls in junior high schools in rural northern Ghana. Methods: a school-based cross-sectional study design was used. Multistage sampling technique was employed to select 730 school girls who had attained their menarche. Menstrual hygiene management was rated using the Selvi and Ramachandran scale. Bivariate analysis was conducted to compare good and poor menstrual hygiene management. The data were analyzed using STATA version 13.1.<br />Results: the prevalence of good menstrual hygiene was 61.4%. Mothers' education and parents' socio-economic status were significantly associated with menstrual hygiene management. Inadequate sanitation facilities was a major challenge to menstrual hygiene management at schools. The use of sanitary pads was significantly associated with school attendance (p-value < 0.0001).<br />Conclusion: the level of menstrual hygiene among in-school adolescent girls in northern Ghana is described as average. Although most of the schools had toilet facilities, they lacked clean water, soap, privacy and dustbins which are necessary for menstrual hygiene management. Interventions should target improving water, sanitation and hygiene facilities in schools as well as supply of pads to girls in rural school.<br />Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests.<br /> (Copyright: Maxwell Tii Kumbeni et al.)
- Subjects :
- Adolescent
Child
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Ghana
Humans
Rural Population
Schools
Socioeconomic Factors
Students statistics & numerical data
Toilet Facilities statistics & numerical data
Young Adult
Hygiene standards
Menstrual Hygiene Products statistics & numerical data
Menstruation
Sanitation standards
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1937-8688
- Volume :
- 37
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- The Pan African medical journal
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 33447345
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.11604/pamj.2020.37.190.19015