A Descriptive Study To Assess The Menstrual Hygiene Practices And Its Associated Factors Among Adolescent Girls Residing At Selected Rural And Urban Area Of Mohali With View To Develop Self Instructional Module
Keywords:
Menstrual hygiene, Adolescent girls, sanitary pads, reproductive tract infections, menstrual practices, menstrual healthAbstract
Background: Menstruation is an essential phenomenon in an adolescent girl. In India menstrual practices are still clouded by taboos and socio-cultural restrictions resulting in adolescent girls remaining ignorant of the scientific facts, and hygiene.
Aim: To investigate the menstrual hygiene practices and its associated factors among adolescent girls of selected rural and urban area of Mohali, Punjab.
Material and Methods: A quantitative research approach and descriptive research design was used in the study. 200 adolescent girls between age group 13-16 years, who attained menarche and who were available at the time of data collection were enrolled in the study by using convenient sampling technique. Standardized tool was used to assess the menstrual practice among adolescent girls residing at selected rural and urban area of district Mohali, Punjab. A descriptive and inferential statistics was used to analyse the data.
Result: The findings revealed significant differences in menstrual hygiene practices between rural and urban adolescent girls. In the urban group, 93% used disposable sanitary pads, while 59% of rural participants did the same, with 21% relying on cloth/towels. Handwashing practices varied, with 100% of urban participants washing their hands after changing menstrual materials compared to 76% in rural areas. The study identified significant associations between menstrual hygiene practices and factors such as age, education, family income, parental education, and type of school attended (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: The study concludes that urban adolescent girls demonstrated better menstrual hygiene practices compared to their rural counterparts. The study underscores the importance of strengthening menstrual hygiene education, with a particular focus on rural areas. This indicates a greater need for targeted educational interventions and awareness programs to improve menstrual hygiene practices, particularly in rural areas where the prevalence of inadequate practices is higher. Promoting proper menstrual hygiene management can contribute to better health outcomes and overall well-being among adolescent girls.
References
Crasta I, Madhushree. A Study to Assess the Effectiveness of Structured Teaching Program regarding Knowledge on Premenstrual Syndrome and it’s Management among the Adolescent Girls of selected High School, Mangaluru. Asian J Nurs Educ Res. 2024 Sep 7;14(3):188–92.
Sooki Z, Shariati M, Chaman R, Khosravi A, Effatpanah M, Keramat A. The Role of Mother in Informing Girls About Puberty: A Meta-Analysis Study. Nurs Midwifery Stud. 2016 Feb 20;5(1):e30360.
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