Abstract
Background: Due to their relationship with several health hazards, menstrual hygiene management (MHM) and awareness are major public health concerns in both urban and rural settings. This study examined the awareness of MHM among adolescent girls in Belagavi and assessed their knowledge and understanding of menstruation and related taboos.
Methods: In the Belagavi District of Karnataka, India, a cross-sectional, community-based observational study was carried out. About 380 (as 8 were excluded) menstruating adolescent girls between the ages of 12 and 18 who attended different convent and government schools were included in the study. IBM SPSS version 20 was used to analyse the data from a self-reported questionnaire about menstrual hygiene, taboos, behaviours, and well-being.
Outcome measures: The knowledge and awareness of menstrual hygiene and practice in adolescent girls were evaluated using the MPNS 36 Scale and the WHO 5 well-being index.
Results: The knowledge and awareness of menstruation hygiene were significantly lacking in girls from both urban and rural regions (p = 0.0001). Compared to 83.90% of girls in rural areas, 72.26% of girls in urban areas were ignorant of menstruation and the accompanying hygiene practices. According to the between-group study, urban females demonstrated marginally more knowledge than rural girls (p=0.0001). In both urban and rural areas, the girls experienced various menstrual restrictions, with 320 (84.21%) of the girls experiencing limits during their cycles.
Conclusion: The study finds numerous taboos and a lack of knowledge regarding menstruation hygiene, impacting adolescent girls' well-being in urban and rural settings. As a result, it suggests including basic education for adolescent girls in both their home and academic environments.
Keywords: Menstrual hygiene, menstrual awareness and knowledge, menstrual practice, menstrual taboo, MPNS-36 scale, WHO 5 well-being index, Adolescent girls.
Acknowledgements
We'd want to use this time to extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has helped us bring this study to completion in some way. We would like to express our gratitude to the adolescent schoolgirls who enthusiastically volunteered for our research. We gladly welcome the principals, the Head Masters, and professors of different schools and colleges in the Belagavi district, with their unwavering guidance and encouragement in advancing the research. We expect that this research's findings will help improve the planning and implementation of any interested entities in promoting menstrual hygiene and management, especially among adolescent school-going girls.
Recommended Citation
Mahishale A, Khan N. A Comparison of Menstrual Health and Well-Being among Adolescent Girls in Urban and Rural Areas of the Belegavi District: A Crossectional Study. The Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice. 2024 Jun 26;22(3), Article 22.
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