Menstrual hygiene management and associated factors among primary school girls In Iceme Sub-County, Oyam District

Abstract

Menstrual hygiene management (MHM) remains a public health concern globally as every day, more than 300 million of women and girls have to manage their menstruation. It is estimated that at least 500 million women and girls globally lack adequate facilities for MHM (World Bank (2022). Menstruation is an entirely natural physiological process yet still considered too ‘private’ to discuss (ESARO, 2020). A descriptive cross-sectional study design employing the use of quantitative methods of data collection was used to assess the menstrual hygiene management practices and associated factors among primary school girls in Iceme Sub-County, Oyam district. A total of 361 primary school girls participated in the study with the average age of the respondents between 14.5 ± 0.076 years, range 11 - 19 years. The level of education attained by most parents i.e., mothers (166/361; 46.0%) and fathers (122/361; 33.8%) was primary as community borehole (78.1%; 282/361) and community standpipe (21.9%; 79/361) were main sources of water at the schools visited. The average knowledge score of participants was 53.7% ± 6.4%, the knowledge score range was 24 - 98.6%. Majority of the respondents 61.2% (221/361) had poor knowledge of menstrual hygiene management practices and only 38.8% (140/361) had good knowledge of menstrual hygiene management practices. On bivariate analysis, girls whose mothers were literate (with primary, secondary or tertiary level of education) were 2 times (OR= 2.012, P-Value 0.003) more likely to have safe menstrual hygiene management practices than girls whose mothers were illiterate. The knowledge and practices of menstrual hygiene management were poor in primary school girls of Iceme Sub-County, Oyam District. Safe menstrual hygiene management practices were significantly associated with girls with good knowledge of menstruation, girls whose mothers have a basic level of education and girls whose schools have latrine/toilet/dustbin for disposing menstrual absorbents. Schools to ensure Implementation of comprehensive menstrual education programs, as parents / guardians educate and empower young girls about menstruation before their first period and the MoH in collaboration with MoES should develop and implement clear policies and guidelines addressing MHM in primary schools.