Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Nefasmewucha Hospital, Amhara Regional State, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.
Department of Reproductive Health and Population Studies, School of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.
PLoS One. 2021 Sep 30;16(9):e0257853. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0257853. eCollection 2021.
Even though menstruation is a normal biological process, adolescents are facing managing their menstruation when they are at school. It causes girls to miss their class on average three days every month. Studies in some countries showed that the magnitude of menstrual hygiene management problems is higher in rural adolescent girls, but little is known in the Ethiopia context. The objective of this study was to assess and compare menstrual hygiene management practices among rural and urban schoolgirls, Northeast, Ethiopia.
An institution-based comparative cross-sectional study was employed among 1078 schoolgirls (539 urban and 539 rural) from February to March 2020. The participants were selected using a multi-stage sampling technique. A structured self-administrative questionnaire and observational checklist were used for data collection. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis with a 95% confidence interval was employed. A P- value less than 0.05 was used to declare statistical significance.
Overall, the magnitude of good menstrual hygiene practice was 52.9% (95%CI: 50.3%-56.5%), which was 65.9% (95% CI: 62.8%-70.7%) among urban and 39.9% (95% CI: 36.2%-44.6%) among rural schoolgirls. Among urban schoolgirls, the odds of good menstrual hygiene management practice was higher for girls aged below 18 years (AOR = 1.58, 95%CI: 1.05-2.39), learned about menstrual hygiene at school (AOR = 1.89, 95%CI: 1.21-2.97), heard about menstrual hygiene before menarche (AOR = 4.98, 95%CI: 2.71-9.13), and discussed menstrual hygiene with parents (AOR = 2.56, 95%CI: 1.25-5.27). Whereas, the odds of good menstrual hygiene management practice was higher among those who were knowledgeable on menstrual hygiene (AOR = 5.47, 95%CI: 3.68-8.12), those who learned about menstrual hygiene at school (AOR = 1.75, 95%CI: 1.13-2.70), and girls who heard about menstrual hygiene before menarche (AOR = 3.34, 95%CI: 1.44-7.76) in rural schoolgirls.
Though the overall menstrual hygiene practice was low, it was relatively better among urban schoolgirls. This calls for more effort to solve these problems and achieve sustainable development goals. Therefore, education and awareness creation on menstrual hygiene for schoolgirls, even before menarche at both settings should be strengthened. Encouraging parent-adolescent discussion on menstrual hygiene would have paramount importance, particularly to urban schoolgirls.
尽管月经是一种正常的生理过程，但青少年在学校期间仍需要管理月经。这导致女孩们平均每月缺课三天。一些国家的研究表明，农村青少年女孩在月经卫生管理方面存在更大的问题，但在埃塞俄比亚，这方面的情况鲜为人知。本研究旨在评估和比较农村和城市少女的月经卫生管理实践，研究地点在埃塞俄比亚东北部。
这是一项 2020 年 2 月至 3 月在农村和城市地区的 1078 名女学生（539 名城市和 539 名农村）中进行的基于机构的比较横断面研究。采用多阶段抽样技术选择参与者。使用结构化的自我管理问卷和观察清单进行数据收集。采用具有 95%置信区间的双变量和多变量逻辑回归分析。使用 P 值<0.05 表示具有统计学意义。
总体而言，良好的月经卫生实践程度为 52.9%（95%CI：50.3%-56.5%），城市地区为 65.9%（95%CI：62.8%-70.7%），农村地区为 39.9%（95%CI：36.2%-44.6%）。在城市少女中，年龄在 18 岁以下（AOR=1.58，95%CI：1.05-2.39）、在学校学习月经卫生知识（AOR=1.89，95%CI：1.21-2.97）、在初潮前听说过月经卫生知识（AOR=4.98，95%CI：2.71-9.13）和与父母讨论月经卫生知识（AOR=2.56，95%CI：1.25-5.27）的女孩，良好的月经卫生管理实践的可能性更高。而在农村少女中，那些对月经卫生知识有了解（AOR=5.47，95%CI：3.68-8.12）、在学校学习月经卫生知识（AOR=1.75，95%CI：1.13-2.70）和在初潮前听说过月经卫生知识（AOR=3.34，95%CI：1.44-7.76）的女孩，良好的月经卫生管理实践的可能性更高。
尽管整体月经卫生实践程度较低，但城市少女的情况相对较好。这需要更多的努力来解决这些问题，以实现可持续发展目标。因此，应加强对少女，甚至是在城乡地区的女孩进行月经卫生知识的教育和宣传。鼓励家长与青少年讨论月经卫生知识至关重要，特别是对城市少女而言。
