Department of Healthcare Administration, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan.
Department of Healthcare and Rehabilitation, Ministry of Health, Vientiane Capital, Lao People's Democratic Republic.
PLoS One. 2021 Dec 13;16(12):e0261268. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0261268. eCollection 2021.
In Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), information on school sanitation and menstrual health among secondary school girls is limited. This study aimed to explore knowledge and practices surrounding menstrual health and to identify factors associated with school absence due to menstruation among secondary school girls in Lao PDR. The study involved 1,366 girls from grade 9 to grade 12 in six secondary schools in Luang Prabang Province. Data on socio-demographics and menstrual health of the girls and data on school toilets was collected. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the factors associated with school absence due to menstruation. The mean age was 15.8 years old. The average age of menarche was 12.9 years old. Of 1,366 girls, 64.6% were shocked or ashamed when they reached menarche and 31.8% had been absent from school due to menstruation in the six months before this study was conducted. Factors associated with school absence due to menstruation were age ≥ 16 years old (AOR = 1.79, 95% CI 1.37-2.34), higher income (AOR = 2.38, 95% CI 1.16-4.87), menstrual anxiety (AOR = 1.55, 95% CI 1.09-2.20), using painkillers (AOR = 4.79, 95% CI 2.96-7.76) and other methods (AOR = 2.82, 95% CI 1.86-4.28) for dysmenorrhea, and disposing used pads in places other than the school's waste bins (AOR = 1.34, 95% CI 1.03-1.75). Living with relatives (AOR = 0.64, 95% CI 0.43-0.95) and schools outside the city (AOR = 0.59, 95% CI 0.38-0.90) were significantly less associated with school absence. Although the association between school toilets and school absence was not examined, the results of this study suggest that school toilets should be gender-separated and equipped with waste bins in the toilet. Furthermore, menstrual education should start at elementary schools and teacher training on menstrual health should be promoted.
在老挝人民民主共和国（老挝），关于中学女生的学校卫生和月经健康的信息有限。本研究旨在探讨月经健康方面的知识和实践，并确定与老挝中学女生因月经而缺课相关的因素。该研究涉及来自琅勃拉邦省六所中学 9 至 12 年级的 1366 名女生。收集了有关女生社会人口统计学和月经健康的数据以及学校厕所的数据。进行了逻辑回归分析，以确定与因月经而缺课相关的因素。平均年龄为 15.8 岁。初潮年龄平均为 12.9 岁。在这项研究之前的六个月中，1366 名女生中有 64.6%在初潮时感到震惊或羞耻，31.8%因月经而缺课。与因月经而缺课相关的因素是年龄≥16 岁（AOR=1.79，95%CI 1.37-2.34）、较高收入（AOR=2.38，95%CI 1.16-4.87）、月经焦虑（AOR=1.55，95%CI 1.09-2.20）、使用止痛药（AOR=4.79，95%CI 2.96-7.76）和其他方法（AOR=2.82，95%CI 1.86-4.28）治疗痛经，以及将使用过的卫生巾扔在学校垃圾桶以外的地方（AOR=1.34，95%CI 1.03-1.75）。与亲戚一起生活（AOR=0.64，95%CI 0.43-0.95）和在市外上学（AOR=0.59，95%CI 0.38-0.90）与缺课的相关性显著降低。尽管没有检查学校厕所与缺课之间的关系，但本研究的结果表明，学校厕所应该男女分开，并在厕所内配备垃圾桶。此外，应该在小学阶段开展月经健康教育，并推广教师月经健康培训。
