Menstrual hygiene knowledge and practices among female senior high school students in the new Juaben North municipality of Ghana: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND

Menstruation is a natural and inevitable process in females. However, adolescent girls continue to face challenges with several misconceptions and myths. Despite numerous efforts and campaigns, limited knowledge and unhygienic practices persist, leading to various adverse social and health outcomes. This study examined knowledge, practices and factors influencing menstrual hygiene management practices among female senior high school students in the New Juaben Municipality of Ghana.

METHODS

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 2 senior high schools. Students were selected using systematic random sampling. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire adapted from literature between August to September 2022. Data was entered into Microsoft Excel Software (2020) and then exported to STATA/MP version 17 (STATA Corp) for analysis. Descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression were conducted with p-values ≤ 0.05 considered significant.

RESULTS

A total of 557 students were included in the study. 61.22% of students demonstrated good knowledge of menstruation, and 57.09% practiced good menstrual hygiene. Disposable sanitary pads were the most commonly used (97.44%) and preferred (93.25%) menstrual products. Most students changed their sanitary pads two or three times per day (47.49% and 47.30%, respectively). Nearly all participants (99%) bathed during menstruation, with water only (61.13%) being the most common method for genital cleaning. Logistic regression analysis revealed that students who lived with their mothers only (AOR = 1.88, 95% CI: 1.16-3.02, p = 0.01), had access to dedicated disposal bins (AOR = 2.20, 95% CI: 1.42-3.39, p < 0.001), and reported adequate facilities for menstrual hygiene needs (AOR = 0.60, 95% CI: 0.39-0.91, p = 0.017) were more likely to practice good menstrual hygiene.

CONCLUSION

Generally, female students had good MHM knowledge and practices with few misconceptions. The study underscores the importance of enhancing menstrual hygiene education, improving school infrastructure, and supporting family-based health education to promote safe and effective menstrual hygiene practices among adolescent girls. Targeted interventions involving schools, parents, and policymakers are needed to create a supportive environment that ensures menstrual health and educational continuity for all girls.