Kiza Alpha Ngandru, Itigaino Samuel Bosongo, Bosunga Gédéon Katenga, Tshilumba Charles Kayembe, Tepunipage Alliance Tagoto, Longembe Eugène Basandja, Bosongo Santhos Lobwa, Nguma Jean Didier Bosenge, Likwela Joris Losimba, Kitronza John Panda Lukongo
Département de Santé Publique, Faculté de Médecine et de Pharmacie, Université de Kisangani, Kisangani, République Démocratique du Congo.
Département de Gynécologie-Obstétrique, Faculté de Médecine et de Pharmacie, Université de Kisangani, Kisangani, République Démocratique du Congo.
Pan Afr Med J. 2025 Feb 7;50:44. doi: 10.11604/pamj.2025.50.44.44917. eCollection 2025.
menstruation is a physiological phenomenon that is accompanied by crucial needs for proper management. It is shrouded in silence, myth and taboo, hence the need to assess the level of knowledge, attitudes and practices of adolescent students about menstrual hygiene (MH), factors associated with it and repercussions on their schooling.
we conducted an analytical cross-sectional study on 553 adolescent girls from 38 secondary schools in Kisangani City between September 2023 and February 2024. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using Stata 13 software. Univariate analysis summarized the sociodemographic characteristics of the participants, as well as their knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding menstrual hygiene. Multivariate analyses identified factors associated with good knowledge of menstruation and menstrual hygiene (MH), as well as good menstrual hygiene management, using adjusted odds ratios to assess the associations.
the majority of participants, aged 15 to 17 years, with an average age of menarche of 12.8 years, were enrolled in private schools and came from families with a middle socio-economic status. While 70.2% had attended a course on menstrual hygiene and 91.5% had received information about menstruation before their first period, only 11.0% had good knowledge of menstrual hygiene, and the prevalence of good menstrual hygiene practices was only 12.3%. Multivariate analysis showed that living in the Makiso commune (ORa=1.8; 95% CI=1.0-3.4; p=0.049), attending a family life education course that covers menstrual hygiene (ORa=2.7; 95% CI=1.1-6.3; p=0.025), being in the final year of secondary school (ORa=2.4; 95% CI=1.1-5.3; p=0.025), and having mothers or sisters as sources of information (ORa=2.7; 95% CI=1.4-5.1; p=0.002) were significantly associated with good knowledge of menstruation and menstrual hygiene. Furthermore, attending a private school (ORa=0.6; 95% CI=0.3-0.9; p=0.041) and having a mother with a university education (ORa=1.9; 95% CI=1.1-3.3; p=0.016) were associated with good practices.
although most adolescents had been informed about menstruation before menarche, only 11% had good knowledge of menstrual hygiene and 12.3% adopted good practices. Life education, particularly on menstrual hygiene, is crucial to improving these aspects.
月经是一种生理现象，伴随着妥善管理的关键需求。它被沉默、神话和禁忌所笼罩，因此有必要评估青少年学生对月经卫生（MH）的知识水平、态度和做法、与之相关的因素及其对学业的影响。
2023年9月至2024年2月，我们对基桑加尼市38所中学的553名青春期女孩进行了一项分析性横断面研究。使用结构化问卷收集数据，并使用Stata 13软件进行分析。单变量分析总结了参与者的社会人口学特征，以及他们对月经卫生的知识、态度和做法。多变量分析确定了与月经和月经卫生（MH）的良好知识以及良好的月经卫生管理相关的因素，使用调整后的优势比来评估关联。
大多数参与者年龄在15至17岁之间，初潮平均年龄为12.8岁，就读于私立学校，来自社会经济地位中等的家庭。虽然70.2%的人参加过月经卫生课程，91.5%的人在初潮前收到过关于月经的信息，但只有11.0%的人对月经卫生有良好的了解，良好月经卫生习惯的患病率仅为12.3%。多变量分析表明，居住在马基索公社（ORa=1.8；95%CI=1.0-3.4；p=0.049）、参加涵盖月经卫生的家庭生活教育课程（ORa=2.7；95%CI=1.1-6.3；p=0.025）、处于中学最后一年（ORa=2.4；95%CI=1.1-5.3；p=0.025）以及有母亲或姐妹作为信息来源（ORa=2.7；95%CI=1.4-5.1；p=0.002）与月经和月经卫生的良好知识显著相关。此外，就读于私立学校（ORa=0.6；95%CI=0.3-0.9；p=0.041）和母亲拥有大学学历（ORa=1.9；95%CI=1.1-3.3；p=0.016）与良好的习惯相关。
尽管大多数青少年在初潮前已了解月经知识，但只有11%的人对月经卫生有良好的了解，12.3%的人养成了良好的习惯。生活教育，特别是关于月经卫生的教育，对于改善这些方面至关重要。
