Knowledge on Menstrual Hygiene among Adolescent Girls Studying in Grade 8-10 in Private School of Dailekh District, Nepal

Background: Adolescence is a significant period in the life of a woman. The beginning of menstruation represents the girls' mild stone of pubertal development or maturity. Good menstrual hygiene is crucial for health. Lack of proper menstrual hygiene in adolescent period can have an effect on their health. (Abisola Monisola Oladimeji, 2014) Menstrual health issue has remained in dark for a longer period of time in Nepal. Lack of proper education and socio cultural barriers has led to knowledge gap on menstrual hygiene and health amongst adolescent female in Nepal.

Objective: The main objective of the study was to assess the knowledge on menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls studying in grade 8 to 10.

Methodology: This study was conducted in Nayaran Municipality, Dailekh. Study design was descriptive cross-sectional study. The study population was adolescent girls studying in grades 8 to 10 in selected private schools of Dailekh district, Nepal. The sample size in this study was 173 subjects. Data was taken by self-administered questionnaires. Data analysis was done by SPSS, version 21.0.

Major Finding: Only 40.6% of respondents had good knowledge on ideal time to change absorbent. 75.8 % respondents were aware of the importance of bathing during menstruation. Around 83.9 % respondents had good knowledge on significance of using clean clothes during menstruation and more than 88 % respondents had good knowledge on menstrual blood. 40% responded that menstrual blood is unhygienic. Out of five menstrual hygiene related questions, good knowledge was found among 48 % respondents while 52 % had poor knowledge. 10-19 age-group girls had good knowledge on menstrual hygiene than 10-15 years age group. Students of grade 10 had better knowledge among the respondents. Hindu girls had more knowledge than girls of other religion. Similarly, respondents from nuclear family had better knowledge than those of joint family. Higher the monthly income of family, better the knowledge about menstrual hygiene was observed. Girls of parents having higher secondary level education had better knowledge on menstrual hygiene than illiterate, primary and secondary level educated parents.