scholarly journals Menstrual Hygiene, Management, and Waste Disposal: Practices and Challenges Faced by Girls/Women of Developing Countries

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajanbir Kaur ◽  
Kanwaljit Kaur ◽  
Rajinder Kaur
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Personal Hygiene ◽  
Reproductive Tract Infections ◽  
Menstrual Hygiene ◽  
Menstrual Hygiene Management ◽  
Hygiene Management ◽  
Sanitary Products ◽  
Tract Infections ◽  
At Home

Menstruation and menstrual practices still face many social, cultural, and religious restrictions which are a big barrier in the path of menstrual hygiene management. In many parts of the country especially in rural areas girls are not prepared and aware about menstruation so they face many difficulties and challenges at home, schools, and work places. While reviewing literature, we found that little, inaccurate, or incomplete knowledge about menstruation is a great hindrance in the path of personal and menstrual hygiene management. Girls and women have very less or no knowledge about reproductive tract infections caused due to ignorance of personal hygiene during menstruation time. In rural areas, women do not have access to sanitary products or they know very little about the types and method of using them or are unable to afford such products due to high cost. So, they mostly rely on reusable cloth pads which they wash and use again. Needs and requirements of the adolescent girls and women are ignored despite the fact that there are major developments in the area of water and sanitation. Women manage menstruation differently when they are at home or outside; at homes, they dispose of menstrual products in domestic wastes and in public toilets and they flush them in the toilets without knowing the consequences of choking. So, there should be a need to educate and make them aware about the environmental pollution and health hazards associated with them. Implementation of modern techniques like incineration can help to reduce the waste. Also, awareness should be created to emphasize the use of reusable sanitary products or the natural sanitary products made from materials like banana fibre, bamboo fibre, sea sponges, water hyacinth, and so on.

scholarly journals Emerging issues and barriers in access to menstrual hygiene management in a tribal district of India

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 1985
Author(s):  
Jyoti Kakwani ◽  
Jitendra Kumar Meena ◽  
Anjana Verma ◽  
Neha Dahiya
Keyword(s):  
Public Schools ◽  
Adolescent Girls ◽  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Universal Access ◽  
Social Construct ◽  
Remote Areas ◽  
Menstrual Hygiene ◽  
Menstrual Hygiene Management ◽  
Hygiene Management ◽  
Tract Infections

Background: Access to Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) remains a critical challenge to Indian women especially in remote areas. The problem of poor availability, acceptance, and affordability of MHM products is further aggravated by negative social construct and environmental concerns. Poor menstrual hygiene is linked to significant morbidity and mortality due to reproductive tract infections (RTIs) and cervical cancer etc.Methods: A campaign “Chuppi Todo” was organized in Udaipur; a tribal district in Rajasthan aiming for menstrual health education of adolescent girls and mothers across public schools through interactive means. During the campaign interviews were conducted by trained field staff with participating girls to elicit perspectives related to menstrual hygiene and feedback of the education sessions.Results: Based on qualitative assesments it was observed that women largely ignore menstrual hygiene or follow old traditional practices. They don’t prefer using modern MHM products like sanitary pads etc owing to the difficulty in their disposal and embarrassment.Conclusions: The present study highlights existing knowledge gaps and barriers in providing universal access to MHM to adolescent girls and women living in remote areas in India.  

scholarly journals Knowledge, attitude and practice regarding menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls in a rural private school

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 236
Author(s):  
Miti Dwijen Bhatt ◽  
Deepali Mohan Kadam
Keyword(s):  
Menstrual Cycle ◽  
Adolescent Girls ◽  
Private School ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Reproductive Tract Infections ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Menstrual Hygiene ◽  
Tract Infections

Background: Being a developing country, India is faced with many health problems which can be averted by education and implementation of basic guidelines. Menstrual hygiene is one such topics which is rarely brought to attention but forms an integral part of a women’s life. This topic has been neglected not only in rural areas but in the poor socioeconomic corners of metropolitan cities. This ignorance has taken a great toll on the quality of life of women. Poor hygiene predisposes them to reproductive tract infections which may lead to increased incidence of infertility and mortality. Misconceptions regarding this have also prevented women to seek out professional help. Keeping this in mind the study was undertaken to spread awareness and eliminate the taboo this topic is regarded with.Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted amongst adolescent girls in a private school located in Angaon village, Bhiwandi Taluka, Mumbai. A self-administered questionnaire was given to the adolescent girls to assess their knowledge, attitude and practices regarding menstrual cycle. Percentages were used for statistical analysis.Results: 83 girls (96.51%) were aware of menstrual cycle. 49 (56.98%) girls perceived that menstrual blood is dirty. 72 (83.72%) knew that it is a physiological process. 85 (98.84%) were also aware about menstrual hygiene. 85 (98.4%) felt that girls should be addressed regarding menstrual cycle, hygiene before achieving menarche. 50 (58.14%) girls followed restrictions during menstruation.Conclusions: The findings of the present study emphasize the need to address physiology about menstrual cycle as well as the myths and misconceptions associated with it.

scholarly journals Assessment of knowledge and menstrual hygiene management among adolescent school girls of Nelamangala

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (9) ◽  
pp. 4135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kavitha M. ◽  
Jyothi Jadhav ◽  
Ranganath T. S. ◽  
Vishwanatha .
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
External Genitalia ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Indian Society ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Menstrual Hygiene ◽  
Menstrual Hygiene Management ◽  
Hygiene Management ◽  
Tract Infections

Background: Menstruation is a physiological process but generally it is considered as unclean in the Indian society. Hygiene related practices of menstruation are of considerable importance as it has health impact in terms of increased vulnerability to reproductive tract infections (RTI) and drop outs from school. A good knowledge regarding menstrual hygiene is important during adolescence age which helps to practice good hygiene, minimize the sufferings of women and to manage their menstruation without any hesitation.Methods: A cross sectional study was undertaken in a rural field practice area of BMCRI, Bengaluru. Data was collected from 311 adolescent girls by using predesigned semi structured questionnaire.Results: It was evident that 38.3% participants were aware about menstruation before their menarche and among them; mothers were the main source of the information for 72.3% girls. It was found that 80.4% respondents used sanitary pads and 73.6% girls did not have practice of changing the adsorbent in the school. Only 27.7% had the practice of changing ≥4 pads/cloths per day during the menstruation. Majority of the girls were restricted to enter the place of worship (73.3%) and to attend the religious functions (41.5%) and also restriction to eat certain food items among 20.3% girls. There was a significant association between the religion and the frequency of changing the adsorbent and cleaning the external genitalia during the menstrual period.Conclusions: This study could found that majority of the girls had no information about menstruation before menarche. Menstrual hygiene management (MHM) was very poor.

scholarly journals A study of menstrual hygiene management in urban and rural adolescent girls in Ambala (Haryana)

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 120-123
Author(s):  
Shallu Garg ◽  
Anu Bhardwaj ◽  
Anshu Mittal ◽  
Suresh Bhonsla
Keyword(s):  
Sex Education ◽  
Adolescent Girls ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Menstrual Hygiene ◽  
Menstrual Hygiene Management ◽  
Hygiene Management ◽  
Rural And Urban ◽  
Tract Infections

Background: Adolescent girls often lack knowledge regarding reproductive health including menstruation hygiene. Poor menstrual hygiene can be a precursor reproductive tract infections and even cancer cervix. Objectives: To study the menstrual hygiene management among rural and urban school going adolescent girls Material and Methods: A community based cross sectional study was conducted among 420 adolescent girls (10 - 19 years). A self-designed semi- structured questionnaire was used to study the knowledge and practise regarding menstrual hygiene. Results: Knowledge about menstruation before attainment of menarche was 69% in urban and 58.9% in rural. Mother was the main source of information. Still 23.6% girls were using cloth or towels as menstrual absorbent, and 26.6% girls in rural area were washing their menstrual absorbent to be reused.91.7% and 81% girls had some restriction during menstruation Conclusion:  Awareness in urban adolescent girls was more in comparison to rural girls. The usage of sanitary pads was similar in both rural and urban areas. Menstrual hygiene was better in urban than rural areas. It is imperative that adolescent girls be educated about the, significance of menstruation, and proper hygienic practices during menstruation. Sex education in school curriculum can help in resolving misconceptions about menstruation.

scholarly journals Identifying Risk Factors for Lower Reproductive Tract Infections among Women Using Reusable Absorbents in Odisha, India

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (9) ◽  
pp. 4778
Author(s):  
Padmalaya Das ◽  
Danielle Lisnek ◽  
Krushna Chandra Sahoo ◽  
Shalini Sinha ◽  
JyotiRanjan Mohanty ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Laboratory Diagnosis ◽  
Poverty Line ◽  
Reproductive Age ◽  
Reproductive Tract Infections ◽  
Menstrual Hygiene ◽  
Socio Demographic Factors ◽  
Tract Infections ◽  
Study Laboratory

A large proportion of women in Odisha, India, use reusable absorbents to manage their menstruation. Yet, the risk factors for lower reproductive tract infections (RTIs) related to menstrual hygiene management (MHM) have not been studied among reusable absorbent users. Women of reproductive age attending one of two hospitals from two different cities in Odisha during two separate study intervals were recruited for the study. Laboratory diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis (BV) and vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) were conducted. A questionnaire was used to collect information on MHM practices, water, sanitation, and socio-demographic factors. Among the 509 women who used reusable absorbents, 71.7% were diagnosed with at least one infection. After adjusting for confounders, women with BV were more likely to identify as being a housewife (aOR: 1.8 (1.1–2.9)). Frequent absorbent changing was protective against BV (aOR: 0.5 (0.3–0.8)), whereas frequent body washing increased the odds of BV (aOR: 1.5 (1.0–2.2)). Women with VVC were more likely to be older (aOR: 1.6 (1.0–2.5)), live below the poverty line (aOR: 1.5 (1.1–2.2)), have a non-private household latrine (aOR: 2.2 (1.3–4.0)), dry their absorbents inside the house (aOR: 3.7 (2.5–4.5)), and store absorbents in the latrine area (aOR: 2.0 (1.3–2.9)). Washing absorbents outside the house was protective against VVC (aOR: 0.7 (0.4–1.0)). This study highlights the importance of improving MHM practices among reusable absorbent users to prevent lower RTIs among women reusing menstrual materials in Odisha.

scholarly journals Prevalence of Reproductive Tract Infections/Sexually Transmitted Infections among Rural Married Women – A Community Based Study Using Syndromic Approach

Healthline ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 72-81
Author(s):  
Anita Punia ◽  
Jyoti Yadav ◽  
Babita ◽  
Sanjay Kumar Jha ◽  
Sanjeet Singh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Sexually Transmitted Infections ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Married Women ◽  
Reproductive Tract Infections ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
Syndromic Approach ◽  
Tract Infections

Introduction: Reproductive Tract Infections (RTIs) and Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) continue to be a major public health problem and affecting women's health. Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of RTIs/STIs among married women aged 18-49 years in rural areas and to determine the factors associated with these conditions. Method: A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out among 308 eligible married women aged 18-49 years in rural areas in District Sonipat, Haryana using the WHO-Syndromic Approach for diagnosis of RTIs/STIs. Results: The mean age of study subjects in our study was 32.1 years (SD = ± 8.3 years) with a range from 18 to 49 years. The overall RTIs/STIs prevalence was 49.3%. The most frequent symptom was vaginal discharge (55.3%) followed by pain during micturition (34.2%), dyspareunia (26.9%), pain lower abdomen (24.3%) and vulval itching (16.4%). RTI/STI symptoms were found significantly more among women who had history of any chronic disease, who had irregular menstrual cycles, used cloths as sanitary pads and among those whose husbands were substance users. Conclusions: This study revealed a high prevalence (49.3%) of RTIs/STIs. Awareness about symptoms of RTIs, menstrual and personnel hygiene, raising literacy level of women, drive against use of addictive substances etc. by husbands is needed for control and prevention of RTIs. Primary health care services in respect of reproductive health should be strengthened and raising awareness among women about reproductive health issues through suitable communication strategies in order to bring about a positive behavior change for effective control of STIs.

scholarly journals Menstrual Hygiene and Reproductive Morbidity in Adolescent Girls in Dehradun, India

2014 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 170-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruchi Juyal ◽  
S. D. Kandpal ◽  
Jayanti Semwal
Keyword(s):  
Adolescent Girls ◽  
Gender Discrimination ◽  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Strong Association ◽  
Medical Science ◽  
Lower Abdominal Pain ◽  
Reproductive Tract Infections ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Menstrual Hygiene ◽  
Tract Infections

Context: In India, adolescent girls face serious health problem due to socio-economic, environmental and cultural conditions as well as gender discrimination. A vast majority of girls in India are suffering from either general or reproductive morbidities. Unhygienic practices during menstruation expose them for Reproductive Tract Infections (RTI). If not treated early, it could lead to various disabilities and consequently affect their valuable lives. This study was done with the aim of estimating the magnitude of gynaecological morbidities among unmarried adolescent girls as well as to find out the relation between menstrual hygiene and RTI. Settings and Design: Cross-Sectional Observational study conducted in two randomly selected Inter colleges (one rural and one urban) of district Dehradun, Uttarakhand state. Methods and Material: A cross-sectional study was undertaken in school going unmarried adolescent girls to know their menstrual hygiene practices as well as reproductive morbidity. Data was collected by interview method using a pretested, prestructured questionnaire after taking consent. Statistical analysis used: percentages and Chi-square test. Results: Approximately 65 % of the girls reported having dysmenorrhoea and 19 % of the girls had given the history of excessive vaginal discharge with or without low backache/lower abdominal pain. Strong association was found between Reproductive Tract Infections and poor menstrual hygiene. Conclusions: Girls should be made aware of the process of menstruation and importance of maintaining its hygiene before attaining menarche. They should also be made aware about its linkages with their forthcoming reproductive health. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjms.v13i2.14257 Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.13(2) 2014 p.170-174

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