Menstruation Hygiene Among Girls Attending Kawempe Church of Uganda Primary School, Kampala District.
Abstract
Introduction. Adolescence in females signifies the transition from girlhood to womanhood and is marked with the onset of menarche. There is a substantial gap in the knowledge towards menstruation among adolescent girls. Menstrual hygiene and management is an issue that is insufficiently acknowledged and has not received adequate attention. The purpose of this study was to assess menstruation hygiene among adolescent girls in upper primary in Upper Primary in Kawempe C/U Primary School, Kampala District.
Methodology. The study was cross-sectional involving 150 adolescent girls by means of simple random sampling technique and questionnaires to collect data.
Results. Results showed that 149(99.3%) of adolescent girls correctly defined menstruation, 29(19.3%) could correctly define menstruation hygiene. Also 95(63.3%) lacked correct knowledge on the frequency of changing the sanitary materials used, and only 35(23.3%) knew that genitalia is cleaned each time after passing urine. Result further revealed that 98(65.3%) of the respondents indicated that their families could not afford providing sanitary pads always, lack of enough separated toilet facilities for girls and boys 142(94.7%) and the available toilet facilities did not have enough privacy 132(88.0%) due to most toilet facility doors not having locks, walls having some halls and/or some toilets not having doors, and 140(93.3%) of the respondents said that the school did not have enough water, 150(100.0%) unanimously indicated
lack enough washing points at the school, lacked a disposable system for used sanitary materials.
Conclusion. In conclusion, knowledge regarding menstruation hygiene was not satisfactory among adolescent girls and several socio-economic and school related factors strongly affected menstruation hygiene.
Recommendations. Therefore, school authorities should take up at least a weekly session on the issues related to menstruation, invite various experts at times to address the important issues and teachers should address some issues in the class and also inform the students about good and reputable sources which they should access for correct information.
Collections
- Bachelors in Nursing [415]