Source- Indian Journal of Community Medicine, Vol. 33, Issue 2, April 2008
Duration of Study : 1 month
Study population : 160 girls from a secondary school in West Bengal (Class IX)
Table 1: Information about menarche (n=160)
| Information |
No. |
Percentage |
Age of menarche (years) |
|
|
10 |
2 |
1.25 |
11 |
8 |
5 |
12 |
50 |
31.25 |
13 |
66 |
41.25 |
14 |
24 |
15 |
15 |
10 |
6.25 |
Awareness about menstruation
during menarche source
of information before menarche |
108 |
67.5 |
Mother |
60 |
37.5 |
Relative |
2 |
1.25 |
Friend |
46 |
28.75 |
Nil |
52 |
32.5 |
| Table 2: Perception about menstruation (n=160) |
|
|
| Beliefs/Conception |
No. |
Percentage |
What is the cause of menstruation? |
|
|
It is a physiologicalprocess |
2 |
1.25 |
It is a curse of god |
10 |
6.25 |
It is caused by a sin |
4 |
2.5 |
It is caused by a disease |
8 |
5 |
| |
|
|
From which organ does the
menstrual blood come? |
|
|
Uterus |
4 |
2.5 |
Don’t know |
156 |
97.5 |
| |
|
|
What absorbent should be ideally
used during menstruation? |
|
|
Sanitary pad |
78 |
48.75 |
Cloth piece |
82 |
51.25 |
| |
|
|
Table 3: Practice of menstrual hygiene (n=160) |
|
|
Menstrual hygiene |
No. |
Percentage |
Use of material during menstruation |
|
|
Sanitary pads |
18 |
11.25 |
New cloth pieces |
10 |
6.25 |
Old cloth pieces |
68 |
42.5 |
All the above |
64 |
40 |
| |
|
|
Cleaning of external genitalia |
|
|
Satisfactory * |
136 |
85 |
Unsatisfactory ** |
24 |
15 |
| |
|
|
Use of cleaning purpose |
|
|
Only water |
4 |
2.5 |
Soap & water |
156 |
97.5 |
| |
|
|
Maintenance of privacy |
|
|
Yes |
78 |
48.75 |
No |
82 |
51.25 |
| |
|
|
Method of disposal *** |
|
|
Cloth pieces reused |
118 |
73.75 |
Sanitary pads/clot pieces disposed properly |
92 |
57.5 |
* Satisfactory: Frequency of cleaning of external genitalia is > 2/day<br />
** Unsatisfactory: Frequency of cleaning of external genitalia is 0-1/day<br />
*** Multiple response |
