Menstrual Hygiene Management of Lower Socio Economic Status Females

Abstract

Background: Hygiene is essential for safeguarding personal health against infectious agents. Around one-fourth of all females of reproductive age (between the ages of 12 to 50), are thought to lack the resources necessary to control their menstrual cycles. Girls in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) experience critical challenges maintaining proper menstrual hygiene.

Objective: To assess menstrual hygiene management among low household income females in rural areas around Hyderabad Sindh.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in rural areas of Hyderabad region from July to December 2022. Participants included premenopausal females aged 15 years and older. After taking informed consent and ascent data were collected on pre-designed questionnaire. Data were stored and analyzed using IBM-SPSS version 23.0; Pearson Chi-Square test was used to evaluate the association of menstrual hygiene with the age group of low socioeconomic class, with p-values less than 0.05 considered statistically significant.

Results Of the 129 low-socioeconomic-status women included in this study, 59.7% were between 15 and 25 years of age. Among the women surveyed, 78.3% used cloth pieces as an absorbent material, and 59.5% changed their absorbent only once per day. Regarding sanitation and hygiene, 27.9% disposed of materials in a dustbin, 98.4% used water alone for washing, and 63.6% bathed only once during their menstrual cycle. Additionally, 88.4% washed and sun-dried their undergarments. While 68.2% experienced complications during menstruation, only 15.5% possessed basic awareness of menstrual hygiene and a mere 0.8% had received formal hygiene information.

Conclusion: Menstrual hygiene management found to be poor among ..........