Impact of dysmenorrhea on urban school girls in Tanzania: the need for a comprehensive menstrual health management guideline
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20241167Keywords:
Dysmenorrhea, Guideline, Menstrual health managementAbstract
Background: Menstrual health management is poorly understood by school girls in most low-income countries. Water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities are essential for the proper management of menstruation. Dysmenorrhea should also be considered. The current study investigated knowledge of menstrual hygiene and the prevalence of dysmenorrhea among school girls in a city in Southern Highland Tanzania.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Mbeya city in the southern highlands of Tanzania. 292 high school girls were randomly selected from three schools. Data were collected using a pre-tested structured questionnaire. The data were initially entered into the computer using Epi-info version 3.5.1 and later exported to SPSS for Windows version 20.0 for analysis. Multivariate analyses were performed with a 95% confidence interval. The significance level was set at p≤0.05.
Results: The mean age of the participants was 18.02±1.34 years. 68.49% had a good knowledge of menstrual hygiene (mean knowledge level; 64.64±9.13%) and 91.78% had good menstrual hygiene practices (mean score; 89.32±13.7%). Delayed age of menarche and years of menstruation were associated with good menstrual practices, OR; 3.94, 95% CI 1.49-10.72, p=0.006. 56.5% reported having moderate to severe menstrual pain.
Conclusions: Most participants had good knowledge and practice of menstrual hygiene, however, the level of knowledge was lower than practice. The majority suffer from unbearable menstrual cramps that adversely affect their studies. There is an urgent need for a comprehensive guideline for menstrual health management in schools that takes into account knowledge, practice, and pain management.
Metrics
References
Marques P, Madeira T, Gama A. Menstrual cycle among adolescents: girls' awareness and influence of age at menarche and overweight. Rev Paul Pediatr. 2022;40:e2020494.
De Sanctis V, Rigon F, Bernasconi S, Bianchin L, Bona G, Bozzola M, et al. Age at Menarche and menstrual abnormalities in adolescence: does it matter? the evidence from a large survey among Italian secondary schoolgirls. Ind J Pediatr. 2019;86(Suppl 1):34-41.
Adams Hillard, PJ. Menstruation in adolescents: What’s normal, what’s not. Ann New York Acad Sci. 2008;1135:29-35.
Sommer M, Sahin M. Advancing the global agenda for menstrual hygiene management for schoolgirls. Am J Publ Heal. 2013;103(9):1556-9.
Belayneh Z, Mekuriaw B. Knowledge and menstrual hygiene practice among adolescent school girls in southern Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study. BMC Publ Health. 2019;19:1595.
Gebre W, Kidane EM, Negussie YM, Getahun MS, Bekele NT, Gurara AM. Assessment of menstrual hygiene management knowledge, practice, and associated factors among girls in Boset District, Ethiopia: a school-based cross-sectional study. Contracept Reprod Med. 2023;8(1),34.
Crofts T, Fisher J. Menstrual hygiene in Ugandan schools: an investigation of low-cost sanitary pads. J Wa, SaniHyg Develop. 2012;2(1):50-8.
Alexander KT, Oduor C, Nyothach E, Laserson KF, Amek N, Eleveld A, et al. Water, sanitation, and hygiene conditions in kenyan rural schools: are schools meeting the needs of menstruating girls? Water. 2014;6(5):1453-66.
Boosey R, Prestwich G, Deave T. Menstrual hygiene management amongst schoolgirls in the Rukungiri district of Uganda and the impact on their education: a cross-sectional study. Pan Afr Med J. 2014;19(1):253.
National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR), Public Health Laboratory, Ivo de Carneri (PHL-IdC). Menstrual Health and Hygiene Among School Girls in Tanzania; Research Report. National Institute for Medical Research; Dar Es Salaam Tanzania. June 2021: ISBN 978-9976-88-975-81.
Gedefaw G, Wondmieneh A, Getie A, Waltengus F, Demis A, Wang CC. Dysmenorrhea and associated symptoms in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Endometr Pelvic Pain Disord. 2022;14(2):106-19.
Anbesu EW, Asgedom DK. Menstrual hygiene practice and associated factors among adolescent girls in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Publ Health. 2023;23(1):33.
Pembe AB, Ndolele NT. Dysmenorrhoea and coping strategies among secondary school adolescents in Ilala District, Tanzania. East Afr J Public Health. 2011;8(3):232-6.
Stoilova D, Cai R, Aguilar-Gomez S, Batzer NH, Nyanza EC, Benshaul-Tolonen A. Biological, material and socio-cultural constraints to effective menstrual hygiene management among secondary school students in Tanzania. PLOS Glob Publ Health. 2022;2(3):e0000110.
Ameade EPK, Amalba A, Mohammed B.S. Prevalence of dysmenorrhea among University students in Northern Ghana; its impact and management strategies. BMC Womens Health. 2018;18: 39.
Nwankwo TO, Aniebue UU, Aniebue PN. Menstrual disorders in adolescent school girls in Enugu, Nigeria. J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol. 2010;23(6):358-63.
Wasan Y, Baxter JAB, Rizvi A, Shaheen F, Junejo Q, Abro MA, et al. Practices and predictors of menstrual hygiene management material use among adolescent and young women in rural Pakistan: A cross-sectional assessment. J Glob Heal. 2022;12.
Mukandila AM, Mpueta AN, Mutombo CK, Mulamba JI, Kabamba ET, Mikenji B. Dysmenorrhea in adolescent girls in Kasai Oriental in the Democratic Republic of Congo: prevalence, determinants, and attitude. Rev Médicale Gd Lacs. 2014;3(4):434-54.
Oni TH, Tshitangano TG. Prevalence of menstrual disorders and its academic impact amongst tshivenda speaking teenagers in rural South Africa. J Hum Ecol. 2015;5(1-2):214-9.
Muluneh AA, Nigussie T. Seyuom GKZ, Anteneh KT, Kassa ZY. Prevalence and associated factors of dysmenorrhea among secondary and preparatory school students in Debremarkos town, North-West Ethiopia. BMC Womens Health. 2018;18:57.
Titilayo A, Agunbiade O, Banjo O, Lawani A. Menstrual discomfort and its influence on daily academic activities and psychosocial relationship among undergraduate female students in Nigeria. Tanz J Heal Res. 2010;11(4).
Shah SF, Punjani NS, Rizvi SN, Sheikh SS, Jan R. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding menstrual hygiene among Girls in Ghizer, Gilgit, Pakistan. Int J Environm Res Publ Heal. 2023;20(14):6424.
