ABSTRACT:
Certain menstrual practices result in adolescent girls being unaware of the sanitary essential for maintaining positive reproductive health. The present study was undertaken to assess the knowledge and beliefs regarding menstruation and hygiene practices among adolescent girls and also to provide them health education. This prospective interventional study was conducted in higher secondary schools in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Girls within the age of 10-19 years who attained menarche was included into the study. Data was collected by using self-administered questionnaire. The study found that knowledge on cause of menstruation was poor among participants i.e. only 43.33% of them knew the actual process of menstruation but the knowledge was significantly increased to 94.3% after intervention. But 93% girls knew that menstruation is not a disease. Only 54.33% had the knowledge that pregnant women will not menstruate. The knowledge on duration of normal menstruation among the respondents was significantly increased from 68.66% to 96% who correctly identified it as 3-7days. Similarly, knowledge on interval between 2 menstruation cycles was significantly increased from 35.6% to 95%. Results showed that 34% prefer sanitary pad as menstrual absorbent material. From the present study it can be concluded that the knowledge regarding menstruation among school girls is not satisfactory and their knowledge have improved after the conduct of educational sessions. The results of this study is promising and encouraging to impart more knowledge through large menstrual hygiene education campaigns.