Knowledge and Practices Regarding Menstrual Hygiene among High School Adolescent Girls (A Study of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Ward No. 13 & 14)
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Faculty of Rural Development
Abstract
This research entitled Knowledge and Practices Regarding Menstrual Hygiene Among
High School Adolescent Girls: A Study of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Ward
No. 13 & 14 is carried out for the partial fulfillment of the requirement of the course
Master's in Rural Development. The main objectives of this research is to assess the
knowledge and sources of information of adolescent school girls about menstruation,
to identify the socio-cultural traditions and restrictions practiced during menstruation
and to identify the reasons of school absenteeism during menstruation. Three research
questions are made to address the objective of the study. A quantitative research
design is used for the study under which survey method is used as main tools. For My
research out of 7 government school in Kathmandu 13 & 14 as a sample only 3
government schools including Jana Prabhat Secondary School (40 girls, Kalimati-13,
Kathmandu), N il Barahi Secondary School (78 girls, Tankeshwor Kalimati,
Kathmandu-13) and Kuleshowor Awash Secondary School (78 girls, Kuleshowor-14
Kathmandu) total 190 girls students as a sampling are taken as respondents. After
collecting the data, the data are analyzed by using statistical tools and represented in
charts and diagrams. After collecting the information from field this research try to
address the answers of all research questions. After analysis of the data it can be
concluded that family members (mother, sisters, cousin sisters, grandmother) are the
major source of information of menstruation for adolescent girls. The knowledge
generally transform from mother to daughter. This knowledge is not enough because
still some girls have miss conception about menstruation periods and cycle. Girls still
do not have good hygiene practices. They still use clothes during menstruation.
However the number of such girls who are using cloths is lesser, that indicates that
girls are now conscious about their health. Still more than half girls do not bath
IV
regularly during the menstruation period and about 75% girls do not use soap for
cleaning the vaginal part during the menstruation. Still 40% girls do not stay in their
own room during the menstruation period and some of them are sent to their
neighbor’s house as well. The superstitions of untouchability during the menstruation
are almost there in every household. They are not allowed to enter and work in the
kitchen during the menstruation period. It means the family members restrict the girls
for doing rituals activities and other household’s activities during menstruation
periods. Still half of the girls do not go schools on the first day of the menstruation.
Among many reasons the common reason for this is health problem. The girls feel
physically weak during the time and some even feel severe pain so they could not
attend their class.