A comparative study of knowledge and practice regarding menstrual hygiene among private and government schools of Jaipur city

Abstract

Background: Menstruation is a normal physiological process to the females but sometimes it is considered as unclean phenomenon in the society. Hence this community based study was carried out with the objective to assess the difference in level of knowledge and practice regarding menstrual hygiene among school going adolescent girls of government and private school.Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from July 2017 to April 2018 to find out the difference in prevailing knowledge and practices regarding menstrual hygiene between private and government school going adolescent girls of Jaipur city. Data were collected by the predesigned and pretested structured questionnaire.Results: 87.57% girls from private schools were aware of menstruation prior to attainment of menarche. The difference in knowledge regarding menstruation in students of private and government school was significant. More than three fourth of the participants (76.95%) were from private school use sanitary pad.Conclusions: Knowledge and practice regarding menstruation was better in private school girls as compared to those of government school. Significantly more number of girls in the private schools was using sanitary pads as compared to government school girls.

Knowledge and practice regarding personal hygiene among students of government schools of Bikaner, Rajasthan

“…The hand wash was practiced after handling garbage and after handling animals by 88.1% and 72.3% [8] . In this study 68.2% students practiced for cutting nails which was lower than other studies [5][6]8] . but hair cutting practice was found better (82.6%).…”

“…In present study more than 90% students had knowledge about body and clothes hygiene, about teeth brushing, about regular clothes washing, 87.9% had knowledge about soap use in personal hygiene, 46.3% had knowledge about use of toilet paper, 72.6% had knowledge about use of nail cutter and 29.8% knowledge about sanitary pad. A study conducted in Jaipur reported almost similar finding regarding knowledge about body, teeth, clothes hygiene and use of soap but knowledge about sanitary pad was more (37.1%) compared to present study [5] . A study in Ethiopia country reported that majority of the students (99.7% and 85.7%) had knowledge of hand washing before and after meals while only 75% of students felt need of hand washing after defecation [10] .…”

“…but hair cutting practice was found better (82.6%). The use of facial tissue and cotton swab as hygiene product were less than soap [5] .…”

“…Sample Size: it was calculated 816 at 95% confidence and7% relative error to verify expected minimum 50% students had knowledge about use of toilet paper as per seed article. 5 this sample size was round off to 1000. Sampling Technique: A complete list of government school with ≥500 students were taken from department of Education of Bikaner city.…”

A cross sectional study on personal hygiene among rural school students in southern Rajasthan

“…15 The study by Sihra et al showed that 37.1% girls had knowledge about sanitary pad while in the present study, 97% girls had knowledge about sanitary pads as the girls in this study covered class from VIII and above. 14 Besides, such pads are made available to needed students from school itself these days. In this study 88 (35.20%) students were found using toothpaste for brushing the teeth, however the remaining were found using other materials such as neem stick, charcoal for brushing the teeth.…”