ABTRACT

Background: Globally, about 52% of the female population is of reproductive age. Though menstruation is a normal physiology in the females’ life, if not managed safely, it can interrupt daily activity or it may lead to health problems. Poor water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities in school, inadequate menstrual hygiene management items cause girls to experience menstruation uncomfortable.  The objective of the study was to assess the challenges associated with the proper maintenance of menstrual hygiene among secondary school girls at Bilingual Grammar School in Molyko Buea. Method: A cross-sectional study design was employed. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from 100 secondary school girls in bilingual grammar school Molyko Buea. Analysis of the data was done using excel 2013and the results were presented using pie charts, frequency  and proportion measure to provide descriptive characteristics of the study population. Results: this study involved 100 school girls whose age ranges from 10 to above 14 years, who have attained menarche, ranging from form 3 to upper sixth. On the types of menstrual absorbent material used, 81% could define menstrual hygiene management. Majority 92% use disposable sanitary pads. A greater proportion, 75% of secondary school girls’ faced challenges on lack of bathrooms with clean water and poor toilets. Conclusion:  A high proportion of the study participants faced the challenge of inadequate disposal facilities for sanitary napkin. Fungal infection, urinary tract infection and vagina itches were some of the consequences for girls in school.  Menstrual hygiene management should be emphasized to students instilling adequate menstrual hygiene practices during menstruation.

Key Words: Mentrual Hygiene Management, Sanitary pad and Menarche

CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.0 Background:

1.1 Overview of the research area

According to world health organization, a person age 10 to 19 years is considered as an adolescent (WHO, 1996). The transition period between childhood and adulthood or girlhood is called adolescence which is marked with the growth and developments of the child with identify formation. During this period, physical, psychological, and biological development of the child and social changes occur (S.B Thakre et al., 2011). These changes pose major challenges to parents and the growing adolescents. Adolescent in female is usually marked with the onset of menses. It is recognized as a special period in girl’s life cycle which requires special attention. Menarche is an important biological milestone in a woman’s life as it marks the onset of the reproductive phase of her life.

The average age at menarche is mostly consistent across the populations that is, between 12 and 13 years of age (B.Bagga and S.Kulkarni, 2000, A.Diaz el al, 2006).

Water aid (2011) argued that the duration of menstruation period marks the need of the girl to manage menstruation where girls need to use clean menstrual material to absorb the blood that should be changed in privacy for the whole period of menstruation. Unfortunately, poor management of menstruation affects many girls globally, and especially in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs), (Sommer el al, 2016). A common and significant challenge they faced is the ability to manage their menstruation safely, comfortable and with dignity. Challenges associated with proper menstrual hygiene, lack of clean, effective absorbents; inadequate facilities to change; clean and safe facilities to dispose absorbents used materials to manage menstruation; lack of access to soap and water for washing the body and lack of privacy, associated with lack of knowledge on menstruation preparedness and proper management or embarrassment, the situation becomes worse for girls (S.Nagar and K.R.Aimol, 2017). Young girls often received minimal instruction and information about proper maintenance of menstrual hygiene. This is because inadequate social support, menstruation which is seen as taboos by many communities which make it difficult for adolescent girls to acquire full information about it. For this reason, there is a culture of silence and shame, fear, anxiety, distraction regarding the issue of menstruation and therefore cannot be discuss publically. Menstruation is a normal process but is still a taboo in Indian society as it is considered unclean and dirt (A. Dasgupta and M.Sarkar, 2008).

Menstruation wastes are the wastes that are generated by a female in her reproductive years. These wastes are produced during menstruation commonly known as menses, periods, or monthly bleeding cycle (I.Swen Son and B.Havens, 1987). The menstrual cycle has four phases that is, menstrual, follicular phase (proliferation), ovulation phase, and luteal phase (secretory). Menstruation is regulated by hormones; in this process, endometrium, lining of the uterus, gradually thickens and sheds off and causes bleeding that normally last for 3-5 days and occasionally up to 7days. A good menstrual hygiene is a major issue facing adolescent girls especially those in the rural communities in sub-saharan Africa.  Studies from the African and Asian continents have demonstrated unsatisfactory menstrual hygiene management among secondary school going girls (Adika VO, 2013), (Dasgupta A, 2008).  It is estimated that about 200million women and girls from developing countries struggle on daily basis during their menstrual period to get access to clean water for washing, as well as convenient places for changing their pads (Crofts el al, 2012). Access to sanitary material has been a major challenge to menstruating women and girls as most of them use unhygienic absorbents during their menses (Adinma ED el al, 2008). Adolescent girls stay out of school during their menses because of lack of sanitary pads, and also lack of basic sanitary sanitation facilities to meet their privacy requirement. 

It was found that Italian immigrants to the United States had rarely informed their daughters of menstruation at all due to common cultural believe placed on “female virtue and purity” which has also been seen in Jewish mothers.). Stigma, poverty and lack of access to basic service like toilets and water are causing menstrual health and hygiene needs to go unmet and increasing women and girls’ risk of infection (   New York 2022). For some girls the onset of menses is a confusing and difficult or often traumatic transition, (S.Nagar and K.R.Aimol, 2017)

A direct study conducted in Ghana in selected senior secondary schools identified factors such as poverty, non-availability of water and toilets facilities, which are typical of schools, to contribute negatively school attendance among adolescent girls during periods (Adinma ED el at, 2008). The control group had difficulties managing their menses because teachers were not involved and issues on menstrual hygiene management were not also discussed in class (Dorgbetor G, 2015). In Nigeria, a study conducted by (Sommer et al, 2016) showed that majority of adolescent girls reported lack of safe, private, clean toilets and washing facilities at school.

In Cameroon, it has been seen mostly in the south Region of Cameroon, one of the many rural areas where infection rates due to poor menstrual hygiene are among women and adolescent girls, according to the United Nations Report.

  1.2 Problem statement. 

Menstrual hygiene refers to personal hygiene practices during menstruation. Menstruation is a common phenomenon in the female in which there is the discharge of the unfertilized egg from the ovaries. The personal hygiene management starts with the choice of the best sanitary materials, its proper utilization, disposal and body cleanliness. So far there has been inadequate information sharing on proper menstrual management to secondary school girls in bilingual grammar school molyko, and issues surrounding menstruation, it has been perceive as shame subject to tackle not only for school girls but also for some parents and relatives. Mothers/ female guardians are the main source of information for their children regarding proper maintenance of menstrual hygiene, but, some of them do not discuss or share anything that has to do with menstruation issues with the children. Menstrual hygiene is one of the critical problems adolescent girls facing while they are in school. This is mainly due to lack of disposal system, broken/doors of toilets, lack of water tap, bucket, and poor water supply, that is lack of infrastructure as well as poor management  of the existing facilities which are important for the management of proper maintenance of menstrual hygiene. The above limitation contributes to improper menstrual hygiene which has the following as consequences: reproductive tract infection, yeast infection, bacterial infection, fungi infection, urinary tract infection, absence from school, poor environmental hygiene because of the problem of proper disposal of used material, low academic performance. Prompting the research on challenges associated with the maintenance of proper menstrual hygiene among secondary school girls in Bilingual Grammar school Molyko Buea.

1.3 Rationale

 The study findings will contribute into forming targeted interventions for addressing issues shaping the challenges experienced by secondary school girls on inadequate menstrual hygiene during their menses and also inform strategies for improving school environment to better support girls during their menses.

 1.4 Research Questions

1. What are the types of absorbent materials use by secondary school girls at bilingual grammar school molyko during menstruation?
2. What challenges do secondary school girls faced in the maintenance of proper menstrual hygiene while in school?
3. What are the consequences of inadequate menstrual hygiene?

1.5 Aim Objectives

 The main aim of the study is to assess challenges associated with the maintenance of proper menstrual hygiene among secondary school girls in bilingual grammar school molyko Buea, and to help search available suggestions that will help these secondary school girls cope with menstruation while in school.

1.5.1 General objective

To assess secondary school Girls Bilingual Grammar school in Molyko Buea on the challenges associated with the maintenance of proper menstrual hygiene

1.5.2 Specific objectives

1. To assess secondary school girls at Bilingual Grammar school in Molyko Buea on the types of absorbent menstrual materials used during menstruation.
2. To identify the challenges faced in the maintenance of proper menstrual hygiene while in school.
3. To outline the consequences of inadequate menstrual hygiene among secondary school girls at bilingual grammar school in Molyko Buea.