TITLE:
Facilities and Misconceptions Concerning Menstrual Health and Menstrual Hygiene Management among Young People in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria
AUTHORS:
Lucy O. Idoko, Kingsley C. Okafor, Ayegba O. Victoria
KEYWORDS:
Menstrual Hygiene, Menstrual Health, Misconceptions, Myths
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Vol.13 No.5,
May
31,
2023
ABSTRACT: Background: Globally, women constitute 49.6% of the world
population and at least 500 million women and girls lack adequate facilities
for menstrual hygiene management. In Nigeria, a quarter of women lack adequate
privacy for defecation and menstrual hygiene management. Absence of facilities
needed for menstrual hygiene can pose as obstacle to women and girls practicing
menstrual hygiene effectively. This study aims to identify the facilities and
misconceptions concerning menstrual health and menstrual hygiene management. Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study among 169 young males and
females of Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) Theological Seminary, Jos
North, Plateau State. This study sought to identify the facilities and misconceptions
concerning menstrual health and menstrual hygiene management among young people
in Jos, Plateau State. Nigeria. Simple random
sampling technique was used in this study and data was collected using
interviewer-administered structured questionnaire to measure availability of
facilities/programs for menstrual hygiene management and misconceptions about
menstruation. Data analysis was done using the Statistical
Package for the Social Science (SPSS) version 20.0 with descriptive statistics,
proportions, tables and diagrams used to illustrate findings from the data
collected. Results:
Majority 139 (82.2%) of the female respondents had access to adequate water
supply, while 30 (17.8%) did not have access to the adequate water supply. About half, 53.8% had bathrooms with
doors and safe locks, 19.5% had a school clinic where menstrual absorbents can
be gotten, 10 (5.9%) had Girl’s Club/Peer Education teams, 24 (14.2%) had
guidance and counselling classes. Programmes available
to female respondents for menstrual health and hygiene management were girls
club and guidance and counselling sessions. Majority 94 (97.9) of females have
access to some form of menstrual adsorbent material, and 50 (52.1%) had no
access to Sanitary pads. Most females 80 (80.3%) have access to soap, 46
(47.9%) do not have access to privacy at home when faced with changing their
pads or menstrual adsorbent, while 84 (87.5%) had access to privacy while in
school, 46.7% of respondents were aware of misconceptions/taboos,
which included that women should not cook when menstruating (19.5% of
respondents), and women should stay away from public activities during
menstruation (13.6%). Conclusion: A sixth of the women had no access to adequate
water, half had bathrooms without locks, over half had no access to sanitary
pads, there were misconceptions that can be dispelled using health education
and enlightenment on proper menstrual health and hygiene.