Knowledge, attitudes and practices on menstrual hygiene management by school going girls in Mulundi sub-location, Kitui county, Kenya

Abstract

Menstruation is an unescapable important and normal part of human life. Despite menstruation being an advent of maturity and fertility in girls, menstrual hygiene management (MHM) has been perceived as taboo in different societies around the globe. Similar challenges have been reported in Africa by many scholars despite it being an integral part of the female gender. MHM remains unexplored among adolescent girls in Kenya, including Kitui County. The overall objective of this study was to examine knowledge, attitudes and practices associated with menstrual hygiene management in Mulundi sub-Location, Kitui County. The specific objectives were; to establish the knowledge school-going girls have on menstrual hygiene management in Mulundi subLocation, Kitui County, to assess attitude towards menstruation among the school-going girls in Mulundi sub-Location, Kitui County and to examine the management practices associated with menstruation among school-going girls in Mulundi sub-Location, Kitui County. The study population encompassed 280-school going girls sampled from a target population of900 girls using the Slovin 2013 equation. Probability sampling was employed within four (4) primary schools and three secondary schools. Seven (7) key informants, who served closely with matrons, were also involved in the study. Qualitative and quantitative data collection tools including questionnaires, focused group discussions and key informant interviews were employed to collect data. The quantitative data was analyzed using SPSS according to the study objectives. The qualitative data was reported as verbatim quotes which suggest negative attitudes and stigma among the girls who participated in the study. Quantitative data was presented in tabular form as numerals some expressed as percentages. The study findings show that (95) 68 % of the sampled girls were knowledgeable on matters of MHM. The study findings show that a percentage of 39.1% of the information on menstrual hygiene came from parents. Teachers also played a role as they contributed 33.2 % in terms of availing knowledge on menstrual-related issues to students. The results also indicate that 70 % of the girls had a negative attitude towards menstrual flow. Menstrual management practices among the studied girls were still unsatisfactory, as 51% could not afford to buy sanitary pads. A sample constituting 61% (85) reported challenges of WASH facilitates. The study recommends the inclusion of compulsory lessons to tackle menstruation-related issues including menstrual hygiene, attitude and pre-menarche information for the girls who are yet to experience the biological process. The study further recommends education on menstrual-related lessons to boys to minimize teasing and stigma index to girls.