Assessing primary information sources and knowledge of menstruration among adolescent girls in Nepal: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

<p>Background: Adolescent girls, aged 10-19, undergo a critical physiological transition during which menarche and monthly menstrual cycles signify normal physiological functioning. In Nepal, cultural myths and taboos stigmatize menstruation, contributing to misconceptions that lead to self-isolation, social exclusion, and negative impacts on physical and mental health. The study aims to assess school-going adolescent girls' knowledge about menstruation and its associated factors as well as identifying and rectifying sources of misinformation. <p>Purpose of the study: The study investigates primary sources of information on menstruation, knowledge levels among adolescent school girls in Nepal, and associations with predictors such as demography, ethnicity, religion, socioeconomic status, sexual health education, and area of residence. <p>Methodology: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 394 adolescent girls studying in grades 7-10 between the ages of 10–18 years from three public secondary schools in the Bagmati province of Nepal. The study took place between June- August 2022. Data were collected through a semi-structured interviewers. The collected data were analysed using descriptive statistics, and uni- and multivariable analyses (Binary logistic regression) were performed to identify factors associated with menstrual knowledge level. <p>Results: The average age of the 394 participants was 14.4 years (95% CI 14.2-14.5). Pre-menarche, 178 (45.2%) had low knowledge, and 54.1% had not received sexual health education at school. Mothers and sisters were identified as the primary information sources concerning menstruation. Multivariable analyses revealed higher maternal education [OR = 0.54:95% CI (0.31, 0.95)] and having had a class on reproductive health and menstruation [OR =0.53 (0.43, 0.83)] were less likely associated with poor menstrual knowledge. <p>Conclusion: Based on our results, we hypothesize that early school-based education programs could be useful in reducing obvious disadvantages associated with poor knowledge, which seemed to reduce the girls’ physical and mental wellbeing.