Menstruation Related Practices and their Determinants in Adolescent Girls of Urban Area of District Ghaziabad

Abstract

Background: Menstrual hygiene is essential for the health and well-being of adolescent girls. Although awareness and the use of sanitary pads have improved, several restrictions and gaps in hygienic practices still persist. Aims & Objectives: To evaluate menstrual hygiene practices in school going adolescent girls and to determine their correlation with sociodemographic variables.  Methods:   Cross-sectional study was carried out in 140 school going adolescent girls in district Ghaziabad . A pre-designed and semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data and then participants were subjected to counselling through awareness session. Data was collected in MS EXCEL and statistical analysis was done using appropriate statistical methods. Results: Most of the participants (60%) were from 16–18 years of age. Among the participants 82.9% used sanitary pads and the remaining used cloth. Overall, 51.4% of the girls changed their absorbents 2–3 times daily. 57.9% of girls practiced genital hygiene and 60.7% of girls reported changing undergarments daily. Significant associations were observed between age, class, and religion with various hygiene practices, However, there was no discernible correlation with socioeconomic level. 84.3% of girls reported missing school while they were menstruating and 75% preferred to stay indoors during this time. Despite good awareness, several traditional restrictions and poor hygiene practices were prevalent. Conclusion: Although most adolescent girls use sanitary pads, significant gaps in hygiene practices and traditional restrictions persist. These ongoing taboos and poor practices highlight the urgent need for targeted interventions. Strengthening education, encouraging open discussion, and implementing focused interventions are essential for improving menstrual health among adolescent girls.