DETERMINANTS OF MENSTRUAL HYGIENE BEHAVIOR IN IMPROVING STUDY HABITS AMONG IN-SCHOOL FEMALE ADOLESCENTS IN ABA EDUCATION ZONE, ABIA STATE

Abstract

T Menstrual hygiene behaviour is a neglected and silent issue in Aba Education, Abia State which is one of the reason in-school female adolescents poorly attend school hence the need to examine factors to their hygiene behaviours. This study identifies the determinants of menstrual hygiene behaviour of in-school female adolescents in Aba Education Zone, in Abaia State. The design of the study was a descriptive survey. The sample for this study was 540 female in-school adolescents which was randomly sampled from 101,031 female students from 32 secondary schools within Aba Education Zone. The researchers’ developed questionnaire in questions and optional form which was used to generate data. The reliability coefficient of the instrument was calculated using Cronbach Alpha method and overall reliability index of 0.84 was obtained, indicating high reliability. The results were presented in tables with mean and standard deviation. The results showed overall mean of x=2.66 indicating that the respondents in general agree that economic factors determine their menstrual hygiene behaviour. Educational level of parents and household income of parents are the major economic determinants of in-school female adolescents’ menstrual hygiene behavior. Majority of the in-school female adolescents (x=2.70) agrees that school rules that proper dressing code must be maintained and privacy and lack of toilets for girls in school (x=2.63) are the key school based determinants of menstrual hygiene behaviour. Cultural belief that regards menstruation as “taboo” (x=3.08) and lack of knowledge/inability of illiterate parents to educate children with mean x=3.08 on menstrual hygiene behaviour was found to be the main cultural determinants of in-school female adolescents. The majority of in-school female adolescents concur that lasting period of type of feminine hygiene product used (x=3.08) and type of feminine hygiene product used (x=2.99) as the core personal determinants of menstrual hygiene. Conclusively, the findings of this study revealed that household income of parents, educational level of parents, Type of feminine hygiene product used, privacy and lack of toilets for girls in school, lack of proper disposal facility in school for used menstrual materials and inadequate water supply facility in schools used for washing and changing pads/cloths hygienically are major constraint to menstrual hygiene behaviour of inschool adolescents. It is recommended that there is need for parents to go extra length to educate their young girls on menstruation and menstruation hygiene before they get to puberty stage.