Ashok Pandey
Nepal Health Research Council, Nepal
Title: Challenges experienced by adolescent girls while menstruation in Kathmandu, Valley: A qualitative study
Biography
Biography: Ashok Pandey
Abstract
Background: Menstruation period is a risk factor for various infections. Adolescents’ school girls are more vulnerable to infection. The study was carried out to assess the knowledge and practices about menstruation among adolescent girls in Kathmandu Valley. Methods: An FGD was conducted in the two private and public school of Samakhushi. New Himalayan higher secondary school and Ranidevi School was selected with the help of teachers. Adolescent girls of age 12-18 years from one public school and another private school of Samakhushi, Kathmandu Valley were involved in this study. FGD was carried out with a total of 11 girls in New Himalayan School and the 10 girls were taken from the Ranidevi School. To make the respondents feel ease and express freely on the little discussion issues of menstrual practices closed well ventilated classroom was selected. And verbal consent was taken from the respondent prior to FGD. Results: From the study, young girls describe the onset of menarche as a shocking or fearful event. Information was mainly provided about the use of cloth, the practice of rituals in the form of restrictions on their movements and behavior towards males and, of course, the possible effects of her “polluting touch” and the equality polluting potential of the menstrual cloth. The socio-cultural beliefs behind are based on the concept of “pollution” surrounding the conditions of menstruation and usually mothers imparted these beliefs to the girls as important know how to related to the practices during menstruation. If any activities like touches of something is happened unknowingly then her mother, sister sprinkle the gold water through her body. Some of the girls say that (Amilo, Piro) foods were not allowed their mothers in their foods. Most of the girls expressed that first menstruation is often traumatic and very negative experience, culturally girls of Brahmins, Khsatris caste girls are put in seclusion they are not allowed to see sun and male relatives (brothers and fathers). Conclusions: Although knowledge was better than practice, both were not satisfactory. So, the girls should be educated about the process and significance of menstruation, use of proper pads or absorbents and its proper disposal. This can be achieved by giving them proper training and health education so, that there won’t be any misconception to the adolescent girls regarding menstrual hygiene.