A Comparative Study to Assess the Learning Needs of Menstrual Hygiene among Adolescent Girls in Selected Rural and Urban School, South Gujarat

Abstract

Despite being an important issue concerning girls in the menstruating age group, menstrual hygiene is a very important risk factor. Objectives: (1) To assess the learning needs of menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls of urban school, Bharuch; (2) to compare the learning needs of menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls of rural and urban schools, Bharuch; (3) to find out the association between learning needs of menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls of urban and rural schools with selected demographic variables. Method: A comparative study was conducted on 11 March 2019 (urban) and 22 February 2019 (rural). Probability stratified random sampling technique was used for the study. Total 100 samples were selected: 50 from rural school and 50 from urban school. In this study, 30 multiple choice questions were prepared. Pre-test is taken to assess the learning needs of menstrual hygiene and health education is used to give information regarding menstrual hygiene. Result: (1) Assessment of the level of knowledge of adolescent girls regarding menstrual hygiene shows that, in rural, 26% of adolescent girls had poor knowledge whose score range from 1 to 10, 74% of the adolescent girls had average knowledge whose score range from 11 to 20, and 0% of the adolescent girls had good knowledge whose score range from 21 to 30. (2) In urban, 0% of adolescent girls had poor knowledge whose score range from 1 to 10, 80% of the adolescent girls had average knowledge whose score range from 11 to 20, and 20% of the adolescent girls had good knowledge whose score range from 21 to 30. (3) In rural, there was a significant association between knowledge and score of adolescent girls with their parent occupation and type of family, and no significant association between the level of knowledge and score of adolescent girls with their age, education, religion, parent education and income. (4) In urban, there was a significant association between knowledge and score of adolescent girls with their religion, and no significant association between the level of knowledge and score of adolescent girls with their age, education, parent education, parent occupation, type of family and income. Conclusion: The researcher found that knowledge regarding menstrual hygiene can be improved through the lesson plan to the adolescent girls. As per statistical analysis, the researcher concluded that, after completion of the research, adolescent girls’ knowledge increased significantly.