Menstrual hygiene practice and associated factors among adolescent primary school females in Dale Woreda, Sidama, Ethiopia: a cross sectional study

Amanuel Ayele Afacho ^1,2* Meskerem G/Mariam ³ Hunachew Beyene ⁴ Alemu Tolcha ⁴ Dansamo Sarmiso Tediso ⁵ Teshale Shalamo ⁶ Teshale Belayneh Ashamo ⁷

• ¹ Hawassa college of Health science, Hawassa, Ethiopia, Ethiopia
• ² Research and community service directorate; community based education and services coordinator, Hawassa, Ethiopia
• ³ Millenium Health Center, Hawassa City administration, Hawassa, Ethiopia
• ⁴ School of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia
• ⁵ Research and community service directorate director, Hawassa College of Health Sciences, Hawassa, Ethiopia
• ⁶ Wonsho Woreda Health Office, Sidama Regional Health Bureau, Sidama, Ethiopia, Ethiopia
• ⁷ Department of Public health, Hawassa College of health sciences, Hawassa, Ethiopia

Background: Despite poor menstrual hygiene practices exposing adolescent females to reproductive health problems, it has not been adequately studied in low-income countries. Due to a lack of proper information, the majority of teenage girls enter puberty without having prepared themselves. The aim of this study was to assess menstrual hygiene practice and associated factors among adolescent female students.: An institution-based cross-sectional study design was employed from March 10 to April 20, 2022. A random sample of 608 adolescent female students was included in the study. A multistage sampling was applied to employee study participants. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire administered through an interview technique. A logistic regression model was used to analyze the data using version 26 SPSS statistical software. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data. An adjusted odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval and a corresponding p-value <0.05 was used to measure the strength of association. Result: The prevalence of poor menstrual hygiene practices among adolescent girls was 28.4%. Poor knowledge of adolescent girls [AOR = 2.64, 95% CI: 1.74, 4.02], mothers' educational level [AOR = 0.86, 95% CI: 0.79, 0.94], fathers' occupation of private employers and daily laborers [AOR = 3.1, 95% CI: 1.46, 6.69] and [AOR = 1.98, 95% CI: 1.03, 3.8], and having hand washing facilities [AOR = 0.51, 95% CI: 0.34, 0.77] were significantly associated with poor menstrual hygiene management practices among adolescent schoolgirls.In this study, we determined the level of poor menstrual hygiene practice. We identified factors significantly associated with menstrual hygiene practices. Interventions should focus on creating awareness among adolescent girls, providing menstrual hygiene management facilities, and improving the educational and occupational levels of parents.