MENSTRUAL HYGIENE PRACTICE AMONG ADOLESCENT IN ABIA STATE

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Menstruation is one of the physiological processes in the life of females in the reproductive age. Just like any other physiological process, it will be safe, convenient and dignified if girls are provided with adequate information on menstruation, have access to adequate menstrual materials and water, sanitation and privacy. Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) is the utilization of adequate menstrual management materials that are required to absorb and/or contain blood during menstruation; the need to change menstrual management materials as required; the need for soap and water to wash the body (and menstrual management materials if required); and access to appropriate facilities to change and dispose of menstrual management materials. Menstrual health not only includes hygiene practices during menstruation but is also part of adolescent health education and gender equality.

Further research is emerging to indicate that issues surrounding menstruation health are most prevalent in developing nations. In particular, a systematic review conducted in 2026 on menstrual health and hygiene in Nigeria and some other west African countries indicated that lack of adequate materials for managing menstruation, lack of proper sanitation facilities, socio-economic disparity, cultural stigmatization, and lack of educational resources were some of the significant barriers to managing menstrual hygiene (Kuponiyi & Amubode, 2026).

Adolescence is a critical time in the formation of positive behavior concerning personal and reproductive health. The experience of the onset of menstruation among most females may be characterized by fear, embarrassment, confusion, and anxiety, especially when enough information has not been given to them prior to the menarche. Increasingly, in Nigeria, there is acknowledgment that menstrual health education is a vital tool that can be used in overcoming stigma surrounding menstruation. UNICEF Nigeria, in 2025, found out that menstrual hygiene education programs were enabling Nigerian adolescent girls to gain knowledge and confidence regarding menstruation (UNICEF Nigeria, 2025).

Some of the hygiene practices associated with menstruation include: use of menstrual absorbent, changing frequency of the menstrual absorbent, washing of the genital region, hand washing before and after changing of the menstrual absorbent, and disposing of used menstrual absorbent. This is because poor menstrual hygiene practices may result from inadequate information or affordability to use the right menstrual absorbents. The problem may thus be present even if the girl knows what good menstrual hygiene is..

Financial status can play a role when it comes to menstrual hygiene. A qualitative study carried out in 2026 among school-going girls in Ibadan, Nigeria, revealed that the mothers of these young girls normally supplied menstrual items and money to them, whereas some girls used to get money from other relatives, friends, or male partners. It was reported that lack of financial resources needed to buy the necessary items could place such girls at risk of depending upon unhealthy things and others. This example proves that menstrual hygiene is related not only to health but also to financial status.

The other crucial factor influencing menstrual hygiene practices is the physical school environment. Adolescent girls need good quality, functional toilets, water, soap, changing facilities, and proper disposal methods. As noted by WHO in 2025, WASH facilities and menstrual health practices in schools are vital in safeguarding the health and dignity of girls, hence giving them opportunities for education (World Health Organization, 2025). World Health Organization Likewise, in 2026, research carried out on secondary school girls in Nasarawa West, Nigeria explored the impact of WASH facility availability on school attendance during menstrual periods (Kasali et al., 2026).

The topic becomes even more relevant in educational institutions, as it is there that adolescent girls spend the majority of their day time. Without adequate menstrual facilities, a girl might feel uncomfortable, the fear of staining her clothing, inability to concentrate on the subject matter, feeling embarrassed, etc. It follows, thus, that the atmosphere at school might be conducive for good menstrual hygiene..

The research is concerned with adolescent students of Abia State College of Health Sciences and Management Technology (ABSCOMAT). This institution is known as one of the public health training institutions in Abia State, and the Abia State Ministry of Health has included this college in the agencies within the health sector of the state. It is because of the knowledge about health that should be had by the students in a health sciences institution that the assessment of their practices becomes very important. Knowledge about health does not always ensure the proper practice of hygiene; therefore, it is necessary to assess the actual practices among adolescent students..

Thus, the purpose of this study is to evaluate menstrual hygiene practices among adolescent students in Abia State College of Health Sciences and Management Technology, Aba. This study will evaluate knowledge about menstruation and menstrual hygiene among the respondents, menstrual materials used by them, hygiene practice during menstruation, availability of water and sanitation facilities, disposal of menstrual material, and any other factors that could affect their practices. The results obtained through the study could be helpful in promoting good menstrual hygiene practices among the adolescent students.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

While menstruation is a physiological process, many adolescent girls still encounter problems associated with management of their menstrual cycles. The challenges faced could include insufficient information on menstruation, lack of affordable menstrual items, poor sanitation, lack of appropriate water and sanitation, lack of privacy, improper disposal of menstrual items, among others.

The current findings from West Africa suggest that these issues are still pertinent. For instance, Kuponiyi and Amubode (2026) have listed socioeconomic inequalities, stigma, lack of appropriate menstrual items, inadequate WASH infrastructure, and education as important barriers to menstrual health in the region. OOUP Academic Additionally, Frost et al. (2026) have shown that economic instability might impede adolescent girls from acquiring menstrual items.

Even though menstrual hygiene has become an issue of great importance over time, very little information has been provided through recent studies regarding menstrual hygiene practices of adolescent students of ABSCOMAT, Aba. With the absence of institution-based information, it might not be easy for the concerned authority to know the problems being faced by the students in this respect and design relevant interventions accordingly. Hence, the current study aims at examining the menstrual hygiene practices of adolescent students of ABSCOMAT, Aba.

1.3 Aim of the Study

The main aim of this study is to assess menstrual hygiene practices among adolescents in Abia State College of Health Sciences and Management Technology, Aba, Abia State.

1.5 Research Questions

The following research questions will guide the study:

How much do the adolescents know about menstrual hygiene at ABSCOMAT?

What are the practices of menstrual hygiene observed by the students?

What are the types of menstrual absorbents used by the students?

Are there facilities that can help in practicing menstrual hygiene?

What determines the practices of menstrual hygiene of the students?

What is the relationship between knowledge and menstrual hygiene practices of the students?

1.7 Significance of the Study

The results from this study can be beneficial to the student, school management, health educators, policy-makers, parents, and researchers. The students can benefit in terms of knowledge of correct practices of menstrual-hygiene. The management of ABSCOMAT can benefit from the findings through identifying the lack of water sanitation and privacy as well as support for menstrual health. The health educators can use the findings to help them design correct education programs for menstrual health.

This study can also benefit the parents to help them understand the importance of ensuring that the adolescents have access to menstrual materials and information. This study can also be of benefit to the policymakers and public-health officers in terms of designing interventions that will enhance the menstrual health of adolescent girls. The findings of this study can be of benefit to future researchers who will be conducting studies on menstrual hygiene among adolescents in Abia state and Nigeria.