EFFECTIVENESS OF EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTION ON MENSTRUAL HYGIENIC PRACTICES AMONG ADOLESCENT GIRLS OF SLUM

Pallavi Nayak* and R. N. Mishra

ABSTRACT

Introduction: In Indian society poor menstrual hygiene cause 70% of all reproductive diseases that is attributed to poor knowledge of menstrual hygiene resulting to poor practice. Slums adolescents are likely to suffer, because living in the poor and traditional community with lowest literacy. The educational intervention to improve their knowledge and practice is highly needed but requires the evaluation of effectiveness for further plan of action. Material and methods: Present analysis is one of the specific objectives of the main study carried on 562 adolescents of Varanasi slum. The intervention and control groups were made comparable by stratified block randomization in the ratio of 2:5 as sample size decided was 50 and 125 respectively. The educational intervention given was on four core components through pamphlet followed by individual counseling. The analysis to assess the effectiveness was judged by t test, 2 test and multivariable logistic regression. The statistical significance was seen at α = 5%. Observations and Results: All the adolescents in both the groups were lacking for at least one or all the core components. After 6 months of intervention, though the practice of at least one component increased in both the groups, but the increase in intervention group was 94.0%; higher by 20% compared to controls. Control group adolescent were about 9 times (OR = 9.05; 95% CI: 1.96 – 41.93) at higher risk of improvement of correct menstrual hygienic practices. Conclusion: Based on the impact of educational intervention in other and present study, it is suggested that adolescents of slums need proper education to promote the correct menstrual hygienic practice at least on four core components.

Keywords: .