FACTORS AFFECTING SCHOOL ABSENCE AMONG SCHOOLGIRLS IN SOUTH TANGERANG, INDONESIA

Abstract

Background: Adolescent girls often have limited knowledge regarding reproductive health including menstruation, and challenges associated with menstruation may affect girls’ school attendance. This study aimed to examine factors associated with school absence during menstruation among schoolgirls. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted in nine elementary schools in the South Tangerang City. The information included the schoolgirls’ demographic background, menarche age, duration of menstrual, dysmenorrhea, knowledge about menstruation, and source of information related to menstruation. Participants were 133 schoolgirls who had experienced first menstruation. Chi-square test and logistic regression were used for data analysis. Results: The frequency of schoolgirls who missed school during menstruation was slightly high (19%). Absentee schoolgirls missed an average of 2.4 days each menstrual cycle, and main reasons for school absence were fear of leakage (69%), pain/discomfort (62%), and boys ridiculed (19%). Poor knowledge about menstruation (AOR = 5.24; 95 % CI = 1.69-16.30) and dysmenorrhea (AOR = 6.05; 95% CI: 1.32-27.69) revealed significant positive association with school absence during menstruation (p<0.05), while mother’s education had significantly prevented the schoolgirls from school absence during menstruation (p<0.05). Conclusion: Factors affecting school absence of schoolgirls included knowledge of menstruation, dysmenorrhea, and mother’s education status. The findings suggest that providing knowledge and menstrual management could benefit on reducing school absenteeism among schoolgirls due to menarche at school.