Assessment of menstrual knowledge, beliefs and hygiene practices among ethnic groups in isolated populations in Pakistan.

Abstract

Background: Knowledge about menstruation and menstrual hygiene significantly impacts women's health and it is often influenced by economic, cultural and religious factors.

Aim: To assess knowledge about menstruation and menstrual hygiene among the Kho and Kalash ethnic groups in Chitral, Pakistan.

Methods: From May to September 2023, this cross-sectional study collected data on knowledge about menstruation and menstrual hygiene practices from 415 Kho and 105 Kalash women in Pakistan. The data were analysed using SPSS version 22 and associations between the variable factors were analysed using chi-square test (P < 0.05).

Results: Respondents aged 14-20 years had better knowledge about menstruation than older adults and educated women were nearly 4 times more knowledgeable than illiterate women (49% vs 13%). Respondents with educated mothers had better knowledge about menstruation than those with illiterate mothers (52% vs 43%, P = 0.003). There was a significant difference in menstrual hygiene practices between Kalash and Kho women (P < 0.0001); Kalash women reported better practices than the Kho (90% vs 46%). The main sources of information about menstruation before menarche were friends (44%), mass media (21%) and elder sisters (13%).

Conclusion: Knowledge about menstruation and menstrual hygiene is poor among the study population, indicating the need for targeted interventions and policies to improve knowledge and hygiene practices, thereby improving menstrual health among the women.