Evaluation of a Menstrual Hygiene Education Program for Adolescent Girls in Rural India.

Objective: To assess the impact of a pharmacist-mediated education program on menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls in and around Balagangadaranatha (BG) Nagara, India.

Design: Pre- and postintervention study conducted over 6 months.

Setting/local problem: Adolescent girls in India, especially in rural areas, may lack proper knowledge and a supportive atmosphere to deal with menstruation-related concerns. Many myths and taboos also make it difficult or impossible to find accurate information about menstruation and menstrual hygiene.

Participants: The sample included 585 female high school students who had begun menstruation and lived in and around BG Nagara, India.

Intervention: An educational training session provided information about the menstrual cycle, sanitary products, proper disposal practices, and menstrual disorders. Information addressed the psychological and social dimensions of menstruation to mitigate stigma. Educational leaflets about personal menstruation hygiene practices were also provided.

Results: Pre- and posttests were administered to assess participants' knowledge of and practices regarding menstrual hygiene. Pretest scores indicated that 43.8% (n = 164) of participants had good knowledge of menstruation, 86% (n = 503) used sanitary pads, and 73.2% (n = 428) thought that increasing nutritious food was necessary during menstruation. Posttest scores indicated an increase in all areas (p < .001).

Conclusion: Health education was associated with an improvement in female high school students' knowledge of and practices related to menstrual hygiene. More menstrual health education strategies and awareness programs are needed to improve the knowledge and health of adolescent girls.