Management of Menstrual Hygiene among School-Going Adolescent Girls in an Informal Settlement in Nairobi, Kenya, Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Puberty is a critical stage for key social-emotional changes and intellectual developments in the transition to adulthood. The lack of knowledge about menstruation and the inefficiency of resources to properly manage body changes consequently leads to anxiety and fear during the transition for some adolescents, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Every girl needs to have access to learning, wellbeing, and future forecasts about menstruation and guidance towards effective menstrual hygiene management. Several adolescent girls and women in informal settlements have a partial understanding of their bodies’ growth and development. Therefore, this study aims to assess the management of menstrual hygiene among school-going adolescent girls in Kibera, Nairobi City County, Kenya. A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used with cluster sampling in the selection of schools and a purposive sampling to recruit respondents for the study. A self-designed structured questionnaire, interview study guide, and an observation checklist were used. The data findings were analyzed using SPSS version 23. The study was conducted among 442 adolescent girls from 22 primary schools who resided in the area when the study was carried out. 80% of school-age adolescent girls in Kibera have general knowledge of menstruation being a normal process for the transition of every girl into womanhood. On the contrary, 20% consider it culturally unclean, as menstruation is still considered a taboo. Almost 98.8% of adolescents use some form of menstrual absorbent material, with 86% using a sanitary pad during menstruation. Most schools had separate toilets for boys and girls. Due to COVID-19 protocols, 96% of schools had a handwashing facility equipped with soap and water. However, 80% of the schools did not have water for menstrual hygiene. The findings of the study in Kibera recommend that schools introduce a specific reproductive health study guide to be incorporated for teaching menstruation in schools. Key words: Menstruation, school-going adolescents, management of menstrual hygiene.