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@#Hygienic practices during menstruation are of great importance. The lack of which increases emotional distress, anxiety, low self-esteem, feeling unclean and discrimination as well as the susceptibility of an individual to reproductive tract infections. This prospective study was an assessment of female students’ perception (knowledge, attitude and practices) regarding menstrual hygiene management (MHM) at the School of Medicine and Health Science (SMHS), University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG). Pretested questionnaire was distributed to 80 female students using a quantitative approach for data collection after obtaining ethical clearance. The responses were recorded in Excel Spread sheets. The data was statistically analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2013. All the participants learned through education that menstruation is a natural process in all females after puberty. Majority (90%) of the participants agreed with the proposed concept of free-distribution of sanitary pads to all female students by the SMHS student services. Further research on menstrual management options that are practical, sustainable and culturally acceptable must be conducted to inform future programs and policies that aim to empower young girls as they transition into womanhood.
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Objectives:apply the evaluation scale for the use of diapers and absorbent products (AUFA Scale) in patients admitted to the medical clinic; identify and analyze the results of this application, the sociodemographic profile of patients in vogue as well as repercussions on the skin related to the use of sanitary pads and diapers. Method: observational, cross-sectional, descriptive and exploratory study, carried out in the medical clinic sector of the University Hospital Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho (HUCFF/UFRJ), from November 2019 to February 2020, with a convenience sample of 46 patients. There was application of a form to survey general data and, later, the application of the AUFA scale, which identified the following variables: skin conditions, skin aging, cognitive ability, motor skills and incontinence. Results: all 46 patients were using diapers, half women and the other half men, mostly elderly and without a diagnosis of incontinence. In view of the application and analysis of the AUFA scale, only 18 patients (39.14%) were indicated for diaper use. With the inappropriate use of diapers, 27 patients had skin lesions resulting from moisture, a situation that was justified by the absence of systematic care observation for the prevention and treatment of dermatitis associated with incontinence in the evaluated patients. Conclusion:the use of the AUFA scale is indicated to identify patients who need to wear diapers, delimiting care with their management and thus preventing complications and worsening of incontinence.
Objetivos:aplicar a escala de avaliação do uso fraldas e absorventes (AUFA) nos pacientes internados na clínica médica; identificar e analisar os resultados dessa aplicação, o perfil sociodemográfico dos pacientes em vogo bem como repercussões à pele relacionadas ao uso de absorventes e fraldas. Método: estudo observacional transversal, descritivo e exploratório, realizado no setor de clínica médica do Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho (HUCFF/UFRJ), no período de novembro de 2019 a fevereiro de 2020, com amostra por conveniência de 46 pacientes. Ocorreu aplicação de ficha para levantamento de dados gerais e, após, a AUFA, que identificou as seguintes variáveis: condições da pele, envelhecimento da pele, capacidade cognitiva, capacidade motora e incontinências. Resultados: todos os 46 pacientes encontravam-se em uso de fralda, sendo metade mulheres e a outra metade homens, em grande maioria composta de idosos e sem diagnóstico de incontinência. Diante da aplicação e análise da AUFA, apenas 18 pacientes (39,14%) tinham indicação para uso de fraldas. Com o uso inadequado da fralda, 27 pacientes apresentaram lesão de pele decorrente de umidade, situação que se justificou pela ausência da observação de cuidados sistematizados para prevenção e tratamento de dermatite associada à incontinência nos pacientes avaliados. Conclusão: indica-se o uso da escala AUFA para identificar os pacientes que necessitam usar fralda, delimitando cuidados com seu manejo e prevenindo, assim, complicações e agravamentos da incontinência.
Objetivos:aplicar la escala de evaluación del uso pañales y toallas sanitarias (AUFA) en los pacientes internados en la clínica médica; identificar y analizar los resultados de esta aplicación, el perfil sociodemográfico de los pacientes en estudio, así como repercusiones para la piel relacionadas al uso de toallas sanitarias y pañales. Método: estudio observacional transversal, descriptivo y exploratorio, realizado en el sector de clínica médica del Hospital Universitario Clementino Fraga Filho (HUCFF/UFRJ), en el período de noviembre del 2019 a febrero del 2020, con muestra por conveniencia de 46 pacientes. Ocurrió la aplicación de ficha para el levantamiento de datos generales y, después, la AUFA, que identificó las siguientes variables: condiciones de la piel, envejecimiento de la piel, capacidad cognitiva, capacidad motora e incontinencias. Resultados: los 46 pacientes se encontraban en uso de pañal, siendo mitad mujeres y la otra mitad hombres, en gran mayoría compuesta por ancianos y sin diagnóstico de incontinencia. Ante la aplicación y análisis de la AUFA, solamente 18 pacientes (39,14%) tenían indicación para el uso de pañales. Con el uso inadecuado del pañal, 27 pacientes presentaron lesión de piel derivada de humedad, situación que se justificó por la ausencia de la observación de cuidados sistematizados para prevención y tratamiento de dermatitis asociada a la incontinencia en los pacientes evaluados. Conclusión: se indica el uso de la escala AUFA para identificar a los pacientes que necesitan usar pañal, delimitando cuidados con su manejo y previniendo, así, complicaciones y agravamientos de la incontinencia.
Subject(s)
Urinary Incontinence , Nursing , Absorbent Pads , Disease Prevention , Enterostomal Therapy , Nursing CareABSTRACT
Background: Girls in low and middle-income countries (LMIC) lack access to hygienic and affordable menstrual products. We explore Kenyan schoolgirls’ use and views of the cup compared to girls provided with disposable sanitary pads for a feasibility study.Methods: Schoolgirls aged 14-16 years, received a menstrual cup in 10 schools or 16 pads/month in another10 schools. All were trained by nurses on puberty, hand washing, and product use. They self-completed a net book survey at baseline and twice a term during a year follow-up. We examined their reported ease of insertion and removal, also comfort, soreness, and pain with product use. An aggregate ‘acceptability’ score was compiled for each product and girls’ socio-demographic and menstrual characteristics were compared.Results: 195 participants received cups and 255 pads. Mean age was 14.6 years, menarchial age was 13.6 years, with an average 3.8 days menses per month. Cup use was 39% in month 1, rising to 80% by month 12 (linear trend p<0.001). Pad use rose from 85% to 92% (linear trend p=0.15). Measures of cup acceptability demonstrated girls had initial problems using the cup but reported difficulties with insertion, removal and comfort reduced over time. Girls using pads reported fewer acceptability issues. At baseline, approximately a quarter of girls in the pad arm reported inserting pads intravaginally although this was significantly lower among girls with prior experience of pad use (aRR 0.62; 0.45-0.87).Conclusions: While a smaller proportion of girls provided with cups used them in the first months compared to girls given pads, reported use was similar by study-end, and early acceptability issues reduced over time. Girls in LMIC may successfully and comfortably use cups, but require instruction, support and some persistence.
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Background: The knowledge of the proper use, disposal of sanitary pads, and its related side effects during menstruation is a vital aspect of a woman’s well-being. Use of sanitary pads appropriately and replacing them on time are essential practices needed to maintain menstrual hygiene. Failure to do so may lead to detrimental consequences that could affect the health of women and make them susceptible to reproductive tract infections. Objectives were to assess a range of factors considered by female about the usage of sanitary pads and the various methods employed regarding its disposal.Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted from March to June 2018, in the city of Karachi, by students of Jinnah Sindh Medical University. A sampling technique was used to select 391 females. Data collection was carried out using a structured questionnaire, by convenience sampling. Response of the participants was acquired using a 5-point Likert scale.Results: In total, 391 females from the city took part in this study; their ages ranging between 15-45 years. 95.7% of these females preferred sanitary pads over cloth, tampons, menstrual cups and toilet paper. Many women using sanitary pads believed, pads should be replaced often while menstruating and failure to do so may increase the risk of contracting infections (p≤0.01).Conclusions: The findings showed that a significant number of women are aware of the risks associated with sanitary napkins and have adequate knowledge related to its proper usage. The study also presented no significant risk of adverse effects associated with the use of sanitary pads.
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Background: Poor menstrual hygiene and inadequate self-care are major determinants of morbidity and other complications among adolescent age groups. Some of these problems include urinary tract infections, scabies in the vaginal area, abnormal abdominal pain, and absence from school. Due to the silence prevailing in developing countries related to the topic of menstruation and related issues, many young girls lack appropriate information on menstrual hygiene. Learning about menstrual hygiene is a vital part of health education for adolescent girls so that they can continue to work and maintain hygienic habits throughout their adult life. Objectives: The objectives of this study were (1) to assess the knowledge of students about menstrual hygiene and the diseases contracted if the standards of hygiene are not maintained and (2) to educate and increase the awareness of the students about the proper hygiene to be maintained during the cycle and about the risks. Materials and Methods: This was a two-point cross-sectional study, carried out during October–December 2017 among 200 adolescent school going girl students of Government Hamidia Girls School, Bhopal. MS Excel and Epi info version 6 were used for statistical analysis. The study population was interviewed through pre-tested and pre-designed questionnaire, and intervention in the form of audiovisual presentations was given. Results: Of 200 students studied, majority, i.e., 71% of the girls was aged between 15 and 17 years. Only 38% of the girls were aware of menstruation before menarche. The main source of information about menstruation and menstrual hygiene was their mother in about 54% of girls. 76% of the girls used sanitary pads during menstruation. Conclusion: The present study shows the need for adolescent girls to have accurate and adequate information about menstruation. The study revealed that the knowledge on menstruation is poor and the hygiene practiced is often suboptimal. Awareness among adolescent girls regarding menstruation has increased in recent times, but lot more can be done to improve menstrual health management awareness among adolescent girls for addressing those problems.
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Background: Adolescent girls constitute 1/5th of total female population in the world. Poor personal hygiene and defective menstrual management practices among adolescents give rise to repeated reproductive tract infections (RTIs) which are otherwise preventable. So the present study was undertaken to study the knowledge, status of hygiene and practices regarding menstruation among adolescent girls. The objectives of the study were to study the knowledge and practices of menstrual hygiene among study population and to identify beliefs, perception regarding menstruation and menstrual practices among the study population.Methods: A cross-sectional study was done in the month of November 2017 in the rural field practice area of the Department of Community Medicine, Andhra Medical College, Visakhapatnam. The study was done in a high school selected by simple random sampling among 400 adolescent girls who had attained menarche and were present in the schools during the days of survey after obtaining Institutional Ethics Committee approval, permission from the school authority and informed consent was taken from study participants. The sample size was calculated Using 4PQ/L2 with 5% absolute precision (p=36% from previous studies).Results: Mean age of study participants was 14.2yrs ±1.05. About 206(48.4%) knew about menstrual cycle before their menarche. Majority of study participants (78.3%) used sanitary pad as protective material. Regarding hygienic practices during menstruation 78.8% had daily bath.Conclusions: Awareness about menarche before its onset was still poor in rural areas.