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Assessment of Menstruation-Associated Absenteeism Among School Girls in Jalingo: Cost-Effective Interventions for Resource-Constrained Settings

Received: 26 June 2023     Accepted: 12 July 2023     Published: 31 July 2023
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Abstract

Grave concerns have been raised about the limitations that inadequate menstrual hygiene management (MHM) imposes on girls, especially in developing countries. This study follows up on the previous work on the subject done in Jalingo, Nigeria by Nnennaya et al, but specifically on menstruation-associated school absenteeism and its impact on academic output. Data extraction was done on the responses generated by Nnennaya et al; re-adapted for variables reflective of school absenteeism; subjected to content and comparative analyses; and extrapolated to quantify school absenteeism and its impact on academic output. Appropriate remedial interventions were deduced. Menstruation-associated absenteeism led to a loss of 20% of active school-days and 13.06% decline in school-based productivity. Excuses from class to attend to MHM needs resulted to a loss of 12.5% of active class-hours/day, a loss of 3 man-hours/month, and a decline of 0.86% in school-based productivity. Menstruation-associated absenteeism imposed on girls a disadvantage in academic performance of 2.9 – 5.5% compared to boys. These losses combined with other social pressures of MHM to nudge many girls to drop out of school. Menstruation-associated school absenteeism among adolescent school girls in Jalingo was high, affected their academic performance adversely and predisposed the girls towards school drop-out. Sustainable remedies in such high resource-constrained setting include: extensive enlightenment, counseling and demonstration sessions on MHM; promoting universal access to free reusable sanitary pads; and provision of affordable OB14-CLCA type latrines in schools.

Published in Journal of Health and Environmental Research (Volume 9, Issue 3)
DOI 10.11648/j.jher.20230903.11
Page(s) 76-82
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2023. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Girl-Child Education, Menstrual Hygiene Management, Period-Poverty, Poverty Alleviation, School Dropout, Stigmatization, Taboo, WASH

References
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Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Emmanuel Chukwuma Obiano, Esther Nnennaya Umahi, Brenda Isikekpei, Kolawole Sodeinde, Sonnen Atinge, et al. (2023). Assessment of Menstruation-Associated Absenteeism Among School Girls in Jalingo: Cost-Effective Interventions for Resource-Constrained Settings. Journal of Health and Environmental Research, 9(3), 76-82. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jher.20230903.11

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    ACS Style

    Emmanuel Chukwuma Obiano; Esther Nnennaya Umahi; Brenda Isikekpei; Kolawole Sodeinde; Sonnen Atinge, et al. Assessment of Menstruation-Associated Absenteeism Among School Girls in Jalingo: Cost-Effective Interventions for Resource-Constrained Settings. J. Health Environ. Res. 2023, 9(3), 76-82. doi: 10.11648/j.jher.20230903.11

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    AMA Style

    Emmanuel Chukwuma Obiano, Esther Nnennaya Umahi, Brenda Isikekpei, Kolawole Sodeinde, Sonnen Atinge, et al. Assessment of Menstruation-Associated Absenteeism Among School Girls in Jalingo: Cost-Effective Interventions for Resource-Constrained Settings. J Health Environ Res. 2023;9(3):76-82. doi: 10.11648/j.jher.20230903.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.jher.20230903.11,
      author = {Emmanuel Chukwuma Obiano and Esther Nnennaya Umahi and Brenda Isikekpei and Kolawole Sodeinde and Sonnen Atinge and Emmanuel Ogechukwu Okondu and Hyacinth Chukwudi Okoye and Peter Chidiebere Okorie},
      title = {Assessment of Menstruation-Associated Absenteeism Among School Girls in Jalingo: Cost-Effective Interventions for Resource-Constrained Settings},
      journal = {Journal of Health and Environmental Research},
      volume = {9},
      number = {3},
      pages = {76-82},
      doi = {10.11648/j.jher.20230903.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jher.20230903.11},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.jher.20230903.11},
      abstract = {Grave concerns have been raised about the limitations that inadequate menstrual hygiene management (MHM) imposes on girls, especially in developing countries. This study follows up on the previous work on the subject done in Jalingo, Nigeria by Nnennaya et al, but specifically on menstruation-associated school absenteeism and its impact on academic output. Data extraction was done on the responses generated by Nnennaya et al; re-adapted for variables reflective of school absenteeism; subjected to content and comparative analyses; and extrapolated to quantify school absenteeism and its impact on academic output. Appropriate remedial interventions were deduced. Menstruation-associated absenteeism led to a loss of 20% of active school-days and 13.06% decline in school-based productivity. Excuses from class to attend to MHM needs resulted to a loss of 12.5% of active class-hours/day, a loss of 3 man-hours/month, and a decline of 0.86% in school-based productivity. Menstruation-associated absenteeism imposed on girls a disadvantage in academic performance of 2.9 – 5.5% compared to boys. These losses combined with other social pressures of MHM to nudge many girls to drop out of school. Menstruation-associated school absenteeism among adolescent school girls in Jalingo was high, affected their academic performance adversely and predisposed the girls towards school drop-out. Sustainable remedies in such high resource-constrained setting include: extensive enlightenment, counseling and demonstration sessions on MHM; promoting universal access to free reusable sanitary pads; and provision of affordable OB14-CLCA type latrines in schools.},
     year = {2023}
    }
    

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    T1  - Assessment of Menstruation-Associated Absenteeism Among School Girls in Jalingo: Cost-Effective Interventions for Resource-Constrained Settings
    AU  - Emmanuel Chukwuma Obiano
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    AU  - Brenda Isikekpei
    AU  - Kolawole Sodeinde
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    AU  - Hyacinth Chukwudi Okoye
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    JF  - Journal of Health and Environmental Research
    JO  - Journal of Health and Environmental Research
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    AB  - Grave concerns have been raised about the limitations that inadequate menstrual hygiene management (MHM) imposes on girls, especially in developing countries. This study follows up on the previous work on the subject done in Jalingo, Nigeria by Nnennaya et al, but specifically on menstruation-associated school absenteeism and its impact on academic output. Data extraction was done on the responses generated by Nnennaya et al; re-adapted for variables reflective of school absenteeism; subjected to content and comparative analyses; and extrapolated to quantify school absenteeism and its impact on academic output. Appropriate remedial interventions were deduced. Menstruation-associated absenteeism led to a loss of 20% of active school-days and 13.06% decline in school-based productivity. Excuses from class to attend to MHM needs resulted to a loss of 12.5% of active class-hours/day, a loss of 3 man-hours/month, and a decline of 0.86% in school-based productivity. Menstruation-associated absenteeism imposed on girls a disadvantage in academic performance of 2.9 – 5.5% compared to boys. These losses combined with other social pressures of MHM to nudge many girls to drop out of school. Menstruation-associated school absenteeism among adolescent school girls in Jalingo was high, affected their academic performance adversely and predisposed the girls towards school drop-out. Sustainable remedies in such high resource-constrained setting include: extensive enlightenment, counseling and demonstration sessions on MHM; promoting universal access to free reusable sanitary pads; and provision of affordable OB14-CLCA type latrines in schools.
    VL  - 9
    IS  - 3
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Department of Environmental Health Science, Taraba State University, Jalingo, Nigeria

  • Department of Public Health, Taraba State University, Jalingo, Nigeria

  • Department of Community Health and Primary Care, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria

  • Department of Community Medicine, Babcock University Teaching Hospital, Ilesan-Remo, Nigeria

  • Taraba State Health Services Management Board, Jalingo, Nigeria

  • Department of Human Kinetics and Health Education, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria

  • Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Precision Laboratories, Awka, Nigeria

  • Department of Dental Health, Federal College of Dental Technology and Therapy, Enugu, Nigeria

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