Table 4.

Factors associated with school absence during menstruation among Bangladeshi schoolgirls, 2013

	Absent during menstruation n (%*)	PD† (%)	95% CI	p Value	APD‡ %	95% CI	p Value
Feel uncomfortable at school during menstruation
Yes	284/287 (99)	66	(61 to 71)	0.000	58	54 to 63	<0.001
No	647/2045 (32)	–	–	–	–	–
Current perception about menstruation:
A normal biological process	357/959 (38)	–	–	–	–	–
No idea	455/1132 (40)	0.5	(−5.7 to 6.7)	0.998	–	–
A female illness	115/229 (52)	10	(0.2 to 18)	0.015	–	–
Believe menstrual problems interfere with school performance
Yes	480/756 (64)	36	(29 to 44)	0.000	27	(20 to 33)	<0.001
No	451/1576 (30)	–	–	–	–	–
Gender-separated toilet at school
Yes	400/1036 (36)	−5.0	(−11 to 0.5)	0.075	–	–
No	531/1296 (43)	-	-	-	-	-
Gender-separated unlocked toilet for girls at school
Yes	355/945 (35)	−5.5	(−11 to –0.5)	0.039	−5.4	(−10 to –1.6)	0.049
No	576/1387 (43)	–	–	–	–	–
School provided menstrual hygiene education session for girls
Yes	72/213 (40)	−1.5	(−11 to 14)	0.816	–	–
No	859/2119 (42)	–	–	–	–	–
Forbidden from any activities during menstruation
Yes	801/1970 (41)	10	(2.3 to 18)	0.011	9.1	(3.3 to 14)	0.008
No	130/362 (33)	–	–	–	–	–
Not allowed to go out during menstruation
Yes	263/604 (46)	5.9	(−0.6 to 12)	0.076	–	–
No	668/1728 (38)	–	–	–	–	–

*Weighted percentage for rural/urban balance and school size.

†Prevalence difference.

‡Adjusted prevalence difference calculated by adjusting for ‘feel uncomfortable at school during menstruation’, ‘believe menstrual problems interfere with school performance’, ‘unlocked toilet for girls at school’, ‘student’s age’ and ‘area of school (rural vs urban).