. 2020 Feb 4;10(2):e031182. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-031182

Table 3.

Knowledge of puberty and menstruation, attitudes to menstruation and menstrual practices at baseline and endline, by gender

	Girls
	Baseline (n=232)	Endline (n=188)	APR (95% CI) APD (95% CI)	Baseline (n=218)	Endline (n=181)	APR (95% CI) APD (95% CI)
All nine knowledge questions correct*	27 (11.6%)	45 (23.9%)	2.18 (1.47 to 3.22) 13.4% (6.7% to 20.2%) p<0.001	9 (4.1%)	23 (12.7%)	3.07 (1.49 to 6.32) 8.5% (3.1% to 13.8%) p=0.002
Eight knowledge questions (excluding fertility question) correct*	70 (30.2%)	120 (63.8%)	2.13 (1.73 to 2.63) 34.1% (25.7% to 42.0%) p<0.001	42 (19.3%)	73 (40.3%)	1.91 (1.44 to 2.54) 18.3% (10.7% to 26.0%) p<0.001
All four myth questions correct†	39 (16.8%)	77 (41.0%)	2.54 (1.86 to 3.48) 25.3% (17.3% to 33.3%) p<0.001	22 (10.1%)	44 (24.3%)	2.56 (1.64 to 4.01) 15.2% (8.1% to 22.2%) p<0.001
All three menstrual cycle questions‡	12 (5.2%)	55 (29.3%)	6.38 (3.59 to 11.34) 25.8% (18.8% to 32.8%) p<0.001	4 (1.8%)	14 (7.7%)	3.70 (1.23 to 11.11) 5.3% (1.2% to 9.4%) p=0.02

*Knowledge statements were: (1) Adolescence is the time between puberty and adulthood; (2) Changes in the body during puberty happen because of hormones; (3) The physical changes related to puberty usually start between 10 and 14 years of age in girls, and between 12 and 16 in boys; (4) Menstrual blood comes from the stomach where food is digested; (5) Women stop menstruating after the age of about 45–50; (6) Menstruation in girls and women is normal; (7) Pregnant women menstruate; (8) When a girl gets her first period, her body is ready to have children; (9) During her period a girl can get pregnant.

†Myth statements were: (1) Painkillers cause problems having children; (2) When a girl has her period she is unclean; (3) Sanitary pads can cause sickness or infection; (4) It is healthy for a girl to run, dance or cycle during her period.

‡Menstrual cycle questions were: (1) What is period blood?; (2) How long does a period usually last?; (3) How many days are there usually between periods?.

APD, adjusted prevalence difference; APR, adjusted prevalence ratio.