Table 4.
Reported perceptions of menstruation, menstrual management, pain and pain management among girls, by age at baseline
| Age <16 years | Age >16 years | |||||
| Baseline (n=115) | Endline (n=51) | APR (95% CI) APD (95% CI) |
Baseline (n=107) | Endline (n=132) | APR (95% CI) APD (95% CI) |
|
| ≥8 of 9 positive perceptions of menstruation* | 14 (12.2%) | 16 (31.4%) | 2.76 (1.10 to 25.19) 21.0% (7.2% to 34.9%) p=0.001 |
13 (12.2%) | 35 (26.5%) | 2.23 (1.26 to 3.95) 14.6% (5.2% to 24.1%) p<0.001 |
| Used manufactured menstrual materials only at LMP | 86 (74.8%) | 46 (90.2%) | 1.21 (1.06 to 1.39) 15.7% (4.6% to 26.8%) p=0.006 |
76 (71.0%) | 117 (88.6%) | 1.25 (1.10 to 1.42) 17.6% (8.0% to 27.2%) p<0.001 |
| Leaked blood at LMP | 37 (50.0%) | 12 (42.9%) | 0.84 (0.54 to 1.30) −8.2% (−27.5% to 11.1%) p=0.41 |
37 (45.1%) | 24 (32.4%) | 0.73 (0.49 to 1.09) −12.1% (−27.1% to 2.8%) p=0.11 |
| Underwear stained at LMP | 31 (27.0%) | 16 (31.4%) | 1.07 (0.67 to 1.71) 18.4% (−11.5% to 15.1%) p=0.79 |
21 (19.6%) | 34 (25.8%) | 1.28 (0.82 to 1.99) 5.6% (−4.3% to 15.5%) p=0.27 |
| Knew >4 effective pain management methods | 30 (24.2%) | 37 (67.3%) | 2.72 (1.93 to 3.84) 41.8% (27.9% to 55.7%) p<0.001 |
30 (27.8%) | 97 (72.9%) | 2.60 (1.93 to 3.51) 44.5% (34.3% to 54.7%) p<0.001 |
| Reported pain at last period | 79 (68.7%) | 36 (70.6%) | 1.00 (0.82 to 1.22) −0.01% (13.6% to 13.4%) p=0.99 |
86 (80.4%) | 94 (71.2%) | 0.89 (0.78 to 1.01) −9.1% (−19.1 to 0.9%) p=0.08 |
| Used >1 effective pain management method† | 57 (72.2%) | 34 (94.4%) | 1.31 (1.12 to 1.54) 22.5% (10.2% to 34.9%) p<0.001 |
69 (80.2%) | 85 (90.4%) | 1.13 (1.00 to 1.27) 10.0% (2.9% to 19.9%) p=0.05 |
| Used painkillers at LMP‡ | 32 (40.5%) | 21 (58.3%) | 1.45 (0.99 to 2.12) 18.2% (−1.6% to 37.5%) p=0.06 |
45 (52.3%) | 58 (61.7%) | 1.16 (0.92 to 1.46) 8.3% (−4.5% to 21.1%) p=0.21 |
| Used other effective methods‡ | 39 (49.4%) | 29 (80.6%) | 1.63 (1.24 to 2.15) 31.1% (14.0% to 48.1%) p<0.001 |
43 (50.0%) | 72 (76.6%) | 1.55 (1.25 to 1.92) 27.3% (15.2% to 39.4%) p<0.001 |
| Did nothing for pain at LMP† | 20 (25.3%) | 2 (5.6%) | 0.22 (0.05 to 0.89) −19.7% (−31.9% to −7.5%) p<0.001 |
17 (19.8%) | 7 (7.5%) | 0.36 (0.17 to 0.78) −12.8% (−21.8% to 3.7%) p<0.001 |
*Perception questions were (1) I prefer staying at home during my period rather than going to school; (2) I worry about being teased during my period; (3) During my period I feel less self-confident than during other days; (4) During my period I avoid physical activity (eg, walking, running); (5) I feel anxious about having my next period; (6) Boys tease me about my period; (7) Girls tease me about my period; (8) I feel comfortable to talk to other girls at school about my period; (9) If I had a problem with managing my period, I would talk to another girl about it.
†Effective methods (painkiller, drinking water, using hot water bottle, exercise, relaxing, foods with lots of water).
‡Among those with pain at LMP.
APD, adjusted prevalence difference; APR, adjusted prevalence ratio; LMP, last menstrual period.