Table 3.
Perceptions of study participants on socio-cultural practices associated with menstruation, measured using the Likert scale
| Perception of practices during Menstruation (N = 1342) | Strongly agree N (%)a |
Agree N (%)a |
Strongly disagree N (%)a |
Disagree N (%)a |
Neither agree nor disagree N (%)a |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Okay for women to practice Chhaupadi | 13 (1.0) | 22 (1.6) | 693 (51.6) | 322 (24.0) | 292 (21.8) |
| Tree/ plant will spoil if a menstruating woman touches it | 29 (2.2) | 93 (6.9) | 681 (50.8) | 345 (25.7) | 194 (14.4) |
| Does not matter if a menstruating woman touches a male family member | 343 (25.6) | 613 (45.7) | 175 (13.0) | 160 (11.9) | 51 (3.8) |
| Important for women to eat separately while menstruating | 18 (1.4) | 101 (7.5) | 647 (48.2) | 525 (39.1) | 51 (3.8) |
| Better if women do not eat dairy products while menstruating | 25 (1.9) | 97 (7.2) | 571 (42.5) | 546 (40.7) | 103 (7.7) |
| Important to purify all bed clothes after use on 4th day of menstruation | 103 (7.7) | 687 (51.2) | 183 (13.6) | 202 (15.1) | 167 (12.4) |
| Good to have specific sets of clothes to wear during menstruation | 44 (3.3) | 235 (17.5) | 365 (27.2) | 530 (39.5) | 168 (12.5) |
| Good that women do not enter kitchen during menstruation | 28 (2.1) | 161 (12.0) | 474 (35.3) | 577 (43.0) | 102 (7.6) |
| Women should not go to places of worship while menstruating | 94 (7.0) | 692 (51.6) | 167 (12.4) | 206 (15.4) | 183 (13.6) |
| It is considerate not to attend religious gatherings while menstruating | 98 (7.3) | 552 (41.2) | 188 (14.0) | 289 (21.5) | 215 (16.0) |
| A woman should be able to go wherever she wants irrespective of menstrual cycle status | 304 (22.6) | 793 (59.1) | 92 (6.9) | 95 (7.1) | 58 (4.3) |
| Women should be able to use the washroom in the home when menstruating | 300 (22.4) | 687 (51.2) | 136 (10.1) | 180 (13.4) | 39 (2.9) |
| When menstruating it is monthly rest/ holiday for women not to go to the kitchen to cook | 137 (10.2) | 709 (52.8) | 122 (9.1) | 215 (16.0) | 159 (11.9) |
| Nice for women to not have to cook while menstruating | 47 (3.5) | 295 (22.0) | 230 (17.1) | 584 (43.5) | 186 (13.9) |
| A woman should be able to rest whenever she wants to | 360 (26.8) | 781 (58.2) | 67 (5.0) | 65 (4.8) | 69 (5.2) |
Notes: n (%)a = Frequency (row percentages)