ATTITUDE AND PERCEPTION OF MENSTRUAL WASTE MANAGEMENT AMONG FEMALE STUDENTS IN FEDERAL COLLEGE OF EDUCATION YOLA ADAMAWA STATE

Background of the Study: Menstrual hygiene management is described as the process whereby “women and adolescent girls use a clean menstrual hygiene management (MHM) material to absorb or collect blood that can be changed in privacy as often as necessary for the duration of the menstruation period, using soap and water for washing their bodies as required and having access to facilities to dispose of used menstrual management material” (UNICEF, WHO 2014). Schools are potentially important settings in relation to MHM. Lack of appropriate facilities such as gender segregated improved toilet facilities, adequate safe water supply in schools for washing hands and soiled clothes, facility for drying of clothes and absence of sanitary menstrual materials can prevent girls from safe hygienic management of their menstruation. These may result to absenteeism, reduced level of concentration in class, low participation in outside school activities like sports and school clean-up. (Sommer and Sahin 2013) There is a global evidence of lack of adequate guidance, facilities and materials for girls to manage their menstruation in school. These neglected public health, social and educational issues require prioritization, coordination and investment (Sommer,2016). In Nigeria, especially among schoolgirls and women, there is a 'culture of silence' and shame regarding issues of sexuality and menstruation that are attributed to cultural restrictions. These prevent sufficient information from reaching girls and women. (Onyegegbu, 2014). Studies in Nigeria by Aniebue (2009) reported that mothers do not educate their daughters about the onset of menstruation, its duration, or healthy practices. Girls often seek information from their peers, friends, or siblings who relay superstitions and incorrect information which leads to fear and anxiety among the girls. Aluko described the consequences attached to this biological phenomenon as unfair and unjust. (Aluko, 2014) Multiple research findings to date in Nigeria have demonstrated varying perceptions, beliefs, knowledge, attitudes and practices related to MHM. There is the belief that menstruation is an unclean and secret issue which should not be discussed. In some communities/areas menstruating women do not cook for their husbands especially those who are traditionalists. They are not permitted to collect water from the public ponds especially traditional sources. They are not allowed to perform certain religious rites.(UNICEF, GHARF Report2008). Furthermore, research finding showed that girls' capacity to manage their periods is affected by lack of access to affordable hygienic sanitary materials disposal options for used materials, adequate water supply, clean toilets, hand washing facilities and access to changing rooms. If these facilities are not always available in school, it exposes many girls to manage their periods with great discomfort and in unhygienic conditions. (Olukanni, 2013).There are gaps in the literature regarding variation in knowledge, attitudes and practices of MHM. This study aims to understand the attitude and perception of menstrual waste management among female students in federal college of education Yola Adamawa stat.

​​​​​​​Statement of the Problem

Regarding attitude towards menstruation, studies show that about half of adolescent girls have a positive attitude towards menstrual hygiene management (Yadav et al., 2017). In India for example, menstruating adolescent girls experience religious restrictions with a quarter (24%) of them missing school during periods (Van Eijk et al., 2016). In Uganda, findings by (Miiro et al., 2018) suggest nearly a fifth of adolescent female students missed school due to pains associated with menstruation. Additionally, menstruation is considered a curse, disease or sin by adolescent girls in Uganda (Boosey et al., 2014). Prior to receiving health education at school, 72.4% of girls in India considered menstrual blood impure ( Nemade et al., 2009). Adolescent girls also refrained from household work including cooking or performing religious activities during menstruation. In developing countries, absenteeism in schools due to menstruation range from 2% of urban-adolescents in Nigeria to 61.7% of their rural counterparts in Uganda (Chandra-Mouli & Patel, 2017). Early menarche is associated with early sexual initiation, early pregnancy, early marriage and some sexually transmitted infections among adolescent girls in low and middle-income countries (Ibitoye et al., 2017). Among adolescent female students in Bangladesh, discomfort at school during menstruation, restriction from performing any activity during menstruation and perception that menstrual problems interfered with school performance were associated with absenteeism (Alam et al., 2017). Therefore, this study examines the attitude and perception of menstrual waste management among female students in federal college of education Yola Adamawa state