KNOWLEDGE, PRACTICE, AND FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH MENSTRUAL HYGIENE MANAGEMENT: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Introduction: Menstruation is a normal biological process, yet it remains taboo in many societies, resulting in inadequate menstrual hygiene management (MHM), misinformation, and health issues such as reproductive tract infections. Adolescent girls are particularly vulnerable due to limited access to information and safe sanitation facilities. This review evaluates current evidence on knowledge, practice, and factors affecting MHM to inform educational and policy-level interventions.   Method: A systematic review following PRISMA principles used. A systematic search was conducted on PubMed, Scopus, ResearchGate, and Google Scholar using the keywords like “menstrual hygiene, adolescent girls, knowledge, practices, school absenteeism”. A total of 40 peer-reviewed original research articles published between 2011 and 2021 were included, subject to predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The evaluation included studies from a variety of locations, including India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Ghana, Rwanda, and Tanzania. Data were extracted and organised into four categories: knowledge, practices, associated factors, and management techniques for menstrual hygiene.   Result: The review identifies major gaps in menstrual knowledge, particularly before to menarche, as well as prevalent beliefs, such as menstruation being a disease or curse. Mothers emerged as the primary source of information, albeit knowledge transfer was frequently poor. Hygiene practices varied greatly; metropolitan females used sanitary pads more frequently, whereas rural and low-income communities relied on cloth or other unsanitary options. The lack of access to private facilities, soap, safe water, and suitable disposal procedures exacerbated the problem. Socioeconomic position, maternal education, and urban location were consistently associated with improved behaviours, whereas cultural taboos reinforced stigma. Importantly, low MHM was highly associated with school absence, which hampered educational performance. Few intervention studies have found that structured school-based education and better WASH facilities significantly increase knowledge and habits.   Conclusion: Comprehensive menstrual teaching in schools, WASH infrastructure investment, subsidised period products, and community sensitisation to lessen stigma are just a few of the urgently needed integrated policy-level initiatives. To advance menstrual health fairness, cooperation between governments, educational institutions, medical professionals, and non-governmental organisations is crucial.   Keywords: Adolescent girls; Menstrual hygiene; Menstrual knowledge; Sanitary products; School absenteeism.