Prevalence, Socio-cultural Restrictions and Determinants of School Absenteeism during Menstruation among Adolescent School Girls in Bangalore

Introduction: Menstrual-related problems are one of the most common problems among adolescent girls and might adversely affect their performance in academic and other activities of daily life. Aims & Objectives: 1. To determine the prevalence of school absenteeism among adolescent school girls during menstruation. 2. To assess the restrictions which are imposed on adolescent school girls during menstruation. 3. To evaluate the various factors associated with school absenteeism during menstruation. Methods: A study was conducted by carrying out a questionnaire and focus group discussion between October 2019-January 2020 in seven schools of Bangalore city after obtaining the assent and informed consent signed by their parents. Result: The mean age of the girls was 14.45 ± 1.71. The proportion of school absenteeism during menstruation was (30.25%). The majority (89.25%) of the students among the school absentees missed one day of school during menstruation. Among the school absentees, pain/discomfort was one of the main reasons for missing school, accounting for (69.42%). (46.25%) of the students were restricted from any kind of religious activities. Pain during menstruation, shame, fear of leakage, lack of toilet or water supply, lack of a place to dispose of sanitary pads and absence of a private place to manage periods were some factors that were associated with school absenteeism during menstruation. Conclusion: Considerably high school absenteeism among adolescent girls due to menstruation was noted in this study, highlighting the need for improved interventions that reach girls at a young age.