KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICES ABOUT MENSTRUAL TABOO AMONG FEMALE COLLEGE STUDENTS

Parikshit Saklani, Udasi Krishna Dinesh and Srabani Bhattacharya*

ABSTRACT

This cross sectional study was conducted among 18+ years college going female students who are residing in urban and rural parts of India. Total number of respondents was 112. Among them 18 years- 27.67%, 19 years-31.25%, 20 years-21.43%, 21 years-15.18%, 22 years-4.46%. Among them 88.39% were from urban area and 11.61% were from rural area. Age at menarche, 10 years-2.58%, 11 years-3.57%, 12 years-19.64%, 13 years-25.89%, 14 years-28.57%, 15 years-13.39%, 16 years-4.46%, 18 years-1.79%. Among the respondents, they came to know about menstruation from books media-2.68%, female relatives-0.89%, Friends/peers-12.50%, from mother-51.79%, sister-2.68%, teachers-16.96%. The respondents reported during period if branded napkins aren't available, 50.89% of them use homemade napkins, 23.21% use tampons and 25.89 use some other variations. Domestic restrictions faced by 59.82 percent of respondents on entering prayer room and 7.14% on entering the kitchen. 1.78% of them answered yes regarding restrictions faced on stepping outside the house, 13.39% for restrictions faced on exercising/playing outdoor games. Education on these subjects should be envisaged as a long term and continuous process before menarche appears.

Keywords: Menstrual taboo, female students.