Dear Kitesa,

I am glad that you have brought this topic back to the top by sharing your study. It is necessary that it is addressed frequently, as it requires the much-needed attention.  There are still several negative cultural attitudes associated with the subject in many parts of the world, just as highlighted in your study.

Unfortunately, women and girls in rural settings especially school-going girls have continued to experience stigma and lack of services and facilities to help them cope with the physical and psychological challenges they undergo during their menstrual periods. 

Despite the many issues faced by menstruating girls in schools, menstrual hygiene has not fully received the required adequate attention and resolve within the WASH sector and other sectors focusing on sexual and reproductive health, and education. This is seen in the continued lack of basic sanitation needs like running water and soap, resting and changing rooms and even doors to provide privacy for toilets in most schools in rural areas.

There are some similar discussions and publications on the platform that have useful information on the subject. Kindly follow the links provided to read more:

1. Menstrual hygiene management-a neglected issue: forum.susana.org/281-thematic-discussion...ls-a-neglected-issue 
2. Infrastructural barriers to menstrual hygiene management in schools: forum.susana.org/283-theme-2-infrastruct...ity-learning-for-all
3.  The importance of WASH in schools and how it empowers girls’ education: www.susana.org/_resources/documents/default/2-1738-
washinschoolsempowersgirlseducationproceedingsofvirtualmhmconference.pdf

These are some of the few among the many resources and discussions and you can find others by searching key words using the forum's search function.

Regards,
Chaiwe

... No water, no washing room, no safe resting room, no napkins for emergency menstrual bleeding. For this reason, I have no option ; rather left at home during my period... said one Female FDG participant from lemlem elementary school, Jimma Ethiopia courtesy of data collection for one assessment.  

Abstract :
The issue of menstrual hygiene is inadequately acknowledged and has not received proper attention. Furthermore, It has not gained policy or program
support. On the other hand, lack of adequate, safe and private sanitation facilities increase the suffering of pubescent school girls from health and psycho-social problems associated with the indignity experienced due to lack of a suitable place to change and dispose pads. Due to this, girls resort to use unhygienic practice or staying at home while on menstruation which affects their school attendance and performance rates.

The main objective of this study was to assess knowledge and practice of adolescent school girls towards menstrual hygiene and its determining factors in Boset district, East shewa zone, Oromia regional state of Ethiopia.
School based cross sectional study was employed and a multistage sampling technique was used to select 430 female high school students. Data collection was carried out from March 02-30, 2016 using pretested self administered questionnaire, Interview guideline and Focus group discussion (FGD). Data were entered, cleaned and analyzed using SPSS version 21.0. Finally Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was done at 95% confidence interval to assess independent effect of the predictors on the outcome variable.
In this study, 305(70.9%) and 302(70.2%) have good knowledge and practice of menstrual hygiene, respectively. There is significant positive association between in school girls knowledge about menstruation and menstrual hygiene with their educational status [(AOR)=1.5, 95%(C. I)=(3.7-6.8 )] as well as with their mothers' and senior sisters’ educational status [AOR=3.13, (95% CI)=1.32-7.37)]. Nevertheless, educational status of the respondents [AOR=2.844,
95% CI=(1.355-5.97)] and access to WASH facilities [AOR=2.54, 95% CI=(1.355-5.97)] showed significant association with their practice toward menstrual hygiene. Majority of students have good knowledge and practice towards menstrual hygiene and its management. Similar result were discovered from the FGD and observation conducted in the study. Therefore, students need to be counseled on menstrual hygiene management. Further, gender inclusive water and toilet facility should be offered in the schools.

Keywords: Menstruation, Menstrual Hygiene, Knowledge, Practice, Sanitary Pads

Author : To cite this article: Bacha Kitesa, Tadesse Getahun, Kasim Wako, Assessment of Knowledge and Practice of Adolescent In-School Girls Towards Menstrual Hygiene Management and Determining Factors in Lucy Village of Ethiopian Great Rift Valley, 2016, International Journal of Immunology. Vol. 4, No. 6, 2016, pp. 52-63. doi: 10.11648/j.iji.20160406.12