STUDY ON KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICES OF MENSTRUAL HEALTH AMONG TRIBAL ADOLESCENT GIRLS IN MAHARASHTRA

Background: Menstrual health awareness remains a critical challenge among tribal adolescent girls in Maharashtra, where socio-cultural barriers compound the challenges of adolescent development. This observational study aims to assess the current status of menstrual health awareness, practices and restrictions observed during menstruation by tribal adolescent girls. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted among 420 tribal adolescent girls of 10-18 years from selected schools across six tribal blocks of Maharashtra over six months. Data was collected using a pre-tested, structured questionnaire covering domains of menstrual knowledge, hygiene practices, cultural beliefs and taboos affecting menstrual health. Systematic random sampling was done to select participants from the participant schools. Results: The study examined menstrual health awareness, revealing that 69% of participant girls got basic pre-menarche knowledge about menstruation from their mothers or sisters. Knowledge of menstrual physiology was limited, with just 27% understanding that menstrual blood originates from the uterus. Only 21% practiced regular cleaning during menstruation,while 70% used sanitary pads and 71% used water alone for external genital cleaning. Regarding disposal, 52% of girls either used dustbins or flushed pads in toilets. Cultural restrictions significantly impacted participants, with only 22% reporting no restrictions. The most common restrictions were prohibitions on attending religious functions (67%) and family gatherings (52%). Notably, a statistically significant relationship was found between mothers' literacy levels and their daughters' practice of use of sanitary pads. Conclusion: The findings highlight significant gaps in menstrual health knowledge and practices among tribal adolescent girls in Maharashtra.The study emphasizes on culturally sensitive educational interventions and communitybased programs to address cultural barriers. These insights can help policy development for promoting menstrual health in tribal communities.