Menstrual hygiene management and hygiene waste disposal of adolescent girls and young adult women in Barishal slum area

Menstruation constitutes a fundamental and indispensable biological phenomenon observed by adolescent girls and women in their reproductive years. Within the nation of Bangladesh, menstruation is frequently enveloped by socio-cultural constraints and stigmas, resulting in adverse health consequences for adolescent girls. The study has been carried out to investigate the knowledge, attitudes, practices, and experiences around menstruation and the barriers they face, disposing of menstrual products and the health seeking behavior during menstrual problems of adolescent girls and young adult women. This study focused on two major slums namely Vatar Khal Slum and Stadium Colony Slum in Barishal. The study has been conducted by mixed method containing with quantitative and qualitative research approaches. There are 110 sample used for survey. Besides 04 case studies, 03 key information interviews (KIIs), 02 focus group discussions (FGDs) have been chosen for in-depth study as qualitative method. Only 18.19 % of the respondents have the knowledge about menstruation. Majority of the girls are found to use cloth during their menstrual period. They were suffering from health problems related to menstruation. Out of all only 30 % of the girls consulted to the doctors about menstrual health problem. The findings of the study indicate the unhealthy practices of menstrual management are very highly prevalent that affect their reproductive health.