Thirupura Sundari1, Alfred J George2, E Sinu3. 1. Former Social Worker, Bala Mandir Educational Trust, Chennai, Tamil Nadu. 2. Senior Technical Officer, Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, Thiruvanthapuram, Kerala. 3. Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatric Social Work, NIMHANS, Bangalore, Karnataka.
Abstract
Aim: To study the psychosocial problems of adolescent girls during menstruation. Methods: Cross-sectional study was conducted in Chennai. Descriptive research design was used. Sample size: Sixty students were selected randomly by the teacher from Bhoodhur Govt high school, Sholavaram, Chennai and referred to researcher for the study purpose. Inclusion criteria: Adolescent girls who were aged 13-16 years and attained menarche. Results: Majority (71.7%) of adolescent girls belong to the age group of 14 - 15 years, 68% were in ninth standard. Nearly half of the respondents were using pads (45%) and clothes (42%) as absorbent, majority (65%) preferred to discuss about their menstrual problems with mother, 28% with friends about menarche, 7% do not discuss with anyone. Most of them (58%) as faced physical problems during menstruation such as pre-menstrual syndrome (55%), menorrhagia (12%), sleep disturbance (12%), body pain (68%), head ache (45%), leg pain (55%).Majority (67%) had psychological problems such as change in the mood (70%) irritability, (78%) restlessness, (63%) unstable mood, (58%) feeling stressed). One-third had faced psychosocial problems in terms of unaware of menarche before the onset (65%), 10% do not have privacy to change sanitary pad and do not know how to use pad, 32% faced restrictions during menarche. Conclusion: Mental health education of adolescent girls is essential to deal with psychosocial problems related to menstruation.
Aim: To study the psychosocial problems of adolescent girls during menstruation. Methods: Cross-sectional study was conducted in Chennai. Descriptive research design was used. Sample size: Sixty students were selected randomly by the teacher from Bhoodhur Govt high school, Sholavaram, Chennai and referred to researcher for the study purpose. Inclusion criteria: Adolescent girls who were aged 13-16 years and attained menarche. Results: Majority (71.7%) of adolescent girls belong to the age group of 14 - 15 years, 68% were in ninth standard. Nearly half of the respondents were using pads (45%) and clothes (42%) as absorbent, majority (65%) preferred to discuss about their menstrual problems with mother, 28% with friends about menarche, 7% do not discuss with anyone. Most of them (58%) as faced physical problems during menstruation such as pre-menstrual syndrome (55%), menorrhagia (12%), sleep disturbance (12%), body pain (68%), head ache (45%), leg pain (55%).Majority (67%) had psychological problems such as change in the mood (70%) irritability, (78%) restlessness, (63%) unstable mood, (58%) feeling stressed). One-third had faced psychosocial problems in terms of unaware of menarche before the onset (65%), 10% do not have privacy to change sanitary pad and do not know how to use pad, 32% faced restrictions during menarche. Conclusion: Mental health education of adolescent girls is essential to deal with psychosocial problems related to menstruation.
Entities:
Keywords:
Adolescents girls; Menarche; Mental health education; School social work
Authors: T D Dogra; Antoon A Leenaars; Ravi Raintji; Sanjeev Lalwani; Shalini Girdhar; Susanne Wenckstern; David Lester Journal: Psychol Rep Date: 2007-10