https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1662-4734
![Sample our Politics & International Relations journals, sign in here to start your FREE access for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5947/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Politics-International-Relations.jpg"})
ABSTRACT
Background
The lack of menstrual hygiene management (MHM) information and facilities in schools is a major contributor to adolescent girls’ school absenteeism in low- and middle-income countries like Bangladesh.
Objectives
This paper examines the changes over time in school MHM facilities, knowledge and perceptions among adolescent girls, in relation to school absenteeism between 2014 and 2018 in Bangladesh.
Methods
We examined changes in MHM and school absenteeism among schoolgirls using nationally representative data from the Bangladesh National Hygiene Baseline Survey 2014 and National Hygiene Survey 2018. Given the repetitive nature of our data and its clustering within participants, our method included performing descriptive analysis, bivariate analysis, and multivariate Generalised Estimating Equation (GEE) modelling to analyse these changes.
Results
Results showed that adolescent girls’ menstruation-related absenteeism decreased between 2014 and 2018. Percentage of adolescents who missed school decreased from 25% to 14% (PD: −11; CI: −16 to −6.1), while the average number of missed days reduced from 2.8 to 2.5 (PD: −0.33; CI: −0.57 to −0.10). In the GEE model, we found that living in rural areas (coef: −5.6; CI: −10.06 to −1.14), parental restrictions on going outside (coef: 4.47; CI: 0.75 to 8.2), education levels of girls (coef: −9.48; CI: −14.17 to −4.79), girl’s belief that menstruation affects school performance (coef: 23.32; CI: 19.71 to 26.93), and using old cloths (coef: −4.2; CI: −7.6 to −0.79) were significantly associated with higher absenteeism. However, participant’s age, type of school, knowledge of menstruation before menarche, receiving information regarding MHM, separate place for changing absorbents, and separate latrine and urine facility were not significantly associated with the changes in absenteeism over time.
Conclusion
This paper emphasised the associations between changes in school absenteeism, parental restrictions on students, students’ education levels, and menstruation-related misperceptions. Ongoing research, policy reviews, and targeted interventions to improve MHM perceptions among girls are required to provide long-term benefits for adolescent girls in Bangladesh.
Responsible Editor Jennifer Stewart Williams
Responsible Editor Jennifer Stewart Williams
Acknowledgments
We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to all of the dedicated staff and contributors who were essential to the successful completion of this study. We also like to sincerely thank WaterAid Bangladesh for their invaluable support throughout this project. icddr,b acknowledges with gratitude the commitment of Grand Challenges Canada to its research efforts. icddr,b is also grateful to the governments of Bangladesh and Canada for providing core/unrestricted support.
Author contributions
FJ was a major contributor in developing the conception, analysis plan, analysing and interpreting data, and writing the manuscript. NSS, AKS, MUA, SMKB, KI, HJ, MH, and MMA were substantial contributors in manuscript development plan, analysis, and provided feedback on the manuscript. MR was a major contributor in developing the study conception, the study design, interpreting the data and writing the manuscript, and provided final approval of the version to be submitted. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Ethical approval
This research project was ethically approved by the Ethical Review Committees of icddr,b. All study procedures were carried out in compliance with the ethical standards and regulations established by these organisations.
Paper context
This study highlights a positive shift in Bangladesh, where menstrual-related school absenteeism among adolescent girls significantly declined from 2014 to 2018. Moreover, the study found that absenteeism is influenced by living in rural areas, parental restrictions, lower student education levels, belief in menstruation’s effects on academics, and using old cloth. These findings support education and MHM strategies to reduce absenteeism and improve girls’ education in Bangladesh and beyond.
Data availability statement
The data described in this study are accessible upon request from the corresponding author. Due to privacy and ethical restrictions, the data are not publicly accessible.