Menstruation management of school girls in rural Zimbabwe

Abstract

Menstruation is a natural event throughout women’s lives. However, in developing countries, the management thereof remains a health concern. Schoolgirls aged between 13 and 17 years in rural areas are affected by menstrual management in various ways. The purpose of the study was to explore and describe rural schoolgirls’ experiences, practices and challenges in managing their menstruation. A qualitative explorative and descriptive design was utilised and data were gathered by means of semi-structured interviews, which were conducted with 32 participants between the ages 13 and 17. Purposive sampling was used to select participants who were knowledgeable and experienced on the phenomenon under study in order to answer the research question and provide data. The findings revealed that participants experienced a lack of knowledge about menstruation; that cultural beliefs, perceptions and traditions influenced their experience in some negative ways; and there is a lack of required resources for menstrual management. Most significantly, menstrual management challenges resulted in girls dropping out from school, which can potentially impact women’s education level in Zimbabwe. It is recommended that the research findings be shared with various appropriate departments, such as the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health. The latter should advocate for changes in these respective departments pertaining to menstruation and menstrual management. There should also be direct involvement and discussion with religious leaders and educators in the community to address the need for more knowledge about menstruation and menstrual management.