Relationship between Menstrual Hygiene Management and Lower Reproductive Tract Infections among Adolescent Girls in Informal Settlements in Nakuru County, Kenya

Abstract

Infections of the lower reproductive tract are a public-health concern. However, in Sub-Saharan Africa, the link between menstrual hygiene, water, sanitation and hygiene variables and lower reproductive tract infection has not been appropriately explored. This study sought to determine the menstrual hygiene management practices associated with occurrence of lower reproductive tract infections among adolescent girls in Informal Settlements in Nakuru County. The study used a community-based cross-sectional design targeting adolescent girls in informal settlements in Nakuru County.  Multi-stage and simple random sampling methods were used to obtain a sample size of 385 adolescent girls. The findings showed that the proportion of lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) among the participants was 59.71%   Regarding the menstrual hygiene management practices, adolescents who changed absorbent material more than twice a day were 0.22 times less likely to report experiencing a LRTI compared to those who changed once a day, (p=0.005), those who dried their reusable absorbent material outside the house were 0.26 times less likely to be infected with LRTI compared to those who dried inside the house, (p=0.014), and those who reported bathing > 3times during menstruation were 0.27 less likely to report occurrence of  LRTI compared to those who bath once, (p=0.012). The study found significant association between type of absorbent material, frequency of changing absorbent material, frequency of bathing, presence of hand washing equipment and presence of anal cleansing material in toilets and lower reproductive tract infections. A study in this population that incorporate comprehensive microbiological and clinical assessments so as to get a better estimate of the prevalence of LRTI would be recommended, this will also support development of public health interventions.

Keywords: Menstrual Hygiene Management, Lower Reproductive Tract Infections, Adolescent Girls