Menstrual hygiene management and academic performance among adolescent girls in a primary school in Magola sub-county, Tororo district, Uganda.

Abstract

Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) is a key factor of Academic Performance of adolescent girls in a primary school in Magola Sub county, Tororo District. In an Experimental Research Design involving randomized controlled trial, 60 randomly selected girls from Primary 5 class constituded the participants of 60 participants 30 formed the experimental group and the other 30 control group. Academic performance data using pre- and post-tests administered at an interval of six weeks were collected. MHM was provided to the experimental group, while the control group was not provided any MHM. Using paired samples t-test, difference between the test group and control group was computed. The results indicated that t-test for the experimental group had statically significant difference (t = 8.498, df= 29, p < .05), with (M 16.67, SD =10.74) in academic performance, as compared to the control group, (t =4.28, df= 29, p < .05), mean (M = 6.83, SD 8.74). The study concluded that, there was high statistically significant positive difference in mean post and pre-test score in academic performance of experimental adolescent girls; as compared to the control group. This difference this could have been attributed to the treatment, provision of 'MHM. However, the slight improvement on academic performance of the control group could have been due to contamination by the experimental group, as the girls were not barred from revising together. It was therefore concluded that, providing MHM to adolescent girls has a positive improvement on academic performance of adolescent girls. The study consequently, recommends for policy and practice that adolescent girls should be provided with MHM in order for them. to improve in their academic performance.