Menstrual hygiene management and school absenteeism among female adolescent students in Northeast Ethiopia

Table 5 Adolescent school girls’ hygienic practices during menstruation, Northeast Ethiopia, 2013

Hygienic practices		Number	Percent
Material used during last menstrual period (n = 455)	Disposable sanitary pad	161	35.38
	Homemade cloth	253	55.60
	Underwear	41	9.01
Genital cleaning material (n = 319)	Soap and water	135	42.32
	Water only	123	38.56
	Plain paper	55	17.24
	Others*	6	1.88
Bath frequency (n = 395)	Daily	54	13.67
	First day	21	5.32
	Second day	41	10.38
	Third day	59	14.94
	When finished period	217	54.94
	As per convenience	3	0.76
Bath using (n = 395)	With soap and water	348	88.10
	With water only	47	11.90
Disposal of menstrual material used (n = 455)	Open field	152	33.41
	Latrine	353	77.58
	Waste bins	16	3.52
Absorbent material change per day (n = 455)	Once	95	20.88
	Twice	265	58.24
	More than two times	95	20.88
Drying of washed reusable cloth (n = 270)	In the shade outside	27	9.96
	In the shade inside	90	33.33
	In the sunlight inside	29	10.74
	In the sunlight outside	27	9.96
	Hidden under other clothes	51	18.89
	Hidden elsewhere	46	17.04
Washing of the reusable cloth (n = 270)	With soap and water	100	37.04
	With water only	165	61.11
	Others**	5	1.85
Place of store between use (n = 270)	In plastic bag separately	142	52.59
	With other clothes	98	36.30
	In the bath room	30	11.11

*(toilet tissue paper, piece of cloth), **(ash, indod).
NB: Multiple responses were possible and the percent might be greater than 100% and the frequencies and percentages were calculated among those who had seen menstruation (455).