Table 3 General health, nutrition and menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls in the study area
10–14 years | 15–19 years | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
N | % | N | % | N | % | |
GENERAL HEALTH | ||||||
Self-rated health | ||||||
Very Healthy | 206 | 11.6 | 220 | 14.3 | 426 | 12.8 |
Quite Healthy | 1410 | 79.1 | 1141 | 74.0 | 2551 | 76.7 |
Not Very Healthy | 166 | 9.3 | 181 | 11.7 | 347 | 10.4 |
Disability | 10 | 0.6 | 4 | 0.3 | 14 | 0.4 |
Health problem a | ||||||
High fever | 330 | 18.5 | 301 | 19.5 | 631 | 19.0 |
Vaginal discharge | 105 | 5.9 | 154 | 10 | 259 | 7.8 |
Menstrual problems | 123 | 6.9 | 397 | 25.7 | 520 | 15.6 |
Diarrhoea | 35 | 2.0 | 47 | 3.0 | 82 | 2.5 |
Vomiting or nausea | 140 | 7.9 | 137 | 8.9 | 277 | 8.3 |
Sought help for health problems (n = 1269) | 245 | 41.7 | 286 | 41.9 | 531 | 41.8 |
Sources of help for health problems (n = 1269) a | ||||||
Pharmacist | 56 | 9.5 | 70 | 10.3 | 126 | 9.9 |
Village doctor | 161 | 27.4 | 178 | 26.1 | 339 | 26.7 |
Traditional healer (Ojha) | 22 | 3.7 | 62 | 9.1 | 84 | 6.6 |
Used tobacco in past month | 7 | 0.4 | 22 | 1.4 | 29 | 0.9 |
Drank alcohol in past month | 245 | 13.7 | 230 | 14.9 | 475 | 14.3 |
NUTRITION | ||||||
Thinness (BMI < -2SD) (n = 3275) | 254 | 14.3 | 96 | 6.4 | 350 | 10.7 |
Overweight (BMI > 1SD) (n = 3275) | 34 | 1.9 | 16 | 1.1 | 50 | 1.5 |
BMI < 18.5 (n = 1493) | n/a | n/a | 609 | 40.8 | n/a | n/a |
Stunting (height < −2SD) (n = 3323) | 590 | 33.1 | 898 | 58.2 | 1488 | 44.8 |
Mean MUAC (SD) | 19.8 | 2.5 | 23.2 | 2.0 | 21.4 | 2.8 |
MUAC < 160 mm | 64 | 3.6 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Minimum dietary diversity | 425 | 23.8 | 331 | 21.5 | 756 | 22.7 |
Symptoms of anaemia in past monthb | 560 | 31.8 | 688 | 44.8 | 1248 | 37.8 |
Blood test for symptoms of anaemia in past month (n = 1248) | 102 | 18.2 | 145 | 21.1 | 247 | 19.8 |
MENSTRUAL HYGIENE | ||||||
Started period | 698 | 39.2 | 1522 | 98.7 | 2220 | 66.8 |
Mean age started period (mean, SD) | 12 | 0.9 | 12.3 | 1.0 | 12.2 | 1.0 |
Method of sanitary protection (n = 2220) | ||||||
Nothing | 45 | 6.4 | 76 | 5.0 | 121 | 5.5 |
Any cloth | 118 | 16.9 | 248 | 16.3 | 366 | 16.5 |
Locally made napkins | 177 | 25.4 | 433 | 28.4 | 610 | 27.5 |
Sanitary napkins | 338 | 48.4 | 738 | 48.5 | 1076 | 48.5 |
Other method | 20 | 2.9 | 27 | 1.8 | 47 | 2.1 |
Restriction during menstruation (n = 2220)a | ||||||
Restricted participation in religious rituals | 30 | 4.3 | 75 | 4.9 | 105 | 4.7 |
Restricted participation in sports | 8 | 1.1 | 14 | 0.9 | 22 | 1.0 |
Restricted foods | 12 | 1.7 | 17 | 1.1 | 29 | 1.3 |
Restricted access to the kitchen | 11 | 1.6 | 26 | 1.7 | 37 | 1.7 |