Understanding Practice, Determinants, and Their Impact on Female Teenagers in School

In Indonesia, very little knowledge or research exists on Menstrual Hygiene Management among adolescent girls, including in the school context. As a result, the causes and impacts of menstrual hygiene management on Indonesian women are not widely comprehended, so there are not many programs and interventions to improve menstrual hygiene management. On the other hand, menstruation may cause teenage girls to be absent from school and even drop out. In addition, it will have an impact on their health and socio-economic conditions in the long term.

Training of field research assistants was held on October 8, 2014.

Research on knowledge, behavior, and practices related to menstruation, barriers, and challenges towards efforts to improve menstrual hygiene management has been currently developed, as well as the impact of menstruation and healthy menstrual practices on the health and psychosocial aspects of adolescent girls. However, there are significant knowledge gaps especially those related to the school context, for example, there has been no in-depth research on its impact on school participation and outcomes. Also, there is still a lack of in-depth analysis of the challenges and their causes in different cultural contexts and no rigorous evaluation of intervention programs. Hence, addressing this knowledge gap would be very important in formulating effective policies and programs.
With this encouragement, SurveyMETER conducted a Menstrual Hygiene Management Study among adolescent girls in Indonesia, with the aim of improving the management of menstrual hygiene in adolescent girls in Indonesia. The purpose of this study is, firstly to understand the management of menstruation that is generally applicable today, the factors that cause it, and its effects on adolescent girls. Second, identify key targets for interventions to improve policies and programs, especially in the school environment.

It is a collaboration between SurveyMETER and the Burnet Institute with support from UNICEF. The study areas are located in 8 regencies/cities in 4 provinces, namely Papua (Boven Digoel Regency, Jayapura City), East Nusa Tenggara (Daya Regency, Kupang City), South Sulawesi (Selayar Islands Regency, Makassar City), and East Java (Trenggalek Regency, Madiun City)

It was conducted at schools in parallel with mixed methods. The qualitative study was implementing Focus Group Discussions (FGD) and in-depth interviews methods, while the quantitative one was applying a questionnaire on students at school and school observations. The informants were the principals/teachers, female students, male students, health workers (midwives/paramedics at the Puskesmas), and female parents around the school. The research activities were carried out from September to October 2014.

It has gone through a series of preparations including a pilot practice of student FDG and student focus group discussions, a pilot in-depth interview for female teenagers, and pilot field studies in Gunungkidul district, Bantul district, and Yogyakarta city. (TPA/JF)