Plain language summary
Background
The present study
Objectives
Methods
Participants
Materials
Measures
Analyses
Results
Participant characteristics
Menstrual absorbents
Reusable pad N = 72 | New Cloth N = 30 | Old Cloth N = 62 | Disposable Sanitary Pad N = 18 | Other N = 19 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
%(N) | %(N) | %(N) | %(N) | %(N) | |
Who provides you with your absorbent? | |||||
Obtain myself | – | 13.3 (4) | 59.7 (37) | 5.6 (1) | 31.6 (6) |
Mother | – | 76.7 (23) | 32.3 (20) | 72.2 (13) | 26.3 (5) |
Other household member | – | 6.7 (2) | 8.1 (5) | 5.6 (1) | 10.5 (2) |
AFRIpads (intervention) | 100 (72) | – | – | – | – |
Other (hospital doctor) | – | 3.3 (1) | 16.7 (3) | 5.3 (1) | |
Don’t know/no answer |
26.3 (5)
| ||||
Anyone else in your house use this absorbent? | |||||
Yes | – | 53.3 (16) | 45.2 (28) | 72.2 (13) | 36.8 (7) |
No | – | 40.0 (12) | 50.0 (31) | 27.8 (5) | 36.8 (7) |
Missing or Not Applicable |
100 (72)
|
6.7 (2)
|
4.8 (3)
|
0 (0)
|
26.3 (5)
|
How many pieces of cloth do you have? | |||||
1–2 | 7.7 (2) | 25.9 (15) | |||
3–4 | 50.0 (13) | 37.9 (22) | |||
5+ | 42.3 (11) | 36.2 (21) | |||
How many pieces of cloth do you use a day? | |||||
1–2 | 38.5 (10) | 53.5 (31) | |||
3+ (max reported 6) | 61.5 (16) | 46.6 (27) | |||
Do you share cloth with anyone else in your household? | |||||
Yes | 0 (0) | 3.4 (2) | |||
No | 100 (26) | 96.6 (57) |
Experience of cleaning and changing menstrual absorbents
Reusable pad N = 72 | Existing improvised methods N = 111 | OR (95%CI) (Existing method OR = 1.00) | Existing improvised methods (disaggregated) | Sanitary pad N = 18 | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
New Cloth N = 30 | Old Cloth N = 62 | Other N = 19 | |||||
%(N) | %(N) | %(N) | %(N) | %(N) | %(N) | ||
How many minutes does it take for you to change your sanitary protection? (n = 178) | |||||||
Minutes M (SD) | 6.36 (11.75) | 10.85 (13.96) | d = 0.35 (0.04–0.64) | 9.17 (13.94) | 11.46 (14.54) | 11.61 (12.43) | 10.44 (12.27) |
0–4 min | 69.6 (48) | 49.5 (54) | 2.24 (1.19–4.23) | 53.3 (16) | 50.8 (31) | 44.4 (8) | 44.4 (8) |
5+ minutes | 30.4 (21) | 50.5 (55) | 1.00 | 46.7 (14) | 49.2 (30) | 55.6 (10) | 55.6 (10) |
Are you able to go to school for a full day without changing your protection? (n = 180) | |||||||
No, never | 70.8 (51) | 50.9 (55) | 1.00 | 53.3 (16) | 49.2 (30) | 52.9 (9) | 61.1 (11) |
Yes, on some days | 13.9 (10) | 23.2 (25) | 0.43 (0.23–0.80) | 16.7 (5) | 31.2 (19) | 5.9 (1) | 11.1 (2) |
Yes, always | 15.3 (11) | 25.9 (28) | 30.0 (9) | 19.7 (12) | 41.2 (7) | 27.8 (5) | |
How much of a problem is it to change your sanitary protection at school? (n = 140)a | |||||||
Not a problem at all | 41.0 (25) | 7.6 (6) | 8.44 (3.18–22.43) | 14.3 (3) | 4.2 (2) | 10.0 (1) | 38.5 (5) |
A little bit of a problem | 29.5 (18) | 32.9 (26) | 1.00 | 38.1 (8) | 31.3 (15) | 30.0 (3) | 46.2 (6) |
A big problem | 29.5 (18) | 59.5 (47) | 47.6 (10) | 64.6 (31) | 60.0 (6) | 15.4 (2) | |
Did you feel disgusted by washing the absorbent? (n = 154)b | |||||||
Yes | 22.5 (16) | 48.2 (40) | 1.00 | 65.4 (17) | 40.4 (23) | ||
No | 77.5 (55) | 51.8 (43) | 3.20 (1.58–6.46) | 34.6 (9) | 59.7 (34) | ||
How long did it take the absorbent to dry completely? (n = 151)b | |||||||
2 h or less | 26.1 (18) | 48.8 (40) | 1.00 | 50.0 (13) | 48.2 (27) | ||
3–4 h | 30.4 (21) | 29.3 (24) | 23.1 (6) | 32.1 (18) | |||
5–6 h | 26.6 (17) | 11.0 (9) | 2.74 (1.35–5.55) | 11.5 (3) | 10.8 (6) | ||
7 h + | 18.8 (13) | 11.0 (9) | 15.4 (4) | 8.9 (5) | |||
How often did you wear the absorbent damp? (n = 154)b | |||||||
Never | 85.9 (61) | 69.9 (58) | 2.63 (1.16–5.95) | 61.5 (16) | 73.7 (42) | ||
Sometimes | 6.9 (5) | 6.0 (5) | 1.00 | 11.5 (3) | 3.5 (2) | ||
Usually | 6.9 (5) | 24.1 (20) | 26.9 (7) | 22.8 (13) |
Absorbent reliability
Reusable pad N = 72 | Existing improvised methods N = 111 | OR (95%CI) (Existing method OR = 1.00) | Existing improvised methods (disaggregated) | Sanitary pad N = 18 | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
New Cloth N = 30 | Old Cloth N = 62 | Other N = 19 | |||||
%(N) | %(N) | %(N) | %(N) | %(N) | %(N) | ||
Do you feel you can rely on this absorbent to keep you from soiling when you have to… | |||||||
Walk a long distance | 75.7 (53) | 37.7 (40) | 5.14 (2.62–10.08) | 43.3 (13) | 37.1 (23) | 28.6 (4) | 88.9 (16) |
Be gone from home for a long time | 75.7 (53) | 40.6 (43) | 4.31 (2.23–8.35) | 40.0 (12) | 40.3 (25) | 42.9 (6) | 77.8 (14) |
Move quickly or strenuously | 73.6 (53) | 49.1 (52) | 2.90 (1.52–5.54) | 46.7 (14) | 46.8 (29) | 64.3 (9) | 72.2 (13) |
Sit for a long time | 68.1 (49) | 35.9 (38) | 3.81 (2.02–7.19) | 23.3 (7) | 38.7 (2) | 50.0 (7) | 77.8 (14) |
Be around males | 59.2 (42) | 28.6 (30) | 3.62 (1.92–6.83) | 27.6 (8) | 25.8 (16) | 42.9 (6) | 66.7 (12) |
Go to the farm | 88.6 (62) | 60.0 (63) | 5.17 (2.25–11.89) | 55.2 (16) | 61.3 (38) | 64.3 (9) | 100 (16) |
Go to school | 90.1 (64) | 53.8 (57) | 7.86 (3.30–18.74) | 60.0 (18) | 51.6 (32) | 50.0 (7) | 100 (17) |
Go to the market | 83.3 (60) | 43.4 (46) | 6.52 (3.15–13.52) | 46.7 (14) | 40.3 (25) | 50.0 (7) | 88.2 (15) |
How much of a problem is leaking when using this absorbent? (n = 174) | |||||||
Not a problem at all | 55.6 (40) | 14.71 (15) | 7.25 (3.53–14.87) | 4.6 (1) | 14.8 (9) | 38.5 (5) | 72.2 (13) |
A little bit of a problem | 34.7 (25) | 35.3 (36) | 1.00 | 64.3 (18) | 27.9 (17) | 7.7 (1) | 22.2 (4) |
A big problem | 9.7 (7) | 50.0 (51) | 32.1 (9) | 57.4 (35) | 53.9 (7) | 5.6 (1) | |
Do you often worry about odour? (n = 181) | |||||||
Never | 42.3 (30) | 40.0 (44) | 1.10 (0.60–2.01) | 40.0 (12) | 41.0 (25) | 36.8 (7) | 38.9 (7) |
Rarely/Sometimes | 19.7 (14) | 29.1 (32) | 1.00 | 23.3 (7) | 32.8 (20) | 26.3 (5) | 44.4 (8) |
Often/All the time | 38.0 (27) | 30.9 (34) | 36.7 (11) | 26.2 (16) | 36.8 (7) | 16.7 (3) | |
During your last menstrual period did you experience… (n = 140)a | |||||||
Fear of panty soiling | 60.0 (33) | 54.1 (46) | 1.27 (0.64–2.53) | 54.6 (12) | 53.2 (25) | 56.3 (9) | 61.5 (8) |
Odour | 29.1 (16) | 32.9 (28) | 0.84 (0.40–1.74) | 31.8 (7) | 38.3 (18) | 18.8 (3) | 23.1 (3) |
Outside garment soiling | 43.6 (24) | 43.5 (37) | 1.00 (0.51–1.99) | 45.5 (10) | 44.7 (21) | 37.5 (6) | 61.5 (8) |
Fear that sanitary protection would fall out of underwear | 47.3 (26) | 49.4 (42) | 0.92 (0.47–1.81) | 63.6 (14) | 46.8 (22) | 37.5 (6) | 23.1 (3) |
Freedom to participate in daily activities
Reusable pad N = 72 | Existing improvised methods N = 111 | OR (95%CI) (Reusable pad OR = 1.00) | |
---|---|---|---|
%(N) | %(N) | ||
Does your menstruation ever cause you to: (n = 169) | |||
Miss school | 17.2 (11) | 21.9 (23) | 1.35 (0.61–3.00) |
Not do your homework | 6.3 (4) | 8.6 (9) | 1.41 (0.41–4.77) |
Miss work in the field | 17.2 (11) | 21.0 (22) | 1.28 (0.57–2.85) |
Be unable to play with other children | 37.5 (24) | 41.9 (44) | 1.20 (0.64–2.27) |
Avoid physical sports/exercise | 37.5 (24) | 43.8 (46) | 1.30 (0.69–2.45) |
Avoid being around males | 60.9 (39) | 49.5 (52) | 0.63 (0.33–1.18) |
Avoid chores | 7.8 (5) | 5.7 (6) | 0.72 (0.21–2.45) |
Avoid sex | 39.1 (25) | 41.9 (44) | 1.13 (0.60–2.12) |
Are there activities or settings that you avoid while menstruating? (n = 183) | |||
Yes | 67.6 (48) | 61.8 (68) | 1.00 |
No | 32.4 (23) | 38.2 (42) | 1.29 (0.69–2.41) |
No answer
|
1
|
1
| |
Activity or setting (n = 116)a | |||
Serving food and beverages to guests | 6.3 (3) | 11.8 (8) | 2.00 (0.50–7.97) |
Being around males | 56.3 (27) | 45.6 (31) | 0.65 (0.31–1.37) |
Fetching water | 18.8 (9) | 41.2 (28) | 3.03 (1.27–7.25) |
Cooking | 8.3 (4) | 26.5 (18) | 3.96 (1.25–12.59) |
Being in a sacred space | 0 (0) | 7.4 (5) | – |
Physical sports/exercise | 10.4 (5) | 36.8 (25) | 5.00 (1.75–14.28) |
Playing with other children | 35.4 (17) | 38.2 (26) | 1.13 (0.52–2.43) |
Working in the field/garden | 2.1 (1) | 29.4 (20) | 19.58 (2.53–151.85) |
Going to school | 6.3 (3) | 8.8 (6) | 1.45 (0.34–6.12) |
Doing homework | 0 (0) | 4.4 (3) | – |
Do the boys you know tease girls about their menstruation? (n = 183) | |||
Yes | 52.8 (38) | 43.2 (48) | 1.00 |
No | 47.2 (34) | 56.8 (63) | 1.47 (0.81–2.66) |
Reusable pad use and appraisal
Percent | Number | |
---|---|---|
How much did you like the AFRIpad? | ||
Dislike it very much | 2.2 | 2 |
Dislike it a little | 1.1 | 1 |
Like it a little | 4.4 | 4 |
Like it very much | 92.3 | 84 |
AFRIpads cost 15,000 shillings (UGX)a and last for a year. Would you be able to afford them? | ||
No | 52.3 | 46 |
Maybe | 2.3 | 2 |
Yes | 45.5 | 40 |
If you had 15,000 shillings, how likely would you be to buy the AFRIpads? | ||
Not at all likely | 3.4 | 3 |
Slightly likely | 14.8 | 13 |
Moderately likely | 1.1 | 1 |
Very likely | 37.5 | 33 |
Extremely likely | 43.2 | 38 |