An outcome of educational intervention on the menstrual hygiene practices among school girls in Ogun State, Nigeria: a quasi-experimental study

INTRODUCTION: adolescence is a special period of physical and psychological preparation for safe motherhood that requires specific attention as it marks the onset of menarche. Hygiene-related practices are significant during menstruation to prevent being predisposed to reproductive tract infections and other complications. The main objective of the study was to determine the outcome of educational intervention on the menstrual hygiene practices among school girls in Ogun State, Nigeria using the health belief model. One hypothesis guided the study. METHODS: the study utilized a quasi-experimental design comprising of three experimental groups and one control group. The population of the study was one hundred and twenty (120) in-school adolescent girls. The multistage sampling technique was used in selecting participants from four secondary schools within Ogun State. A validated semi-structured questionnaire was used for data collection with a Cronbach alpha with a score of 0.87. Data collected were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23. RESULTS: a paired T-test analysis was conducted in determining the results. The observed difference in the mean in the parent-led (Δ = 3.80; t = 20.886; p=0.000), peer-led group (Δ = 4.23; t = 19.901; p=0.000), and combination of parent and peer-led group intervention group (Δ = 3.53; t = 18.015; p=0.000) were statistically significant. CONCLUSION: peer-led experimental group had the greatest effective change in the level of adolescent girls´ menstrual hygiene practices. Peer educators could be recruited for future interventions and scaled up in other aspects of young girls´ reproductive health and well-being.