Univariate and multivariable comparisons of aspects of MHM, combined measures of MHM and hypothesised consequences
| Absorbent type | Absorbent change | Absorbent drying | Privacy (for washing) | MHM (minimal) | MHM (relaxed) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clean | Unclean | 3+ times | <3 times | Outside | Inside/hid | No concern | Concern | Adequate | Inadequate | Adequate | Inadequate | |
| Per cent (N) | Per cent (N) | Per cent (N) | Per cent (N) | Per cent (N) | Per cent (N) | Per cent (N) | Per cent (N) | Per cent (N) | Per cent (N) | Per cent (N) | Per cent (N) | |
| OR (95% CI) | OR (95% CI) | OR (95% CI) | OR (95% CI) | OR (95% CI) | OR (95% CI) | |||||||
| Health/comfort | ||||||||||||
| Itching or burning in the pelvic area (since start of the school year) | 59.7 (71) | 61.3 (49) | 60.2 (71) | 60.5 (49) | 58.6 (58) | 62.0 (62) | 54.4 (43) | 64.2 (77) | 52.6 (10) | 61.1 (110) | 54.6 (24) | 61.9 (96) |
| 1.07 (0.60 to 1.91) | 1.01 (0.57 to 1.81) | 1.15 (0.65 to 2.04) | 1.50 (0.84 to 2.67) | 1.41 (0.55 to 3.65) | 1.36 (0.69 to 2.67) | |||||||
| ORadj (95% CI) | 1.10 (0.61 to 1.98) | 0.98 (0.54 to 1.76) | 0.96 (0.51 to 1.82) | 1.54 (0.80 to 2.93) | ||||||||
| White or green discharge (since start of the school year) | 44.5 (53) | 51.3 (41) | 48.3 (57) | 45.7 (37) | 53.5 (53) | 41.0 (41) | 44.3 (35) | 49.2 (59) | 31.6 (6) | 48.9 (88) | 47.7 (21) | 47.1 (73) |
| 1.31 (0.74 to 2.31) | 0.90 (0.51 to 1.59) | 0.60 (0.34 to 1.06) | 1.22 (0.69 to 2.15) | 2.07 (0.75 to 5.69) | 0.98 (0.50 to 1.91) | |||||||
| ORadj (95% CI) | 1.36 (0.76 to 2.43) | 0.80 (0.45 to 1.44) | 0.47* (0.24 to 0.88) | 1.78 (0.92 to 3.43) | ||||||||
| Worry people can smell your MP? | 65.8 (79) | 76.5 (62) | 68.9 (82) | 73.0 (59) | 74.3 (75) | 66.0 (66) | 58.2 (46) | 77.9 (95) | 63.2 (12) | 70.9 (129) | 59.1 (26) | 73.3 (115) |
| 1.69† (0.90 to 3.20) | 1.16 (0.62 to 2.15) | 0.68 (0.37 to 1.24) | 2.52** (1.36 to 4.69) | 1.42 (0.53 to 3.80) | 1.90† (0.94 to 3.81) | |||||||
| ORadj (95% CI) | 1.88† (0.96 to 3.68) | 0.94 (0.49 to 1.81) | 0.34** (0.16 to 0.73) | 4.51*** (2.09 to 9.77) | ||||||||
| Education | ||||||||||||
| School attendance M (SD) (n=144) | 82.10 (18.33) | 79.39 (19.04) | 84.89 (14.28) | 76.40** (22.23) | 79.00 (21.54) | 83.19 (14.82) | 80.12 (21.14) | 81.67 (16.86) | 86.19 (13.95) | 80.51 (18.98) | 81.96 (20.07) | 80.79 (18.19) |
| Do you avoid standing in class to answer questions on your MP? | 59.3 (70) | 72.5 (58) | 63.6 (75) | 66.3 (53) | 59.6 (59) | 69.7 (69) | 53.2 (42) | 72.3 (86) | 26.3 (5) | 68.7 (123) | 45.5 (20) | 70.1 (108) |
| 1.81 (0.98 to 3.34) | 1.13 (0.62 to 2.04) | 1.56 (0.87 to 2.81) | 2.30** (1.26 to 4.17) | 6.15** (2.11 to 17.91) | 2.82** (1.42 to 5.60) | |||||||
| ORadj (95% CI) | 1.97* (1.05 to 3.71) | 1.05 (0.56 to 1.95) | 1.14 (0.58 to 2.22) | 2.31* (1.18 to 4.53) | ||||||||
| Do you find it difficult to concentrate at school when you have your MP? (n=198) | 46.6 (55) | 57.5 (46) | 49.2 (58) | 53.8 (43) | 52.5 (52) | 49.5 (49) | 39.2 (31) | 58.8 (70) | 42.1 (8) | 52.0 (93) | 31.8 (14) | 56.5 (87) |
| 1.55 (0.87 to 2.75) | 1.20 (0.68 to 2.12) | 0.89 (0.51 to 1.55) | 2.21** (1.24 to 3.95) | 1.49 (0.57 to 3.87) | 2.78** (1.37 to 5.66) | |||||||
| ORadj (95% CI) | 1.69† (0.93 to 3.05) | 1.05 (0.58 to 1.91) | 0.55 (0.29 to 1.07) | 3.03** (1.54 to 5.99) | ||||||||
| Psychosocial well-being | ||||||||||||
| Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire M (SD) | 18.65 (5.24) | 19.80 (5.37) | 18.75 (5.42) | 19.65 (5.13) | 18.91 (5.34) | 19.32 (5.29) | 18.84 (5.42) | 19.30 (5.25) | 17.11 (6.30) | 19.32 (5.17) | 18.25 (5.80) | 19.36 (5.16) |
| Did you experience embarrassment during your last MP (n=153) | 47.8 (43) | 42.9 (27) | 46.2 (42) | 45.2 (28) | 48.8 (39) | 42.5 (31) | 54.4 (31) | 40.6 (39) | 50.0 (6) | 45.4 (64) | 38.7 (12) | 47.5 (58) |
| 0.82 (0.43 to 1.57) | 0.96 (0.50 to 1.84) | 0.78 (0.41 to 1.47) | 0.57 (0.30 to 1.11) | 0.83 (0.26 to 2.70) | 1.43 (0.64 to 3.21) | |||||||
| ORadj (95% CI) | 0.76 (0.39 to 1.47) | 1.02 (0.52 to 1.98) | 0.93 (0.46 to 1.86) | 0.57 (0.28 to 1.17) | ||||||||
| During your MP do you feel ashamed? (n=201) | 66.7 (80) | 72.8 (59) | 69.8 (83) | 68.3 (56) | 72.3 (73) | 66.0 (66) | 59.5 (47) | 75.4 (92) | 52.6 (10) | 70.9 (129) | 56.8 (25) | 72.6 (114) |
| 1.34 (0.72 to 2.49) | 0.93 (0.51 to 1.72) | 0.74 (0.41 to 1.36) | 2.09* (1.13 to 3.84) | 2.19 (0.84 to 5.70) | 2.01* (1.01 to 4.03) | |||||||
| ORadj (95% CI) | 1.44 (0.76 to 2.73) | 0.79 (0.42 to 1.49) | 0.44* (0.21 to 0.91) | 3.18** (1.54 to 6.57) | ||||||||
| During your MP do you feel insecure? | 68.3 (82) | 60.4 (57) | 69.8 (83) | 68.3 (56) | 68.3 (69) | 70.0 (70) | 60.8 (48) | 74.6 (91) | 63.2 (12) | 69.8 (127) | 61.4 (27) | 71.3 (112) |
| 1.10 (0.60 to 2.03) | 0.93 (0.51 to 1.72) | 1.08 (0.59 to 1.97) | 1.90* (1.03 to 3.48) | 1.35 (0.50 to 3.60) | 1.57 (0.78 to 3.15) | |||||||
| ORadj (95% CI) | 1.16 (0.62 to 2.16) | 0.86 (0.46 to 1.60) | 0.78 (0.39 to 1.54) | 2.16* (1.09 to 4.28) | ||||||||
Adequate absorbent OR, 1.00; changed frequently OR, 1.00; drying outside OR, 1.00; don't worry about privacy OR, 1.00; adequate MHM strict OR, 1.00; adequate MHM relaxed OR, 1.00.
ORadj, OR for multivariable models where all aspects of MHM were included in the model.
*p<0.05, **p<0.01, ***p<0.001, †p<0.10.
MHM, menstrual hygiene management; MP, menstrual period.