| Outcome | Population and method* | Proposed scale to finalise in the formative phase |
| Primary outcome | ||
| Menstrual practices and perceptions | (1) | Menstrual Practices Needs scale.22 36 questions to measure perceptions of comfort, satisfaction, adequacy, reliability and worries/concerns during the last menstrual period |
| Secondary outcome | ||
| 1. Ability to manage pain | (1) | 3 questions have been drawn from Femme routine M&E tools and will be modified during the formative phase, but assess the presence and severity of pain during the last menstrual period. |
| 2. Self efficacy of management of menstruation | (1) | Self-efficacy in Addressing Menstrual Needs Scale (SAMNS) is 26-item scale, which measures of a schoolgirl’s confidence in her capabilities to address her menstrual needs. The tool comprises 3 correlated subscales: The SAMNS comprises 3 correlated subscales: Menstrual Hygiene Preparation and Maintenance (MHPM, 17 items), Menstrual Pain Management (MPM, 5 items), and Executing Stigmatised Tasks (EST, 4 items). |
| 3. Menstrual-related anxiety | (1) | Generalised Anxiety Disorder is a seven-item scale (GAD7) which has been translated and tested in Swahili among this population |
| 4. Self-reported reproductive ill-health symptoms | (1) | 9 questions drawn from Femme routine M&E tools to assess the presence of a series of symptoms in the last month. |
| 5. MSRH Knowledge | (1), (2) | 11 multiple choice questions have been drawn from Femme routine M&E tools and MENISCUS study in Uganda to assess knowledge of puberty in general and MSRH |
| 6. School and social participation | (1), (3) | Quantitatively we have included 8 questions in the survey to assess participation. Qualitatively, the girls will describe experiences of their LMP including the days, activities, sessions missed at LMP because of menstruation. We will explore drivers for suboptimal participation and reasons for any changes over the course of the project. |
| 7. School WASH facility improvements | (1), (4) | Baseline and endline checklist to capture the presence of and access to toilets, water sources, hand-washing stations and disposal methods. Questionnaire also contains eight questions to assess the availability, access and condition of WASH facilities in the school |
| 8. School climate | (4) | Questions adopted from the Beyond Blue School Climate questionnaires.22 The scale has 28 items in four subscales: relationships (between students and teachers), belonging, commitment and participation. |
(1) Quantitative survey of a cohort of all girls: census of all girls in Forms 2 and 3 at baseline.
(2) Quantitative survey of a cohort of 200 boys randomly selected at baseline from Forms 2 and 3.
(3) Sequential IDIs with 20 girls who (at baseline) reported to have missed two or more days of school during and because of their last menstrual period who will be interviewed at three time points.
(4) Four schools—baseline and endline assessment.
*Data sources.
WASH, water, sanitation and hygiene .