Period teasing, stigma and knowledge: A survey of adolescent boys and girls in Northern Tanzania.

ABSTRACT: Emerging evidence suggests that menstruation-related teasing is a common experience among adolescent girls with ramifications on their school participation, yet empirical evidence on the prevalence and determinants of period teasing in schools remain scarce. Menstrual hygiene research and policies almost exclusively focus on girls and women, leading to a dearth of knowledge of male attitudes. We conducted the first quantitative survey of period teasing in schools in sub-Saharan Africa, focusing on 432 male and 524 female students in four co-educational secondary schools in northern Tanzania. Period teasing is prevalent; 13% of girls have experienced period teasing, and more than 80% fear being teased, especially by male classmates. Girls' fears are associated with insufficient menstrual hy

SUBMITTER: Benshaul-Tolonen A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7592731 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature