The Effect of Education Provided to Adolescents Living in a Container Settlement on Their Genital Hygiene Behaviours and Menstrual Experiences

Preventive health services related to menstrual health during adolescence can prevent serious reproductive health problems that negatively affect women's lives. Protecting and improving reproductive health during this period is possible only if adolescents are aware of correct information and practices regarding genital and menstrual hygiene and take more responsibility for their own health. Identifying deficiencies in genital and menstrual hygiene knowledge and practices among adolescents and improving genital hygiene behaviors through education during adolescence will become an important attitude and behavior in protecting women's health in the long term. This planned research aims to identify and address the genital and menstrual hygiene needs of adolescents living in container settlements, who are therefore a disadvantaged group. The formation of a healthy society is possible only if women, who play a vital role in the continuation of the generation, are healthy. To instill correct genital and menstrual hygiene behaviors, it is necessary to identify the obstacles affecting these behaviors, incorrect/inadequate hygiene practices, and menstrual experiences, and to provide adolescents with education according to their needs. Success in genital hygiene education, especially for adolescents, depends on transforming information into skills, and then developing those skills into correct habits through practical application. Otherwise, the inadequate and incorrect information, erroneous habits, and behaviors acquired by adolescent girls on their own will inevitably be passed on to future generations. Developing genital hygiene behaviors through education during adolescence will become an important attitude and behavior in protecting women's health in the long term. Within the scope of the project, educational materials will be developed and comprehensive training will be provided to adolescent girls living in container cities, addressing their ongoing genital and menstrual hygiene needs that persist even after the earthquake. This study will provide training to adolescent girls living in the earthquake zone in Kahramanmaraş, Türkiye, in February 2023, addressing their unmet needs regarding genital and menstrual hygiene. This study will enable the rapid implementation of services related to genital and menstrual hygiene, a crucial component of reproductive health, and will pave the way for future studies in earthquake-affected areas. Accordingly, this study aimed to determine the effect of genital hygiene training given to adolescents living in a container city, based on their needs, on their genital hygiene behaviors and menstrual experiences.

Inclusion criteria

• Living in the container city
• Being aged between 14 and 18
• Currently enrolled in secondary education
• Experiencing menstruation
• Not having any physical or psychological conditions that hinder communication
• Being able to speak and write in Turkish
• Volunteering to participate in the study.

Exclusion criteria

• Not be an earthquake victim
• Not being aged between 14 and 18
• Not currently enrolled in secondary education
• Not menstruating
• Having a physical or psychological condition that impedes communication
• Being unable to speak or write Turkish
• Being unable to attend all sessions of the training programme
• Not volunteering to participate in the study
• Withdrawing from the study of one's own volition.