Abstract Background: Unhygienic practices during menstruation among mentally retarded female students' endanger their reproductive health and expose them to reproductive diseases such as reproductive tract infections and pelvic inflammatory diseases. Aim: This study aimed to assess knowledge and reported practices regarding menstrual hygiene among mentally retarded female students' at Cairo Governorate preparatory mainstream schools. Design: A descriptive exploratory research design was utilized in this study. Setting: Three educational departments were selected randomly from all educational departments at Cairo Gover-norate. All schools that are affiliated to these three educational departments were included in the study. Total number was 14 preparatory mainstream schools. The study Sample: Convenient sample of 100 mentally retarded female students' from the fourteen selected schools were included in the study. Tool for Data Collection: One tool consisted of three parts was used to collect data pertinent to the study. First part: Student questionnaire about demographic characteristics of the mentally retarded female students' and their parents. Second part: Data about level of knowledge regarding men-struation and menstrual hygiene. Third part: Data about reported practices regarding menstrual hygiene. Results: Study result revealed that 86% of the mentally retarded female students' had poor knowledge regarding menstrual hygiene, while 14% of them had good knowledge. Regarding reported practices 80% of them had poor practice, while 20% had good practice. There were statistically signif-icant relationship between practice scores and the Intelligence Quotient (IQ) with p-value=0.006. There were statistically significant relationship between practice scores and family history of mental retardation with p-value=0.001, between knowledge scores and students' IQ with p-value=0.001 and between total knowledge scores and total practice scores with p-value=0.042. Conclusion: The study concluded that, the majority of mentally retarded females have poor knowledge and practice regarding menstrual hygiene. Recommendations: The study recommended that imple-mentation of educational program to parents and mentally retarded female students' about the menstruation and good menstrual hygiene is very important.
NAWAL A. FOUAD, D.N.Sc., M. S. A. M., & HAMAD, D.N.Sc., H. M. (2018). Knowledge and Practices Regarding Menstrual Hygiene among Mentally Retarded Females at Schools. The Medical Journal of Cairo University, 86(June), 1743-1750. doi: 10.21608/mjcu.2018.56570
MLA
MONA S. ATRESS, M.Sc.; NAWAL A. FOUAD, D.N.Sc.; HEBA M. HAMAD, D.N.Sc.. "Knowledge and Practices Regarding Menstrual Hygiene among Mentally Retarded Females at Schools". The Medical Journal of Cairo University, 86, June, 2018, 1743-1750. doi: 10.21608/mjcu.2018.56570
HARVARD
NAWAL A. FOUAD, D.N.Sc., M. S. A. M., HAMAD, D.N.Sc., H. M. (2018). 'Knowledge and Practices Regarding Menstrual Hygiene among Mentally Retarded Females at Schools', The Medical Journal of Cairo University, 86(June), pp. 1743-1750. doi: 10.21608/mjcu.2018.56570
VANCOUVER
NAWAL A. FOUAD, D.N.Sc., M. S. A. M., HAMAD, D.N.Sc., H. M. Knowledge and Practices Regarding Menstrual Hygiene among Mentally Retarded Females at Schools. The Medical Journal of Cairo University, 2018; 86(June): 1743-1750. doi: 10.21608/mjcu.2018.56570