ArticleEmerging themes in epidemiology2022
Puberty health intervention to improve menstrual health and school attendance among adolescent girls in The Gambia: study methodology of a cluster-randomised controlled trial in rural Gambia (MEGAMBO TRIAL).
Article in Emerging themes in epidemiology, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 11 citations in OpenAlex.
- Systematic narrative review on Menstrual health and hygiene (MHH) in Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia and The Gambia.International health · 2026Pooled it
- Understanding menstrual factors associated with poor mental health among female secondary school students in Uganda: a cross-sectional analysis.Child and adolescent psychiatry and mental health · 2024Article
- High uptake of menstrual health information, products and analgesics within an integrated sexual reproductive health service for young people in Zimbabwe.Reproductive health · 2024Article
- Article
- High uptake of menstrual health information, products and analgesics within an integrated sexual reproductive health service for young people in Zimbabwe.Research square · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
14 authors at 4 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundMenstrual health (MH) is a recognised global public health challenge. Poor MH may lead to absence from school and work, and adverse health outcomes. However, reviews suggest a lack of rigorous evidence for the effectiveness of MH interventions on health and education outcomes. The objective of this paper is to describe the methods used in a cluster-randomised controlled trial to estimate the effect of a multi-component intervention to improve MH and school attendance in The Gambia.
methodsThe design ensured half the schools (25) were randomised to receive the intervention which comprised of the following components: (i) Peer education camps and menstrual hygiene laboratories in schools, (ii) Mother's outreach sessions, (iii) Community meetings, and (iv) minor improvements of school Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) facilities and maintenance. The intervention was run over a three-month period, and the evaluation was conducted at least three months after the last intervention activity was completed in the school or community. The other 25 schools acted as controls. Of these 25 control schools one Arabic school dropped out due to COVID-19. The primary outcome was the prevalence of girls missing at least one day of school during their last period. Secondary outcomes included: Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) symptoms, biochemical markers of UTI in urine, Reproductive Tract Infection symptoms, self-reported menstruation related wellbeing, social support and knowledge, perceptions and practices towards menstruation and MH in target school girls. In addition, a process evaluation using observations, routine monitoring data, survey data and interviews was undertaken to assess dose and reach (quantitative data) and assess acceptability, fidelity, context and possible mechanisms of impact (qualitative data). Cost and cost-effectiveness of the intervention package will also be assessed.
conclusionResults will add to scarce resources available on effectiveness of MH interventions on school attendance. A positive result may encourage policy makers to increase their commitment to improve operation and maintenance of school WASH facilities and include more information on menstruation into the curriculum and help in the reporting and management of infections related to adolescent menstruation. Trial Registration PACTR, PACTR201809769868245, Registered 14th August 2018, https://pactr.samrc.ac.za/TrialDisplay.aspx?TrialID=3539.
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