Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40251620›Full record

ArticleBMC women's health2025

A multifaceted menstrual health intervention to improve psychosocial outcomes and menstrual practices among secondary schoolgirls in Northwest Tanzania: a pilot intervention study.

Philip Ayieko, Belen Torondel, Jenny Renju, Jennifer Rubli, Onike Mcharo, John R Luwayi, Katherine A Thomas, Giulia Greco, Saidi Kapiga, Elialilia S Okello

Abstract read
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Article in BMC women's health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

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0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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5 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Philip AyiekoMwanza Intervention Trials Unit, National Institute for Medical Research, Mwanza, Tanzania.
Belen TorondelDepartment of Disease Control, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
Jenny RenjuDepartment of Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
Jennifer RubliDepartment of Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning, Femme International, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania.
Onike McharoMwanza Intervention Trials Unit, National Institute for Medical Research, Mwanza, Tanzania.
John R LuwayiMwanza Intervention Trials Unit, National Institute for Medical Research, Mwanza, Tanzania.
Katherine A ThomasDepartment of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
Giulia GrecoDepartment of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
Saidi KapigaMwanza Intervention Trials Unit, National Institute for Medical Research, Mwanza, Tanzania.
Elialilia S OkelloMwanza Intervention Trials Unit, National Institute for Medical Research, Mwanza, Tanzania. elialilia.okello@mitu.or.tz.

Funding

Medical Research Council MR/T040297/1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionSchools provide an important opportunity to sustainably reach and improve menstrual experiences and outcomes among adolescent girls. This study examined changes in psychosocial outcomes and menstrual practices after a pilot menstrual health intervention in schools in Northwest Tanzania.

methodsWe conducted a pre/post evaluation of a pilot menstrual health intervention in four schools in Mwanza region. The intervention included: (i) 10-hours comprehensive menstrual sexual and reproductive health (MSRH) education curriculum delivered over 5 days, (ii) distribution of menstrual management kits, (iii) improvement of school WASH facility guided by needs, and (iv) training on menstrual pain management strategies, supply of pain killers and training a specific teacher on dispensing. The primary outcome was measured using the Menstrual Practices Need Scale (MPNS). We assessed seven secondary outcomes: menstrual pain management practice; self-efficacy in managing menstruation; menstrual-related anxiety; self-reported urogenital infection symptoms; MSRH knowledge; participation in school during menstruation; and school climate score. We used linear (for MPNS, and school climate score), and logistic (for remaining secondary outcomes) random-effect regression models to examine changes in outcomes between baseline and endline.

resultsA total of 486 schoolgirls (mean age 15.6 years [SD 1.3]) were recruited for the baseline survey; of these 396 participated in the endline survey. At 12-months follow up, menstrual experience improved for MPNS-36 subscales of transport and menstrual material needs, (mean difference (MD), 0.52; 95% CI 0.38-0.66), and menstrual material reuse needs, (MD 0.32; 0.14-0.50), while menstrual materials reuse insecurity did not change, (MD -0.08; -0.27-0.11). For the secondary outcomes, there was an increased use of analgesics for menstrual pain management, (OR 2.21; 95% CI 1.33-3.67); improved self-efficacy for managing menstruation, (OR 2.02; 1.35-3.04); MSRH knowledge, (OR 5.23; 3.25-8.39), participation in school (OR 2.80; 1.89-4.16) and reduced menstrual-related anxiety, (OR 0.38; 0.25-0.59). There was no evidence of change in self-reported urogenital symptoms, (OR 0.71; 0.49-1.01) or school climate, (MD 0.05; -0.19-0.28).

conclusionThe pilot intervention showed improvements in menstrual practices, psychosocial outcomes and school participation among schoolgirls but had no effect on school climate or self-reported urogenital symptoms. Stronger evidence from rigorously designed trials is needed to confirm the effectiveness of the intervention and scalability of these findings.

Indexed as

Health EducationHealth Knowledge, Attitudes, PracticeMenstruationSchool Health ServicesStudentsAdolescentDysmenorrheaFemaleHumansPilot ProjectsReproductive HealthSchoolsSelf EfficacyTanzaniaAdolescent girlsInterventionMenstrual healthMenstrual practices and needs scalePilotSchoolWellbeing

Identifiers

PMID40251620
PMCPMC12007168

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.