ArticlePloS one2026
Factors affecting menstrual hygiene among women living in slum areas of Budanilakantha Municipality, Kathmandu.
Article in PloS one, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
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.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundMenstruation is often stigmatized and poorly managed in low-income settings like Nepal, leading to health and social challenges. Women in urban slums face additional barriers due to poverty and limited sanitation. This study explores factors affecting menstrual hygiene practices among women in Budanilakantha slums to inform targeted interventions.
methodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among 247 women aged 18-49 years in slum areas of Budanilakantha Municipality, Nepal. Participants were selected using systematic random sampling. Data were collected via a pretested questionnaire and analysed with chi-square tests. Ethical approval was obtained from Nobel College, Pokhara University.
resultsAmong the 247 women surveyed, 53.8% used sanitary pads and 42.9% used reusable cloth materials (traditionally used fabric pieces) during menstruation. Most participants reported using soap and water for handwashing (66.8%) and external genital cleaning (82.6%), whereas only 38.9% bathed daily during menstruation. Nearly all participants (95.1%) experienced menstrual restrictions, and 57.1% reported being perceived as impure. Statistically significant associations were observed between menstrual hygiene-related awareness and both education and monthly income, while handwashing practice was significantly associated with ethnicity, occupation, and monthly income. These findings suggest that socio-economic conditions and cultural norms are key determinants of menstrual hygiene practices among women living in slum areas.
conclusionsMenstrual hygiene practices in Budanilakantha slum areas are influenced by socio-economic status, cultural taboos, and limited infrastructure. Although basic hygiene is practiced by many, cultural stigma and gaps in hygiene behaviours persist. Comprehensive interventions addressing education, water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure, and social norms are essential to improve menstrual health and dignity among marginalized women.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.