Authors : Aishat Temitope Kasali; David Ishaleku; Benjamin Idoko; Idoko David Oche

Volume/Issue : Volume 10 - 2025, Issue 12 - December

Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/yvzruyh2

Scribd : https://tinyurl.com/48j28wyk

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/25dec1184

Note : A published paper may take 4-5 working days from the publication date to appear in PlumX Metrics, Semantic Scholar, and ResearchGate.

Abstract : Background: Deficiencies in menstrual hygiene management (MHM) remain a pervasive but insufficiently addressed constraint on girls’ educational participation in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Entrenched sociocultural taboos surrounding menstruation, inadequately equipped school environments, and constrained access to appropriate menstrual materials, particularly disposable or reusable sanitary pads, collectively contribute to recurrent school absence among adolescent girls.  Objective: This scoping review sought to systematically map school-based MHM interventions implemented in LMICs, with particular emphasis on sub-Saharan Africa, and to synthesise available evidence on their influence on school attendance, menstrual hygiene behaviours, psychosocial outcomes, and academic performance.  Methods: Guided by the PRISMA-ScR reporting guidelines and the Population–Concept–Context framework, a comprehensive search of peer-reviewed and grey literature published between 2015 and 2025 was undertaken using PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science. Eligible studies focused on schoolgirls aged 10–19 years in LMIC settings and evaluated interventions explicitly addressing MHM. Twenty-five studies met the inclusion criteria and were examined using narrative synthesis, with results organised thematically and documented through summary charts and a PRISMA flow diagram.  Results: The identified interventions clustered into four broad categories: menstrual health education, provision of menstrual products, improvements to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities, and integrated interventions combining multiple components. Multi-component programmes demonstrated the most consistent and substantial effects, with several studies reporting reductions in menstruation-related school absenteeism of up to 70%. Positive changes in hygiene practices and psychosocial well-being were also frequently reported. Nonetheless, important evidence gaps persist, notably the scarcity of long-term evaluations, limited contextual and cultural tailoring of interventions, and inadequate representation of marginalised populations, including girls with disabilities and those residing in rural or conflict-affected settings.  Conclusions: The available evidence indicates that integrated MHM interventions hold considerable promise for enhancing girls’ school attendance and overall well-being in LMIC contexts. To sustain and scale these gains, policymakers should advance comprehensive national MHM policies, invest in resilient and gender-responsive WASH infrastructure, and adopt inclusive approaches that explicitly address equity and vulnerability. Menstrual health should be recognised as a fundamental component of the right to education rather than an obstacle to it.

Keywords : Menstrual Hygiene, School Absenteeism, Adolescent Girls, LMICs, Sub-Saharan Africa, WASH, Gender Equity, Education Policy.

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